looking fortifications erected by the
Spaniards for the defence of the passage, but over which the Yankee
stars and stripes were now floating. On leaving the strait we found
ourselves on a broad sheet of rippling water looking like a great
inland lake, hemmed in on all sides by lofty hills on which innumerable
herds of cattle and horses were grazing, with green islands and clusters
of rock rising up here and there, and a little fleet of ships riding at
anchor. On our right was the town of San Francisco.

I had suffered so much from the voyage, that when the anchor was let
go I felt no inclination to hurry on shore. McPhail and Malcolm,
however, went off, but promised to return to the ship that night. I
soon after turned into my hammock, and, thanks to the stillness of the
water in which we rode, slept soundly till morning.

_April 29th_.--This morning we all rose early, and went on shore.
The little baggage we had we took in the boat. Malcolm told me that he
had heard the war was over between the United States and Mexico, and I
bitterly congratulated myself on experiencing my usual run of bad
luck. We made our way to Sweeting's hotel, which Malcolm and McPhail
had visited yesterday, and stated to be the best of the three hotels
which have sprung up here since the Americans became masters of the
place.

Malcolm intends making an excursion to the interior. He proposes to
visit the American settlements, and to satisfy himself as to the
reputed advantages which California presents as an agricultural
country. I have agreed to accompany him. We have fallen in with two
very pleasant American gentlemen at our hotel to-day--one, a Captain
Fulsom, holding some appointment under Government here; the other, a
young friend of his named Bradley. We had some conversation together
on the subject of the Mexican war, in the course of which I learnt
that Mr. Bradley has been a resident in California for the last eight
years, and that he was one of the officers of the volunteer corps
attached to the army of the United States, while military operations
were going on in this country. I told him of my desire to enter as a
surgeon in the service of the States, and he promised to speak to
Captain Fulsom on the subject, and obtain from him a letter to Colonel
Mason, the new governor; but he is afraid there is little chance of my
meeting with success, as nearly all the volunteer corps have been, or
are about to be, disbanded. Both Mr. Bradley