y be used for barracks or a citadel. A belt of
batteries encircles the island, and it seems to be defended at every
point. There is a lighthouse and fog-bell on this island also.

Soon after passing Alcatraces Island, we came to anchor near Mission
Street wharf. We waited for the custom-house officer to come on board.
After a short detention we went down the ship's ladder into a small
boat, and were soon on shore. Half an hour's ride brought us to the Lick
House, and the journey to the Hawaiian Islands was among the things of
the past. Though so far away from home and friends, we were in the
United States, and under our own beloved flag.

We did not forget to thank the Father of mercies for his kind care of us
when on the deep, and beseech him to continue his loving-kindness to us
while in that far-off part of our great country. Friends gathered about
us with their warm greetings, and we soon left the hotel and took up our
abode in a quiet family circle. But our hearts began to hasten our
departure for our eastern home.

XXI.

California.

We took one day a very pleasant drive out to the Cliff House. Opposite
this hotel, which is just on the beach, are some craggy rocks, which are
entirely covered with seals and sea-lions. They are so near that you can
see them playing in the water, which seems to be alive with them, while
their mournful cry echoes in your ears, "yoi hoey, yoi hoey." We took
quite a drive on the beach, and saw many little "Portuguese
men-of-war," which had been washed up on the sand. They are a sort of
stiff jelly fishes, in shape resembling a wafer, with the half of
another wafer set up across the center like a sail. We used to see
thousands of them floating on the water when at sea. It was quite
interesting to watch some little birds, which ran along so swiftly on
the sand that they seemed to glide without any movement of their feet.
They looked brown, but when they flew, their breasts and the under part
of their wings were snowy white; and as their wings vibrated quickly,
the sudden alternation of brown and white had a very pretty effect.

At four o'clock on the afternoon of August 5th, we started for
Sacramento, on the steamer Yo Semite. The steamer was named for a
beautiful valley in California. The first object of interest we passed
was Alcatraces Island, with its circle of batteries; but our chief
attention was bestowed upon the city left behind us and the
shipping,--the larger cra