A high range of sparsely wooded hills, crowned with rocky
ledges, and with abrupt slopes covered with dry brown grass, running to
the water's edge, formed the background of the picture. Nearer, a
tongue of high land, brushy and rocky, made out from the main shore,
and curving southward, formed a shelter to what seemed a harbor within.
Against the precipitous point the sea broke with a heavy blow, and a
few ugly peaks of rock lifted their heads above the heaving green of
the sea. High up above the sky-line rose one tall, sharp, blue peak,
yet veiled in the floating mist, but its base melted away into a mass
of verdure that stretched from the shore far up the mountain-side. Our
sweeps were now used to bring us around the point, and cautiously
pulling in, we opened a lovely bay bordered with orchards and
vineyards, in the midst of which was a neat village, glittering white
in the sunshine, and clustered around an old-fashioned mission church,
whose quaint gable and tower reminded us of the buildings of the early
Spanish settlers of the country. As we neared the shore (there was no
landing-place) we could see an unwonted commotion in the clean streets,
and a flag was run up to the top of a white staff that stood in the
midst of a plaza. Captain Booden returned the compliment by hoisting
the Stars and Stripes at our mainmast head, but was sorely bothered
with the mingled dyes of the flag on shore. A puff of air blew out its
folds, and to our surprise disclosed the Mexican national standard.

"Blast them greasers," said the patriotic skipper, "if they ain't gone
and histed a Mexican cactus flag, then I'm blowed." He seriously
thought of hauling down his beloved national colors again, resenting
the insult of hoisting a foreign flag on American soil. He pocketed the
affront, however, remarking that "they probably knew that a Bolinas
butter-boat was not much of a fightist anyway."

We dropped anchor gladly, Captain Booden being wholly at a loss as to
our whereabouts. We judged that we were somewhere south of the Golden
Gate, but what town this was that slept so tranquilly in the summer
sun, and what hills were these that walled in the peaceful scene from
the rest of the world, we could not tell. The village seemed awakening
from its serene sleepiness, and one by one the windows of the adobe
cottages swung open as if the people rubbed their long-closed eyes at
some unwonted sight; and the doors gradually opened as though their