San Francisco,

Ahoy!

The argonauts stepped ashore on the Long Wharf of San Francisco with a mix of feelings. You can almost "see" San Francisco as they saw it by reading their comments.

San Francisco Bay

Approaching San Francisco

E.I. Barra aboard the Urania, 1849, wrote

" on the larboard hand the green hills and deep valleys of the Marin shore came into full view, gladdening the eyes of every person on boardOn our starboard bow we saw a bluff jutting into the bay on the [top] of which were two or three small brass cannon. Rising far above the cannon was a tall flagstaff from the top of which waved the glorious flag of our countryAs we sailed into view our eyes were greeted with a sight that they never have encountered since. Shipping in such numbers that it was absolutely impossible to enumerate them; they looked to us as if they were piled up one on top of the other."

San Francisco Harbor

J. Lamson on the James W. Paige, 1852, commented that

"A peculiar feature of the harborwas the great number of dismantled ships that lay thickly scattered around it.most of them have their lower masts standing, and supported by a few ropes and chainshave been converted into storeships. Some of them had doors cut into their sides with short flights of steps from the water. Some were run agroundand wharves and streets built around them"

Mixed Feelings Leaving the Ship

A passenger aboard the Europe, 1852, said,

"We expect to be landed tomorrow, and this is our last day on the Europe after a voyage of about twenty thousand miles and 222 days since we left Philadelphia. Although we have fared miserably aboard the Europe we have been at home on her so long that we feel a strong attachment as the time approaches for us to bid her farewell."

Part I, Resource 10-6a 
Page 129
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