have conjectured, that the name San Francisco was given to any port in
memory of Sir Francis Drake. Spanish Catholics gave the name in honor of
St. Francis of Assisi. Drake was an Englishman and a freebooter, who had
no love for the saints.

That the Bay of San Francisco should have so long remained undiscovered
is the more remarkable inasmuch as many efforts were made to survey and
settle the coast. California was looked upon as the El Dorado of New
Spain. It was believed that it abounded in pearls, gold, silver, and
other metals; and even in diamonds and precious stones. Fruitless
expeditions, private or royal, set forth in 1615, 1633 and 1634; 1640,
1642 and 1648; 1665 and 1668. But nothing came of these. A hundred years
later the Spanish friars established their peaceful missions, and in
1776 the mission church of San Francisco was dedicated.

[Illustration: The Outer Signal Station at the Golden Gate]

* * * * *

At last the fog began to show signs of life and motion. Huge masses of
opaque mist, that had shut us in like walls of alabaster, were rent
asunder and noiselessly rolled away. The change was magical. In a few
moments we found ourselves under a cloudless sky, upon a sparkling sea,
flooded with sunshine, and the Golden Gate wide open to give us welcome.




V.