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LICK OBSERVATORY, ON THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT HAMILTON, CAL.—The observatory buildings occupy the summit of the mountains, at an altitude of 4250 feet above the valley. The place is reached by stage from San Jose, over a road which is said to have cost $80,000 in its construction. The scenery along the road is wonderfully picturesque and beautiful, embracing a number and variety of views that are unsurpassed anywhere in the world. From the observatory nearly the whole of Santa Clara Valley can be seen, and on clear days the peaks of Yosemite, and even the hoary head of Mount Shasta, 200 miles distant, are discernible. ]
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[Illustration: EL CAPITAN, 3,300 FEET HIGH, YOSEMITE.]
From San Jose to San Francisco the distance is about fifty miles, through forests of redwood, past charming villas skirting San Francisco Bay, and many beauties peculiar to this perpetual summer land. The city is one of exceedingly great interest, possessing as it does features of a unique as well as of a magnificent character. Some of its best streets are reclamations from the bay, where, in 1849, the largest ships rode at anchor; and what were once bare mountains of sand were made accessible by the adoption of a cable system of street railroads, and on these peaks are now several of the finest residences in America.
The Palace Hotel is the largest in the world, nine stories high, occupying 275 by 350 feet of ground, and cost, with furnishings, the enormous sum of $7,000,000. The public buildings, and many of the business blocks as well, attest the great wealth of the place, which flowed in with the gold discoveries. Lone Mountain, distinguished by a large wooden cross on its summit, affords a view which embraces not only the entire city and bay, but likewise of the ocean, Mount Diabolo and the long Coast Range that shimmers in the sun like polished metal.
But the most delightful point of interest is the Cliff House, near the entrance to the Golden Gate, reached by a beautiful drive through Golden Gate Park, and also by cable and steam cars. The prospect from the hotel piazza, reaching far above and over the ocean, is both grand and charming. Immediately in front, and only three or four hundred yards away, three rocks rise out of the sea to a height of one hundred feet, and on these hundreds of sea-lions gather of sunny days to bask and display themselves before amused spectators. At times, their barking is almost distracting, especially when some ugly-dispositioned pater familias of the great herd sets about clearing the rocks, when there follows a noise like ten thousand big dogs in conflict, and a scrambling, sprawling and tumbling that is wonderful as well as amusing.
