Part 23 (1/2)

Eleven days later, on the 3rd of December, the General Grant entered the bay of the Golden Gate, and reached San Francisco

Mr Fogg had neither gained nor lost a single day

Chapter 25

In Which a Slight Glimpse Is Had of San Francisco

It was seven in the , Aouda and Passepartout set foot upon the A quay upon which they dise with the tide, thus facilitate the loading and unloading of vessels Alongside them were clippers of all sizes, steamers of all nationalities, and the stea one above the other, which ply on the Sacramento and its tributaries There were also heaped up the products of a commerce which extends to Mexico, Chili, Peru, Brazil, Europe, Asia and all the Pacific islands

Passepartout, in his joy on reaching at last the A a perilous vault in fine style; but, tuh them Put out of countenance by the manner in which he thus ”set foot” upon the New World, he uttered a loud cry This so frightened the innumerable cormorants and pelicans that are always perched upon these , on reaching shore, proceeded to find out at what hour the first train left for New York, and learned that this was at six o'clock PM He had, therefore, an entire day to spend in the Californian city Taking a carriage for three dollars, he and Aouda entered it, while Passepartout mounted the box beside the driver, and they set out for the International Hotel

From his exalted position Passepartout observed with ed houses, the Anglo-Saxon Gothic churches, the great docks, the palatial wooden and brick warehouses, the numerous conveyances, omnibuses, horse-cars, and upon the side-walks, not only Americans and Europeans, but Chinese and Indians Passepartout was surprised at all he saw San Francisco was no longer the legendary city of 1849--a city of banditti, assassins and incendiaries, who had flocked here in crowds in pursuit of plunder Forold-dust, a revolver in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other, it was now a great commercial emporium

The lofty tower of its City Hall overlooked the whole panoraht-angles, and in the midst of which appeared pleasant, verdant squares

Beyond appeared the Chinese quarter, seely imported from the Celestial Empire in a toy-box Sombreros and red shi+rts and plumed Indians were rarely to be seen; but there were silk hats and black coats everywhere worn by aoent Street is to London, the Boulevard des Italiens to Paris and Broadway to New York--were lined with splendid and spacious stores, which exposed in their s the products of the entire world

When Passepartout reached the International Hotel, it did not seeround floor of the hotel was occupied by a large bar, a sort of restaurant freely open to all passers-by, who ht partake of dried beef, oyster soup, biscuits and cheese, without taking out their purses Payment was made only for the ale, porter, or sherry which was drunk This seemed ”very American” to Passepartout The hotel refresh and Aouda, installing themselves at a table, were abundantly served on diroes of darkest hue

After breakfast, Mr Fogg, accolish consulate to have his passport visaed As he was going out, he met Passepartout, who asked hi the train, to purchase some dozens of Enfield rifles and Colt's revolvers He had been listening to stories of attacks upon the trains by the Sioux and pawnees Mr Fogg thought it a useless precaution, but told hiht best, and went on to the consulate

He had not proceeded two hundred steps, however, when, ”by the greatest chance in the world,” he met Fix The detective see and hiether, and not met on the steaentleman to whom he owed so much, and, as his business recalled hihted to continue the journey in such pleasant co replied that the honor would be his; and the detective--as detered permission to accompany the readily granted

They soon found thereat croas collected The side-walks, street, horse-car rails, the shop-doors, the s of the houses and even the roofs, were full of people Men were going about carrying large posters, and flags and strea in the wind, while loud cries were heard on every hand

”Hurrah for Camerfield!”

”Hurrah for Mandiboy!”

It was a political , ”Perhaps we had better not er in it”

”Yes,” returned Mr Fogg, ”and blows, even if they are political are still blows”

Fix smiled at this re jostled about, the party took up a position on the top of a flight of steps situated at the upper end of Montgomery Street Opposite them, on the other side of the street, between a coal wharf and a petroleue platform had been erected in the open air, towards which the current of the crowd see? What was the occasion of this excited asseine Was it to noress?

It was not iitated was the multitude before them

Just at this moment there was an unusual stir in the human htly closed, seeetic way, no doubt, of casting a vote The croayed back, the banners and flags wavered, disappeared an instant, then reappeared in tatters The undulations of the hue reached the steps, while all the heads floundered on the surface like a sea agitated by a squall Many of the black hats disappeared, and the greater part of the crowd seeht

”It is evidently aone I should not wonder if it were about the Alabama, despite the fact that that question is settled”

”Perhaps,” replied Mr Fogg, simply