when the sun was about an hour high.  The morning was calm and beautiful.  Not a ripple disturbed the placid and glassy surface of the magnificent bay and harbour, upon which rested at anchor thirty large vessels, consisting of whalemen, merchantmen, and the U.S. sloop-of-war Portsmouth, Captain Montgomery.  Besides these, there were numerous small craft, giving to the harbour a commercial air, of which some of the large cities on the Atlantic coast would feel vain.  The bay, from the town of San Francisco due east, is about twelve miles in breadth.  An elevated range of hills bounds the view on the opposite side.  These slope gradually down, and between them and the shore there is a broad and fertile plain, which is called the Contra Costa.  There are several small islands in the bay, but they do not present a fertile appearance to the eye.

We were received with every mark of respectful attention and cordial hospitality by Mr. Leidesdorff.  Mr. L. is a native of Denmark; was for some years a resident of the United States; but subsequently the captain of a merchant vessel, and has been established at this place as a merchant some five or six years.  The house in which he resides, now under the process of completion, is the largest private building in the town.  Being shown to a well-furnished room, we changed our travel-soiled clothing for a more civilized costume, by which time breakfast was announced, and we were ushered into a large dining-hall.  In the centre stood a table, upon which was spread a substantial breakfast of stewed and fried beef, fried onions, and potatoes, bread, butter, and coffee.  Our appetites were very sharp, and we did full justice to the merits of the fare before us.  The servants waiting upon the table were an Indian muchachito and muchachita, about ten or twelve years of age.  They had not been long from their wild rancherias, and knew but little of civilized life.  Our host, however, who speaks, I believe, nearly every living language, whether of Christian, barbarian, or savage nations, seemed determined to impress upon their dull intellects the forms and customs of civilization.  He scolded them with great vivacity, sometimes in their own tongue, sometimes in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, German, and English, in accordance with the language in which he was thinking at the moment.  It seemed to me that the little fat Indians were more confused than enlightened by his emphatic instructions.  At the table, besides ourselves and host, was Lieutenant W.A.  Bartlett, of the U.S. sloop-of-war Portsmouth, now acting as Alcalde of the town and district of San Francisco.

The Portsmouth, Commander Montgomery, is the only United States vessel of war now lying in the harbour.  She is regarded as the finest vessel of her class belonging to our navy.  By invitation of Lieutenant Bartlett, I went on board of her between ten and eleven o’clock.  The crew and officers were assembled on deck to attend Divine service.  They were all dressed with great neatness, and seemed to listen with deep attention to the Episcopal service and a sermon, which were read by Commander Montgomery, who is a member of the church.