We visited San Rafael and Santa Cruz, the Newport of California.  At the former place there was an incident, which, although of a personal nature, we mention as illustrative of the magnanimous character of the Californian, prone to err, but ever ready to confess a wrong.  We entered the office of the County Clerk and offered him a book.  Without removing his feet from the counter, upon which they were elevated at an angle of forty-five degrees, he threw down a dollar and bade us “go along.”

We “stood not upon the order of our going,” but went, taking care to leave the dollar.  A bystander said to me:  “Take it! he is rich!” I quietly assured him that I never accepted money without rendering an honest equivalent, and as I left I heard the ejaculation:  “She’s plucky, isn’t she.”  On entering a livery stable on the opposite side of the street, a gentleman took the proffered book and opened to a page containing the name of Aunt Nancy Lee.  With an exclamation of surprise he said:  “I have an aunt of that name.”  This led to further conversation and a better acquaintance, the person really proving to be his aunt.  While we were talking, the four gentlemen from the office of the County Clerk came in, and I being introduced in a new light they each bought a book, and the clerk made an ample apology for his abruptness, which I readily accepted as an “amende honorable.”

We went to Santa Barbara by steamer and greatly enjoyed the sail.  Finding no pier upon our arrival, we had to descend an almost perpendicular ladder to a small boat.  In this apparently perilous process, the boatmen were actively assisted by Captain Johnson, whose mellow toned voice softened and cheered the transit.  In the descent, a woman dropped her baby into the water, and, although it was quickly rescued by the seamen, her continued screams even after its safe delivery quite intimidated me, but with the usual sure-footedness of the blind, I went down with so much ease that I was greatly complimented by the astonished captain.  Our skiff-ride to shore was a pleasant episode, and the romance was much heightened by the floating sea plants around us, which could be easily touched with our hands.  There were no good hotels in Santa Barbara, but we were comfortably accommodated in a private family.  The climate is finer there than in any locality in the State, the thermometer most of the time standing at seventy degrees, hence it is so greatly sought by consumptives.

It was to me a delightful pastime to spend an occasional hour with the fishermen on the coast, who are so happy to impart any information regarding their own calling, and from whom I learned many a valuable lesson.