The sand hills, some of them almost inaccessible to foot-passengers, were surveyed off and mapped into fifty vara lots--a vara being a Spanish yard.

These were sold at first at very low prices, but were sold and resold for higher prices until they went up to many thousands of dollars.

The brokers did a fine business, and so did many such purchasers as were sharp enough to quit purchasing before the final crash came.

As the city grew, the sand hills back of the town furnished material for filling up the bay under the houses and streets, and still further out.

The temporary houses, first built over the water in the harbor, soon gave way to more solid structures.