CHAPTER XII.
THROUGH THE CITY TO THE GOLDEN GATE A Well Equipped Fire Department--Destructive Fires--Scene at the _Call_ Office--Loyalty to the Flag--The Blind Man and Bobby Burns--Street Scenes and Places of Interest--Market Street System--Mission Dolores--Effect of Pictures--Franciscan Missionaries--A Quaint Building--The Mosque a Model--The Presidio--The Spanish and American Reservation--Tents--Cemetery--The Cliff House--Sutro Baths--Museum--Seal Rocks--Farallones--Golden Gate--What it Recalls--Golden Poppy--John C.Fremont--Drake and the Golden Hind--A Convenient Harbour--First to Enter--With the Indians--Child of Destiny--A Vision of Greatness--Queen of the Golden Gate.
Our walks hither and thither in San Francisco will lead us to many interesting places, and at times into the midst of exciting scenes.
There is an onward sweep of the current of humanity, which is exhilarating in a high degree; there is activity on all sides; and you soon catch the spirit of the place.

Men have a purpose in view, something to accomplish; and there is the entire absence of lethargy; there are no drones in the great hive.

You realise that you are in a city of distances as well as surprises; and wherever you go you find some object or locality or happening that calls for comment.

Hark! there is the fire alarm.

The engines and hose-carts and fire ladders, with other apparatus, pass you as in the twinkling of an eye; and so skillful are the fire-laddies, and so well equipped is the department, that the devouring flames rarely ever make headway.