AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE.

mington, we pass, on the right, embowered
in trees, the old headquarters of the Mili-
tary Department, of Southern California
and Arizona, abandoned in 1870. When
the Government had no further use for the
property it was sold, and is now used by the
Protestants, and called Wilson’s College.

Wilmington contains a population of
about 500, most of whom are engaged in
the shipping interests. At the long wharf
are great warehouses, beside which, vessels
drawing twelve feet of water, can lay and
load and unload from and into the cars
of the railroad, which run the whole
length of the wharf. Vessels drawing
15 feet of water can cross the bar, two
miles below, but are unable to reach the
wharf, and ‘are unloaded two miles below.

Inside the bar is a ship channel, per-
fectly sheltered, several miles in length,
with a width of from 400 to 500 feet, and a
depth, at low tide, of from 20 to 25 feet,
shoaling at its head to 12 feet.

The Government has expended over halfa
million of dollars to improve the harbor at
this place; the breakwater is 6,700 feet
long, and when completed, it will be of
incalculable advantage to the people of
this section of country.

Wilmington isa point where immense

 

 

247

 

* i | re
About two miles before reaching Wil-| quantities of ties and redwood lumber are

landed from the Humboldt Bay country,
200 miles north of San Francisco, on the
coast, and also where are landed large
quantities of coal from the Liverpool ves-
sels that come hereto load with grain. The
coal is brought for ballast, more than for
profit.

Rattlesnake Island is in front of the har-
bor—sand principally San Pedro Point
is two miles south, and Point Fermin,
around that point to the west, reached by
wagon-road around the beach or over the
bluffs, six miles distant, Deadman’s
Island isa small,isolated rocky peak, where
commences the breakwater improvement
below Point Pedro.

Fermin Point is on the most prominent
headland on the west, surmounted with a
light of the first order, [which is kept by
two ladies.| Near this point, ¢n stone, is
the subject of our illustration, below,

‘called San Pedro’s Wife or the “ WoMAN

OF THE PERIOD.”

The distance from Wilmington by
steamer to San Francisco is 387 miles; to
San Diego, 95 miles; to Santa Catalina
Island, 20 miles. This Island is owned by
the Lick estate, is 835 miles long and ten
wide, on which are some gold mines, and

| great numbers of sheep and goats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAN PEDRO’S WIFE OR, THE WOMAN OF THE PERIOD.