This is San Francisco in 1847 before the
gold rush. San Francisco grew fast! In 1848, there were only
about 400 people living there.
When gold was discovered,
over 40,000 people came through town. That year, 697 ships arrived. Many
of these ships were abandoned in the bay as the sailors scurried up river
to the diggin's to hunt gold! When Jack and Praiseworthy arrived, "There
seemed to be more ships in the harbor than houses on the shore."
This is the same harbor as above in 1851.
What happened to the MAJORITY of these sailing ships left in San Francisco
Bay?
They
were salvaged for parts and wood.
They
were used to transport people up the river to Sacramento City.
They
went back around the Horn to get more cargo and passengers headed for
the gold country.