On the 18th day of July, 1881, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, we sailed from San Francisco, Cal., on board the schooner Golden Fleece, a staunch little schooner of one hundred and fifty tons burden, and, being towed outside the heads, we began our voyage in the teeth of a strong northwest gale; and it was three days before the reefs were shaken out of our sails.