•

•

•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Q. David Bowers, president of Bowers and Merena Galleries (a division of Collectors Universe), has been in the rare coin business since he was a teenager in 1953. The author is a recipient of the Pennsylvania State University College of Business Administration’s Alumni Achievement Award (1976); he has served as president of the American Numismatic Association (1983-1985) and president of the Professional Numismatists Guild (1977-1979) ; he is a recipient of the highest honor bestowed by the ANA (the Farran Zerbe Award) ; he was the first ANA member to be named Numismatist of the Year (1995) ; and he has been inducted into the Numismatic Hall of Fame (at ANA Headquarters in Colorado Springs). Bowers is a recipient of the highest honor given by the Professional Numismatists Guild (The Founders’ Award) and has received more "Book of the Year Award" and "Best Columnist" honors given by the Numismatic Literary Guild than has any other writer. In 2000 he was the first annual recipient of the Burnett Anderson Memorial Award, an honor jointly sponsored by the American Numismatic Society, the American Numismatic Association, and the Numismatic Literary Guild.

He is the author of over 40 books, hundreds of auction and other catalogues, and several thousand articles including columns in Coin World and The Numismatist. When American Heritage magazine celebrated its 25th anniversary, he wrote the cover article for that issue; the topic was American gold coins.

Regarding California and its coinage, in 1965, when Stackpole Books worked with the American Numismatic Society to reprint Edgar H. Adams’ classic 1913 reference, Private Gold Coinage of California, 1849-1855, Dave Bowers provided the new foreword. Over the years he has written extensively about the Gold Rush in books such as Adventures with Rare Coins (1978), American Coin Treasures and Hoards (1997), and The Treasure Ship S.S. Brother Jonathan (1999); .and in The Numismatist. He has catalogued and/or presented for sale some of the most important cabinets of California and related gold coins ever to be auctioned, including the Garrett Collection (1979-1981 for The Johns Hopkins University), ingots and patterns from the Henry H. Clifford Collection (1982), the Norweb Collection (1987-1988), the Virgil M. Brand Collection (1983-1984 for the Jane Brand Allen estate via the Morgan Guaranty Trust Co., New York), the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., Collection (1982, 1996, and 1997), and gold coins from the S.S. Central America (2000). Along the way he has catalogued examples of every regular issue coin ever struck by the San Francisco Mint, including the unique 1870-S $3, and most varieties of the privately minted California gold issues.

His extensive research library includes in-depth coverage of San Francisco, the Gold Rush, maritime commerce, coinage, numismatics, and finance, among other subjects relative to the present text. His travels have included visits to nearly all of the gold-bearing districts and communities (or their sites) relating to the first decade of the California Gold Rush.

From the 1980s onward he has been in communication with the Columbus-America Discovery Group, and in 1999-2000 he has been part of the California Gold Marketing Group. In 2000 he and Bob Evans appeared with S.S. Central America gold coins and bars on NBC’s Today Show (Matt Lauer, host), and he was a consultant for and appeared on the History Channel one-hour special, Ship of Gold.

Dave enjoys buying, selling, studying, and writing about coins. Seemingly, the more arcane the avenue of numismatic inquiry, the more he enjoys it! His other interests include American history, financial and monetary history, books, music, natural history, and art.

Disclaimer: No warranty or representation of any kind is made concerning the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, its use in coin purchases or sales, the possibility for additional coins, gold bars, or other items to be found in the wreck of the S.S. Central America, or in any other aspect. Opinions of others may differ concerning such aspects of estimated populations of examples, of the grade of any coin described or cited, etc.

Published by

Robert Evans, a principal of the Columbus-America Discovery Group and a numismatist, assisted with various aspects of numismatics, conservation, and research. • Dwight Manley, California Gold Marketing Group, provided the impetus for the book, made suggestions, and facilitated the publication. • Richard Robol, an attorney for the Columbus-America Discovery Group, assisted with research and information. • Tommy Thompson, a principal of the Columbus-America Discovery Group, primary factor in the investigations leading to the discovery of the S.S. Central America, was of great help.

Other principals of the California Gold Marketing Group who provided assistance: John Albanese, Ira Goldberg, and Larry Goldberg.

Dr. Richard MacMaster and Eve MacMaster (the author’s brother-in-law and sister, both of whom are professional historians and book authors) did much research and writing for several sections of the present work, including scenes of life in San Francisco and New York in 1857, the history of the Columbus-America Discovery Group and the California Gold Marketing Group, and the absorbing narrative of day-by-day events on the S.S. Central America in September 1857. They also assisted with locating information and illustrations.

.

The American Numismatic Association Library (Nawana Britenriker, librarian) furnished books on loan as well as providing the venue for the author’s in-person "residency" in July 2000.

Peter Blodgett, the Huntington Library, provided information from the institution’s collection. • Lee Bowers and the staff of Advanced Graphics & Publishing, Colorado Springs, made copies of much illustrative material and helped in other ways. • Milt Butterworth, Jr., director of photography for the Columbus-America Discovery Group, supplied images relating to the treasure and C-ADG.

California Missions Foundation provided information. • Robert J. Chandler, Wells, Fargo & Co. Historical Services, provided illustrations and historical information. • The late Henry H. Clifford consigned his remarkable collection of California gold coin patterns and gold ingots to the writer’s firm and provided certain historical information in connection with the pieces; certain of this information is used here.

Beth Deisher, editor of Coin World, furnished copies of Coin World’s extensive files on the S.S. Central America and the treasure recovery. • Thomas K. DeLorey reviewed the manuscript ant made suggestions. • Dr. Richard Doty, National Numismatic Collection, Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, wrote the Foreword, provided images of gold coins and ingots as well as other items, and was extremely helpful.

In the mid-1950s, John J. Ford, Jr. encouraged the author to build a library on the Gold Rush, which led to the acquisition of many books, periodicals, and other items over the several decades since that time. In recent times he has discussed various aspects of the Central America and the assayers whose ingots were found. • L. Thomas Frye, curator emeritus of the Oakland Museum of California, assisted with the search for illustrations. • Dr. Kathryn H. Fuller helped with research and inquiries in university libraries and on the Internet and provided interface with other researchers and archivists.

David Hirt provided the pamphlet, Something About Coins, issued by E.I. Barra in San Francisco. • Michael Hodder discussed Bowie $5 coins and their composition. • Wayne Homren furnished newspaper articles relative to the S.S. Central America and helped publicize the project via the Numismatic Bibliomania Society.

Shelley Irving, Raven Maps & Images, helped with topographical maps.

Donald H. Kagin granted permission to use material from his book, Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States. • Dean Knudsen, Oregon Trail Museum, Scott’s Bluff National Monument, generously provided transparencies of paintings by William Henry Jackson.

The Library of Congress provided information and copies of certain material and welcomed the visits of several researchers on the project. A number of the illustrations utilized in the present work are from that source.

Ned McDonald searched through early magazines and journals for relevant citations relating to Gold Rush coinage and/or the S.S. Central America, studied the Santa Fe Trail and created a narrative concerning it, and helped in other ways. • John A. McGeachy provided a copy of a contemporary sermon relating to the loss of the S.S. Central America. • Karl Moulton provided historical material.

Valerie J. Naylor, Oregon Trail Museum, Scott’s Bluff National Monument, assisted with illustrations. • Eric P. Newman provided information. • Harry S. Newman, the Old Print Shop, provided several images.

Fran O’Donnell, Andover-Harvard Theological Library, furnished a copy of the sermon given by Rev. E.P. Rogers, D.D., September 20, 1857, on the loss of the Central America. • Pia Oliver, Randall House Books, was of great help in the author’s search for obscure printed references pertaining to the Gold Rush. • Dr. Joel J. Orosz reviewed the manuscript and made valuable suggestions. • Dan Owens visited West Coast archives and libraries on behalf of the author and obtained a large file of newspaper and other early accounts; he also provided historical information relating to assayers whose ingots were carried aboard the S.S. Central America in September 1857, including data from his book, An Encyclopedia of California Coiners and Assayers Related to Numismatics, 1849-1863.

Andrew W. Pollock III suggested avenues for research.

Kenneth W. Rendell loaned items from his private archives.

Robert W. Shippee reviewed the manuscript and made valuable suggestions. • Craig N. Smith suggested a source for information.

Kristin A. Thrower did much archival research relating to early newspapers and other published accounts. • Anthony Terranova furnished a book of illustrations. • David E. Tripp discussed various aspects of the S.S. Central America coinage in connection with his cataloguing of insurers’ coins for Sotheby’s and helped in other ways.

Wells Fargo Historical Services, San Francisco, assisted with the search for illustrations. • Antony Wilson, Spink America division of Christie’s, contributed an illustration (Miner’s Bank proof sheet of notes).

Frank Van Zandt provided certain information concerning the Central America, including a commentary published in Albany by Joel Munsell.

Roberta French assisted with research and transcription of period accounts and documents. • John Pack reviewed the manuscript and made valuable suggestions. • Christine Karstedt provided coordination among the author, the California Gold Marketing Group, and the Columbus-America Discovery Group, and also facilitated many arrangements. • Kate Lancor helped organize and transcribe research information and coordinated the activity of a half dozen or more researchers "in the field" at a typical given time. • Robert Lawrence helped with aspects of graphics and production. • Jennifer Meers designed much of the book, helped with the editing, and supervised the production. • Douglas Plasencia took many of the coin photographs used in the main text. • Frank Van Valen provided information relating to Spanish-American silver and gold coins.

FOOTNOTES: Explanations, amplifications of material, and related information are given in the footnotes. The writer considers footnotes to be more convenient for the reader than end notes, as, if desired, a related piece of information or a source can be scrutinized quickly. The footnotes give additional material and can be skipped easily enough by anyone desiring to do so. Footnotes in quoted material are modern and are by Q. David Bowers unless attributed otherwise.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Historical photographs are from contemporary newspapers, magazines, books, and other sources and are appropriately credited, as are modern photographs. • Illustrations of coins, when specifically credited as such, represent gold coins recovered from the S.S. Central America. All illustrations of ingots relating to assayers whose bars were found on the ship are also from that source. Other illustrations are from the Bowers and Merena photographic archives, especially from the Virgil M. Brand Collection (1983 and 1984), Henry H. Clifford Collection (1982), Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., Collection (1982, 1996, and 1997), Garrett Collection (1979-1981), Norweb Collection (1987-1988), and Harry W. Bass, Jr., Collection (1999-2000), and from private collections, museums, and professional numismatists (and are thus credited).

ITALIC TYPE: Ship names are given in italics, as S.S. Central America, Niantic, S.S. Sonora, etc., although various sources may have had them otherwise, as, for example, "Central America," S.S. Central America, or CENTRAL AMERICA. Similarly, book, play, and song titles are given in italic type.

CREW MEMBERS AND PASSENGERS: The names of passengers and crew members aboard the S.S. Central America were in many instances spelled different ways in different accounts. If a correct spelling is obvious, it is used. If there is a question, alternatives are also suggested. A listing of such individuals, fortunate and unfortunate, will be found in Appendix I. Accompanying certain names are biographies, if known.

DIRECTORY LISTINGS: In general, California directories of a given date were prepared during the previous months or even the previous year and contain information that may have changed by the directory date. Thus, The San Francisco City Directory, by Charles P. Kimball, dated September 1, 1850, was compiled over a period of time up to that date and does not reflect the movement or death of certain people or the arrival of others. Many directories contain unexplained omissions. Thus, a person can be listed at a given address for several years, skipped for a year or two, and then relisted at the same address. Because of these considerations, directory listings are not always definitive for a given date, especially for people and businesses in different locations from one year to the next. Further, a perusal of a given directory does not necessarily reveal all of the assayers, coiners, bankers, or anyone else in a given pursuit at the time. Often, people are listed without mention of their occupation. Still further, almost all directories are laden with misspellings. An effort has been made to evaluate directory listings and use those that seem applicable.

NAMES AND TERMS: San Francisco was officially known as Yerba Buena until 1847, but was informally called San Francisco earlier; the term San Francisco is generally found in histories for many accounts far earlier than 1847. • Gold dust was the term used to refer to unrefined metal in the form of dust, flakes, and nuggets. In popular contemporary usage, many writers used gold dust to refer not only to raw gold, but to ingots and coins—such usage not being employed in modern times. Thus, a steamship or express shipment of "gold dust" may have consisted of gold in several forms. • Placer (pronounced plasser) is from a Spanish term for alluvial deposits of gold nuggets and dust, as opposed to veins of gold-bearing quartz. • Specie means gold or silver in the form of coins; some casual writers have also used it to mean bars or ingots. • References to certain "states" such as Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, in the narrative of the West relate to districts that at the time were parts of territories, with official statehood coming later. In general, the areas that today comprise Utah and Nevada were at that time the Utah Territory; present-day Arizona and New Mexico are in much of the old New Mexico Territory; the area north of California and south of British North America (today’s Canada) was the Oregon Territory; and much of the area west of Arkansas, Missouri, and Iowa, extending to the earlier-mentioned territories, as known as Indian Territory. • Certain place names and terms have been given in modern usage; e.g., Havana instead of the old Habana, Chile instead of Chili, canvas as a material instead of canvass.

NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS: Newspaper accounts concerning the loss of the S.S. Central America were often repetitive. Because of this, duplicate accounts are not cited or quoted. Further, accounts are excerpted to reflect material not already quoted. (Also see QUOTED MATERIAL below)

NUMISMATIC INFORMATION: Throughout the text there are many Gold Rush era citations which refer to coins and bars, and an effort has been made to collect them. In addition, there are many other mentions of gold coins and bars in 19th and 20th century accounts that at casual glance seem to impart contemporary Gold Rush era citations by the writer, but simply reflect the writer’s consulting the Eckfeldt-Dubois book of 1850 (with later editions in 1851 and 1852), New Varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, Counterfeit Coins and Bullion: With Mint Values. Many 20th century historians have taken information from Edgar H. Adams’ 1913 work, Private Gold Coinage of California, 1849-1855, not always with credit.

QUOTED MATERIAL: Some quotations are lightly edited, but in all instances the original meaning has been preserved. Often, newspaper accounts were written and set in type in haste in order to meet fast-closing deadlines, and punctuation and spelling suffered. Letters often contained gross misspellings, etc. The alternative to light editing would have been to have included a long string of [sic] interpolations and to have reproduced commentaries that, at best, could be picked through slowly by the present-day reader. Many numbers that were spelled out at length in nineteenth century texts, such as "four hundred and fifty-six" and "the year eighteen hundred and fifty-three," have been changed to, for example, 456 and 1853. • The problem of lightly editing text is familiar to most scholars; e.g., highly-regarded Gold Rush historian Dale L. Morgan’s modern introduction to McCollum’s contemporary journal, California As I Saw It. Morgan writes: "The original bears marks of haste in production, including numerous spelling and typographical errors, which so far as noted have been corrected in the present edition, but McCollum’s spelling of personal and place names has been left as in the original, occasionally corrected in brackets." Similarly, Morgan inserted this in his introduction to The Overland Diary of James A. Pritchard from Kentucky to California in 1849: "Pritchard was much given to the use of short dashes, not only between sentences, phrases, and words, but even with words. These I have largely eliminated or converted into other punctuation; I have also closed up some words he spaced as two, and in a few instances have modified his capitalization and punctuation, also breaking up into shorter passages some of the longest of his paragraphs." In the same vein, Kenneth M. Johnson, in his editing and reprinting of Daniel Knower, The Adventures of a Forty-Niner, noted: "Knower misspelled a good many proper names in his manuscript. There seemed to be no point in retaining Knower’s spelling for the sake of quaintness at the expense of accuracy.…" • Many contemporary accounts include terms that today are offensive to certain nationalities, races, and religions. As other Gold Rush historians have done, I have retained such terms in citations given here, with the knowledge that they represent the milieu of that era, not necessarily of today. Further, what is or was an offensive term is apt to change over a long period of time. In the 18th century "Yankee" was offensive to some, in the Gold Rush "damn" was usually indicated as d---, etc. • American spelling is used, although many early accounts included British style (harbor is used here instead of harbour, for example). Modern-day usage of principal vs. principle, affect vs. effect, etc., have been used; in old texts, principle was often used to mean "main" or "important."

RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION: In instances in which two or more sources, each considered reliable by historians, differ from each other, such differences are mentioned. • Ship measurements, rates of speed, numbers of passengers aboard, and accounts of voyages were subject to wide differences in the telling, sometimes with later researchers having no way to know which, if any, accounts were correct. • Testimonies and experiences are printed at their face value, with clarifying footnotes added in some instances. • While daily newspaper accounts can be regarded as timely, often directories and books contained obsolete information. Accounts printed at a much later date, such as those by adventure writers, popular historians, and compilers of treasure-seekers’ guides, often diverge widely from the facts, although there are many notable examples of excellent scholarship. Both the field of maritime history and the field of numismatic history have been carefully studied in connection with the present work. • By extensive use of contemporary (circa 1846-1858 for the most part) information, rather than reliance upon later interpretations and theories, the author hopes that the reader will receive information as correct as it is possible to relate. Although many contemporary reports, as well as later histories, often state precise numbers of businesses established, buildings constructed, value of gold metal found, population of certain mining towns, etc., many such numbers must be regarded as approximations or estimates. In the case of the S.S. Central America, several excellent studies have been published (authors include Judy Conrad, Gary Kinder, Normand Klare, and Tommy Thompson), reflecting much research and answering many questions. Thus, even before the present work was written, there was more factual information in print concerning this particular ship than for any other sidewheel steamer of her era.

—Old British poem

Coin was very scarce [in the mining camps], what there was being nearly all absorbed by the gamblers, who required it for convenience in carrying on their business. Ordinary payments were made in gold dust, every store being provided with a pair of gold scales in which the miner weighed out sufficient dust from his buckskin purse to pay for his purchases. In generally trading, gold dust was taken at $16 dollars the ounce; but in the towns and villages, at the agencies of the various San Francisco bankers and express companies, it was bought at a higher price, according to the quality of the dust, and as it was more or less in demand for remittance to New York.…

Coin was at that time too scarce to be used as a betting currency by both parties at a game, and consequently, gold dust, in bags, became the pledge of chance. Those who indulged in betting deposited their bags of gold with the players, and drew from the gamesters the amount of coin necessary to play with convenience as a sort of loan—a loan which seldom failed to work the speedy ruin of the parties negotiating the favor.

I came from Salem City,

With my wash bowl on my knee.

I’m going to California

The gold dust for to see.

It rained all night, the day I left,

The weather it was dry,

The sun so hot I froze to death,

Oh! brothers, don’t you cry.…

I jumped aboard the Liza ship

And traveled on the sea,

And every time I thought of home,

I wished it wasn’t me.

The vessel reared like any horse,

That had of oats a wealth,

It found it couldn’t throw me, so,

I thought I’d throw myself.…

I soon shall be in Francisco,

And then I’ll look around,

And when I see the gold lumps there,

I’ll pick them off the ground.

I’ll scrape the mountains clean, my boys

I’ll drain the rivers dry,

A pocket full of rocks bring home,

So, brothers, don’t you cry.

Oh! California,

That’s the land for me,

I’m bound for San Francisco,

With my wash-bowl on my knee.

The would-be Argonauts gathered and gave each other advice on subjects of which they knew nothing, exhibited the useless things they had accumulated for the trip, and talked learnedly of dry and wet diggings, placers, nuggets, and all sorts of things of which they knew the vocabulary but not the substance.

Her deck presented much the appearance of a small manufacturing village. There was a harness and belt shop, a book bindery, a pistol and knife factory, a shoe shop, a carpenter shop, and a laundry—all doing a brisk business.

She had a house on deck with 12 staterooms besides officers’ quarters, a house forward 25 feet long for cooking and washing, and 36 tiers of berths between decks for two persons each. Her company, one hundred strong, consisted of 12 married and 16 unmarried women, and 15 children, the balance being men.

All aboard were shareholders. She carried out a freight from Boston valued at $15,000 and made a good voyage.

Spurred by the certainty of huge profits, speculators set themselves up as ship brokers and ransacked every harbor and inlet for any ancient hulk able to float or capable of being made so. Dozens of long-abandoned craft were pulled off the mud, given superficial repairs, sent half way around the world, and again shoved up on a mud bank, this time in San Francisco.

In maritime towns sea-wise loiterers shrugged as they saw ships that had been discarded as unseaworthy a dozen years earlier warped up to the docks, loaded beyond the limits of prudence, and sent to the sea on a voyage that would severely test the soundest vessel: the western passage of the Horn.…

It was no time to pick and choose. One took what was offered, paid what was demanded, and trundled one’s belongings on board. A group from Hartford, Connecticut, pooled their resources, bought the Henry Elle, a little bark "of great antiquity, with rotten bottom, a miserable sailer," and put triumphantly to sea.

First vessel from Nantucket for California: The ship Aurora, Capt. Seth M. Swain, was cleared yesterday by C.G. & N. Coffin and others, for San Francisco, direct, with a cargo consisting of buildings framed ready to be put up, lumber, naval stores, provisions and sperm candles. She takes out no intoxicating liquors. The crew receive one dollar apiece for the voyage out.

They and the passengers are young men and consist of our most intelligent, energetic and respectable citizens. They are mostly mechanics and go out to California in search of a less crowded field of industry, with the hope, too, of being able to gather their share of the golden harvest that has been discovered in the valley of the Sacramento. May health, happiness and prosperity attend them.

Eleven vessels are now posted at this port [Nantucket] for San Francisco, ships Magnolia, America and William and Henry; barks Dimon and Pleiades; brig Emily Bourne; and schooners Tremont, Gazelle, Pomona, John Allyn and Horace. Other companies are in process of organization and intend to procure vessels. The Magnolia will sail February 1st with a company of 75. Among them is a clergyman, a doctor, several ladies and a large number of our young men.

The New Bedford Mercury states that among the vessels now fitting at that port [New Bedford] for California, a long, low, black looking brig, the Emily Bourne, is evidently destined to make a sensation among the fleet, being herself as fleet as the wind, staunch and light rigged. She is to take out a company of 15 persons to conduct mining operations, and is fitted for a two years’ cruise. She takes out a capital of $10,000 in specie for trading purposes.

I was stopping in Buffalo at the Love Joy Hotel, when I first heard of the discovery of gold in California. The result the rumors produced was magical. Men of all ages and in all conditions of life got the gold fever, and I among the rest. Some of the tales told were fabulous, and the reports of treasures found in some instances were enough to entice and man of grit and daring to challenge fortune.

As will be seen further on, many who had neither of these qualities ventured upon the search for gold, prompted merely by the lust for gain and the hope, perchance, of escaping the yoke of poverty or the discomfort of narrow circumstances.

At the hotel the advisability of going to California to try our luck had become a leading topic among a number of the boarders, and at last I made up my mind to go. Being a sailor I concluded that to travel by sea would be both more comfortable and far safer than to trust oneself to the chances of traversing vast deserts and encountering hostile Indians. So I shipped from Boston to New Orleans on board the brig Monterey.

I well remember the day of my departure for the far West. It was the day before General Zachary Taylor was elected to the presidency, which was to be his only for one brief year. Political enthusiasm ran high, and much admiration was expressed for the gallant soldier, who had distinguished himself so much during the Mexican War; but I cared little about politics and was anxious to get away.

I arrived at New Orleans. The next thing was to secure passage to San Francisco Bay. The small vessels, going by the Panama route, were crowded to their utmost extent, and I concluded to try and work my passage on some ship, going around the Horn. Fortune favored me, and I was not long in finding the desired opportunity. The clipper Architect, in command of Captain Gray of Baltimore, was lying ready to sail, and a shipping master informed me that just one more man was wanted to sign articles at once. I offered my services and the shipping master kindly responded: "Take off that black coat," he said, "and come to the office in the morning."

I did as he told me, and the next morning I signed articles, received two months’ wages in advance, and a few hours after had made myself perfectly at home on board. This was indeed a piece of good luck, for there were any number of men in those days who would gladly have worked their passage out for nothing, and I believe I was the only foremast hand who received any wages.

Everybody on board with the exception of the officers was bound for the mines. The thirst for gold and adventure had seized everybody, and, when after a long and tedious voyage we ultimately dropped anchor in the Bay of San Francisco, all hands left the ship at once, for such was the custom in ’49.

The whole of the between decks was reserved for owners and passengers, there being three tiers of berths on both sides the ship from the sail room aft to the chain lockers forward. A room was reserved as a dispensary with an ample supply of drugs, and the doctors aboard constituted themselves a Board of Health. Twenty-five gallons of liquor were carried for medicinal purposes.

The ship was provisioned for two years and carried a miscellaneous cargo consisting of bricks, wagons, spades, wheel-barrows, picks, four steam engines, a steamboat, and the frames of two houses, one of which was to be erected in San Francisco and called the Hanover House after the Boston hotel of that name where the company had their society meetings. In addition to the foregoing, the sturdy vessel was mounted with two cannons to repel would-be pirates.

They lived well on the Edward Everett, the company being divided into 15 messes, 10 people in each, one serving alternately as captain. The duty of the captain was to look after the food, procure it from the galley, and be responsible for its serving.

Their food was brought to them in a kit, and they sat down on the deck and ate it right out of the tub. They had dandy funk, made of hard bread boiled with molasses, raisins, and cinnamon; apple grunt, made by stewing dried apples and dough balls; lobscouse, made by hashing and heating meat and bread; plum duff; and mackerel, salt fish, beef, pork, ham, and flour biscuit with butter twice a week. A barrel of hard-tack stood where each one could help himself.

If the committee on provisions did not give them what they liked it was the custom to chase them around the deck until they promised the plum duff at the next meal. On holidays they drew from a small store of luxuries and added to the usual meal, apple sauce, cheese, potpie, and plum pudding.

Whenever there was a good, smart rain they caught the fresh water in a tarpaulin and had a washing day. Garments would be strung from the end of the bowsprit to the spanker boom, and the ship would give the appearance of a clipper rigged out with all kinds of fancy sails.

The company had been advised to begin mining at Mokelumne Hill, and soon after their arrival at Sacramento they took up their march for the gold fields. They had three six-mule teams for the baggage, and the men, armed with rifles and revolvers, marched by their side.

After crossing the American River the heat became so oppressive that the guns were piled on the wagons and many of the party, faint and footsore, had to be carried also. With that ignorance characteristic of new arrivals in California they did not fill their canteens at the river, and as the day wore on some became delirious from thirst. When at sundown they reached the river they were too exhausted to pitch tents and after drinking immoderately sank down on the ground to sleep the sleep of utter prostration. Some never recovered from this march.

They finally reached the mines and began work, but the results were not favorable. Some were lazy, some sick, and it was voted to disband.

The Edward Everett, a fine ship, left Boston about 10 days before our [overland] departure, with a company of 300 men, besides her crew of 20 officers and sailors. I had seriously thought of joining the party, for among its members were a number of my acquaintances; but, learning that a company was being organized to cross the plains, I abandoned all thoughts of a long ocean voyage, which promised nothing but threadbare adventure, with but little of mystery or novelty.…

I may here digress and briefly give the reader something about the perils and pleasures experienced by the passengers of a noble ship:

The Edward Everett was nearly new and one of the finest ships of her time, while she was furnished with all the improved appliances of her age, and her owners were complimented on the choice of so fine a vessel. After leaving Boston, nothing worthy of mention occurred, except rough weather and much sea sickness among those who were unaccustomed to ocean voyages, until they reached the southern coast of Patagonia, in midwinter, and attempted to pass through the Straits of Magellan, which was always considered a dangerous undertaking, even in summer.

Here they were beset by adverse winds and currents, and finally abandoned all hope of forcing their ship through the Straits, making the best of their way around Cape Horn in about sixty degrees of south latitude, encountering terrible gales, extreme cold, dense fogs, snow, and ice.

On reaching the calmer waters of the Pacific it was discovered that many of the passengers were in the incipient stages of scurvy, which necessitated their entering the port of Valparaiso for supplies of fruit and vegetables. The ship finally arrived at San Francisco, after a voyage lasting five and a half months, with a very debilitated lot of passengers. I have many times congratulated myself because I was not one of the passengers of the good ship Edward Everett.

In the month of December, 1848, a party of adventurers numbering 150, from all the New England states, became infected with the gold fever.… These men formed a company and purchased a ship called the Edward Everett, and named their company ‘The Edward Everett Mining Company." The shares were $300 each, and no person could hold more than one share, because the company wanted strength—not ornamental members.

After the shares were allotted, and the ship purchased, it was suggested that Mr. Everett should be notified of the compliment the company had paid him, and that we should be happy if he would give us any information respecting the country we were about to visit, and the art of mining.

The hint was acted upon, and in a few days we received a letter from Mr. Everett, in which he stated that, with facts and documents we desired, he had forwarded us a choice lot of books, the perusal of which he hoped we would find interesting during our long passage to the new El Dorado. There were about 150 volumes embracing Prescott, Bancroft, Sparks, and other standard works; besides several text books relative to mining, some pamphlets regarding the climate, soil and geology of California, and works that gave a very distinct account of the early settlement of the Jesuits, and the manner in which they had extended their influence by the aid of missionaries and Christianity among the Indians.

After a six months’ passage we arrived in California, moored our ship along the mud banks of Benicia and there built a steamboat with the material which we had purchased in Boston. It was a flat-bottomed boat, and a clumsy affair, but it was propelled by the aid of steam and with paddle wheels, and that specimen of our work we named Edward Everett, Jr. This steamer was the first one that ever navigated the Sacramento river; and it should be known in history that through the kindness of Edward Everett, the orator and statesman, the 150 adventurers were proud to place his name on the sides of their rude craft, a wonder in those days, when only sailing vessels ascended the river.

One morning the captain looked long and steadily at a vessel in our rear. The wind was lagging more and more. The vessel approached; how, we did not know, for the wind there was none. Towards noon the captain looked distressed.

"I see a black flag," said he. "It is a pirate."

Now on that coast there were pirates. Small islands gave them refuge. And no sooner was the word "pirate" pronounced, but there was a considerable excitement. A few days before there had been a threat of mutiny among some steerage passengers. Guns and cartridges had been brought into requisition, and sentinels posted. But now the common danger seemed to overawe this.

All the guns were brought out. Men were selected and drilled on the deck. An old cannon was brought up and loaded. The whole ship was in a state of commotion.

Meanwhile, the strange vessel approached—how, we could not imagine, as there was still no wind. Yet it came nearer and nearer. It was in full view. Its numerous crew could be seen. And well do I remember the doleful tone wherewith the supercargo said to me: "Doctor, this is perhaps the last time we shall see the sun go down!"

Our forces had been distributed. Everyone knew his post. My family had been removed to the lower deck. I had been armed with a revolver. Darkness came.

The vessel approached more and more. There was fear and trembling among many; cool determination among others. The vessel came alongside. The riddle was solved. Loud and at regular intervals sounded the propelling of the oars of huge dimensions. On it went. A moment of breathless suspense.

The captain said the pirate would probably turn and board us. The suspense was prolonged. Many were the terror-stricken passengers who asked me to pray.…

But the pirate did not turn. She continued her course, and early in the morning we could see her in pursuit of another vessel just visible on the western horizon.

We soon resumed our usual tenor of life, rather monotonous, yet not without its little incidents, until we cast anchor in the port of St. Catharine. There we remained two weeks.…

Having no unfriendly feeling toward any man, and attaching a fair valuation to life, I did not much relish the notion of placing any man’s personal infirmities upon the official records. No man likes to have his predilection for stimulating beverages made a matter of public question, and the gradations between temperance and intemperance are so arbitrary in different communities that it would be a very difficult matter to report upon.

I have seen men "sociable" in New Orleans who would be considered "elevated" in Boston, and men "a little shot" in Texas who would be regarded as "drunk" in Maine. With respect to honesty, that was an equally delicate matter. What might be considered honest among politicians might be very questionable in ordinary life.

The Pacific has refused upwards of a hundred passengers at $300 each. People are taking out houses, tents, furniture, wagons, furnaces, crucibles, provisions, clothing, and stores of all kinds; companies of 5, 10, 20, and 50 are going armed to the teeth on various adventures—some to trade for gold, some to dig for it, and many to gamble for it.…

The news from California becomes more exciting every day. It appears from the latest letters by the Falcon that the people of South America are rushing fro the gold mines en masse. I am very anxious to get off before the papers get me into trouble about the statement that I am in possession of secret intelligence.

I forgot to say in my former letters that it would be most gratifying to receive during my absence such newspapers as you can procure in Washington. Procure for each mail copies of the Weekly Union, Intelligencer, Baltimore Sun, Herald, and Washington Globe. Be particular in getting copies of the weeklies as they contain a week’s news.

Women do everything in New York. Last night I went to a bathing establishment to get a vapor bath for my cold. A very nice lady bathed me. I was rather backward at first, but she behaved with so much confidence that I presumed she was accustomed to such things.…

The Pacific is a fine sailer, and the captain does not anticipate being more than four months on the passage to San Francisco. The passengers drew lots for the selection of berths yesterday. I was not on board at the time, but had the good fortune to have a very good stateroom drawn in my name. I found that my new room-mate [Dr. Beals, a physician] plays very sweetly on the violin and has a fine instrument valued at a hundred dollars. I can learn much from him, and can play some good accompaniments with my guitar and flute.

He damns all sailors as dogs, uses his power with a king of ferocity sometimes brutal, and exacts, or endeavors to exact, unreasonable submission from the passengers.

The owner is a character to whom I intend to do justice when I publish my book. Physically, mentally and morally, he is the very impersonation of littleness, meanness and cupidity. He is a small man, with a cunning wrinkled-up eye, and a smile of devilish deceit on his lips. Not a spark of truth or manliness is in his nature.

Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, gentlemen, I nevertheless feel, like yourselves, eloquent with indignation. I feel it all over me and to the very bottom of my stomach. Griffing has grossly deceived us. Shall we stand this, or shall we like men assert our rights and maintain them? You may do as you please, gentlemen, but for me I’ll be damned if I don’t try to have the thing remedied.

Gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you, not generally, individually, and specifically, Lieutenant Browne of the Revenue Service who is a gentleman of experience in affairs of a nautical character.

Gentlemen, I respectfully suggest that our deliberations should be of a calm and rational character and clearly within the letter of the law. The commander of this vessel is protected by the law and has supreme authority in his hands. I trust then gentlemen that you will all feel as I do, the necessity of moderation and forbearance.

We the undersigned, passengers on board the ship Pacific whereof H.J. Tibbits is master, however we may differ as to the cause, whether it be insanity, the habitual use of intoxicating liquors, or constitutional infirmity of mind and ungovernable passion, do hereby express our candid opinion founded on the violent paroxysms of passion repeatedly exhibited by him during the passage from New York to this port (Rio de Janeiro), that the said Tibbits is not always in a sound state of mind, or possessed of that prudence, judgment, and discretion calculated to ensure a safe arrival in California under his command.

We therefore demand his removal on these grounds and the substitution in his place of an experienced, judicious, and reliable commander.

[Signed]

J. Ross Browne

Mark Hopkins

[and many others]

The California fever rages to a great extent all along the coast of South America. Passengers come into Rio almost daily from Monte Video, Buenos Aires, and Pernambuco to take vessels for San Francisco. The arrivals from New York are frequently six or eight a day, and as many as 15 were in port on the day of our arrival. The whole town is alive with California adventurers.

It is quite a scene down at the Hotel Pharona on the wharf. There are frequently as many as 200 Yankees there, fighting, shouting, knocking the tables and chairs over, flinging bottles across the room, and otherwise astonishing the natives. The Brazilians are a quiet, reserved sort of people who can understand nothing of this kind.…

The Americans are treated with great courtesy by the Emperor of Brazil, and I regret to see them requite his kindness with acts of this kind. They are in a constant state of conflict with the police regulations of the city, which certainly are the most lenient I ever saw. The very name "Americano" is a passport. They punish their own people severely for misdemeanors which only pass as jokes when perpetrated by Americans.

Almost every evening after tea, the señoritas come to our rooms at the hotel, with their guitars and soft blandishments. As long as they confined their enchanting assaults to dancing and singing, I got along very well. I could sing and play too, but it required an extreme sacrifice of gallantry to get rid of them when I wanted to go to bed.… This may seem a little incredible, but I assure you it is commonplace in comparison with what I could relate, if I dared commit such things to paper. I claim no credit for my self-denial. When love making is to be done, I like to do it myself.…

And such graceful forms! I tell you what is, Lucy—the temptation was strong and the flesh was weak! I pushed through the fascinating throng [in the hotel lobby] and hurried to my room to write down a few hasty thoughts in my notebook. On opening the door I found seated on the bed two beautiful young señoritas.…

"How do you do, Señor? Are you inclined to love?"

Captain Macy promised to introduce me to some Spanish ladies this evening. I have seen some very pretty señoritas here, but not to equal the ladies of Lima. There they are not only beautiful, but easy of access. Here they are rather cold.…

I have shipped the money [$10,000] in gold dust, by Simmons, Hutchinson & Co., of San Francisco, to their agents in New York, G.E. Robbins & Son, who are to pay it to me at the Mint, or in case of my death to you, my wife. I have paid the freight and insurance here.…

I send enclosed Simmons, Hutchinson & Co.’s receipt for the money remitted by them to New York The original sum deposited in their hands was $10,000 in coin. The premium on this coin was $206, making $10,206. From this they have deducted 6½ percent for insurance, freight, etc., leaving $9,583 in gold dust, to be delivered at the Mint in Philadelphia. This dust will probably yield five or six percent over and above all costs—so that you ought to receive about $10,500.…

In this famous golden city…dwells a lady of wondrous beauty, who excites profound devotion in the hearts of all the bachelors.… Her cheeks are like the roses that unfold their leaves each morning.… Her head, a fitting model of grace and queen-like carriage, displays luxuriant ringlets of waving glossy hair.… What causes so much loveliness, her neighbors often wonder.… Miss Julia’s daily toilet wash is Pure New England Rum.

The science of Numismatics, or the study of Coins, is one of the most pleasant as well as one of the most instructive pursuits. The appetite for it may be said to grow from that which it feeds upon. Much historical knowledge can be acquired from the examination of coins.

After the Declaration of Independence, during the Confederation, each state exercised the right of coining money, most of which was copper. The state of Connecticut established a mint, and issued a large amount of copper cents, one of which the writer has in his collection.

Description of Connecticut cent:

Obverse: A bust in coat of mail facing to the left; legend, Auctori Connec.—authority of Connecticut.

Reverse: The Goddess of Liberty seated on the globe—facing to the left, the liberty pole surmounted by the cap in the left hand, and the olive branch in the right; legend, INDE. ET LIB. Independent and free; date 1787.

There have been established the following branch mints: Charlotte, North Carolina; Dahlonega, Georgia; new Orleans, Louisiana, and San Francisco, California; [and as previously quoted] a Branch Mint in Auraria, Pike’s Peak, Colorado Territory, and an Assay Office in New York.

All the money coined at the branch mints bears the initial letter of the name of the place where the mint is located. Thus, for San Francisco, S; New Orleans, O; Dahlonega, D; Charlotte, C; and Auraria, A.

Money issued from the parent Mint does not bear a local mark.

The writer was shown through the Mint by the gentlemanly conductor, who imparted all the information the nature of his business would permit him to do, as there were other visitors constantly arriving who had a claim upon his attention.

The writer met a gentleman in the Mint who was once attached to the Mint at New Orleans, at which time the writer had the pleasure o f forming his acquaintance. From him much of the information of the practical operations of the Mint was obtained, and the obligation is herein gratefully acknowledged.

The writer has in his collection some very rare and ancient coins, the recent history of which is quite interesting. They were in the possession of a Danish nobleman, who placed them on exhibition in the Royal Museum of Denmark, whence he withdrew them when about to travel. In his wanderings he met Mr. M. Otis Roberts, of this city, who was then in China, and to him he disposed of the coins. The writer purchased them from Mr. Roberts, and he herewith gives a condensed history of each.…

Cent of the state of Connecticut, 1787.

First issue of the United States cents [Fugio cent], 1787.

Two Washington cents, 1783.

Half cents: 1804, 1851.

Copper cents: 1794, the second year after the establishment of the Mint. Cent of 1798, and specimens of almost every issue since that time.

Nickel cents from their first issue in 1857.

Three cents: 1851.

Half dimes: 1829, 1830, 1832, 1835, 1839, 1853, 1854.

Dimes: 1803, 1805, 1814, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837.

Quarter dollars: 1805, 1806, 1815, 1818, 1819, 1920, 1821, 1822, 1825, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1839.

Half dollars: 1795, 1803, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1821, 1833, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1826, 1829, 1830, 1832.

Silver dollars: 1795 of the first issue [Flowing Hair], 1795 of the second issue [Draped Bust], 1798, 1799, 1843, 1859.

Jackson cent, 1834: Legend, "My substitute for the United States Bank."

Cent, 1837: Legend, "Not one cent for tribute, millions for defence."

Medallion of 1837: Inscription, "Illustrious predecessor, I follow in thy footsteps." Reverse, "Executive Experiment," with a representation of the Sub-Treasury on the back of a tortoise, alluding to the removal of the treasury deposits by Jackson.

When we reached the wharf the first news heard as that General Zachary Taylor had been elected President of the United States, and that gold had been discovered in California. We were informed that several vessels had already sailed for California, among them the ship Edward Everett, on board of which vessels several of my young friends had taken passage. "And now," said my informant, "I suppose you will leave on the very next ship."

Well, when the cargo was discharged, all hands were paid off, and I took board with a Mr. Brodhead, who entertained a few seafaring men. There I met a man who had arrived in the ship Remittance, on board of which ship he had been engaged for the two years previous collecting hides and tallow on the coast of California. He told me that 10 days before they weighed anchor to leave Monterey, a party of Americans had arrived from Coloma and brought with them a large quantity of gold dust, a specimen of which he had bought from them, and which he showed me in a tin box like a snuff box. I, in my utter ignorance about gold mining, asked him why he had not gone up to Coloma and gathered up two or three sacks of the precious dust and brought it home with him. He answered that he could not leave the ship, even if he had so desired; therefore he had to come home in the ship, had been discharged and paid off, and now that he was free he was going to buy an outfit for gold mining, and take passage on board the first ship that was to leave for California. This person seemed to be so sincere and so sanguine that it caused me to reflect on the possibility of my going to California, and, in one grand swoop, digging up a big fortune.

The city of Boston, as well as all the adjacent towns, were alive on the subject of the California gold mines. The wharves were lined with ships, brigs, schooners, and even sloops, with big signs which bore the legend: "The first vessel for California. For freight or passage apply to So and So, Commercial street," or Broad street. Lumber already framed for houses, barrels of beef and pork, flour, and boxes of boots, shoes, and long rubber leggings for working in water, shovels, picks and axes, in a heterogeneous mass, were being hauled by drays alongside the vessels, and all for California.

I saw two men meet and salute. Said one, "Well, Swift, are you going to California?"

"No, but I am fitting out my brother Josiah with everything necessary for a trip of two years, as well as to pay his passage to San Francisco and also to furnish the money to pay his expenses to the mines, and in return I am to receive one-half of all his gains for the two years that he is to be gone."

I afterwards found that many persons in New England who had faith in the gold discoveries but could not go themselves, had adopted the plan of fitting out a relative or a reliable friend with all the necessary outfit for the period of two years, paying their passage out and securing themselves for the outlay by drawing up a legal agreement, in which the adventurer bound himself to divide all that he would gain during the two years with the friend who fitted him out for the trip, share and share alike.

Many parties that were composed of from fifty to a hundred, would buy a vessel, load her with building materials and provisions, and, as the party generally had more or less sailors, they would sail her themselves, and when they arrived in San Francisco sell vessel and cargo for what they could get, and then proceed to the mines; and many companies took along small boats, which, upon their arrival in San Francisco, they provisioned and went up the Sacramento or San Joaquin rivers in their own boat.

The first ship that I saw depart for California was the Sweden. She was lying at Lewis’ wharf. The morning on which she sailed was an eventful one to the voyagers and their friends. The morning was clear and cold, with the wind northwest blowing straight out of the harbor. Everybody about the wharf and on board the ship seemed to be very busy. Baggage in great quantities was being brought down the wharf and put on board the ship. Fresh provisions were hoisted on board, such as quarters of beef, carcasses of mutton, killed and dressed hogs, cabbages, turnips and other fresh food, which gave evidence that the owners of the ship intended to treat the passengers and crew in a liberal manner. The crew of the ship were busy on board preparing for their departure, while many of the passengers were taking leave of their relatives and friends.

One group that particularly attracted my attention was composed of three persons, two ladies and a gentleman. The ladies appeared to be a mother and a daughter. The gentleman was apparently about twenty-three years of age and was as fine looking a young fellow as would be seen in a day’s travel. Many of the persons there had accompanied relatives from their distant homes, even as far off as New Hampshire and Vermont.

Many New England mothers were there, looking every one of them a heroine that she was. They were taking leave of their darling sons for a long while at least. As I approached the group of three persons I noticed the young man clasping the hand of the young lady in his own, while her sad, tearful face was bent down to hide her grief. The elder lady spoke and said, "Cyrus, I told you a month ago, when you first told of your intention to go to California, that a steady, industrious man can win gold at home; but a good, thrifty, prudent wife he can’t win every day."

At this remark the young lady burst into fresh tears, which she could not keep back.

The young man softly stroked her hand while he answered her mother, saying "Mrs. Hamblin, I am not in a condition just now to do as I would like to do; but after this mining trip of two years, or perhaps less time, I hope to be able to build a nice house over in Dracut, just far enough from Lowell to make it seem like the country. Then Deborah and myself will be married and settle down in a home of our own. And I intend to have a nice gentle horse and a family carryall, and she will be able to drive over to your house every fine day and take you all around the neighborhood."

At this glowing description of anticipated happiness the young lady looked up at her lover and smiled pleasantly at his description of the joy to come.

After I took my breakfast I sallied out to find the office of the Pacific Mail Company, which I accomplished without any difficulty. Although I had been in New York many times before I had always belonged to some vessel and was therefore a stranger on shore.

When I reached the place I found the sidewalk in front occupied by a crowd of men, and all of them conversing about California and the latest news from there. The office was on the second floor, and as I went up the stairs I found them crowded with men going up and others coming down. After I reached the office I had to wait for my turn to approach the counter. When I had accomplished this feat, sore indeed was my disappointment to learn from the agent that he could not sell me a through ticket to California. All that he could do was to sell a ticket to Chagres, from whence I could make my way to Panama, through swamps and over mountains, a distance of more than 50 miles, after which I could trust to luck to obtain passage for San Francisco, as all the tickets for cabin and steerage on the Pacific side were already sold as far off as the following December. I turned sadly from the counter and went down the stairs.

When I reached the street a very respectable looking gentleman spoke to me and asked me if I had bought my ticket. I answered that I had not. "Then," said he, "I advise you not to do so, for the reason that the Isthmus is crowded with people that can’t get away. I have a fine ship that is now loading in Philadelphia for San Francisco, and I am the master and part owner of her. She will have finished loading within 10 days, and we shall sail for San Francisco within two days thereafter. I am going to take my wife and only daughter with me, and that is a guarantee that the ship is sound and seaworthy. Now I will tell you: I saw you come out of the steamship office, and I like your appearance, and although I have nearly all my cabin passengers engaged, and I will take no others, I want you to go with me, and I will make a deduction in the price of passage in your favor."

After visiting the historic Independence Hall my next desire was to visit the United States Mint—the first that was established in the United States. In the year 1791 Congress passed an act establishing a national Mint in Philadelphia, the capital of the United States at that time.

President Washington, it is said, took great interest in forwarding the preparations, but the progress was slow. Therefore, the first coinage in the new Mint took place in 1793, in which year copper cents were coined. In the following year, October 1794, the first American dollars were issued, since which time the American silver coins have gradually displaced the foreign silver coins with which, up to recent years, this country has been flooded.

In the month of October, 1843, was the most terrific and disastrous gale of any known up to that time on the coast of New England. Cape Cod and Cape Ann alone lost more than 40 vessels that had been engaged in fishing and coasting. The devastating effects of the gale reached as far south of the Savannah River.

Still there was no wind, but there were portentous signs of impending trouble. About eight bells there was a sound in the air like the escaping of suppressed steam, sounding like "sizzz, sizzz." The sound grew louder and louder and nearer. The sea began to display phosphorescent glittering particles as though it was in a blaze. The sky was as black as a pall.

All at once the gale struck the ship and threw her nearly on her beam ends. I never received such a shock in all my experience. The maintopsail, although nearly new and close reefed, was blown out of the boltropes as if it had been tissue paper. The spanker followed the topsail, while the forestaysail held its own.

The captain ordered the helm to be put hard up, and ordered an additional man to the wheel. The ship obeyed the helm promptly and began to pay off and was soon before the wind. The forestaysail was now taken in and the ship was scudding under bare poles before the terrible hurricane.… An hour after the gale struck the ship the seas were running mountains high. We were running before a terrific southeaster, and the ship creaked and groaned in every joint, and it seemed as if she could not hold together.

Great combers arose near our stern, as if they were about to engulf us, but each time the ship would shoot ahead and escape. The captain ordered that life lines be placed around the waists of the two men at the helm, and that the ends be well secured. The huge waves, with crested heads, would seem like living sea monsters looking at us, 50 feet over our heads, as though they would overwhelm and engulf us at once. The ship behaved beautifully and proved herself a fine seaboat, and rose and fell in harmony with each passing wave as it swept past us. All at once an ugly towering wave approached the ship from astern. It came with overwhelming force.

The captain sung out, "Look out!" and the sea came over the stern and pooped the ship. It swept everything before it. The two men at the helm were carried from their post as if they had been two wisps of straw, but the precautionary measures taken by the captain saved them, and the life lines enabled them to save themselves from injury. The lower cabin skylight was wrenched from its fastenings and the cabin was drenched with water. The starboard quarter boat was lifted from its fastenings and wedged between the bulwark and the upper cabin. The ship was waterlogged, and everything that was not well secured on the main deck was floating around, thereby endangering the lives of the men, who were hanging on to anything that was solid enough to hold on by. The upper cabin was full of water up to the first tier of berths. The steward and the cook, who had their room abaft the gallery, were nearly carried overboard, but were saved by the brawny arms of the second mate, Mr. Bryson. The ship nearly lost her steerageway. The captain and mate were the first to jump to the helm, and for five minutes seemed as if it was all up with us. After that the ship began to free herself and obeyed her helm. The decks were being freed from the water that was swashing about, and we began to breathe easier.

Daylight now began to appear, and the captain ordered the mate to get out a new maintopsail out of the sailroom and have it bent. All hands were set to work, and after long continued labor and much risk, it was bent. It was at once close reefed and set. Now came the most dangerous performance that a ship can be subjected to when she has been running before the wind in a gale; that is, to bring her up to the wind without swamping her.

The captain ordered all hands to man the braces, and watched his opportunity—for in the severest gale there are periods when the waves don’t break so hard, for a short spell, as they do in its most furious moments.

The watched-for chance came. "Port your helm four spokes," said the captain.

"Aye, aye, sir!" was answered by the man at the wheel.

"Ease away on your starboard braces and haul in on your lee ones."

It was done. The ship came up gently-she came to the trough of the sea. Now was our greatest danger. "Hard down on your helm! Slack away on your weather braces and haul in sharp on your lee ones."

The ship came up sharply, and just then a sea struck her amidships and broke over the starboard side and partially filled the decks, but the ship continued to come up to the wind until she lay close to the wind, and was lying to with an easy motion.

The captain now ordered the steward to go down into the run of the ship and draw a bucket of New England rum and bring it on deck. The rum was brought up, and also a pitcher and two tumblers, and placed near the captain. The captain told the mate to treat the men.

Mr. Bryson, the second mate, sang out: "Lay aft here, all hands, and splice the main brace!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the men in one voice, as they hurried aft to the capstan.

Then Mr. Bryson filled the pitcher from the bucket of run and served each man with a generous nip in the tumbler. When all the sailors had been served, then came his turn to serve himself and the good-hearted Mr. Bryson took the traditional second mate’s nip, four fingers and a thumb; or, more plainly speaking, the biggest of the two tumblers, brimful, as the motion of the ship allowed. After this hearty swig he took a long breath, smacked his lips, and said: "I wish my mother had fed me with just such porridge as that."

It was soon discovered that the ship being trimmed too much by the stern she payed off too much and shipped some water. The captain then ordered the storm trysail to be brought up and bent; as soon as this aftersail was put on the ship, although it was a very small sail made of extra heavy canvas, it brought the ship up to the wind, and she rode like a duck on the water, for the storm trysail, at the mizzen, kept her nose well up to the wind and she rode safely. The barometer had now fallen to 29", and the gale continued unabated, and the wind veered from east southeast to south southeast.

This terrible storm reminded me of the words of Holy Writ: "Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind’" (48th Psalms, 7th verse). Thus showing clearly that even in the day of King David the east wind was greatly dreaded.

Now that everything had been made as snug as possible under the very trying circumstances, the men whose watch was below were allowed to go to their four hours’ rest, which was sadly needed; while the watch on deck had only to stand by the helm, which was kept hard down and lashed there, while one man kept a look-out ahead. These men, when passing about the decks, were obliged to hold on to the life-lines that had been stretched fore and aft along the bulwarks. Thus the ship continued for two days.

During this time we had not seen the sun for more than two minutes time, therefore we were unable to obtain an observation. For that reason the captain had to trust to his dead-reckoning in order to ascertain the position of the ship.

On the third night, about nine o’clock, when darkness of the densest kind prevailed and the wind was whistling through the rigging and producing sounds like a mournful requiem, a phenomenon appeared which struck fear into the stoutest heart. This was the appearance of three lightning balls or corposants—one of the main truck, and one each on the ends of the maint’gallant yard. This, it was thought, portended some dreadful catastrophe. It caused every one that saw it to feel very uneasy.

Although I had seen the like before I still was now very seriously impressed by this awful sign in the heavens, under such conditions, with wind roaring, the great waves mountain high and foaming and breaking. I derived comfort from the poetic lines of Thomas Dibden: "There is a sweet little cherub who sits up aloft that looks out for the life of poor Jack." These words gave me such comfort and did much to allay my apprehensions.

By 10 P.M. the gale began to abate. It would blow violently for 10 to 15 minutes and then gradually subside. By 11 o’clock P.M. there was a change taking place in the weather. It had been dark up to that time, but it became so dark now that a man could not see his hand before him. The chief mate went and called the captain, who came on deck at once. As the ship was under the shortest possible sail, nothing more could be done in that direction.

We waited for events. The three fiery balls had vanished, and the wind had lulled to a mere breeze. The ship was now rolling and pitching in obedience to the motion of the tumbling waves. Suddenly, without premonition, there was a blinding flash of lightning that illuminated the space around and showed every part of the ship and masts and rigging as clearly as if it had been high noon on a clear day. Then followed a noise so tremendous that it was indescribable. Just imagine that one thousand steam railroad engines, coming from opposite directions and meeting on a bridge that spans a mountain over a chasm hundreds of feet in depth, and in the very center of it coming in contact and crashing in one fell swoop and falling to the very bottom of the abyss, and the same instant exploding the boilers of every one of them. This would be dreadful, but it would bear but a faint comparison to the clap of thunder which followed the lightning’s flash.

Every man on the deck was thrown down by the dreadful shock. The ship trembled like an aspen leaf, and we all thought that the thunderful bolt had struck her, but, thanks to a kind Providence, she was spared.

This was followed by a stillness that was painful to experience. Every man on board the ship jumped out of his berth and waited in fear and trembling for what would come next. We soon felt large drops of rain falling; it came faster and more of it, until it seemed as if the very floodgates of heaven had been entirely opened. It poured in such volume that the scuppers could not free the deck and the portholes had to be opened. The men had to hold on to life lines while they were wading about the deck, and whatever small articles that were not secured floated out to sea through the portholes. The sea, which had been so rough, was actually beaten down by the force of the rain to the smoothness of a millpond.

In about half an hour the rain began to slack. There were rifts in the clouds that allowed us to get a glimpse of the clear blue sky. Soon the rain ceased altogether and the beautiful blue vault of heaven, with its myriad of stars, was again in full view, while the clouds were rolling to the south and southeast. A breeze sprung up from the nor’west and the captain ordered the fore and mizzentopsail set, and the reefs to be shaken out of the maintopsail. The courses were next loosed and dropped, and one after another every sail was set to the favoring breeze.

Daylight was now coming on apace and brought to my mind the beautiful hymn: "‘The light of day is breaking, The darkness disappears."

All hands were now busy making sail, as the weather was now promising in its signs. The barometer had risen to 30", and still rising. Soon the rays in the eastern horizon gave us premonition of the coming of the beautiful orb of day, the sun. It soon arose from its ocean bead in all its glorious effulgence, giving promise of a clear day and pleasant weather.

Our hearts now turned to God in silent thankfulness for his mercy and loving kindness in having thus spared us from a terrible fate.…

We now discovered a new source of the worriment and anxiety. The late gale had so strained the ship that she had began to leak quite seriously. Pumping the usual time of 15 minutes we found that the water was not out of the ship, so the second mate took the sounding rod and shoved it down into the pump well. When he drew out the rod he measured, and found that at least 14 inches of water remained in the ship. The ship had two very fine metallic pumps which the captain said had been placed in her on the last voyage he made to Liverpool. They were worked by a rotary crank attached to which was a very heavy flywheel, and the two pumps threw water quite equal in volume to a fire engine. With this double-geared apparatus the crew, with the aid of the passengers, freed the ship of the water in the space of two hours. When the pumps began to suck our fears were relieved, for it proved to us that the leak was not beyond our control.

The captain now ordered the mates to have the ship pumped out every two hours instead of every four hours as heretofore. This increased leak of course augmented the labor of the crew very much and thereby created a certain measure of discontent among them, and more particularly as their food was inferior in quality, and not very well prepared at that, as the captain never approached the galley or seemed to care as to how his sailors fared. The cook took advantage of the indifference of the captain about the welfare of the sailors and served out their food in a happy-go-lucky kind of manner, that proved the truth of the old adage, "like master like man," and the sailors were the sufferers. Salt meat, not soaked and but half cooked, beans as hard as bullets, and the duff as heavy as lead. As I was a sailor myself I took notice of all this.

We were now in latitude 31° 07’ N., and longitude 52° 15’ W. The gale of the past week had driven us back over the greatest part of our distance previously gained; but now we had settled, clear weather and a fair wind. The passengers now cast about for something to do in order that the time might pass by pleasantly.

Reading and talking becomes irksome after a time; therefore a class was formed to learn the French language. Mon. Bayard, a learned French gentleman, was selected to be the teacher, but we soon found out that in order to teach us the French language he would be obliged to first learn the English language. In order to overcome this difficulty we appealed to Dr. Doriot, a gentleman who was born in Philadelphia of French parents, and therefore was thoroughly conversant with the French language as well as his native English. The doctor showed no disposition to aid us. He preferred to read French novels and smoke cigars at his ease. For this reason we made but sorry progress with our French lessons.…

When the job was finished, he asked me how much I wanted. I answered that I would take what he had a mind to give me. He then put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a two dollars and a half gold piece. I thanked him most sincerely, and I felt then as if I had really reached a land that was "flowing with milk and honey."

We understand that 4,000 of these bills were sent out, a few days ago, in the Apollo for the purpose for setting the new concern to work at San Francisco. This certainly is a novel species of goods and merchandise to send to California. It is not exactly sending coals to Newcastle—it is something more astute, and indicative of a higher order of genius in finance. We have no doubt it will succeed. The only extremity to avoid is Judge Lynch and his jury, who exercise tremendous power in California.

It is a character of the emigration that we do not (as we willingly would) get rid of the worst part-the idle, the rowdies, the vagabonds-of our population; but we lose-with regret we say-the finest portion of our youth who rush forward in eager haste to the golden regions, from sheer ambition. The dissolute, idle, and necessitous, who with brawny arms and active limbs encumber our almshouses and fill our streets with mendicants and burglars, are those who are left behind. So much better for California—so much worse for us.

The store ship Apollo.…was anchored in the cove, some distance from the beach. It was subsequently used for a lodging house and drinking saloon. As the city improvements progressed, lots were piled, capped, and filled in on a flat covered by the waters of the bay, far beyond where the Apollo lay, and strangers visiting the city were astonished to see the hull of a large ship located in the very heart of the city, surrounded on all sides with large blocks of substantial brick and stone edifices.

No other place he can go to will ever seem like home. But, if he can do better to emigrate, I say go, but while he is about it he had better go to California. Have you read the account from there about the gold? There is no humbug about it. I have seen letters from captains whom I know, who write that their men have all run away and are digging up $20 a day, PURE GOLD, for some of it has been sent home.

It has created a real fever here. Two steamships sailed yesterday for California. Several young men of my acquaintance are going out and you need not be at all surprised to hear of my going.…

I have seen letters from the son of Secretary Marcy to a friend in the city. A.G. has received letters from his agent. Uncle Richard has had letters from captains he sent out and also from two young men who took out goods last spring. These young men have made $40,000, and one of them is coming home with it.

A.G.’s agent, Bob Parker (you know him) writes that he has sold out his goods at an enormous profit. He kept one man constantly weighing gold dust and he has $100,000 on hand and was going down to Mazatlan to exchange it for coin.

Young Marcy writes that he did not believe it at San Francisco and went up to the mines to see for himself. He saw them washing out the gold in tin pans and digging it up with sheath knives. One man got $4,000 in one day, but the most of them about $50 to $100 per day.… Great quantities have been sent here to the banks and Mint.… Look out on the docks and you will see from 20 to 30 ships loading with all kinds of merchandise and filling up with passengers…leaving good situations and fitting themselves out with arms and ammunition, tents, provisions, and mining implements.…

…I called on all my friends Monday, but could not bid any of them a serious farewell as the girls would not believe that I am going. Although, my dear sister, you are not here to pack me off, I am not altogether forgotten by your sex. The girls have met at Frank Pond’s and had a sewing bee and presented to each of us [Buck and his companions], on New Year’s Day, with a Bachelor’s Companion—a long bag to roll up, containing needles, thread, scissors, buttons, etc.

A very nice affair, gotten up with good taste and very acceptable. They are evidently laying an anchor to windward and want some of the dust. You probably know by Father’s letter that I am going around the Horn with [our uncle,] Captain [Richard] Cole.…

I shall purchase 100 volumes of books, at least, and exchange my French for Spanish and learn that on the voyage. It is a long time to be at sea, four and a half [months] at least.…

Westward the Star of Empire takes its Way!

So does the George Emery tomorrow! No doubt you thought us off before this but we have been getting ready for the last week and are not ready yet.

We have our cargo all on board and to-night the chickens and pigs come down. We have our cabin fitted up in splendid style. The curtains cost 56 cents per yard. We shall take them out and put them up in our house in California. Cole and I have bought everything we can think of for our comfort. We have raced all over New York and made some of the greatest bargains this side of Connecticut. We bought 58 volumes of books for $9.44 and a B.G. [backgammon] board and one dozen packs of cards. We have 24 rifles, powder and shot, harpoons, fishing tackle and a sail boat and all the little etceteras you can think of, to amuse ourselves on our long voyage. I can’t realize that I am going yet, but suppose I shall in about two days.

Our passengers I like the appearance of very well. There are seven of us altogether, all young men but one. One fellow pays Cole $46 for the privilege of working his passage. We can get men enough for nothing. The excitement here at this time, you can have no idea of. Every day witnesses the departure of some gallant ship, swarming with people. The ships Albany, Sutton, Brooklyn, and Apollo sailed last week with over 150 passengers each. Today three left. The H.J. Bartlett that I was to have gone in left today with 67, for Chagres. Benson, Loomis, Pond, Henshaw and a host of my friends go in her. They don’t go off boohooing but go in good spirits.

The docks are crowded with fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and sweethearts, and such embracing and waving of handkerchiefs and "I say Bill! If you send me a barrel of gold dust don’t forget to pay the freight on it!" One fellow who went in the Brooklyn, threw his last five dollar piece ashore. Says he: "I’m going where there is plenty more!" "Now boys, give ’em the cheers," and the boys from the ship give us nine back with a will. All those that have friends bid them farewell, and those who have none shake hands with themselves and cut their individual sticks. It beats all! I declare, this California fever.

Every minister is preaching on the subject. Geologists are lecturing on it. It is dramatized at the theatres and it is the subject of conversation everywhere. Even clerks’ salaries have gone up, so many have left.

Tell Father, that the best thing he can do is to follow me, if he has his business closed up. We will have a house put up all ready soon after we arrive, as we have four, all framed windows, doors and everything. We ought to have a good carpenter go out with us, though I think I can put one up myself. The worst feature of the business is: there are no females going out. Everything else that you can think of is going, but the ladies hang back. What are we going to do? Society is bad, you know, composed all together of either sex. The women must follow the men shortly, or they will be too thick on this side—and to think what rich husbands they could get! I should think this would be an inducement for the old maids of Bucksport to start! This leads me to speak of what Tim told me yesterday.

Says he: "I shall be married before you get back."

Says I: "Tim, when is it coming off?"

"Next fall," says he. "I think of it seriously."

Thinks I to myself: "Miss M-P- may produce her documents before that time and spoil your fun, and serve you right, too."

I have been enjoying the society of the New York ladies all I could the past two weeks. However, there is no very strong attachment of the heart to cause pangs at leaving, as Connor says.

I would like to spend one evening at home before leaving and see you all once more, but I hope I shall meet you all when I come back—when that will be I can’t tell.

Give my best regards to Joseph, Ed, Sewall, and all the folks. Tell Sewall I will write him from California, and especially remember me to my dear Mother. I wrote her last week and will write Father tonight or tomorrow.

And now, my dear Sister, although I am a long distance from you I feel as though you were by my side and I conversing instead of writing to you. You have the largest share of my affections of any being in this world, and although I may not have shown it in my conduct, yet I do love and think more of you than anyone else, and will remain,

Ever your affectionate brother.

By April 1, in ’49, 50,000 good, able-bodied men, and a few women, all desirous of bettering their condition and acquiring wealth in a much easier and quicker method than by the old-fashioned, slow and plodding methods of their ancestors, were upon their way to the other side of the continent, willing to encounter the danger from Indians or starvation, whilst an equal number preferred to risk the dangers of a journey by sea to the land of gold. In company with about one hundred others, we took passage in the clipper ship America, Capt. C.P. Seabury, from the port of New Bedford, Mass.

On the morning of the 1st of April, the fact was announced that all must be on board at 10 A.M. The anchor was raised from its muddy bed below; the sails were unfurled to the breeze; the bow of our boat swung round a bit and pointed out toward the billows in the big ocean beyond. We bade farewell to friends who accompanied us out to the light-house; and, with hearty wishes from them that we might meet with the great success in our venturesome undertaking, sailed out upon the broad ocean in the direction of Cape Horn.

We watched the green hills, with which we had been familiar from early childhood, as they vanished from sight below the horizon, and wondered then if ’twas so ordained by the powers above, that we would soon be enabled to return again to these familiar scenes of our boyhood days with our pockets lined with tin (and some of us still continue in the same business, at the old stand, of wondering).

Our passengers, being unaccustomed to the situation, soon felt very peculiar sensations produced by the motions of the vessel. We sought the entrance to the basement, into which we managed to make our way in an oblique kind of style, and retired to our sleeping apartments, there to remain until we deemed it safe to again climb upon the roof of the vessel.

We were satisfied in a few days that we were very fortunate in our selection of a vessel for the voyage, for we found that she was a strong, staunch one; a fast goer, with a good crew and commanded by an expert seaman who understood his business. Fortunately for us, perhaps, we had as passengers a number of old veteran (retired) sea captains, who were always very ready and willing, without remuneration, to give our captain all necessary advice, at such times when, in their opinion, he needed it.

When, in their opinion, there was danger of the ship sailing too fast, they would advise him to take down some of the big sails; or, again, when the wind was too high, they would become aware at once of the danger of the ship running under, front end foremost, and at such times they would advise the captain to stop her. Under such conditions, where there were many men of experience keeping their weather eyes open for emergencies, it is evident that we, the passengers, felt perfectly secure from danger, and could sleep without fear.

During the voyage we amused ourselves, no doubt, in the same manner as passengers of vessels usually do, by various games. There were an assortment of musical instruments, and card playing was an amusement much in vogue; but a few of the younger passengers of a sporting tendency, would bet upon the speed of the ship and the number of miles we would sail upon the succeeding day. Some of the older ones, however, of a more elevated character, who were above such petty amusements, would practice at leap-frog upon the deck during pleasant weather.

When the weather was otherwise they would pass their time below, in betting with each other upon the number of plums they would be able to find in their respective rations of duff, and many were enabled to enjoy double rations at the table in consequence. In the opinion of many of the older passengers, one very important fact had been overlooked in our great haste to start for the golden shores of California, and that was, the failure to make suitable provision for the storage of gold dust. This was, indeed, an oversight, for nothing had been provided suitable for the purpose. It therefore taxed the ingenuity of the older ones, and many were the devices proposed.

One very ingenious and sanguine individual commenced the manufacture of leather pouches from old boot-legs or from pieces of canvas, maintaining that these would be found the most convenient. Another insisted that good, strong, stone ale bottles were far superior for stowing the finer grades of dust, and such was his faith in them that he had actually brought two or three dozen with him.

But where is the limit to genius or the faculty of adaptation to conditions, for if no other person had appeared upon the stage with a superior device for the purpose, the inventors of the boot-leg pouch and of the ale bottle devices would have divided the honors between them for their ingenuity. The possession of an older head with greater experience, however, suggested that although leather pouches and beer bottles might answer well, they would probably be found very inconvenient to handle on account of the great specific gravity of gold. He therefore suggested that the best way to pack the gold dust, and barrels, for these could be rolled with ease and of course would be more convenient for shipping. The greater portion of the passengers saw at once the superior advantages of the pork-barrel idea, and resolved to adopt that method.

One old gentleman spent his time in the construction of a dredging machine for raising the sand from the river beds, and for extracting the big nuggets from among the rocks at the bottom; whilst another on busied himself in making sheet-iron scoops, to which long poles were to be attached. His idea was to take his station under the shade of a tree, upon the river bank, scoop up the rich golden sands and extract the gold from it upon dry land, without the danger of being sun struck or wetting his feet. Many of the more intelligent ones among our passengers kept a daily record of scenes and incidents during our voyage.…

It having been decided by the captain of our vessel, at the request of many of the passengers, that we visit some port upon the coast of Brazil, upon consulting the sailing directions of Lieut. Maury, it was found that in order to do so it was necessary to first visit the coast of Africa, to take advantage of the trade winds. The ship’s course was therefore directed towards the continent of Africa, at which portion of our planet we arrived in good time; and ’twas not until we found that the dust from that continent was accumulating upon our clothing and other articles on ship board, that our captain concluded we were near enough to the African coast. Our good ship was, therefore, turned around and the bow pointed towards South America.

With a fair wind we crossed the ocean again, and on the 20th of May sailed into the port of St. Catherine and dropped anchor under the guns of the fortification located on the summit of a hill near town.

We found lying at anchor here the steamer Senator, on her way to California, as well as two or three other vessels loaded with passengers from the United States for the same destination.

As is very often the case in relation to human affairs, fate decreed otherwise, and in plain, unmistakable language we heard whispered by the gale which we encountered as it roared through the ship’s rigging, "Go slow! go slow!" And we did.

About 300 miles from the land off the mouth of the La Plata we encountered what all of the old salts, as well as the young, fresh ones, declared to be the heaviest gale that it was ever our misfortune to encounter. It came from off the coast, and of course was favorable for such was the velocity and force of the gale that when a billow attempted to assert its rights and raised its head above the general sea level, it was instantly blown off, leaving in its place but a mass of white and seething foam.

In this manner, with our noble ship lying to the lee rail under water, we remained for 13 days. To cook was impossible, for the reason that, at the angle at which our galley stove cut the horizon, nothing would stay in the dinner pot, and we were obliged therefore to eat off-hand and at random whatever we could get. It was now getting monotonous, and to add to our troubles the captain would not grant us permission to go on shore, and it even seemed to hurt his feelings when we asked him.

On the evening of the 13th day, the Captain, deprived of his accustomed rations of plum duff and soft tack, determined upon the tactics which he should adopt the following day if the gale did not abate, and that was to run before the gale. This course was strongly objected to by the veteran skippers on board, who claimed that it would be a most dangerous proceeding and would never be adopted by anyone but a young and inexperienced commander. They had, as they explained, roamed the seas over from infancy and were well aware of the danger of running before a gale of such huge dimensions as we were then experiencing.

They therefore strongly protested against it and assured the Captain that in case he did adopt that plan he must be responsible for all damages if the ship should run under and sink away down to the bottom in the cold sea, which they were most positive would be the case.

The captain, however, after lying all night on the edge of his bunk determined, notwithstanding their protestations, early the next morning to make a break for liberty.

With a firm step and with salt water in his larboard eye, he ascended to the deck and soon the command was heard above the roar of the tempest: "All hands on deck!"

In a few minutes every man of us was at his post as soon as we could find it, and when the order was given to the sailors who were holding fast to the wheel to let her go, they did, and it flew around in a most spiteful manner, as if conscious of its freedom. The bows of the ship swung around with the gale and we went flying amidst the foam upon the rough surface of the sea at a rate of speed nearly equal to a railroad train, and in a few hours we were again upon our way with a fair wind and under full sail in the direction of Cape Horn.…

We arrived at Cape Horn on the 4th of July, and with a fair wind sailed around the dangerous point and entered the waters of the Pacific Ocean. This being our national holiday, we dressed up our vessel in appropriate attire, and with various instruments of music, the firing of guns and pistols, celebrated the day in true Yankee style, to the great astonishment of the seagulls, as well as the immense flock of birds of various kinds that arose into the air from the clefts and caverns of the massive rocks of the coast.

Just previous to our arrival at Cape Horn, much surprise had been expressed by many of us at the unusual heavy swell of the sea or of the huge billows we encountered, but had been invariably reminded by the aged veteran on board: "Oh pshaw! these are nothing but ripples compared to what you will see when you reach Cape Horn. You just wait, and blast me eyes, but you will see them down there as high as the main mast."

The consequence was that we waited. We now turned our attention to the heavy swells for which we had patiently waited, and found them nearly as represented, for they were immense, and to take a view of them from the cabin window at the stern of the ship required considerable nerve, as it really seemed, when the stern was away down in the trough between the great rollers, that nothing short of a miracle could raise the ship quick enough to prevent the huge billows from rolling over her.

We found, however, upon experimenting with a long rope on deck, by shaking it up and down from one end, that in a similar manner the great billows do not move forward upon the surface of ocean, as they have every appearance of doing, to the utter destruction of every object which they come into contact with, but that they simply rise and fall. It is this continual rise and fall of the water on the surface of the ocean that gives it the appearance of rolling onward in the form of the huge billows.

With a fair wind, we laid our course for the port of Callao, in Peru. A few days followed of fair wind which seemed to increase in violence as we proceeded, until it had assumed to increase portions of a very respectable gale, termed in [the American West] a "gentle zephyr."

The ship’s course was now directed towards the port of Callao, Peru, where we arrived about the 10th of August. We remained in this port about eight days, visiting in the meantime the beautiful city of Lima located at the foot of the mountains, a few miles inland, and a portion of the earth where a rain-storm is unknown.

We found that the chief and principal amusements here at this time consisted in cock and bull fighting; the grand arena, with its gorgeous trappings, being situated adjacent to and under the shadow of the principal cathedral of the city.

In the town of Callao we saw the ruins of the old city which was partially submerged by an earthquake in 1765, at which time a ship being at anchor in the harbor was carried by the returning tidal wave about five miles inland, where the old hull was deposited and could be plainly seen. At ebb tide, the tiled roofs of many old buildings can be seen upon the sandy beach; but the greater portion, however, of the submerged town lies in deep water, above which vessels in the harbor ride at anchor.

Having laid in a good supply of fruit, etc., we sailed out again upon the broad ocean toward the land of gold. From this port we cannot, however, take a direct course for California, in consequence of the irregularity of the winds along the coast. We are therefore compelled to test the maxim that the longest way around is in some cases the nearest way home, and for such reasons our good ship is headed in the direction of Japan until we reach longitude about 140° W., from which point upon the equator, in consequence of the prevailing winds, the course can be laid direct for the port of San Francisco.

One of the greatest pleasures of a long tedious sea voyage is in speaking other ships, bound for different ports of the world. When the condition of the sea and weather permits, it is usual to exchange courtesies by giving the latest news, the destination of your ship, and occasionally visiting each other.

Many, of course, were the questions asked by the commanders of the other ships upon seeing so many passengers on ship-board in that portion of the sea, not having heard of the wonderful gold discovery. One commander, in particular, hailing from Valparaiso and bound for Cork, who had passed several ships loaded with passengers, very earnestly inquired if we Yankees were on our way to found a new empire somewhere among the islands of the Pacific Ocean, or if we were only the rear guard of Alexander’s army searching for new worlds to conquer. We, however, satisfied his curiosity by informing him that we were neither one nor the other, but simply pilgrims going in search of the new Jerusalem supposed to be somewhere in California.

We had now a fair wind until near the equator, where it then left us, and there fell a great calm upon the waters. It is in these latitudes that the conditions are most favorable for the formation of the water-spout, for it is here where the winds are variable, and where dead calms of long duration are the rule, and nature’s forces find the breeding grounds for the marine cyclones.

It is here that the germs of the Kansas cyclones are found, in their original purity, free from dust, old fence-rails, hay, or ox-carts; the upright columns being filled only with pure sea water, drawn up from the surface of the ocean.

We saw many of them in all stages of growth, from the newly-formed, which was just able to move along in an upright position, staggering and swaying from side to side like a child just learning to walk, up to the monster columns which possessed the power to elevate into the regions above anything which it cam in contact, from a clam-shell to a man-of-war.

Five were seen in one day; and one of the largest of them seemed inclined to pay us a visit; but being aware of the fact, we made all necessary preparations to give it a warm reception. It changed its course, from an instinct of danger no doubt, which was the general opinion, from the fact that an old seaman declared positively that if you discharge a cannon-ball into this column of water, it will instantly burst, as the proper circulation is destroyed.

Upon the morning of the 14th day, away off in the distance, toward the west, was discovered a cat’s paw, a ripple upon the water, crawling silently but surely towards us upon the surface of the waters. It crawled carefully up the side of the ship, up into the rigging; and the great sails, which had been idly flapping for many days against the mast, now feel the effects of its magic influence, and swelling with pride, endeavor to move the ship forward upon here course.

The wheel, also, which for several days had been neglected and alone, lazily swinging from one side to the other, nodding and blinking beneath the scorching rays of the sun, was now aroused from its slumbers by the strong arm of a sailor, and, responding to his efforts, the bows of the ship swing gracefully around upon our course for the entrance to the Golden Gate with a fair wind, which increased with such a force in a few hours it was evident we had not only received the benefits of a cat’s paw, but that the whole animal had crawled on board, tail and all.

Late in the afternoon of September 19th, we arrived at the entrance to the Golden Gate, but only to find the sea enveloped in a dense fog, and the entrance through which we were in hope of passing at once, was hidden from our view.

The only resource was, in a seaman’s phraseology, "to lay off’ and on until morning, which we did in safety, although not without escaping in an almost miraculous manner from the greatest danger. The incident is worth relating, as it shows how it is possible, after having sailed so many thousands of miles in safety, upon arriving at your destination to meet with disaster through the ignorance of an incompetent seaman:

It was the second mate’s watch on deck. About 11 P.M., as the captain was about turning in for the night, the second mate called down the gang-way for the captain. When asked what was wanted, he replied that right ahead, seen through the fog, was a square-rigged vessel.

The captain answered: "Well, you know your business, of course."

Almost instantly afterwards he again shouted: "Captain, come quick! We are close abroad of her!:

The latter leaped from his bunk, and was upon the deck in an instant, and saw at once the nationality and character of the square-rigged craft, looming up in a dense fog, immediately over our bow. He ordered the wheel hard a port, and the old ship swung readily around in the foam and swash, and within less than a half a ship’s length of one of the great rocks of the Farallone Islands. In less than one minute more we would have crashed into, run afoul of, and knocked from its foundation into the deep sea beyond, one of the grandest structures of the whole group, but the presence of mind of our captain saved it from utter destruction, as well as a few score of badly scared gold hunters.

Upon the morning of the 20th, we sailed in through the Golden Gate, coming at anchor in front of the tented city of San Francisco, having made the passage from our native city to this place in the space of five months and seventeen days."

PICT HUMOR-3. Line cut. 1col wide.STATUS: Original: AGP, Aug. 15, 2000.]]

ARGO-2. Line cut. 1 column. STATUS: Original: AGP, Aug. 4, 2000.]]

ARGO-3. Line cut. 1 column. STATUS: Original: AGP, Aug. 4, 2000.]]

[[CHAP 05

From Harry T. Peters, "California on Stone"

STONE-1. Lithograph. Full page in COLOR. STATUS: Original: AGP, Sept. 20, 2000.]]

[[CHAP 05

From Harry T. Peters, "California on Stone" • STONE-23. Lithograph. Full page. STATUS: Original: AGP, Sept. 20, 2000.]]

[[CHAP 05

Saw a woman with one of the wagons at camp. This was a novelty here, and I could not help looking at her. Women seem to undergo the hardships of this journey with uncommon philosophy.

We have recently received letters from various parts of the country, making inquiries in reference to the outfit, journey, and routes to California by land. It would be quite impossible for us to devote sufficient time to answer these letters, and therefore we have applied to Mr. Edwin Bryant, the author of "WHAT I SAW IN CALIFORNIA," &c., to answer these questions for us:

The questions in the letters received are usually of the following import:

First – The Route. – Which route by land is best for the emigrant?

Answer. – The route via Independence or St. Joseph, Mo., to Fort Laramie, South Pass, Fort Hall, the Sink of Mary’s [Humboldt] River, &c., &c., the old route.

Let no emigrant, carrying his family with him, deviate form it, or imagine that he can find a better road. This road is the best that has yet been discovered, and to the Bay of San Francisco and the Gold Region it is much the shortest. The Indians, moreover, on this route, have, up to the present time, been so friendly as to commit no acts of hostility on the emigrants.

The trail is plain and good where there are no physical obstructions, and the emigrant by taking this route, will certainly reach his destination in good season and without disaster. From our information we would most earnestly advise all emigrants to take this trail, without deviation, if they would avoid the fatal calamities which almost invariable have attended those who have undertaken to explore new routes.

Second – Wagon and Team.—What kind of wagon and team is preferable?

Answer. – The lightest wagon that can be constructed of sufficient strength to carry 2,500 pounds weight, is the vehicle most desirable. No wagon should be loaded over this weight, or if it is, it will be certain to stall in the muddy sloughs and crossings on the prairie in the first part of the journey. This wagon can be hauled by 3 or 4 yokes of oxen or six mules. Oxen are usually employed by the emigrants for hauling their wagons. They travel about 15 miles per day, and all things considered, are perhaps equal to mules for this service, although they cannot travel so fast. They are, however, less expensive, and there is not so much danger of their straying and of being stolen by the Indians.

Pack of mules can only be employed by parties of men. It would be very different to transport a party of women and children on pack-mules, with the provisions, clothing and other baggage necessary to their comfort. A party of men, however, with pack-mules, can make the journey in less time by one month than it can be done in wagons—carrying with them, however, nothing more than their provisions, clothing and ammunition.

For parties of men going out, it would be well to haul their wagons, provisions, &c., as far as Fort Laramie, or Fort Hall, by mules, carrying with them pack-saddles, with ropes for packing, &c., when, if they say proper they could dispose of their wagons for Indian ponies, and pack into California, gaining perhaps two of three weeks’ time.

Third. – What provisions are necessary to a man?

Answer. – The provisions actually necessary per man, are as follows:

150 pounds of flour,

150 pounds of bacon,

25 pounds of coffee,

30 pounds of sugar.

Added to these, the main items, there should be a small quantity of rice, 50 to 75 pounds of crackers, dried peaches, &c., and a keg of lard, with salt, pepper, &c., and such other luxuries of light weight as the person outfitting chooses to purchase. He will think of them before he starts.

Fourth. – What arms and ammunition are necessary?

Answer. – Every man should be provided with a good rifle, and, if convenient, with a pair of pistols, five pounds of powder and 10 pounds of lead. A revolving belt pistol may be found useful.

With the wagon, there should be carried such carpenter’s tools as a hands, auger, gimlet, chisel, shaving-knife, &c., an axe, hammer, and hatchet. This last weapon every man should have in his belt, with a hunter’s or a bowie knife.

Fifth. – What is the length of the journey?

Answer. – From Independence to the first settlement in California, which is near the gold region, it is about 2,050 miles—to San Francisco, 2,290 miles.

Sixth. – What are the facts in regard to the statements respecting the gold mines?

Answer. – The accounts that have been received and published in regard to the wealth and productiveness of the gold mines, and other mines in California, are undoubtedly true. They are derived from the most authentic and reliable sources, and from individuals whose veracity may be undoubtingly believed.

Seventh. – What could a young man, or a man with a family, with or without profession, do, should he emigrate to California?

Answer. – When he arrives there, he must turn his attention to whatever seems to promise the largest recompense for his labor. It is impossible in the new state of things produced by the late discoveries, and the influx of population, to foresee what this might be. The country is rich in agriculture resources, as well as in the precious metals, and with proper enterprise and industry, he could scarcely fail to do well.

Families, as well as parties going out, should carry with them good tents, to be used after their arrival as houses. The influx of population will probably be so great that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain other shelter for some time after their arrival. The climate of the country, however, even in winter, is so mild that, with good tents, comfort is attainable. They should be careful, also, to carry as much subsistence into the country as they can; as what they purchase there after their arrival, they will be compelled to pay a high price for.

Eighth. – What is the time of starting?

Answer. – Emigrants should be at Independence, St. Joseph, Mo., or the point of starting, by the 20th of April, and start as soon thereafter as the grass on the prairies will permit. This is sometimes by the 1st of May, and sometimes 10 days later, according to the season.

Emigrants should not take the route via the south end of the Great Salt Lake, but continue on by Fort Hall, when they will again intersect Mr. Bryant’s route on Mary’s River, about 60 miles from its head-waters. On this route they will always, except in two instances, find water and grass within short distances.

We now proceed to give the general character and direction of that which is considered the best land route to California, and which is the most traveled by emigrants. The principal advantage possessed by this route may be stated in a few words. It is the shortest route to the Bay of San Francisco and the gold region. The Indians upon the route are friendly, and very few acts of hostility have been committed.

The trail is plain and good where there are no physical obstructions. To these must be added the certainty of the emigrants reaching their place of destination, in good season; which will not exist if new and unexplored routes are attempted. The greatest calamities and sufferings have been endured by those who have either taken an entirely different route, or deviated from the line which we will describe.…

The starting point, and the general rendezvous for emigrants, is the town of Independence.… This town has been for many years the principal outfitting point for the Santa Fe traders and contains about 2,000 inhabitants. Emigrants should be at the starting place by the 20th of April, and start upon their journey as soon thereafter as the grass will permit.…

With respect to wagons and teams, the lightest wagon that can be constructed of sufficient strength to carry 2,500 pounds weight is the vehicle most desirable. This can be drawn by three or four yokes of oxen, or six mules; oxen are usually employed for this purpose. Pack mules can only be employed by parties of men, but the journey can be made in a great deal less time with mules than with oxen.

The provisions taken by the companies consist mainly of flour, bacon, coffee, and sugar. Besides these indispensables, there are rice, crackers, salt, pepper, and other luxuries of light weight. As to the quantity necessary, that may be determined by considering the length of the route and the average number of miles which the emigrants travel per day.

From Independence to the first settlement in California, which is near the gold region, is about 2,050 miles—to San Francisco, 2,290 miles. Oxen teams travel about 15 miles per day upon an average. At that rate it would require 131 days to reach the first settlement in California. Allowances should be made for stoppages by accident.

Every man should be provided with a good rifle, a pair of pistols, with a quantity of ammunition, and a bowie knife and hatchet in his belt. A set of carpenter’s tools is also necessary.

Council Bluffs: 14 departures

Fort Leavenworth: 5 departures

Independence: 40 departures

Old Fort Kearny: 12 departures

St. Joseph: 54 departures

Oh, don’t you remember Sweet Betsy from Pike,

Who crossed the big mountains with her lover Ike—

With two yoke of cattle, a large yellow dog,

A tall Shanghai rooster and one spotted hog.

Quite a few gold seekers who waited in Missouri spent their time describing Independence and other towns. In 1849 the town had about 1,500 citizens. The center of town consisted of brick buildings around an open square.

Samples of Independence experiences are given below, often with sketches of their journey up to that point. Journals written in St. Joseph or Council Bluffs were not much different.

The Bay State is a good vessel, but is very much crowded with Californians. On her last voyage up the river she is said to have lost quite a large number of her passengers by cholera, which at present is quite prevalent on the western rivers. At 4 o’clock we pass the beautiful city of St. Charles, situated on the north bank of the river.

The bottom lands along the river are low and subject to overflow; consequently the settlements in sight of the river are not very numerous, a few log cabins being seen on the banks. The channel of the river is very much obstructed by snags and sandbars and is constantly changing, which renders the navigation of the Missouri extremely difficult and dangerous.

May 1. Tuesday. At 12 o’clock we passed Glasgow; at 5, Brunswick; and at 7, Miami, all of which are apparently pleasant and thriving little villages. The banks of the river are much higher than they are lower down, and consequently, we see more settlements.

May 2. Wednesday. We saw a few small villages on the banks of the river. At six o’clock P.M. we passed Lexington City, some 40 or 50 miles below Independence, our destination.

May 3. Thursday. At two o’clock this morning we arrived at Independence Landing, four miles from Independence. This is the place where we are to be initiated into the beauties of camp life; and to fit out and start with our mule trains for California.

At 4 P.M. we had our tents pitched and, as we believed, were perfectly well prepared for the first night in camp, and partaking of a little supper-the first of our own cooking-we lay down, all seeming anxious to try our new manner of living.

We rested comfortably for a time, but at length it began to rain quite rapidly, and we felt much pleased to find our tents so well adapted to shed water and protect us from a heavy shower. Our joy, however, was soon after turned to disgust and chagrin when we felt the water between us and the ground, and on rising, we found our under blankets thoroughly drenched with water. Many of us were thoroughly wet to the skin.

This first mishap of the kind to happen must be attributed to our own innocent ignorance, as our tents were set on a slight declivity, and the necessity of trenching them on the upper sides to turn the water away, did not occur to us. However, we learned this part of camp life in such a manner as to never be forgotten. It was learned in the same manner as we shall hereafter, probably, learn many other new things before our journey is ended. A few of our party begin to believe that they have already seen almost enough of camp life to satisfy them.

May 4. Friday. The company held the monthly meeting today for the election of officers, for the month ensuing, at which Joseph B. Gage was elected president, his term of office to extend to June first. He seemed to feel very much pleased with his new position. The rain descended in torrents today.

In the afternoon, nine of us took our saddles, a tent and some provisions and went about three miles in a southerly direction, where a large number of our mules were herded, for the purpose of trying our hand at breaking them. These mules had been purchased by the agents of the two companies and were being kept by Mr. Sloan. We set our tent at the place of herding and made an in effectual effort to kindle a fire; and after several like attempts, we were compelled to give it up and do without a fire an put up with some raw ham and hard bread for our supper; after which we retired for a second night’s lodging in our tent.

May 5. Saturday. The rain ceased last night, and it was fair and pleasant this morning. Five of our mules had broken out of their enclosure and gone astray. Some two or three of our party went in search of them, but returned tonight without success. We tried our skill today at breaking mules, but having heretofore had no experience or acquaintance with the long-eared animals, we found it to be a more difficult task than we had supposed it to be, and consequently did not make much progress.

They were young mules which had never been halter-broken, and were almost as wild as the deer on the prairie. A wild, unbroken mule is the most desperate animal that I have ever seen.

I will pass over the time intervening between now and May 26, or about three weeks, with the mention of a few incidents that occurred during our stay at Independence, and giving a slight description of the country surrounding this place.

This being one of the principal fitting-out places for California, it was crowded with immigrants from all parts of the United States. Hundreds of ox-teams and mule-teams were leaving here daily for California, besides many pack-trains, coaches, and almost every kind of team or vehicle.

The Asiatic cholera was raging among the immigrants to a large extent. Many were daily falling victim to this dreaded scourge, while many others were becoming disheartened and were turning back to their homes. Everything here was bustle and wild confusion. Much of the weather was rainy and disagreeable, with one of the most terrific thunder showers that that I ever witnessed.

We tried in vain to break our mules by putting large packs of sand on their backs and leading them about, but it availed very little, as the second trial was as bad as the first; and they were nearly as wild and vicious when we started on our journey as they were when they were first packed.

Several of our company were sick with the cholera, while a number of the Mount Washington Company died with the same dread disease. These adverse circumstances detained us somewhat longer than we wished, and much longer than it was for our interest to remain; but as it seemed unavoidable, we were compelled to content ourselves as best we could.… Joseph B. Gage continued to fill the office of president.

The surrounding country is very beautiful with a rich, productive soil, much of it being a high, rolling prairie. Timber is somewhat scarce, but it is of superior quality. There are some small plantations, principally cultivated by colored people, who in almost all cases appear to be well satisfied with their condition of life.

This appears like a very tedious way to get to California, a distance of more than 2,000 miles.

We left Boston on the 17th of April by Boston & Albany Railroad, thence by the New York Central, arriving in Buffalo 40 hours from Boston. After waiting three days, during which time we visited Niagara Falls, we boarded a lake steamer for Sandusky; thence by rail to Cincinnati, and next by river steamer down the Ohio and up the Mississippi to St. Louis, where we changed boats for Council Bluffs on the Missouri; but, learning that the animals required for our journey could not be obtained at that place, we decided to make Independence, Mo., our starting point, arriving there on the third day of May.

The third day from St. Louis we landed on the bank of the Missouri and buried two of the boat’s crew who had died of cholera, and on the night before reaching Independence, Nathan Watkins, one of our party, died of the same disease and was buried near the landing.

We formed our camp in a fine grove of young oaks about two miles south of the river, and here we were destined to remain for [38 days]. It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the depressing circumstances under which we were laboring and the gloomy prospects for the future, not one of our party was disposed to abandon the enterprise and return home.…

We were all ready to start on our trip across the plains by the 24th of April, but we were persuaded by the old settlers that it was too early and we would find no grass upon the plains for our stock. In view of these statements we postponed starting until the 3rd of May, and remained during the time in camp in and around Independence. But this advice we found to be extremely detrimental to us. It served only to place us in the rear of a great number of large trains which we were compelled eventually to pass.… We should have started 10 or 12 days sooner, which would have given us good advantages in the way of selecting good camping places.…

The emigrants were camped in every direction for miles around the place, awaiting the time to come for their departure. Such were the crowded conditions of the streets of Independence by long trains of ox teams, mule teams, and men—there with stock for sale and to purchase stock. It was almost impossible to pass along.

Thousands per day [were heading west]. Being all ready now to bid adieu to homes, friends, and happy country, as it were—for we were about to separate ourselves from the abodes of civilization, its peace, comforts, and its safety, for a period we know not how long, and to some forever, to launch away upon the broad and extensive plains which stretch away and away, until it fades from sight in the dim distance, bounded only by the blue wall of the sky.

There are about 5,000 emigrants here, and 10,000 at St. Joseph’s. Some who have been here quite a long time have wasted their money in drinking and gambling and will return.… We find the gold fever is on the increase as we go West. From three-fourths to seven-eighths of those on the route are temperance, steady men; ministers, doctors, and all classes of respectable citizens.

On the morning of the 24th we were up at an early hour and actively engaging in preparing to march. We had calculated on an early start, but found it far advanced in the day before we got off, owing chiefly to some difficulty in yoking and assigning the ox teams to different messes [wagons].

Our oxen had been bought in the neighborhood, and turned loose in a large field near our camp, where we fed them on core, and being strange to each other, and many of us total strangers to driving, we made as might be expected, a rather novel movement. One drove against a tree, another barely escaped upsetting.… By some means our wagon tongue was broken before we got out of camp. Providentially however, we had a wagon maker in our mess, and in a few hours we had this indispensable appendage of our ox locomotive replaced, and were after the train which had now all got off in advance of us.

It was in the afternoon when we left, and we had 10 miles to travel before reaching the place selected for our next encampment.…

Today [May 26, 1849] we got started early, and after an hour’s travel came to the Kansas River. At the lower crossing we had to be ferried over in flat boats owned by half breeds. The wind blew, and we could not persuade them to take us over till tomorrow. Several Indians have visited us today—all friendly.

[May 27] This morning we got ferried across at a cost of 10 cents a head for our animals and $1 for our wagons. We got all over at noon.… At the crossing we met a party returning, having lost a husband, father, and a friend—of cholera. We bought a pair of mules and a wagon from them. The mules we paid $200 for the pair, and what noble fellows they are, too.

The cholera, ascending the Mississippi from New Orleans, reached St. Louis about the time of their departure from Independence, and overtook them before they were fairly embarked on the wilderness. The frequent rains of the early spring, added to the hardship and exposure of their travel, prepared the way for its ravages, and the first three or four hundred miles of the trail were marked by graves. It is estimated that about 4,000 persons perished from this cause.

Men were seized without warning with the most violent symptoms, and instances occurred in which the sufferer was left to die alone by the road-side, while his panic-stricken companions pushed forward, vainly trusting to get beyond the influence of the epidemic. Rough boards were planted at the graves of those who were buried near the trail, but there are hundreds of others lying unmarked by an memorial, on the bleak surface of the open plain and among the barren depths of the mountains.

I have heard men tell how they have gone aside from their company to bury some old and cherished friend—a brother, it may often have been—performing the last rites alone and unaided, and leaving the remains where none but the wolf will ever seek their resting-place.

The immense emigration to California by this route has given an impetus to business in the towns of Westport, Independence, Weston, and St. Joseph, unprecedented by that of any season. The taverns and boarding houses are crowded to their utmost capacity, and it is with the greatest difficulty that the newcomer is enabled to obtain quarters-many, for the want of other lodgings, being obliged to accommodate themselves in uncovered wagons and uncovered outhouses.

As near as can be ascertained, 2,500 persons are already at these points-by far the greater number being at Independence and St. Joseph, while every boat that arrives from below adds largely to this number. In addition to those who have arrived via St. Louis, several companies from northern Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri, and from Michigan and Iowa, have made their overland journey to these points overland.

Several of these companies, among whom is one of 971 gentlemen from Pittsburgh, come completely fitted out for the expedition, while others contemplate making their outfits at their place of rendezvous.

Landed at St. Joseph on the south of town—a beautiful level camping ground a mile or two up and down the river and to a mile wide. Surrounded as is the town with peculiar unnatural looking ridges and hills—like drifted snow banks. Encampments scattered all around, perhaps 4,000 or 5,000 for California.…

Led out horses of the Delaware Company; were very playful. Led out mules of our company, and they were frantic with wild delight as it seemed. They were unmanageable, god loose, and rushed around.… [Charles] Breyfogle and [P.M.] McColm were sick, and we could get no house for them to say in—perhaps for fear of cholera.

[T.J.] Price and I went to town for eatables. Could find no butter, cheese at retail 15 cents and wholesale 10 cents. Bought a large Western Reserve cheese at 9½ cents per pound. Eggs 10 cents, bread hardly to be had. Engaged 50 loaves to be done at 4 o’clock; went at the time and found the baker had set the clock back to 2 o’clock, and got bread at 8 o’clock.… Three or four large stores are here and are doing well.

The streets of this fine little town of St. Joseph were in a complete jam.… We had the noise of the steamboats, the confusion of voices, the lowing of cows…the unmusical noise of the organ-grinding girls, with all sorts of accompaniments, also the musical noise of the mules—a lot of which were on sale at a street corner.…

From what I have been able to ascertain, there appears to be a greater number of emigrants rendezvousing at this point than at Independence. At the commencement of the season this was not anticipated by the good people of the latter place, or expected by the business men or citizens of St. Joseph. The arrangements of the merchants to meet any demand that might be presented, are ample in the extreme, and afford facilities for procuring anything necessary for an outfit.

The roads, in every direction, are lined with wagons of emigrating parties from the lower counties of Missouri, and from Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois. The majority of these intend moving leisurely as far as Fort Kearney and Council Bluffs, and then make a final start.

Up to this time at least three thousand emigrants have arrived at this point, en route for California. Several companies have departed, and are now about one hundred miles from the frontier; they intend remaining in camp for some days at Grand Island, which is about two hundred and eighty miles distant. The roads from Independence, Fort Kearney, St. Joseph, and Council Bluffs there connect.

We crossed the Missouri River with our wagons on May 1, at St. Joseph, and drove out to the Bluffs and waited one week for a sufficiency of grass to sustain our teams. On the 7th day of May we broke camp and started on the long and perilous journey, a distance of over 2,000 miles, to Sacramento, which we reached on the 5th day of September, never stopping more than one night on the same camping ground.

This was a long and tiresome trip; as we seldom found anything more than a trail for a road; and never passed a house, or any sign of civilized habitation, except for two forts, viz.: Fort Laramie and Fort Hall, where U.S. government soldiers were kept to regulate and keep the Indians in subjection.…

April 18, 1849. Wednesday. At 4 P. M. I went on board the steamer Belle Creole, crowded with emigrants from all sections of union, though principally Illinoisians and New Englanders. At night had to lay alongside the bank, as snags rendered night navigation very hazardous and the river was at a very low stage, and the steamer a larger class than usually ran up. Left a man to bring missing articles up.

April 19, 1849. Thursday. In the afternoon reached the mouth of the Gasconade, where the Steamer Saluda lay, with broken shaft. We increased the crowd on board by a number of her passengers, & proceeded

April 20, 1849. Friday. Great skill displayed by the pilot, but it was evident the boat could not get much higher up. We stopped a few minutes at Jefferson City, whose State House, about 3 miles above, looked like a small edition of our Capitol at Washington. The state prison is a fine building also City looks very neat. High round hills about it, while the opposite banks are low and thickly wooded.

April 21, 1849. Saturday. We wooded, on the right bank paroquets [parakeets] numerous. Stopped at Middleton, Lexington, and Camden; and at 8 p.m. came too nearly opposite the latter, with rudder unhung, by grounding.

April 22, 1849. Sunday. At 8 A.M. we hauled alongside the landing at Camden, unable to proceed higher, as I expected. Here the emigrants desired a meeting, and waited on me to preside. The meeting was accordingly organized, and a committee of one from each state represented by a company on board, drew up certain propositions, in regard to the deduction proper, on freight and fare, for the inability of the vessel to proceed to St. Joseph. Some went ashore here with their freight, but most remained, to be landed back at Lexington, which place we reached at 4 P. M., and the passengers with their freight went ashore, excepting my little party, who slept on board.

April 23, 1849. Monday. At 3 ½ A.M. we went ashore with our freight, and in half an hour after, the steamer proceeded down for St. Louis.

April 24, 1849. Tuesday. At 5 A.M. the Steamer Meteor, No. 3 came up, and we went on board, and once more started up river for St. Joseph. Heard of much cholera on the river. Left some passengers at Camden, and continued on.

April 25, 1849. Wednesday. At 3 ½ A.M. reached Independence Landing, where one of our committee who had been sent on, some time ago, to purchase mules, came on board, reported his purchases, &c., and returned to take them up by land. We were all night grounding on bars and running foul of snags.

April 26, 1849. Thursday. At 10 A.M. our boat had to stop 5 miles below Ft. Leavenworth to repair the supply -pump. Saw here 3 Delaware Indians, old woman, daughter, and her little son. The boy spoke English very well. At meridian we moved on. Landed passengers at the Fort, and others at Weston, and at dusk wooded at bank 40 miles below St. Joseph, and remained there all night.

April 27, 1849. Friday. At 5 P.M. reached St. Joseph and repaired to the camp, 2 miles in rear of the town. In consequence of rain and non-arrival of the tents, the boys were very much discon-tent-ed, poor fellows! They were like young bears, all their troubles ahead of them. Regulating matters in camp, and breaking mules, the latter quite a task for many who had seldom seen a mule. Rouse the camp every morning at 4 o’clock.

April 30, 1849. Monday. Ke-ro-ich, a Nemahaw half-chief, came into camp. He wore a silver medallion with bust of president Van Buren on it. A drunken emigrant several days afterwards, jerked it off his neck, and kept it the greater part of a day, but had to restore it on the old chief kicking up a rumpus—threatening to look out for the emigrant when he should cross the river and pass through their country. Ke-ro-ich told me in a very broken way, that his tribe was more than 100, but not quite 200 strong."

Fort Childs [Kearny] came into sight unexpectedly at 9 o’clock [in the morning]. Houses to us are a novelty and remind one of civilization. The fort consists of six or eight buildings for officers, swellings and quarters built of sod one story high. Some have windows, others grated holes. The roofs of some are ground or sod, of others brush and grass. One of the former has a garden with vegetables growing as if on terra firma.

Several spots of several acres each for cultivation are enclosed with a mud fence three to four feet high, and ditched around. These improvements have all been made lately. There are a lot of shingles, timber, etc., around as they are preparing to build more permanently. A horse-powered saw is at work. The fort or mud town is now a miserable looking place externally. The houses are comfortable with thick walls—warm in winter and cool and summer. The roofs are hard to make waterproof. The ceilings are of muslin. Some floors are of ground, others of board.

Had a wheel of a wagon repaired at a blacksmith shop. Called at the house of a Mormon family [the Knowltons] in company with [George] Canfield and took supper—and a good sized supper it was. Seemed strange to eat at a table. Had liver, ham, coffee, milk, molasses, good light bread, biscuit, pickles and butter—all clean and nice.… A daughter of this family who attended at table is well dressed, tidy, ladylike, and withal pretty. Bought beans and corn meal of emigrants who are overloaded, and bought whiskey at $1.50 at the house of the Mormon family, who get it from the commissary—a good 100 percent higher than the retail price at Columbus.

A colored interpreter at the fort, raised among the Indians, thinks we will hardly see buffalo because of so many emigrants in advance. He told us about Indian character. The Otoes are jealous of their women.…

The soldiers took from the Indians who approached us—150 in number—a boy of Pawnee parents. He is at the fort. The Cheyennes killed his parents and sister. They also have the scalp of a Pawnee. This war is to distinguish some one of the Cheyennes as chief. Much mischief is done in the name of the Pawnees.

A good many of the adventurers and navigators have arrived at this point, on their way to the happy land. About 300 wagons have passed; the foremost train about 10 days ago. They are said to be go-ahead boys from St. Louis, but I am in hopes of being in hallooing distance of them by time they cross the Rocky Mountains.

There is every variety of conveyance—ox, mule, and horse trains, foot travelers, &c.… There will, doubtless, be much suffering on the route this summer; but it will be more owing to the people themselves than the difficulties they have to encounter. Persons who are not able to walk 15 or 16 miles a day, are but poorly fitted to obtain a livelihood by digging in the gold mines of California. There can be grazing obtained for a large number of animals, by diverging from the main route, in places where the country will permit it. There will be an abundance of grass for all the trains as far as Fort Laramie, after which, there will be a scarcity in places until they reach their destination.

Yesterday we fell in with a party of 18 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors—the bold robbers of the prairie—armed with guns, bows, shields, and spears. Their appearance, no doubt, made many a ‘green-un’ tremble with fear. They were on the war path for the Pawnees, the scalps of two of whom they had dangling at their saddle bows.

The sutler’s store I had a curiosity to peep into. It was built in the same style as the others and had a ground floor. Around were ranged his shelves with a pretty good stock of all sorts of notions, cigars, sardines, and some few extras for officers use, and in front his counter of rough plank. I inquired his prices for some articles out of curiosity. Sugar only 25¢ per lb., cigars 10¢ each, muslin 25¢ per yard, common calico 50¢, &c. Well might he say as he did to me that if he had had on hand all the articles Californians inquired for he could have made more money than by going to the gold region itself. As it was I could see in the short time I was in, that few merchants in the states do better than those appointed sutlers.

We are in the Indian Territory, 300 miles from Independence. We passed the Ophir Company from Boston yesterday. They have had no sickness and their animals are in fine order. I have seen no company better equipped. The Sagamore Company from Lynn are a few miles behind and another Boston company is said to be in this vicinity.

From Fort Leavenworth to Fort Kearny we have not been out of sight of emigrant wagons for a single hour. The whole road is lined with them. The trail, which last year was but a wagon path, is now more than twice as wide as any road in the old Bay State. Graves, graves, everywhere.

The army of gold diggers…now numbers over 10,000 men, and has a baggage train of 2,527 wagons. The prairie is dotted with them as far as the eye can reach; not an instant for the last two weeks has there been, that emigrants and emigrant wagons have not been in sight from this post.…

The road is lined with various articles-even gold vases and gold washers are abandoned by the roadside. Quantities of provisions share the same fate, which it is to be feared will be sadly wanted by those who threw them away, before they reach the Pacific.

Several serious accidents have occurred on the road on the road from the careless use of firearms. Three men have been shot dead, and yesterday a young man was brought to the hospital dangerously shot through the shoulder. His name is Swop, and is from Missouri.

Vincent Geiger , a member of the Charleston Company which had departed from St. Joseph on May 10, 1849, entered these items his journal at the end of the month, including a count of the wagons:

May 27, 1849. Sunday. Passed a company of U.S. troops and went into camp within six miles of old Fort Childs, now new Fort Kearny. Here it was determined to lighten up our wagons, by selling flour, bacon &c. at the Fort. Very warm during the day, but excessively cold at night, with dew like rain. Just as we cross the bluffs & near the river, the old Ft. Kearny road continues the main trail.

May 28, 1849. Monday. Drove up to the Fort and succeeded in selling some flour, bacon &c. We abandoned a great deal of plunder, such as picks, hobbles and every article calculated to retard our march. The allowance now is about 100 pounds of flour and 50 pounds bacon to a man. Up to yesterday 2,500 wagons had passed this point, and at least 200 passed to-day. The Fort is at the head of Grand Island. All the buildings at the Fort are made of sod taken from the prairie, and look comfortable, reminding me much of a Mexican rancho. We went into camp today about 4 o’clock, 2 miles west of the Fort. We are now in the buffalo country and some have been seen. It has been chilly today. I must not neglect to state that the Fort is at the head of Grand Island. After we reached camp a gentleman was offered for membership & rejected. We got 15 gallons of whiskey at the Fort.

June 15, 1849. Friday. Sent 2 men ahead to Fort Childs, to inform my friends there that we were close by. Meridian: Hazy, strong breeze S.E., temperature 70°. At 2.25 P.M. camped, having made 15 miles. 3 Mormons—one, a sick youth, supped and rested with us, and proceeded, going into Missouri from Salt Lake. They had been robbed by the Crows.… Two Pawnees desired to sleep in camp, putting them under surveillance of the guard, I permitted them to do so.

June 16, 1849. Saturday. Moved again early. A sprightly Pawnee youth followed us, amusing us by chasing and shooting at a sparrow, with arrows, often hitting right under it; at last he fairly ran it down and knocked it on the head with his bow. He went to the fort. Passed several trains from St. Joseph. A grave near the fort had the following on the headboard, "(name obliterated) Died June 3d 1849, of Van Buren, Aged 27 years."

June 17, 1849. Sunday. I visited the Fort after breakfast, and was most kindly received by Col Bonneville, Lieuts. [Levi] Boots and [Thomas] Davis, &c. This place is as yet merely the site of an intended fort; it has some adobe embankments, quarters, &c., of adobe & frame, and a number of tents and sheds. It is on the bank of the Platte, where Grand Island makes a narrow branch of the river between it and the shore. They had, somehow, at the Fort got a rumor of my death, by cholera, and knew no better till my card was handed the commandant by the two men I sent ahead. On the back of the card I penciled:

"Our banner flutters in the breeze,

"In spite of Sioux and black Pawnees"

Held a meeting of the Company and equalized the private baggage—discarding a great deal of superfluous weight. Sold a wagon to the sutler for $30 and the ambulance to the officers for $50—a perfectly useless article, except to encourage lazy men to ride. Forge, anvil, bellows, some lead and iron we sold to a Mormon family here for $32.

A large number of immigrants are encamped about the fort, at this time, and also a company of United States cavalry. It is said at Fort Kearney that the wagons passed here already this season, en route for California, number 5,400, and also three pack trains. This point is about 350 miles from Independence, Mo.

The cry is "still they come." 5,092 wagons at sun down last night had moved past this place toward the golden regions of California, and 1,000 more are still behind, I think.

The fever, however, in many cases, has completely subsided, and in others a few more doses of rain will put them in a fair way for recovery. A few are daily turning back, and many more would follow suit, did they not stand in fear of the ridicule that is sure to await them upon reaching home.

The Pioneer Company of "fast coaches" reached here on the 8th, advertised to go through in 70 or 100 days, I forget which; the end of one month finds them but 300 miles on the road. A great error was made in fitting out this line, resulting either from ignorance or lack of means. The baggage wagons are entirely too heavily loaded, to move with the rapidity of such a line, and the carriages carrying but six persons are drawn by but two mules, and small ones at that. The passengers were loud in denouncing all fast lines, and the Pioneer Line in particular. A strong feeling of discontent prevailed throughout the company, owing entirely to the want of sufficient transportation, and the chances are strongly in favor to a general exploding. It must be said, however, in justice to Mr. Turner, who, I believe is in charge of the train, that he is a man of energy and does all that a man could do under existing conditions. The devil himself would find it impossible to give satisfaction to an incongruous crowd of 120 persons drawn from all parts of the world and thrown together for the first time, as is the case with the Pioneer Line.

There are to be found doctors, lawyers, divines, gentlemen of leisure, clerks, speculators, &c., &c., tumbled in together and obliged to stand guard, cook victuals, bring wood and water, wash dishes, and haul wagons out of mud holes. Can anything imaginable be more difficult than the smoothing down of such heterogeneous mass; but I presume the proprietors foresaw this before embarking in the business, and are prepared for any contingency.

They had been detained by breakdowns, sickness, &c. They were throwing away a variety of articles. They could get along without such as lead crucibles, gold washers, extra axles, &c, and also a lot of clothing which they could not carry.

Grass is not very abundant. We repair our pack-saddles and other equipage which has become considerably out of repair. The backs and shoulders of many of our mules have become very sore and in a serious condition, many of them having lost large patches of skin, and the prospect, at present, seems to be that few of them will survive to reach California the present season.

We have made an inspection of our packs today in view of trying to make them lighter, if possible, but could discover very little in them that the members were willing to discard. We have, for one thing, a patent "filter," the weight of which is about 30 pounds, which has been of no use to us, and the prospect now is that it will never be of any benefit whatever. We have some iron spades that probably will be of no benefit to any one.

We have also some large, heavy picks which we have brought all the way from Boston, and also shovels. These may be useful in the mines, but it does not seem to be feasible to pack them 2,000 miles on the sore backs of mules. There are, however, such a large number in the company that are so bitterly opposed to leaving any such article that they will defeat any such measure proposed; and even call all such foolish who believe it would be wise to lighten the loads of our poor mules in such a manner.

We committed the error of taking too much baggage. We have thrown away 500 pounds of bread and bacon and large quantities of flour and beans. Wagons we abandoned or sold for a song. We are cooking our dinner with fuel which was a brand new wagon when we left Boston.

There is more clothing on the ground at Fort Kearny than would fill the largest store in Boston. It makes a man’s heart sick to see the property scattered over the ground here. Wagons are left behind as fast as they are emptied of provisions. Each man now retains two suits of clothes and 175 pounds of provisions. When we start we shall make 30 miles a day, thus far since leaving Westfield we have averaged 13.

The Pawnees did it. Look out for the red devils.

John Slade,

Captain, Otter Creek Company.

At 11 A.M. we struck the head of Ash Hollow two miles from the river—so called from the fact that there are a few clumps of ash trees standing along a hollow that puts into the North Platte, with high, bold, craggy bluffs on either side, with a few cedar bushes sticking along the side.

The descent into the hollow is very steep and difficult to get down. The bed of the branch is sandy [and requires] heavy pulling. There are several springs of clear, cold water breaking out of the ground. When we reached the river we rested two hours.

Vincent Geiger , a member of the Charleston Company, wrote this:

June 7, 1849. Thursday. It was a clear & pleasant morning. We made an early start. The roads bad, and after a hard drive nooned within 8 miles of Ash Hollow.

We laid up about five hours and then rolled out. Passed a large number of teams & found several springs of good cool water, near which we left the river and ascended the bluffs. The road very bad & bluffs steep. In a short time we struck Ash Hollow, where the main trail from the South Fork (traveled by Bryant) meets us. A large number of ash trees grow here, from which it takes it name. The hills are sandy & traveling difficult. Several fine springs of water are here found.

We procured wood & drove on, passing many camps & a small party of Sioux Indians. We drove on until 11 o’clock P.M., and halted on the bluffs with good grass. For three days past the roads have been heavy. The bluffs are naked & sandy & the whole country presents a desolate appearance except near the river. We have been much teased and severely bitten by the buffalo gnats which swarm in thousands around us.

After going one mile, we struck into a deep ravine called Ash Hollow, which led to the bottom again. The road which comes from the upper ford passes through this ravine. We found some beautiful springs of water and also some ash trees which line the ravine.… We encamped about a half mile from Ash Hollow.

We started in the morning and soon passed through Ash Hollow, so called. It derives its name from large quantities of red ash timber found here.

Wakeman Bryarly, a member of the Charleston Company, wrote this:

June 10, 1849. Sunday. A clear morning and fresh bracing wind made us feel pleasant and good after a rainy night. We had a full view of Court House Rock, which as we approached assumed more the appearance of some rude old structure. It but little resembles the dome of the Capitol of Washington. It represents somewhat an old fort, but struck me as resembling muchly the Bishop’s Palace at Monterey, Mexico.

It is not of solid rock; it is a sand hill, or rather a sand bank, with an occasional layer of soft rock, rather soft, which has been shaped by the action of the rains upon it. It is a prominent object & easily distinguishable. Upon the south side there is a stream of clear water which winds around the Castle & then the bluffs & crosses near here. From it we have a view of Chimney Rock in the distance.

From camp Chimney Rock appeared to be four miles off. Drove five miles toward it and found it was still four miles distant.… Chimney Rock stands alone with a base covering several acres, receding all around to a cone 150 feet high on which sits a sandy column of rock 100 feet higher that will soon crumble. I ascended about 150 feet by a winding steep path. Many names are cut in the rock. I inscribed mine. I fired one of my holster pistols and it echoed greatly.

[Last night a] large number of trains had encamped during the storm, along in the river bottom.… They had left bacon, flour, dried beef, beans, coffee, dried apples, peaches, &c.… Our boys concluded this morning to carry a surveyor’s chain in order to ascertain how fast we were traveling and how far we traveled per day.…

We passed this afternoon the Chimney Rock. It stands about three miles to the left of the road. Its elevation is said to be between 250 and 300 feet.… There has been a great crowd in the road in sight all day and as great a rush. We have taken it leisurely, and the crowd is still with us. The stronger teams are gaining the front, and the weaker are falling back.

We have gained a position far in advance of the great mass, passing by hundreds of ox teams and some pack mule trains, among others that of Bryant, of Louisville, Ky., the writer. We hope to make California, though his news is not later than last fall. He is on his way to St. Joseph and proposes taking letters for the moderate price of 50 cts. We are encamped to-night in sight of Chimney Rock, about 50 miles below Fort Laramie. The scenery around us is picturesque and grand.

Chimney Rock is a column of conglomerated clay, sand and thin strata of sandstone, some 300 feet high. A shaft of some 30 feet in diameter towers up 150 feet from a lofty pedestal, and can be seen for 25 miles around. Tomorrow we get our first peep at the distant peaks of the Rocky Mountains. and I will be either among or beyond the Mountains before you again hear from your old friend, till then farewell.

Wakeman Bryarly wrote this on June 10, 1849, the same day he was at Court House Rock:

Had yesterday been a clear day we should have seen Chimney Rock at a distance of 30 miles. It resembles at a distance a large hay stack with a pole running through it, but upon a nearer approach looks more like the chimney of some old furnace. Its base occupies nearly half a mile and gradually tapers to end. Some three years ago it was over 400 feet high, but the heavy rains beaten it down and it is not now so high.

The Chimney Rock is composed of the same material as that of the Castle [Court House Rock]. The Chimney stands solitary and alone upon a small eminence in the centre of a gap formed by two large bluffs. A great many names are cut, and at least 1,000 more are painted up the Chimney, and among the rest was found the name of Capt. Smith, cut there in 1845. We went into camp within four miles of Chimney Rock with good grass & pool water.

At 12, camped opposite to and about 1 mile from Chimney Rock. I had some curiosity to see this as I had noticed a plate of this scene in Frémont’s work and it far exceeded my expectations. The plate spoken of does not do it justice. Imagine a pyramid standing along though surrounded by many rocky precipices some 150 feet high and from its center a column of rock 100 feet high and at its base 20 feet through and then compare with Frémont’s picture and his will look like a pile of stones on a hill. No conception can be formed of the magnitude of this grand work of nature till you stand at its base and look up. If a man does not feel like an insect then I don’t know when he should. The pillar itself is somewhat irregular in its formation having the appearance of strata laid here one on another. Or as one of our boys expressed it "looks like a pile of pancakes." It is said to be fast washing away and travelers 25 years hence will see nothing of it but its base. If so one of the principal attractions of this journey will be lost. The view from its base is magnificent.

All the rocks and hills in this vicinity appear thrown up abruptly by some convulsion of nature and one can hardly divest himself of the impression that he is gazing at the ruins of some vast city. Castles with turrets, towers, square buildings with the tops gone, palaces, one in particular having a strong resemblance to the plates giving the Tuileries, appear on every side, all standing separate and alone, looking exactly like the work of men’s hands only far too vast and grand.…

July 4, 1849. Wednesday. The Fourth of July will remind an American of his home wherever he may be or however far he may be separated from it. Early in the morning we fired several rounds, and made as much noise as possible in honor of the day of Independence. We started in the morning and soon passed an encampment where we had the pleasure of beholding the Star Spangled Banner floating in the cool breeze. We traveled a few miles further and passed another camp with two large American flags waving above it.

We halted at noon within sight of Court House Rock. This rock is several hundred feet in length and at a distance bears a strong resemblance to a large building with a cupola. It is said to be about 12 miles from the road, but to measure the distance with the eye, a person would judge it to be not more than one mile distant. The name of J.J. Astor, with the date 1798, is said to have been carved there, and that it may still be seen. Mr. Astor was one of the American fur traders to cross the continent.

We camp seven miles south of Chimney Rock. This rock rises about 255 feet and in from very much resembles a chimney. Standing as it does on a level plain, it can be seen 25 or 30 miles away. Its material is sandstone and may easily be worked or cut.

Having made camp early in the afternoon near a spring of cool water which was gushing from the base of a high cliff, we had an opportunity of visiting the sandstone formation called Scotts Bluffs, only a mile or two from camp, and were amply paid for the time spent, for among them, with a little stretch of the imagination, could have been found the counterpart of everything in ancient or modern architecture, and on a most stupendous scale.

There seemed to be immense buildings with terraces, domes, turrets, and pinnacles, and a bewildering labyrinth of streets, alleys, and broad avenues, the whole forming a veritable city done in soft sandstone.…

Wakeman Bryarly, a member of the Charleston Company, wrote this of the natural features between Chimney Rock and Scott’s Bluff, then of the Bluffs themselves:

June 11, 1849. Monday. Remained in camp until 12 o’clock M [meridian] for the purpose of drying off our goods, &c. We remained in view of the Chimney Rock. Many of our boys visited it. We drove out and kept the road along the bluffs passing Chimney Rock, and we then came in view of a row of naked bluffs, five in number, representing castles & old buildings. They presented a truly grand & magnificent view, assuming many different shapes was we approached.

By general consent the range was called Castle City. Upon either side of the road, bluffs were in view, presenting a scene of rare beauty, wonder and magnificence. After a drive of 15 miles, we encamped on the river bank.

June 12, 1849. Tuesday. Made an early start, and after a drive of about 3 miles left the river & took the bluffs, which we followed. These are called Scott’s Bluffs. In about 8 miles we came to and ascended a very high ridge near the top of which we found several small springs of cool water-as cold as ice. Here there is a store, blacksmith ship and trading post, kept by a Mr. Roubadoe, who has been living with the Indians for 13 years. He is married to a Sioux squaw and has several children. For goods of every description he charges the most exorbitant prices, & for work, truly extortionate. For instance if an emigrant finds the mule shoes, nails &c., and puts the shoes on, he has to pay $1 per pair and everything in proportion.

We saw the preparations made by the overloaded teams for crossing the Black Hills. Piles of bacon lying by the road side; some must have had 2,000 or more pounds, more pounds of beans, corn, all kinds of iron implements and tools stores, &c.

One train we passed told us they threw away over a ton of bacon, several barrels of bread, six dozen steel shovels, axes, hoses, &c, amounting in value to nearly $1,500! Their crackers we determined to have some of, so Chesebro and myself took two animals with some empty sacks and went to their camping ground and got about 90 pounds of the finest crackers I have seen and are far superior to our own.

At Fort Laramie we disposed of one of our wagons and left part of our load that we did not need.… It is very singular how easily cattle are frightened after leaving the settlements. I have seen the teams on 40 wagons frightened by the bark of a dog, and run a mile with heavy loads behind them, so fast that their drivers could not keep up with them.…

Since we left [Fort Laramie] we have had to drive our cattle 10 miles from the road in order to get feed. The road is lined with shovels, picks, crowbars, wagons, dead oxen, etc., in fact everything that was not necessary to sustain life has been left by the roadside in order to get along a little faster. We have passed fifty dead oxen in one day.… The prospect for getting to California this fall begins to look rather discouraging.…

We were determined to dispose of our heavy wagon and attach six mules to the small one, and hasten on our road. We busied ourselves condensing our load and packing in one wagon, and finished at three o’clock. All the trunks, part of the bacon, and everything that was not absolutely necessary was thrown aside.

The protection afforded to emigrants by the chain of military posts [such as Fort Laramie] is only another name for robbery. An emigrant can purchase nothing except at an exorbitant price, and in the present instance suffers himself to be stripped of his all, when far away from home.

The commanding officer of the Fort conducts himself with much credit. He is a gentleman in every sense of the word, and will be of infinite service to emigrants.

July 9, 1849. Monday. After crossing, I directed the train to continue on to the left, on the trail to Ft Laramie a couple of miles off, and camp in the bottom close by (tolerable grass), and proceeded to the right to a camp of American Fur traders, and Indians. Here I was welcomed very kindly, and most courteously, by Mr. Husband – the superintendent of the Fur Trading post. Mr. H. informed my that he had had a letter for me, but which some 10 days ago, he had turned over to the officer at the Fort, who was acting as Post Master. After the luxury of a cigar, I walked over to my camp.

July 10, 1849. Tuesday. We rest to recruit the mules, &c., for 2 days. I spent the forenoon at the Fort. Maj. Simons treated me most kindly; and on inquiry for the letter Mr. Husband said was there for me, found that some days ago a man belonging to a company from Tennessee or Kentucky had inquired for the obtained it! Had to send the mules up the Laramie River, 5 miles, under a guard, to graze.

Here we sold our ox wagon. Mr. Husband very politely ordered his blacksmith to drop all other work and cut and shorten our tires. Held a meeting in relation to two men who had traveled some time in the company, whether they should proceed with us or not; decided in the affirmative.

July 11, 1849. Wednesday. Grazing mules & repairing wagons. Dined at the Fort, with the Major. Had the pleasure of seeing Lt. Woodbury of the Engineers. Sketched the Fort. 11 A.M. my train moved on over the sand hills, to right of the near the Fort, fairly entering the mountains.

Fort Laramie, purchased by our government, from the American Fur Company is an extensive rectangular structure of adobe. It forms an open area within; houses & balconies against the walls. Heavy portals and watch tower, and square bastions at 2 angles, infilading the faces of the main walls. It has suffered much from time and neglect. (We bought a small seine here for $10. A very useful article.) After bidding my kind friends farewell, I shouldered my gun, to walk over the hills alone, to reach the camp of my company. (12½ P.M.)

Today we have crossed the Platte again, being ferried across by a party from Illinois who, on coming up to the ferry, found it governed by a Mormon who was asking $2.50 for ferrying over a wagon.

They went to work and made a raft of logs dug out. They ferried us over for 50 cents a wagon. This had the right effect to make him reduce his fare to the same. We had to swim our mules over. We got all safely over and started at four o’clock over a hilly, sandy road. We camped on the banks of the river in a pleasant grove, some grass.

The granite pile, being isolated and arising from a level plain, is a landmark of enormous proportions and quite worthy to stand sentinel over the mountain peaks which are to be seen from its summit.… And yet is only one of the wonders, and quite in keeping with the immensity of objects to be found in that locality. Although having been surfeited with rocks for several days, we spent considerable time and enthusiasm in viewing the monster, which looked like it might be a mammoth egg half buried in the earth.

Reached that great curiosity, Independence Rock—600 yards long and 20 yards wide and some 100 feet high—of solid grey granite—a primitive rock rising from the level of the plain. Fine grass and pretty flowers grow at the foot in abundance. There are many names inscribed on it, of which I saw that of my friend M.N. Wambaugh of California. Had the vanity to put my name on it, as did C.M. Fisk. A couple was married on the top once in a time. At its base runs the beautiful Sweet Water. I had a fine view from the top. Wind almost blew a person off.

This morning all the curious were climbing to the top of Independence Rock, I among the rest. I saw names to the number of several thousand—some graven, some painted. I did not follow their example. It is an isolated elevation composed of masses of granite rock piled one upon another, about 100 feet high.

The Pioneer train is engaged today in reducing the passenger baggage, etc. Yesterday they had a rather stormy meeting, which resulted in the appointment of a committee of high ways and bye ways who resolved that Captain Turner should throw away five passenger wagons, some of the baggage wagons, and the passengers reduce their baggage to 75 pounds each; all the doctors, three or four of them, together to be allowed 75 pounds extra.

They are now weighing and throwing away or selling all manner and sorts of traps—pins, needles, law and medical books, crowbars, spades, shirts, shovels, basins, matches, collars for horse and man, handkerchiefs, vials, medicines, trunks, buffalo robes, boots, shovels, novels, nails, screws, clothing of all kinds, gold washers, screen cloth, blacksmith’s, joiner’s, and carpenter’s tools, soap, picks, writing paper, brandy, tobacco, hatchets, rifles, shotguns, etc., etc., etc. The property thrown out was worth, probably, $5,000. Our [Dr. Lord’s nearby] train took as many as 20 trunks and discharged as many boxes or trunks of less value and more weight.

The proprietors of this train had promised their passengers, at Independence, that they should hold their Fourth of July at Sutter’s, in California, and the Fourth overtook them before they were halfway. Something of a mistake, but time waits for no man, much less for overloaded and overdriven and badly selected mules.…

Where the Sweet-Water makes its passage through a fissure in the mountain walls; it is 35 yards wide and 300 yards long. Its walls are perpendicular and about 400 feet high.

We passed up Sweetwater 8 miles and encamped near a deep cut through the mountain called Devil’s Gate. The river appears to have run round the mountain point formerly, and found its way here through a large crevice, which has gradually crumbled down and washed away until the cut is clear to the top of the mountain. It is three or four hundred feet deep and nearly perpendicular.

The river dashes through like a cataract over the rocks that have fallen in the channel. A person can get through along the shore, but with considerable difficulty as well as danger. And here I can give the testimony of my own experience, that whoever undergoes the fatigue of walking through that cut once, will fill but little curiosity to pass through again.

About one half mile after crossing the river we nooned on the hill or level. About 4 P.M. we stood upon the summit level of the Rocky Mountains. We could not have told from observation that we had gained such a great elevation had it not been for the knowledge of our geographical position and the imposing landmarks to our right, the Wind River Mountains, whose cold, spiral, snow capped mountains were raised to such a great elevation—and the very perceptible change in the climate. We are now upon the dividing ridge, or to use a more forcible figure, "the Backbone of the North American Continent." The South Pass is about 300 miles distant from Fort Laramie and about 980 from Independence.…

Wakeman Bryarly, traveling with a group from Virginia, wrote this on June 29:

We nooned 4 hours and started for the dividing ridge of the South Pass, it being distant from this last crossing of the Sweet Water 10 miles. We here take an affectionate leave of this beautiful river. We have traveled up it 104 miles, and in its whole course it scarcely varies one foot either in breadth or depth. We enjoyed some delightful camps upon its banks & have indulged in some luxurious soliloquies. I confess I have formed quite an attachment to this captivating little stream & almost think I could pass my days in contentment & happiness upon its beautiful banks.

"The road this evening was hard & firm & we soon rolled these 10 miles, which brought up in the middle of the Great South Pass of the Rocky Mountains. Here is the dividing ridge from which flows the waters to the Atlantic & Pacific.

There is here a large, fine, clear spring, which is called the Pacific Spring. In fifteen minutes walk you can drink from the flowing waters of both the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans. With a little imagination, you can extend your arms, over the vast waters of the Atlantic & the other those of the Pacific. These waters reach the Atlantic by flowing Sweet Water, thence into the Platte, thence the Missouri, Mississippi, & Gulf of Mexico & Atlantic. Those of the Pacific commencing at the beautiful spring, runs to Green River, thence Colorado River in California, then Gulf of California and Pacific.

At 10 made the South Pass of the Rocky Mts., a place of great anticipation to all emigrants but of any little, if remarkable in its appearance and no one would know that he had arrived at the greatest height and turned it from anything observable at the place itself. The summit is between two ridges of barren sand and granite and is about two thirds the distance through a ravine the road follows between these ridges. To the north can be seen the snow-capped mountains I observed yesterday and day before. While south on the barren hills of gravel, no appearance of mountains, rocky or otherwise.

On emerging from the ravine we came to a spring from which flows a small brook running west, a sure indication that we are now descending to the Pacific Ocean. This is called Pacific Spring.… Our reflections on "passing the Pass" are rather of an agreeable nature. We are now considerably more than half-way through our journey, with fine road and grass most of the remainder and down hill. From here to Sutter’s is something less than 800 miles, and I hope to make it in 30 days. The first part of the trip seemed like "up hill work" while now it is down hill. Still we shall have some hard times and will require some energy to go through safely and expeditiously.

Today about eleven o’clock we reached the summit of the South Pass. The ascent is so gradual that one does not realize it. The mountains covered with snow are on the north, and the two buttes and some smaller hills on the south of the pass. In its narrowest part it is one mile wide and nearly level.…

Our train is now reduced to our original number of wagons All that joined us have again left us. We find that small companies get along better than large ones. Ours is too large now, but we do not like to divide. This evening a Mormon from the valley of the Salt Lake has camped with us. He left the city on the 13th with an ox team. He gives a flattering account of the valley, and so far as gold is concerned, of California too. From information received from him we have determined to go by Salt Lake. By doing so we shall get better feed to the Lake and from there to the old road 200 miles west of Fort Hall. When we arrive at the Lake, if we find it impossible to go on, we must submit to stay there, and do the best we can. I have not seen an Indian since I wrote to you on the 4th. Most of the boys are well and in good spirits, but very much afraid of stampedes, and it is no wonder. An earthquake is scarcely more to be dreaded, or more terrible.

We took our final leave of the Sweet Water this morning, and after traveling 9 miles up a very gentle ascent we reached the South Pass. We could hardly believe that we stood upon the dividing range between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It seemed more like a rolling prairie. To the north can be seen the Wind River Mountains with their tops covered with snow.

August 1, 1849. Wednesday. We are now near the summit of the Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of about 7,000 feet above the Gulf of Mexico. There was a heavy frost this morning. Traveled up the river 11 miles in the forenoon. In the afternoon we traveled up the river five miles further and camped on a small branch of the Sweetwater. We left the road today with the intention of taking a straight course through the mountains to Fort Hall, thereby avoiding the circuitous route by the way of Fort Bridger.

Captain Thing, our guide, states that he once traveled the route and in his opinion we shall find good grass and water, and that there is an Indian trail through which he thinks he can follow. The main road is now several miles to the south of us. This is known as the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains.

August 9, 1849. Thursday. We left the stream this morning and commenced ascending a mountain. At noon we ate our dinner at a very fine mountain spring. In the afternoon we continued to ascend and passed through a heavy growth of spruce timber. Our ascent was gradual until about 4 o’clock, when we found ourselves at the top of the peak of the Rocky Mountains. To the west and north the descent was steep-almost precipitous. We could see the stream that we had left in the morning many hundreds of feet below, but to reach it with our pack mules seemed almost an impossibility. There were but two ways from which to choose-either to descend to the stream, or retrace our steps. We were not long in deciding, and we chose the first and concluded to try to descend. In about two hours we reached the stream in a small pleasant valley. The descent made by us was about 2,000 feet and probably about one and one-half miles in length, the greater part being covered with a thick growth of standing and fallen timber.

Captain Thing says he was never before at this place and is at a loss to know what route to take to get out. (Distance, 15 miles.)

August 10, 1849. Friday. We started in the morning and followed the stream up seven miles to the source. We then traveled one mile farther and halted, where we found neither water nor grass.

Captain Thing, with two or three men, went ahead to endeavor to find a passage through the mountains, which are heavily timbered and very rough and broken. They returned before night and we went on two miles farther through a dense growth of spruce, pine and fir and camped. Good grass and excellent water. This is in a small valley. (Distance, 10 miles.)

August 11, 1849. Saturday. Started in good season this morning and soon after crossed some small mountainous streams, the headwaters of the Columbia. We traveled over hills and through small valleys a few miles when we began to descend a high mountain. The descent is very steep and we were an hour in making it. We reached the valley at length, through which passed a small stream with a southern course, which is probably a tributary of Bear River. We followed the valley down five miles, where we halted an hour or two, after which we packed and went down five miles farther, where we left the valley and passed over a ridge in a westerly direction and entered another small valley with a small stream.

We followed down this stream five miles and camped. We passed over places today on the sides of mountains along Indian trails which were almost one foot wide, on both sides of which were steeps, almost perpendicular, for hundreds of feet on the one side up and on the other down; and in many places, should a horse or mule make a misstep, they would be precipitated to the bottom. This is not only disagreeable and perplexing traveling, but dangerous. The mountains are very rough and broken and are principally heavily timbered. A great part of timber has been killed by fire. Where we halted at noon I found strawberries plentiful and fine. The 11th of August seems late for that kind of fruit. (Distance, 20 miles.)

August 12, 1849. Sunday. We had a dispute, or difference of opinion, this morning about starting. Captain Thing wished to remain here today and look out a route for tomorrow, and go straight through to Fort Hall. He thought we had come too far north for the route he had taken eleven years previous, and said that had caused our misfortune.

A part of the company desired to remain and follow the guide. The others had lost all confidence in his knowledge as a guide in the Rocky Mountain country, and wished to start today and follow the small stream down to Bear River valley, where it was thought to flow. A vote of the company was taken on the question and the latter party was in the majority.

We started at 8 o’clock and traveled down the stream a distance of about 22 miles, where we intersected Bear River valley near the mouth of Smith’s Fork where the road crosses the same. We traveled three miles farther and camped on Bear River.

Our road today was well-nigh impassable. We are once again on the California trail after having wandered in the mountains for 12 days. Many ox teams that were behind us when we left the road on the Sweetwater River, are now many miles in advance of us. This route has been christened "Thing’s Cutoff." A majority of the company was in favor of trying it, relying on Captain Thing’s knowledge of the country and experience."

We reached Green River by 4 o’clock. We found the river too high to ford, and crossed in a boat. We found two ferries at this crossing. The one in which we crossed had been established a short time previous, in opposition to the other established by the Mormons, and had reduce the ferriage from $5 to $3 per wagon, which we paid, with the conviction that while competition is the life of trade, it does not always make bills within the bounds of reason.…

The {Green] river is about 200 feet wide with a strong, swift current. The ferry is owned by the Mormons and was established to accommodate the Mormon emigrants. The fare is $2 per wagon. The mules are driven about ¾ of a mile up the river where it is not so steep and can cross.

We arrived here about noon and, at the river, instead of a good ford as we expected, find that we have to ferry in a small flat-boat that will take only a part of a wagon over at a time, at $1.50 per wagon. It belongs to the fur company.

The fort does not present a very imposing appearance from this side, one and a half miles distant. To the west, rise the Black Hills a few miles distant, into which we are soon to enter, if our lives are spared. We expect to find feed very scarce for five or six thousand teams have already passed. We hope to get through, but what those behind us will do, is more than I can say.

Provisions of every kind are low here. Flour is $1.25 per hundred pounds. Bacon the same. Wagons can be had for almost nothing. Rifles are thrown by the dozen into the river, and worthless white beans cover the ground; and old stoves are almost without number thrown away.

We shall leave one wagon at least from our train, perhaps more. We did not know the extent to which we had been favored in regard to health until we arrived here. Cholera has prevailed on the other side, carrying off numbers of the emigrants.… Are teams are all in good heart, scarcely any lame.…

Passing some distance between two mountain ridges on the bottom of Bear River we reached the celebrated Soda Springs and camped nearby for the night. There are four or five of these springs. The first is near a little creek on the left of the road, and two or three are nearby, with a little natural knoll or mound being the one farthest west. These spring up in a large body of water like boiling, and sink to all appearances in their own bed or pond.

But the great curiosity is the Steam Boiler Spring [Steam Boat Springs], hard by the river to the east of the last named, the river being on a level with the outlet (the river being high). This spring boils or gushes up through a hole two feet in diameter, and the spring is eight to ten feet in diameter—making the whole boil like a huge boiling kettle. On the right bank of this spring is a hole or cave of some two feet in size, which shows another curiosity—the water boiling up as in the other, only more fiercely. Putting one’s head in this hole and breathing the mist affects one similar to gas. Some of these springs are impregnated with iron, and the water is quite strong of soda—seems healthy and good to the palate.…

These springs would be worth millions in the states. Here are petrifactions and geological curiosities. Evidences of volcanic nature are plenty here.

We pushed on until 10 A.M. when we reached what is called the Soda or Beer Springs. These are so called on account of the acid taste and effervescing gases contained in these waters. It is a place of great interest. The water is clear and sparkling, and in many places thrown several feet in the air. The water is constantly boiling up with a kind of hissing noise.

There are a great number of springs bursting out of the ground, but the principal one is near the river and comes out at the edge of the water near the lower part of the grove. The springs are situated in a fine cedar grove with a stony foundation. The Steam Boat Springs are about a half mile below, the waters of it are a little warmer than the others and escapes out of the ground through a crevice or aperture in the stone about the size of a man’s head. The effervescing gases, being somewhat confined beneath the ledges of stone, presented this puffing appearance in its efforts to escape.…

August 16, 1849. I had been led to anticipate having a fine draught of soda from nature’s own fountains, pure and unadulterated. I came up to one of the springs where several members of the company were drinking from a tin cup. Feeling somewhat thirsty I did not wait my turn for the cup, but lay down to drink from the spring. I drank one or two swallows when I arose, perfectly satisfied with soda water. I very much disliked its taste. Of all the bad water I have been obliged to drink on the plains it is the worst of all.

Wakeman Bryarly found Soda Springs and the related district to be a geological marvel and penned one of the more detailed accounts given by a Forty Niner of any natural feature. To view this attraction was worth weeks of effort traveling across the prairie:

July 11, 1849. Wednesday. Twelve miles brought us again to the river, and to the well-renowned "Soda Springs," by some called "Beer Springs."… The whole surface of the earth for miles around shows the effects of…volcanoes. Along this, as we named it, "Lava Spring Valley," the earth is covered with charred eruptive stones. In many places the earth is bursted up as with an eruption very lately. In other places the rocks and earth are completely split open, and you can look as deep down as the eye can penetrate. Down many of them you can distinctly hear running water, all showing that some day long time ago there was at least a great commotion in these parts.…

The whole valley, however, is the most interesting spot of earth that I ever beheld. Here is a grand field for the geologist, mineralogist, naturalist, and any other kind of "ist" that you can conceive. The road crosses here a little creek which empties, 200 yards from the crossing, into Bear River. Immediately at its crossing we found two springs both of which were Soda. They arose at the edge of the water. Upon looking farther, we found a great number of them along the banks, and also, from the bed of the creek and river, you could see distinctly see the little springs shooting up.

A little farther, some 200 yards you find one covering a quarter of an acre. This is called the "Boiling Springs." It boils up from crevices in the rocks in a thousand different places, making the surface foam & hiss, as boiling water. At the lower part of the spring, the water descended again in the ground, this being the only outlet. This was also soda. In fact the whole earth seemed to be saturated and filled with this water, and it is bursting out from every crevice & hole that you can find.

The greatest curiosity of all, however, is what has been named the "Steamboat Spring." This is situated upon the edge of the river, half a mile from the first spring. Out of a sold rock, with a hole 1 foot in diameter, gushes forth the water, foaming, whizzing, sizzling, blowing, splashing, and spraying. It throws it up two to three feet high. There is a little intermission of a few seconds every now and then, which makes it resemble more the "Palaces of the Deep." A few feet from this large one are two smaller ones, which are phizzing away all the time and somewhat resemble the scape-pipe of a steamer. This large one has also a suction power. Some one around reached a cup into it, when it was immediately drawn from his hand into the hole. He, however, delved down for it, and found it the length of his arm in, and required a considerable jerk to get it out.

This lava water is pleasant to drink, and when mixed with an acid, effervesces prettily. It has been analyzed by many, but I do not now remember all of its constituent parts. The most however, from the deposit around, is carbonate of lime. Fifty yards from the Steamboat Spring, just upon the side of the river, was two springs, one foot and a half apart, one of which was a beautiful clear spring which was very good water; the other was perfectly red and was copperish.

There is another spring somewhere in this vicinity, which is told me of by our guide, which is certainly the most remarkable one yet. He says that some years since, having lost his cattle, he went out to hunt them, when becoming very thirsty he started to look for water. Having found a little trickling in a ravine he followed it up to quite a large spring, which, upon approaching, he was surprised to find himself suddenly almost suffocated. He stopped a moment and then proceeded a few steps farther, when he thought he certainly would fall if he took another. He immediately stepped back some paces, where he could look for the cause of this singular phenomenon and, when in looking more closely at the spring, he was astonished to see, around its edge, numbers of dead birds, rabbits, frogs &c. He did not approach nearer, having attempted it several times and found it would certainly take his breath.

To the right of the road is the remains of what Bryant speaks of as "the remains of an old crater." But I beg leave to differ with him. So far from being any thing like having been a trace of fire about it, it has every appearance of being formed by water.

It is upon a knoll which covers about one acre. The whole of this knoll, being some 50 feet high, is of a yellow appearance, resembling at a little distance yellow clay. Upon arriving at it, however, it presents a different appearance. It was slimy, shining, and greasy, and when walked over had a hollow sound. We took some of our horses on it, and in some places not being strong enough to bear them, they broke through, showing a scurf or crust a few inches thick.

The whole hill was but a shell, and when broke through, it was a hot whiteish mud, soft and tough underneath. Wherever it was broken, water came out in a stream. Upon this hill was a round hole of some 6 ft. in diameter, with a wall, solid and smooth, both inside and outside, coming up above the earth around some 3 ft. The inside was filled up within four feet of the top with dirt, stones, and rubbish. Twenty feet from this, on the same mound, was a small knob, 4 feet high and 10 feet in circumference. On the top of this, from a hole 6 inches in diameter, pushed forth as pretty a little stream as you ever saw. It bubbled up beautifully, and was warm with a sweetish taste. From the top, it flowed in a sheet over this little knob and leaving a deposit of a whitish scum which, on closer examination, proved to be saleratus.

There is no doubt that the whole of this hill has been formed in this way. Everything around proves it so. There is not a volcanic stone in a half mile of it, but the grass is good, being green and thick, up to the very base of the mound. You can trace the deposit of this same substance of which the hill is composed, wherever the water runs. Half a mile from this is another hill of the same appearance, but the water has ceased to flow from it, but you can distinctly hear it running underneath. From the opening on top, instead of water, there is a pungent gas escaping, rather sulphurated and ammoniacal.

I examined all these different places with considerable interest, and confess I was fully repaid, and think it would almost repay one the trip across the plains to spend some weeks on this spot. It is a matter of astonishment that no Indians or mountaineers or adventurers have ever settled upon it. It is in beautiful valley, fine water and plenty of large timber. The only drawback whatever is the injurious effects of the soda water upon stock, which I think might, by a little care, be easily prevented. Some of our men were so much pleased with as to determine at some future day, if fortune should fail them, to return to it and be hermits.

August 17, 1849. Friday. Commences cloudy, light airs from the north. Temperature 64°. On opposite side of the creek are 2 Indian lodges, about 200 yards off. The Indians are continually wading over. Want to trade, have berries, dressed skins, &c. Children, squaws, ponies, dogs, &c. These Shoshones are riding and walking around through camp, trading and begging.

At 9 A.M. we rolled on. Character of the country very interesting and picturesque to me. Volcanic formations, tufa, &c. Made 10½ miles, and nooned near the celebrated "Soda and Beer Springs."

Camps and moving bodies of Shoshones, in all directions, plenty of fine horses, colts, &c. Squaws, papooses, warriors—old and young, dogs, &c. The young men continually begging for "powdree, baalle." [rifle powder and musket balls]. They stand and sit around the messes while dining, anxiously waiting for a morsel, and picking up every crumb.

Our nooning was beyond the regular Soda Springs, or range of them; just across a beautiful clear brook, with basaltic banks. Several of these springs were within my corral. One near my mess -fire. The water was fine, only needed lemon syrup, to render it perfect soda water. These mineral springs are very numerous, many wells & springs boiling up & shooting jets.

After a short rest, we rolled on. Passed the Steamboat Spring named from the resemblance of the sound it gives, to that of a steamboat’s paddles, under water. It is a circular tumuli of about five feet diameter and about three feet high; bubbling and jetting clear sparkling water, as the hissing gases escape. The mound is of a dark flesh color.

An old cedar stands near the spring, the trunk and branches of which are carved and penciled all over, as high up as can be reached, with names, &c. These springs are really worth a travel so far to see.

We crossed the Port Neuf River four or five miles before we reached the Fort.… Fort Hall is occupied by English traders. They pack their goods from Astoria and other trading points on the Pacific coast of Oregon. The buildings are composed of sun dried brick.

They have vast herds of cattle and horses and mules. They milk a great number of cows and make a great deal of butter and cheese. Their stock runs at large on the plains, which is covered with fine grass. Every evening and morning you’ll see several boys on horseback driving up the stock. There are several families living here—some French, some English, and some American. It was quite a pleasant sight to see white women and children.

Camped near the junction of the Fort Hall and cut-off roads.… The [Sublette] road most certainly is a more direct course and will also compare with the road via Fort Hall. For many miles it is a little southwest in its direction and is in fine order, lying in canyons where nature has done everything for a natural road. Taking everything together, the road is excellent and will save to the emigrants at least three day’s travel with teams.

Saturday August 4. The road is very bad and at one hill we were compelled to let the wagon down with rope.

[Monday, August 6, 1849] The wagon belonging to Steel and brothers (who have been traveling with us for a short distance this side of Fort Laramie) capsized in crossing a deep ravine full of water. The driver drove too far to the right and all fell off on the bank, four feet into the water. Fortunately, nothing was hurt. We traveled up the creek, ten miles, passing on the way many ox trains.

Attended the exercises at the Mormon Temple, which consisted mostly of speeches and music, after which we sat down to a sumptuous dinner with about 5,000 of their own number besides a number of strangers, all of whom were invited to partake.… The company formed a procession by wards and marched in, taking their seats at the tables in regular order, and all passed off in gold style, and we unanimously agreed, in good taste.

This morning for a mile our road lay up a steep hill. On arriving at the top we halted for a while, then descended a sharp pitch into a ravine with a rapid running stream of cold water. Crossing the stream 19 times brought us in full view of the valley, and a more beautiful sight could not be presented.… Hundreds of acres of corn, wheat and vegetables.

We moved through the main street and camped on what is called the Commons, outside the city fence. We gave our mules over to the herdsman for a few days and prepared ourselves to enjoy the good things in the valley.…

We passed through the city and encamped at the western side upon the unoccupied land.… I took dinner at a private house, where we enjoyed the luxuries of a vegetable dinner. We all feel much relived to find a place where we can rest a while.

The city is laid out in regular squares, 40 rods on each side. These are divided into lots of 1¼ acre each.… The streets are eight rods in width. The city is about 2 miles square. As no rain falls in the summer, the gardens and farms are watered by irrigation. The streams which run down from the mountains are conducted over the city by trenches, and each person has his regular allowance.

The houses are mostly built of sun burnt brick or, as people call them, dobys [adobe], which are made by mixing the earth with water and moulding them into the same manner as common bricks are moulded, and then drying them in the sun for about 2 weeks. They are said to be very durable in the climate. All of the houses have been put up since last fall, excepting those which are in the fort which are to be pulled down…having been put up as temporary residences for the protection of the first pioneers.…

We decided to leave our wagons and pack our animals in order to facilitate our progress in the remaining part of our journey. Accordingly, pack saddles were ordered. Our wagons were sold, and everyone was preparing for our new mode of travel. We have all enjoyed ourselves very much here, finding plenty of fresh vegetables, butter, milk, &c., to feat upon, and resting after our laborious travelling across the mountains.

[August 8, 1849] The city is located at the foot of the bluffs, and has the appearance, somewhat, of a very large farm. The little one-story sunburnt brick cabins being almost hid by the corn, and the land is so level that almost every foot in the city, and for a good distance around, can be irrigated.…

We have heard several very discouraging reports in regard to going on. One is that a company of packers [without wagons] from Missouri have killed three Indians and burn the grass for 200 miles ahead in order to stop emigrants. The Indians were murdered in cold blood, and 400 or 500 of the tribes are in pursuit of them.

[August 11, 1849] We are still here, unable to make up our minds to go on and encounter our perils to which we must inevitably be exposed on the usual route. Some are talking of the Southern route, which is much further than the other and more difficult for wagons—but with plenty of feed, and out of danger from winter, as we should strike the coast and de los Angelos [Los Angeles]. The people seem willing that we should stay, if we wish, but give us no encouragement whatever of getting any provisions from them, as they do not expect any surplus.…

[August 13, 1849] An emigrant has just arrived here to spend the winter, from Fort Hall. He gives a sad account of the emigrants on that road which is enough to make the stoutest heart quail. The road is full of dead cattle and left wagons. The old road became impassable from the number of dead cattle, and a new one was made north of it, and then one south, as the one north had become nearly filled up, and the south but little better. He was not out of sight of a left wagon from the cut-off to Fort Hall, and the road was thronged with men, women and children with packs on their backs and their feet bleeding from the roughness of the road.…

[August 17, 1849] Having decided to go on the Southern route, our teams, and two other teams, started this morning for the Eutaw Valley, 80 miles distant.…

August 14, 1849. Proceeded down the river to the Humboldt River, 20 miles. We enjoyed the advantage of a good road all day. The valley is level, about three or four miles wide, and affords excellent grass and water.

August 15, 16, and 17: We proceeded down the river about 18 miles per day, having a good road except the dust, and plenty of grass and water. A hurricane of wind that darkened the air with dust passed over us on the 17th, continuing perhaps half an hour, with all the apparent fury of the simoon of the desert.

August 18: Reached Martin’s Fork of the river about noon, where we remained over Sabbath. Drove a mile up the fork. Fund an abundance of pasture and two springs, so large that they constituted the fork itself, a smart creek of pure cold water.…

The reader should not imagine the Humboldt to be a rapid mountain stream.… While the water of such a stream is fit for the gods, that of the Humboldt is not fit for man nor beast. With the exception of a short distance near its source, it has the least perceptible current. There is not a fish nor any other living thing to be found in its water, and there is not timber enough in the three hundred miles of its desolate valley to make a snuff box, or sufficient vegetation along its banks to shield a rabbit, while its waters contain the alkali to make soap for a nation, and, after winding its sluggish way through a desert within a desert, it sinks, disappears, and leaves inquisitive man to ask how, why, when, and where?

August 26, 1849. We are off at the break of day, and by noon were fairly launched upon a vast sea of mingled sand and ashes which was so compact that our animals, in traveling over it, rarely left a footprint, while the burning rays of the sun reflected from the smooth surface made the heat almost unbearable. We were crossing the bed of an ancient lake…about 70 miles long and sixty miles wide. Nowhere on its surface was seen a trace of vegetable or animal life.…

On some maps a lake is indicated at the lower end of the Humboldt River. As we approached the end of the river, we could see nothing of such a lake. However, one could tell that the barren, salty, low area must be covered with water at certain seasons; then this wide basin must have the appearance of a rather large lake.… When we finally reached this place, it was already an hour after dark. Before we could camp, we had to drive up a steep hill; then we stopped.… We were all, including our poor beasts, exhausted from the day’s journey. We estimated the distance covered that day to have been twenty-three miles.

If we had not be so weary, we would have tied our animals to our wagons and would not have let them run free until morning.… We all slept well that night, a little too well. At sunrise I went after the stock to drive it to camp, when I found that five were missing, namely, our lead yoke of oxen, also two cows and a young ox.… Soon enough, I found out that they had been driven off by three or four Indians.…

Naturally this incident caused unpleasant excitement, because we still had before us a distance of forty miles without grass or water before we would come to the Truckee River on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada. This included six miles of a deep sand bank, which could be crossed only with a double team.…

Three miles after leaving camp we struck the [Humboldt] river. We here watered our mules and filled our casks with water. At 12 M. [meridian; noon] reached the slough and in the bottom of it we found a fine cool spring. The water tasted a little of sulphur. It is two miles from here to the point at which we strike the sink of St. Mary’s [Humboldt] River. We nooned before starting across to the Sink.…

We took up the line of march 2 P.M. and by dark we reached the Sink. Here we found several wells that had been sunk. The water in them was barely tolerable; it was so strongly impregnated with saline and alkali that we could barely use it. The grass was so indifferent that our mules would not have touched it in case of starvation.

The Sink is a vast plain over which the water spreads and gradually sink or loses itself in the sand. It is a vast quagmire or marsh of stagnant saline and alkali water mixed, and emits a most offensive and nauseating effluvia. The Sink proper is about four or five miles wide and from 12 to 15 in length. It is thickly covered with bulrushes. There is nothing of the appearance of a lake about it, as you can only see the water about in spots. It therefore has more the appearance of ponds than of a like. Taking it all in all, it is one of the most disagreeable and loathsome looking places on the face of the earth.…

We drove to the sink of the river, where we found a few wells of strong sulphur water—the best, in fact, which the point afforded. We had understood that a mountain stream afforded water at this place, but we were disappointed. No such happy providential arrangement was to be found. We watered our teams at the wells, and used freely of it ourselves, overcome as we were with the most demanding thirst. To all it was very unpalatable and to some sickening. It soon made visible demonstrations on my corporeal system.

We left this place at 10 o’clock at night, just as the welcome moon appeared on the horizon, and traveled 20 miles…when [now, September 7] we stopped an hour at a well, the water of which even our cattle refused.… Having proceeded 10 miles further, and finding the day growing very warm, we lay up until 2 o’clock P.M. We had left the sink in company with a small train from Missouri—the Rough and Ready train—which proved a fortunate circumstance at this time for us.… Our team was reduced to two yoke of oxen, and they much fatigued and worn by a long journey, and poor pasture for the last 100 miles. One of our cattle gave out before reaching the sink, on the day previous, and we thought ourselves fortunate in getting another in his place, for which we paid a fair price—but the new ox gave out that night, and we left both on the road, having only one yoke to our wagon. [The wagon was abandoned, and its contents loaded aboard another in the Rough and Ready train.]…

The whole road was strewed with dead cattle, mules and horses, wagon carts, chairs, telling each succeeding emigrant what he too well learned before getting over—that it was a desperate point in the route.

On arriving at the sink of the Humboldt, a great disappointment awaited us. We had known nothing of the nature of that great wonder except what we had been told by those who knew no more about it than ourselves. In place of a great rent in the earth into which the waters of the river plunged with a terrible roar (as pictured in our imagination), there was found a mud lake 10 miles long and four or five miles, a veritable sea of slime, a "slough of despond," an ocean of ooze, a bottomless bed of alkaline poison, which emitted a nauseous odor and presented the appearance of utter desolation.

[A little further along the route several wagons with extra supplies were seen, guarded by a man who was awaiting the return of his party with refreshed oxen to continue the journey.] Perkins [a member of Shaw’s group] was selected to solicit this lone man for supplies, and for a bright five-dollar gold piece he secured about four quarts of flour, a pint of rice, and a pinch or two of salt. In justice to the many kind persons who furnished the supplies which kept us from starving by the wayside, I will state that the man who had charge of those wagons was the only person who accepted money for provisions. We never passed a single company without being made welcome to such supplies as could be spared from their scanty stores, which speaks well for the noble, free-hearted souls that crossed the plains in 1849.…

Halting at this point but a few minutes, we hurried on, and after a continuous march of 34 hours, during which time we suffered with hunger, thirst, and heat, we arrived at the [Carson] river.…

Time and again Forty Niners studied earlier descriptions, or relied upon emigrants’ guides, which could be highly imaginative, or refer to a region in a different season or with different situations of dampness or drought, or pertain to a route near to but different from that used by the Forty Niners. The Humboldt Sink could vary from a fairly large expanse of water in the wet season to virtually no moisture at all, the latter being the case during the memorable summer of 1849.

August 11, 1849. Saturday. The morning was fair, beautiful, and pleasant. Early, everything and everybody was in active preparation for a start in the evening. Grass was bundled and packed and stowed in the wagons. Loose mules were packed also, and everyone riding an animal had his fodder behind him. Casks and kegs, gum bags and gun covers, coffee pots and tea kettles, canteens, jugs and bottles, everything was filled with water, and at 1 o’clock the order to gear up was given and at 2 we bid farewell to the marsh and our numerous friends.

The road goes direct across the strike to the old road some 5 miles. It is a new one, and made through the sage bushes and of course was not very good, but the old road was a smooth as a table and hard as a rock. It passed over what is in high water part of the sink and consequently there was no vegetation save a few sage bushes, which were upon mounds several feet above the level. Stock of all sorts, horses, mules, oxen and cows were scattered along, having corralled themselves in the arms of fatigue and death. Here for the second time upon our journey we saw the mirage upon these immense white basins. It was a poor example, however, but was very deceiving to those who had never seen anything of the kind before.

Twelve miles upon the old road brought us to the Sink, the desideratum [!] of long hoped for weeks. "How far to the Sink?" has been a question often asked, and often answered, and often heard in the last month.

This Sink extends over several miles and is generally grown up with rushes and grass. There are immense basins however on all sides, which, in high water, receive the back water. The road keeps in these basins, which extend over miles and miles without a vestige of vegetation, but so white and dazzling in the sun as scarcely to be looked at. We rolled by this, the water of which cannot be used by man or best, four miles, and came to some sulphur springs, or rather wells. Here we encamped for the night.

These wells were dug in a slough, and the water was very like many of our sulphur springs at home. The animals drank it freely and it seemed to do them no harm. In this slough just below the spring were a great number of cattle and mules, which had become mired and were not able to get out and were left. Some of them were still alive.

The most obnoxious, hideous gases perfumed our camp all night, arising from the many dead animals around. In the morning some others found laying immediately by us and in the vicinity 30 were adding their scents to the nauseous atmosphere. Our animals were turned to the grass we brought already dried, and they seemed to relish it much.

"We were past the Sink. This is glory enough for one day. I would ask the learned and descriptive Mr. Frémont and the elegant and imaginative Mr. Bryant, where was the beautiful valley, the surpassing lovely valley of Humboldt? Where was the country presenting the most splendid "agricultural features?" Where the splendid grazing, the cottonwood lining the banks of their beautiful meandering stream, and everything presenting the most interesting and picturesque appearance of any place they ever saw?

Perhaps Mr. Bryant was speaking ironically of all those these most captivating things that he saw, or perhaps he thought it was ‘too far out’ for anyone but himself to see. If not, I have only to say, "Oh shame where is thy blush?"

We have traveled along it several hundred miles, from its commencement from a little pool that you could drink up if thirsty, to its termination in the sink.… It is a dirty, muddy, sluggish, indolent stream, with but little grass at the best of times, and as for cottonwood, there is not a switch of it from one end to the other. A friend of mine remarked, it was fit for nothing else to sink to the "Lower Regions," and the quicker it done it the better. He much preferred calling it Hellboldt River.

Found it a dull, gloomy place…on this God-forsaken desert. I have thought of home, friends, and better or pleasanter days. The doctor read Shakespeare nearly all day. I read Frémont’s account of California, sewed on buttons, mended suspenders, and overhauled all of my things. A man who had packed from St. Joseph says 3,600 wagons had passed Fort Childs when he passed there.… Passed wagons, dead horses, mules and oxen by the wayside. [Reaching the river] we went up three miles and camped under large and beautiful cottonwood trees. Not having seen a tree for the last 700 miles, or since we left Fort Hall, the sight of this wooded stream was an object of perfect delight. After desert life a tree is an object of social interest, and these scattered and beautiful trees do appear so cheerful and homelike.

Carson River is a fine deep meandering stream 30 yards wide fringed with willow bushes and large cotton wood trees, against one of which I laid my head an went to sleep.… Drove mules across the river into pretty good pasture on a bend of the river.

Many companies, on arriving at [the Humboldt Sink], were obliged to stop and recruit their exhausted animals, though exposed to the danger of being detained there the whole winter, from the fall of snow on the Sierra Nevada. Another, and very large body of them, took the upper route to Lawson’s Pass, which leads to the head of the Sacramento Valley; but the greater part, fortunately, chose the old traveled trails, leading to Bear Creek and the Yuba, by way of Truckee River, and the head-waters of the Rio Americano by way of Carson’s River.

The two latter routes are the shortest and best. After leaving the Sink of Humboldt’s River, and crossing a desert of about fifty miles in breadth, the emigrant reaches the streams which are fed from the Sierra Nevada, where he finds good grass and plenty of game. The passes are described as terribly rugged and precipitous, leading directly up the face of the great snowy ridge. As, however, they are not quite 8,000 feet above the sea, and are reached from a plateau of more than four thousand feet, the ascent is comparatively short; while, on the western side, more than a hundred miles of mountain country must be passed, before reaching the level of the Sacramento Valley. There are frequent passes in the Sierra Nevada which were never crossed before the summer of 1849.

Some of the emigrants, diverging from the known trail, sought a road for themselves, and found their way down from the snows to the head waters of the Tuolumne, the Calaveras and Feather River. The eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada is but imperfectly explored. All the emigrants concurred in representing it to me as an abrupt and broken region, the higher peaks of barren granite, the valleys deep and narrow, yet in many places timbered with pine and cedar of immense growth

After passing the dividing ridge,—the descent from which was rendered almost impossible by precipices and steeps of naked rock—about 30 miles of alternate cañons and divides lay between the emigrants and the nearest diggings. The steepness of the slopes of this range is hardly equaled by any other mountains in the world. The rivers seem to wind their way through the bottoms of chasms, and in my places it is impossible to get down to the water.

The word cañon (meaning, in Spanish, a funnel,) has a peculiar adaptation to these cleft channels through which the rivers are poured. In getting down from the summit ridge the emigrants told me they were frequently obliged to take the oxen from the wagon and lower it with ropes; but for the sheer descents which followed, another plan was adopted. The wheels were all locked, and only one yoke of oxen left in front; a middling-size pine was then cut down, and the butt fastened to the axle-tree, the branchy top dragging on the earth. The holding back of the oxen, the sliding of the locked wheels, and the resistance of the tree together formed an opposing power sufficient to admit of a slow descent; but it was necessary to observe with great care lest the pace should be quickened, for the slightest start would have overcome the resistance and given oxen, wagon and tree together a momentum that would have landed them at the bottom in a very different condition.

About noon on September 3, after a climb of over six hours, we arrived at the summit of the pass over the highest range of the Sierra Mountains. On reaching the summit of that vast pile, and being surrounded by the solitude and silence peculiar to high altitudes, we stood gazing down into the beautiful Sacramento Valley, where we hoped to end our journey and our sufferings. For some little time not a word was spoken, and I imagine we all felt as one coming in sight of home after a long absence and a perilous journey.

This pass which is 10,500 feet above see level [actually, about 8,650 feet where the pass went through], is the highest point ever reached by any wagon road in our country, and though scaling the mountain with wagons was a difficult task, yet a limitless number of them were taken across, and in a worn and battered condition, sent down into the mines, where they were looked upon by Cape Horners as relics of civilization.

Early next morning we discovered a man at work in a ravine at the foot of the hill in which we had spent the night, and learned from him that we were close to Webber Creek mines [about two miles from Hangtown], and that a short distance away we should find a wagon store where we could buy supplies of all kinds.…

The advance companies of the Rocky Mountain emigration are entering the country by the northern route. A few members of the first party are in this place. A letter from Sacramento City, dated July 24, contains the following intelligence:

"Emigrants from Missouri, over the mountains, are now arriving daily. The first party of packers [travelers without wagons] has been here five or six days, and reports four wagons in Pleasant Valley, about 100 miles above, and five or six thousand wagons on the way and not far behind.

October 13, 1849. The first gold dust seen by me in California was at Lassen’s Ranch, near where we entered the Sacramento Valley. At that point there were traders selling provisions, mining implements, clothing and other needed articles to the unfortunate immigrants who had entered the valley by the way of "Greenhorn’s Cutoff," and to miners that were traveling up the valley to Redding’s mines; these men taking in exchange gold dust which they wished with small scales provided for that purpose.

Gold dust at sixteen dollars per ounce was the principal medium of exchange in California. Some of the dust was nearly clean, and some had considerable quantities of black sand mixed with it. This at first seemed to be a very inconvenient manner of making change and paying for goods, but it possessed its good qualities.

The newcomer with his exalted ideas, on seeing the small quantity which he would receive for one, two, three or even five dollars, and so very fine was the dust, that it looked to him almost insignificant. Some of it was so very fine that it almost required a microscope to be able to discover its separate particles. A person must be able to earn something to make a living here.

Flour retails at 40 cents per pound; pork from 50 to 75 cents; potatoes at $1.50 per pound; sugar 50 cents; eggs $5.00 per dozen; a pick an shovel $8 to $10 each; a quicksilver gold rocker $300; lumber in the mines sold for $2.00 per foot, or at the rate of $2,000 per thousand feet, and at Sacramento City it sold at six hundred dollars per thousand.

October 19, 1849. Friday. A division of the stock-cattle, mules, and horses-was effected in the forenoon, and some of us went up to the mines in the afternoon. A portion of the members appeared dissatisfied with the division. We had but few cattle left and they were very thin and in poor condition. Many of our mules and horses had died, and were left on the road; and those that were alive were nearly all seemingly worn out and of but little value.

The Granite State and California Mining and Trading Co. was this day dissolved by a unanimous vote by its members.

It would have been dissolved long before it reached California had it not been for the beef cattle, which were the means of holding it together. They were their principal dependence for food, and it was not practical to divide them among the small squads, as they would have been of very little benefit to them. When we entered the Sacramento valley we had but three or four young cattle and they were so very poor that they could scarcely travel. They constituted our entire stock of provisions.

Two or three gross errors were committed by the managers before we left Boston, which were the cause, in great part, of the length of time consumed on the road. First, the company should not have consisted of more than 10 members, and it should not have been a joint stock company; but each member should have provided for himself as he saw fit, with mules and provisions.

Then we should have good mules, not less than four years old, and such as had been broken to packing. The majority of our mules were not over two or three years of age and had never been broken. They were entirely unfit for the exceedingly strenuous journey "across the plains." For a pack train to drive cattle on that journey for their dependence for their provisions is a great absurdity.

Had we traveled as rapidly as we expected and intended to have done when we started on the journey, we could not have driven our cattle very long until they would have died.

Each man should have owned three or four trained mules in good condition. I am of the opinion that under good conditions and properly managed, the journey may be made, fairly easy, in 70 days, with a good pack train consisting of 10 or 12 active, energetic and courageous men. We were about 144 days on the road, or about twice the time that should have been needed under proper conditions and management.

The last cutoff, or the "Greenhorn’s Cutoff," as it became to be generally known, that we were induced to adopt proved to be more than 300 miles farther than it was represented to be in distance, and probably more than 200 miles longer than the old California trail that we left.

It was currently reported and probably with truth, that some time early in August, after the immigrants had begun to pass down the trail on the Humboldt River, a man with a party was sent out over the mountains and deserts by Lassen, whose ranch was located on the Sacramento River, to induce so much of the immigration as possible to take that route and which he called the "Cherokee Cutoff," and represented the distance to be but 180 miles to the Feather River mines, with a good road to travel over with many superior advantages over the old trail.

This new route entered the Sacramento valley near the Lassen ranch, and as Lassen owned many cattle and horses, he was able to profit largely by his trade with the tired and famished immigrants. He probably succeeded in profiting several thousand dollars by his trade with the poor immigrants, and it is currently reported that the immigrants have threatened his life, and that they have killed many of his cattle for food, without any remuneration to him.

A large number of immigrants are still behind, many of them with little or no subsistence, and had not the Californian sent out mules, horses, cattle and provisions, probably many of them would have perished with starvation. The journey "across the plains" is a very hard experience, the hardships and privations of which cannot be realized by any one who has not undertaken it.

On the other hand, it presents much interesting scenery-the grand, the beautiful, and the sublime. Lofty mountains and green, verdant valleys, majestic rivers, and sandy barren plains-all contribute, with much more, to make it a very interesting, and in a way, an enjoyable experience. Nature may be seen in its wildest grandeur where civilization and art have neither added to its usefulness nor retrenched its beauty.

The full distance traveled from Independence, Mo., to the Sacramento River, at Lassen’s Ranch, as kept by me, is as follows:

In May, 73 miles; in June, 429 miles; in July, 436 miles; in August, 471 miles; in September, 523 miles; in October, 198 miles. This makes it 2,130 miles to Sacramento River. To Feather River, near Oroville, 2,178 miles.

You are about to undertake a long, tedious, and somewhat dangerous journey, and it is highly necessary that you should be acquainted with the minutiae of the route and the outfit required., in order to take you safely and expeditiously to the land of your destination. Without these it would be an adventure attended with insuperable difficulties.

Endeavor to make an early start—do not wait for grass, but carry along grain sufficient to supply your stock until "grass comes." Start from the Missouri River as early as the 1st of April, and you will get through soon enough.

In reference to the starting point, St. Joseph is probably as good as any you may select. You can procure nearly every article necessary for the outfit; the road is good, and the distance to the Platte River less than from Weston, Kansas, or Independence.

A mess of 6 persons should provide themselves with three wagons and 12 mules or horses. Mules not less than 6 or 8 years old are preferable. Two of said wagons should be light one-horse ones. In these, load your provisions, clothing (just enough to take you through), and other necessary baggage. The other may be a common two-horse wagon—on which load 40 or 50 bushels of corn, oats, or barley. I you can, put a few extra bushels on your light wagons. See that these are well made, have the wheels high, and the beds watertight.…

Be careful that you do not start with any unnecessary baggage; if you do you will throw it overboard before you get half way through. The road at present is strewed with nearly everything form a steam engine to a child’s cradle, that has thus been disposed of.

Reviewing the events on the California Trail, Hubert Howe Bancroft created this majestic summary to the heroism of the Forty Niners:

At this time 30,000 souls and more, each in its glowing ardor, and from its individual history, might tell a tale more thrilling and more fascinating than any of ancient pilgrimage, trailed over plains and rugged hills of desolation, often with a miserable road, or with no road at all; and exposed to tornadoes fierce enough to demolish a caravan, followed by ravenous wolves and croaking ravens, harassed by savages, keeping watch by night, and sweating and swearing by day; suffering from scurvy and fever engendered by salt unwholesome food, and from cholera brought up the river from New Orleans, and which clung to them until dissipated by the sharp air of the elevated regions 500 miles distant.

Over the boundless prairies they straggled, up in to the rarefied air that stifled men and beasts, down into waterless, sandy sinks; across sage brush plains efflorescent with alkali, over salty-white flats caked hard as stone, through blinding dust, and into heaps of sand-like drifted ashy earth where the animals sank to their bellies; resting by cooling springs, or thirsting beside fetid and acrid waters; winding along the banks of sluggish water-courses, fording brackish brooks, swimming ice-cold rivers, exposed now to the unbroken rays of a withering sun, and now to chilling hail-storms, hurricanes, and suffocating sand-blasts; sometimes miring in mud, sometimes choked in impalpable dust which saturated hair and clothes, filled eyes and nostrils, and made these emigrant trains look like caravans emerging from an ash storm on the plains of Sodom.

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-6 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-6 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-5 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-4 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-3 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • JACKSON-1 • In COLOR. FULL PAGE SIZE From transparency sent to AGP, October 2, 2000; to be returned to QDB asap as I have to return it]]

[[CHAP 6 • CURRIER-3 • In COLOR. 1 COLUMN SIZE From "Big book of C&I sent to AGP, Oct. 2, 2000]]

[[CHAP 6 • FREMONT-2 • FULL PAGE. From Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842…J.C. Frémont--sent to AGP, Oct. 2, 2000]]

[[CHAP 6 • FREMONT-3 • FULL PAGE. From Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842…J.C. Frémont--sent to AGP, Oct. 2, 2000]]

[[CHAP 6 • FREMONT-4 • FULL PAGE. From Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842…J.C. Frémont--sent to AGP, Oct. 2, 2000]]

Independence to crossing of Big Arkansas River: 350 miles

To Bent’s Fort: 225

To Santa Fe: 270 [End of the Santa Fe Trail]

To Rio del Norte (Rio Grande) at San Felipe: 30

Descending along the right bank of the Rio del Norte: 210

To copper mines: 75

To Gila River [present southwestern New Mexico]: 40

To Pima Village: 500

To mouth of Gila River [present Yuma, Arizona]: 165

[At this point, various trails across northern Mexico joined the trail from Santa Fe to Southern California]

To Colorado River crossing: 10

To Coronado River crossing [west of today’s El Centro]: 100

To first ranchero in California: 65 [Warner’s Ranch at Agua Caliente]

To San Diego: 45

To San Luis Rey [present Oceanside]: 46

To Pueblo of Los Angeles: 100

To Santa Barbara: 100

To Monterey: 310

To Salinas River: 15

To San Joaquin River: 85

To Tuolumne River: 12

To Stanislaus River: 10

To Sutter’s Fort: 90

---

Total distance: 2,914 miles

The alluring proposition of securing fresh provisions, supplies, news, and a safe camping area for a night’s rest, was suggested in the form of Bent’s Fort and long-established towns along this roadway. This is not to imply that the Santa Fe Trail was without hazards, for after crossing the Arkansas River and entering the Red Hills, travelers encountered many Native Americans, who could sometimes be unfriendly. For protection and also to establish American military presence, several forts had been erected along the Santa Fe Trail and continuing routes into California, including in what was known as Indian Territory not far from the trail’s beginning.

Using Independence as a jumping off point, Forty Niners set out on the Santa Fe Trail as soon as the April weather permitted, the same general time that travelers on the California Trail departed from the same town. Though the first leg of the road, the 145-mile stretch from Independence to Council Grove, was considered a mere stroll, there were occasional problems. After rain, mud, the wayward child of Missouri spring rains, proved considerable nuisance to the heavily laden wagons.

An anecdote has it that Thomas A. Scott, a railroad magnate, came upon a wagon which had sunk to its axles in Missouri mud. He said to the driver, "Well, my man, you are in a bad fix."

"Oh, no" replied the driver, "I am all right, but there are two wagons below mine, and those fellows down there are having a hell of a time."

Life on the trail, not for the faint of heart, was known to physically invigorate some of those who embarked upon it. Long before the Gold Rush, in 1831 Josiah Gregg made mention of how Independence had been known as a jumping off place for the trail west:

Among the concourse of travelers at this "starting point," besides traders and tourists, a number of pale-faced invalids are generally to be met with. The prairies have, in fact, become very celebrated for their sanative effects—more justly so, no doubt, than the most fashionable watering-places of the North.

Most chronic diseases, particularly liver complaints, dyspepsias, and similar affections, are often radically cured, owing, no doubt to the peculiarities for diet, and the regular exercise incident to prairie life, as well as to the purity of the atmosphere of those elevated unembarrassed region.

Onward to Great Bend at the Arkansas river, another 120 miles, signs of civilization now began to recede into distance and memory. Lieutenant Col W.H. Emory, in his military reconnaissance report relating to Missouri and points west, noted the varied terrain upon crossing over the Arkansas river:

As you draw near the meridian of Pawnee Fork, 99 degrees west of Greenwich, the country changes, almost imperceptibly, until it merges into the arid, barren wastes.… Near the same meridian the buffalo grass was seen in small quantities, and about noon, our party was cheered for the first time by the sight of a small "band" of buffalo. The next day immense herds of the buffalo were seen.

We were now on ground which is traversed by the nomadic tribes of Pawnees, Sioux, Osages, and occasionally the Comanches.

About 20 miles west of The Caches the trail split, and a decision needed to be made. One of the forks, known as the Mountain Branch, continued westward along the course of the Arkansas River. The other trail, known as the Cimarron Cutoff, swept southwestward. There were arguments in favor of each, but the Cimarron was the more popular of the two.

The Mountain Branch again crossed the Arkansas, and kept to its banks for about 130 miles up to Bent’s Old Fort. Here the trail ran south and west parallel to the Purgatoire River and on to Trinidad, Colorado; where it then climbed up into the Raton Mountains.

Though more popular, the Cimarron Cut-off was risky for its lack of water, it being a comparatively dry route through the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. Another liability was that by traveling in the open, without the protective mountains; slow moving wagons were more vulnerable to Indian attack.

Wary of the plains tribes, Lieutenant Emory noted that Cheyenne, Arapahoe, and "Kioway" were known to winter 35 miles east of Bent’s Fort on the Mountain Branch. A nearby forest of large cottonwood trees, called Big Timbers, offered protection from the wind and fuel for fires for them during the cold winter months. This winter oasis of the plains also drew buffalo to feed upon the cottonwood twigs and scraps of vegetation protected from the weather’s severity. Emory suggested this as a suitable location for a military post. It was eventually to be the site of Bent’s New Fort.

In 1829 the Bent brothers of St. Louis built a fort along the upper Mountain Branch, about 130 miles up the Arkansas, where the Santa Fe Trail branched to the lower Cimarron Cut-off. Hospitality was the hallmark of William Bent, resident manager of the establishment; known for its good food and entertainments. A privately owned fur trading post, it was designed much in the fashion of a small town, containing a blacksmith’s shop, barber shop, icehouse, and sutler’s store. For nearly all of the ensuing 30 years before the Gold Rush, Bent’s fort stood as the solitary outpost of civilization on the trail to Santa Fe; until the construction of Fort Dodge by the army in 1846.

As the fur trade declined, the large trading post eventually became more trouble to manage than it was worth in terms of profit. William Bent attempted to sell the fort to the United States government, but their offer was refused. Later, Bent’s "Old" Fort was destroyed, to be replaced in another location by the smaller Bent’s New Fort in the Big Timbers.

The roof and walls of clay cannot be set on fire, and the thickness of the walls renders them impenetrable to the fusil balls of the Indians. Wood is too scarce, and of such a kind as is not suited for building, while the "adobes" answer every purpose.

Travelers putting in to Bent’s Fort found a bustle of activity—exciting and compelling for its contrast to life on the trail. One of the few existing records recounting events on the Santa Fe Trail was written by Susan Shelby Magoffin in her diary published under the title, Down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico. Magoffin plainly considers the telling of her story to be an important and worthwhile undertaking. Maintaining a literary perspective in her journal, she tells of a misadventure on the approach to Fort Bent, offering the description of a veritable shipwreck on land:

In a moment the elements seemed in deadliest warfare. The lightning flashed its awful tongue in all directions, till the whole heavens seemed in one light blaze. The angry thunder raised its coarse notes, peal after peal. And the dark clouds, jealous lest they should be overcome by their two combatants, poured down the rain, till it was quite impossible to hear a word spoken within or without.

The tent shook violently and we could almost feel the sand loosening from the pegs. Mi alma sprang up, and dressed himself (I following his example) and "yelled loud and long" till he succeeded in calling to his assistance—for he saw that the whole fabric must soon sink beneath the tempest—our three Mexican servants Jose, Sendavel, and Tabino. His object was to have me carried to the carriage before the fall; but it was impossible.

Our gallant vessel unable longer to bear the storm gave way in her might, and without a groan sunk to the flooded earth! I was extricated I scarcely know how from the ropes &c., the pole fell on me, and by some means or other found my way to the carriage, though not without a good soaking.

Upon reaching Fort Bent, Magoffin remarked:

There is no place on earth I believe where man lives and gambling in some form or other is not carried on. Here in the Fort—and who could have supposed such a thing—they have a regularly established billiard room! They have a regular race track. And I hear the cackling of chickens at such a rate some times I shall not be surprised to hear of a cock-pit.

Days later we are given an account by Susan Magoffin on the sudden appearance of natives at Bent’s Fort.

Three Indian warriors came in today; they belong to a large war party of the Arapaho Indians who they stay some 60 miles off. They are believed by the company to be spies, though they come rather with the appearance of trading.

With the intention of awing them a little, Mr. Bent and others are about taking them down to the soldiers’ encampment. They hesitate rather saying they have "two hearts on the subject; one of which says go! and the other says don’t go!" They are cunning people, and no doubt ’twould be a rich treat to hear, on their returning to their tribe, their graphic account of the American Army "the white faced warriors."

Life at the Fort, for all its excitement, was at times frightening. Having been ill for a week, Magoffin seems less light hearted on the subject of Indians:

Another Indian had come in - believed to be a spy, although he tells that he has been lost from his party. He is a warrior well armed with bow and arrows—a quiver full. His dress consists of a striped blanket wrapped around his body, a string of beads, and his long hair tied up with a piece of red cloth. We are quite weak here now, and a large body of these warriors could do us much damage. We only have to be particular in closing the Fort gates and keeping a watch.

Past Bent’s Fort the trail eventually led up into the Raton Mountains and the hazardous and venturesome Raton Pass. For wagons in particular this leg of the Mountain Branch often proved to be worth second thoughts. Deep ravines, a narrow roadway, and the vagaries of ornery mules were only a few of the liabilities travelers had to contend with. Lieutenant Abert narrowly avoided injury in attempting to navigate this dangerous leg of the trail, experiencing a scene which was all too common:

When we got ready for our march, we found that the ox teams had started long before us, but we had not proceeded more than three miles through the forests of cedar and pinon, or nut pine, when we encountered the wagons. One of them had upset, and the traders’ goods lay strewed along the bottom and sides of a deep ravine.

As I did not wish to be detained, as our little party could not be of any service, I requested Mr. St. Vrain to have the second wagon turned a little to one side, so that I might pass. He drew his wagon out of the way, but as soon as the oxen were loosed, the wagon loaded with the immense bulk of 57 hundredweight of goods, rushed backwards down the hill; luckily it turned off the road, when after crushing a few trees in its course, it brought up against a sturdy pine. I was at the time riding around the pine and just escaped. The foolish driver had chocked the wheels with a piece of decayed wood.

Near the present town of Watrous, New Mexico, the two trails rejoined. From this point a single trail swept through Las Vegas, New Mexico, and turned west and northwest through the Sangre de Cristo Range to Santa Fe.

Of his first sight of Santa Fe in 1830, Josiah Gregg, Santa Fe Trail pioneer, said:

A few miles before reaching the city, the road again emerges into an open plain. Ascending a table ridge, we spied in an extended valley to the northwest, occasional groups of trees, skirted with verdant corn and wheat fields, with here and there a square block-like protuberance reared in the midst. A little further, and just ahead of us to the north, irregular clusters of the same opened to our view.

"Oh, we are approaching the suburbs!" thought I, on perceiving the cornfields and what I supposed to be brick-kilns scattered in every direction. These and other observations of the same nature becoming audible, a friend at my elbow said, "It is true those are heaps of unburnt bricks, nevertheless they are houses - this is the city of Santa Fe."

April 18, 1849. Wednesday. We left Albany at 1 o’clock this afternoon, in company with two parties from Boston, numbering all together about 70. Had rather an unpleasant journey as far as Rochester, at which place we did not arrive until about eleven o’clock the next day. Took dinner there and went to see Geneses Falls which are quite a curiosity to such as have never seen any thing of this sort before.

Left Rochester at 1 o’clock for Buffalo, and arrived there about half past four in the evening-stopped at the Exchange Hotel, kept by T.C. Clinghorn (which is nothing more than a second class tavern) and remained there over one day for the purpose of visiting Niagara Falls, but were disappointed. On going to the office of the cars and waiting until one in the afternoon, we received word through the agent that the locomotive had broken down on her return from the Falls, which intelligence was a source of great disappointment to all parties.

April 20, 1849. Friday. Stayed here until about four o’clock in the afternoon of Friday, and then took passage on board the steamboat America for Cleveland, Sandusky and Cincinnati—landed at Grand River, Cleveland. The latter place is a fine city, streets wider than any that I have ever seen in the New England states. The lake is as smooth as the North River is at the calmest time. Everything is very agreeable on board, the California boys are all here and are enjoying themselves amazingly well in dancing. There had been nothing to mar the happy feelings of our company until the third engineer of the boat met with an accident terminating in his death.

Captain How and the officers on board are very agreeable companions, much more so than the generality of those on our North River boats. Arrived in Sandusky about four o’clock in the afternoon and took lodgings at the Exchange Hotel.

April 24, 1849. Tuesday. This city is, I should judge, rather on the decline. The buildings for the general part are old and in a dilapidated condition. Started for Cincinnati at four o’clock on the evening of the 24th of April, arrived there about half past nine and put up at the Henry House for two or three days, employing this interval in laying in stores for the journey to California. We remained at Cincinnati from Monday until Thursday evening-went to see the observatory and the telescope there, which is the largest in the United States.

I have seen nothing remarkable in the city except its dirty streets, smoky atmosphere and lean hogs. Witnessed a sad accident to-day by reason of a load of dirt falling on a little boy of some five years old, killing him immediately. The cart was driven by the boy’s father. They have some of the finest horses here that I ever saw.

April 26, 1849. Thursday. Leaving Cincinnati, I proceeded down the Ohio River, on board the steamer Bride, (which is the only one I ever expect to sleep with) for Louisville and Arkansas, distant about 900 miles from Cincinnati. Stopped a short time in Madison, Indiana, which is a small place, numbering about 600 inhabitants, and having a railroad to Indianapolis.

April 27, 1849. Friday. Arrived at Louisville on the 27th and stayed over until the following day, two P.M., and then passed through the canal to Portland, which has three locks—visited Mr. Porter, the Kentucky giant, who is 7½ feet in height. Moved down one of the most pleasant countries, made a few landings, and stopped at Cloverport on the Kentucky side. The bottom lands produce free, and the bluffs limestone. Wherever you see a bluff on one side you will invariably perceive a bottom on the other. Stopped at Evansville, Indiana, and then reached the state of Illinois on the right, and passed the great cave, formerly frequented by the Negro stealers. Soon after we fell in with the steamer Bostonia which ran into the Bride and carried away her jack staff, half severing her bows.

April 30, 1849. Monday. We have now been from Thursday the 26th of April until the present time, the 30th, accomplishing about 400 miles and are now lying perfectly still and have been so during the afternoon. The Ohio steamers are the greatest impositions of any boats that I have ever traveled on, about equal in speed to our Troy tow-boats.

May 1-2, 1849. Tuesday-Wednesday. We arrived at the mouth of the Ohio at half past six o’clock A.M., on the 1st of May, stopped about an hour at Memphis and on the 2nd reached Tennessee. The appearance of the city is more promising than I anticipated. It comprises a population of six or seven thousand, which is increasing rapidly.

The Navy Yard is of considerable magnitude, occupying a number of buildings on the mouth of Wolf River. Stopped at Helena, Arkansas saw a small bear and cubs, noticed a sign with the names of Baily & Rice Merchants, inscribed upon it.

May 3, 1849. Thursday. Arrived at Napoleon about 4 o’clock on the morning of the 3rd, and took up our quarters on a wharf boat at six shillings per day. There are some 10 or 15 buildings here—they have neither church nor school, and the state of society is bad. They have a courthouse but no jail. We had green peas served up in a style that would try the stomach of a crocodile, and the most miserable fare that was ever set before man. There had been a great deal of cholera and one case terminating fatally on the day we left.

May 4, 1849. Friday. We started for Little Rock on May 4th, in the little screw steamer Armstrong. There was a 20 or 30 feet freshet when we went up the river. The banks at the mouth are very low, timbered principally with cotton wood, popple, and cane for underbrush. There are but few dwelling houses and these occur at great distances from each other—saw a man grinding grain with a hand mill.

May 5, 1849. Saturday. Fell in with a large flock of wild turkeys, ducks and geese. During the day saw a number of plantations dotted with Negro huts. The land continued flat until we made Pine Bluff which is but an inconsiderable village.

May 6, 1849. Sunday. We arrived at Little Rock on Sunday morning the 6th of May and put up at the Anthony House, a first rate establishment, where we found as good a table as any we met on the road. This place is the only city in the state and numbers about 2,500 inhabitants. Chester Ashly the late senator, deceased, was a resident of this city.

The State House here erected is rather a fine building, being composed of brick and coated with a plaster having the appearance of marble. But little appears to be done in the way of manufacture, most of the wares being imported from abroad. They have an arsenal, which can boast of a few stand of arms, and is rather a fine building.

After tarrying here three days we started for Fort Smith on board the steamer Cotton Plant, Capt. Smith, at 11 o’clock A.M.

May 11, 1849. Friday. Stopped at different places on the way—arrived at the Fort at 1 o’clock, Friday, May 11th, and pitched our tent 1½ miles from the village.

June 16, 1849. Saturday. Started a little before 4 o’clock in search of deer. Saw one on the prairie, but were not fortunate enough to capture any. Got wet through and returned to build a bridge across a branch of the Canadian River, this being the only way of crossing, there being from 10 to 15 feet of water. We worked hard all da—-blistered our hands terribly, but had the satisfaction of seeing the bridge completed before nightfall-took supper and rested for the night moderately considering the attacks of mosquitoes.

June 23, 1849. Saturday. Still continuing at Chateau in the hope that Mr. Osborn who is becoming better will be well enough in a day or two to admit of our continuing our journey. We have been considerably annoyed to-day by upwards of 100 of different tribes of Indian squaws and papooses belong-to the Washington, Quampau and Kickapas, who are on their return home from hunting. The spectacle is somewhat disgusting to one who has lived in a civilized country, being mostly in a state of nudity, both men and women, the only covering consisting of a blanket or band of colored cloth, partially enveloping the nether portion of the body and fastened at the waste with a strap.

Children from 14 and downward are entirely destitute of garments—the only appendage being a string of beads, a bunch of feathers or some ornament encircling the neck or arms or pending from the ears. They are the most intolerable nuisance to which we have hitherto been subjected. They pester the whole camp with unceasing and clamorous demands for tobacco or food, and they will not be refused. They are the most importunate set of beggars that ever urged entreaty. We have to keep a sharp eye upon all their movements, constantly, to prevent their purloining anything and everything portable.

June 24, 1849. Sunday. The Indians still remain with us, and if they are not a filthy set then I never saw any. So thronged are they with vermin that the motion of walking dislodges them in multitudes, on which occasion the preying not infrequently becomes a prey. At 4½ o’clock we started and placed six good miles between us and their camp.

June 29, 1849. Friday. Started at 5 o’clock on a good prairie road and saw a herd of some animals which resembled deer, save in color, which at the distance we were removed, appeared nearly white. We concluded from Frémont’s description that they must be either elks or antelopes. In the afternoon we saw a great number of the latter, but could not get a shot at one of them. Drove 18 miles, and stopped overnight, unprovided with either wood or water, save a small quantity that we had in our wagon and a little water that we dipped from a mud hole.

July 6, 1849. Friday. Our route now lay over a very high prairie, on which rose up to a commanding height some high mountains of stone that resemble those we have down East. Here, congregated in great numbers, we found buzzards, birds of grotesque appearance, snakes, and other reptiles.

July 27, 1849. Friday. After traveling a short distance, we came in sight of great numbers of sheep in droves of several hundreds, under the charge of drivers. Soon afterwards we overhauled in a Mexican who was driving his sheep to Santa Fe. Luckily he spoke English, and we ascertained from him that we could not reach that place in less than three days, in consequence of the road being exceedingly stony—the way principally being over the Guadalope mountains.

A little in advance of the driver we had an opportunity afforded us of seeing a Mexican lady. She was somewhat pretty, and was mounted on a horse, beside her husband. After halting for refreshment, we moved on in the afternoon, and drove over the mountain, when we came on a Mexican settlement. They were anxious to sell us American whisky, for which they charge two dollars a glass.

They live in miserable mud huts, about 12 feet in height. They have a church constructed of the same material, of similar stunted dimensions, surmounted by a cross, but destitute of windows or even openings for the admission of light, there being but one small aperture for this purpose.

There are quite a number of stores in this place who retail goods furnished from St. Louis or Santa Fe, at most exorbitant rate. As a sample of their charges I remarked that soap was six shillings a bar, bacon, 20 cents per pound, eggs three for a shilling.… They have a tavern which the landlord showed me, that would be somewhat of a curiosity in a civilized country. The bar room is about 12 feet square, the bar occupying one corner, where whisky (the only liquor it furnishes,) may be obtained for one shilling a glass. Beyond this is a room about 12 feet by 30, set apart for fandangos, &c.

This room can boast of a coat of whitewash, a piece of extravagance seldom countenanced in this quarter. Connected with the tavern is a large yard for the accommodation of the mules &c., of the guests.

After returning from San Miguel, a large train of Santa Fe traders, from St. Louis, about 35 in number, loaded with various descriptions of merchandise, with teams bearing six or seven thousand pounds weight, drawn by three or more yoke of oxen, came up to our camp. They left St. Louis on the 22d of May being the same as that in which we left Fort Smith.

The military display, when we first came in sight of the city, wore something of an American aspect, there being about six hundred soldiers. We drove into the city along the borders of a small stream and stopped for the night.

In the morning we traversed the city in the hope of getting some corn for our animals, but found none save in one place, at a charge of $6 the fanaka, or four shillings the almo. The houses are all built of mud, having no glass windows, but a number of round perpendicular glass pillars in lieu of them. The inhabitants comprise the lowest and vilest characters, whose time is mainly occupied in gambling, drunken fandangos, and debaucheries.

Several different routes led from Santa Fe to California. The trail described in Lieutenant Emory’s report had been widely circulated by 1849 and was a particularly popular choice. Maps and accounts vary as to the names of these trails, Colonel Stephen W. Kearny (soon to be a general) led the aforementioned expedition; thus for purposes of simplicity this route will herein be described as Kearny’s Gila River Route.

From a point 22 miles below Santa Fe near the Rio Grande this trail headed southwestward, approximately 100 miles, there it swung west for about 250 miles to the Pima Villages and the Gila River. This route continued westerly to Yuma.

Yuma, on the Colorado River at the border of California, was the common meeting place for several trails, including the path through the northern reaches of Mexico (such as taken by the Bachman-Audubon party subsequently noted).

Another trail west from Santa Fe was blazed by Lieutenant Col. Philip St. George Cooke, the leader of the Mormon battalion in the Mexican War. Cooke proceeded about two hundred miles further down the Rio Grande from Santa Fe and then turned southwest, eventually looping northwest up to Tucson and then continuing north to connect with Kearny’s track on the Gila River.

The majority of Forty Niners following the trail from Santa Fe and points south reached the Colorado River in July. Unusual for this season and time of year, the river was still swollen from the spring thaw of unusually heavy snow in the mountains, a situation which persisted for the rest of the summer. The season also saw an unusual amount of rainfall, a blessing to the emigrants and their cattle who found no lack of fresh springs and filled ponds.

At the Colorado River crossing techniques varied according to the time between June and December. Early in 1849 members of the Yuma tribe swam the emigrants’ mules and horses across, while wagons were floated across on a rope line from opposing banks. The Indians were very strong and fast swimmers and could easily pace the animals. On October 14, 1849, John Woodhouse Audubon and his party "had the use of a boat in the crossing.…really a large wagon body made into a scow." By mid-autumn the American Boundary Commission took over the crossing and offered ferry service for a fee.

It was fortunate for the Forty Niners that American military troops were at the Colorado crossing in 1849, as both the United States and Mexico were jockeying to determine at what point near the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers the international boundary would be set. Moreover, tensions between the Yuma Indians and the Americans had grown increasingly throughout the summer of the year. The Yumas complained that the emigrants unexpectedly and unfairly depleted their food supply, mainly crops grown on the flood plains. Conversely, the emigrants viewed the Indians as thieves not to be trusted.

In December the Mexican equivalent of the Boundary Commission assumed possession of the ferry, replacing the Americans. On December 16, Robert Eccleston found Mexican soldiers camped in the area with one or two straw houses already built. At that season the river was estimated as about 1,000 feet wide with the current flowing at three to four miles per hour. For crossing by canoe a charge of $3 per person was levied. The animals had to swim across, guided by Indians who charged $2 per animal. Wagons were floated by the aid of a guide rope. Several men required in the effort, and $30 each was charged for two of the vehicles. The horses and mules were reluctant to enter the fast current and often returned to the shore. Oxen were very stubborn, and an entire day was spent in getting just three of them to cross.

Of course, emigrants sometimes opted to try different fords and methods of crossing the river by means of their own invention, but the Colorado River was dangerous, and many were the stories of lost wagons and drowned men.

In his diary William H. Chamberlin, a roving Forty Niner traveling by mule, he relates that only two days from the river he and his companions began to suffer the trials of water deprivation. As they navigated through the desert sea they found themselves at a location described as:

A perfect Golgotha. The bones of thousands of animals lie strewed about in every direction, and a great number of horses and mules that have died lately, pollute the atmosphere. Deserted wagons, harness, saddles, etc., add to the destructive and sickening scene.

Chamberlain noted that his own group was "very poorly supplied with suitable water vessels," and had it not been for the wet season "hundreds of emigrants must have perished." The rains flooded seasonal waterways such as the New River, which flowed north from Mexico into the California desert. This particular stream is one of the more curious in the district—for in some accounts over years it is not mentioned at all, for there was no water, no river. In other accounts, there was difficulty in fording it!

This Rio Neuva, as it is called, and on whose banks our tent is pitched, is said to have run a short time ago, but now here and there you will find a pool of water, and but few of them fit to use on account of dead animals in them. The banks and bottom are soft and boggy, so much so it is necessary to watch your stock carefully. Many a worn-out animal has been dragged over the desert but to end his existence here. A horse belonging to a man named Parker (one of Hay’s old Rangers) was found bogged this morning and almost dead, notwithstanding he started off with him packed in the afternoon.

September 5, 1849. Wednesday. After travelling six or seven miles we fell in with good water and pasturage for the animals, and where we stopped to feed and jerk some of our antelope, that it might be more portable. To-day being Robert’s 22nd birthday, we regaled ourselves with a cup of good coffee and a loin steak of venison.

After making 16 miles, we crossed the Rio Del Norte, over which, together with our baggage, we were conveyed in a small ferry boat. The animals had to swim across, and landed safe on the opposite bank. We camped about two miles from the spot, falling in with Doctor Pope’s wagon train from North Carolina.

September 6, 1849. Thursday. We drove along the river side and stopped at noon in a small grove of cotton wood. We passed several villages, where we purchased onions at five cents for two, and some delicious grapes. We proceeded in the afternoon until within one mile of Secora, where we came up with a wagon train and camp waiting for other pack mule companies.

September 10, 1849. Monday. In the afternoon we started and passed through the town of Secora. While passing, an American, a discharged soldier, fired a gun at some Mexicans, the ball striking very near our party. There is an election held here to-day, for the purpose of sending delegates to the United States, for the formation of a territorial government. To-day we accomplished only eight miles, and halted on the river bottom, where we purchased a fanagar of Mexican flour for $6.

September 11, 1849. Tuesday. After a good night’s rest on the soft grass on the banks of the Rio del Norte, and partaking of coffee and a mess of fine "dodgers," we pushed on until we arrived at the town of San Antonio, where some of our company obtained flour at a Mexican mill, which would be considered rather a "small affair" in the states. During the day we had a heavy fall of rain, which rendered the road so slippery that we halted for the night.

This morning after crossing the creek some 17 times we ascended a high bluff and left it behind us.-Proceeding over a barren plain we struck a ravine, furnishing broad grass and water. After a halt we moved on until we came in sight of the ruins of San Barnido, which was deserted on account of the incessant attacks of Indians. It has the appearance of being a large town originally. A flat bottom beneath the ruins bears traces of having been once under good cultivation. Saw a large bear prowling through the ruins; went on to the mountain and camped till morning.

October 11, 1849. Thursday. Weather fine and mild. Continued our route along the river, and passed a number of deserted ranches. In fact the whole valley was formerly occupied, but in consequence of the hostilities and incursions of the Indians, had been deserted. Santa Cruz is in constant fear of the Indians, (Apaches) by whom it was entered a few days since and despoiled of most of its mules and cattle.

The soil in the valley of the river, is exceedingly rich, the best I have seen in Mexico. The timber is sparse and scattering. On the river’s banks are cotton and musketi trees. The latter furnishes a bean which resembles in appearance and flavor of those we have in the north. We encamped in a grove of cotton wood at noon, and thence passed on over a good road, neared the grave of Mrs. Mudget, who was one of a train which passed here some few days since. The grave had been completely turned open by the wolves. At sunset we halted for the night, with excellent wood and water at hand.

October 12, 1849. Friday. This morning we overtook a company of 11 wagons with oxen, from Ohio, and adjoining states, with their families, who reminded me of home. All the women looked healthy, one especially, who was well looking and scented off in style. Two little children, who formed part of the company; I could scarcely refrain from fondling, they being the first whites we had seen since we left the states. Came to a clumping of cotton wood trees, and camped. Twenty miles.

October 13, 1849. Saturday. The morning clear and cold-the first frost we have seen for the season-the middle part of the day, however, is warm. We passed two deserted villages, some fine peach trees, and melon vines, and a new species of cactus measuring from two to 15 feet in height, and from one to two in diameter, traversed by grooves in a spiral direction from the top to the bottom.

Some of our company attended at a war dance they had last evening over some Apache Indians they had taken prisoners. I could hear their constant "powwow" all the evening. One of the Indians showed some of our men quite a quantity of gold that a Spaniard had collected in the dry diggings at California. Twenty-one miles to-day.…

October 17, 1849. Wednesday. We drove through an Indian village and visited a convent containing 55 large images with several smaller ones, numerous paintings, and a number of human skulls. The building must have been constructed by a good workman, inasmuch as it had stood 50 years, and is still in good order. We slaughtered to-day two three-year-old beeves for which we paid $14.

Driving over a barren plain some five miles in extent, we encamped for the night by the side of a running stream, about one mile from the town of Tucson. Here the Mexicans came to our camp to trade with cotton goods at 3 shillings per yard; and other articles after a proportionate rate. They had flour, corn and some fine quinces, a few of which we purchased.

October 18, 1849. Thursday. Passing though the town of Tucson, we purchased some needful articles, and moved on over a heavy, sandy road, when Sqr. More’s wagon became broken in the axletree. We had started from the 17th with a wagon, that Mr. Jones of North Carolina, had provided us.

They live in lodges covered with weeds or straw, about 8 or 10 feet in height, of a conical shape. Their clothing is but scanty, some glorying in a blanket and vest or pantaloons, others in a sheet or coat. They seemed much pleased only to be able to sport a partial dress. They are of good size, tall and erect, with long black hair, descending almost to the knees.

You have, however, to keep a sharp look out upon their movements, and our utmost vigilance will probably be insufficient to prevent their depredations. They will steal anything they can lay their hands on. Our company having lost blanket, axes and cooking utensils; complained to the chief, who made a long speech to some 3 or 4 hundred, charging them to restore the plundered property, but failing to persuade them to this act, he replaced the missing blankets by two of his own.

When I first got into the camp, I traded a mule with an Indian, for a pony, -the mule was poor and fagged out,-the next day he came with the mule and wanted to trade back,-this I refused to do. He then brought the chief who said if I would give him a shirt, he would be satisfied, I offered it to him and he refused. He then went to untie the pony, so I took out my revolvers and made him understand that if he did not leave it alone, I should give him six bullets for his pains. He then left, and again came back accompanied by the chief, who told me that he would rather I should take both mule and pony, than the life of one of his people. I then offered him an extra sheet, which he accepted and left.

Started at 8 o’clock over a barren country-trunks, chests, shovels, picks and all kinds of tools, lay by the road side, that had been abandoned. At noon we had a small Gila trout for dinner, which was remarkably good.

Went on about eight miles and camped near the burial places of Hickery and Davis. The former stabbed Davis, who was tried by the Californians, pronounced guilty of murder, and was sentenced to be shot. This was executed by drawing from the party two men who loaded six rifles with ball, and six with blank cartridges, the murderer was placed at a distance of 20 paces, and the shot entering the region of the heart, he expired immediately. They were both from Arkansas, and between 25 and 30 years of age,-the precise cause of the quarrel is not known.

November 11, 1849. Sunday. We pursued our journey over a hard sandy road through a wilderness of sun flowers. We halted for the night at about two miles distant from the Colorado, without fire, wood or fodder. Our camp was not inappropriately termed "Camp starvation." We had made sixteen miles.

November 12, 1849. Monday. Arrived at the river, we found about thirty American soldiers stationed, who had a ferry over which they transported emigrants at the following rates: Wagons $4, mules $1, and men $4.

The river here is 170 yards in breadth, with a current of about 3½ miles an hour. It is crossed by means of a rope suspended from either bank,-a mode of travel very disagreeable and somewhat dangerous. Capt. Thorn, of Col. Collier’s party on endeavoring to pass here on the 28th October, on two log canoes lashed together, was upset, and, together with three others, swept down on the current and drowned. His body was found about six miles below this spot, and was interred here.

There has a team arrived to-day from San Diego to carry his remains to the states. The Gila empties into the Colorado about one-half a mile above the ferry, nearly at right angles, and just below the place of disembouchement, is a gorge of rocks and sand, which imparts a somewhat picturesque appearance to the spot. On the top of this the topographical engineer has his department, and just below the lieutenant and commissary have their quarters. We crossed the river in safety and encamped about two miles from the opposite bank.

November 27, 1849. Tuesday. Travelling eight miles we arrived at Oak Grove, where we halted till noon, and then resuming our route, traversed a high hill sprinkled with small oaks. On ascending we emerged into a valley, where we discovered a man plowing, from whom we ascertained that it was Mr. Warner’s Ranche. We halted for the night.

November 28, 1849. Wednesday. Rained until two o’clock. At about a distance of a mile from this morning’s starting point we came to a road forking off in two directions. At the junction of these diverging roads, one of which conducts to Los Angeles and the other to San Diego; stands Mr. Warner’s Ranche and stone house, at which provisions may be obtained at high rates. Flour at three shillings a pound, whiskey two shillings a glass, &c., &c. We pushed on over the San Diego road, where we passed several Indian Lodges, and arrived at San Isabelle. This is a Mexican Ranche and contains several thatched lodges. The people pay little attention to the cultivation of land, but raise excellent cattle. We met occasionally, however, with a well cultivated valley.

Visited the San Diego Mission. It was deserted not long since by the Spaniards or Mexicans and is now used as a ranch. The main building is from two to three hundred feet in length and faces to the West. On the north corner is the church, in which are placed several images and paintings. One of the latter, representing the "Resurrection," is very finely executed.

There are a number of lesser buildings. In the centre of the Ranche is a spacious yard. The main building faces two extensive Olive yards, or orchards, beautifully laden with delicious fruit, while rising at intervals above the Olive trees, towers a stately palm. In the yard stands a press for straining the oil from the olive, with a kettle constructed for aiding in its preparation. They have three spacious cisterns, or reservoirs, which are capable of containing a large quantity of water. To the rear lies a large vineyard well stocked with prime grapes.

The Mission is occupied by two families from Wisconsin, some California emigrants and two soldiers. The whole presents a highly pleasing and picturesque appearance.

Provisions here are exceedingly high: Flour $40 per barrel, or 25 cents per pound. Ham $1 per pound. Whiskey 25 cents a glass. Crackers 25 cents per pound. Sugar 37½ cents, and not half enough at this price to victual one half the population. There is a heavy duty imposed on ducks, geese, and all kinds of game.

Mechanics make very good wages; carpenters $3 and half ration a day, and common laborers $75 a month. There is one building here at the beach in process of erection which is, with the exception of three or four stores for hides, the only one. The soldiers are quartered in tents.

December 12, 1849. Wednesday. To day I went to witness one of the favorite sports common to this country and old Spain, a "Bull Fight." The scene commenced in the main Plaza, between one of these animals and twelve Castilians.

The bull was brought into the ring with a rope attached to his horns and hinder hoof. He was then thrown down and the rope from the horns cast off, while the animal was enraged by having blankets shook at him. When sufficiently excited he was loosed, and he immediately charged upon his persecutors, thrusting his horns through several of the horses. I saw nothing, however, that pleased me in the spectacle, except the splendid horsemanship of the riders. Their skill in throwing the lance is admirable. The spectators appeared to be all highly delighted.

December 25, 1849. Tuesday. From the 19th until this time, (the 25th) we have been looking out anxiously for the steamer but without encouragement. To-day we took dinner with Mr. Curtis, when we had fish and pie for the first time since we left the states. The steamer California touched here on her way to San Francisco, with a full compliment of passengers. The captain consented to take us on board, if we could obtain the proper request of the passengers. Accordingly we got up a paper, signed by all our company and others, but it did not succeed as readily as we hoped. He said that he would stay until the next day noon, and we retired.

Maps were consulted, and often a territory that was unmarked or bore only a few annotations was determined to offer a shorter way to get to the Land of Gold.

Imagine to yourself a man on a cream-colored horse with a Spanish saddle, a pair of boots hanging on each side, a large roll of bedding strapped behind, a pair of horse pistols in their holsters, a big canteen, a grab bag full of corn for the horse, 30 feet of rope for a halter, a leather belt in which are thrust two revolvers, a powder flask, a bag containing musket and pistol balls, a musket strapped across the saddle, a change of clothes, and a bowie knife. The rest of my baggage is carried on a mule of which we have one for every three persons.

Those who had served with General Scott knew the route from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, and those who had been with General Taylor knew Monterey and the road to the seacoast, but did not realize the difference between travel under ordinary conditions and those which attended the gold excitement. They reckoned the time by a sailing vessel from New Orleans to Vera Cruz as 18 days; from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, 280 miles on horseback, as nine days; from the City of Mexico to Mazatlan on the Pacific side, 900 miles, 20 days; from Mazatlan to San Francisco, 35 days, making the whole time from New York to San Francisco four months [including routine travel by steamer from New York City to New Orleans].

On the 2nd of February our company, consisting of eight or ten Vermonters, three Frenchmen,, a lot of broken merchants from New York, [Dan] Gardner, [William F.] Nye, and myself (the only western man), in all 21 persons, took up a line of march under the command of Captain M. Our captain was a man utterly ignorant of anything practical apart from the work of a counting house. He was chosen on account of a report that he was in some way allied to a great shipping house in New York. His self-esteem was immense. The captain said himself that no other man with us was as well qualified to conduct us through the hostile country that lay before us!… Our caravan tout ensemble was unique. In the van bestride a tall war steed rode our brave commander, his broadsword girded to his side.… [The rest of the company consisted of 15 mules, two old baggage wagons, etc.]

We made Santa Fe [slightly inland from Vera Cruz] at noon, where we dined on what the boys pronounced jackass meat.… In six day’s march…by dint of beating the mules and pushing the wagons, we reached Jalapa.…

The captain, contrary to our protest, gook as passengers 40 more dirty, black greasers, male and female, crowding the steerage so close that the air between the decks was horrible. We could not endure it, and were driven to living and sleeping on the upper deck tops, boats, or wherever we could get away from the filthy creatures. The food furnished us…was damaged jerky, wormy and musty hard bread, weevily rice, and tea with molasses.…

A year of quiet at my happy home had passed since my return from my last voyage to England, when "the fever," as it was called, began to rage, and as I sat, convalescing from a fever of a different kind at the time, of more danger than my present trip, I listened to the tales of speedily accumulated fortunes.

At first I heard them with complete skepticism, again with less, until in some degree faith in the tales began to be awakened in my mind, and at last I though it might possibly come to pass that I should go to California; but still it was very vague, and I scarcely dwelt on the idea of so long a trip, except as a dream.…

Another portfolio, said to have contained some 200 drawings made in California by Audubon while on this trip, was left behind when Audubon returned East in 1850. This was entrusted to Robert Simson, one of the members of the California Company, in San Francisco, and later was delivered to John Stevens, another member of the company, to be taken by him to New York.

The drawings never reached their destination, for both Stevens and the portfolio were lost when the Central America went down in a storm off Cape Hatteras, on September 12, 1857. The 34 unfinished pencil sketches now in the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles therefore are the only remaining pictorial record of Audubon’s journey.

We asked for our money, and to our amazement we were told it was gone, that it had been delivered to one of our men. This was untrue, and we sent at once to the landlord and demanded our money.

He coldly answered, "I never saw you, gentlemen. When money is left in this house, it is generally given to my charge, and then I am responsible for it."

It was useless to explain that we had been unable to see him before.

At Dr. Campbell’s suggestion, we took charge of the man to whom we had entrusted it, and sent for the magistrate who took the evidence for and against, and committed the man to trial. As there was no jail or place of security in which to confine him, we chained him to a mesquite stump and stood guard over him for 48 hours, assistance from the [nearby American] garrison at Fort Ringgold having been refused us by Major LaMotte.

He called me to him, led the way to his room, closed and locked the door. He then asked me if I could swear to my money if I saw it.

I told him I could not, but described it as well as I could remember. He showed me three or four thousand dollars in gold coin of different nations, and asked me again if I could swear to it.

I could not, though I fully believed it was ours. He looked in my face so closely, that for an instant I though he doubted who and what I was; but I met his clear eye, with one as honest, and slowly he drew a piece of brown post-office paper from his pocket, and asked: "Is that your handwriting?"

"No," as my answer, "but it that of Mr. Hewes of New Orleans, it is calculation of $500 in sovereigns and half eagles which Layton and Hewes placed in my charge, and now I can swear to my money if that paper was with what you have showed me."

He told me that he had always been satisfied it was mine, as he knew there was not such an amount as I had lost, in the settlement. He counted it twice, took my receipt, and as we went to Camp Ringgold to leave it with the quartermaster, Lieut. Caldwell, who was always most kind, Mr. Upshur told me the manner in which this portion of our money had been regained.

April 19, 1849. Thursday. [Bachman journal] Moved on as far as Guardado Ranche, about 9 miles toward Mier. Remained until the 24th.

April 24, 1849. Tuesday. [Bachman journal] Traveled 7 miles and then encamped in consequence of our wagons breading down.

April 25, 1849. Wednesday. [Bachman journal] Traveled 9 miles and encamped at Mier. Sold our wagons.

April 28, 1849. Saturday. [Bachman journal] The company left Mier. Myself and four others remaining, two of whom were about to return home in consequence of illness.

April 29, 1849, Sunday. [Bachman journal] Went to mass accompanied by friend Emslie. Were the only two Americans in the church. Organist astonished us with Hail Columbia, played in his best style.

April 30, 1849. Monday. [Bachman journal] Still in Mier.… Sleeping in the cavy yard among hogs, horses, and fleas.

May 1, 1849. Tuesday. [Bachman journal] Carroll and Emslie—with one pack mule loaded with ammunition—started to overtake the company, supposed to be some 30 to 50 miles ahead, and I am let alone in Mier to guard the property left behind.

May 5, 1849. Saturday. [Bachman journal] Left Puntaguda, arrived at Cerralvo about noon, passed Ranch Vechio and camped in chaparral.

May 8, 1849. Tuesday. [Bachman journal] Woke up and found my horse and Carroll’s mule missing. Could not find them. About 120 miles from Mier.

May 18, 1849. Friday. [Bachman journal] Carroll and Lambert rode out for the purpose of buying two horses.…

May 20, 1849. Sunday. [Bachman journal] Arrived in Saltillo in the evening.

July 2, 1849. Monday. [Bachman journal] Last off in the morning. After a short distance my horse was left behind dying with the blind staggers. Another horse soon after died with the same disorder. Encamped a short distance from St. Cruz, a small town of no importance.

July 8, 1849. Sunday. [Bachman journal] A party with Audubon went again to look for the mule which had been lost the day before], but soon returned without it. Camp alarmed last night by a party of five Indians attempting to stampede our mules, attempt not successful. Traveled 12 miles to Pitochi.

July 15, 1849. Sunday. [Bachman journal] Started at 9 A.M., passed over some two or three difficult mountains and continued our course along a large stream (crossing it some 27 times) hemmed in by immense rocks rising hundreds of feet high and filled with caverns rivaling anything described in the Arabian Nights. We made this day some 15 miles and encamped at 3 P.M. in a beautiful grove of pines.… Started off to explore some of the caverns, passed through a number which had been occupied, one some 8 feet by 15 or 18 had been closed up with masonry, leaving just enough space to admit a man.

July 18, 1849. Wednesday. [Bachman journal] This day had a very hard road, the worst of all. Made some 15 or 20 miles and entered Jesus Mary Jesus Maria].… The town formerly contained some ten or twelve thousand inhabitants, principally miners; now it has fifteen hundred or two thousand. It is situated in a deep valley, so far down that you can only see the sun a few hours each day. We encamped…in a yard some 50 by 80 feet square—all huddled together, horses, mules, baggage, and men—not excepting fleas. Remained in this town until the 21st]

July 18, 1849. Wednesday. [Audubon journal] Our road today was by far the most tedious we have had.… We arrived at the highest top near Jesus Maria; miles of mountain tops and peaks of rock and woods are far below us.… We came to the extraordinary little town of Jesus Maria, situated at the junction of two little torrents of clear, beautiful water.…

July 19, 1849. Thursday. [Audubon journal] Gold and silver are both found here, and the rock which contains these ores is soft and easily ground.… Sometimes simple washing, and sometimes with amalgam of quicksilver, gives the result of eight to marks of silver to the cargo, viz: 300 pounds. Gold is much more variable in its profits.

July 21, 1849. Saturday. [Bachman journal] Left at 3½ P.M. and commenced climbing the tremendous mountain on the opposite side of the town, the most difficult we had yet ascended. So steep that mules and packs and occasionally a horse would come tumbling down the precipices, a hundred to two hundred feet, nearly perpendicular. Strange to say that not one was killed outright, although many wee serious injured. Encamped by a small ranch 7 or 8 miles, occupied by a miner. Upon counting found our party to consist of 13 bipeds and 36 quadrupeds.

July 28, 1849. Saturday. [Audubon journal] Paragarto. We did not leave camp until nearly noon, waiting for a train of 182 mules packed with nothing but flasks of quicksilver; the usual length of trains is about 40 to 50, with six or eight men.…

September 2, 1849. Sunday. [Audubon journal] Two days out from Ures we came to some Pimos Indians washing gold from black order, which they said produced well; we found some lumps of ore in the dust, all of irregular shapes. The value is only about one real for each bushel of dirt. Each man made about two dollars a day.

September 7, 1849. Friday. [Bachman journal] Off at 8 A.M. Traveled over a rolling stony country, bad for the animals. Made 25 miles to Altar. Passed through the town in the evening and camped in the dark about a mile and a half beyond. No grass and poor water.

September 8, 1849. Saturday. [Bachman journal] In camp. Altar is a small town of ten or fifteen hundred inhabitants, very ignorant and poor.

September 9, 1849. Sunday. [Audubon journal] Altar is a miserable collection of adobe houses, with perhaps a thousand inhabitants; there are only one or two grandees here, but nearly all are Indian mixture.…

September 9, 1849. Sunday. [Bachman journal] Still in camp. Many Mexicans passed through camp returning from California. They all gave flaming accounts of the quantity of gold.

September 22, 1849. Saturday. [Bachman journal] Off at 3 A.M., and at 2 P.M. struck the value of the Gila River and a fair wagon road. At 3 P.M. entered the Pimas village—all very friendly to the Americans. Camped in a vacant field near the village, the Indians bringing us melons, corn, &c. Made 30 miles.

October 14, 1849 . Sunday. [Audubon journal] Sixteen days of travel from the Pimas village, and such travel, as please God, I trust we may noon of us ever see again, brought us to within three days of the Gila. If we thought ourselves badly off at Altar, we are much more reduced in every way than we were there. The food poor, monotonous and insufficient, has been forced down, simply to sustain life.

We have lost more mules, of course; our wagon delayed us at least 10 miles a day, and we left it after using it three days. We were on the qui vive for Indians all the time. Lack of water and grass we have almost come to regard as inevitable. Truly we looked, and are, a forlorn spectacle, and we feel, I am sure, worse than we look.…

October 18, 1849. Thursday. [Bachman journal] Off at 8¼ A.M. Fairly entered what is called the desert. Road deep in dust and occasionally sand. Part of the time through a mesquite grove. Fed our animals on a few of the beans. In the afternoon camped at one of the grand camp grounds of the desert. No food for man or beast. Very little and bad water in two holes dug in the ground. [This place was called Cooke’s Wells.]

October 25, 1849. Thursday. [Bachman journal] Left camp at Sulphur Springs [today’s Palm Springs] at 10 o’clock.… During the day was obliged to leave my little white mule Jack (which I had packed from Mier) behind, completely given out.…

Went on shore in the morning… Got a good dinner at the Irving House for one dollar an a quarter, the first I have had for many months. In the afternoon stepped into the Coffee House, took a cup of coffee and a piece of pie for fifty cents.… Met Mr. Caleb Lyon of Lyonsdale, New York, who spoke very encouragingly and offered me his services in procuring employment.

Only one design for a great seal of state and coat of arms was offered to the committee that took that matter in charge. It was presented by Caleb Lyon of Lyonsdale, as with harmless affectation the eccentric first assistant secretary loved to designate himself. After it was accepted, some members claimed the original design of it for Major Garnett, who, however, had expressed to Mr. Lyon a desire that he alone should be known as its author. Mr. Lyon was authorized to have it engraved, and to furnish a press and necessary appendages, and the convention paid him one thousand dollars for it. The seal is thus explained by its designer:

"Around the bend of the ring are represented thirty-one stars, being one number of the States of which the Union will consist upon at the admission of California. The foreground figure represents the goddess Minerva, having sprung full grown from the brain of Jupiter. She is introduced as a type of the political birth of the State of California, without having gone through the probation of a Territory. At her feet crouches a grizzly bear, feeding upon the clusters from a grape-vine, emblematic of the peculiar characteristics of the country. A miner is engaged, with his rocker and bowl at his side, illustrating the golden wealth of the Sacramento, upon whose waters are seen shipping, typical of commercial greatness; and the snow-clad peaks of the Sierra Nevada make up the background, while above is the Greek motto, ‘Eureka’ (I have found), applying either to the principle involved in the admission of the State, of the success of the miner at work."

In accordance with the wish of the real designer, Maj. Robert Selden Garnett, Lyon was credited with designing the State Seal of California.

The credit of the design of the Great Seal of the State of California, as well as the $1,000 award for the same, were given to Caleb Lyons [sic] of Lyonsdale, N.Y., at that time a resident of the state. Much discussion having been occasioned both with respect to the artistic merit of the device and its real paternity, it may not be out of place here to state the facts concerning it.

The convention which framed the Constitution of the State of California passed a resolution appropriating $1,000 for a design for the official Great Seal. One was presented by Mr. Lyons, of which he professed to the author. It represented the bay of San Francisco as emblematic of the commercial importance of the city and state; with the goddess Minerva in the foreground illustrating its sudden springing into maturity; and the Sierra Nevada in the distance, as indicative of the mineral wealth of the country. The motto was the Greek word "Eureka".…

This was presented to the committee, which consisted virtually of Hon. John McDougal, his association, Hon. Rodman M. Price being absence. Gen. McDougal was pleased with the design, and wished it adopted with little or no alteration, but finding that impossible, consented to several minor additions. Thus the figure of the grizzly bear was added, as appropriate to the only section of the country producing that animal.… the sheaf of wheat and bunch of grapes were also adopted, as emblems of the agricultural and horticultural interests of the southern sections of the state, particularly. With these exceptions, the seal as designed by Mr. Lyons was that adopted.

Then was struck a classic medal by this visionary band:

Sybele was on the silver, and beneath was Castorland;

The reverse a tree of maple, yielding forth its precious store,

Salve magna parens frugum was the legend that it bore.

His congressional speeches were filled with literary quotations, historical and classical allusions, statistics, innumerable adjectives, and witty personal remarks that called forth frequent laughter.

A polished misfit in a country of mining camps, he amazed, amused, and antagonized the people of Idaho by his "weird and fantastic" official utterances, and by his insistence on cleanliness and formal dress.

left his affairs in the hand of the secretary, C. DeWitt Smith, a native of New York, a young man of promise, destined for the bar, and for some time employed in one of the departments at Washington, but who could not withstand the temptations with which he found himself surrounded in Idaho.

His honor was tainted with suspicion of peculation, and he died from the effects of dissipation, at Rocky Bar, on the 19th of August, 1865, six months after his arrival.

[Upon returning to Idaho] he interested himself in a diamond insanity which ruined many a better man, while he lent his signature to any and every bill of the most disloyal and vulgar-minded legislature that ever disgraced the legislative office, except the one that followed it, the single act which he dared not sign being one to nullify the test oath.

His appointments were equally without regard to the society and territory, and after six months of such an administration, he once more abandoned his post, suddenly and finally.

Lyon accepted his reappointment [as governor] in the hope of gain. While in New York, pending his confirmation, he was approached by one Davis, who had in his possession a number of small stones which he declared to be Idaho diamonds, found in Owyhee County. One of them was sold for $1,000, and other for less.

The secret was to be kept until they met in Idaho, but Lyon arriving first, and after waiting for some time, having become convinced that Davis was drowned on the S.S. Brother Jonathan, went to Owyhee and imparted his secret to D.H. Fogus, to whom he presented one of his diamonds, receiving in return a silver bar worth $500.

One evening the governor and the miner stole away to the hills toward the diamond fields, as described by Davis, under cover of night, to make a prospect. But the sharp eyes of other miners detected the movement, and they were followed by a small army of treasure seekers who aided in the search. "The result," says Maize," of two days’ hunting was several barrels full of bright quartz and shiny pebbles.

Lyon was greatly disappointed and showed us the specimens, which I saw, and on one of which the carbon was not completely crystallized.

He was a ready orator, whose memory and knowledge of statistics rendered him formidable in debate. As a connoisseur of the fine arts his opinion was esteemed. He published poems, which have never been collected, and lectured on his travels. Norwich University gave him the degree of LL.D. in 1851.

Another motive with the writer is the desire to induce all who are doing well enough, who are living within their means and laying by a little, to stay at home.

The houses of Villa de Vallee were of one story, and generally made of mud bricks dried in the sun. The people seemed all poor and very indolent, the women, as is the case through Mexico, being far superior to the men in industry and intelligence. We remained here several days to have our animals shod, a necessary preparation for crossing the mountains.

On the 22nd of March we entered San Luis Potosi. This is a large city, possessing considerable wealth. It is near the silver mines and contains a mint.

At this place, our company, which had hung together in fragments, was dissolved. Men alone are not social beings, and the numerous attempts to bind them together in California gold mining associations are as vain as the attempt to make a rope of sand.

After some delay in making our preparations we embarked at San Blas in the San Blasiña, a schooner of 23 tons—being 36 feet long and 12 wide—for San Francisco. In this miserable, unseaworthy craft 38 of us took passage.… Our voyage to Mazatlan was most disagreeable.

[[CHAP 07

From Harry T. Peters, "California on Stone" • STONE-4. Lithograph. Full page in COLOR. STATUS: Original: AGP, Sept. 20, 2000.]]

[[CHAP 07

From old (be careful) thick book, NEW MEXICO and CALIFORNIA, by EMORY. • EMORY-1 Lithograph; 1 col.

[[CHAP 07

From old (be careful) thick book, NEW MEXICO and CALIFORNIA, by EMORY. • EMORY-2 Lithograph; FULL PAGE.

[[CHAP 07

From old (be careful) thick book, NEW MEXICO and CALIFORNIA, by EMORY. • EMORY-3 Lithograph; FULL PAGE.

Landscape near the Gila River on the southern route from Santa Fe to California (Lithograph by C.B. Graham. Lieut. Col. W.H. Emory, Notes of a Military Reconnaissance, from Fort Leavenworth in Missouri, to San Diego, in California)

[[CHAP 07

From old (be careful) thick book, NEW MEXICO and CALIFORNIA, by EMORY. • EMORY-4 Lithograph; 1 col.

[[CHAP 07

From old (be careful) thick book, NEW MEXICO and CALIFORNIA, by EMORY. • EMORY-5 Lithograph; 1 col.

[[CHAP 07

From large brown-bound book, Explorations and Surveys, Vol. V. for the U.S. Senate.

FULL COLOR, full page size. • SENATE-3

[[CHAP 07

From large brown-bound book, Explorations and Surveys, Vol. V. for the U.S. Senate.

FULL COLOR, full page size. • SENATE-7.

[[CHAP 07

From large brown-bound book, Explorations and Surveys, Vol. V. for the U.S. Senate.

FULL COLOR, full page size. • SENATE-8

[[CHAP 07

From THE DRAWINGS OF JOHN WOODHOUSE AUDUBON.

AUDUBON-1. Lithograph or copy of sketch. reproduce 1 column. STATUS: Original: AGP, Sept. 20, 2000.]]

[[CHAP 07

From THE DRAWINGS OF JOHN WOODHOUSE AUDUBON.

AUDUBON-2. Lithograph or copy of sketch. reproduce 1 column. STATUS: Original: AGP, Sept. 20, 2000.]]

Books, magazines, journals, articles

(by author if known)

Abert, J.W. Lieut. Report of Lieut. J.W. Abert, of his Examination of New Mexico, in the Years 1846-7. Included as part of [W.H. Emory], Notes of a Military Reconnaissance, from Fort Leavenworth in Missouri, to San Diego, in California, Including Part of the Arkansas, Del Norte, and Gila Rivers. 30th Congress, Ex. Doc. No. 41. Washington, DC: Wendell and Benthuysen, Printers, 1848.

Adams, Edgar H. Adams’ Official Premium List of United States, Private and Territorial Gold Coins. New York City, NY: The Willett Press, 1909.

—- Private Gold Coinage of California, 1849-1855. Series of earlier monographs reprinted in one volume. Brooklyn, NY: Edgar H. Adams, 1913. Reprinting as one volume Adams’ articles which had appeared earlier in the American Journal of Numismatics, American Numismatic Society, New York. One of the most important studies ever made of the title subject, the foundation for nearly all later research.

Aldrich, Lorenzo D. A Journal of the Overland Route to California! And the Gold Mines. Lansingburgh, NY: Alexr. Kirkpatrick, Printer, 1851. Facsimile by Readex Microprint Corporation, 1966.

—- "The Journal of Lorenzo D. Aldrich." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Allen, W.W., and R.B. Avery. California Gold Book. The First Nugget. San Francisco and Chicago: Donohue & Henneberry, 1893. A scrapbook of information, tales, anecdotes, etc., including an effort to substantiate the claim that gold was discovered by Marshall on January 19, 1848 (instead of the generally accepted date of January 24).

Altrocchi, Julia Cooley. The Old California Trail. Caldwell, ID: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1945.

American Journal of Numismatics. American Numismatic and Archaeological Society, later the American Numismatic Society. Various issues 1866 onward.

Annual Report of the Director of the Mint. Various years, especially 1848-1857. Also related Treasury Department reports covering production of precious metals.

Appleton’s Cyclopædia of American Biography. James Grant Wilson and John Fiske, eds. New York City, NY: D. Appleton and Co., 1889.

Asbury, Herbert. The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1933.

Atherton, Gertrude. California: An Intimate History. New York City, NY: Boni & Liveright, 1927.

Audubon, John W. Audubon’s Western Journal: 1849-1850. Includes biographical memoir by his daughter, Maria R. Audubon, 1905, and introduction, notes, and index by Frank Heywood Hodder. Cleveland, OH: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1906. Reprinted by The Rio Grande Press, Inc., Glorieta, NM, 1969. For certain entries it is likely that Audubon made notations long after the events occurred, resulting in some dating errors. The entry of December 25, 1849, in San Francisco, mentions "Christmas Day! Happy Christmas! Merry Christmas!" with more fervor than for which Christmas was observed at the time in the city (during the era, before the widespread popularity of Clement Moore’s "The Night Before Christmas" poem, it was viewed by many as a Catholic or "popish" event; even officers at the Philadelphia Mint often conducted business on Christmas Day). American journals of the early 19th century often note Washington’s birthday (February 22) and Independence Day (July 4) as a time for observance, but special observances of Christmas are considerably fewer. Very curiously, in Aububon’s journal the devastating fire that swept San Francisco on the previous evening, December 24, is not mentioned at all! Perhaps the entry was ex post facto.

—- "The Journal of John W. Audubon." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Bachman, Jacob H. "The Diary of Jacob H. Bachman." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Bailey, H.C. "California’s Early Coinages." The Numismatist, May 1907.

Bailey, Lynn R. Supplying the Mining World: The Mining Equipment Manufacturers of San Francisco, 1850-1900. Tucson, AZ: Westernlore Press, 1996.

Baird, Joseph Armstrong, Jr. California’s Pictorial Letter Sheets, 1849-1869. San Francisco, CA: David Magee, 1967. Descriptions and reproductions of sheets used for correspondence, including many views of San Francisco.

Baldwin, Thomas, and J. Thomas, M.D. A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1854.

Ballou’s Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion. Boston, MA. Various issues of the 1850s.

Bancroft, Hubert Howe. History of Central America. Vol. III. 1801-1887 (The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Vol. VIII). San Francisco, CA: The History Co., Publishers, 1887.

—- History of California, Vol. VI. 1848-1859. San Francisco, CA: The History Co., 1888. This is the primary source for comprehensive coverage of the California Gold Rush, drawing almost entirely on documents and attributed interviews. While Bancroft has been criticized over the years, and some have suggested that the Hittell account of San Francisco is better researched, the majority of historians no doubt agree with this assessment by Erwin G. Gudde (1962): "Bancroft’s History of California.…published in 1888, after three-fourths of a century could be still considered as definitive and unsurpassed, except for one flaw: Bancroft treats the fabrication of an English writer, J. Tyrwhitt Brooks (Henry Vicetelly), Four Months among the Gold-Niners, as another important and authentic source." Separately, and not related to Bancroft, Gudde noted that the published reminiscences of James S. Brown were unreliable.

—- History of California, Vol. VII. 1860-1890. San Francisco, CA: The History Co., 1888.

—-California Pastoral 1769-1848. Vol. XXXIV, The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft. San Francisco, CA: The History Co., Publishers, 1888.

—- California Inter Pocula. San Francisco, CA: The History Co., 1888. Collection of various anecdotes and fillers apparently omitted from the History of California suite as well as rumors and statements that Bancroft considered less than reliable; often with the author’s views as to morality, characteristics of ethnic groups, etc.

Bankers’ Magazine and Statistical Register, The. Boston, MA: Various issues 1846-1865.

Barra, E.I. Tale of Two Oceans; New Story by an Old Californian. San Francisco, CA: Press of Eastman & Co., 1893.

Barrows, H.D. "The Foundering of the Steamship Central America." Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California and Pioneer Register, 1897. Barrows had talked with John D. Dement, of Oregon City, who had survived the S.S. Central America tragedy, and related his experiences.

Barry, T.A., and B.A. Patten. Men and Memories of San Francisco in the "Spring of ’50." San Francisco, CA: A.L. Bancroft & Co., 1873. Barry and Patten we the keepers of a saloon located at one time in the Brannan Building on Montgomery Street.

Bates, Mrs. D.B. Incidents on Land and Water, or Four Years on the Pacific Coast. Boston, MA: James French & Co., 2nd edition, 1857. Traveling to California with her husband, Mrs. Bates had the ill fortune to be aboard three ships that burned, the Nonantum, Humanyoon, and Fanchon, but finally reached San Francisco and spent time there and in mining camps.

Bateson, Charles. Gold Fleet for California: Forty Niners from Australia and New Zealand. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press, 1963.

Beck, Warren A., and David A. Williams. California: A History of the Golden State. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1972.

Beebe, Lucius, and Charles Clegg. U.S. West: The Saga of Wells Fargo. New York City, NY: Bonanza Books, 1959 (this being a later edition).

—- San Francisco’s Golden Era. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1960.

Bibb, Leland E. "The Couts-Whipple Wagon Road: San Diego to Warner’s Ranch." Essay in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Beilharz, Edwin A., and Carlos U. López. We Were 49ers! Chilean Accounts of the California Gold Rush. Pasadena, CA: Ward Ritchie Press, 1976.

Belden, Bauman L. A Mint in New York. New York City, NY: American Numismatic Society, 1930. Discusses efforts to establish a federal mint in New York City and includes much information about the New York Assay Office.

Benemann, William (edited by). A Year of Mud and Gold: San Francisco in Letters and Diaries, 1849-1850. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1999.

Bergen, Herbert M. "California Gold and the Civil War." The Numismatist, February 1962. A highly important synopsis of the part played by gold in the finances of that conflict.

Bickham, William Dennison. From Ohio to the Rocky Mountains. Dayton, OH: Journal Book and Job Printing House, 1870.

Bigham, R.W., Rev. California Gold-Field Scenes. Nashville, TN: Southern Methodist Publishing House, 1886.

Bingham, T.F., Mrs. "From New Orleans to San Francisco in ’49." Overland Monthly, August 1892. Mrs. Bingham recalled her travels as a young girle, leaving New Orleans on the "old steamer Colonel Stanton," surviving an epidemic of cholera, running on a reef, etc., arriving at Chagres on the night of March 27, after an 11-day voyage. Soon thereafter, her father died of cholera. The Pacific leg was on the "old Peruvian whaling bark, Callao," which arrived in San Francisco on July 31.

Black, Eleanora, and Sidney Robertson (compilers). The Gold Rush Song Book. San Francisco, CA: The Colt Press, 1940.

Blake, Anson Stiles. "The California Centennials, 1948, 1949, 1950." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1947.

Blunt, Edmund M. The American Coast Pilot; Containing Directions for the Principal Harbors, Capes and Headlands on the Coasts of North and South America; Describing the Soundings, Bearings of the Lighthouses and Beacons from the Rocks, Shoals, Ledges, &c.… New York City, NY: Edmund and George W. Blunt, September 1857.

Bolles, Albert S. The Financial History of the United States from 1774 to 1885. Three volumes. New York, 1879–1894.

Bolton, Herbert Eugene (edited by). "Expedition to San Francisco Bay in 1770, Diary of Pedro Fages." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume II. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1911.

Borthwick, J.D. The Gold Hunters. A First-Hand Picture of Life in California Mining Camps in the Early Fifties. Edited by Horace Kephart. Cleveland and New York: International Fiction Library, Macmillan Co., 1917. Reprint with corrections of Borthwick’s narrative originally published in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1857.

Bosbyshell, O.C. An Index to the Coins and Medals of the Cabinet of the Mint of the United States at Philadelphia. Philadelphia, PA: Avil Printing and Lithograph Co., 1891.

Bowers, Q. David. The History of United States Coinage as Illustrated by the Garrett Collection. Los Angeles, CA: Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, 1979.

—- Adventures with Rare Coins. Los Angeles, CA: Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, 1979; later printings by Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., Wolfeboro, NH.

—- The History of United States Coinage. Los Angeles, California: Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, Inc., 1979; later printings by Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., Wolfeboro, NH.

—- United States Gold Coins: An Illustrated History. Los Angeles, CA: Bowers and Ruddy Galleries, 1982; later printings by Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., Wolfeboro, NH.

—- American Coin Treasures and Hoards. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, 1997.

—- The Treasure Ship S.S. Brother Jonathan. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, 1999.

—- Various auction sale catalogues including the collections of the T. Harrison Garrett and John Work Garrett (sold for The Johns Hopkins University, Sales I to IV 1979-1981; especially Sale II, 1980, with California gold coins), Henry H. Clifford (1982), Eliasberg Collection of U.S. Gold Coins (1982), the Ambassador and Mrs. R. Henry Norweb (1987-1988), Virgil M. Brand Collection (1983-1984), Louis Eliasberg, Sr., Collection (1986), Harry W. Bass, Jr., Collection (1999-2000), among many others.

Bowman, Alan P. Index to the 1850 Census of the State of California. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1972. Reprinted 1997. Compiled from data in the National Archives. Includes records of 24 of the 27 counties of California (unfortunately, the records of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and, particularly unfortunately, San Francisco, have been lost).

Bowman, J.N. "Weights and Measures of Provincial California." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1951.

Breen, Walter. Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. New York: Doubleday, Inc., 1988. Breen’s ultimate work, this volume is exceedingly valuable in all regards including privately minted California gold coins and for die shipment dates for federal coins, among other features.

—- "The S.S. Central America: Tragedy and Treasure." The Numismatist, July 1990.

Breen, Walter, and Ronald Gillio. California Pioneer Fractional Gold. Santa Barbara, CA: Pacific Auction Galleries, 1983.

Bressett, Kenneth E. (editor). A Guide Book of United States Coins. Racine, WI: Various modern editions. Earlier editions edited by Richard S. Yeoman. The long-time standard reference on the title subject.

Britt. Albert. Toward the Western Ocean. An Account of the Men Who Bridged the Continent: 1803-1869. Barre, MA: Barre Publishing Co., 1963.

Brockway, Wallace, and Herbert Weinstock. The Opera: A History of Its Creation and Performance 1600-1941. New York City, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1941.

Brooks, Van Wyck. The World of Washington Irving. Cleveland and New York City: World Publishing Co., 1944.

Brown, D. Mackenzie (edited by). China Trade Days in California: Selected Letters from the Thompson Papers, 1832-1863. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1947.

Brown, John Evans. "Journey Across the Plains to the Pacific." Journal of American History, Vol. II, 1908. Brown took the California Trail, departing from Independence.

Browne, J. Ross. J. Ross Browne, His Letters, Journals & Writings. Edited and with an introduction and commentary by Lina Fergusson Browne. Albuquerque, NM: The University of New Mexico Press, 1969.

Bruff, J. Goldsborough. Writings edited by Georgia Willis Read and Ruth Gaines as Gold Rush: The Journals, Drawings, and Other Papers of J. Goldsborough Bruff April 2, 1849 - July 20, 1851. 2 Vol. New York City, NY: Columbia University Press, 1944. Captain of the Washington City and California Mining Association, Bruff went westward on the California Trail, making many observations of flora, fauna, and geology in addition to commentaries concerning gold seekers and Indians. Bruff seems to have had numismatic inclinations, as evidenced by his estate library (cf. Vol II, p. 1243) included: [Catalogue No.] "171. Montroville W. Dickeson, American Numismatical Manual," this title indicating the 1859 edition; "172. A Visit to the Cabinet of the U.S. Mint"; "173 Akerman’s Roman Coins, 2 Vols.;" "174. Gold and Silver Medals, 3 Vols." The extent of his earlier interest is unknown, but he did enter in his diary the description of a Van Buren peace medal he saw a Native American wearing in 1849.

Bryant, Berryman, M.D. "Reminiscences of California, 1849-1852." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932.

Bryant, Edwin. What I Saw In California. New York City, NY: D. Appleton & Co., 1849 edition. Bryant had been the alcalde of San Francisco, appointed on February 22, 1847, after arriving from a trip across the continent. He later returned to the East, then was caught up in Gold Rush fever, and on March 26, 1849, left Louisville and headed west across land, departing from Independence on April 4. Although the narrative concerns pre-Gold Rush California, appendices include some interesting information pertaining to the spread of news in 1848.

—- Diary excerpts included as part of J. Roderic Korns and Dale L. Morgan (edited by), West from Fort Bridger: The Pioneering of the Immigrant Trails across Utah 1846-1850. Revised and updated by Will Bagley and Harold Schindler. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1994.

Buck, Franklin A. (letters compiled by Katherine A. White). A Yankee Trader in the Gold Rush: The Letters of Franklin A. Buck. Introduction by Mary Sewall Buck Carr, daughter of the letter-writer. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press, 1930. Letters of a young man who forsook the town founded by his family, Bucksport, ME, and sought his fortune in California. The letters were written to Franklin A. Buck’s sister, Mary Sewall Bradley Buck.

Buckbee, Edna Bryan. The Saga of Old Tuolumne. New York City, NY: The Press of the Pioneers, Inc., 1935.

Buffum, E. Gould. Six Months in the Gold Mines: From a Journal of Three Years’ Residence in Upper and Lower California 1847-8-9. Philadelphia, PA: Lea and Blanchard, 1850. • Also, reprinted and with a new introduction by John W. Caughey. [No place indicated; California], The Ward Ritchie Press, 1959. •.

Burnett, Peter H. Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer. New York City, NY: D. Appleton and Co., 1880. Reminiscences by the first governor of the State of California, friendship with John Sutter, the Gold Rush, etc. Includes a description of a voyage aboard the S.S. George Law.

Burns, Thomas P. "The Oldest Street in San Francisco." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1934. Account of William A. Richardson’s settlement at Yerba Buena, 1835.

Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1895. Oxford and New York City: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Byington, Lewis Francis (supervising editor), and Oscar Lewis (associate editor). The History of San Francisco. 3 Vol. Chicago and San Francisco: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1931. Overview of early history, but with the second two volumes devoted to mostly laudatory descriptions of 20th century citizens, many of whom, no doubt, bought sets of this book.

California Gold Discovery. Centennial Papers on the Time, the Site, and Artifacts. Studies reprinted from the California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, 1947.

"California Letters of James Carr, The." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1932.

Camp, Charles I. (translated from the German by and notes by), "Sutter Writes of the Gold Discovery," California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932.

Canfield. Chauncey L. (editor). The Diary of a Forty-Niner. San Francisco and New York: Morgan Shepard Co., 1906. Alfred T. Jackson, a Connecticut Yankee, wrote of three years in the gold fields 1850-1852. Whether this is a true account (as it purports to be) or whether it sprung entire from the mind of Canfield has been a matter of debate by historians. (Not cited.)

Capron, Elisha S. History of California, from Its Discovery to the Present Time. Boston, MA: John P. Jewett & Co., 1854. This is one of the most insightful accounts seen and by a highly qualified man of business and writing talents.

Carothers, Neil. Fractional Money. New York City, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1930. Landmark study of coins in American circulation and the distribution patterns thereof.

Carr, John. Pioneer Days in California. Eureka, CA: Times Publishing Co., 1891.

Carruth, Gorton. The Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates. Eighth edition. New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1987.

Carson, James H. Recollections of the California Mines. Oakland, CA: Biobooks, 1950. Reprint of 1852 work with new foreword by Joseph A. Sullivan. Extensive coverage of the southern mines. Many anti-Semitic comments.

Carstarphen, James E. My Trip to California in 1849. Fairfield, WA: Ye Galleon Press, 1971. Reprint of circa 1914 article, source not given. Carstarphen, from New London, Missouri, and left on the overland trail from St. Joseph on May 1, 1849.

Carter, John Denton. "Thomas Sim King: Vigilante Editor." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932. Thomas was one of three King brothers; another was James King of Wm., Gold Rush era banker.

Carvalho, S.N. Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West; With Col. Frémont’s Last Expedition Across the Rocky Mountains, Including Three Months’ Residence in Utah, and a Perilous Trip Across the Great American Desert, to the Pacific. New York City, NY: Derby & Jackson, 1857. Carvalho was "artist to the expedition."

Caughey, John Walton. California. New York City, NY: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1940.

—- (editor). Rushing for Gold. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1949.

Chamberlain, Newell D. The Call of Gold: True Tales on the Gold Road to Yosemite. Mariposa, CA: Gazette Press, 1936.

Chamberlin, William H. "The Diary of William H. Chamberlin." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Chandler, Robert J. "Integrity Amid Tumult: Wells, Fargo & Co.’s Gold Rush Banking." California History, fall 1991.

—- San Francisco Clearing House Certificates: Last of California’s Private Money. Reno, NV: McDonald Publishing, 1986.

Chapman brothers (S. Hudson and Henry). Auction sale of the estate coins of Augustus Humbert, 1902.

Chapman, Charles Edward (edited by). "Expedition on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in 1817, Diary of Fray Narciso Duran." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume II. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1911.

Childs, O.W. (surveyed by). Map…of a Ship Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean Across…Nicaragua… Surveyed 1850-1851 for the American Atlantic & Pacific Ship Canal Co. A pre-Vanderbilt era map showing ocean levels, river stages, and Lake Nicaragua, together with various towns and ports.

Christmas in the Gold Fields, 1849: The Reminiscences of Joseph J. McCloskey & Hermann J. Sharmann with illustrations taken from contemporary Letter Sheets. San Francisco, CA: The California Historical Society, 1959. Recollections published in the San Francisco Call, December 19, 1909.

Churchill, Charles B. Adventurers and Prophets: American Autobiographers in Mexican California 1828-1847. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1995. Commentary on the title subjects including about William Heath Davis.

Clark, J.E. "From St. Louis to San Francisco in 1850." Article in the Historical Society of Southern California, 1890.

Clark, Thomas D. Gold Rush Diary: Being the Journal of Elisha Douglass Perkins on the Overland Trail in the Spring and Summer of 1849. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1967. Perkins left Marietta, Ohio, on May 9, 1849, and arrived in Sacramento on September 27.

Clarke, Dwight L. William Tecumseh Sherman: Gold Rush Banker. San Francisco, CA: California Historical Society, 1969.

Clarke, James Mitchell. "Antonio Melendrez, Nemesis of William Walker in Baja California." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1933.

Cleland, Robert Glass. Pathfinders. Los Angeles, CA: Powell Publishing Co., 1929.

Clemens, Samuel Langhorne [Mark Twain]. Mark Twain’s San Francisco. Edited by Bernard Taper. New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. 1963. Anthology of articles.

Clifford, Henry H. "Western Express: A Study in Gold Rush Communications." Article in the 1950 Los Angeles Westerners’ "Brand Book." For many years Clifford, of Pasadena, CA, was a serious student and collector of Gold Rush memorabilia—assembling one of the finest collections ever.

Clyman, James. Diary included as part of J. Roderic Korns and Dale L. Morgan (edited by), West from Fort Bridger: The Pioneering of the Immigrant Trails across Utah 1846-1850. Revised and updated by Will Bagley and Harold Schindler. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1994.

"Coin Supplement to Sibbet’s Western Review and Counterfeit Detector." Pittsburgh, PA: 1853. Illustrations include doubloons, Spanish-American issues, etc., with notations concerning the market values at the time.

Coin World Almanac. Sidney, OH: Coin World, 1976 and later editions.

Coinage Laws of the United States 1792-1894. Modern foreword to reprint by David L. Ganz. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., 1991.

Cole, Cornelius, Mrs. "To California Via Panama in 1852." Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1914.

—- From Wilderness to Empire: A History of California, 1542-1900. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1944.

Collins, Carvel (edited by). Sam Ward in the Gold Rush. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1949. Recollections of Ward as published in volumes 9 and 10 of Porter’s Spirits of the Times, published beginning in 1861.

Colton, Walter, Rev. Three Years in California. New York City, NY: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1850. Companion volume to the following, describing experiences on land in California.

Colville, Samuel (compiler). The Sacramento Directory for the Year 1853-54…Together with a History of Sacramento Written by Dr. John F. Morse. Sacramento, CA: Samuel Colville, 1853.\

Comparette, T.L. Catalogue of Coins, Tokens, and Medals in the Numismatic Collection of the Mint of the United States at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Prepared under the direction of the Director of the Bureau of the Mint." 3rd Edition. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1914.

Compton, Ralph. The California Trail. New York City, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. Work of fiction based upon the title subject (not cited in the present work).

Comstock, David Allan. Gold Diggers & Camp Followers: The Nevada County Chronicles 1845-1854. Grass Valley, CA: Comstock Bonanza Press, 1982. Modern dramatization of life in the Gold Rush based upon study of contemporary accounts. Not cited.

Congressional Globe, The. Various issues of the 1850s.

Connable, Alfred, and Edward Silberfarb. Tigers of Tammany: Nine Men Who Ran New York. New York City, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967.

Conrad, Judy (editor). Preface by Barry Schatz. Story of an American Tragedy. Survivors’ Accounts of the Sinking of the Steamship CENTRAL AMERICA. Columbus, OH: Columbus-America Discovery Group, Inc., 1988. An excellently researched and highly readable account arranged chronologically with interleaved accounts of those who lived to tell their tales. Much of the information has been incorporated into the present text.

Cooke, P. St. George, Lieut. Report of Lieut. P. St. George Cooke of His March from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to San Diego, Upper California. Included as part of [W.H. Emory], Notes of a Military Reconnaissance, from Fort Leavenworth in Missouri, to San Diego, in California, Including Part of the Arkansas, Del Norte, and Gila Rivers. 30th Congress, Ex. Doc. No. 41. Washington, DC: Wendell and Benthuysen, Printers, 1848.

Cutler, Carl C. Greyhounds of the Sea: The Story of the American Clipper Ship. New York City, NY: Halcyon House, 1930.

Couts, Cave J. "The Diary of Cave J. Couts." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Coy, Owen C. In the Diggings in ’49: An Authentic Historical Account of the Gold Region. Los Angeles, CA: The California State Historical Association, 1949. Title page with variant form of title: In the Diggings in ’Forty-Nine.

—- Pictorial History of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Extension Division, 1925.

Cross, Ira B. Financing an Empire: History of Banking in California. Vol. I. Chicago and other cities: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927. An important non-numismatic source for information about banking in the state, in the present context especially relating to money in circulation in the 1850s.

Cumming, John (edited and annotated by). The Long Road to California: The Journal of Cephas Arms Supplemented with Letters by Traveling Companions on the Overland Trail in 1849. Mount Pleasant, MI: The Private Press of John Cumming, 1985.

Cunningham, Florence R. Saratoga’s First Hundred Years. Santa Clara, CA: Harlan-Young Press for the Saratoga Historical Foundation, 1967. Story of Saratoga (formerly called Toll Gate, McCartysville, and Bank Mills), a town in Santa Clara County, CA.

Dana, C.W. The Great West or the Garden of the World. Boston, MA: Thayer & Eldridge, 1861 printing (copyrighted 1856). "A complete guide to emigrants." Included information concerning California circa 1856, rates of passage on the U.S. Mail Steamship Co.’s ships, and other information. The "West" at that time extended from about Ohio onward, including the territory later called the Midwest. Train connections went as far west as St. Louis.

Dana, Julian. The Sacramento: River of Gold. New York and Toronto: Farrar & Rinehart, 1919.

Dana, Richard Henry, Jr. Two Years Before the Mast. New York City, NY: Harper & Brothers, 1840. Penguin Classics reprint, 1986. The reconstructed journal and recollections of Dana on his voyage to California in the Pilgrim and return on the Alert, August 14, 1834, to September 1836.

Davis, Charles E. American Numismatic Literature: An Annotated Survey of Auction Sales 1980-1991. Lincoln, MA: Quarterman Publications, Inc., 1992.

Davis, William Heath. Sixty Years in California. San Francisco, CA: A.J. Leary, Publisher, 1889. Accounts of San Francisco society and trade before and during the Gold Rush, money in circulation, mining, discovery of gold in California prior to 1848, etc. A varied and extensive archive.

Davis, Win. J., Hon. An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1890.

Dawson, Nicholas ("Cheyenne"). Narrative of Nicholas "Cheyenne" Dawson (Overland to California in ’41 and ’49, and Texas in ’51). New introduction by Charles L. Camp. San Francisco, CA: The Grabhorn Press, May 1933.

de Massey, Ernest. "A Frenchman in the Gold Rush: Translated from the Journal of Ernest de Massey." California Historical Society Quarterly, installments from March 1926 to March 1927. Translation by Mrs. Van Rensselaer Wilbur (Marguerite Eyer Wilbur). The Frenchman departed on May 21, 1849, from Hâvre on the Brig Cérès, arriving at San Francisco in December 1849 and living aboard the ship for a time. He became a book dealer and was listed in this profession by 1852. In 1857 he returned to France.

Deacon, J. Hunt. The "Ingots" and "Assay Office Pieces" of South Australia. Melbourne: The Hawthorn Press, undated, circa 1952. Study of gold bars, etc., produced in connection with discoveries in Australia in the early 1850s.

Death Valley Tales. Death Valley, CA: Death Valley ’49ers, Inc., 1955, revised and enlarged 1965. Anthology.

Decker, Peter. The Diaries of Peter Decker: Overland to California in 1849 and Life in the Mines, 1850-1851. Edited by Helen S. Giffen. Georgetown, CA: The Talisman Press, 1966. A combination of one of the more detailed journals with modern commentary added by a gifted historian. Decker traveled with the Columbus California Industrial Association, a company of travelers organized in Columbus, Ohio.

Degroot, Henry. "Six Months in ’49." The Overland Monthly, April 1875.

Delano, Alonzo. Pen-Knife Sketches or Chips of the Old Block. San Francisco, CA: The Grabhorn Press, 1934. Reprinted from the 1853 (only) edition.

Delavan, James. Notes on California and the Placers. Oakland, CA: Biobooks, 1956. Reprint of 1850 text with new foreword by Jos. A. Sullivan.

Delgado, James P. (edited and annotated by). The Log of Apollo: Joseph Perkins Beach’s Journal of the Voyage of the Ship Apollo from New York to San Francisco, 1849. San Francisco, CA: The Book Club of California, 1986.

DeLong, Charles E. "‘California’s Bantam Cock’: The Journals of Charles E. DeLong, 1854-1863." Edited and with commentary by Carl I. Wheat. California Historical Society Quarterly, serially, 1930-1932. Superbly annotated journal of this California politician and ladies’ man.

Demarest, D.D. "The Diary of D.D. Demarest." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Dentzel, Carl Schaefer. The Drawings of John Woodhouse Audubon Illustrating His Adventures through Mexico and California 1849-1850. San Francisco, CA: The Book Club of California, 1957. Includes notes about Audubon by Dentzel.

DeQuincey, Thomas. California and the Gold Mania. No location: Colt Press, 1945. "Number three of the Colt Press Series of ‘California Classics.’" Further: "This essay is reprinted from Ticknor, Reed, and Fields’ edition of DeQuincey’s Letters to a Young Man and Other Papers, published at Boston in 1854. It appeared first in Hogg’s Weekly Instructor, an English periodical, in 1854. The 1853 postscript was added to a later edition, from which the Ticknor, Reed text was taken." Text created by an Englishman who took a dim view of gold maintaining its value on world markets and, separately, the California mines sustaining high levels of production.

Devens, R.M. Our First Century: Being a Popular Descriptive Portraiture of the One Hundred Great and Memorable Events in the History of Our Country. Springfield, MA: C.A. Nichols & Co., 1876. The sinking of the S.S. Central America was event no. LXXIV. Other chapters included information on the Gold Rush, the Committee of Vigilance, etc.

Diner, Hasia R. Erin’s Daughters in America. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983.

Doble, John. John Doble’s Journal and Letters from the Mines. Mokelumne Hill, Jackson, Volcano and San Francisco and San Francisco 1861-1866. Edited by Charles I. Camp. Denver, CO: The Old West Publishing Co., 1962.

Dodd, Charles H. California Trail, Voyage of Discovery, The Story Behind the Scenery. Las Vegas, NV: KC Publications, Inc., 1996.

Dodd, Horace L. (edited by). "A Comedy of Errors, a Chronicle of Survival." Essay in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Dolan, Jay P. The Immigrant Church: New York’s Irish and German Catholics, 1815-1865. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1875.

Doty, Richard. America’s Money, America’s Story. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1998.

Downie, Major William. Hunting for Gold. Palo Alto, CA: Reprint of 1893 edition by the American West Publishing Co., 1971. New introduction by Robert Becker. • Downie’s book is believed to have been ghostwritten by Christopher M. Waage, drawing upon information provided by Downie.

Dressler, Albert (edited by). California’s Pioneer Circus. San Francisco, CA: Published by the author, 1926. Compilation of letters, advertising, and other matter relating to Rowe & Co.’s Pioneer Circus, founded in 1849.

Driesbach, Janice T., Harvey L. Jones, and Katharine Church Holland. Art of the Gold Rush, California: Oakland Museum of California, Crocker Art Museum, and University of California Press, 1998.

Dubois, William E. Pledges of History: A Brief Account of the Collection of Coins Belonging to the Mint of the United States, More Particularly of the Antique Specimens. Philadelphia, PA: C. Sherman, Printer, (1st Edition) 1846; New York City, NY: George P. Putnam, 2nd Edition, 1851. The 2nd edition contains much information about privately-minted California gold coins.

Duffas, R.L. The Santa Fe Trail. New York City, NY: David McKay Co., Inc., 1975. Reprint of 1930 book published by Longmans, Green & Company.

DuFour, Clarence John. "The Russian Withdrawal from California." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1933.

Dunbar, Edward E. The Romance of the Age; or, the Discovery of Gold in California. New York City, NY: D. Appleton and Co., 1867.

Dundass, Samuel Rutherford. Journal of Samuel Rutherford Dundass…Including His Entire Route to California as a Member of the Steubenville Co. Bound for San Francisco in the Year 1849. Steubenville, OH: Printed at Conn’s Job Office, 1857. Reprinted in 1983 with comments, by Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, WA. Dundass died of typhoid fever, in Buffalo, NY, October 6, 1850, on his way back from California. His journal was published posthumously.

Durivage, John E. "The Journal of John E. Durivage." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Dwinelle, John W. The Colonial History of the City of San Francisco. San Francisco, CA: Printed by Towne & Bacon, Book and Job Printers, 1867.

Eccleston, Robert. Overland to California on the Southwestern Trail, 1849; Diary of Robert Eccleston. Edited by George P. Hammond and Edward H. Howes. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1950.

Eckfeldt, Jacob Reese, and William E. Dubois. A Manual of Gold and Silver Coins of All Nations, Struck Within the Past Century. Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Mint, 1842. guide to coins and their intrinsic values, with limited numismatic information.

—- New Varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, Counterfeit Coins and Bullion: With Mint Values. Philadelphia, PA: Published by the authors, 1850. Later editions 1851 (George P. Putnam, New York) and 1852 contain much information about privately minted gold coins received at the Mint in bullion shipments from California.

Editors of Look [popular magazine]. The Santa Fe Trail. New York City, NY: Random House, 1946

Egan, Ferol. The El Dorado Trail: The Story of the Gold Rush Routes Across Mexico. New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1970.

Egenhoff, Elisabeth L. (compiler). The Elephant As They Saw It: A Collection of Contemporary Pictures and Statements on Gold Mining in California. San Francisco, CA: Division of Mines, 1949. Published as a supplement to the California Journal of Mines and Geology, 1949. A valuable collection of early documents including statements of James W. Marshall, John A. Sutter, Col. Richard B. Mason, Jr., et al.

Ellis, George M. (edited by). Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Emory, W.H., Lieut. Col. Notes of a Military Reconnaissance, from Fort Leavenworth in Missouri, to San Diego, in California, Including Part of the Arkansas, Del Norte, and Gila Rivers. Washington, DC: Wendell and Benthuysen, Printers, 1848. Issued in at least two forms (similar pagination for the first part, but with different headings), for the 30th Congress: Senate, Executive No. 7; House, Ex. Doc. No. 41 (with appended reports by others). Emory’s notes, per the title page, were "made 1846-7 with the advanced guard of the ‘Army of the West.’"

Erskine, Charles. Twenty Years Before the Mast. Philadelphia, PA: George W. Jacobs & Co., 1896. First-person account of the Wilkes Expedition, 1838-1842, which visited California in 1841.

Essig, E.O. "The Russian Settlement at Ross." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1933.

Evans, George G. Illustrated History of the United States Mint. Philadelphia: published by the author, editions of 1883, 1885, 1889, 1893.

Fairchild, Mahlon D. "Reminiscences of a Forty-Niner." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1934. Adventures of the Ganargwa Mining Co., of Newburgh, NY, which sailed to California with a coining press.

Fardon, G.R. (photographs by). San Francisco Album. Photographs of the Most Beautiful Views and Public Buildings of San Francisco. San Francisco, CA: Herre & Baker, 1856. Reprinted by Dover Publications, 1977, with no introduction by Robert A. Sobieszek. George Robinson Fardon, born in England in 1806, came to San Francisco at the age of 43, and remained there for 10 years.

Faris, John T. On the Trail of the Pioneers. New York City, NY: George H. Doran Co., 1920. Overview with many excerpts from letters, etc., attributed to sources. Basic text.

Ferguson, Charles D. The Experiences of a Forty-niner During Thirty-Four Years’ Residence in California and Australia. Cleveland, OH: The Williams Publishing Co., 1888. Republished by Ferguson in Chico, CA, 1924, under title of The Experiences of a Forty-niner During a Third of a Century in the Gold Fields.

Ferris, Joel L. "Hiram G. Ferris of Illinois and California." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1947.

Fighting Fire; The Great Fires of History. A compilation, no author stated, seemingly written to be distributed by the insurance industry. Hartford, CT: Dustin, Gilman & Co., 1873. Includes information about San Francisco and estimates of losses.

Fisher, Richard Swainson, M.D. A New and Complete Statistical Gazetteer of the United States of America. New York: J.H. Colton, 1853.

Fitzgerald, O.P. California Sketches. Nashville, TN: Southern Methodist Publishing House, 1881. One of several views of the Gold Rush of the 1850s from the pen of a minister. The reader is piqued (and more books were sold?) by such comments as the very first sentence in the text: "Sonora, in 1855, was an exciting, wild, wicked, fascinating place."

Folkman, David I., Jr. The Nicaragua Route. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press, 1972. A superbly researched and written text of excellent historical reliability.

Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. New York City, NY. Various issues circa 1857.

Frank Leslie’s New York Journal. Vols. V and VI. New York City, NY: Samuel French, 1857.

Franzwa, Gregory M. The Santa Fe Trail Revisited. St. Louis, MO: The Patrice Press, 1989.

Frémont, J.C., Brevet Capt. Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the Year 1842, and to Oregon and North California in the years 1843-44. Washington, DC: Blair and Rives, Printers, 1845. By Frémont "under the orders of Col. J.J. Abert, chief of the Topographical Bureau."

Frost, John. History of the State of California [also titled Frost’s Pictorial History of California]. Auburn, NY: Derby and Miller, 1850. Frost quoted the accounts of others (including J. Tyrwhitt Brooks, who later proved to be fictitious).

Gardiner, Howard C. In Pursuit of the Golden Dream: Reminiscences of San Francisco and the Northern and Southern Mines, 1849-1857. Edited by Dale L. Morgan. Stoughton, MA: Western Hemisphere, Inc., 1970. Morgan’s introduction describes the field of Gold Rush literature and gives much valuable information. One of the more comprehensive studies of the era in question.

Garnett, Porter (edited by). "Papers of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1851, I." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume I. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1910.

—- "Papers of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1851, II." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume II. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1911.

Gerstäcker, Friedrich Wilhelm Christian. Scenes of Life in California. Translated from the French by George Cosgrave. San Francisco, CA: John Howell, 1942. Gerstäcker’s Travels was published in Germany, then in 1854 in an English edition. In 1856 certain of the same information, plus other stories and anecdotes, appeared under the title Californische Skizzen (California Sketches). In 1859 this was translated into French and published as Scènes de la Vie Californienne, from which Cosgrave made his translation into English for the 1942 work used here.

Gibbons, J.S. The Banks of New-York, Their Dealers, the Clearing House, and the Panic of 1857. New York City, NY: D. Appleton & Co., 1858. Essentially a textbook or guide for bankers, to which is appended information about the Panic of 1857.

Giffen, Guy J. "California Gold." Quarterly, Historical Society of Southern California. March 1948.

Giffen, Helen S. California Mining Town Newspapers, 1850-1880. Van Nuys, CA: Composed and printed at the Westernlore Press for J.E. Reynolds, Bookseller, 1954.

—- Trail-Blazing Pioneer: Colonel Joseph Ballinger Chiles. San Francisco, CA: John Howell-Books, 1969.

Gold Mines and Mining in California. Volcano, CA: 1885, "republished by California Traveler, Inc."

Goodman, Jessie (edited by). Overland in 1849: From Missouri to California by the Platte River and the Salt Lake Trail. Los Angeles, CA: Privately printed [by the Cole-Holmquist Press], 1961.

Goodman, John Bartlett, III. The Key to the Goodman Encyclopedia of the California Gold Rush Fleet. Los Angeles, CA: The Zamorano Club, 1992. Statistics of sailing ships.

Grabhorn, Jane Bissell (editor). A California Gold Rush Miscellany. San Francisco, CA: The Grabhorn Press, 1934. Printed collection of maps, letters, journal of Alexander Barrington, etc.

Gray, A.B. "The Narrative of A.B. Gray." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

"Great Express Extra of the California Star of April 1, 1848, The." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1932.

Greeley, Horace. An Overland Journey from New York to San Francisco. New York City, NY: C.M. Saxton, Barker & Co., 1860. Reprint with new notes by Charles T. Duncan; NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1964.

Green, Robert B. On the Arkansas Route to California in 1849: The Journal of Robert B. Green of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Edited by J. Orin Oliphant. Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University Press, 1955

Greenbank, John. "Wreck of the Steamer Independence, February 15, 1853: Narrative of John Greenbank." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1927. This was an addition to an installment of the serial article, "The Story of a Gold Miner: Reminiscences of Edwin Franklin Morse." Greenbank was a friend of Morse.

Gregg, J.R. A History of the Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and Other Trails. Portland, OR: Binfords & Mort, Publishers, 1955.

Gudde, Erwin G. German Pioneers in Early California. Hoboken, N J: The Concord Society, 1927. 1970 reprint by R and E Research Associates, San Francisco, CA.

—- Sutter’s Own Story. The Life of General John Augustus Sutter and the History of New Helvetia in the Sacramento Valley. New York City, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1936.

—- "Mutiny on the Ewing." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1951.

—- California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1960.

—- Bigler’s Chronicle of the West: The Conquest of California, Discovery of Gold, and Mormon Settlement as Reflected in Henry William Bigler’s Diaries. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1962.

—- California Gold Camps: A Geographical and Historical Dictionary of Camps, Towns, and Locations Where Gold Was Found and Mined; Wayside Stations and Trading Centers. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, 1969.

Guinn, J.M. "Down in Panama." Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1904.

—-"The Sonoran Migration." Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1909-1910.

—-"The Passing of the Cattle Barons of California." Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1909-1910. Reprinted from The Pacific Monthly.

—-"The Gold Placers of Los Angeles." Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1911.

Hammond, Bray. Banking and Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1957. A comprehensive study is to banks and banking what Carothers (1930s) is to small denomination coinage.

Hannon, Jessie Gould. The Boston-Newton Company Venture: From Massachusetts to California in 1849. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1969. Annotated narratives of Charles Gould and David Staples, with much additional material concerning the California Trail.

Harper’s New Monthly Magazine. New York: Harper & Brothers, various issues 1850-1858.

Harper’s Weekly. New York: Harper & Brothers, various issues 1857-1858.

Hart, Herbert M. Old Forts of the West. Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Co., 1965. Includes "then and now" information about some forts important in Gold Rush history (e.g., the Presidio, San Francisco).

Haskins, C.W. The Argonauts of California. New York City, NY: Fords, Howard & Hulbert, 1890. Reminiscences of a pioneer. Includes many listings of ships and passengers, the latter including some who became coiners in California.

Haswell, Charles H. Reminiscences of New York by an Octogenarian 1816-1860. New York City, NY: Harper and Brothers, 1896.

Haxby, James A. Standard Catalog of United States Obsolete Bank Notes, 1782-1866. Four volumes. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1988.

Heaton, Augustus G. A Treatise on the Coinage of the United States Branch Mints. Advertised and familiarly known as Mint Marks. Washington, DC: published by the author, 1893. The first comprehensive study of branch mint coinage including San Francisco.

Heald, Jean Sadler. Picturesque Panama: The Panama Railroad, the Panama Canal. Chicago, IL: Printed for the author (who lived in Panama) by Curt Teich & Co., 1928. Includes a few paragraphs about Gold Rush travel days.

Heckendorn & Wilson. Miners and Business Men’s [sic] Directory for the Year Commencing January 1st, 1856, Embracing a General Directory of the Citizens of Tuolumne. Columbia, CA: Printed at the Clipper Office for Heckendorn & Wilson, 1856.

Helms, Ludvig Verner. Pioneering in the Far East and Journeys to California in 1849 and to the White Sea in 1878. London: Dawsons of Pall Mall, 1962. Reprint of 1882 work.

Helper, Hinton R. The Land of Gold: Reality Versus Fiction. Baltimore, MD: Published for the author by Henry Taylor, 1855. Most emphasis is on the negative. Helper did not like Chinese, Negroes, Jewish people, Indians, anyone who worked on Sunday, a nine-year-old boy who played cards, gamblers, or hotel operators, among other categories. He did, however, state that the Vigilance Committee of 1851 was a worthwhile group.

Hepburn, A. Barton, LL.D. A History of Currency in the United States and the Perennial Contest for Sound Money. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1903.

—- A History of Currency in the United States. New York: The Macmillan Co., editions of 1915 and 1924.

Herdendorf, Charles E. and Judy Conrad. "Hurricane Gold." Two-part article in Mariners Weather Log, Summer 1991. Washington, DC: National Oceanographic Data Center. Description of the S.S. Central America tragedy of September 1857, and the recovery of undersea treasure beginning in the late 1980s by the Columbus America Discovery Group.

Herndon, William Lewis. Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, Made Under Direction of the Navy Department, by Wm. Lewis Herndon and Lardner Gibbon, Lieutenants United States Navy. 2 vol. plus maps. Washington, DC: Robert Armstrong, Public Printer, 1854.

Hewston, John C., Jr. "Letters of John C. Hewston, Jr., on Establishing of the U.S. Branch Mint in San Francisco." Society of California Pioneers, Publication for the Year 1952.

Heyl, Erik. Early American Steamers. Three volumes. Buffalo, NY: Published by the author sequentially in 1953, 1956, and 1964. Superbly researched and written texts of excellent historical reliability. The 1953 volume includes information on the S.S. George Law.

Higgins, C.A. To California over the Santa Fe Trail. Chicago, IL: Passenger Department, Santa Fe [Railroad], 1915. Guide to modern train travel over and near the old trail.

Hill, William E. The California Trail Yesterday & Today. Boulder, CO: Pruett Publishing Co., 1986.

"History of a Montgomery Street Lot in Yerba Buena from November 3, 1837, to June 14, 1850." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932. Includes information about William Glen Rae and the operations of the Hudson’s Bay Co. in Yerba Buena.

Hittell, John S. Mining of the Pacific States of North America. Titled on the cover, Bancroft’s Hand-Book of Mining for the Pacific States. San Francisco, CA: H.H. Bancroft & Company, 1861. An exceedingly useful and somewhat elusive book embodying much research, some of which laid groundwork for H.H. Bancroft’s later work.

—- The Resources of California. Second edition with an Appendix on Oregon and Washington Territory. San Francisco, CA: A. Roman and Co., 1866. An overview of the mining, geography, commerce, etc., of the region.

—- "The Discovery." From Century magazine, February and May 1891, reprinted as Chapter 1 in The Discovery of Gold in California. Palo Alto, CA: Lewis Osborne, 1968. This contains essentially the same information as published by Bancroft in 1888.

Hittell, Theodore H. History of California. 4 volumes. San Francisco, CA: N.J. Stone & Co., 1898. Impressive visually, but utterly worthless numismatically (e.g., Vol. III, p. 405, which states that "within a year or two" of the time that Wass, Molitor & Co. issued $50 gold coins [which was in 1855], "various coins, usually $20, $20, and $5 pieces, were sent out by Kellogg & Co., Wass Molitor & Co. and others." In fact, neither of these firms issued any coins after 1855. • Vol. IV, pp. 141-142: "[D.C.] Broderick…in company with Frederick D. Kohler…started the business of manufacturing private coins under the name of Moffat & Co." In fact, neither Broderick nor Kohler had anything to do with Moffat & Co., a separate business.) The two Hittells (Theodore and John) are sometimes compared to Bancroft, especially by those who feel that Bancroft’s work was "commercial" and who seek other figures to bring forward as outstanding California historians of the Gold Rush era. While the work of John S. Hittell is highly important, it seems that Theodore’s research was skimpy and best and drew on very few sources, most importantly, The Annals of San Francisco by Frank Soulé, et al.

Hodder, Michael. "Western American Gold and Unparted Bars: A Review of the Evidence." American Journal of Numismatics Second Series 11 (1999). New York City, NY: American Numismatic Society, 1999. Technical information on gold bars (S.S. Central America ingots were not part of the study) including modern metallic composition analyses compared to fineness stamped on the bars and much other data never before gathered in a single place. "The substance of this article was presented in the author’s Groves Forum Lecture given at the American Numismatic Society on April 10, 1999."

Holden, Erastus Saurin. "Condemned Bar in 1849: An Excerpt from the Journal of Erastus Saurin Holden." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1933.

Holliday, J.S. The World Rushed In. New York City, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1981. An especially rich narrative and compilation, including from many manuscripts, dissertations, newspapers and other out-of-the-way and/or hard-to-locate sources, apart from standard Gold Rush literature.

—- Rush for Riches: Gold Fever and the Making of California. Oakland, CA: Oakland Museum of California, 1999; also University of California, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London. Richly illustrated overview of the title subject, prepared in connection with the 150th anniversary of the Gold Rush. Among its contents is a very interesting commentary on the devastating effects of hydraulic mining.

Hollingsworth, John McHenry. "Journal of John McHenry Hollingsworth: A Lieutenant in Stevenson’s Regiment in California." California Historical Society Quarterly, January 1923.

Howe, Octavius Thorndike. Argonauts of ’49: History and Adventures of the Emigrant Companies from Massachusetts 1849-1850. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1923.

Huggins, Dorothy H. (compiler). Continuation of the Annals of San Francisco, Part I, From June 1, 1854, to December 31, 1855. San Francisco, CA: California Historical Society, 1939.

Hughes, Jonathan R. T. American Economic History. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman / Little, Brown, 1990.

Hulbert, Archer Butler. Forty-Niners: The Chronicle of the California Trail. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Co., 1931. Dramatized "diary" based upon various source material not only from 1849 but also into the 1850s; not cited here, but read and appreciated as one of the better comprehensive views of conditions on the trail.

—- Southwest on the Turquoise Trail: The First Diaries on the Road to Santa Fe. Denver and Colorado Springs, CO: The Stewart Commission of Colorado College and the Denver Public Library, 1933.

Hunt’s Merchants’ Magazine and Commercial Review. Conducted by Freeman Hunt. Various issues of the 1840s and 1850s include much information about the affect of California gold in American commerce, data from the several mints, etc.

Hussey, John A. California’s Day-Book. California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1946.

Huston, James L. The Panic of 1857 and the Coming of the Civil War. Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press, 1987. Brief and erroneous mentions of the S.S. Central America, (incorrectly stated that it had sunk off the coast of South America; and that news of the sinking had reached New York City on September 12, 1857; p. 16).

Jackson, Clarence S. Pageant of the Pioneers: The Veritable Art of William H. Jackson. Minden, NE: The Harold Warp Pioneer Village, 1958. Illustrations created by Jackson representing historical scenes in the West created on behalf of the Oregon Trail Memorial Association. Jackson was best known as a post-Gold Rush photographer of the American West.

Jackson, Donald Dale. Gold Dust. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980.

Jackson. Joseph Henry (editor). Gold Rush Album. New York City, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1959.

Jacobson, Pauline. City of the Golden ’Fifties. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1941. Sketches of San Francisco life that were originally published in the San Francisco Bulletin, March 1916 to 1917, drawing upon historical sources and traditions (but not footnoted or annotated). Includes accounts of old-time San Francisco landmarks (e.g., Montgomery Block) that were still standing in 1916-1916.

Jenkins, F.H. Journal of a Voyage to San Francisco, 1849. Northridge, CA: California State University, Northridge Libraries, 1975. Facsimile of original holograph journal. Jenkins departed Boston on November 12, 1849, on the barque Orion. Most of the voyage took place in 1850, reaching San Francisco on May 6.

Jenkins, Olaf F. (prepared under the direction of). The Mother Lode Country (Geologic Handbook Along Highway 49—Sierran Gold Belt). San Francisco, CA: Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines, 1948.

Johnson, Drew Heath. Silver & Gold: Cased Images of the California Gold Rush. Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press for the Oakland Museum of California. Extensive presentation of photographs of the Gold Rush era from many sources.

Johnson, Kenneth M. Gleanings from the Picayune. Georgetown, CA: The Talisman Press, 1964. A particularly interesting selection of newspaper clippings from the Picayune, August 5, 1850 to April 17, 1852, a San Francisco newspaper that is not otherwise widely quoted, in combination with excellent annotations by Johnson and many illustrations.

—- The Frémont Court Martial. Los Angeles, CA: Dawson’s Book Shop, 1968.

Johnston, A.R., Captain. Journal of Captain A.R. Johnston, First Dragoons. Included as part of [W.H. Emory], Notes of a Military Reconnaissance, from Fort Leavenworth in Missouri, to San Diego, in California, Including Part of the Arkansas, Del Norte, and Gila Rivers. 30th Congress, Ex. Doc. No. 41. Washington, DC: Wendell and Benthuysen, Printers, 1848.

Johnston, William G. Overland to California. Oakland, CA: Biobooks, 1948. Reprint of work first published in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1892, with new foreword by Joseph A. Sullivan.

"Jones’ Pantoscope of California: A ‘Lecture’ by J. Wesley Jones, Together with Pencil Sketches Depicting the Journey Across the Plains to California." California Historical Society Quarterly, June and September, 1927. Series of illustrations exhibited circa 1852 and accompanying lecture notes.

Josselyn, Amos Piatt. The Overland Journal of Amos Piatt Josselyn, Zanesville, Ohio to the Sacramento Valley, April 2, 1849 to September 11, 1849. Edited by J. William Barrett II. Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 1978.

Julian, R.W. Transcripts (by Roberta French of Bowers and Merena Galleries) of data concerning the San Francisco Mint, recorded on tape by R.W. Julian, 1974.

—- "The Original ‘S’ Mint." COINage magazine, August 1988.

Kagin, Donald H. Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States. New York City, NY: Arco, 1981. First comprehensive work on the series since Edgar H. Adams’ 1913 text.

—- "J.H. Bowie: Maryland’s Private Gold Coiner." The Numismatist, September 1983.

Kaufman, Polly Welts (edited and with introduction by). Apron Full of Gold: The Letters of Mary Jane Megquier from San Francisco 1849-1856. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 1949. Second edition of this work (first edition had an introduction by Robert Glass Cleland).

Keller, George. A Trip Across the Plains, and Life in California; Embracing a Description of the Overland Route…the Gold Mines of California.… Massillon, OH, 1851. Reprinted in 1983 with comments, by Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, WA. Account of a trip made in 1850.

Kelsey, Rayner Wickersham. "The United States Consulate in California." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume I. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1910.

Kemble, John Haskell The Panama Route, 1848-1869. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1943. A superbly researched and written text of excellent historical reliability.

Kimball, Charles P. The San Francisco City Directory. San Francisco, CA: Journal of Commerce Press, 1850. Directory bears the date of September 1, 1850.

Kinder, Gary. Ship of Gold. New York City, NY: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1998. Includes much information about the Columbus-America Discovery Group. This book made the best-seller lists and was enthusiastically acclaimed and widely distributed.

Kip, Leonard. California Sketches with Recollections of the Gold Mines. Albany, NY: Erastus H. Pease & Co., 1853. Reprint with new introduction by Lyle H. Wright, by N.A. Kovach, Los Angeles, CA, 1946.

Kirkland, Frazar. Cyclopaedia of Commercial and Business Anecdotes. New York City, NY: D. Appleton & Co., 1868.

Klappholz, Lowell. Gold! Gold! New York City, NY: Robert M. McBride Co., 1959.

Klare, Normand E. The Final Voyage of the Central America 1857. Spokane, WA: Arthur H. Clarke Co., 1992. A superbly and thoroughly researched and presented study with much historical information not hitherto available in any other single source.

Knower, Daniel. The Adventures of a Forty-Niner. Ashland, OR: Lewis Osborne, 1971. Reprint of 1894 work, with new introduction and notes by Kenneth M. Johnson.

Knox, Thomas W. Underground or Below the Surface. Hartford, CT: The J.B. Burr Publishing Co., 1875. Experiences in mines, gambling dens, crime detection, etc.; includes descriptions of the gold discoveries in California and life afterward.

Knudsen, Dean. An Eye for History: The Paintings of William Henry Jackson. Gering, NE: Scotts Bluff National Monument, The Oregon Trail Museum Association. No date of publication; introduction dated 1997.

Korns, J. Roderic, and Dale L. Morgan (edited by). West from Fort Bridger: The Pioneering of the Immigrant Trails across Utah 1846-1850. Revised and updated by Will Bagley and Harold Schindler. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1994.

Kowalewski, Michael (edited by). Gold Rush: A Literary Exploration. Berkeley, CA: Heyday Books, 1997. An anthology of accounts, stories, etc., of the title subject.

Langworthy, Franklin. Scenery of the Plains, Mountains, and Mines: Or, A Diary Kept on the Overland Route to California, by Way of the Great Salt Lake: Travels in the cities, mines, and agricultural districts—embracing the return by the Pacific Ocean and Central America, in the Years 1850, ‘51, ‘52, and ‘53. Ogdensburgh, NY: J.C. Sprague, 1855.

Laut, Agnes C. Pilgrims of the Santa Fe. New York City, NY: Grosset & Dunlap, 1931. Popular guide, probably intended for teenaged readers.

Laws of the Town of San Francisco. San Francisco, CA: Printed at the office of the Californian, 1847. Reprint, 1947, by Friends of the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. New introduction by William W. Clary.

Layne, J. Gregg. Annals of Los Angeles. From the Arrival of the First White Men to the Civil War, 1769-1861. San Francisco, CA: California Historical Society, 1935.

Lee, Ed M. "Background of California Private Gold Coins." The Numismatist, June 1931.

Lee, Kenneth W. "The First Discovery of Gold in California." The Numismatist, November 1932. Discussed were finds in California prior to the famous gold rush, including metal taken from the earth near Los Angeles in 1842 and 1843.

Leonard, A.T., Jr., M.D. (edited by). "Larkin to His Sons." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1848. Thomas O. Larkin describes the rush for gold and other matters.

Letts, J.M. California Illustrated: Including a Description of the Panama and Nicaragua Routes. New York City, PA: R.T. Young, 1853. Illustrations and descriptions of his travel and experiences in 1849.

Lewis, Oscar. Sea Routes to the Gold Fields. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1949. An essential study on the title subject.

—- The Autobiography of the West. Personal Narratives of the Discovery and Settlement of the American West Compiled and Annotated by Oscar Lewis. New York City, NY: Henry Holt and Co., 1958.

—- The War in the Far West: 1861-1865. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1961.

—- This Was San Francisco, Being First-Hand Accounts of the Evolution of One of America’s Favorite Cities. New York City, NY: David McKay Co., Inc., 1962.

—- San Francisco: Mission to Metropolis. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1966.

—- Sutter’s Fort: Gateway to the Gold Fields. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1966.

—- The Sacramento River. New York, Chicago, and San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979.

Lienhard, Heinrich. From St. Louis to Sutter’s Fort, 1846. Translated and edited by Erwin G. and Elisabeth K. Gudde. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1961.

—- Diary included as part of J. Roderic Korns and Dale L. Morgan (edited by), West from Fort Bridger: The Pioneering of the Immigrant Trails across Utah 1846-1850. Revised and updated by Will Bagley and Harold Schindler. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1994.

Linderman, Henry R., M.D. Money and Legal Tender of the United States. New York City, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1877.

Lord, Israel Shipman Pelton. "At the Extremity of Civilization": A Meticulously Descriptive Diary of an Illinois Physician’s Journey in 1849 Along the Oregon Trail to the Gold Mines and Cholera of California, Thence in Two Years to Return by Boat Via Panama. Edited and with an introduction by Necia Dixon Liles. Foreword by J.S. Holliday. Jefferson (NC) and London: McFarland & Co., Inc., Publishers, 1995. In earlier studies this account had been attributed wrongly to "Isaac" Lord. The original is in the Huntington Library.

Lotchin, Roger W. San Francisco 1846-1856: From Hamlet to City. New York City, NY: Oxford University Press, 1964.

Loubat, J.F. The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876. New York: 1878.

Lyman, C.S. "The Gold Rush: Extracts from the Diary of C.S. Lyman 1848-1849." California Historical Society Quarterly, October 1923.

Lytle, William M. Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. New edition edited by Forrest R. Holdcamper. Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America, 1952. Often referred to by historians as the "Lytle list" or the "Lytle-Holdcamper list."

Mann, Ralph. After the Gold Rush: Society in Grass Valey and Nevada City, California, 1849-1870. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1982.

Mann, Stephen Hodge. "Stephen Hodge Mann, Stockton Pioneer." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1952. Article based upon Hodge’s correspondence; no name given for compiler or editor.

Marryat, Frank. Mountains and Molehills; or, Recollections of a Burnt Journal. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855. Includes recollections of travels in the California gold fields. The "burnt" part of the extended title is from his first journal, which was burnt in the San Francisco fire of 1851, and had to be reconstructed from memory. Marryat arrived in San Francisco in June 1850, after making the land crossing at Panama. In 1852 he came back, now with his bride, for a second visit to the Golden State, but got yellow fever, apparently recovered, but died at the age of 29, perhaps of its lingering effects, after completing the journal of his travels. The foreword to his book is dated December 1, 1854.

Marshall, James. "Marshall’s Narrative." From Century magazine, February and May 1891, reprinted as Chapter 1 in The Discovery of Gold in California. Palo Alto, CA: Lewis Osborne, 1968.

Marston, Anna Lee (edited by). Records of a California Family: Journals and Letters of Lewis C. Gunn and Elizabeth Le Breton Gunn. San Diego, CA: [no publisher listed], 1928. Copyright 1928 by Anna Lee Marston.

Massett, Stephen C. "Drifting About," or what "Jeems Pipes of Pipesville" Saw-and-Did. New York City, NY: Carleton, Publisher, 1863. Gold Rush humor.

Mattes, Merrill J. (edited by). "Capt. L.C. Easton’s Report: Fort Laramie to Fort Leavenworth Via Republican River in 1849." Kansas Historical Quarterly, May 1953.

May, Philip Ross. Origins of Hydraulic Mining in California. Oakland, CA: The Holmes Book Co., 1970.

Mayer, Brantz. Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican…and Notices of New Mexico and California. Two volumes. Hartford, CT: S. Drake and Co., 1852. Vol. II includes extensive mention of California’s climate and a small section devoted to the gold discoveries, seemingly utilizing Hunt’s Merchants’ Magazine and Commercial Register as a prime source.

McCollum, William, M.D. California as I Saw It. Edited by Dale L. Morgan. Los Gatos, CA: The Talisman Press, 1960. Morgan’s introductory notes to this modern, lightly edited edition give a superb overview of contemporary accounts by Forty Niners. The original was published by George H. Derby & Co., Buffalo, NY, 1850. The journal also includes recollections by Lyman Bradley, a member of McCollum’s group.

McDonald, Douglas. "F.W. Blake: Western Assayer, Banker, and Expressman." Rare Coin Review, Spring 1987, No. 64.

McGinty, Brian. Haraszthy at the Mint. Los Angeles, CA: Dawson’s Book Shop, 1975. Information concerning Agostón Haraszthy and charges, eventually dismissed, made concerning him for stealing; much information about the San Francisco Mint, assaying, etc., is included.

McKeeby, Lemuel Clarke. "Memoirs of Lemuel Clark McKeeby." California Historical Society Quarterly, April and July 1924.

McKelvey, Blake. The Urbanization of America 1860-1915. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1963.

Mehl, B. Max. Catalogue of the Judge Charles W. Slack Collection, "The Romance of the Pioneers," 1925. Important offering of California gold coins.

Miles, William. Journal of the Sufferings and Hardships of Capt. Parker H. French’s Overland Expedition to California. Chambersburg, PA: Published by the author, 1851. Narrative of a trip that began in New York City, May 13, 1850, and ended in San Francisco, December 14, 1850.

Mollins, Margaret, and Virginia E. Thickens (edited by). Ramblings in California: The Adventures of Henry Cerruti. Berkeley, CA: Friends of the Bancroft Library 1954. Cerruti was employed by H.H. Bancroft as a staff member to conduct certain interviews with pioneers and to acquire early information on the history of California.

Moore, Earl E. "The Panama Rail Road Co." Manuscripts, Volume 52, No. 3, Summer 2000. Overview of the rail line. Includes a letter from William B. Johnson, March 13, 1853, describing the route.

Moore, Waldo C. "A Review of the Money Conditions from the Discovery of Gold in California in 1849 [sic] to 1870." The Numismatist, May 1911.

Morgan, Dale L. The Humboldt: Highroad of the West. Reprint by Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1970; original work published in New York as part of The Rivers of America, Farrar & Rinehart, 1943.

Morgan, Dale L., and George P. Hammond (edited by). A Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the Bancroft Library, Vol. I. Berkeley and Los Angeles: Published for the Bancroft Library by the University of California Press, 1963.

Morrison, John H. History of American Steam Navigation. New York: Stephen Daye Press, 1958 reprint of 1903 work.

Morse, Edwin Franklin. "The Story of a Gold Miner: Reminiscences of Edwin Franklin Morse." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1927.

Morse, John F., Dr. History of Sacramento. Included as part of The Sacramento Directory for the Year 1853-54…Together with a History of Sacramento Written by Dr. John F. Morse. Sacramento, CA: Samuel Colville, 1853. Colville also compiled the directory.

Munsell, Joel. The Every Day Book of History and Chronology. New York City: D. Appleton & Co., 1858. Register of current events arranged by day dates.

Nasatir, Abraham P. "The French Consulate in California, 1843-1856." Historical Society Quarterly, September 1932. Includes information and correspondence relating to French and British aspirations to control California in the 1840s.

—- A French Journalist in the California Gold Rush: The Letters of Etienne Derbec. Georgetown, CA: The Talisman Press, 1964.

Neasham, Aubrey. "Sutter’s Sawmill." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1947.

Neasham, V. Aubrey, and James E. Henly. The City of the Plain: Sacramento in the Nineteenth Century. Sacramento, CA: The Sacramento Pioneer Foundation in Cooperation with the Cooperation with the Sacramento Historic Landmarks Commission, 1969.

Nevins, Allan. Frémont: The West’s Greatest Adventurer. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1928.

Newmark, Harris. Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853-1915, Containing the Reminiscences of Harris Newmark. Edited by Maurice H. and Marco R. Newmark. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., The Riverside Press Cambridge, 1930.

Niles’ Weekly Register. Baltimore, MD: H. Niles, 1814-1847. Includes much information on finance, circulation of bank notes, and other monetary matters.

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation of America Census Report. Parsippany, NJ: Numismatic Guaranty Corporation of America, various issues, 2000.

Nunis, Doyce B., Jr. (edited and with introduction by). The California Diary of Faxon Dean Atherton 1836-1839. San Francisco and Los Angeles: California Historical Society, 1964.

—- The Letters of a Young Miner, Concerning the Adventures of Jasper S. Hill During the California Gold Rush, 1849-1852.

Official Catalogue of the New-York Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. New York City, NY: Published for the Association by G.P. Putnam & Co., 1853. Catalogue of items displayed at the Crystal Paris.

Ogden, Adele. "Boston Hide Droghers Along California Shores." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1929. Details of the hide and tallow trade out of Boston, with ports in California.

—- "Russian Sea-Otter and Seal Hunting on the California Coast, 1803-1841." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1933.

—- "Alfred Robinson, New England Merchant in Mexican California." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1944.

Olmsted, Frederick Law. The Slave States before the Civil War. Edited by Harvey Wish. New York City, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1959.

Olmsted, R.R. (edited by). Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1962. Reprints of selected articles and illustrations from Hutchings’ California Magazine, 1856-1861.

Otis, F.N. Isthmus of Panama. History of the Panama Railroad and of the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. New York City, NY: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1867. This was mostly a promotional book, or at least was written in an adulatory style to emphasize the advantages and successes of the line.

Overland Monthly, The. Vols. I-X. San Francisco, CA: A. Roman & Co. (early issues); John H. Carmany & Co., 1868-1875.

Owens, Dan (researched and compiled by). An Encyclopedia of California Coiners and Assayers Related to Numismatics, 1849-1863. Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries; and New York City, NY: Stack’s, jointly published, 2000.

Parker, Robert Andrew (modern illustrations by). Sweet Betsy from Pike: A Song from the Gold Rush Days. New York City, NY: The Viking Press, 1978.

Patterson, Lawson B. Twelve Years in the Mines of California; Embracing a General View of the Gold Region, with Practical Observations on Hill, Placer, and Quartz Diggings; and Notes on the Origin of Gold Deposits. Cambridge, MA: Printed by Miles and Dillingham, 1862. Appended is a day-by-day weather log for the gold fields for the year 1853.

PCGS Population Report. Newport Beach, CA. Professional Coin Grading Service, Various issues, 2000.

Pennoyer, A. Sheldon (assembled and edited by). This Was California: A Collection of Woodcuts and Engravings Reminiscent of Historical Events, Human Achievements, and Trivialities from Pioneer Days to the Gay Nineties. New York City, NY: P.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1938.

People’s Journal, The. New York City, NY: Alfred E. Beach, 1853.

Perkins, William. Three Years in California: William Perkins’ Journal of Life at Sonora 1849-1852. Introduction and annotations by Dale L. Morgan and James R. Scobie. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1964. A Spanish version of this narrative was published in 1937; this is the first English edition, with extensive annotations. Perkins created a manuscript intended for publication, and thus, while it is arranged in chronological order, there are many essays and discussions of particular topics not necessarily relating to a single day or experience.

Perlot, Jean-Nicolas. Gold Seeker: Adventures of a Belgian Argonaut During the Gold Rush Years. Translated by Helen Harding Bretnor. Edited and with an introduction by Howard R. Lamar. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1985.

Peters, Harry T. California on Stone. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., 1935. Rich collection of engravings and lithographs relating to California, including the Gold Rush era.

Peterson, A. Landmarks of New York City, NY: An Historical Guide to the Metropolis. New York City, NY: The City History Club, 1923.

Phelan, Regina V. The Gold Chain: A California Family Saga. Glendale, CA: The Arthur H. Clark Co. (published under the direction of), 1987. Adventures of a circus family in Gold Rush California (including of Jeannette, a wife of Henry Lee, who later perished aboard the S.S. Brother Jonathan in 1865).

Phelps, Alonzo. Contemporary Biography of California’s Representative Men. San Francisco, CA: A.L. Bancroft and Company, 1881:

Phillips, Catherine Coffin. Coulterville Chronicle. San Francisco, CA: The Grabhorn Press, 1942.

Pickford, Nigel. The Atlas of Ship Wrecks & Treasure, The History, Location, and Treasures of Ships Lost at Sea, 1994.

Pilcher, Edith. Castorland: French Refugees in the Western Adirondacks 1793-1814. Harrison, NY: Harbor Hill Books, 1985. Contains information about Caleb Lyon (a Forty Niner, but this book does not treat the Gold Rush).

Pleasants, Samuel A. Fernando Wood of New York. New York City, NY: Columbia University Press, 1948.

Potter, David M. (edited and with introduction by). Trail to California: The Overland Journal of Vincent Geiger and Wakeman Bryarly. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1945. Diary begun by Geiger in St. Joseph (departed from on May 10, 1849) and continued by Bryarly from the North Platte River to California (arrived in mid-August). The two traveled with the Charleston Co. of Virginia (later the section known as West Virginia).

Powell, H.M.T. "The Diary of H.M.T. Powell." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Pradeau, A.F. "Mediae of Exchange Used in California from 1500 to 1847." The Numismatist, September 1939.

Preble, George Henry. A Chronological History of the Origin and Development of Steam Navigation. Philadelphia, PA: L.R. Hammersly & Co., 1883.

Prince Paul. Early Sacramento…from the Journals of Prince Paul, H.R.H., Duke Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg. Translated by Louis C. Butscher. Edited and with an introduction by John A. Hussey. Sacramento, CA: The Sacramento Book Collectors Club, 1973.

Pritchard, James A. The Overland Diary of James A. Pritchard from Kentucky to California in 1849. Edited by Dale L. Morgan. Includes biography of Captain James A. Pritchard by Hugh Pritchard Williamson. Denver, CO: Fred A. Rosenstock, The Old West Publishing Co., 1959. The introduction by Morgan and the appendices listing various known diaries by Forty Niners who took the California Trail (and went through South Pass) are a tour de force in the study of overland travel.

Prucha, Francis Paul. Indian Peace Medals in American History. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1971.

—- The Great Father: The United States Government and the American Indians. 2 vol. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1984. This magisterial study includes much information indirectly related to the Overland Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and other routes, with mention of various forts, locations (e.g., Ash Hollow), etc.

Prudhomme, Charles J. "Gold Discovery in California: Who Was the First Real Discoverer of Gold in this State?" Article in the Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 1922.

Quaife, Milo Milton (edited by). Pictures of Gold Rush California. Chicago, IL: The Lakeside Press, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., 1949. One of the "Lakeside Classics" series, this volume is a collection of contemporary accounts about life in California and journeys to and from there.

Quebedeaux, Richard. Prime Sources of California and Nevada Local History: 151 Rare and Important City, County and State Directories 1850-1906. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1992.

Ramey, Earl. "The Beginnings of Marysville." Parts I to II. California Historical Society Quarterly, September and December, 1935; March 1936.

Rand McNally’s Pioneer Atlas of the American West. Facsimile reproductions from the 1876 edition of Rand, McNally & Co.’s Business Atlas of the Great Mississippi Value and Pacific Slope. With modern text by Dale L. Morgan. Chicago, New York, San Francisco: Rand McNally & Co., 1956.

Raymond, Wayte. Standard Catalogue of United States Coins and Paper Money (titles vary). Scott Stamp & Coin Co. (and others): New York, 1934 to 1957 editions.

Read, Georgia Willis. "The Chagres River Route to California in 1851." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1929. Details of the trans-Isthmus crossing at that time.

Read, Georgia Willis, and Ruth Gaines (edited by). Gold Rush: The Journals, Drawings, and Other Papers of J. Goldsborough Bruff, April 2, 1849—July 20, 1851. California Centennial Edition. New York City, NY: Columbia University Press, 1949.

Reed, James Frazier. Journal included as part of J. Roderic Korns and Dale L. Morgan (edited by), West from Fort Bridger: The Pioneering of the Immigrant Trails across Utah 1846-1850. Revised and updated by Will Bagley and Harold Schindler. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1994.

"Report on the First House in Yerba Buena." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932. Information concerning William A. Richardson and the establishment of the town.

Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Multiple volumes including geographical, ethnological, zoological, botanical, etc., information. Washington, DC: Beverley Tucker, Printer, 1856 and 1857 (for the two volumes, V and VII, used in the present work). Many illustrations are includes, some of which have been utilitized here.

Richardson, Albert D. Beyond the Mississippi. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Co., 1867. Experiences of the 1857-1867 years including traveling on the Panama Railroad.

Ridgely-Nevitt, Cedric. American Steamships on the Atlantic. East Brunswick, NJ: Associated University Presses, 1981. Includes specifications of the S.S. George Law, information about ships damaged in the hurricane of September 1857, and other data.

Ritchie, Robert Welles. The Hell-roarin Forty-Niners. New York City, NY: J.H. Sears & Co., Inc., 1928.

Rittenhouse, Jack D. The Santa Fe Trail: A Historical Bibliography. Albuquerque, NM: The University of New Mexico Press, 1971.

Rodecape, Lois Foster. "Tom Maguire, Napoleon of the Stage." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1941, serially to September 1942. Maguire, owner of several successive theatres named Jenny Lind, was San Francisco’s foremost impresario in the early 1850s.

Rogers, E.P., Rev. The Sovereignty of God in Calamity: A Discourse Delivered in the North Dutch Church, in Albany, September 20th, 1857, Being the Sabbath After the Intelligence Was Received of the Loss of the Central America. Albany, NY: Sprague & Co., 1857. Sermon precipitated not only by the disaster, but also by the loss on board of an Albany resident, Charles M. Van Rensselaer, first officer.

Rogers, Fred B. "Bear Flag Lieutenant: The Life Story of Henry L. Ford." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1950.

Rohrbough, Malcolm J. Days of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the American Nation. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1997.

Rose, Robert Selden (edited by). "The Portolá Expedition of 1769-1770, Diary of Vicente Vila." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume II. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1911.

Rosenzweig Roy, and Elizabeth Blocker. The Park and the People: A History of Central Park. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1992.

Rubiales, David (edited by). Peter Decker’s Diary, 1854. Goodyear’s Bar to Downieville on the Yuba River, Sierra County, California. Nevada City, CA: Mountain House Books, 1998.

Ruschenberger, W.S.W., M.D. Sketches in California, 1836. New introduction by John Haskell Kemble. Los Angeles, CA: Glen Dawson, 1953. Ruschenberger traveled on the U.S.S. Peacock during the voyage in which Edmund Roberts was carried to Muscat and Siam to deliver treaties with the United States. On the return part of the voyage the Peacock stopped briefly in California.

Russ, Carolyn Hale. The Log of a Forty-Niner. Subtitle: Journal of a Voyage from Newbury-port in the Brig Gen’l Worth Commanded by Capt. Samuel Walton. Kept by Robert Hale, Newbury, Mass. Boston, MA: B.J. Brimmer Co., 1923.

St. John, Mrs. Horace. Life of Audubon, the Naturalist of the New World. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1879.

"San Francisco in 1776 and in 1835." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1935.

Santa Fe Trail, The: New Perspectives. Niwot, CO: University Press of Colorado, 1992. Collection of essays consisting of papers from the Santa Fe Trail Symposium, Trinidad, CO, September 12-14, 1986.

Saunders, Richard L. Eloquence from a Silent World: A Descriptive Bibliography of the Published Writings of Dale L. Morgan. Salt Lake City, UT; The Cinnamon Press, 1990. The "silent" refers to the deafness which Morgan contracted in his youth.

Sawyer, Lorenzo. Way Sketches Containing Incidents of Travel Across the Plains from St. Joseph to California in 1850. New York City, NY: Edward Eberstadt, 1926. Sawyer later became chief justice of the Supreme Court of California.

Scherer, James A.B. The First Forty-Niner and the Story of the Golden Tea Caddy. New York City, NY: Minton, Balch & Co., 1925. Sketch of Sam Brannan.

—- "The Lion of the Vigilantes"" William T. Coleman and the Life of Old San Francisco. Indianapolis and New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1939.

Schilke, Oscar G., and Raphael E. Solomon. America’s Foreign Coins: An Illustrated Standard Catalogue with Valuations of Foreign Coins With Legal Tender Status in the United States 1793-1857. New York, NY: Coin and Currency Institute, Inc., 1964.

Schott, Joseph L. Rails Across Panama: The Story of the Building of the Panama Railroad 1849-1855. Indianapolis, IN: The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc. 1967.

Scott, Reva. Samuel Brannan and the Golden Fleece. New York City, NY: The Macmillan Co., 1944.

Scott, W.A. Trade and Letters: Their Journeyings Round the World. New York City, NY: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1856. Publication of three discourses delivered before the Mercantile Library Association of San Francisco.

Senkewicz, Robert M. Vigilantes in Gold Rush San Francisco. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1985. Scenes of San Francisco circa 1851-1856 with emphasis on the title subject.

Shaw, R.C. Across the Plains in Forty Nine. Farmland, IN: W.C. West, 1896. Reprinted by Citadel Press, New York, 1966, edited and with new introduction by Milo Milton Quaife.

Sherman, Edwin A. "Sherman Was There: The Recollections of Major Edwin A. Sherman," with an introduction by Allen B. Sherman. California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1944. Sherman, a soldier and interpreter, arrived in San Francisco on May 24, 1849.

Sherman, William T. "The Vigilance Committee of 1856." The Overland Monthly, February 1874. Article by Sherman quoting some of his own correspondence, especially a long letter of recollection written by hem on February 25, 1868, to Hon. Stephen J. Field, justice, United States Supreme Court. • A follow up, unsigned, appeared in the April 1874 issue of The Overland Monthly and expressed certain different opinions.

Shinn, Charles Howard. Mining Camps: A Study in American Frontier Government. New York, Evanston and London: Harper Torchbooks. The University Library, 1965. Reprint of 1884 work with new introduction and notes by Rodman Wilson Paul.

Simmons, Marc. Following the Santa Fe Trail. Santa Fe, NM: Ancient City Press, 1986. Retracing the route in modern times.

Sioli, Paolo. Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County California with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Also titled History of El Dorado, County California. Oakland, CA: Published by the author, 1883.

Sloan, Dorothy. The Henry H. Clifford Collection, Part Three, California Pictorial Letter Sheets. Austin, TX: Dorothy Sloan, Rare Books, 1994. A superb catalogue of a superb collection.

Sloane, C.S. (compiled and published by). Taylor’s United States Money Reporter, and Coin Examiner. New York City, NY: August 1, 1849. Illustrations include doubloons, Spanish-American issues, etc., with notations concerning the market values at the time.

Smith, Donald Eugene, and Frederick J. Teggart (edited by) "Diary of Gaspar de Portolá During the California Expedition of 1769-1770." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume I. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1910.

Smith, Frank Meriweather (edited by). San Francisco Vigilance Committee of ’56. San Francisco, CA: Barry, Baird & Co., Printers and Publishers, 1883.

Smith, Henry Nash. Virgin Land: The American West as Symbol and Myth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1950. Reissued and with a new preface and minor corrections, 1970.

Smith, William C.S. A Journey Overland to California. Fairfield, WA: Ye Galleon Press, [no date]. Reprint monograph printed circa 1925 in Napa, CA. Smith came to California overland through Mexico.

—-"The 1849 Journal of W.C.S. Smith: San José del Cabo to San Diego." Edited by Harry W. Smith. Essay in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Snowden, James Ross. "Assay of Foreign Coins." Letter transmitted to Secretary of the Treasury James Guthrie from Mint Director Snowden, dated Philadelphia Mint, February 6, 1857.

—- A Description of Ancient and Modern Coins in the Cabinet of the Mint of the United States. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott, 1860. Mostly researched and written by George Bull (then curator of the Mint Cabinet) and William E. Dubois.

Sotheby’s (David E. Tripp, cataloguer). Treasures from the S.S. Central America: Glories of the California Gold Rush. Auction offering dated December 8-9, 1999, postponed until June 2000, of coins and bars recovered from the ship and awarded by court to successors of the original insurers.

Soulé, Frank; John H. Gihon, M.D., and James Nisbet. The Annals of San Francisco, 1855. This is the foundation book on the history of the city, the volume extensively quoted by nearly all later historians including Bancroft, Hittell, et al. The volume has been the source for many anecdotes repeated in later romantic accounts, sometimes verbatim, often without credit to the authors.

Southworth, John. Death Valley in 1849: The Luck of the Gold Rush Emigrants. Burbank, CA: Pegleg Books, 1978. 1986 printing with revisions and additions.

Spann, Edward K. The New Metropolis: New York City 1840-1857. New York City, NY: Columbia University Press, 1981.

Stackpole, Edouard A. The Wreck of the Steamer San Francisco. Mystic, CT: The Marine Historical Association, Inc., 1954.

Stack’s. Sale of the Gibson Collection, November 1974. Includes many important California gold coins and ingots.

Stansbury, Howard. Exploration and Survey of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1852.

Staples, David Jackson. "The Journal of David Jackson Staples," edited by Harold F. Taggart. California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1943. Staples was a member of the Boston and Newton Joint Stock Association.

Staundemayer, L.R., Rev. The Loss of the Central America; or, The Voice of God Upon the Waters. A Sermon Preached at the Church of the Annunciation, New York…October 4, 1857. New York City, NY: Daniel Dana, Jr., 1857. Published as a monograph. "The proceeds of this pamphlet will be applied towards the erection of a School House for the education of youth in Church principles, in the City of Atchison, K.T. [Kansas Territory]."

Steele, Catherine Baumgarten. "The Steele Brothers: Pioneers in California’s Great Dairy Industry." California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1941. Includes a letter relating to the S.S. George Law and the Panama Railroad.

Steele, R.J., James P. Bull, and F.I. Houston (compiled and published by). Directory of the County of Placer for the Year 1861. San Francisco, CA: Printed for the publishers by Charles F. Robbins, 1861.

Stellman, Louis J. Sam Brannan, Builder of San Francisco. New York City, NY: Exposition Press, 1953. Biography with simulated dialogue interspersed with historical facts.

Stevens, Errol Wayne (edited by). Incidents of a Voyage to California 1849. A diary of travel aboard the Mark Hersilia, and in Sacramento, 1850. Forward by Martin Ridge of the Henry E. Huntington Library. Los Angeles, CA: The Western History Association, 1987. The Hersilia left Providence, RI, on January 8, 1849, and went to California around Cape Horn.

Stewart, George R. The California Trail. New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. 1962.

State Register and Year Book of Facts: For the Year 1859. San Francisco, CA: Henry G. Langley and Samuel A. Morison, 1859. Statistics, listings, information for California up to that time.

Still, Bayrd. Mirror for Gotham: New York as Seen by Contemporaries from Dutch Days to the Present. New York City, NY: New York University Press, 1956.

Stillman, Jacob D.B. Seeking the Golden Fleece; A Record of Pioneer Life in California. San Francisco, CA: A. Roman & Co., 1876.

—- An 1850 Voyage: San Francisco to Baltimore by Sea and by Land. Palo Alto, CA: Lewis Osborne, 1967. Modern reprint, with new introduction by John Barr Tompkins, of a narrative published in the Overland Monthly (Vol. 12, Nos. 406, Vol. 12, Nos. 1-2) under title of "From Colchis Back to Argos."

Stong, Phil. Gold in Them Hills, Being an Irreverent History of the Great 1849 Gold Rush. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1957. Sidelights and incidents such as Sutter not being happy with the discovery of gold in 1849, the use of gold bricks in swindles, etc.

Stowell, Levi. "Bound for the Land of Canaan, Ho!: The Diary of Levi Stowell." Introduction and notes by Marco G. Thorne. a Historical Society Quarterly, March 1948. Stowell went from New York to San Francisco on the S.S. Falcon, across Panama, continuing on the S.S. California.

Stuart-Wortley, Lady Emmeline. Travels in the United States, Etc., During 1849 and 1850. New York City, NY: Harper & Brothers, 1851. Includes descriptions of travel in the Caribbean and across Panama (the author did not go to California).

Sutter, John A. New Helvetia Diary: A Record of Events Kept by John A. Sutter and His Clerks at New Helvetia, California, from September 9, 1845, to May 25, 1848. San Francisco, CA: The Grabhorn Press in Arrangement with the Society of California Pioneers, 1939.

Takaki, Ronald T. A Pro-Slavery Crusade: The Agitation to Reopen the African Slave Trade. New York City, NY: The Free Press, 1971.

Taxay, Don. U.S. Mint and Coinage. New York: Arco Publishing, 1966. Definitive book on the inside workings of the Mint.

Taylor, Bayard. Eldorado, or, Adventures in the Path of Empire. Vols. I and II. New York City, NY: George P. Putnam, 1850. Descriptions of travel to California, life in San Francisco, life in the mining camps, etc., 1849-1850. One of the most popular books on early Gold Rush days. Taylor, born in 1825, was an experienced newspaper writer by the time he reached California.

Taylor, M. The Gold Digger’s Song Book, Containing the Most Popular Humorous & Sentimental Songs Composed by M. Taylor and Sung by His Original Company with Unbounded Applause Throughout California. Marysville, CA: Marysville Daily Herald Print, 1856. Reprint with new introduction by Sister Mary Dominic Ray, O.P., San Francisco, The Book Club of San Francisco, 1975.

Taylor, Ross McLaury. We Were There on the Santa Fe Trail. New York City, NY: Grosset & Dunlap, 1960. Fictional account based upon history (not cited here).

Taylor, William. California Life Illustrated. New York City, NH: Published for the author by Carlton & Porter, 1860.

Tays, George. "The Passing of Spanish California, September 29, 1822." California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1936.

Teggart, Frederick J. (edited by). "The Official Account of the Portolá Expedition of 1769-1770." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume I. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1910.

—- "The Portolá Expedition of 1769-1770, Diary of Miguel Costansó." Essay in Academy of Pacific Coast History, Publications, Volume II. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1911.

Thomas, Lately. Between Two Empires: The Life Story of California’s First Senator, William McKendree Gwin. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1969. Includes information on Broderick and Kohler (pp. 60-61, not numismatically accurate) and Moffat & Co. (p. 94). Extensive entries refer to David Broderick, an enemy of Gwin.

Thompson & West. History of San Joaquin County, California. Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1879. Reprint by Howell-North Books, Berkeley, CA, 1968.

—- History of Los Angeles County, California. Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1880. Reprint by Howell-North Books, Berkeley, CA, 1959.

—- History of Sacramento County, California. Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1880. Reprint by Howell-North Books, Berkeley, CA, 1960.

—- History of Nevada. Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1881. No specific author listed. Compiled by various researchers under the supervision of Col. Frank J. Gilbert, who was succeeded by Myron Angel. Includes limited information on emigration to California via the Nevada Territory in the 1840s and 1850s.

—- Historyof San Luis Obispo County, California. Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1883.

Thompson, R.A. The Russian Settlement in California: Fort Ross. Oakland, CA: Biobooks, 1951.

Thompson, Tommy. America’s Lost Treasure A Pictorial Chronicle of the Sinking and Recovery of the United States Mail Steamship Central America. New York City, NY: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1998. An excellent study of the title subject with magnificent illustrations.

Thorndike, Rachel Sherman (edited by). The Sherman Letters: Correspondence between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891. New York City, NY: Da Capo Press, 1969. Reprint of 1894 edition with modern foreword by John Y. Simon.

Thorne, Marco (edited by). "Bound for the Land of Canaan, Ho! The Diary of Levi Stowell, 1849." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1948.

Trager, James. The People’s Chronology. New York City, NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1979.

Trails West. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 1979.

Train, George Francis. An American Merchant in Europe, Asia, and Australia. New York City, NY: G.P. Putnam & Co., 1857. Mentions of the Australian gold finds of the early 1850s, "the Southern El Dorado."

Trény. La Californie Dévoilée. Translated from the French by Desiré Fricot, as "California Unveiled, Or, Irrefutable Truths Based Upon Numerous Testimonies About That Part of the World." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1944. Dramatic stories about California, including that passengers departing on "the California, like those of the Oregon, each possessed from $15,000 to $35,000," and "gold is everywhere, in enormous quantities."

Tuthill, Franklin. The History of California. San Francisco, CA: H.H. Bancroft & Co., 1866. Precursor in a way to Bancroft’s magisterial history of the West.

Tyler, David Budlong. Steam Conquers the Atlantic. New York and London: D. Appleton-Century Co., 1939. Overview of the title subject.

Tyson, James L., M.D. Diary of a Physician in California. Oakland, CA: Biobooks, 1955. Reprint of 1850 work published in New York. Tyson departed from Baltimore, January 16, 1849, aboard the schooner Sovereign, crossed at Panama, and took the British bark John Ritson north to California, leaving the ship on May 11, near Monterey, to continue on land to San Francisco. His visit was more for curiosity than gold seeking, and in the autumn he left for the East.

United States House of Representatives. Various documents c. 1848-1857.

United States Mint, Bureau of the Mint, et al. Annual Report of the Director of the Mint. Philadelphia (later, Washington), 1848–1858. Reports were on a calendar year basis through 1856, then in 1857 they went to a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30 of the following year) basis. The 1857 report is transitional and covers only January 1 through June 30, 1857, a period of six months.

United States Senate. Various documents c. 1848-1858.

Upham, Charles Wentworth. Life, Explorations, and Public Services of John Charles Frémont. Boston, MA: Ticknor and Fields, 1854.

Utley, Robert M. Fort Union and the Santa Fe Trail. El Paso, TX: Texas Western Press, University of Texas at El Paso. 1989.

Vail, R.W.G. Gold Fever: A Catalogue of the California Gold Rush Centennial Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society, 1949. New York City, NY: The New-York Historical Society, 1949.

Van Nostrand, Jeanne Skinner. "Audubon’s Ill-Fated Western Journey." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1942.

—- "The Diary of a ‘Used-up’ Miner," California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1943. Excerpts from the diary of Jacob Henry Bachman.

Ver Mehr, J.L., Rev. Checkered Life: In the Old and New World. San Francisco, CA: A.L. Bancroft and Co., 1877. Includes a visit to California in the Gold Rush era. Van Mehr was a missionary.

Verplanck, William E. The Site of the Assay Office on Wall Street. Fishkill, NY: Published by the author, 1921.

Vestal, Stanley. The Old Santa Fe Trail. New York City, NY: Bantam Books, Inc., 1957. Reprint of 1939 Houghton Mifflin work.

von Chamisso, Adelbert. "A Visit to San Francisco in 1816." The Overland Monthly, March 1873. Translated from the German account.

Waite, Edwin G. "Pioneer Mining." From Century magazine, February and May 1891, reprinted as Chapter 1 in The Discovery of Gold in California. Palo Alto, CA: Lewis Osborne, 1968.

Walker, Henry Pickering. The Wagonmasters: High Plains Freighting from the Earliest Days of the Santa Fe Trail to 1880. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1966.

Ward, H.C. "Stage Coach Days in California: Reminiscences of H.C. Ward." Edited by Oscar Osburn Winther. California Historical Society Quarterly, September 1934.

Warner, Barbara R. The Men of the Bear Flag Revolt and Their Heritage. Spokane, WA: The Arthur H. Clark Publishing Co. for the Sonoma Valley Historical Society, 1996.

Watson, Douglas S. California in the Fifties. San Francisco, CA: John Howell, 1936. Town and mining views of the 1850s reproduced with commentary.

Way, Frederick, Jr. Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1983. Athens, Ohio; London: Ohio University, 1983. Includes information on steamers using the Mississippi River system which carried gold seekers to California.

Wayman, John Hudson. A Doctor on the California Trail: The Diary of Dr. John Hudson Wayman, 1852. Edited by Edgeley Woodman Todd. Denver, CO: Old West Publishing Co., 1971.

Webster, Kimball. The Gold Seekers of ’49: A Personal Narrative of the Overland Trail and Adventures in California and Oregon from 1849 to 1854. Manchester, NH: Standard Book Co., 1917. Webster’s party, mostly from New Hampshire, took the California Trail, with some diversions (including the mistake of going north of South Pass and looking for another route to Fort Hall; and, using misleading advice, taking the "Greenhorn’s Cutoff" to bypass the Humboldt Sink, involving several hundred extra miles of travel).

Weed, L.N. "The Diary of L.N. Weed." Included in Gold Rush Desert Trails to San Diego and Los Angeles in 1849. Edited by George M. Ellis. San Diego, CA: Brand Book Number Nine, San Diego Corral of the Westerners, 1995.

Weldon, J.C. "Commercial Panics." The Overland Monthly, February 1874. Includes a discussion of the Panic of 1857 and its effects worldwide.

Weston, Otheto. Mother Lode Album. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1948. Modern views of the gold district with accompanying narrative.

Wheat, Carl I. "The Rocky-Bar Mining Co.: An Episode in Early Western Promotion and Finance." ." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1933. Quartz mining operation promoted in 1850.

—- Trailing the Forty-Niners Through Death Valley. Reprinted from the Sierra Club Bulletin, Vol. XXIV, No. 3, June 1939.

—- The First One Hundred Years of Yankee California. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office for the Library of Congress, 1949. Text of "address at the opening of the Library of Congress Centennial Exhibit, November 12, 1949."

—- (commentary by). Pictorial Humor of the Gold Rush. San Francisco, CA: Grabhorn Press for The Book Club of California, 1953. Series of folders enclosing copies of 19th century illustrations, with modern commentaries by Carl I. Wheat, Oscar Lewis, Jane Grabhorn, and others.

—- (notes and introduction by). The Shirley Letters from the California Mines 1851-1852. New York City, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1961. Letters of Louise (nom de plume: Dame Shirley) Clappe from California to her sister, written in 1851 and 1852 and first published in The Pioneer Magazine, San Francisco, 1854 and 1855.

White, Lonnie J., and William R. Gallaspie (editors). By Sea to San Francisco, 1849-50: The Journal of Dr. James Morison. Memphis, TN: Memphis State University Press, 1977. This narrative of a journey to California via Cape Horn, by a native of New Hampshire and 1844 Harvard graduate, contains many fascinating vignettes of people, places, and things—by a traveler who obviously enjoyed the experience, a contrast to the typical sea narrative.

White, Stewart Edward. The Forty-Niners. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1918. School textbook on the title subject. Basic information.

Whitwell, Gertrude Howard. "William Davis Merry Howard." California Historical Society Quarterly, December 1948. Collection of letters, of which one mentions the S.S. George Law.

Wienpahl, Robert W. (edited by). A Gold Rush Voyage on the Bark Orion from Boston Around Cape Horn to San Francisco, 1849-1850. A unique record based upon the journals of Foster H. Jenkins, Henry S. Bradley, Seth Draper, Ezekiel Barra. Glendale, CA: Arthur H. Clark Co., 1978.

Wierenga, Theron. The Gold Rush Mail Agents to California and Their Postal Markings 1849-1852. Muskegon, MI: Published by the author, 1987. Includes steamship sailing and arrival dates, postal information, and more.

Wierzbicki, F.P. California as It Is and as It May Be: Or, A Guide to the Gold Fields. San Francisco, CA: Printed by Washington Bartlett, 1849. Reprint by Burt Franklin, New York, 1970. One of the more factual and useful guides published in 1849.

Wilkes, Charles. Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition. 5 volumes. Philadelphia, PA: Printed by Sherman, for Congress, 1844. Howes (U.S. IANA): "100 sets printed, 63 of which were given to states and foreign nations and 25 were destroyed by fire." Later reprint editions in varying formats: 1845, 1849, 1850, 1851, and 1852. "The first United States scientific expedition by sea. Wilkes sailed along and surveyed the whole Northwest coast and his exploring parties penetrated into the interior at many points. The official edition of the Narrative was followed, 1846-1858, by volumes giving scientific data; these were numbered 6 to 17, 20 and 33 (volumes 18, 19, 22, and 24 never issued)." Vol. V includes a description of California recorded in 1841.

—- Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, U.S. Navy 1798-1877. Edited by William James Morgan, David B. Tyler, Joye L: Leonhart, and Mary F. Loughlin. Introduction by Rear Admiral John D.H. Kane, Jr., USN (Ret.). Washington, DC: Naval History Division, Department of the Navy, 1978. History according to Wilkes (a bit different from accounts printed elsewhere; the court martial that found him guilty on all counts, was in Wilkes’ view, made up an old man, various political enemies, etc.). Amusing if read in parallel with contemporary accounts by those who knew the tyrannical, egotistical Wilkes (e.g., that by Titian Peale, who was on the U.S. Exploring Expedition; accounts in newspapers, etc.).

Williams, David A. David C. Broderick: A Political Portrait. San Marino, CA: The Huntington Library, 1869. Includes sparse information about his partnership with Frederick D. Kohler, taken from Edgar H. Adams (1913).

Williams, Mary Floyd (edited by). Papers of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1851. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1919.

Willis, William L. History of Sacramento County, California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Co., 1913.

Wiltsee, Ernest A. "The City of New York on the Pacific." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1933. Town planned in 1849 at a bayside location 65 miles from San Francisco. It fell far short of the hopes of its promoters.

—- Gold Rush Steamers of the Pacific. San Francisco, CA: Grabhorn Press, 1938. A superbly researched and written text of excellent historical reliability.

Winther, Oscar Osburn. "The Story of San Jose, 1777-1869: California’s First Pueblo." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1932.

Wismer, D.C. "Banks and Banking Institutions." The Numismatist, June 1942. Listing of the dates and names of the first banks opened in each state including California.

Wood, Richard Coke. Murphys: Queen of the Sierra. Angeles Camp, CA: Calaveras Californian, 1948. Reprinted 1982 by Abrahamson Printing, Lodi, CA.

Woods, Daniel B. Sixteen Months at the Gold Diggings. New York City, NY: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1852.

Woodworth, Francis C. The Young American’s Life of Frémont. New York and Auburn, NY: Miller, Orton & Mulligan, 1856.

Woolley, L.H. California 1849-1913, Or the Rambling Sketches and Experiences of Sixty-Four Years’ Residence in that State. Oakland, CA: DeWitt & Snelling, 1913. Woolley was a member of the Vigilance Committee of 1856 and of the Society of California Pioneers.

Wright, Benjamin C. Banking in California, 1849-1910. San Francisco, H.S. Crocker Co., Printers, 1910.

—- San Francisco’s Ocean Trade, Past and Future. San Francisco: A. Carlisle & Co., 1911.

Wright, E.W. (edited by). Lewis & Dryden’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Portland, OR: Lewis & Dryden Publishing Co, 1895.

Wyman, Walker D. (compiled by). "California Emigrant Letters." California Historical Society Quarterly, March 1945 through December 1945. Letters published in newspapers.

—- (editor). California Emigrant Letters. New York City, NY: Bookman Associates, Publishers, 1952. Collection of letters, mostly published in contemporary newspapers, sent from Californians to recipients back in the East.

Yeoman, R.S. "The Emergency Coinage of the California Gold Rush." The Numismatist, September 1944.

Young, John P. San Francisco: A History of the West Coast Metropolis. Vol. I and II. San Francisco, CA: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912.