California illustrated

INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF THE PANAMA AND NICARAGUA ROUTES. BY A RETURNED CALIFORNIAN. New York: WILLIAM HOLDREDGE, PUBLISHER, NO. 140 FULTON STREET. 1852. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, BY J. M. LETTS, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. E. O. JENKINS, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER, No. 114 Nassau Street, New York. TO
OF Wood Lawn, Staten Island , THIS JOURNAL IS Most Respectfully Dedicated, BY THE AUTHOR.
I have, in these pages, endeavored to convey a correct impression, I have stated such facts only as I knew to be facts, and interspersed them with incidents that fell under my own observation. A season’s residence in the mineral regions enabled me to obtain a correct interior view of life in California. The illustrations are truthful, and can be relied upon as faithfully portraying the scenes they are designed to represent. They were drawn upon the spot, and in order to preserve characteristics, even the attitudes of the individuals represented are truthfully given. The first part of this volume is written in a concise manner, with a view to brevity, as the reader is presumed to be anxious to make the shortest possible passage to the Eldorada.
THE AUTHOR.


PANAMA AND NICARAGUA ROUTES.
SAIL FROM NEW YORK—OUR PILOT LEAVES US—LAND RECEDES PROM VIEW—SEA-SICKNESS—A WHALE—ENTER THE GULF STREAM—ENCOUNTER A GALE—ENTER THE TROPIC OF CANCER—“LAND, HO!”—CAYCOS AND TURK’S ISLANDS—ST. DOMINGO—CUBA—ENTER THE CARIBBEAN SEA—SPORTING—SUNDAY—STANDING IN FOR THE PORT OF CHAGRES—BEAUTIFUL SCENE—DROP ANCHOR.
Dear reader:—If you have visited California, you will find nothing in these pages to interest you; if you have not, they may serve to kill an idle hour. On the 27th of January, 1849, having previously engaged passage, I had my baggage taken on board the bark “Marietta,” lying at Pier No. 4, East River, preparatory to sailing for Chagres, en route to California. It was 9, A.M. A large concourse of friends and spectators had collected on the pier to witness our departure, and after two hours of confusion and excitement, we let go our hawser—and, as we swung around into the stream, received the last adieus of our friends on shore. We were taken in tow by a steam-tug, and were soon under way, our bowsprit pointing seaward. We occupied our time, while running down the bay, in writing notes to our friends, our pilot having kindly volunteered to deliver them. We passed Forts Hamilton and Diamond at 1, P.M., and at three had made Sandy Hook. Our pilot’s boat, which had been laying off, came along side to receive him; we gave our last thoughts into his charge, and bade him adieu.