Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/144



water, more  like  floating  hotels,  more  spacious  and commodious than  those  on  the  rougher  Atlantic.

When I  reached  New  York,  in  February  1852,  the rush for  California  still  continued,  though  in  a  some- what modified form. A little  regularity  was  emerging from the  original  chaos. The steamship  office  was not now  mobbed  the  night  before  the  advertised  day for selling  tickets,  nor  were  sailing  vessels  despatched daily for  Chagres,  to  empty  their  passengers  into  that infectious climate,  leaving  them  to  complete  their journey as  best  they  might. For this,  however,  the ship owners  were  not  to  blame. So wild  had  been the excitement,  so  insane  were  men  to  get  at  this newly discovered  gold,  that  thousands  would  recklessly take passage  on  any  craft  to  Chagres,  and  trust  their chances to  get  from  Panamd  to  San  Francisco. This they did  knowing  the  berths  on  all  the  steamers  were engaged for  months  to  come,  and  that  multitudes were waiting  passage,  both  at  New  York  and  Panama ; but as  it  was  every  man  for  himself,  each  was  sure that by  some  means,  natural  or  supernatural,  he  would manage to  get  through. Before this,  clamorous crowds used  to  collect  in  front  of  the  ticket-office previous to  the  departure  of  every  steamer,  and  there remain for  days  and  nights,  so  as  to  be  ready  the  mo- ment the door  was  opened. Sailing vessels  were taken from  the  fishing  or  freighting  service,  and  fitted up with  a  temporary  deck  below,  the  space  between which and  the  upper  deck  formed  a  dormitory  and saloon. Round the  sides  of  this  between-decks  were three or  four  tiers  of  open  berths,  and  in  the  centre piles of  luggage,  passengers'  stores,  rough,  hanging shelves for  tables,  and  boxes  and  benches  for  chairs, there being  no  such  thing  as  caste  among  the  passen- gers, or cabin,  or  separate  apartments,  save  the  cap- tain's room. And thus,  like  the  boat  of  Charon,  these vessels plied,    and    ere    they  landed    their    prurient