Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/168



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state of  things  was  quickly  changed,  however. It was a  new  experience  for  them,  this  contact  with Anglo-Americans of  the  ruder  sort,  strong,  shrewd, and overbearing,  too  often  impudent  and  hi  suiting, too many  of  them  unprincipled,  with  a  sprinkling  of unmitigated  rascality. The mild  and  ignorant  tropi- cal man shrank  from  them  at  first,  then  grew  sullen and suspicious,  and  finally  fell  to  cheating  in  return, though never  able  in  this  last  accomplishment  to equal  his  bright  exemplar.

Two pilgrims  landing  at  Chagres  from  the  steam- ship Isthmus, in  January  1849,  the  Quaker  City  then lying in  the  harbor,  hired  bongos  for  themselves  and baggage, proceeded  up  the  river  to  the  head  of  navi- gation, then transferred  their  belongings  to  the  backs of mules,  riding  one  between  them,  alternately,  and so proceeded  to  Panamd. This was  then  the  usual way. The steamer  California  was  there,  having  just come round  Cape  Horn,  and  having  on  board  some sixty passengers  from  Valparaiso.

There was  quite  a  panic  among  the  travellers,  sev- eral thousands of  whom  were  collected  there,  waiting for an  opportunity  to  proceed  to  San  Francisco  by  any conveyance whatever. There was  much  imprudence among them. The excessive  use  of  intoxicating  liquors, eating tropical  fruits  to  which  they  were  unaccustomed, and heavy  rainfalls,  contributed  to  develop  sickness among them. It was  diflficult  to  obtain  accommoda- tions; people were  crowded,  and  many  died  from cholera and  fever. Many of  the  persons  on  the  Isth- mus at the  time  had  tickets  only  to  that  point,  and tickets from  there  to  San  Francisco,  for  deck  passage, were sold  as  high  as  six  hundred  dollars. The steam- ers could not  furnish  acconnxiodations  for  so  many persons. The steamship  compan}^  allowed  a  certain number of  tickets  to  be  drawn,  but  there  was  much trickery in  this. In order  that  there  might  be  fair play, some  of  the  outsiders  were  called  in ;  but  gam- blers and other  improper  persons  having  been  selected.