Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/174



the kaleidoscope  of  unsanctified  human  nature  and Hberated passion  turned  back  discomfited,  and  sought his home  by  the  steamer  that  brought  him. If the infernal regions  were  to  be  bombarded  for  this  gold, they would  pause  and  consider  the  matter. Then there were  yet  those  fastened  by  fate  in  this  magnifi- cent cesspool of  tropical  putrescence  who  could  get neither way;  who  having  taken  their  chances  of reaching  California  had  lost. Happy indeed  would they have  been  if  they  could  have  gone  forward  in any  direction. And there  were  those,  saffron- visaged skeletons, stretched  side  by  side  on  cots,  in  the  heated rooms of  hotels,  on  whom  death  had  set  its  seal,  with no loved  one  near  to  ease  the  achino;  limb  or  wet  the parched tongue.

Passengers in  India  rubber  and  oilcloth  suits,  singly and in  amalgamated  groups  of  quondam  friendships, armed with  pistols,  guns,  knives,  umbrellas,  and  life- preservers, mild-mannered  as  belted  brigands,  were  on the  qui  vive  lest  assassination  should  add  their  car- casses to the  many  significant  mounds  in  the  vicinity. Equipped with  drinking-cups,  pots,  kettles,  forks, spoons, and  air-beds,  with  stores  of  meat,  bread, brandy, and  pills,  all  were  rushing  about  bargaining, swearing, and  whooping,  impatient  to  be  off. Bam- boo-faced patrones ranting  bad  Spanish,  in  broad- bottomed pantaloons,  colored  muslin  shirts,  and  broad- brimmed jipijapa  hats,  with  huge  cigars  in  their sensual mouths,  having  fleets  or  boats  at  their command, formed  the  central  figure  of  excited  groups. Canoes from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  feet  in  length,  dug from a  single  log  of  bay  or  mahogany,  and  capable  of carrying  from  four  to  ten  persons  with  their  luggage, could be  engaged  to  Gorgona  for  from  thirty  to  fifty dollars and  a  bottle  of  brandy  for  the  boatmen. The patron usually  accompanied  his  fleet,  steering  one  of the  boats.

Our boat  is  engaged — it  has  an  awning  to  protect