Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/175



US from  alternate  sun  and  rain — our  baggage  stowed, and we  have  settled  into  as  comfortable  positions  r.s our  cargo  will  permit. One glance  at  the  j  angling- crowd upon  the  bank,  and  we  are  off. After all  there is something  touching  in  the  scene. The steamer  we had  an  idea  would  bring  character  to  the  surface ;  but now we  find  we  knew  little  of  our  neio-hbors  before they stepped  ashore,  and  assumed  their  respective parts for  the  Isthmus  extravaganza. The burly  man  and loud talker,  that  we  imagine  mig-ht  brave  boatmen  or boa  constrictors,  now  puffs  and  sweats  about  the  outer edge of  a  knob  of  determined  actors,  among  whom  the little quiet  boyish-looking  fellow,  with  short,  slight frame, small  hand,  and  delicate  features,  assumes  au- thority as by  appointment. In such  an  emergency mind and  resolute  daring,  of  their  own  inherent  vir- tue, form a  nucleus  round  which  grosser  substance gravitates. Then what  a  history  they  have,  every one of  them. In their  outre  guise,  with  all  their  inor- dinate desires and  liberated  propensities,  their  fretful fault-findings, stupid  misunderstandings,  and  morbid restlessness, there  is  an  air  of  stormy  grandeur  about them. They are  heroes  and  martyrs,  in  their  way. Have they  not  left  quiet  peace  for  troubled  wander- ings, abandoned loving;  hearts  for  loneliness  ? Have they not  for  sweet  charity's  sake  blinded  their  eyes  to the  rosy  smiles  of  children,  stopped  their  ears  to  the passionate sobs  of  wife  and  mother  and  sister,  steeled their affections  against  home  and  its  sanctifying  mem- ories, and cast  themselves  adrift,  aye,  plunged  their souls into  a  gehenna  of  hi  quietude  and  stinging  battle?

Two or  four  or  six  shining,  black,  thick-limbed  and muscular negroes,  uniting  with  the  African  wooly hair, and  protruding  lips,  a  Moorish  aquiline  nose,  or as  many  lighter  colored,  and  lighter  limbed  natives, propelled the  boats  up  the  stream  by  means  of  poles, at an  average  speed  of  a  mile  an  hour. Taking their stand upon  the  broadened  edges  of  the  canoe  on  either