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THE ISTHMUS TRANSIT.

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experience and imprudent indulgences of the newcomers gave full scope to the malarial germs in the swamps around. Cholera broke out in a malignant form, following the hurrying crowds up the river, and striking down victims by the score. Such was the death-rate at Cruces, the head of navigation, that the second current of emigrants stopped at Gorgona in

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affright, thence to hasten away from the smitten river course. 10 Again they were checked by the scarcity of pack-animals, by which the overland transit was

10 References to the suffering victims, and causes, in Roach's Stat., MS., 1; First Steamship Pioneers, 84-5; Frémont's Amer. Travel, 66-8; Sutton's Early Exper., MS., 1; Hawley's Stat., MS., 2-3; Neall's Stat., MS., 22-4; Advent. Captain's Wife, 18.

accomplished. Numbers abandoned their luggage and merchandise, or left them to the care of agents to be irretrievably lost in the confusion, and hurried to Panamá on foot. From Cruces led an ancient paved trail, now dilapidated and rendered dangerous along many of the step-cut descents and hill-side shelves. From Gorgona the passenger had to make his way as best he could."1

Panamá was a place of special attraction to these wayfarers, as the oldest European city on the American continent,12 and for centuries the great entrepôt for Spanish trade with Pacific South America and the Orient, a position which also drew upon it much misery in the form of piratic onslaughts with sword and torch. With the decline of Iberian supremacy it fell into lethargy, to be roused to fresh activity by the new current of transit. It lies conspicuous, before sea or mountain approach, upon its tiny peninsula which juts into the calm bay dotted with leafy isles. The houses rise as a rule to the dignity of two stories of stone or adobe, with long lines of balconies and sheltering verandas, dingy and sleepy of aspect, and topped here and there by tile-roofed towers, guarding within spasmodic bells, marked without by time-encroaching mosses and creepers. Along the shady streets lounge a bizarre mixture of every conceivable race: Africans shining in unconstrained simplicity of nature; bronzed aborigines in tangled hair and gaudy shreds; women of the people in red and yellow; women of the upper class in dazzling white or sombre black; caballeros in broad-rimmed Panamá hats and white pantaloons, and now and then the broad Spanish cloak beside the veiling mantilla; while foreigners of the blond type in slouched hats and rough garb stalk everywhere, ogling and peering.

"Later rose frequent bamboo stations and villages, with Funks and hammocks, and vile liquors. An earlier account of the route is given in Molien's Travels, 409-13. Little, Stat., MS., 1-4 had brought supplies for two years. The oldest standing city, if we count from the time of its foundation on an adjoining site.

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The number and strength of the emigrants, armed and resolute, placed the town practically in their hands; but good order prevailed, the few unruly spirits roused by the cup being generally controlled by their comrades. Compelled by lack of vessels to wait, they settled down into communities, which quickly imparted a bustling air to the place, as gay as deferred hope, dawning misery, and lurking epidemics permitted; with American hotels, flaring business signs, drinkingsaloons alive with discordant song and revelling, and with the characteristic newspaper, the Panamá Star, then founded and still surviving as the most important journal of Central America. 15

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The suspense of the Argonauts was relieved on the 30th of January, 1849, by the arrival of the California,16 to be as quickly renewed, since with accommodation for little over 100 persons, the steamer could not properly provide even for those to whom throughtickets had been sold, much less for the crowd struggling to embark. After much trouble with the exasperated and now frantic men, over 400 were received

13 The attempt of local authorities at arrest was generally frustrated by armed though harmless bluster, as Hawley, Observ., MS., 2-3, relates. Nearly half the population was foreign by February 1849, two thirds of this being American. The number rose as high as 3,000 during the year.

14As described in the Eldorado, i. 25-7, of Taylor, who was himself an Argonaut; in Massett's humorous Experiences, MS., 1-10; Ryan's Judges and Crim., 78-9; Little's Stat., MS., 1-3; Roach's Facts, MS., 1. Washington's birthday was celebrated with procession, volleys, and concert. Panamá Star, Feb. 24, 1849.

15 It was started by J. B. Bidleman & Co. on Feb. 24, 1849, as a weekly, at one real per copy; advertisements $2 per square, and contained notices of arrivals, protest, local incidents, etc.; printers, Henarie & Bochman. The later Herald was incorporated and added to the title. Additional details on

Panamá occurrences in Revere's Keel and Saddle, 151-4; Willey's Pers. Mem., MS., 58-62; Sherwood's Cal., MS., 27; Connor's Early Cal., MS., 1-2; Low's Observ., MS., 1. See also list. Cent. Am., iii., this series.

16 She had been three weeks longer on the trip than was expected, owing to fogs, etc. The first steamer of the Atlantic line, the provisional Falcon, had left New York on Dec. 1st, before the real excitement began, with the president's message of Dec. 5th, so that she carried comparatively few passengers from there, among them four clergymen and some army men. An account of the voyage is given in First Steamer Pioneers, 43 et seq. See also Willey's Pers. Mem., MS., 1-36; Williams' Early Days, MS., 2-3, both written by passengers. At New Orleans, however, Dec. 12th-18th, she encountered the gold fever and was quickly crowded with over 200 persons, Gen. Persifer F. Smith, the successor of Gov. Mason, embarking with his staff. Chagres was reached on Dec. 26th. U. S. Gov. Doc., 32d cong. 1st sess., Sen. Doc. 50.

on board to find room as best they could. Many a one, glad to make his bed in a coil of rope, paid a higher fare than the state-room holder; for steerage tickets rose to very high prices, even, it is said, to $1,000 or more."

Even worse was the scene greeting the second steamer, the Oregon, which arrived toward the middle of March,18 for by that time the crowd had doubled. Again a struggle for tickets at any price and under any condition. About 500 were received, all chafing with anxiety lest they should arrive too late for the gold scramble, and prepared to sleep in the rigging rather than miss the passage. 19 And so with the Panamá, which followed. 20

Little's Stat., MS., 1-4; Henshaw, Stat., MS., 1, says the agents fixed steerage tickets at $1,000. A certain number were sold by lot, with much trickery. They also attempted to exclude tickets sold at New York after a certain date, but were awed into compliance. Low's Stat., MS.; Deane's MS., 1; Roach's Stat., MS., 2. Holders of tickets were offered heavy sums for them. Moore's Recol., MS., 2. For arrangements on board, see Vanderbilt, Miscel. Stat., MS., 32-3. Authorities differ somewhat as to the number of passengers. About 400, say the Panamá Star, Feb. 24, 1849; Alta Cal., Feb. 29, 1872; Bulletin, Feb. 28, 1865; Oakland Transcript, March 1, 1873; the Oakland Alameda County Gazette, March 8, 1873, says 440; Crosby, Stat., MS., 10-14, has about 450; while Stout, in his journal, says nearly 500. In First Steamship Pioneers, 201-360, a brief biographical sketch is given to each of the following passengers of the California on her first trip, many of whom have subsequently been more or less identified with the interests of the state: H. Whittell, born in Ireland in 1812; L. Brooke, Maryland, 1819; A. M. Van Nostrand, N. Y., 1816; De Witt C. Thompson, Mass., 1826; S. Haley, N. Y., 1816; John Kelley, Scotland, 1818; S. Woodbridge, Conn., 1813; P. Ord, Maryland, 1816; J. McDongall; A. A. Porter, N. Y., 1824; B. F. Butterfield, N. H., 1817; P. Carter, Scotland, 1808; M. Fallon, Ireland, 1815; W. G. Davis, Va, 1804; C. M. Radcliff, Scotland, 1818; R. W. Heath, Md, 1823; Wm Van Vorhees, Tenn., 1820; W. P. Waters, Wash., D. C., 1826; R. B. Ord, Wash., 1827; S. H. Willey, N. H., 1821; S. F. Blasdell, N. Y., 1824; H. F. Williams, Va, 1828; O. C. Wheeler, N. Y., 1816; E. L. Morgan, Pa, 1824; R. M. Price, N. Y., 1818.

18A delay caused by the temporary disabling of the Panamá, which should have been the second steamer. The Oregon had left New York in the latter part of Dec. and made a quick trip without halting in Magellan Straits, though touching at Valparaíso, Callao, and Payta. R. II. Pearson commanded. Sutton, Exper., MS., 1, criticises his ability; he nearly wrecked the vessel. Little's Stat., MS., 3, agrees.

19 She stayed at Panamá March 13th-17th. Among the passengers surviving in California in 1863 were John H. Redington, Dr McMillan, A. J. McCabe, Mrs Petit and daughter, Thomas E. Lindenberger, John McComb, Edward Connor, S. H. Brodie, William Carey Jones, Smyth Clark, M. S. Martin, John M. Birdsall, Stephen Franklin, Major Daniels, F. Vassault, G. K. Fitch, William Cummings, Mme. Swift, Mr Tuttle, Judge Aldrich, James Tobin, Fielding Brown, James Johnson, Dr Martin. Some of these had come by the second steamer of the Atlantic mail line, the Isthmus, which arrived at Chagres Jan. 16th.

20 Which arrived at Panamá in the early part of May, leaving on the 18th.

VESSELS IN DEMAND.

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As one chance after another slipped away, there were for those remaining an abundance of time and food for reflection over the frauds perpetrated upon them by villanous ship-owners and agents, to say nothing of their own folly. The long delay sufficed to melt the scanty means of a large number, preventing them from taking advantages of subsequent opportunities; and so to many this isthmian bar to the Indies proved a barrier as insurmountable as to the early searchers for the strait. Fortunately for the mass a few sailing vessels had casually arrived at Panamá, and a few more were called from adjoining points; but these were quickly bought by parties or filled with miscellaneous passengers," and still there was no lessening of the crowd. In their hunger for gold, and

There had been a reprehensible sale of tickets in excess of what these steamers could carry; 700 according to Connor, Stat., MS., 1. Lots were drawn for steerage places by the holders of tickets on paying $100 extra. D. D. Porter, subsequently rear admiral, commanded, succeeded by Bailey. Low's Stat., MS., 2; S. F. Bulletin, June 4, 1869; Alta Cal., June 4, 1867; Burnett's Recol., MS., ii. 40-2; Deane's Stat., MS., 1-2; Barnes' Or. and Cal., MS., 26; Merrill's Stat., MS., 1. Among the passengers of the Panamá who subsequently attained distinction in California and elsewhere, I find mention of Gwin and Weller, both subsequently U. S. senators from Cal., and the latter also gov. of the state; D. D. Porter, afterward admiral; generals Emory, Hooker, and McKinstry to use their later titles; T. Butler King, Walter Colton, Jewett, subsequently mayor of Marysville, and Roland, postmaster of Sacramento; Hall McAllister, Lient Derby, humorist under the nom de plume of 'Phoenix;' Treanor, Brinsmade, Kerr, Frey, John V. Plume, Harris, P. A. Morse, John Brinsley, Lafayette Maynard, H. B. Livingstone, Alfred De Witt, S. C. Gray, A. Collins, and H. Beach. There were five or six women, among them Mrs Robert Allen, wife quart.-gen., Mrs Alfred De Witt, Mrs S. C. Gray of Benicia, and Mrs Hobson from Valparaíso.

21 One small schooner of 70 tons was offered for sale in 28 shares at $300 a share; another worthless old hulk of 50 tons was offered for $6,000. False representations had been made by agents and captains that there was a British steam line from Panamá, and equally false assurances of numerous sailing vessels; but the passengers by the Crescent City found only one brig at Panamá, and she was filled. Hawley, Stat., MS., 2-3, charges the captain of this steamer with drunkenness and abuse; he had brought a stock of fancy goods, which he managed to get forwarded by dividing among passengers who had less luggage than the steamer rules allowed. Among vessels leaving after the California, the brig Belfast of 190 tons took 76 passengers at $100 each in the middle of Feb. Panamá Star, Feb. 24, 1849. The Niantic, of subsequent lodging-house fame, came soon after from Payta, spent three weeks in fitting out, and took about 250 persons at $150. McCollum's Cal. 17, 25-6. The Alex. von Humboldt took more than 300 in May. Sac. Bee, Aug. 27, 1874. The Phoenix carried 60, and took 115 days to reach S. F.; the Two Friends, with 164 persons, occupied over five months. Sac. Rec., Sept. 10, 1874. A proportion of gold-hunters had taken the route by Nicaragua; see record of voyage in Hitchcock's Stat., MS., 1-7; Doolittle's Stat., MS., 1-21.

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