The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-04-20
A Jersey Boy in California.

Mr. William E. Morford, of New JERSEY, who
sailed for California, writes the Sussex Register
under date of SIS San Francisco, JAM 6, 1S49," as
follows: "Upon our arrival at Mon
terey, we heard of the gold mines, and emblazoned
as the accounts were, they at once gave me the
the idea of seeking my fortune among them. After
our arrival at San Francisco, most of our men,
including the cook andsteward, ran away from us :
the captain then begged the residue to stay by the
ship until she was discharged, and then he would
give us clear ofdcuble our wages, Ito double mine
would be twice is Ga slim chance). However,
the remainder left, excepting D., the sai.-maker
and myself After which the captain remarked
as you are an apprentice, am in duty bound to
return you to New York, and refused me my dis
charge whereupon took French leave for the
mines. After walking about 300 miles through the
Spanish Ranches, | arrived at Suffers Fort on the
Sacramento. l then proceeded on horseback
Capt. Suffer having given me mustang) to the
North fork of Rio Americana.
worked about eleven days, averaging S104
per day-was then taken sick with the fever, and
had very severe time of it. received four visits
from the nearest doctor, which was 60 miles off,
and paid him to the tune of $6O0-$l5O per visit
leaving me with about $50 in pocket, after paving
for my provisions, which are high, in proportion,
[encIosed is price currentl -
Il then returned to the Fort on foot having lost
my horse. Capt Suffer gave me EN- plovment in
carrying the chain with Eieut. Warner, who was
surveying town about the Fort, called New Hell
vetia. Here, was very badly poisoned as it is
called, 10y the noxious shrubbery with which came
in contact, and was obliged to relinquish the
business.
After the ship left here, l returned, and found
one of my most intimate New York friends, for
merry assistant paying tel ID in the Merchants
Bank, Thos. J. Roach he Game out here as LIST
Lieutenant Of the Volunteers. Through his infu-
ence obtained situation as Purser's Clerk uR
board the sloop-of war st. Mary about week
after which the Purser died, and Capt Crownin-
shield appointed his nephew Purser, and he took
his brother as Clerk, thus depriving me of my
situation.
Roach then obtained me another situation with
Messrs. Cross, Hobsin & Co., extensive merchants
both here and at Valparaiso, with salary of $50
a month and boarded; board is $50 week
indeed every thing IL at an enormous price at pre-
sent. | still remain with them but as soon as
collect money enough, ! shall return home for
can live much better on $50 month in New York
than here for $50. Then there is no society here
it is ten times worse than Wisconsin; with gam
blers innumerable, and the Spanish gamblers will
murder you with good will for your clothes or
blankets. You may judge the state of society,
also, by great part of it being composed of dis
banded soldiers and runaway sailors.
have acquired considerable Spanish, for can
assure you when your subsistence depends on your
speaking that language, you will soon tumble
together enough to indicate what you want.
/ have found that Spanish girl is the best gram
mar in the world and since my arrival iR town, /
have been-stwdyJng grammar.