The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-08-30
CALIFORNIA.

|
of the incidents of trip by sea to Califor-
MIA, will be read, we think, with interest.
1t is certainly natural and graphic, and
perfectly worthy OF confidence.
BARK GALINDo, at sea, June 5, lSs9.
DEAR s.; How are your Give US a shake, good
5000 mile shake of the hand, and imagine doing
the same The South American coast is just loom
ing up through the morning haze. Our morning
attitudes give MS the latitude of Cape st. Thomas,
so we shall probably be in Rio by tomorrow even
ing, or on Thursday at the latest am going to
give you brief sketch of our voyage thus far, which
you can publish if you think it worth the ink and
paper, as it will give yourself and others an idea of
how we emgrants fare in 'sgoing to Kaliforney."
We left the goodly city Of Gotham at 10 a. m April
7th, and with the good wishes and hearty cheers of
the assembled multitude, and the convulsive bark
ing OF two FOUNDER placed ON the forward deck of
our towboat. We were saluted from several points
along the East river, passed rapidly by; the
morning was beautiful one and we could not but
take it as happy omen OF a prosperous voyage, as
gazed on the bright sky overhead, and felt the
fine sea breeze tanning cheeks. Our vessel hav-
ing been turned about two three times by the
wind, despite the desperate exertons of our steam
tug to the contrary, we cast OF our towline and set
sail II seemed To me. at the time, that our good
vessel had more love for and appreciation Of the
comforts OF home than some of her passengers,
and was cndeavoring to return. On Sunday morn
ing we stood out for sea, and at once began to
ganizc our community into messes of ten members
each, appointing for all steward, the duty of
whom il was TO go to the galley for provisions for
the mess, in the shape Of bean SOUP scouse, boiled
mush the may be; his term of Office is for
one week, when another takes his place, and
in rotation. ] had the honor of being elected
steward Of our mess for the first week; but found
that, like many other public offices, the pay was
remarkably poor, and the perquistes and honors
COMPOUNDED dirty; our provisions are dealt out to the
messes on certain days with great regularity, and
the usual terms of Monday, Tuesday, ETC., have
day, Mush day, Pea day, Scouse day, Duff day,
Goldfish day, and Rice day Some Of our friends
may not be acquainted with all of these technical
TERMS and description OF some of our dishes will,
no doubt, prove interesting. ! would not advise
any of your housewives, however, to try the expert
ment OF making these choice dishes of ours, for they
would most inialliby prove to be failures, unless
with the accompaniment OF a sea-breeze. And for
sauce, the fact that you can't get any thing else to
eat the greatest luxury we have is duff, and the
recurrence of Duff day is hailed with great Joy, and
produces most remarkable effect the phisiogs
Of our boys, shortening them by several inches, and
elevating the angles OF the mouth considerably. 1t
is made with wheat flour, mixed to due consist
ence with salt water and fat pork, put into bag
and boiled until hard, to be taken by the tin painful
with butter and molasses, ad ibitm. Methinks
hear you say, "Vive la California!--who wouldn't
be one of the Cape Horn band?'' Occasionally we
are fortunate enough to harpoon porpoise from
the bows, and have porpoise steak served up for
breakfast, which does not gro bad. We were all
more or less sick for few days, and the cooks
Office, during that time, almost sinecure.
The second day out we had little rice boiled for
the sick, which, with little sugar molasses over
IT, was quite palatable and it was amusing enough
to see them ocking, with most dolorous faces, for
ward to the galley, each with a tin cup, saying,
"Plcase, good MIR. Cook, give little more rice
and moasses" Thus seven were sick in my mess.
1t reminded me Of poor Oliver Twist, asking for
more Cruel. But we are not getting along very
fast let us continue our voyage. We started with
northwest breeze our course being east southeast.
The wind gradually increased until, by Wednes-
day, it blew gale, and scud before it under
reefed opsails, the only time have been obliged
to reef since we left New York Some rich scenes
were enacted on board during this blow. Just inn
aglne yourself standing on the quarter deck and
looking forward: all hands at their dinners here
some 25 seated on and clustered round the
BOBBY hatch, discussing their eatables; another
mess, among which you may distinguish one or
two OF your acquaintance, are squatted on the deck
ga la Turk, each with his tin pan of mush, large
spoon, and teacup of coffee alongside; the vessel
gives tremendous lurch and ships over the
quarter the main part of which takes your humble
servant in the nape of the neck, and away go all
hands, washed pell- nell into the lee scuppers but
holding on like grim death to the mush and mo-
asses, which we find not improved in the slightest
by the very copious admixturc of salt water of the
coffee nought remains but the cup which contained
| it; the sugar is spoiled, and all hands are tho
roughly drenched and laughing at each other so
take hard biscuit and make The best Of it. It's
glorious sight though, when the face of old Ocean,
usually smiling and beautiful, becomes dashed
into fury by the gale, the waves rolling mountain
high, the water seemingly covered with smoke
| from the hylng spray, our good vessel scudding
and riding the sea like duck, dashing the
foam far and wide, and now shipping a which
washes her fore and aft; she shakes her sides like
huge water dog, and seems to laugh and chuckle
within herself at the fun Of due king her masters
and onward she rlshes like Mazeppa's wild steed,
but We must 60 below and find some dry clothes,
for the water Is sweeping her from stem TO stern,
| and there two or three poor devils floating in
| WlO laN bar " ayedt IN
introduction 10 Davy Jones by catching hold of the
| shrouds.
We bosVled along merrily with fair breeze until
the 10Th instant, when the wind hauled 10 the south
toard. We had a succession of Ii ht and battling
winds, and made little head way for eight ten
! days. About the 25th instant we took the north
east trade winds in latitude 800 54, longitude 32o
80, and laid for the Cape de Verd islands.
| On the Sth Of May we came in sight Of San Anto-
Mo- forty three miles distant, the most northern
and eastern Of the group. This island is 200 feet
| high, and loomcd up like immense faint purple
cloud. We passed within twelve miles 10 the lee
ward OF IL at shutdown, and although entirely des-
ttute of vegetation, IL presented 10 us beautiful
sight, every cliff and gulley showing out clear and
distinct, but meilowed by the distance, and OF "A
beautiful orange gray inge in the rays Of the set
ting sun. We passed the island Of Bravo the next
| day. but did not see il account of the haze laid
more to the eastward The northeast trade
winds now began 10 fail they left entirely In
latitude 70 north, longitude 22o west. From the
| 18th 10 the 10th had specimens of the
Gains and light winds, with squalls, which are al
ways encountered in crossing the line; the 18th
| we very narrowly escaped whrlwind we were in
latitude % 2S; the morning cloudy, with squalls
| now and then. We saw the whirlwind forming in a
heavy cloud some three miles from US, about four
| points of the lee-bow; il down upon with
almost incredible rapidity, and the order was inn
mcdiately given to cast all loose. All, "then there
was hurrying 10 and fro," and many cheek
blancbed; sheets and tacks flying, and the
yards lowered 10 the caps instanter; unwelcome
| ncghbOr was by this time within three hundred
yards Of U.S. the wind had entirely ceased, the rain
| was pouring upon us in an almost unbroken sheet
| Of water, and our vessel presented q most mourn
ful sight, with every rope apd sail loose and flying,
and, a. II were, awaiting her doom. The whrl-
wind crossed our bow, and then bore down direct
] ly Tor us. When within about twice the length Of
ship, IL seemed 10 hesitate, remained stationary
| tor few moments, Fearful they were 10 us,) and
4 then gradually d,-~p~ted. We breatbcd once more.
| Heaven grant we may never another such, for
had Il struck us, IL Would probably have swept our
decks and left us helpless and upgighsly wreck.
Some, too would have lost the number Of their
| without dQpbt. We had fair view as Il Missed and
smoked in It's lightning gyrations, making the SUR
fsce of the waves appear like huge boiling csul-