Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-02-23
A Trip to California.


mellowing itself into darkness-ihe hour
when with the curtains drawn. and no oth>
er light than clear sea coal fre-in dress
ing gown and slippers, you throw yourself
INTO an easy chair, TO watch in pensive, mel
ancholy delight, the smoke wreaths from a
good cigar, as they roll and tumble, and
mount towards the ceiling; forming now
some magnificent castle, which the next puff
knocks into 4 superb landscape, then into a
chariot and four, then into srl you love,
and finally into cooked hat.
Ii is Il dreamy hour when YOU lose yours
self in thought Of the things that have gone,
and things that arc to cone-of long lost
and absent fricnds-o( the worlds perfidv
of blighted hopes-disapponted ambition
-unrequited love-ihe rise or fall of stocks
Or the more material question, whether
in the long run you will turn out to be a
Bull, Or a Bear-majestic specimens of both
which animals a vivid fancy can perceive
among the rising smoke clouds.
My room was Il snug and comfortable
one-l was a smoker, and loved the hour
my char very easy one--an extension
chair-but alas it would not extend to Cali
formal left it like a Whit of smoke, and
on no more solid foundation, started for that
Ell Dorado.
1t was dreadful moment when uttered
"that last sad word, farewell "-when in
well meant attempt 10 kiss the tear from the
cheek of young and pretty wife. found |
only made it worse. My little daughter,
too-so young, so lovely, so engaging
fhpV aH in oil tn ,t,Dxo d.,
there was the tempting, gitlering gold of
California, 10 be had for the picking up--a
life of happiness, of independence in store
Tor them and me-a splendid house, superb
iunture-horses and servants-peiitss soup
ers-lancy balls, box at the apprenticeship
mere shawls-Derby coats-Bohemian glass
fare Burgundy-Fleur de Busy CHAINS
paign-private billiard table, country seats
and bowling alleys, blood stock and pointer
dogs-all crowding for precedence in my
imagination, no wonder | was intoxicated
and started.
The voyage TO Chagres was as prosper
Gus as could wish. The steamer, though:
crowded TO excess, dashed prou, Iy and mer-
rly along-and with the buoyancy of boy
hood, and spirits as elastic as my India rub
Der boo;s-I vaultcd on noble mule, and
accompanied, or rather followed by crowd
of my fellow passengers. and a small army
of noisy Mexicans, yelling and shouting, all
thoughts of home, of wife, of little Bessy,
vanished from my mind, and at slapping
pace | dashed across the Isthmus. Empty
dust bags flowing in festoJns from the pom
mel and back of my saddle, making very
much the same sort of appearance, that one
John GIlpin made on less important &C.
cason.
1t would be useless TO occupy time with
description of the voyage from Panama
TO San Francisco-suilice it to say, it was
speedy run-much shorter than the ord
nary passage. and | was soon at the Ell Do
RADIO. surrounded by all sorts of strange
looking people: Mexicans, Indians, Span
iards, Sandwich Islanders and Down East
Yankees. But the G Old never was any
thing like it! Ii was not only in the earth
under your feet, but in the waters below.
Not only in the hands and pockets of the
veriest loalers. but it glis,ened in their mat
ted hair, il fell in showers from their tattered
garments, as they walked-and when they
condescended to shake the dust off their
shoes, il rested there in little heaps, it was
indeed glorious, and dazzling spectacle.
| gathered it in dust, in flakes, and in
fragments. filled not only my bags, but
my most exaggerated antlcipations.
And now the moment arrived, when |
was to start, and bear all this treasure, and
my valuable self, to the longing arms Of my
dearest wife. and charming little Bessy.
At San Francisco. found vessels with
out crews; my chance Of returning by was
ter, was doubtful, improbable, at least for
months to comc-and reluctantly deters
mined TO take the overland route. My arr
engagements were soon made, and | was la
boring along on the back of an intolerabIy
hard mule, over an ouirageously hard road,
with my precious burden behind me, form
ing no very nattering anticipations of the
result Of my pcrilous nndertaking-when
suddenly my mule tripped on the very edge
of an awful precipice-and | was precipita-
ted distance of twenty feet, among stones
and briars, into The gull bclow-wth the
mule across my legs, and the bags of gold
dust upon my chest.
On returning to consciousness, the first
thing did, was to grasp the golden treas
ure, by my side-and The first thing heard,
was my wile's voice. in tones of expostu-
lation. exclaim, Goodness, gracious me
what as the matter with you Charles You
have tumbled off yonr chair, upset the CEN
he table, and are holding the astral lamp
upside down, and the oil pouring over the
carpet--achat in the name of common sense
does all you! Whiskey punch after Cham
paine don't agree with you-you had bet
ter go to bed
looked around. shook my head and re-
tired-a poorer but trust wiser man
there was either gold in my head. or brick
in my hat all next day w. /. Spirit Of
tie Times.
Don't WANT TO BE HUNG.-The editor
Of tho Niles Express says: We observe
that the Grand Jurors of tie county OF
Wayne have presented The subject Of capl>
/ tai punishment TO the consideration OF the
Court. They are in favor of rcviving it,
If it is revived, we hope it will be confined
to Wayne county. We don't want TO be
hung out this way"
All men are endowed with nalienable rights
except poor men Ali men who do not pay thei