Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-01-16

Apologttieal-Rr Rrptntantt-N No firtion-
Departure from the lsthmus- Gala Day-Rt.
Elections upon the crowd Of passengers-
Pacific Ocean Opinions Of old salts Brig
DistomfOrts of the vOyagt-Ara.
puleo-Suddtn change of climae-Shakcs
Arrival at San franrisco- Confusion on
board-Beat hire, &c, aH.i
PORTLAND, OREGON, Oct 90, 1850.
DEAR TINES 1T is now FIVE long months
since | wrote to you from Panama. Little did
| then think that circumstances would throw
around ME web sufficiently strong TO bar my
pen and prevent me for so long time, from
communicating with paper whose name
had the honor of selecting, and through whose
columns l so long conferred with a goodly
number of minds in the goodly pine Tree"
state. But so it has been and although
have in the mean time found opportunity to
communicate few random thoughts to YOUR
neiehbor of the Tribune, | am sure YOU will
not attribute it TO any political partiality or pre-
give you cline upon line" for the "lit,e''
which forwarded 10 them. But,
:" The best laid schemes O. mice an men,
Garg eff agiey."
and so they have proved in my case. The
golden visions which beset the pathway of the
adventurer who has arrived al the ancient Span
ish city, on his way to the iancied Eldorado,
soon melt auav and leave scaneesy wreck
The congregations Of foolish Ren who have
left their comfortable e henes, their cheerful
tires'des, their devoted friends, aud all Ihey
should hold dear, almost invariably begiu 10
experience other sickness than that suffered as
4 tribute to Neptune, very soon after leaving
the lsthmus, and extremely fortunate are The
few who do not, long before entering the Bay
of San Francisco, curse the day they Welded
10 The California fever. and breathe out deep
and significant anathemas upon the heads of
all those who may have encouraged their
QuiAoiic enterprise; indeed, almost believe
that many poor fellow has teeR led to con-
slider his nearest kin as dereici in duty Cor not
having confined him in mad-housc rather
than allow him TO make shpwreck Of all his
happiness, and all tic eaToymen,s of life, if not
life itself, upon the barren hills or in the deep
caverns Of California.
But enough Of preface. As now purpose
to make full amends for my sins of on ission TO
Seu. must go back and live over a few Of The
last months, in order that ! may the better
contribute my quota TO beget correct public
impressions among your people in relation to
this western world, aud the policy Of emigtat-
ing ihitherward. And if what may commu-
nicate In few short papers, shall tend, even
in small degree, 10 infuse into the minds of
any of yoar readers more Of conten,ed spirit,
and inspire even in The hearts of the few dis
position to ''let well enough alone and to
leave it 80 the many to do better, shall feel
that have performed an acceptable service,
and done some good in my day and generation.
Before proceeding farther will promise that
what | say, however highly colored it may ap-
pear, will be substantially correct, and may be
have seen and heard, felt and experienced, |
ask no one TO confirm; and it is only convic
tions thus produced upon my mind, which | am
disposed to communicate TO you. leave it to
others to deal in speculation and to theorise :;
for me the sober side of the question, in all its
matter-of-fact appearances, has been made
manifest and my eyes have looked upon these
appearances undazzled with the gold of the
placers, or by the brilliant schemes in the great
lottery, the blanks of which are being daily
drawn in San Francisco and Sacramento, and
distributed TO the disappointed multitudes.
1t was a lovely morning in the latter part of
May last that, in company with friends, took
passage from the Market Gate in Panama, on
board small yawl boat for the steamer Ten
nessee; then riding at anchor, some two miles
from the Battery. 1t was gala day among
the Catholic population on shore, but the fes-
tivities-save the Ginning of numerous bells
had not commenced when | embarked. Ar
irving on board the steamer some six hours
before she weighed anchor, had fine Up
portunitv 10 survey the ruined city and lis d.
lapidaied walls TO behold the beautiful harbor
studded with numerous islands; TO watch the
snyriads of pelican, gull and spike-tail as they
sailed above the surface of the water, and to
mark with varying emotions the helter-skeltei
movements Of the nearly SIX hundred passen.
gers, as they came crowding upon deck. To
a man in his proper senses, il must have beer
sad sight TO behold SO many exhibitions o.
jnfatuation, and TO reflect how few compare
lively, of that throng Of young, middle-aged
and even aged men, would realize their expec-
taiiens---how few, indeed, compared with the
whole mass, would ever behold their native
hills again, and sit down with father, mother
brother. sister, wife and children in the mids
of once happy homes. There was the sire
with beached head, who, one would suppose
would be much more fttingly employed in say
ing his prayers and in putting his house in or
der for his final long journey, than in struggling
away from home, to die while cluiching tn
golden sand there were men of middle age
whose young and growing families at home
would seem 10 have claims upon their pres
ence and personal attentions, and whose wives
doubtless, stood much in need of their aid i
guiding their youthful charge up the hill t
maturity; there were young men, with habit
loosely formed, manifesting that they had brok