The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-02-09
Written for the Yazoo Democrat.
"Reminiscences of "a TraveIHcr---A
Coach ride in California,
ny DIR. T. F. CHAMBERS.


/ was in the town of Culloma, and business call
ing me to Sacramento, proceeded to tent, from
the top pole of which. hung dangling by astring,
the half of the head of a barrel on which was
inscribed in charcoal letters, sStage Ofis;' and
by paying the sum Of twenty-five dollars, for the
journey of fifty miles, acquired all the comforts
and conveniences appertaining and belonging TO
a vehicle which the obliging Agent, obligingly
called coach )" | before said. this was ear
ly in the morning-the day opening with a
cloudless and powerful sun, giving very inn
partial foretaste of the scorching in store for
While waiting for the Agents coach, up drove
an open lumber wagon, without springs or cush-
ions, and in the place of seats, were short pie
ces of boards thrown across from side to side,
and they so lily secured TO endanger their fall
ing inward, had they not been sdunaged" with
trunks underneath. Into this, we were politely
invited to get, and take seats being too well
versed in California life to complain, in we
jumped, and commenced with our blankets, ma
king the best possible protection against the loss
of leather in our power, taking at the same time
the middle seat.
While thus employed, my attention was call
ed to couple Of Irishmen coming down the
road at 2, 40 lic vociferously yelling at the dri
YER" Ye divil ye, stop" Kape them safes for
us, yez kno" Now howld on honey dear,
didn't we's be after payIn yez an extra price fur
de same?" How'd I say How'd that's a
darlint'' Soon they arrived at the coach, and the
driver admitting the validity of the contract and
jamming their boxes and bundles tight beneath
the hind plank, they mounted and took their
safes upon the bare and rough board-seemingly
not little satisfied with the position they occu-
pied.
Two iaded, miserable, tough-skinned, long
cared, raw boned mules, endued with double
share of mulish pertinacity, were haInessed or
rather roped TO the wagon; their heads being
pointed in the right direction, the word to start
was given, and the gad laid on, as only an ac-
com plished California Jehu can apply it, and we
started off at pace which gave promise of good
time on the road. But soon our fondest hopes
were doomed TO disappointment, for in making
the crossing of the stretch of level ground on
which we started, and nearing the mountain, we
found our rate of progression constantly dimin-
ishing. The first step TO ascend the steep was
made and then it became obvious to all, that it
was likely 10 be the last, for we Were at dead
halt The gad persuader was applied, and in
justice to the Jehu. say<we, applied with hearty
will and good force, but this mode Of action
would not move them. one forward step. After
they had endured, what was in their opinion
probably, a quantum sufcit castiga;ion retro
grade notion seemed to fill their long heads, and
their limbs moved down the hill in obedience.
The gentlemen on the front seat and myself
having no taste for backward locomotion, sprang
from the wagon, intending if needs be, to footit
to the top, and were about jogging along when
a colloquy between the driver and the occupants
of the back seat, arrested our attention.
g I'm thinkn gemen, if yers disut git out an
walk up hill with toher fellers, its rale chance
if these ere blasted critters, will go step. COS
they looks behind, and if any body stays in the
wagon they knows it, an wont pull no how"
Git out an walk do yez name, ye spalpen :"
said. the spokesman of back seat, sand shure
hay'nt we's paid fur ridin in yerz go-cart ye div
il ye, may never take the linein out eos anither
bottle an put it in my own beautiful insides if l
do sich foolish thing"
'sSure, said back seat No. 2, {. the likes was
never seen! What! walk up a devlish noun
tain, an two dirty bastes to drag us! Its myself
that wont stir .fut. Devil burn me if iver
heard such impudance."
Just as this speech was made, the mules began
to rear and plunge back furiously, and were fast
approaching frightful gully, and had not one of
the wheels been checked by large rock the gen
tlemen on the back safe would have been taught
very expeditions mode of descent-for less de-
sirabIe than tramp to the mountains top. The
alarm was sufficient clambering out as fast as
they could, with good many aDathemas, they
followed our footsteps upward The mules
now satisfied from observation, that the ration
ais were defeated, submitted to be led, at a
snails pace, on the journey forward.
After while the top of the hill was gained,
and we took our seats; from the top, was rath-
er steep declivity and now, as if determined to |
make up for lost time, the mules tore down the
descent, spurnng the rein and at fail gallop, to
the great discontinue of us all. but particularly
our Hibernian friends, who set up an awful yell. |
BE my sowl but Pm kilt" "Oh
Moses, but / wish l was safe back III ould Ire
land" s'there amt farthin's worth of skin on
my poor bones," "Och Och! OH"
For our part, nothing was left to us but to
brace ourselves as best we could, and encounter
the abominable jolting with the best possible
fortitude, which, am glad to say, we did in 81
lence.
Not only did the seats of honor of the Irshmen
excoriated by the rough boards suffer, but their