The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-09-20
EARLY DAYS IN FRISCO.
"reminiscences of a'49er-BravIng Death
by Pesti1ence, Starvation and Drowning,
for the Sake of the Yellow Gold.

by Pesti1ence, Starvation and Drowning,
for the Sake of the Yellow Gold.
Landing in the summer of 1S49, from
Panama, on board an old Peruvian hide
droger, after a six months passage
from the States and 95 days on the Pa
cific, the human cargo arrived all alive,
but much the worse from exposure to the
elements, and diet only just removed
from absolute starvation. Ten half |
barrels of pork, few hundred pounds
of beans, a scant supply of CHILEAN
hard bread, few bales of Gillian jerk |
ed beef, both bread and beef alive with |
yermin, an insufficient supply of water,
and 100 human beings cooped up on a
142-ton vessel, combined horrors equal
to that of the middle passage, and with
several cases of Panama fever on board,
the wonder was that no death occurred,
no poor wretch wrapped in his blankets,
with a stone tied to his feet, found a
floating grave in the depths of the Pa
cific. But the King of Terrors had his
revenge, for six months after landing
not one-half the number were living.
Some were buried at Rincon Point, and
around Happy Valley, others at Sacra-
mento, and the larger number scattered
through the mining regions were placed
in shallow graves by strangers,
Unkeneled, uncof1ned and unknown.
From the first of March, 1849, till
July, cholera and yellow fever decimat-
ed those who were detained, for want
or transportation, on the Isthmus. So
anxious were all to get away that almost
every thing that would float was pressed
into service. Whale-boats were fitted
up and adventurers started out, exposed
to the elements, for a voyage of $500
miles. Several of the native bungoes
or dugouts were fitted with keels and
false sides, to sail away and never be
heard of more While one vessel lay in
Acapulco the passengers in whale
boat were brought in in the last state OF
exhaustion, having been picked up off
the harbor. A lotion schooner came
in, short of provisions and water, the
poor wretches, dozen in number, in a
half delirious state from the suffering
they had endured, in voyage of 46
DAYS from Panama.
In the brig COpiapo, in which was a
passenger, we were sc days from AGA
pulco to San Francisco, and the pas
sengers were reduced for three weeks to
four ounces of jerked beef, one hard bis
cult, two spoonfuls of molasses and one
pint of water for q hours. A company
of 80 had agreed to live in the long
boat and to have no privileges below
deck. They were exposed to the rains
of the tropics, to the cold northerly
winds off the coast of California, which,
in addition to scant and unwholesome
food, brought on diseases from which
nearly all died within few months
from the termination of the terrible
voyage.
When we arrived, two hundred sail
of abandoned vessels were anchored III
the beautiful bay. Not wharf existed
Montgomery Street, next nearest the
water, was the grand thoroughfare
crowded with rushing tide of human
ity. The buildings were principally o.
canvas, and a wealth of merchandise
was piled out of doors, exposed to pill
lage, but all were too busy, too alb
sorbed in matters of greater Importance
to steal it. On the west side of the
Plaza, already named Portsmouth
Square, was an adobe building which
was afterward used rs the POst-ol1ice
Another adobe stood on the sOutheas
corner, noted rs the place where tn,
great fire of 1851 commenced. On tn,
cast side the two principal building
were the Parker House, and next to it
on the corner of Washington Street, wa
the FL Dorado, the greatest gambling
house in the city. Apparently ever.
nation on the face of the earth was rep
resented in the motley crowd. Board
with no room in private, and no bed bu
the floor, each ledger furnishing his owl
blankets, cost from $40 to $50 a week
Liquors were sold at 80 cents drink
Some of our passengers were solicited
on landing, to roll lot of half-barrel
of pork up the bank from the boat-land
ing, and were paid dollar packag
for the job. Too i'll with fever to walk
l was taken to store and given bunl
to lie on, while preparations were bein!
made for our passage to Sacramento
and there l watched the marvelou
traffic in merchandise. A man came il
and inquired: . FL.
=, Shave you any matehes?"
Yes, )" is the laconic reply.
SHOW much CROSSE"
, "Sixteen dollars
: "Pretty stiff price, amt itP" is tn
; query. ~
"Take them or let them alone, as 20
please" is the answer.
At that moment the dealer cast hi
6 eyes upon his customer, when he e1
4 claimed:
"Why, Brown, my dear fellow,is thu
t you? am glad to see you;" and, afte
t mutual interchange of friendly sent
y ment, he said: B.
4 "Do YOU want some matches?"
;, EYES" was the answer; &c | am jul!
e starting for the mines and must hay
e some Matches"
: "Well, 1 shall charge you about 81
: gross" and with u reduction Of onl
e S14 gross he proceeded to put thel
:. up. f 't. i 40
: Never was such bewildering state {
d things. Men who came into the cOuI
o try few months previously, mere |;
: borers, were in the receipt of princel
# incomes. Lawyers, doctors and liter;