Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-08-02
Dr.. Iohn J. plack in phllaaelphla Record.

Saturday, June 9th, 1858, the writer
not having reached an age where e&-
perience can act as teacher, and where
any adventure is welcomed us q novelty
embarked on the steamship Moses
Taylor, Captain John MCGOWAN, from
the foot of Warren street, New York,
en- route to San Francisco via Aspin-
wall, now known as Colon, and the
Isthmus of Panama. A tilst-class ticket
cost $500; $25 Of this going to the
Panama Railroad Co. for transportation
from Aspinwall to Panama. Ali baggage
over 100 pounds was charged at the rate
of 10 cents per pound.
The first-elass passengers had com
Portable beds in well-ventilated state |
rooms, yet they would not measure up |
/ in any particular to the demands ofNthe |
| present day. The provisions supplied |
! were good, full rations being packed in |
/ ice at New York to last until the ship
returned there. The steaks and chops,
and particularly the poultry, were said
to be very singh" at the last meal SERVED
on the return voyage. Considering the
crowd and heat tfor there was said to be
over 900 people on the ship, of probably
not over 1900 tons burthern,) the
service was excellent. Breakfast was
I bGINCu uL Q d. ll-t lhuGll Nv 1 ps Llt duu
dinner at d. m. The second-class
passengers, who paid about 5000 each
flor their tickets, made themselves as
comfortable as possible. The women
and children occupied the few state
rooms, while the less favored slept in
standee berths, as they were called,
which were put up in the evenings and
taken down early in the morning
Many who had not even these berths
rolled themselves in their blankets
wherever they could find soft spot
about the decks. With dozens Of trunks
piled and dashed in the main gangways
one may easily see what the result might
kbe in a gale of wind, likely to come at
any time on such voyage. M gale
came; Neptune favored us, and we
sailed along quietly on summer seas.
THE ROLLING MOSES.
The ship was good one; new, quite
fast for her day, but notorious roller;
even in mild weather one wheel was
generally out of the water, and | have
often seen sea come over her quarter
and duck many q contiding landsman,
much to the merriment of the more for
tunate. The second class had good
food, and plenty of il; breakfast early,
dinner midday, and supper at 3 p. M.
The Storage paid $50 each; had
enough to eat, at least enough TO quiet
them; and slept where tired natures
sweet restorer" overcame them. Prob
ably no ship at the present day would
be allowed to 60 to sea crowded as was
the Moses Taylor on that voyage, with
so little provision for the saving of life
in case OF disaster, yet the passengers
enjoyed themselves. The captain and
his officers were kept busy trimming
boat by hustling the people from tirst
one side and then the other and the
shady side was the inviting side, but tue
Rolling Moses was too cranky to allow
of too many at once INDUCING them
selves in quiet ease away from the rays
Of the tropical sun.
MOTLEY CROWD OF PASSENGERS.
There were many people prominent
among Californians returning to the
States-Captain Afterwards the distin.
guished Admiral, Alden and Mrs. Alden;
Colonel Turner Of Mare Island; A. c.
Bradford Of San Joaquin county; and d
number Of prominent theatrical people
There were soldiers Of fortune, one ol
two prominent ones going TO iOin the
lilibustering expeditions 50 often fitting
out at that time; there We're merchants
clergymen, lawyers, physicians; there
We're good people; there were bad PEG
pie; there were cut throats; thieves ant
moral lunatics in general; mo0el
crowd. Such crowds as were common
on such voyages, and such as the waGt
may mover look upon again, for III
methods Of transportation are now S
varied and improved as to make SO Gro
garious mixture Of human beings
Y1Nnt IF H.,
u ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN.
YaY We sailed on without accident, cXcer
? the ship rolled terribly, the ocean betn
lumpy, especially in crossing the gu
stream, frequently shipping sea foi
ward, wetting the Storage people, an
causing mixture Of meumcnt, angt
and fear. In about four days we passc
Watling's Island, and how comfortin
to be near the land and not too nca
when on an oyercrowded ship Dow
through the crooked island passage, v
sailed close by the coast OF lovely Cub
basking in the lurd sunshine Of ii
tropics; down through the Caribbeu
Sea, alive by day with marine life al
surprisingly beautiful at night; the wal
of the ship lighted up by the cver-var
ing phosphorescence Of the ocean. {
we go, and at daylight on Sunday lll
is in sight, and by II O'clock a. in. Y
are landed on the dock 1T Aspiuwa
and a third of our journey is cndc
The direct rays of tropical sun, Il
glistening OF the coral and white san
the cocoanut trees and other palms.
tell us oil our nearness to- the equator.
HOTEL EUNSER's TRICK.
We are welcomed to the mushroo
city Of A sniuWaII Ia child If tho Ibi,na,