The Newtown bee., 1904-10-28
'To California In. 'Y.
INTERESTING STORY FROM THE DIARY OF
 GLOVER HAWLEY,
Brought Gut In A Vivid Way By the Pen Of E. l..
 Johnson.

Our Tn A NlV1O way
 By the Pen Of E. L.
 Johnson.
 To the readers of THE BEE: A few words not in the way of an apology, ,ut as an explanation, may perhaps not Ome amiSS as we prepare for you the irst of series of extracts and letters rom material that has been kindly oaned, from which to give some idea what it called for of endurance, grit. md hopefulness to go to California in S49. These communications will ap pear in THE BEE for three months, ;aken from Log Book, Diary and let ;ers of our fellow townsman, Glover 1awley, who, with several others of ,ur Newtown men, went to California, when the rush for gold was made in should get my first knowledge of the existence of such rich material, while )n our trip to the Pacific coast. We Ire indebted to Mrs Marietta F. Lum, low of Redlands, Cal, and Mrs Mar jha A. Blakeman of Bridgeport, daugh- jers of Glover Hawley, who kindly oaned, by request, the writings in which, we trust, many will be deeply interested. The trip out was made in ] sailing vessel from New York to San Francisco by way of Cape Horn. They were 2O3 days on the passage. LalmOn S. Peck, who is the oldest citi- zen of Newtown now living, told me )nly few days since, that he was in New York and was one of the crowd who gathered at the dock to see the ship Robert Bowne set sail. He says that before the gang plank was hauled lbOard, the captain stepped forward md announced that there was one paid for, for which no one had put in an appearance, and that any person in the crowd on shore, who wished to go, might have that vacant berth and a free passage to the land of gold. No one responded, the ship 1oisted her anchor and set sail, and from MT Hawley's log book we gather enough to get general idea of the on ship, from New York to Rio de JaneirO, where they made their first stop. Letters written from Rio during their stay of two or three weeks, will follow. It can hardly be that every reader will keep lp interest to read all that will be given through three months, but it is presumed there will be goodly num- OCT who will enjoy it all, bearing in mind they are reading of the experi- ences of one of our own fellow towns men long before the advent of trans railroads, or ocean grey nOunds.- B. L. Johnson.
 SHIP ROBERT BOVINE AT SEA.
 I now commence giving you the con- fr r,f r mil 1n 'pund somewhat lengthy but perhaps not entirely without :atereSt to you. l shall give latitude and sometimes in order that our path can easily be traced on the map. Some of the dates 1 may enlarge upon in my letters beyond the contents of the Log according to the interest of the occur renee.
 New York, February 6, 1S49. Morn- ing clear and cold. Half past one p. m. all being on board, and ready, steam CT took us in tow. The discharge of cannon and the cheers long and loud from the passengers and crowd of those on shore made the scene of much interest. We took down with us about 800 visitors, mostly ladies. A table we'll spread with good things was served to all about o'clock. Steamer left us about dark. We again "bid adieu to those we left behind us.' Wind, west, strong and cold. Many begin to be sick.
 February '. Noland in sight. Wind cold and strong, with squalls. I am knots per hour directly east. At night, take in sail. I eat no meat this day.
 February 8. Wind the same. Morn ing found us in the Gulf Stream, the water quite warm and a thin vapO1 rising from the surface. Sail diScOv. cred to the westward bearing towards New York.
 February 9. Wind blowing a gale. StOmachs tOpsy turvy and everything else. Trunks, tables, chairs, crockery, etc., in confusion worse cOnfOunded As to temperature, no bed clothes needed at night. Sleep with doors open. Begin to feel powerfully weak Some incidents this day refer you tl note A which will accompany this dis patch.
 February 10. Squalls and hurricanes continue with rain. Cleared up al the most unpleasant kind, and con cluded to roll to California stomacl empty.
 February II. Morning pleasant Sermon by MT Sprague on deck in thu open air from Acts, chapter 20, verS' 36 and last clause verse 3S: And whel he had thus spoken, he kneeled dOwl and prayed with them all. And the accompanied him unto the ship. Wind began to blow strong at night Took in sail about l o'clock. Gale yer, high and one of the helmsmen wa thrown over the wheel and some hurt
 February 12. This morning, o'clock some sails carried away. Ship rolls a great rate. Wind ahead. Shifts a 10 a. m. and we go on our course ant nothing is cooked this day. Passen gers get some hard bread to eat, ant make it do. Oh! such a fuss for some thing to eat but I want none. Nigh sets in dark and wind high. Som say: ''If I was only back to New Yor]
 1 would give the world if l had it.
 But I neither said, or felt so at an
 time; that's fact.
 February l3. Perfect gale till 3 |
 m., the water often flashing to the to
 of the mainsail, wetting all on dec
 with tons of water. l make breakfast
 dinner and supper out of one SC
 cracker and one herring and they al
 ''came up." l arose early and afte
 leaving my bedfellow, I rolled out o
 the deck from the upper berth.
 February IA. Morning pleasant
 Everything except stomach bette
 Fine wind and clear sky. One cracke
 for the whole day and that turned u
 soon. 1 put myself in the hands of [
 Green, took his pills, then took sod;
 vOmited that up and feel quite fain
 February 15. Hail. lovely day, yo
 have come at last. My head is abol 1 the same hllt feel nQWerfullY veal