I f oi: the founding of a Colkgt in thi$_ Colony"
• iLniBiSiaKy •

Bought with the income
of the
Oliver Wolcott Fund
 mq,

CAMP MORGAN, AMADOR CO., CAL.
Advance Post, 1st Kegt., 2d Brigade. National Guard of Cal.
PAINTED BY THE AUTHOR

SEQUEL TO
EXPERIENCES OF A BOY

By His Father's Son

£6 W\ UV\ ¦) F . VUyN^VsO V , .,

Baker Printing Co.
Newark, N. J.
1911

Copyright, 1911
by
E. F. HARTSHORN

These reminiscences are affectionately dedicated
to his grandchildren
BY THE AUTHOR

SEQUEL TO

Experiences of a Boy

CHAPTER I.
The narrative of the Experiences of a Boy closed
with the words, "His life thereafter was the usual
humdrum one that obtains on shore." That was in
tended; but many events happened afterwards that
it seemed advisable to record and in the following
pages those happenings will be brought to the at
tention of those who may care to delve through this
book. The landing of our friend in San Francisco was
just before the end of the early period and before
the city took on its cosmopolitan character, which
occurred about the year 1882. At this time 'Frisco,
as it was familiarly called, was a city of some im
portance, having about 160,000 people, 60,000 of
these being Chinamen. A strange city, a distinctive
city, with characteristics that made it a lovable city
to those who were proud to call themselves Califor
nians. Life was lived in a free and easy manner
that was abhorent to a few strait-laced individ-

uals who may have struggled in from the Far East;
but to the vast majority of strangers, the local
color proved fascinating.
Californians were so imbued with the glorious
conditions that they were loud in their praises of
their city, their country, and their climate. Their
city was bound to rival New York in size; their
country had the richest soil in the world and the
weather conditions were superb; they had the pret
tiest women and the healthiest children ; in fact,
nothing could be uttered by a true Californian too
flattering for this earthly paradise. The remark
was often made that you had only to tickle the earth
with a hoe to raise anything that would grow else
where in the Tropic or Temperate Zones. The
mines were rich in all the precious metals, and silver
and gold being so accessible, why should they use
paper money ? They did not, and when a tenderfoot
would try to pass a bill, good everywhere else in the
United States, he would be surprised at the indif
ferent manner with which it was refused.
Their mountains were many and high. Their
plains were level, wide and long, extending far be
yond the power of vision. A gentleman from Ver
mont; in answer to a naturally warm description by
a native while passing over one of these valleys,
level as a barn floor, stated:
"By gad! If I owned ten acres of it, I would
build a hill on it."

That remark proved that the tenderfoot did not
thoroughly appreciate the grand possibilities of this
glorious country.
On landing, our friend took up quarters in the
What Cheer House, a popular resort of the period.
He had a fair amount in gold coin. Instead of de
positing it with the clerk of the hotel, he rolled his
waistcoat around it and placed the same under his
pillow when retiring. Awakening out of sound
slumber by his head moving, he noticed the gar
ment one quarter exposed, and giving a loud yell,
sprang out of bed and followed a fleeing figure
down the hall. The rascal escaped. Returning to
the room which contained two beds, his fellow
lodger was told the cause of the outcry.
"All nonsense," was the reply; "you have only
had a nightmare."
Our friend knew otherwise, as he distinctly saw
the fleeing figure. In contrast, the following event
will prove that there was a difference between the
city and country:
A few days afterwards our friend got acquainted
with an old Californian who suggested that they go
up in the mountains to look up the possibilities of
engaging in a speculation. They started in a stage
coach and rode quite a distance, then proceeded on
horseback until the edge of dark. After getting a
feed in a wayside shack, they started to hoof it
farther up the mountains to their destination. Ar-

riving at a so-called hotel, built of rough boards,
they entered a barroom filled with miners in red
shirts, with pantaloons stuffed in their cowhide
boots, each with a revolver stuck in his belt. These
men did not look like a Christian assemblage.
The Californian went up to the barkeeper pro
prietor and told him that a room was wanted in
which to turn in for the night.
The barkeeper stated : "That is all right. Go up
stairs and take the first room to the right."
The strangers arrived in the room, which con
tained two beds and a small pine table. Our friend
tried to shut the door, but the lock was broken and
the door would not stay shut. He then took hold
of the table and began to tote it to the door.
The Californian shouted, "What are you doing?"
The reply came, "I am taking this table to hold
the door shut. We both have some money and there
is a terribly rough crowd below."
The Californian fired back, "Leave the door open,
it is a hot night and we want all the air we can get.
If anybody was robbed here, there is not a man be
low that would not hunt these hills for days, if
necessary, to catch the rascal and hang him."
Nobody locked doors in the country at that time
in California. All the miners would leave their
shacks unfastened when they were absent. If a
poor fellow came along hungry, he was welcome to
take enough bacon, beans, etc., to satisfy his hun-

II
ger, knowing that np other property would be
touched. Robbery was tabooed for it meant quick
death. Chinamen and Mexicans were occasionally
caught robbing sluice boxes and other property, but
the result did not require the attention of any priest
or preacher, only occasionally the man with a spade
to make a hole in the ground.
California was then peopled by strong, virile men
with manly characters, for only that class would
have the energy to travel across the continent by
ox-team, by the Isthmus, or around the Horn. They
became rough men; but their hearts were in the
right place. If a man wanted to commit suicide all
he had to do was to call another man a liar; but a
man could travel amongst such men for moons, giv
ing no offence, as safely as he could in any other
place on the earth.
If California could have remained for several
generations in its then isolated condition, it would
have produced a race of men that the world would
have been proud of; but its accessibility became
easy when the railroad was built over the mountains,
and then the lame, halt, and other unsuitables flooded
in, changing the true, sterling, masculine methods of
its population. No wonder Californians were pre
viously proud of their habitat and their fellow citi
zens. They have no reason to be so proud of their
state now.
Shortly after arriving in California, our friend

12

attired himself in his glad clothes and went to visit
a relative by marriage. Finding the house, he rang
the bell, which was answered by a Chinaman, who,
being asked if the lady was in, shut and locked the
door. It was raining and there was no covering
over the porch. To be treated so uncivilly was ex
asperating. When the Chinaman returned and
opened the door our friend's foot was placed so that
the heathen could not shut it again while he asked
for a card. The stranger pushed the servant one
side, entered the hall and sang out the name of the
lady who appeared almost immediately looking over
the banister. On being informed of her visitor's
name, she gave a glad welcome and the visit proved
a happy one. The lady was chided for the incivility
of her servant, but she answered that green China
men could only be procured, and that they performed
all the service in the households. She could not
teach them the difference between a gentleman and
the tramps, beggars, etc., that caused her so much
trouble. These Chinamen overran all the employments.
All the whites would say when offered any humble
class of labor : "That is Chinamen's work. It is be
neath me to accept." Labor was thus degraded.
Therefore all the white boys and girls grew up con
demning employment and formed the hoodlum class
so notorious in San Francisco. This hoodlum class
was recruited from all grades of people. It in-

13
eluded the children from the highest to the lowest.
They wore a distinctive class of clothes. While
some were criminals, the most of them were decent
except for their dislike to any form of labor. The
introduction of an alien race always produces this
result and should receive the condemnation of all
true patriotic Americans.

CHAPTER II.
It was the intention of our friend to spend a few
weeks in 'Frisco, then ship around the Horn for
home; but circumstances shaped themselves so that
he did not return until the lapse of twenty years
from the time of joining the whale ship.
While roaming around the city, he noticed the
sign of a printing office. Guided by curiosity to see
how the familiar work was performed on the gold
coast, he mounted the stairs and looked around.
He came to a young man making ready a large
wood engraving on a press. It was the outside
cover title of a monthly printed in the establish
ment. The block was old, warped, and cracked
down the centre. The operation was watched and
it was soon noticed that no proper knowledge of the

14
work was shown. The young man got the" job
ready, showing all the imperfections of the cut.
Our friend butted in. It was against his grain to
see such faulty work. The man was told that his
process was imperfect, and almost by force the
stranger Was allowed to tear off the tympan, take
off the two soft rubber blankets, replacing them
with a hard blanket, place on a fresh tympan, and
then some cardboard was called for on which im
pressions were taken from which parts were cut
out, pasted on the back of the cut as underlays,
and then a print was made. The young man was
told to show the proprietor the print for his O K.
The proprietor was astonished. He asked where
the new cut came from, and when told it was the
old cut, his curiosity caused him to come to the
press. Observing the stranger with sleeves rolled
up, he found out the culprit who was urged to
immediately join the force. Our friend replied
that he was only a visitor, expecting to ship for the
East in a few days ; but after considerable pres
sure, the coat Was hung up and the Eastern trip
was delayed for many moons, so long, in fact,
that our friend became a Californian.
The first earthquake was noticed in this office.
Our friend was working at the case when he felt
a movement of everything. He noticed that all
were running for the door, one man with one boot
on and the other carried in his hand. The idea

15
entered his head that a very heavy team was pass
ing, causing the shaking of the building ; but as he
was left alone he concluded to follow the others.
The floor seemed to move up to his feet, wave like,
so the latter part of his exit was more rapid than
the first part. Tumbling down the stairs and see
ing all the people in the centre of the street, it was
comprehended that the movement was in the earth.
The experience was novel, and ever afterwards the
faintest evidence of tremor would be recognized.
There was little damage done. Some walls, chim
neys and partially constructed buildings fell down.
The only one injured so far as learned, was an
employee of the office who happened to pass a build
ing at the time of the shock from which he re
ceived a brick on his head that caused severe in
jury. The papers reported that the earth had
opened a chasm back in Alameda. Our friend hired
a horse the next day and rode over the country
where the crack was reported. He found it was
only a false newspaper story.
San Francisco was built up from North Beach.
The city had turned around completely when our
friend arrived and was growing up Market street.
A Mr. Meiggs had come to California in early
days and began to speculate heavily. He built
Meiggs' Wharf, thinking that would remain the
centre and it did for a time; but soon business left
and it became dilapidated. Mr. Meiggs became

i6
involved and, to escape his creditors left by night.
Arriving in Chile he began to build for the Chilean
Government those astounding railways up the
mountains, which at that time were considered the
most difficult railroad engineering in the world.
He made himself extremely wealthy and paid his
San Francisco creditors principal and interest of
his old debts. The carpenter, or "Chips" as he was
called on board the whaleship, where he was ship
mates with our friend, got employment with Meiggs
as principal bridge builder and he also became
quite wealthy. He was a splendid character, fully
deserving of all the success he met with.
Our friend met another shipmate who, when he
came aboard the old whaleship at New Bedford,
evidently had consumption. He was not of much
use for months. He got seasick and remained in
that condition off and on until the vessel got to
the Islands. He then began to improve and be
came quite a man. After the voyage he became
mate of a clipper that sailed to China. When he
was men in 'Frisco he showed up a hearty, strong,
athletic fellow, the owner of a good paying livery
stable in San Jose. He was a living example of
the necessity of active life and compulsory work in
the open air, for those who are tainted with tubercu
losis. To send such people up to the mountains
where they remain wrapped in blankets and depend
upon dieting for cure, is not the proper method.

17
They need energizing through proper work in the
open according to their strength so that their gen
eral condition will be built up, allowing a successful
battle to be fought against the bacilli of the white
plague. A young country boy came to the office to learn
the printing trade. He was extremely diffident.
He stuttered and was endowed with none of the
points that could be classed with manly beauty;
but he had a determination that was bound to suc
ceed. Rapidly picking up the technic of the pro
fession, he soon developed into a full-fledged printer.
Afterwards he started a job office in company
with another. Just about that time he became
acquainted with a young lady who proved irresisti
ble. The usual events followed one another rapidly
and he asked the old man, who was a judge, for the
privilege of taking his daughter in marriage. The
old man was furious. For her to marry a printer
would be exasperating. He would only allow her
to marry a lawyer and so informed the impudent
young man. The obstacle was immense but the
swain determined to become a lawyer and so in
formed the lady. He commenced with spirit and
determination to wade through the dry works in
which the spirit of the law lies entombed. His
progress was rapid and sure, causing him to pass
his examinations with honor. Afterwards a judg-
ship was the reward. The old man could not refuse

i8
his consent when the lawyer's wreath descended on
the head of the young man and a happy marriage
followed. The printer's case lost a fellow who be
came a hunter for cases of another character. This
was an example of grit and determination that is
always followed by success. His friends collected
a fund with which a lawyer's library was pur
chased and presented to the new limb of the law.

CHAPTER III.
Although the experiences thus far in 'Frisco had
been pleasant, the hankering for the sea possessed
our friend. The thought of sailing again was hardly
ever out of his thoughts. The confinement of the
office became extremely distasteful and one day he
told the proprietor that he was going to ship again.
The boss used every argument possible to prevent
the rash act; but they had no effect and he found
a ship going out to the northern part of California
for a load of lumber. When she left port our friend
was on board again as a full-fledged sailor. The
salt sea air felt so good that it exhilarated him. The
irksome restraints of civilized society avoided, and
all his physical wants provided for by the ship with
out any thought necessary, combined to make the
situation enticing.

19
The bark made a moderately quick passage to
the port of destination and proceeded to load with
sawn lumber that came directly down, by a chute,
from the saws. The boards were from redwood
logs and varied in density immensely. Often a
plank would come down so quickly as to cause it
to go over the vessel into the water. Some of them
would sink in the water like lead, and others would
float as though they were of cork.
Eventually the bark was loaded. The hold was
full and the deck load extended ten or twelve feet
high, forcing the deck even with the water. There
was only a zephyr of wind blowing when the vessel
was detached from the buoy, not enough to produce
steerageway, and she drifted directly down on the
rocks to leeward. The captain, according to nautical
phrase, had come through a porthole, that is, he was
never a sailor; but had become a Captain through
the force of ownership. The old man became half
crazy, jumping up and down on deck, hollering out
that he was ruined — that all his money was in
vested in the ship and she was lost. The mate,
muttering something about an old fool, ordered a
boat lowered with a kedge anchor which was car
ried out to windward, then manning the capstan,
the vessel was drawn off the rocks. The kedging,
however, was kept up for hours. The Captain
would not allow it to stop until the vessel was almost
out of sight of land.

A high wind sprang up that made a rough sea.
It was necessary to get the anchor, hanging from
the hawser hole, inboard on to the rail. When the
command was given to hook on the tackle to the
anchor for the purpose of bousing it up, our friend
was standing where he naturally received the order.
It was a tough job as the vessel was plunging her
head into the heavy seas. A line was made fast
aft; led over all, that is outside the rigging, to the
bow, then fastened around his body. He then
watched his chance to jump down on the anchor
stock. At last, after a heavy surge of the ship
into the water, he concluded it was time; but just
as he was hooking on the block, the vessel gave a
terrific plunge, carrying him deep down in the green
water, a journey that seemed would never end until
Davy Jones' locker was reached. The tackle was
properly attached and our friend was swept around
the ship to the stern, where he was hauled up
nearly dead. The officer should have eased off the
vessel before condemning any man to perform such
dangerous work. It was a little tougher than pick
ing type from a case ; but that class of work was
elected and no complaint was in order.
The ship continued her journey until she reached
her destination, San Pedro, one evening, where she
anchored off Dead Man's Island. The next day
was the Fourth of July, and, therefore, unloading
could not be commenced. Early in the morning our

friend, with a companion, got permission from the
captain to take the ship's boat ashore where the
Fourth of July celebration could be observed. With
strict orders to be back by nightfall, the boat was
lowered and the two started off gaily for a holiday.
Thoughtlessly they did not observe that a strong
wind had sprung up which was getting fresher all
the time. The men pulled for the lea of Dead
Man's Island, but their strength was not sufficient
for the heavy boat against such a wind, therefore
she drifted outside the view of those on the ship,
because the island interferred, toward some nasty
breakers. When the ship's crew saw the boat drift
ing out of sight around the island and onto the
breakers, they gave up the boys as lost, for they
thought that two men could not manage the craft
safely through such heavy water. The boys saw
a buoy about fifteen feet ahead of them and pulled
with all their might for three hours to fasten. The
nearest they came to it in all that time was about
six feet, being held back by the fierce wind. Becom
ing exhausted, the boat drifted into the breakers.
They know not how they got through. It was a
whirl and a dash. The boys were thrown down
on the bottom, the seas breaking both oars. The
breakers had raised a bar, over which smooth
water was found. Into this smooth water the boat
was sculled by means of a spare oar fortunately
found, and up the lagoon to the village where the

Fourth of July racket was going on. Anvils were
used to make it; the hole in one was filled with
powder, then another was placed on top. The fuse
being lighted, the top one would fly off, making a
report cannon like, that was pleasing to the patri
otic Americans standing around.
Long after nightfall the boys started back to the
ship. The wind had died down and all that entered
their minds was how to get aboard without alarming
the officers, as they had long overstayed their lib
erty. They muffled the sculling oar and concluded
to pull up the boat by the two hauling on one boat
fall together, thus raising it gradually from the
water. Quietly nearing the vessel, they were sur
prised to see all the officers and crew anxiously
looking over the rail. Having supposed the boys
were lost in the breakers, they slept lightly, and
heard the almost soundless approach. Instead of
being harshly received, their reception was hearty
and pleasing, as though they were returning from
the dead.
After discharging cargo, the vessel returned to
San Francisco.
The next trip made was on a sloop to Gaviota,
a place to the south of 'Frisco. It was pleasant
sailing down the coast, and as the duties were light,
enjoyment ruled. Land was in sight all the way,
consisting of sand dunes and rocky formations
usually found on the west coast. When passing

23
some high bluffs, hundreds of sheep were noticed
on top. Suddenly the devil got into the head of
the leading buck, causing him to leap down the
steep precipice, followed by the entire drove. Such
a fall of mutton is rarely observed. Of course they
were dead when the rocks below were reached.
The captain, who was a Swede, ordered the boat
lowered, into which he jumped, and told the crew
to pull for the shore, with the idea of getting a
supply of fresh meat. The boat had reached
within a few fathoms of land when the Captain
sung out:
"Stop mit your pulling, and right away go back
mit the sloop. I tink what you poys say when back
to 'Frisco we got. Every one of you will tell how
the captain went along the shore picking up dead
sheep to feed the crew mit. Dat is so, by Gott."
So the crew had no fresh mutton. The captain
had correctly diagnosed the natural outcome ; but
the boys had quite a pull before the old man's
brains evolved the brilliant conclusion.
In due time the vessel arrived at Gaviota, and
proceeded to load with asphaltum. There was
quite a sea running, making it necessary to fasten
a line from a kedge anchor outside of the breakers,
to the shore. By this line the loaded boat was
pulled through the rough water. As one load,
partially manned by our friend, was passing, a
a heavy roller caused the man at the bow to loose

24
his hold and the boat swung around, held by the
stern in an extremely dangerous position. Such a
manoeuvre would, in ninety-nine cases out of a hun
dred, have caused the swamping of the boat, and
the probable loss of life of those in it; but luckily
the danger was escaped. With no wharf to load
from and only an open roadstead to act in, the
loading of the ship was by no means a picnic. As
all things, pleasant or unpleasant, have an end, so
the sloop eventually sailed away. She had her hold
full and a heavy deck load, which was too much
for the heavy weather met with. At one time,
when sailing under a free wind with boom well out,
a heavy sea broached into the sail, forcing the craft
on to her beam ends, and almost causing her to go
bottom up. The deck load that had been so labor
iously placed aboard, was swept away, causing the
righting of the ship and undoubtedly saving the
lives of those aboard.
The last three days, before sailing into the har
bor to San Francisco, a heavy fog hung over the
waters. No sun could be seen, and the only manner
of knowing the position was by dead reckoning.
The captain was noted on the coast for his sea
scent. It was said that he could smell his way
anywhere. The sloop had proceeded to a position
supposedly near the entrance of the Golden Gate
and then anchored, still encompassed by the dense
fog. The captain and the mate entered into an

25
argument as to the location of the craft. The
mate asserted that it was in such a place; the cap
tain wag positive the mate was wrong, and with a
piece of chalk drew a line on deck between two
lights and then another between two points of land.
Where these lines bisected he declared the vessel
lay. The fog lifted in about an hour and the posi
tion the captain had declared was found correct to
a quarter of a mile, whereas the mate was forty
miles out of the way.
Several events happened to make our friend sus
picious that the captain intended to play some trick
on the crew. He bemoaned the loss of his deck
load and claimed there was no profit in the voyage.
Therefore, when he told the men, after the vessel
was fastened to the dock, to come down the next
day for their money, our friend took occasion to
privately inform the captain that he did not pro
pose to leave before obtaining what was due him;
that if he did not receive the amount by two o'clock
in the afternoon, he would place a lien on the sloop.
To have his vessel tied up by a lien was not to the
liking of his nibs, and he promptly came down
with the funds. Our friend was the only one that
was paid, as the sloop left in the night for parts
unknown to the unsophisticated sailors.

CHAPTER IV.
The next vessel honored by the presence of our
friend was a bark that took on a cargo of general
merchandise in 'Frisco and then sailed to the north
ward in California for a deck load of lumber. After
getting this aboard she sailed to the south. She
was an old hooker with rotten rigging, and other
wise conditioned far from the ideal of a thorough
going sailor. She wallowed through the water like
a tub, and made a wake like a serpent. She was
built like the traditional ones, constructed up in
Maine by the mile and sawed off to the lengths
required by customers.
While sailing down the coast one dark night, with
threatening weather approaching, orders were given
to take in the gaff topsail and our friend was sent
aloft to furl it. When he reached the sail he found
that at some previous time the sheet had parted,
and some dub had knotted it outside of the block,
preventing the sail from being hauled close to the
mast. The only thing to be done was quickly ac
complished by our friend hauling out his sheath
knife and cutting off the knot. The sheet was then
properly rove through the block and bent on to
the sail. It was intended to throw the short piece
of line with knot overboard; but the vessel was
pitching badly at the time and instead, it fell on
deck, just before the second mate. That gentle-

27
man was in bad humor. He broke into ungentle-
manly language. In fact, it was positively pro
fane. He discoursed on what he would do to the
rascal when he got on deck for cutting the bark's
rigging. The programme laid out consisted in
knocking off the head and beating the body into a
state of jelly. Our friend thought that such a
reception on deck would be decidedly unpleasant,
so concluded
"To do what others would do to you; but do it fust"
therefore, going down the ratlings to the rail, he
sprang onto the second mate, still howling like a
bull. The sudden impact brought the fellow to the
deck with no gentle force, and gave every advantage
to the one on top. All the fury was knocked out
of the blackguard. He was converted to a Christ
ian-like being, and disavowed all his previous in
tentions. When he got into a contrite spirit he was
allowed to get up, with a feeling of respect for his
conqueror. Sailing down near Santa Barbara channel our
friend was at the wheel. The thing he liked best
was to steer a ship that obeyed the helm; but this
tub acted like a led pig. She apparently did not
consider that the motion of the tiller should be
followed by a straight wake, therefore, she did not
make one; but nosed many points to the starboard
and port, satisfied that the general average would
bring her to the destination. While doing his best

28
at the wheel, the captain bellowed, "What are you
doing? Are you trying grand circular sailing?
Keep her straight."
After this outburst to relieve his pent up emo
tions, he whispered to the mate in what he thought
was a low tone, but all the same it could be heard
throughout the ship, "That man is the best helms
man that this hooker has ever had."
It was customary when a member of the crew
washed his clothes to tow the bundle overboard
aft, to rinse them. Our friend had his weekly
wash on a line aft when passing through Santa
Barbara channel. When they were hauled in they
were found permeated with gurry to such an ex
tent that they had become worthless and had to
be thrown away. This streak of coal oil had been
noticed on the surface of the channel waters for
many years. The evidence of great wealth was
disregarded. If our friend had had the knowledge
afterwards obtained, he would have prospected
for the source of supply and possibly might have
become a second Rockefeller; but if he had, fate
might have decreed that he would be in the land of
the beyond, through the effects of high living. The
sailors' grub did not produce obesity or gout; but
did maintain a healthy body with a sound mind.
The vessel shortly reached San Pedro, the port
of a previously related incident. Discharging her
cargo, consisting mainly of soap, macaroni and

29
barley, she proceeded to Anaheim Landing where
many casks of wine, brandy and sacks of grain
were received. Anaheim Landing had no harbor.
It was the practice to load Anaheim productions
into scows or lighters at the landing dock, which
was four miles from the sea, up a lagoon. Then
the landing crew towed the lighter down the lagoon,
thence over the breakers to a very heavy buoy,
about a mile out in the sea. There the lighters
were fastened to await the vessel, if not in, or
proceed to unload if the vessel was waiting. One
of the crew was inclined to be a bully and to be
continually talking about his strength. This fellow
had it in for our friend, because of being check
mated several times during the voyage for his arro
gance. When it came time to load the grain into
the vessel, the lighter's crew threw the bags up out
of the hold to the lighter's deck; from thence two
men of the ship's crew were to throw the bags up
to the vessel's deck. Our friend jumped to the
position of one of the men and the bully took the
opposite side, saying at the same time that it took
a strong man for the work at that point, claiming our
friend would shortly have to be relieved. The
heavy bags came up fast. They weighed nearly
two hundred pounds apiece. The opposite fellow
was slow witted and did not understand that he
was working against brains, for our friend quickly
grasped his end of the bag, giving it a twitch that

30
threw most of the weight to the bully. He was so
obtuse as not to notice the trick, and inside of an
hour had to give up, while our friend was fresh
and lively as possible. The bully had little to say
about his strength during the balance of the voyage.
Our friend talked considerably with the lighter's
crew while unloading. They made much of the
dangers incurred in going through the breakers,
which fact enthused, instead of discouraged the
recipient of the information, for at that time of
his life he rather enjoyed employment where a
little danger was encountered. He, therefore, de
termined to ship in the crew, as he was informed
that they always wanted men because they would
not stick and often gave up the job after one trip
through the breakers. He had to go back to 'Frisco
with the ship ; but told the captain of the crew that
he would come back on the next steamer after the
vessel's return.
The bark made a comfortable return trip, and as
the next day a steamer started for San Pedro,
passage was taken on here for that point. The
experience of being a passenger instead of rough
ing it was novel; but on the whole our friend did
not thoroughly appreciate it. The continual jar
caused by the machinery was not agreeable, it was
so different from the steady, gliding motion of a
ship ; therefore, when the steamer arrived at San
Pedro our friend was pleased.

31
It was necessary to walk overland to the Land
ing, a distance of five miles, at that time uninhabi
ted except by droves of wild cattle. These beasts
proved the undoing of the traveler. He had pro
ceeded two or three miles, when warming up with
the exercise, he threw the flap of a cloak which he
wore over his shoulder, exposing the red lining,
that intensely interested a bunch of steers. They
pawed the ground and showed a disposition to be
come acquainted with the stranger. Not aware of
the cause of the attraction, and the cattle becoming
more and more hostile in action, our friend walked
rapidly toward some boggy land to the right.
The cattle seemed to divine his intention to reach
the morass where they could not follow, and began
a stampede of attack. This necessitated quick
action. A run for life followed. The unsafe land
was attained just in time for some of the cattle had
their heads lowered preparatory to impaling the
fleeing lad only a few feet away. Wallowing some
times up to his hips in the mucky mass, he reached
a tuft of comparatively firm soil. The cattle
mounted guard and kept the stranger a prisoner
until morning. Shivering with cold and an empty
stomach demanding food, caused a combination not
desirable, and if he had the power, the slaughter of
all the steers on the plains would have been immedi
ately ordered with intense delight.
It was a forlorn lad that eventually arrived at the

32
Landing. His reception was a hearty welcome
though, and soon in dry clothes, with plenty of food
stowed away, he was fit for anything. The duties
were quickly explained and he began an experience
that was far from uneventful.
The Landing dock had been built five miles in
from the sea because that was the first solid, firm
land met with for the foundation. The buildings
consisted of a large warehouse, a small one-story
office building, and a large one-story shack with
bunks down one side for the crew. A little back
were two cottages. The surrounding country was
barren of shrubbery, a vast alkaline plain extending
many miles. The only rise of ground occurred
close to the landing, making a steep descent to the
warehouse. Cattle had to hunt for their food
which occurred in tufts sometimes yards apart.
The crew when not engaged in towing down the
lighters to the buoy, or returning with them, were
employed in the warehouse, also, with pick and
shovel, in leveling off the hill referred to.
Anaheim, for which the Landing was built, con
sisted of a colony of Germans twenty miles back,
near the San Bernardino mountains, and situated
on the St. Gabriel river. It seems that some years
before a band of Germans growing grapes, and
winemakers on the Rhine, clubbed together and
sent two of their number to California to search
for the best location for grape growing. They

33
found the ideal spot on Don Pico's ranch and bought
of him 2,000 acres at two dollars an acre, with
continual water rights from the St. Gabriel river
for irrigation. These two men remained, and
dividing the property in ten and twenty acre lots,
planted the vines and quick growing trees around
the whole property. They tended to the vines,
established irrigation ditches, and when grapes
began to grow, the whole colony came on and took
possession. That land that cost twenty dollars for
ten acres, the holders, when our friend arrived at
the Landing, held at $10,000 a lot, and they would
not sell at that price.
A few days after our friend arrived a lighter
which had been loaded, was towed down to the
buoy to meet a steamer from San Diego. It was
a laborious operation. The scow was pulled by a
line, the men hauling first on one side of the lagoon.
then in the other as they found a suitable ground
to walk over, the men being shifted from side to
side by means of the boat. On arriving at the
breakers they were found to be light, no wind or
swell being in evidence. The load was quickly
transferred to the steamer, and the empty lightei
returned to the Landing by the same method as on
the outgo. This sounds very easy; but imagine a
five-mile walk, at a snail's pace, towing a big hulk
of a barge through the water, then with a boat tow
ing it, through the broken sea to a buoy; then

34
waiting two hours for the steamer to appear; after
that turning to and unloading into the vessel ; thence
by slow towing again to the Landing. The men
needed no cocktails to create an appetite for sup
per, which often occurred late at night, after which
they lost no time spinning yarns ; but quickly stowed
themselves away in their bunks.
This life, one would think, was monotonous ; but
our friend did not find it so. It was a vigorous
life and at many points had its humorous side. In
the course of a comparatively short time our friend
was the only man left out of the crew when he
arrived, excepting, of course, the captain, a German,
who had been on deck since the Landing was
started. He was a good natured fellow, not over
burdened with intelligence, and the only thing that
bothered him was to lose a meal. That caused him,
sometimes, even to growl. Being the most experi
enced man in the crew, our friend was often called
upon to act as captain during the absence, for any
cause, of the German. On one occasion, while in
command, the lighter was pulled through the break
ers without any trouble as they were not rough;
but while unloading on the steamer a stiff breeze
sprang up and a heavy swell rolled in, creating a
heavy surf. There were six lines of breakers to
pass through,
It was the practice after passing one line to watch
the motion of the water and note the best time to go

35
slow, or the best time to put all the force possible
on the oars to prevent the seas falling on the boat.
The point was to make the top of the green water
break just aft of the boat. This day we had in the
crew two green men just down from 'Frisco. They
were old sailors but unacquainted with surf work.
In the most dangerous position, when the green
water was piling up aft high above the boat, and
when it was necessary to pull with mighty force to
keep ahead of the wall of water to prevent it fall
ing on the boat, the two new men got into a panic.
Losing control of themselves, they allowed their oars
to remain in the water, causing them to be a drag
instead of agents of propulsion. There was only
one thing to do and it was done promptly. Our
friend quickly drew in his stearing oar, and jump
ing down on the two dazed men, brought them to
the bottom of the boat in no gentle manner, causing
the oars to be lifted. He then sprang back in time
to prevent the boat from broaching to the comber.
If that immense breaker had reached and broken
in the boat, it would have been swamped, undoubt
edly causing the loss of all lives aboard. The two
dazed, and by the action mentioned, bruised men,
having got through the danger, felt of their bruises
with resentment. Growling, they declared they
would fight the one who had jumped on them. No
insubordination could be allowed, so when the light
er was tied up, they were invited to carry out their

36
threats. This bluff usually worked. The men
slouched away saying they would not go in the boat
again for the world, and demanded their discharge.
This they had a perfect right to, on demand, as when
they shipped to 'Frisco an agreement was made that
the company would pay their passage to the Land
ing, also their return passage at any time a dis
charge was requested. This favorable agreement
had to be made to obtain men for this, considered to
be, tough place. These men had cost their passage
down, and after one day's false work, their return
passage. This was by no means an exceptional case,
but often occurred. The crew as a body was con
tinually changing. The two men mentioned got
their discharge with vouchers for their return pass
age and left that night. The last seen of them they
were trudging over the plains toward San Pedro.
As they had nothing red about them except their
faces, undoubtedly they passed safely the watchful
steers.

CHAPTER V.
One day the Landing clerk, a likable fellow, in
vited our friend to ride to Anaheim with him, as
he had to go there on business. In due time it was
announced that the team was ready and our friend
got aboard. The clerk was already in and holding
fast, well braced, to new lines that showed up
grandly in the morning sun. It was then noticed
that the vehicle looked strange. It was not of
usual type ; was built with two wheels. It was also
noticed that a number of men were around, holding
the two fine looking horses that seemed restive as
though a long stay in the stable had made them
anxious for a free run. The clerk sang out to the
men to spring away, and then commenced a circus
that our friend will never forget. The horses went
to the right and to the left; they reared up and at
times tried to turn in the shafts as though they
wanted to get into the buggy. They tried the kick
ing act for a time ; but the shafts were too long for
their heels to wrench the vehicle. Our friend
wanted to get out — he had lost all desire to go to
Anaheim. He would have preferred to be at work
in the warehouse ; but the absurdity of leaving his
seat was apparent. All that he could do was to hold
tight. The clerk had all he could do with the lines
wound around his hands, the animals almost pulling
his arms off in their desire to be free; but he was

38
boss. He was in command and all the wild beasts
could do to break loose was abortive. After the
circus had kept up for a long time, the clerk had
mastered the brutes and gradually they were going
in the direction wanted. Before we got to Anaheim
the animals had acknowledged their master and
were traveling along like any pair of self-respecting
carriage horses.
When the clerk had got the pair down to work
and was at liberty to talk, he told our friend that
the animals were lassoed on the plains from a bunch
of wild critters early that morning; that the price
of wild horses, if not selected, was five dollars. The
buckayros would go into a bunch and lasso the first
possible. His charge was five dollars, making the
cost of the animals ten dollars each. But the clerk
wanted a matched pair. In that case the price was
ten dollars each and the buckayro's price was also
ten dollars each. So the clerk had a pair of horses
that could not be beat anywhere, for forty dollars.
They were beauties and on the ride back, when their
action could be calmly studied, they were declared
to be perfect.
The people of Anaheim were found to be kind
and hospitable. The entrance to the place was
through a gate. The trees that had been planted
surrounding the property had grown large and pre
vented entrance except through gates provided at
every road approach. One old gentleman took our

39
friend into his cellar and gave him some wine from
the first vintage in the colony. It was fine, like oil
in consistency, and equal to the finest produced in
Europe. The trouble with California wines is that
they are not treated right. They are not held in
the casks long enough to get properly aged, and thus
get that boquet that is prized by connoisseurs. Any
wine fresh from the press, made in any part of the
world, will have a rank flavor that is not pleasant;
but it costs money to properly treat and age wine,
and as long as the fresh wine can find a quick mar
ket, in that condition, it will be sold. Many a cask
of California wine has been sold, represented to be
the finest vintage of Europe, after the foreign pur
chaser has aged and bottled it properly. A large
amount of brandy was made in Anaheim ; but it was
always shipped in the rank, fresh state.
One day while digging in the side of a hill a baby's
shoe was found at the bottom, under forty feet of
sedimentary and alluvial deposits. Apparently the
find would prove that ages ago a child was toddling
along when it unfortunately lost the shoe that be
came in time covered with the slowly formed de
posits that would take aeons to accomplish. It is a
question if the age of some of the archeologists'
finds are not based on data as far from the truth,
for when a gopher hole was mentioned the mystery
was solved.
There were a number of greasers, or Mexicans,

40
employed at one time at the Landing on some im
provements, and while our friend was in charge of
the gang he had them take hold of a heavy timber,
sharpened to a point at one end, and tote it down
a slight decline. The movement was directed by
holding on to the sharpened end, for the fellows
did not understand English very well. All at once
the crowd stumbled with a precision that would
have done honor to a military company when
ordered to ground arms. The timber fell forward
and the point struck a watch in our friend's waist
coat pocket. It was a large watch and undoubt
edly saved his life. If the point had struck his un
protected stomach the wound would have been fear
ful. The watch was smashed; but the lad lived to
express his heartfelt wishes as to the future condi
tion of the grinning greasers.
One time, just as day was turning into night, a
six-horse truck laden with brandy, came down the
declivity mentioned before, leading to the ware
house. The driver either did not put on his brakes,
or for some reason they did not work, for the truck
got to going beyond control and at a sharp turn in
the road upset, throwing the casks of brandy down
in a gulch, and as they reached the jutting rocks
below, all were completely smashed, except one
which stood on end, with only the top part torn off.
There was a large amount of brandy ready for any
service to which it could be put. The worst service

41
possible at that time was to place it in the stomachs
of the men.
One of the men rushed to the warehouse for a big
bucket. Divining his object, our friend tried to dis
suade him from saving any of the rank stuff. All
the arguments thought of were used; but the man,
joined in by all the others, declared that the liquor
was too good to be lost, therefore, a bucketfull was
baled out of the cask. It was taken to the shack
and placed in the middle of the floor. The boys
turned in early, for the day's work had been severe.
The first thing to do was for each man to take a tin
dipper full of the decoction that is usually served
in wine glasses. The men tumbled in their bunks ;
but the vile compound soon put in its work. Luckily
no fighting disposition showed up. It was only a
good natured, hilarious lot of men firmly resolved
not to slumber, and to make all the noise possible.
Nearly all had guns handy. One of the men at last
declared that he could hit the only candle that stood
on a shelf. The result was that in a jiffy all were
hitting of some member of the crew, unintention-
ers, not one bull's eye. The way the bullets flew
was a revelation of poor marksmanship. Some went
through the roof; some through the sides of the
building, and some through the floor; but still the
candle burned merrily on. Our friend, fearing the
hitting of some member of the crew, unintention
ally, of course, and thinking that if they got more of

42
the stuff aboard they would quiet down into a
drunken stupor, sang out,:
"You men do not know how to drink; come all
hands and take another nip," at the same time get
ting out of his bunk and making for the bucket
from which he pretended to take a drink. Several
men made an endeavor to accept the invitation, but
they were too drunk to get out of their bunks. Our
friend seeing the condition, with assumed drunken
ness, stumbled against the bucket, causing it to up
set, and then knocked the light out. Meanwhile all
the ammunition of the men had been used and
gradually the universal yelling subsided, succeeded
by the drunken snoring of some, while an occasional
outcry from others continued until all had arrived
in a state of drunken stupor. This experience was
far from being jolly. Just imagine a sober man in
with a crew of armed, drunken men, whom he was
supposed to control, not knowing when some one or
more would get into a fighting humor, producing
destruction and possible loss of life. The only
wonder is that his hair was its natural color in the
morning. The men turned to the next day suffer
ing from the night's debauch. There was a con
straint in their manner and a quietness produced
by the labor of carrying around their swelled heads,
that would argue the auspicious moment for sign
ing the pledge to refrain forever from indulging
in the contents of the flowing bowl.

CHAPTER VI.
One day our friend concluded to go to San Pedro
for a visit. He started out fresh, and had gone
some distance when he concluded a horseback ride
would be a novelty to enjoy without the common
place tramping that was tiring; so he made a wide
detour on the right to a lone ranch house. He in
quired if he could get a horse for the journey. "Cert,"
said a man he met. "Sit on the piazza while I
fetch one." After an ungodly long wait, the man
came back and reported the animal ready on the
other side of the house. Our friend followed around
and found the horse with two men holding his head,
with another one cinching the saddle up with all his
force, having one foot on the ground and the other
on the horse's belly. The animal seemed to object
to this harsh treatment and the two men holding
his head had all they could do to hold him. At last
the horse made a supreme effort and tore away
from his torturers, speeding like the wind as he
disappeared in the distance. That horse was never
seen again.
One of the trapederos, or stirrups, was found
six months afterwards when the dry season came
on, causing the grass to wither, and exposing any
thing resting on the plains. The balance of the
saddle never came to light. The fact was that the
man had proceeded to a bunch of wild animals and

44
lassoed one for our friend to ride. He could not
help thinking what the result would have been if he
had got on the beast's back. His imagination pic
tured all kinds of woes, from fractured limbs to a
broken head. The only certainty was that the seat
would have been uneasy and the stay extremely
short. After a lively dissertation expressive of our
friend's thoughts to the men he tramped on. The
delay made it necessary to walk fast to get back by
night. St. Gabriel River was reached, and he was
about to ford it, the water being up to his knees,
when he noticed a man on horseback about a mile
below, frantically waving his arms, also speeding
towards him. When the stranger got within talk
ing distance he halloed "Do not go into the water
there, the quicksands will swallow you up in a
minute." Thanking the stranger for his warning
and getting from him the location of a safe cross
ing, he proceeded on his way. Our friend found
out afterwards that the place where he intended to
cross contained the most dangerous quicksands in
the country. A man, on horseback had lost his life
there only a short time before. The bad record of
the place had been known for many years. There
should have been placed a sign notifying travelers
of its danger, but the country was new, and life
was cheap. This was another case where our
friend's life was saved by almost a miracle.

45
The visit to San Diego was a short one, and he
soon started back, late in the afternoon. When he
reached St. Gabriel River on the return it was pitch
dark. The sky was covered with dense clouds and
he could hardly see one foot before him. He re
membered that he had only taken off his shoes and
rolled up his trousers in the morning, therefore, he
proceeded to do the same now. Boldly walking
into the water, he soon found it up to his hips, then
being carried off his feet, he began swimming for
dear life. The torrential rush of water carried him
down stream and he just caught hold of the last
bunch of bushes on the opposite shore quite a mile
below the starting point. If he had not grasped
these bushes he would have been swept out into the
breakers, thereby losing the number of his mess. As
it was, the only loss he met with was his shoes which
he held in his hand when entering the stream. The
cause of the torrential flow of waters that had
changed a trickling stream in a few hours into the
condition met with at night, was a heavy rain
storm in the mountains. A sore-footed fellow
walked into the Landing late at night; but on the
whole not so bedraggled as when he first tramped
in, after being interviewed by the steers.
One day a lighter load had been towed down.
The breakers were quite rough and required some
engineering to get the load through. The steamer
was waiting at the buoy so that the unloading was

46
proceeded with immediately. There was quite a
cargo to transfer and it took a long time, but the
work was finished at last and there was an empty
lighter to take back to the Landing. The wind
had been freshening up all the time until a fierce
gale was blowing, creating lines of breakers that it
would have been foolish to attempt to pass through.
The only thing to do was to remain fastened to the
buoy until the gale blew over. That might be in a
few hours ; but cases had happened when the lighter
had been held for two days fastened to the buoy.
Not a pleasant prospect, as no food could be pro
cured until the Landing was reached. The wind be
came fiercer and fiercer. The empty barge pitched
hither and thither in the turbulent waters, straining
at the fastenings as if determined to break loose.
There was used to attach the lighter to the buoy a
three inch cable, also an inch and a quarter line.
Between one and two o'clock in the morning the
three inch cable parted with a resounding smack,
and the vessel then had to depend on the one and a
quarter inch line. It was a forlorn hope that it
would hold. If a three inch line parted, how could
it be expected that the tiny one would hold! The
boys gave up all hope and waited calmly until the
small line should give way, when, owing to the
direction the wind was blowing, the inevitable re
sult would follow, that the lighter would be dashed
upon the rocks to leeward, where it would be de-

47
stroyed immediately and all on board would be in
Davy Jones' locker in a few minutes. There they
waited for hours, their lives depending upon a
thread, as it were. With resignation, and no bewail
ing of their probable extinction, they stuck it out.
It was only in the line of their business. Dangers
often met, lose their terrors. The miraculous hap
pened. The small line held and towards morning
a lessening of the storm was noticed. It continued
to reduce in strength until at 10 o'clock only a light
wind was blowing. The crew waited until the ex
tremely dangerous surf had lowered, when they
started for the Landing. They had pulled in their
belts several times, but still there was a very empty
feeling below them when they struck their next
meal, about five o'clock in the afternoon.
Thus events followed one another, thick and thin ;
but it must be acknowledged that the thick came
more often than the thin. It was considered the
toughest place on the west coast and that was saying
a good deal. Out of the many who had engaged to
do the work, the longest stay of any one, outside
of our friend, was less than one month. Our friend
had been many months on the job, enjoying its
rough life. At last the German captain wanted him
to take his place for good, stating that he was
getting old and wanted to retire to a more easy job,
stating also that our friend had better control over
the men and directed better than he could. But

48
no, he could not accept the exalted office because
he intended to leave. He had talked long and
often about sharking, a. business followed every
season by companies of men at the end of every
lagoon along the coast. The successes of these
men and their failures were dwelt upon. Their
failures, as it often occurred, were attributed to
non-attention to business through intemperance or
laziness ; but our friend found out that the fail
ures sometimes occurred through selecting a lagoon
into which the sharks refused to run that season.
It was a legend among sharkers that if a dead
shark, after being caught, should be allowed to get
into the water again, the run would immediately
stop, the fish going to another lagoon. The para
phernalia of the business was such that it was awk
ward to move into another lagoon miles off, in the
season of the run, which was short, lasting only
about six weeks.

CHAPTER VII.
Our friend picked up all the information possible
concerning the sharks ; found out what they wanted
and what they disliked; got the data of what was
required in the business, and determined to try his
luck with the next run, that would occur in a short
time. He found a company of two who had be
come disgusted with their non-success of the previ
ous year and bought of them a flat-bottomed boat,
a seine and a large trypot. The boat and seine
immediately came into his possession; but the try-
pot was resting on the top of a high sand dune
which seemed a secure place for it to rest until
wanted. The future proved otherwise. An iron
pot on a sand dune at least twenty-five feet above
and a mile from water, would certainly seem to
be as safe as though it was in a safe deposit vault ;
but shortly after the purchase a fierce, westerly
gale came on and during the high spring tides,
drove the waters of the sea far inland, flooding the
plains for many miles around, causing the loss of
thousands of cattle by drowning. Amongst the
other losses caused was the washing away of the
sand dune holding the trypot. It was sad, but
could not be helped. After dredging the location
of the sand dune for hours, it was given up for
lost, to be found, perhaps, ages afterwards as a
relic of a bygone people, too late, however, for the

50
sharking season. Therefore, an order went to San
Francisco for another trypot, a lot of cask shooks
to hold oil, coopering tools, shark hooks, etc. Our
friend had located a place five miles away on a
lagoon that had not been fished for years, and
awaited the arrival of his freight and the opening
of the season.
Everybody told him he must have a partner, that
he could not possibly go it alone; that one man
could not draw the seine, and that there was other
work that required two. But no. The specimens
of men from which he could have obtained a part
ner did not appeal to our friend. He determined
to go it alone and the result proved the wisdom of
his decision.
In due time the trypot arrived and was carted
down to the lagoon. The shooks and other material
did not arrive at the same time as was expected.
To prove to the doubters that the seine could
be worked by one man, our friend started down
from the Landing, one Sunday, to the place where
he proposed to fish for his bait. The sharks when
running in demanded strictly fresh bait caught every
day. The place selected for this fishing was five
miles from the Landing, and four miles from the
lagoon located for shark fishing; therefore, this
march of eight miles, to and back, had to be made
every day for bait. When the lake, formed on
one side of the lagoon was reached, our friend

51
fastened one end of the net to a large bush and
with rapid strokes of the oars sent the boat in a
circle out and back to the same bush. All the while
the long seine was paying out aft from the boat.
Then commenced the hauling in, which was done in
a systematic manner. Soon there was evidence that
something had happened. The pulling in became
laborious and taxed the strength of the hauler; but
when the catch was exposed on the shore, it proved
phenomenal. No after hauling of the net was so
successful. The fish were piled into the boat, leav
ing hardly room enough to pull it. When making
the Landing our friend was met by some of the
boys who had come to jeer, but when they saw the
load of fish, they were hearty in praise. They
concluded that one man with a boat, a long net,
and a jolly determination to succeed, could accom
plish wonders.
A comfortable hut was built out of drift logs and
covered by canvas. A supply of flour, bacon, beans,
rice, sugar and coffee was laid in. Everything was
ready except the goods expected by steamer. Late
in the afternoon, one day, when our friend happened
to be at the Landing, they came to hand. How to
get the shooks to the sharking station was a puzzle.
There were no teams at the time to be had. The
sharks had begun to run and there was no time to
lose. What was the matter with wheeling some
of them down on a wheelbarrow that could be

52
borrowed? The idea seemed to be good, therefore,
the barrow was piled with shooks, tools, shark hooks
and lines. Early in the evening, after sunset, saying
good-by to the boys, the wheelbarrow was started
with the roar of breakers on the right, a breeze
blowing in the back, and stars showing in the front
as guides.
The tramp was kept up at a lively pace on the
hard ground, until becoming thoroughly warmed
up and supposing that one-half the distance had
been done, a rest was decided upon ; but on stopping,
the coolness of night, which in that climate always
shows up, completely chilled our friend so that he
had to get a gait on again. Meanwhile the break
ers on the right could not be heard, the wind in
the back was not noticed and the stars had been
obliterated by a mist, so all the guides had when
starting, were gone. Walking became tiresome.
Thoughts of leaving the load and proceeding free
occurred, but the necessity of having the goods
forbade. At last a light was observed in the dis
tance. Thinking it was the lantern hung up when
leaving the hut in the morning, the speed was
hastened with new spirits ; but alas ; it developed
that the light proceeded from the Landing, the start
ing point early in the evening. The walk had been
in a circle, as is usually the case when tramping at
night, with no guide. The right foot swings a
longer stride than the left.

53
To go into the quarters, waking up the boys and
informing them of the mishap, was not to be con
sidered. Their chaffing could not be stood; there
fore, setting his teeth together with a determination
to succeed, the start was made again for the hut.
Trying to avoid any swinging around in a circle,
the tramp, tramp was continued. It was long after
midnight when the new departure was made, and
the load was not light. It was tough; but the
spirits were kept up by thinking of all the jolly
things that had happened in the past, and the legs
continued the pacing behind the Irishman's gig
containing a donkey's burden, advancing it slowly
until daylight, then horrors! it was apparent that
the arrival was eight miles up the lagoon from the
hut. The start had been made to reach the hut,
and it had to be made. Late in the afternoon
the hut was approached with lagging steps.
With no thought of preparing food, sadly needed,
he dropped into the slumber which exhausted nature
demanded. One day was lost in the recovering of
our friend, so he must have slept all that night and
all the next day. When he awoke an appetite
developed that required an enormous amount of
food to supply. So, building a good fire of buffalo
chips, the pot was put on filled with water, and to
be sure that he would have enough, a very large
portion of rice was poured in. That was his first
experience in boiling rice. He built another fire on

54
which to fry bacon. After he got this going, he
looked to see how his rice was getting along. To
say that he was surprised, only tells a portion of
the truth. The rice had rolled up over the pot,
concealing it completely, putting out the fire, and
was rapidly covering the scenery. After bailing
out ninety-nine one-hundredths of the rice, and
building a good fire, a goodly feed of rice and
bacon was enjoyed.
The fishing for sharks then began in earnest.
They were running in lively. The kind of shark
fished for was what is called "shovel-nosed." They
were all females and averaged four or five feet
long. Each shark contained a liver that made a
gallon of oil. Hauling the shark over the low
bank, when caught, hitting the fish over the nose
with a club to quiet her, then ripping open the belly
to get the liver, and slicing off the dorsal fin, was
quick work. The oil was tried out in the pot and
began to collect in goodly amount. The shooks
were set up into casks (an art learned on the whale
ship through helping the cooper), and the oil placed
in them.
Time passed merrily in the distant place between
fishing and the eight-mile tramp daily to and from
the place where the net was drawn for fish to serve
as live bait, also trying out, coopering casks, and
cooking the simple meals. The sharks only ran in
during certain stages of the tide, so there was

55
plenty of time to perform these various duties un
molested by any human being. Perfect joy in the
daytime, and sound sleep in the hut at night, was
the rule. Wealth was being produced rapidly, and
as the season only lasted a short time, no loss of
time was permitted.
One beautiful night, while asleep, the sound of
horses' hoofs awakened the sleeper. Over the hard
alkaline plain the sound reverberated loudly. Anxi
ously, he awaited the approach of the stranger, for
no good reason could be evolved for any one to
make that journey of five miles, in the dead of
night, over those plains from the Landing except
one of great importance. The stranger appeared
and handed our friend a dead letter from Washing
ton, a letter written nine months before to a brother
in Boston. This brother had removed to another
city, causing the non-delivery of the letter. The
Dead Letter Office had traced our friend, and thus
the arrival of the same late at night to the Landing.
No one was awake except the night watchman, a
good-natured fellow who could not read very well.
He saw the stamp and thought it was some import
ant matter from the seat of government that should
be delivered immediately, therefore, he had saddled
up a horse and made the trip. Thanks were pro
fuse and the stranger galloped away in the darkness,
thinking that a very meritorious service had been
performed. That was the only disagreeable experi-

56
ence in the land of sharks for the non-delivery of
the letter caused doubts and fears that the brother
had died during the long years of absence.

CHAPTER VIII.
One night after our friend had eaten his supper,
cooked as usual over buffalo chips, while calmly
smoking his pipe, at peace with all the world, and
building castles in the air, inhabited with thoughts
that seemed pleasant indeed, he saw the top of a
bush in front of the hut move. There was no breeze,
the air being perfectly calm. This was the only
bush for many yards. There was no animal on
the plains large enough to cause the movement ex
cept some cows which were too large to be con
cealed by the foliage. A man thinks rapidly in the
wilds. Immediately the conclusion was reached that
a man caused the movement. Quickly springing to
the side of the hut, out of the light reflected by the
embers of the dying fire, he pulled his pistol, ex
claiming at the same time, "Hands up." Two
black hands came slowly in sight above the bush
and the owner exclaimed "Amigo" (friend, in
Spanish). "Amigo be damned. Vamose" (get).
The fellow started from the concealment of the
bush, again uttering, "Amigo;" but a pistol shot

57
on each side of the retreating rascal caused him to
hasten his exit. He started on a quick run and
disappeared in the darkness.
Our friend calmly turned in to slumber, indiffer
ent to circumstances, as though he was in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel of New York. He knew that the
fellow would not return and there was no one else
to do him harm.
The greaser had evidently crawled on his belly to
the concealment of the bush to await the time when
tired nature caused the sleeping of his prey, when
a slash of his knife would prevent all opposition and
a looted hut would be his reward. At that time
these greasers were the principal criminals of Cali
fornia. The shots, instead of being aimed so as to
increase the speed of the fleeing devil, should have
been aimed to kill. Humanitarians may talk all
they please about the brotherhood of man and the
desirability of saving their souls; but they cannot
change the belief of an old Californian, or any one
else, who has had experience with bad Indians,
greasers, and the general riffraff of human crimi
nals, that the best place for them is six feet under
ground. The sharking season came to an end, like all things
good or bad on this earth. The experience was
very enjoyable in this lovely spot. Fully occupied
in a productive capacity, free from all the restraints
of civilized life, living the life of nature in fact was

58
all to the good. With the best of health and spirits,
our friend began to close up the business. The
cooperage of the casks of oil and preparing them
for shipment occupied a short time. The season
had been very profitable, and with a light heart the
oil was loaded on teams sent from the Landing, to
be delivered on board the steamer shortly due, for
shipment to San Francisco. Then a large hayrack
wagon was procured, and the shark fins were thrown
in, making a load high above the vehicle. These
fins could only be sold to Chinamen, who ship them
to China for making soup. The wealthy Mandarins
can only afford this coveted delicacy. The fins
were roughly cut from the backs of the sharks,
many inches of flesh and skin adhering. In mak
ing soup only the soft centre bones are good, so in
weight the substance actually used is infinitesimal
compared to the mass bought.
Early in the morning our friend mounted the team
with the driver and started for the long journey
across the plains to San Pedro. San Pedro, at
that time, was a village of one long straggling
street. Entering the street at the upper end, the
team proceeded along slowly. Soon a Chinaman
ran out and said:
"You selle shark fins?"
"Yes, John."
"How muchee?"
"What you give, John?"

59
"Centee en halb, pund."
"Not enough, John."
Another Chinaman ran out and asked:
"You selle shark fins?"
"Yes, John."
"How muche?"
"What you give, John?"
"Two centee pund."
"Not enough, John."
The whole village was in an uproar. The China
men were gesticulating and jabbering away in an
exciting manner. The shark fins proceeded down
the road followed and surrounded by Celestials
crying out in their guttural language. This im
mense quantity of the desired delicacy created a
frenzy among them. Evidently there was a dearth
of shark fins in the Chinese country, and they
thought our friend was aware of the conditions, for
he would not accept the last offer, the highest
price fins had heretofore sold for in the local market.
The excitement spread to the white inhabitants
who poured out of every store and house. Their
voices joined in the chorus and all seemed to be
having the time of their lives. The caravan slowly
proceeded all the while and the same questions and
answers were given. The offers increased one-half
cent per pound every time until reaching the end
of the street, eight cents per pound was offered
and accepted after it was considered that the limit

6o
of price had been reached. The rack was unloaded
after a goodly bag of gold was passed in payment.
The price was fabulous, and was quoted for many
years afterward as the top notch reached for the
Chinese delicacy. Until late at night the excitement
kept up. There was certainly a rousing old time
in that sleepy town for many hours. Afterwards
our friend became acquainted with a gentleman in
San Francisco who told him that at the time of the
sale he published a paper in the village and had
printed a column and a half report of the event,
which he declared was the best copy that he used
during his whole experience in the publishing
business.

CHAPTER IX.
The next day our friend went aboard a steamer
bound for San Francisco. As he was passing aft
to the purser's room to purchase his ticket, a voice
called out, "Where are you going, Ned?" On look
ing back at the speaker, he recognized one of his
old acquaintances, who was then mate of the vessel.
Informing him of his object, the mate exclaimed:
"Don't do that. We are terribly short handed.
Why not turn to with us, you can earn money
instead of paying it out for passage?"
Being persuaded this was the best thing to do,

6i
the chest was sent forward, instead of aft, and the
crew was increased by one man.
The craft was found to be not only short handed,
but was manned by the most inefficient lot of beach
combers that had ever been collected together. They
were a ratty assembly; not an honest sailor in the
bunch. Our friend acted more as an officer than
foremast hand during the passage, trying to make
the drove perform their duties.
The vessel carried square sails in addition to
steam power, and one time during a fair wind the
foretopsail was loosened and sheeted home. With
the help of the sail the speed was increased for
several hours, when the wind changed and it be
came necessary to take in the canvas. The crew
were ordered aloft to furl it. Our friend was quick
in the rigging and got to the bunt, or centre of the
yard, when a burly brute came slowly up the
shrouds, and using foul language, said that was his
position. He was told to spread out on the yard
as it required a man in at the bunt. The answer was
that he would thrash the life out of our friend when
he got him on deck. The sail was quickly gathered
in and the gaskets properly fastened, when, on
reaching the deck, the dock walloper was invited to
carry out his threat ; but he slouched off muttering.
The steamer stopped at a number of ports where
it was necessary to discharge and take on freight
before heading for 'Frisco. Just after passing the

62
Heads, one of the men came up to our friend and
said: "Are you wid us?"
"What do you mean, you slob?" was the answer.
"Well, wees all going to strike when the dock is
reached and if yous are not wid us, yous are agin
us, and a busted head will come to ye."
The officers of the ship were not aware of this
intended strike, and when posted, prepared them
selves with the help of the stewards and cooks, to
pass the fastening lines. When the dock was
reached it was found to be crowded with a yelling
mob of what were called men. The crew quickly
joined them, fleeing like rats over the rail. Being
forewarned, the officers passed cables and lines and
soon had the vessel secure. They also ran out the
landing stage for discharging the cargo, which made
a steep slide down to the dock. The strike was
entirely unjustifiable, as the sailors' wages on the
coast then were twice that ruling anywhere else.
When everything was snug, the mate came to
our friend and told him that a new vessel was ready
for our old man to command and that he was to
take the captaincy of this one on the next voyage;
also saying that he wanted our friend to go with
him as his first mate. He was told that could not
be, as he had formed a firm resolve to leave the sea
faring life, with all its fascinations. All the persua
sions of the mate were of no avail, for he felt there

63
was within the ability to accomplish more ashore
than possible sailing the seas, but the mate said :
"You cannot go ashore now in that howling nest
of rats. They will surely kick the head off of you."
He answered that two could play at that game.
All he wanted was that the mate should help him
with his chest to the landing stage. Meanwhile a
teamster with a pair of fine horses, who was on
the outer edge of the crowd, was signaled to back
up to the slide, with tailboard down, and our friend,
sitting on his chest, shot down in a twinkling, and
threw it into the wagon. Then a mistake was made.
Instead of following his belongings, he ran around
to mount the seat with the driver. Such a rapid
descent amongst them surprised the slow-witted
rascals, and they were inert for a second or two;
but soon gathering their wits they made for our
friend. He had gained a hold on the back rail of
the seat with one hand while his foot rested on the
step. The disengaged foot was grasped by one of
the devils who tried to pull him down. With a
firm hold on the rail, the foot on the step was
swung around, striking the fellow on the jaw with
such force that he laid down to think out what
irresistible power had fouled his head. Our friend
quickly mounted and sung out to the teamster to
switch up his horses. They promptly obeyed, and
all were rushed through the yelling gang safely.
The driver was directed to a hotel where the events

64
of the moment were calmly thought over as being
a trivial affair unworthy of mention except in a
truthful history like this.
This was the last voyage made as a sailor. Its
joys and dangers were of the past, but it was many
years before the old hankering for the sea, with all
its charms and delights, entirely left the brain cells
of the man, who had first experienced them as a
boy. He had other duties to perform and they
slowly developed; but the many voyages he after
wards made as a passenger, had pleasure to him
because of the knowledge gained of the deep seas
and their wondrous beauties. If a landscape is once
viewed, it always remains the same, no change, and
one soon tires of a vision practically permanent.
The sea, per contra, is ever changing; ever build
ing up a new vista that never repeats itself, thus
enthralling the attention of one that loves the
mighty waters.
The oil was sold at a good price and all was
deposited in a bank whose character was unknown
to the depositor. It had an imposing appearance
with all the earmarks of a solid financial institution.
Inquiries were made the next day as to the reputa
tion of Mooney's bank. From all the sources of
information at hand the reports were not good. It
was considered too liberal in granting loans. It
allowed twelve per cent, on deposits, which was
known to be away beyond the earning capacity of

65
money. With this information the money was with
drawn and taken to another bank of undoubted
security. Mooney's bank went up the flume with
a crash in ten days, to the sorrow of many who
wanted to get the most interest possible on their
hoardings. An acquaintance was struck up with a stranger
at this time who depicted in glowing language the
amount of money that could be made from a small
sum, if that sum was in possession, in a scheme that
the stranger knew of. Castles in the air were built,
and brilliant speech described all their splendor,
overflowing with Aladdin richness that would have
made the ancient lamp-rubber envious. A mine of
untold wealth only awaited one that might be
possessed of the needed wand which consisted of a
small streak of gold. The eloquent flow of speech
began to affect our friend. He tried hard to learn
the nature and aim of the scheme, but was told it
could not be unfolded before certain preparations
were made. The stranger declared it was neces
sary to have a small seagoing vessel procured that
could be managed by a person skilled in the arts
of the sea, and seemed a little surprised when our
friend informed him that he was possessed of those
arts in addition to the filthy lucre required. A visit
was made to a boat building firm who agreed to
build a suitable craft for a sum well within the
wealth owned; then a decided stand was taken that

66
no further action would be taken before the nature
of the business was divulged. The stranger de
clared that a delay was necessary ; but a firm stand
for information brought out the fact that a piratical,
smuggling scheme was intended, down the coast of
Mexico, which would develop riches untold and
again our friend was regaled with the splendid de
scriptions that had at first attracted his attention.
They parted, both disappointed, the one with a bril
liant scheme that could not be tried, the other with
a fellow being who had not digested the command
ments which were inscribed on the Tables of Stone.

CHAPTER X.
With money at command, a natural ambition to
enter into some form of business possessed our
friend. He shortly saw a newspaper advertisement
of a partnership in the market business for sale.
On interviewing the gentleman who wanted a part
ner, he found that the possession of brilliant argu
ments and a persuasive tongue was not limited to
one who wanted to go bushwhacking along the
Mexican coast. The stranger enlarged on the large
profits to be made; the impossibility of his attend
ing to the outside work and detail of overseeing the

67
salesmen and the accounts ; that he was forced to
take a partner to help him; that the business was
increasing by leaps and bounds, and in a short time,
by strict attention to the inflowing trade they would
be rolling in wealth; that he was sure our friend
was the exact person he wanted, and for that reason
he would sell an equal partnership for much less
than it was worth. Truth and honesty was dis
played in all his glowing language and our friend,
being green, fell under its power.
He hastened to the bank, drew the necessary
amount of money, and thence they proceeded to a
lawyer who drew the documents that made him a
business man with all that implied, with his name
in gold lettering as one of a firm, and billheads
printed in script, giving the name of a business
house that would rank amongst the foremost mer
chants of town. All this made him happy, content
ed and proud ; but what an awakening was in store
for him! When he began to inspect the surround
ings and the people flowing past, but not in under
the imposing sign, he began to realize that some
men could lie without much effort. His partner
was absent nearly all the time, claiming he was
looking out for the outside business ; but as no out
side business was in evidence, the idea crept into the
brain of our victimized friend that he had been
swindled by the most consummate falsifier in San
Francisco. On being accused of his deception, the

68
claim was made that in a day or two the tide would
turn ; that he was going around amongst his friends
who wanted our goods and they would soon be piling
in to purchase. The next day a man came around
the place, asking what was thought to be imperti
nent questions. He asked what was the value of
stock carried; the daily sales and the net income.
He was indignantly told that it was none of his
business, whereupon he said that the partner had
offered his interest for sale and that the inquiries
were made to find out whether it was a good busi
ness proposition.
Our friend felt abashed for not doing just what
the stranger thought necessary; but informed the
questioner that the partner's interest was not for
sale and could not be bought. The partner appeared
shortly after and was informed that he could not
sell his interest before our friend's share had been
disposed of; that if he tried to do otherwise the
whole fizzle would be shown up. The rascal be
came frightened and after much profanity, agreed
to the proposition. Within two days a fellow he
had hooked, put up the full sum that it had cost our
friend to become partner. With only the loss of
time, and with capital intact, he walked off, not
now a business man, but with an experience that
was worth many ducats in after life. He had found
out that the confiding nature of a sailor was useless
amongst the harpies that infest the land.

6g
After this attempt to break into the business
world, the experience proving so disagreeable, no
action was taken in that line again for a long time.
A position was taken with his old friends the print
ers, and becoming foreman of the press depart
ment, the time was fully occupied. He became a
joiner and entered so many societies that there
were not nights enough in the week to attend them
all. The social life thus met with was thoroughly
enjoyed. Home life at that time in the West had
not crystallized as in older countries, so the people
congregated more or less together in some form of
public entertainment that was amusing or instruct
ive. Offices were thrust upon our friend in the
various lodges, and he became a high muckey-muck
in many of them, with high-sounding titles that
would gladden the heart of an Indian potentate.
On the whole it was a jolly life, well spent, for
many were the acts of help and charity that glad
dened the hearts of those who had become stranded
in the land of rainbow promises. The land of gold
was a misnomer, for many found that all that glit
ters is not gold. Many, fagged in the pursuit,
dropped by the wayside, worn and haggard from
the wild struggle for that which only a very few
attained. They then needed the helping hand that
the various organizations gladly gave, for brotherly
love was the touchstone of their existence.
One high office attained required the memoriza-

70
tion of a book full of matter that seemed impossi
ble during the occupations of employment and the
various duties of social life. Therefore, our friend
went by steamer to Monterey and spent a week
under the grand old trees, storing his mind with
the words of wisdom. On his return he was letter
perfect in the work and installed lodges in true and
ancient form as a District Deputy Grand Master of
the State of California.
There was one institution, however, that proved
disappointing. It was formed on a principle that
was contrary to correct human nature. Its pre
cepts could not for all time be followed with hon
esty, therefore, a spirit of hyprocrisy was engen
dered that eventually proved so distasteful to our
friend as to cause his withdrawal. Hypocrisy was
always considered the most venal of sins and he
detested it with a spirit of animosity. He entered
into the work full of vim, determined to accom
plish all possible. Ladies and gentlemen were ad
mitted and for a long time proved very agreeable.
Rapid advancement was made and soon the regalia
of Grand Master of the State of California descend
ed upon his shoulders. He kept to the precepts,
avoiding the holding of, and the tasting of the flow
ing bowl, eschewing all that would intoxicate. The
millennium was approaching when intemperance
with all its evils would be banished from the earth
and no sin would remain. The occupation of the devil

71
would depart, thus ridding the world of his Satanic
majesty. But what an awakening there was when on a
certain New Year's Day the august official visited
his sisters. It was raining fiercely, and a hack was
necessary. The first sister called upon was a high
official of the organization. Our friend was re
ceived graciously, but was informed that the wild
weather required special precautions; that they
could not afford to have their high potentate become
unwell through its influence, therefore in addition to
the lemonade in the front room, she had arranged in
a back room certain stimulants that would protect
against all the effects of dampness. Retiring to the
back room a decanter containing the vile broth of
the devil's brewing, sometimes called whiskey, ap
peared with the necessary glasses. Being invited
to partake so as to avoid the dire disaster that
would follow from the weeping skies, a sad but firm
refusal followed. She said it was on account of
the love of him, the honored head of the Order, that
this preventive was provided. He found that
every sister called upon that day offered the same
potion, with the same reasons for partaking. It
was fearful, and it was not long before the I. O. G.
T's lost a grand officer by resignation. Our friend
always believed in temperance, but such temperance
as this society recommended and indorsed, was
wrong. It made bigots of some few, hypocrites of

72
many, and a small proportion remained who were
trying to act as honest people. The good things of
this life are provided to use in moderation and it is
useless for reformers to fly in the face of human de
sires to accomplish that which amounts only to the
vice of meanness.

CHAPTER XL
Amongst the employees in the printing office
was a young Irish pressman, who at times caused
considerable trouble, owing to careless actions; but
as he was the personification of good nature, he was
always forgiven. He was a general favorite in the
office. One day he invited our friend to attend his
wedding, which was to occur that night. The time
arrived and all the guests presented themselves. The
wedding proved true to the old Irish ways. The
poteen flowed generously and all were soon in a
hilarious state of enjoyment. The bride and groom
were toasted in words and spirits concerning their
future happiness. The bride replied modestly with
simple words that sounded well, coming as they did
from a beautiful girl. The husband, however, was
bold from the decoction imbibed. He loudly assert
ed that he was to be lord and master ; that the wife
was to minister to his wants in every way as a
dutiful helpmeet should. This was grand talk; but

73
listen to the denouement. Something over one year
afterwards our friend attended a public picnic and
saw the young husband with his wife and baby.
She exclaimed: "Pat, go and get the lunch basket
as the baby wants some milk, and don't stop to gas
with anybody, as you usually do, but return
quickly." Thus spake the wife to the lord and master that
was to be. She was commander of the situation
and he was content.
Our friend attended many dancing parties and
became an officer in a large club that was formed
for the purpose of giving swell affairs. They were
nicknamed the silk stocking club, on account of
their high-toned affairs. Their entertainments
proved very enjoyable, although the art of dancing
waltzes had never been acquired. Only square
dances were indulged in. One night a gentleman
met our friend and said he wanted to introduce him
to his sister. Of course, the only reason was to give
the sister a dance. On meeting the lady, she handed
out her program ; but unfortunately the card showed
that she had given away all her square dances. She
was informed of his inability to accomplish the waltz,
the only one left, and a graceful departure was
made. The incident was apparently closed to the
satisfaction of all concerned. A dire result followed,
however. While retiring from the presence of the
lady, an old friend was met who said she wanted

74
to dance a waltz. She was informed that ignor
ance prevented. She insisted however, and before
he knew it they were swinging around the hall in
the graceful movement engendered by the enticing
music, to the delight of those that witnessed, except
the lady and her brother who sat watching the per
formance. The gentleman insisted that his sister
had been grossly insulted by the refusal to take the
waltz. He was informed that the dance was execu
ted entirely by the lady dancer ; that our friend was
only carried around by her; and that she was the
guilty party; but excuses were not accepted. That
gentleman was a personal enemy for many moons.
One holiday a young tenderfoot expressed a
desire to see the tabooed sights of San Francisco,
and wished our friend to guide him amongst them.
He was informed that the places were only known
to the proposed guide by general report, and the
news of the day; but that evening the two started
to the underworld to view the events which are
enacted in the glare of gaslights. They visited
several places where vice abounds without meeting
with anything except the usual drinking and carous
ing, when they descended to a noted dance hall, late
in the night. Taking seats at a table, drinks were
served by a "lady" who asked for a dance, after
imbibing an extra drink that was not called for. She
was met with a refusal and started off. Just then a
commotion was noticed in a distant part of the hall.

75
Loud voices were heard and soon a pistol barked,
soon followed by other shots. This was more than
bargained for and the two strangers darted for the
stairs with their coat-tails in a horizontal position
behind. Landing in the broad moonlight, policemen
rushing to the underground hell was the culminating
vision the tenderfoot and his guide had of the night's
adventure. Whenever he was asked afterwards if he
wanted to repeat the experience, he would say.
"I pass. I have had enough." The next morning's
papers reported that there were three men killed
and two women mortally wounded that night in the
delightful Palace of Pleasure, by which name it was
called. One day while busily engaged in the office, a
drunken bum sidled up to our friend and said, "Are
you going to join us ?" When asked what he meant,
he said that all the printers were going to strike,
and he, as walking delegate, was going around to
get the men together. Now this man was a useless
fellow who could not get employment in any office
except when another man could not be found. His
debaucheries were well known, and he was detested
in every office in the city. The idea of such a
man becoming the champion of the trade was
peculiarly disagreeable. The printers of the Coast
were enjoying the best of conditions. Their wages
were high and the treatment most just. The fellow
was told to get out. Replying in foul, saucy Ian-

76
guage, he was taken by the collar of his coat and
the slack of his pantaloons, and was thrown quickly
down the steep stairs. As he bounded from step
to step in his downward flight, a momentary regret
was felt that death would ensue ; but he picked him
self up at the bottom, uttering terrible threats. His
exit was rapid and not graceful. The effect was
salutary, however, for the strike never materialized.
The proprietors of the printing office did a great
deal of work for a land company who emitted the
most elaborate descriptions of their holdings. One
could not help getting wealthy if one took advantage
of the offers. The land was certain to become valu
able, situated as it was at the junction of two im
portant railways. Great interests were forming to
plant a large city on the property. In fact, after
reading the glowing accounts, one would wonder
at the philanthropy that prompted the owners to
dispose of this great prospective wealth. Our
friend tumbled and agreed to relieve the liberal
owners of a section. After paying several install
ments, it appeared to be a good idea to view the
splendid purchase. So on horseback the journey
was made to Alameda County, and in the wilder
ness, after a long search, the location was found.
The front was all right to the extent of ten feet;
but unfortunately the metes and bounds beyond ex
tended over a vast gulch hundreds of feet deep, a
splendid location for trestle work if one wanted

77
to get beyond; however, as landed property the
purchase was a little disappointing. No further
payments followed, and those which had been made
were charged to experience, that valued teacher who
inculcates the spirit of philosophy.

CHAPTER XII.
Our friend had been a long time in the office and
began to be restless. The proprietors thought he
was preparing to take one of his flights, so offered
him a ten-day holiday. A holiday could not be ap
preciated except on the water. A schooner was
found that was bound to the north of California for
a load of lumber, a journey that could ordinarily
be made within the time limit. Passage was en
gaged, and, happy as a lark, he appeared on board
the vessel. To be off again on the beloved water
was a treat that was thoroughly enjoyed in antici
pation. The vessel left the dock, and after the
officers had got everything snug, the captain was
offered a cigar. He said, "No, I thank you, I always
feel a little squeamish on leaving port." To have
an old sea dog give that excuse was surprising. The
mate was made the same offer when he declined,
saying, "I would throw up all that's in my stomach
if I smoked." This was beyond belief, so a lonely
cigar was enjoyed.
The lovely shores of 'Frisco Bay were passed.

78
Shortly we sped through the Golden Gate, along
the rough waters called the potato patch, thence up
to and around Point Reyes, into the broad Pacific
Ocean. Everything was greeted with joy, even the
sea gulls hovering about the ship were thanked for
their presence. A boy out of school could not be
more hilarious. In beautiful weather we sailed
along for many hours, in fact the port of the Noyo
River, where we were bound, was almost reached,
when a sneezer came out of the gathering clouds,
causing the taking in of every inch of canvas.
Under bare poles the boat was driven before it to
the westward. Half the distance to Japan was cov
ered before the fierce gale abated. Then began the
slow beating back to port. Many days were lost
and when port was reached, it was found that the
storm had washed the whole shooting match out.
All the docks and stagings were no more. The load
ing of the schooner could not occur for at least a
month. Our friend had long overstayed his time
and determined on a ride overland to Eureka, where
he was pretty sure to obtain passage for 'Frisco.
The captain of the schooner told him to telegraph
whether or no a cargo could be obtained in Eureka.
If a cargo could be obtained in that port he would
go and take it as he had plenty of time to deliver
before wharfs could be built.
The journey was a long one on horseback, from
daylight in the morning to ten or twelve at night.

79
At four o'clock the next morning the start was made
from a livery stable, where a horse was hired. The
stable keeper, in answer as to where the horse
should be left, gave a stable address in the town
bound for. He stated that the roads were rough,
and if the animal gave out to be sure that the saddle
reached the haven. Horses were cheap in that
country at the time, but the saddle was worth
money. It had rained heavily and the soft dirt
road was mucky, making progress far from rapid.
It was far from a cheerful prospect this ride over
the oozy, treacherous causeway, but necessity knows
no law, and the journey had to be made.
Proceeding slowly along our friend became very
thirsty. He rode up to a man before a shack and
asked him in a kindly manner for a drink from his
well. The answer was: "You get," and in a
threatening manner threw his hand around to his
pistol pocket. "You slide off pretty d  quick or
I will load you with bullets."
Such a reception was not expected, but as the
brute seemed ready to carry out his threat, the better
part of valor prompted a retreat. Miles were cov
ered and another citizen was noticed leaning up
against his fence. The request for a drink was
made. The answer came promptly: "Now, young
fellow, I don't want to shoot, but if you do not
vamose in an instant, my pistol will bark." Again
the hand went for the gun.

8o
What was the matter? This was California hos
pitality with a vengeance. The mind could not com
prehend the reason for such treatment. The horse
was urged along, up to his belly sometimes in the
thick mud and dirty water. Disconsolate and weary,
the traveler proceeded until again an inhabitant was
noticed loitering in his yard. With becoming
modesty the call for a drink of water was answered
with a volume of oaths, followed by the words:
"If you do not take your rascally carcass off down
the road in a jiffy, it will be filled with lead so you
cannot move." This time the pistol was in hand
ready for execution.
The traveler could do nothing but obey the
order. Wild with thirst, and becoming very hungry,
nothing having passed his lips but a cup of coffee
since starting at four o'clock, and the time of twelve
having arrived, rebellion against the conditions got
in masterful control of his system, and when he
met another settler who ordered the traveler to
make tracks with the usual threats, he could not
stand the game any longer. Sliding off his horse,
a demand for the reason for such treatment was
made. Thundering out the words, "You are after
the wrong fellow — you are taking me for somebody
else ; I am a printer on a holiday and here are papers
proving the statement." With these remarks forci
bly uttered, the fellow began to weaken. He told
the stranger to come into the shack to show the

8i
papers. This was quickly done and with the advant
age gained, our friend followed it up with an addi
tional verbal evidence that seemed to be convincing.
The horse was led to fodder, and the settler then
prepared some bacon and eggs. A happy condition
of confidence seemed secure, but while the traveler
was getting outside of the food provided, the fellow
pulled out a description. He read : "A young fellow
of fair complexion, about five feet, eight and a half
inches high, weighs about one hundred and fifty
pounds, has a scar over his right eye." Looking at
the traveler, he sang out with an oath :
"You are the man."
"No, I am not."
"Yes, you are."
And then eloquence was expended with convinc
ing power until the settler was thoroughly satisfied.
The reason was then given for the outrageous treat
ment received by the traveler. Along the road all
were squatters who had taken up lands before they
were surveyed. The State had issued school script
which was sold in the open market. Those pur
chasing the school script could plaster it upon any
public surveyed land not already sold. These men
had got a description of a young man from San
Francisco who was expected to issue dispossession
papers against the squatters in the interest of some
people of 'Frisco. The settlers had met together and
agreed to shoot the messenger on sight. Certainly

82
our friend was described accurately, and why he
was not shot is an enigma. These men were rough
and careless of life, but the idea of killing one in
cold blood was revolting. Perhaps they thought
some one else would perform the deed, thus reliev
ing their conscience of the action.
The squatter informed the traveler that he had
convinced him of his pacific intentions, but others
further along might shoot, therefore he thought it
best to accompany him. Saddling his horse, they
proceeded. Shortly another armed man was met.
He sang out :
"You have got the rascal?"
"No, I haven't, he has proved clear."
Thus they proceeded. Every short distance they
were challenged, but the kind friend proved a friend
indeed, and they were allowed to pass. The dark
ness of night overshadowed them, when three horse
men were seen approaching from the opposite direc
tion. They had just come out of the town to which
our friend was bound. They immediately turned
their horses, surrounding the traveler and sang out :
"You have got the limb of the law, let's swing him
up." But the friend again put in a disclaimer.
Then the traveler did something he had never done
before in public, he gave the sign of distress, as
taught in a secret order. The riders, noticing the
sign, quickly cried out as with one voice, "You bet
he is all right," and grasping his hand in brotherly

83
token, they all declared that they would return to
town and give the new found brother the time of
his life. It was not until the wee, small hours of
the morning that our friend could get clear from
the brothers. They were determined to make him
forget the dire experiences of the trip.
Early in the morning inquiries were made as to
the possibility of getting a cargo for the schooner,
but this was found impossible for the great storm
had weather-bound many vessels and they had cor
ralled all the freight of the port, therefore, a tele
gram was sent to the captain stating that no cargo
could be obtained. The statement was also made
that his passenger would take the first vessel bound
for 'Frisco.

CHAPTER XIII.
The vessels were all lying out in the bay, and
the only connection with them was by a tugboat
resting alongside the dock. Our friend went aboard
and told the captain to put him on the first vessel
that left port. It was the custom to bend on a
hawser and pull the craft out to the bar, where sail
would be made. The gruff old captain answered the
request in a voice that sounded more like a growl
than usual speech — "All right." After a short delay
the tug proceeded to the largest craft in the bay.
It was the Harvest Queen, a vessel noted all

around the coast as being perfectly appointed, with
splendid accommodations for passengers. The cap
tain, after pulling the vessel to the bar, did not run
alongside for the passenger to jump aboard, but sig
naled for the hawser to be cast off, then steamed
for the next craft. Our friend was boiling with
rage. Rushing up to the old man in a temper, he
hollered out, "I told you to place me on the first
vessel outbound, and the only one fitted up for pas
sengers has gone."
The reply was quick and sharp. "Shut up! If
you don't keep quiet I will throw you overboard."
It was no use to argue the case with such a brute.
It was a case of must. Shortly the line was passed
to an old lumber droger, piled with a deck load that
sank the deck awash in the water. After pulling
her to the bar, the tug ran alongside and the captain
sang out, "Jump, you young devil, jump."
The order was obeyed. Landing on the rail he
climbed up on the lumber and was met by the mate
who sang out, "What are you doing here?"
On being told that passage to 'Frisco was demand
ed he replied: "You are a fool. There are no ac
commodations. You will have to sleep on top of
the deck load."
Our friend quietly pulled out a twenty dollar gold
coin and said : "Is this good for a bunk ?"
The reply was short, and decisive : "Yes, by
thunder, you can have mine for that sum."

85
All was serene, and after a passage, comparatively
pleasant, the old hulk wallowed up to the dock in
good old San Francisco harbor after a ten days' holi
day that had stretched out to five weeks.
Going to the office, he was well received — with
joy in fact, for his services were in demand. The
only remaining partner, for his companion had left
him, was taken sick with smallpox the day after our
friend departed, and had just returned from the
hospital thoroughly cured and enjoying the best of
health, as is always the case with patients recovering
from that awful disease.
A short time after his return, our friend in a
social assemblage, met the complete counterpart of
himself, the same build, complexion and with a scar
over the right eye. The resemblance was startling.
Entering into conversation with his double, it was
found out that he was a lawyer and had a commis
sion to place school script on the same delectable
spot that had caused so much misery to the party
of the first part. He was informed of the narrow
escape from being shot. Replying, he informed
that the party employing him changed the plans
just before the execution to another place, thus giv
ing our friend his chance of being ventilated.
About three months after the memorable jour
ney, a man was met on Second street who appeared
to be drunk. He kept moving from side to side,
facing our friend, who became annoyed. He sang

86
out to the fellow to get out of the way and sober up.
The reply came, "Aren't you in Davy Jones' locker ?
Aren't you a ghost?"
"Why, no, you drunken fool. Vamose."
"Don't you know me? I was the mate of the
vessel on which you made the trip to Noyo river."
Looking at the fellow sharply, who was in his
shore toggery, he was recognzed. He said, "Didn't
you telegraph to the captain that you would take
the first vessel that went out of port? The first craft
out was the Harvest Queen. She has never been
heard of since."
Explanations were made and the mystery was
solved for the mate; but the mystery was never
solved in regard to this vessel sailing over the bar
and disappearing into oblivion with all souls aboard.
Not a hatch or any floating article belonging to the
ship ever appeared. The weather was fine; no
storms could have been met on her passage. It was
an enigma never to be solved until the mighty deep
gives up its secrets.
What prompted the tug captain to refuse to put
the passenger upon a vessel with splendid cabins
and thrust him on a pile of lumber, has perplexed
the mind of our friend ever since. Was it caused
by his own volition, or the small voice of some om
niscient power acting on his subconsciousness, tell
ing him not to place the stranger where he would
certainly go down to a watery grave; but to give

87
him a chance to reach safety, though it might be in
an uncomfortable manner? This is beyond the
philosophy of the human mind. The present and
past is knowable, but the future is hidden in a mist
that cannot be fathomed by man, although he
claims to be immortal.
Our friend took an active interest in the affairs
of San Francisco, political, social and religious. He
joined a large Episcopal church having one thou
sand Sunday School scholars, and became its libra
rian. Eventually, thanks to the ladies who have the
right to vote in that denomination, he was elected
a vestryman. All seemed lovely, and the sun shone
bright. One day when engaged in the library, the
superintendent of the Sunday School said to him:
"There is a lady teacher absent, this is the first time,
and I fear she has been taken sick. Could you take
her class, who are all present?"
The answer was : "Yes, it is a little out of my
line, but I will do the best possible." So, on intro
duction to the class, he found a lot of boys from five
years old upwards. The lesson was gone over very
easily as it was all printed, but the trouble com
menced when it was ended. As soon as that oc
curred a little kid piped out:
"Teacher, at this time the lady always asks us if
we want to ask any questions."
"All, right," the reply came, "fire away."
"Well, if a boy was going along the street and

another boy struck him on the face, what should
he do?"
The answer was, "If he was a smaller boy, why
don't mind it ; but if of the same size or larger, then
pitch in and thrash him, if you can."
The superintendent was just back of the acting
teacher at the time and overheard the remarks.
Touching our friend on the shoulder, he said : "I
am afraid you are not cut out for a Sunday School
teacher. The library needs your attention."
What sane man or healthy boy could consider any
other action? The hypocrisy of certain forms of
religion tries to teach otherwise, but such teachings
fall on unfruitful soil. If fruitful the result would
be the production of a cowardly race that would be
despised of all.

CHAPTER XIV.
The old desire to enter business came over our
friend. He noticed a patented article that had con
siderable sale in the Eastern markets, but which was
not known in the West. He naturally thought the
Western market should be opened up. Therefore,
he wrote to the manufacturer that the sale could
be promoted and the article introduced to the mutual
profit of both. After a time the agency of the goods
was offered and accepted, and a lot of the goods
sent around the Horn. On arrival, our friend took

8g
time from his duties in the office to interview the
trade. He soon found out the goods were known,
although not sold. He was met with refusals, with
the statement that no more was wanted as they were
worthless. They all had small lots and had con
demned them because they would not work. Sur
prised and mystified, he soon found out that all were
purchased of one jobber. On interviewing this
dealer, information was obtained that a long time
previously a lot of the goods were received by water
freight and distributed in small lots all over Cali
fornia — that the customers were dissatisfied and de
manded of the jobber the privilege of returning
them. This was objected to, but many refused to
pay the bills. In fact, the experience was such that
the jobber did not want to see one of the articles
again. All this information would have dampened the
ardor of almost any one, but our friend was
not built that way. His optimistic and pug
nacious mind only saw a fight ahead to over
come the bad repute in which the article had fallen.
He got the dealer to go over his books and make out
a list of every customer to whom the goods had been
sold. With this list in hand he made trips all over
California and interviewed the purchasers. He
found that the same fault showed up in every in
stance. The lot of goods had been stowed in the
lower hold against the skin of the ship. All had

90
come in contact with bilge water and were rusted so
the working parts would not act ; a sorry lot of goods
indeed. The worthless stuff was all gathered in and
replaced with perfect goods without any cost to
the merchant. Satisfaction was engendered and
gradually orders came in for more goods. Things
began to look lovely.
Soon it became evident that our friend could not
retain his connection with the office. He was losing
too much time. A young man whom he was ac
quainted with urged that a partnership should be
formed with him to prosecute the business. Persua
sion carried the day and a new firm was introduced
to the market. The partner placed in the under
taking very little money. The experience of the
past was overlooked. The sharking episode had
been conducted profitably without a partner, and
the market business, with a partner, had been dis
astrous ; but the new line seemed at the time to
require doubling up. The result proved unsatis
factory in the end. The young man was industri
ous, but had no business ability at all. Such a man
as a workman, could have been obtained for much
less than an equal partner was entitled to draw from
the firm. When the lawyer was drawing up the
papers, our friend insisted that the words, "No
member of the firm acting for himself or for the
firm, shall go on a bond or indorse a note for the
benefit of others." This provision in the partner-

91
ship compact saved the firm from destruction after
wards when it got in good condition. A mutual
friend was elected to a political office that required
a large bond. He applied for the indorsement of
the firm. It seemed reasonable to give the same, for
his standing was high ; but no, the agreement pre
vented. Before the expiration of his term, this
good man went wrong; defaulted, and if compelled
to pay the bond, the new firm would have been
pushed to the wall.
It was slow work, but the business began to show
the energy expended. It was increasing in volume.
About this time our friend went into a large whole
sale house and was offered the very goods for which
he was supposed to have the exclusive agency. This
was a terrible blow. It can be supposed that it had
cost no small sum of money to travel over the State
replacing the faulty goods, advertising and making
a market. When success was beginning to be felt,
although not to a paying extent, to have the goods
coming in through others, was a disappointment
hard to bear. It was seen that other articles had to
be taken in from which profit could be obtained.
Therefore, the stock was increased so that in time
a general house furnishing business was done, and
after three removals, the establishment was doing
a flourishing trade in a large store on the principal
business street of the city.
Our friend's connection with the church as vestry-

92
man and member had to be severed as the brothers,
sisters and deacons, flocked in, running up bills
that would escape their memories afterwards. On
being prayerfully urged for payment, their excuses
were various, but all meant manana, a Spanish
word meaning to-morrow, or the day after judg
ment. So, sorrowfully, orders were given not to
sell except for cash, any customer who pleaded
church connections as a reason for credit. It was
thought better to get cash in this world than to build
up credit in the world to come. The wisdom of
this action showed up in a full cash drawer instead
of the depleted receptacle, to meet the bills that
had to be met as they came in, like the falling leaves
of autumn, every steamer day.
This making steamer day collections in this
country, was a relic of the time when two steamers
a month sailed into port from Panama. All pay
ments were made on those days. If a customer
could not settle his account on steamer day, then it
naturally laid over for the next, as no attempt was
made to collect between. This system was kept up
for many years after the communication was opened
by rail and the old steamer days became of no
moment. When the time and condition warranted, our
friend got spliced — that is, married. In due course
of events a baby girl came to the parents. She
proved later in life to be a chip off the old block,

93
proud to advance, and with talents that commanded
attention. Business required a trip to San Pedro, therefore,
a steamer was taken to that port. After a few days
the return passage was made. That port had in
creased in importance very much during the few
years since the former visit. Going aboard the
steamer, she was soon headed for the north. That
part of the coast was very familiar to our friend
as he knew every headline, bay, and landmark.
They were as plain to him as an open book. One
evening he overheard the captain tell the mate on
going below for the night, "to keep the same course
until morning." The wheel was aft and curiosity
prompted him to take a look at the compass to see
the course steered. It was immediately noticed
that something was wrong — that the continuous
sailing of the ship on that course was impossible,
as long before morning the false bay of Monterey
would open out, and if the vessel ran amongst the
jagged rocks of that locality, the loss of the steamer
would surely follow, and most likely all on board
would be drowned. Our friend went up to the mate
and informed him that he had heard the captain's
order, and also told him that if the course was run
until morning, the vessel would be at least twenty
miles inshore. The reply was sharp and disagreea
ble: "I guess we know how to run the steamer;
mind your own business."

94
With such a rebuff the only thing to do was to
watch and wait. Sleep was impossible. When
the midwatch came on deck and the lookout was
relieved, our friend went forward and told the new
man to keep his eye peeled, as breakers would soon
appear on a very dangerous coast. The lookout
replied that he had not been cautioned by the offi
cer on deck of the approach of land, as is the cus
tom on ship. He was informed that land was ahead,
and that it would be quite a feather in his cap if he
was first to make it out. The sailor was impressed
and promised to look out sharp. These were anxi
ous moments. The many lives aboard were at stake.
They were sleeping soundly, oblivious of the great
danger in the near distance. The mate had re
ceived his orders from the captain and they had to
be obeyed blindly. No criticism of that authority
could be indulged in. Since that time the one-man
power has been lessened a bit by the maritime au
thorities especially after the captain of the Ameri
can liner Paris, long afterwards, left Cherbourg,
France, and sailed directly on the English coast,
wrecking his vessel. His excuse was that he had
taken his departure from the wrong light. Now,
both the captain and the mate must agree on a
course. The discussion that would naturally arise
would tend to avoid the faults caused by such an
aberration of the mind that sometimes occurs when
one authority is supreme.

95
The ship continued to forge along. Our friend
was in the waist of the vessel looking with intense
interest ahead for the appearance of white water.
The wind had increased to a sharp topsail breeze,
producing a heavy sea that must make the coast
terrific. Both he and the lookout were on the job,
however, and just before one o'clock each one sang
out at the same instant, "Breakers ahead!" Sharp
and authoritative rang out the order from the mate
to the man at the wheel, "Hard up," and the vessel
quickly obeyed the helm. She swung around, her
stern pounding in the white water. It was a narrow
escape, but the craft with all on board were saved.
After the excitement of escaping the rocks, when
the ship had made her offing and had started on her
safe and correct course, the mate came to our friend
pleading that he should not say anything about the
error. He said that the old man was to take a new
ship the following voyage, and that the mate was
to be captain of the present one. A report of the
case would ruin both lives. The man was told that
such a gross blunder should be advertised ; but after
much urging and prayers, the promise was given
that nothing would be said about the affair as long
as our friend remained on the coast. Such a deci
sion was not according to justice, but the blind God
dess often demands that which good fellowship has
reason to refuse.

CHAPTER XV.
Among the acquaintances of our friend was a
family consisting of the parents and a grown up
daughter. It was observed that the daughter was
gradually declining in health, becoming more peaked
looking every time she was noticed. The mother
was so informed and was told that something was
wrong. The reply was that the daughter insisted
upon teaching and trying to convert to Christianity
a class of grown up Chinamen, a labor of love,
undertaken in true missionary spirit, without re
muneration, looking to Heaven for a reward. The
vile smell of opium-smoking Celestials was under
mining her health ; but she insisted upon carrying
on the work. No argument or entreaty could in
duce her to desist. Our friend met the daughter
and urged her to let the heathen go their own way,
that to try to convert them was a hopeless task,
and that on the whole, their religion was the best
for them. She was informed of the fact that those
people looked upon the white man's doctrines with
disgust, and that they were only trying to learn
English so that they could earn more money. She
was asked if there was a man amongst them that
showed the least evidence of being affected by her
teachings. "Oh, yes," was the reply. "There is Sing Lee,
he is a Christian. I have converted him."

97
"What, the Sing Lee that keeps a wash house in
Minna street?"
"Yes, that is the one. He has given himself to
Christ and I am greatly encouraged."
The next day our friend concluded to interview
the Christianized Chinaman at his place of business.
Some people cannot tell one negro from another,
but say all "niggers look alike to them;" but our
friend from his long contact with the Celestials
could tell them apart and readily recognized their
individual peculiarities. Arriving at the wash house,
he met Sing Lee and asked him in pigeon English:
"You likee go to school?"
"Velle, velle, me learnee Englie."
"Do you likee teacher?"
"Velle nicee. She good littie  ,"
using a profane epithet unprintable. The next
instant the Chinaman was lying on the floor. Some
thing must have hit him. For such hypocritical
beings a young woman was wearing out her life
in endeavoring to make them see things the same
way as she saw them after many generations of
teaching that had ingrained itself in her very being.
She believed in the doctrines that she tried to incul
cate in the Chinamen; but they had been brought
up under a different set of beliefs that had been in
grained in their systems through many more hun
dred years than the new dogmas, brought to their
attention. Which are best for them should be left

98
to their own consciences. Missionary effort has ac
complished some good in the world, but has pro
duced a great deal more harm. The endeavor to
proselyte has antagonized the different peoples and
has led to many wars that have deluged the lands
with blood. This opinion has been arrived at after
extensive reading; but more especially after actual
experiences in different parts of the world where
missionary effort was in evidence. Many who
think they have been called by a Superior Power
to proselyte, have not that peculiar power that
might be called humanity, the lacking of which
produces estrangement instead of human sympathy.
They repel, instead of creating a bond of union.
They keep their dogmas in mind and lose sight of
the grand power of love that is the basis of all true
religion. And, also, the vast number of dogmas
that different men endeavor to inculcate, perplex
the taught, and make them wonder as to which is
the true. As one of them informed our friend, "You
people who are trying to change our beliefs, have
innumerable prisons; the inmates are increasing
rapidly although many more, equally guilty, remain
outside augmenting the percentage of crime enor
mously. Lying, stealing, lust, murder, and all the
brutal instincts are in evidence in your Christian
country, more, in fact, than in this, that you are
trying to proselyte. What will be the gain?"
It would seem best for the missionaries to Chris-

99
tianize their own country first, so that it will show
up as a true model for others to follow. A very
good piece of advice, often given, is to "Mind your
own business and others will take care of their
own." Going back to the young lady teacher, she was
informed of the result of the interview with the
Godlike Sing Lee, and was told that the old sin
ner was only trying to get a knowledge of English,
that he was pretending to be converted, as a cloak,
and our friend again urged her to give up the work
she was engaged in; but no, she had faith. She
died in seven or eight months, a martyr to a mis
conception of her duty.
Our friend belonged to an institution that had
as a fellow-member a young man who had worked
hard in establishing a business from which he ob
tained, at this time a good income. He had never
taken a vacation, but concluded as he had every
thing in shape, to go up to Red Woods for a well-
deserved rest and relaxation. He purshased a
valuable shotgun and fishing tackle, and started in
good spirits for the land of recreation. His wife
and family did not hear from him and naturally
got alarmed concerning his safety. All loved the
man as he was a cheery, whole-souled, noble charac
ter, who took up with spirit the various activities
that the society was noted for. The wife, one of
the best of women, informed the mutual friends

100
of the Order concerning the long absence and the
anxiety created by it. Amongst the members was
an ex-sheriff of a northern county who was one of
the bravest of men and had the love and respect of
all that knew him. He was for years the largest
building contractor in San Francisco. The society
appointed him, with a companion, to go up to the
Red Woods to try, if possible, to locate our missing
member. The committee returned in five days with
a full report. They had not been in the locality
more than one day when they heard of a greaser
who had, when in his cups, made mention of a
stranger who had met his death by his hand. The
clue was followed up and soon he was found in a
shanty with others of the same sort. On entering,
they found the shotgun that was stolen. The fellow
was immediately arrested, and under natural per
suasion, admitted the murder. He was taken to the
spot and located the body under a mass of soft
earth. Then, without fuss and feathers, he became
an ornament to a tree, hanging there like an ex
clamation point, giving emphasis to the injunction,
"Thou shalt not kill." This was all done quietly
and with due decorum, no grand jury or term jury,
no lawyers or judges lost any time in the proceed
ings ; appeals were out of order, but true justice
was satisfied.
The committee brought the body of their deceased
comrade with them on their return, and he received

the burial rites of the Order in due form. This
was another case where the man and brother theory
did not jibe when a greaser was in the case.
A telegram was received by our friend from his
wife stating that she was sick on a ranch where
she was summering, up in the foothills of Sonoma
County. Therefore, she had to be reached by cross
ing the bay and taking a team to the destination.
On arriving at the livery stable it was found that
a driver could not be obtained on account of its
being a holiday. A good pair of horses was fur
nished, and a diagram of the trip was laid out so
that no mistake could be made as regards the road.
A start was made just before dusk. The last in
junction was given not to use the whip on the ani-
mails as they were frisky. Slow progress up the
mountain was made. It became so dark that the
horses heads could not be seen. They were driven
with slack lines so that they would depend upon
themselves for direction. After several hours, the
horses refused to go any further. They stood stock
still. All urging was useless. Our friend got
aggravated, and just as he was ready to grasp the
whip, a voice came back from the front, saying in
maudlin tones : "What ish the masher ?"
It was evident that the driver in a stalled team
ahead, had been lying in a drunken sleep on his
box. "Get out of the way. Start up your team."
Soon the creaking sound ahead denoted the move-

102
ment and the fellow called back: "Whar's yous
going?" He was given the information, rather tartly, and
the procession moved along. Then the command
came out of the darkness, "Pull yer right rein."
On this side was a blank stone cutting extend
ing up indefinitely, so the order was not immedi
ately obeyed. Again the order came in imperative
tones : "Pull yer right rein, damn ye."
Spasmodically the order was obeyed and our
friend made a sharp turn up a road that he could
not have possibly found in the blackness without
help. Therefore, giving the teamster a parting
benediction, he proceeded up to the ranch.
The next morning, with his wife nicely stowed
in the landau, the start was made for the city.
When they got to the place on the road where the
team had been met the previous night, it was found
that two wheels of the landau were within six
inches of a steep, rocky descent of at least three
hundred feet. If the whip had been used on those
skittish horses, they would, in prancing, have
dashed all below on the rocks, to inevitable death.

CHAPTER XVI.
What was known as the Amador War occurred
about this time. The miners had struck in the
mines of Sutter Creek, Amador County, and re
fused to allow others to work. They stopped the
pumps taking out the water from the deep workings
and they were beginning to be flooded. This action
would have destroyed those mines, thus causing
immense loss to the owners, also great misery to
the population that depended entirely on the mines
for support. The Governor ordered the militia
battalion that our friend belonged to, up in the dis
turbed region. Only three hours were allowed the
men for preparation. When the orders to march
reached his store he was out, and on his return in
about one hour, hurried arrangements were made
to leave the business. It was hard work and he
got to the armory after the battalion had left for
the ferry. Hurriedly donning his uniform, a rush
was made to catch up. Arriving at the ferry, he
found out that the boat had pulled out a distance
of at least six feet. Springing across the opening
with a powerful effort, he landed on deck, back
down, with a thump that caused momentary in
sensibility. The battalion was armed with old Springfield
muzzle loading rifles. These were retained in the
armory, and sixteen shot automatic rifles were

104
given the men on the boat ; also each man was given
two navy revolvers to hang on his belt. After
leaving the boat, cars were taken for a long dis
tance, after which the troops tramped up the
mountain roads.
A comical event happened when the men came
upon a toll gate attended by a woman. She would
not allow the army to pass until toll was paid.
Arguments were of no avail — pay or no passage.
The boys wanted to tear away the gate, but the
officers collected the necessary amount and then
forged ahead.
Soon a deep cut in the road was met. Some
striking miners were collected high up on the sides.
They began to fire off their pistols, mostly hurrah
shots however, although some of the balls Jfell
amongst the boys. Our friend was the only one
in the force who had been under fire. He noticed
a wavering and felt that a stampede was imminent.
That would have been bad for the troop ; therefore
he sang out. "The first man that starts for the
rear will be shot."
The boys heard, and bracing up, marched through
to the first camp ground. The Sibley tents were
pitched and the boys placed their rifles around the
centre poles, hanging their belts with the two pistols
on them over the muzzles. Soon a call was made
that caused our friend to get his accoutrements.
He went to take his belt and pistols, and as he did

105
so he touched the adjoining belt that had not been
correctly attached so that it fell down. The butt
of a pistol struck on a rock which caused it to
explode. The ball went straight upwards, passing
through the visor of his cap and could not have
been more than one-eighth of an inch from his
head. A close call, rather.
Then commenced a month of the most arduous
duties, more exacting than those of a like period
at any time during the Rebellion. Every night the
whole force was on guard duty. The troops were
split up in detachments guarding the various mines,
subject to nightly alarms that caused irritation, but
no actual bloodshed occurred.
Although the duty was irksome, still there oc
curred some sport and diversion. One rainy night
a dude of a lieutenant was officer of the day and at
twelve o'clock it was his duty to make the guard
rounds. Our friend was waiting for him on his
post. He heard in the distance his approach to
the various guards, and, on request, giving the
countersign without descending from the horse that
he rode. It is an invariable military rule for a
guard to prevent the approach of a mounted man
closer than the end of his bayonet on his rifle. The
countersign is always to be given in a whisper, there
fore for the safety of the guard, the countersign
must always be given when dismounted. The lieu
tenant approached. Soon was heard :

io6
"Who comes there?"
"Grand rounds."
"Advance grand rounds, dismount and give the
countersign." The lieutenant continued to walk his horse for
ward. The rifle was brought down to charge and
an ominous click of the trigger heard. "Dismount"
came the imperative word.
The lieutenant was bundled up in a raincoat
and disliked to obey in the heavy rain. He was
green and did not know the rules of the service.
He exclaimed: "You know me. I am lieutenant
of your company."
"Dismount, or I will shoot."
The officer, growling, slipped off the horse and
approaching, gave the countersign. He then, when
remounting, swore that he would report the im
pertinent sentry. He did, and only got for his
pains the order to learn his duties.
There was in the battalion a man untidy in dress
and manners ; but otherwise a good fellow. The
boys determined to have some fun at his expense.
He was arrested in burlesque. A regular court, in
due form, was impaneled with our friend acting
as judge. The culprit was charged with the crime
of "Not spitting beyond his chin." The trial pro
ceeded with witnesses on both sides. He was con
victed, and the judge sentenced him to be tossed in
a blanket. The penalty was carried out with great

107
spirit and energy. After the culprit was let off,
some inane rascal sang out, "What is the matter
with giving the judge a spell ?" It was unanimously
agreed to and in a second the august judge was in
the blanket being tossed up, with his arms and legs
so mixed that he could hardly tell one from the
other. No man who has not experienced the act
of being tossed in a blanket can conceive of its dia
bolical nature.
The troops returned to San Francisco after a
month's drilling, tough and hearty, thoroughly
broken into shape as true soldiers. They had slept
on the ground and eaten the rough rations with a
relish. They marched amid the applause of the
multitude up to the armory with the spirit and step
of true veterans. The strike had been declared off
and everything was lovely.
It was the custom of our friend after he got his
business in condition, to pass about ten days up in
the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains hunt
ing. A party would be gotten together by one who
liked that kind of work. He would buy the neces
sary tickets, arrange for the teams and purchase
the provender of all kinds. After the return the
costs would be distributed pro rata. It was sur
prising how economical the arrangement was to
each member. The game was deer, bears, wild cats,
or anything else that walked on four legs. Some
times the return would be made with full bags;

io8
sometimes the only result worthy of mention would
be the elastic step and the hearty appetites of men
who had walked over the blue, distant hills, eager
to breathe the rarified air that produced a rejuve
nating influence, dispelling the cobwebs that are
inclined to form in the brains of city workers.
One time, after getting into the mountains, the
mud wagon was slowly proceeding upwards. The
sun had set on the team; but in a deep gulch run
ning east and west, its rays shone through. At its
bottom, at least six hundred yards off, our friend
noticed a jackass rabbit seated on a rock. The
illumination made the fellow loom up to a great
size. He ordered the team to stop. Grasping his
rifle, and after getting a good bead on the beast, he
fired. The rabbit remained in position. The shot
might just as well have gone off in the next county
as far as the animal was concerned.
Our friend, wondering how he could have missed
the game, stated that he would bet a twenty dollar
gold piece that he had hit the animal. Another
member of the party, who was a splendid shot, sang
out : "I. will take that bet. You could not hit a barn
door," and at the same time brought up his rifle.
He fired, and the rabbit fell over dead. "That is
the way to shoot," he exclaimed, "hand over your
twenty dollars." No ! the bet was that the rabbit
was hit, and the only way to prove otherwise was
for the man to go down and get the beast. With

109
much grumbling he started down the rough, rock-
strewn declivity. On returning, with hands cut on
the rocks and pantaloons torn, he threw the rabbit
at the feet of the driver, demanding again the money
in aggravated tones. Our friend took up the animal
and found in addition to the bullet hole through his
body, that a ball had made a fresh passage through
one of his long ears, thus proving that the first shot
had taken effect. All considered it strange that the
animal remained in position, but concluded that the
bet, as made, demanded the payment to our friend
instead of the other party. The money was paid
over with sorrowful memories of the rough descent
and climb.
Fishing parties were made up occasionally. A
tug would be chartered to go outside the heads for
a day's sport. A number of these had occurred at
various times; but there would always be more or
less seasickness aboard, causing discomfort to the
rest. One day a friend came into the store of our
friend and told him that another fishing excursion
was being organized ; but to avoid the possibility
of seasickness, only seasoned mariners would be in
vited. The time arrived and there was a nice party
aboard of the tug. They were all gay, and anticipating
the best of times, the departure was made through
the Golden Gate, or the heads as they were famil
iarly called. Then commenced a circus. The water
was in a naughty mood. Cross, choppy seas would

throw the tug almost perpendicular, and before she
reached an even keel again, would broach to, send
ing green water over the rail, making her roll horri
bly. No fishing could be done. Soon all were try
ing to hold down what they had, without any desire
to acquire fish or other outside things. In fact, the
only ones not terribly seasick were our friend and
the one that had gotten up the party. No future
endeavors were made in the direction of fishing
parties. All had enough and were satisfied to re
main on terra Hrma.

CHAPTER XVII.
Our friend's business was flourishing and the
future looked rosy. He wished to add another
branch to his manufacturing plant, and thought that
a trip East would be advisable to obtain the latest
developments as shown up in the large Eastern fac
tories. Therefore, with that view in mind, the
start for Philadelphia was made over the Southern
Pacific, in the spring of 1882. When near Tucson,
in Arizona, trouble with the engine occurred and
the conductor notified the passengers that it would
take at least two hours to make repairs. Our
friend roamed off to an army post in a village.
While standing with his back to a picket fence, he

noticed an Indian marching along the street or lane,
in all the glory of blankets and feathers. He came
up, walking grandly as though he owned the whole
country. It was noticed that he was followed by
two squaws bearing immense loads that caused
their little legs to bend under the weight. That was
disgusting, and naturally the call was made to place
some of the plunder on his own free back. When
the Indian heard the order he grasped a long knife
out of his belt and springing at the speaker, raised
it aloft to a position directly over the left breast.
There was no chance to escape with back to the
fence, and being unarmed, his chance seemed des
perate. At that instant a commanding voice in the
Indian dialect was heard coming from a cross lane,
which caused the holder of the knife to bring it
down in a hesitating manner to his side with a scowl
that was demoniacal. Immediately the officer sprang
forward and demanded to know what was said to
the Indian. He was told. The reply was : "You
are a d — m fool ; that is the most insulting talk you
can give an Indian, to take a load off a squaw's back
and place it on his own." All this took place with
in a few seconds. If the officer had not been on
hand, the knife would have descended to the death
of our friend. The officer informed that the Indian
was a famous chief who had been captured by the
army after he had slaughtered hundreds of the set
tlers. He had the liberty of the army post but was

not allowed outside of the guards. He should have
been planted six feet under ground when captured.
This would have made him a good Indian, according
to Western ideas.
On arriving in Philadelphia, the manufactories
were inspected to gain points concerning the arti
cle that our friend was interested in.
Then a trip was made to New York. When the
lad left that city, twenty years before, it was a
village compared to what it was at this time. When
he left, the Astor House was the best hotel and the
most prominent building in the lower part of the
city, and to that place his footsteps were directed.
Perplexity resulted from observing the Post Office
and the lofty buildings on Park Row. He did not
know where he was and walked up and down on
Broadway several times in search of the Astor
House. Not finding the large building that was in
his memory, he asked a police officer to point it out.
"You are standing right in front of it," was his
answer. Disgusted with its mean appearance, our
friend entered and put up for the night.
Everything had changed, including the customs
of the people and on the whole our friend was disap
pointed. A visit was made to the one who manu
factured the article, the agency for which he thought
he had controlled years before. The business was
found to be in a demoralized condition. Incapacity
of management was noticeable. On meeting with

H3
the proprietor confidences were exchanged and after
a few days, hints of a possible change of base of our
friend from the West to the East were given,
although nothing definite was decided upon.
Soon after reaching San Francisco a letter was
received offering a position in the manufacturing
business. The salary was stated and it was left
to our friend to accept or not. It is hard to form
an idea why after a few days, an answer was sent
accepting the proposition. The amount offered was
less than was drawn out of his business, which was
in a flourishing condition. To give up an indepen
dent, growing trade, to accept a position under a
salary, seems even now to have been foolish; but
otherwise the case presented to our friend was that
there appeared to be a future in the new departure.
In its present working it was small. It was han-
. died contrary to all business principles. Also the
factory help, as well as the office force, was perme
ated with dishonesty. Our friend saw all this, and
his natural combative disposition was aroused and
he determined to correct and place the business on a
plane which it deserved.
Therefore, he went to his partner and told him
it was a case of buying or selling; that he must buy
out the interests of our friend or allow him to buy.
After some delay, the partner decided to buy on the
very favorable terms offered, which was for a small
amount of cash and notes payable in installments

114
for a long term of years. It might be stated that the
cash was paid over and three or four notes when
due. The partner was no business man and allowed
the trade to slip through his hands, causing him to
fail, leaving the major part of the notes unpaid.
After cleaning up in San Francisco, a Panama
steamer was taken for the East. The Panama
Steamship Company at the time had a secret agree
ment with the railroad companies to discourage
passenger traffic over the ship route, they receiving
a large amount of money in lieu of the trade. This
fact was not known, however, by our friend, who
would not have engaged passage had he known of
it. He found the ship badly provisioned and most
articles ran out before reaching Panama. It was
intensely hot and the ice gave out before getting as
far south as Cape St. Lucas. When reaching Pana
ma, a few hours elapsed before the train could be
taken for Colon across the Isthmus. Entering the
hotel for lunch, the tables were found loaded with
big joints of meat and swarming around were im
mense numbers of flies, disputing with the guests
every mouthful of food that entered their mouths.
The French were digging the canal at the time
(1882), and the officers occupied the tables, eating
that heavy food, washing it down at first with wine
ordinary then with heavy Burgundy, and topping
off with brandy. Considering the climate, such food
was entirely out of place. Our friend lost what

US
little appetite he had and got up from the table be
fore being served. He went out on the piazza.
Soon one of the Frenchmen came out and sat along
side of him. He began to talk, asking if our friend
was a new arrival. Our friend expressed surprise
at the guests eating such heavy food. The French
man, who was mellow with drink, replied that "they
did not expect to live over six months and were
determined to live well while they did live." Our
friend asked when the canal would be finished. The
reply was : "Nev-ah ! the control of the Chagres
River has not been placed on the trestle board and
that could never be overcome."
After the Frenchman left, the proprietor of the
hotel was asked the name of the stranger. He gave it
and stated that he was the head engineer of the
western division. That did not show much confi
dence in the ultimate results.
The cars started across the Isthmus, going not
over eight miles an hour, passing six engines that had
toppled off the track. If any of the rolling stock got
off the metals, it was allowed to rest there. No
endeavor to replace was made. In fact the whole
affair seemed to be a joke. A good healthy hen, if
it had scratched over the line of canal would have
produced about as much effect.
After this visit, and with knowledge of the various
surveys made for many years back, for a waterway
between the two oceans, our friend became firm in

u6
his opinion that the Panama route was the worst
that could have been selected. The Nicaragua loca
tion was far preferable. The experts, in their final
report, when the Americans took hold, stated that
the Nicaragua passage would cost five millions more
than the Panama ; but that was based on a cost that
has already been exceeded by an astounding figure
and the end is still far in the distance. We wanted
to get communication between our East and West
coasts and should not have gone many hundreds of
miles to the southard. Another objection that did
not receive attention was the fact that Panama lies
in the doldrums, a region that is liable to weeks of
calms, and for a sailing vessel to be placed in such
a position will be disastrous. But it will be said the
sailing vessels are obsolete. That is not the case,
for with the rising price of coal and the increasing
cost of engineers and firemen, there will be a new
era of sailing craft that can be run at a tithe of the
cost of steamers. The additional time taken in pas
sage will cut a small figure on bulky freight along
side of the additional rates in steam bottoms. There
would be no difficulty on the Atlantic or Pacific re
garding wind if the Nicaragua route had been
selected. In due time the steamer arrived in New York
harbor, from Colon, and our friend was soon har
nessed up to his new duties. He found the business
in a worse condition than he anticipated. The patent

H7
on which the trade depended would run out in three
years. Nothing was thought out and nothing done
for the future. There was only a small putting-
together shop for the material, purchased from out
side manufacturers. This condition was aggravated
by a disloyal, dishonest office force, in connection
with a factory force without discipline and in some
cases dishonest also. It was a tough position to be
thrown in; but with a spirit of determination he
buckled down to the job. In time the factory was
under complete discipline and as soon as possible
the dishonest characters were rooted out; but the
principal trouble came from the office. It continued
to purchase materials at exorbitant prices and threw
every obstacle possible in the way of conducting
business properly.
Why these men were kept on after proof of their
dishonesty was known, was beyond the ken of our
friend ; but the fact remains, that they kept him in hot
water for three years. Meanwhile, things were be
ginning to happen. The costs of material were being
reduced immensely through the personal endeavors
of our friend, against the clamor of the office. Build
ings were started for more room and machinery in
stalled to produce the work economically. The in
ventive genius of our friend was exercised in the
product of patents that staggered the imitators who
sprang up rapidly to take advantage of the lapsed
original patent. A trademark was adopted and sys-

n8
tematic advertising conducted. The goodwill of the
trade was inculcated. This goodwill had been sorely
strained by the dogmatic methods of the previous
force, and when they had been gotten rid of, our
friend collected around him one of the finest body of
honest men that ever got together in the interest of
any business. It is the firm opinion of our friend
that if he had not appeared on the scene when he did,
the business would have gone to the dogs ; for in
capacity was in the saddle and could not have held
the trade in a competitive market. The plant was
in no condition for a fight and there was no one
with sufficient talent to improve the works to the
extent necessary. Every day of the previous ex
perience had been preparing our friend for this
ordeal. He had studied humanity under all condi
tions, and had come out schooled in the ways of men.
He succeeded because he had learned how. Several
times when subjected to the irritating interferences
of the old gang, he thought of giving up the fight, but
after consideration, he made up his mind that this
action would be cowardly.

CHAPTER XVIII.
It can be imagined that the strife and turmoil con
tinued for many years had not improved our friend
physically. He needed a rest. He sorely missed
the fishing and hunting expeditions indulged in dur
ing his stay on the Western Coast. It had been a
continual grind for over thirteen years without any
intermission. Also the export trade needed looking
up. It was a negligible quantity as yet, but there
were indications that an improvement could be made.
Therefore, passage was engaged on the Hamburg-
American steamer Furst Bismarck in May, 1895.
for Europe. This was the fastest boat at that time
on the ocean. It was a stormy passage. The ex
treme speed of the vessel while plunging in the
heavy seas made the many passengers wish they
were ashore, but our friend enjoyed the experience.
It put him in mind of old times. He was on deck
most of the time viewing the tossing waters with
great pleasure. All his clothing got full of salt
brine that did not improve them much. The spoon
drift at times dashed up, descending in the smoke
stacks. It was lively and grand. One day at lunch
there were only three in the dining hall. One was
the captain and one a fellow passenger with our
friend. An article of food when started for the
mouth was liable to come in contact with the ear or
some other part of the anatomy. It was rough. An

officer came down and whispered to the captain
who immediately got up and went on deck. Shortly
after he left the vessel was going along easily and
we finished our meal in comfort. On reaching the
deck, our friend found the reason for slowing down
the steamer. She had struck a mighty wave that
had stove in the forward cabins, flooding them and
twisting the heavy boat davits on the port side as
though they were made of putty. This and other
experiences on steamers caused our friend to form
the opinion that no vessel should be driven through
seas at a speed of over sixteen knots. In fact, if
passengers want comfort, thirteen or fourteen knots
should not be exceeded.
One night on the passage when our friend was
sleeping in his cabin, he was awakened by a crash
and grating sound. The ladies occupying the sur
rounding cabins began to cry out that the ship was
lost and kept up the hubbub until our friend got out
of patience. He exclaimed : "Keep quiet ! go to
sleep" for that was what he wanted to do, well
knowing that if any serious damage had been re
ceived, the stewards would have notified the pas
sengers. But no, they continued their noisy excla
mations, preventing slumber, so he dressed and
went out on deck. He found that a French boat
loaded with sugar from the West Indies had got out
of her reckoning and was lying to with no lights out,
in the path of ocean steamers. Our vessel coming

121
along at twenty-two knots an hour had cut off her
bowsprit close up to the craft. Her flying jibboom
had gone through a port hole over a sleeping pas
senger, who sprang out of his berth in consterna
tion, exclaiming that he was killed. The steamer
immediately stopped and waited in the black night
for the dawn to reveal the action necessary. In the
early morning, before objects could be seen defi
nitely, our friend while leaning over the rail, saw
the vessel like a mere shadow away off in the dis
tance. The mate came up at that instant and also
looked intently at the shadowy object. Our friend
remarked that the craft had lost her foretopmast.
Afterwards, when light had come, and the vessel
was plainly seen without her upper spar, the mate
came again and remarked, "How could you tell in
the darkness that the mast was carried away ?" The
reply was that the carrying away of the bowsprit
would cause the loss of the headstays, and then the
spar would inevitably break off in the heavy sea,
for there was nothing to support it. The mate
could not follow for he was a steamer sailor and
knew nothing about sailing craft.
A boat was lowered and pulled to the bark. The
German sailors sounded the pumps and found the
craft did not make any water, that she was sound
and as good as ever. On returning with the report,
they also brought the demand of the French cap
tain and crew that they wanted to be taken off;

that they wanted to give up the ship. They were
evidently scared. Therefore, German volunteers
were sent aboard and the French crew were taken
aboard the steamer. It was amusing to see the
transfer of provisions, for the Germans could not
use the provisions of the Frenchmen, who also
would not feed on stores of the sauerkrauters. The
vin ordinaire, bread, etc., of the French boat came
aboard and sausages, etc., of the Germans went out
in return. It was a cowardly surrender of a vessel
and its cargo. The steamer waited until the Ger
man crew rigged out a spar for the bowsprit, and
then sailed away with a big amount of salvage in
view. The first visit was made to study up the require
ments of the different countries. Much information
was gathered and after two more trips abroad, good
agents were appointed, which increased the busi
ness very materially. Since then a voyage was
made every year to Europe, making up to the
present time (1911) sixteen round trips, or thirty-
two single trips across the Atlantic. The advan
tage to the business has been incalculable. The
thorough knowledge of the different peoples in
France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary,
Italy, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Roumania, Russia.
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, England,
Ireland and Scotland, has been very useful. Their
architecture was thoroughly studied and a knowl-

123
edge of their capacity to assimilate the goods was
noted. The Americans have much to learn from the old
countries. While they have been ultra conservative
in many ways, kept back by absurd religious dog
mas and beliefs, their methods in many other ways
are praiseworthy. The politeness is always agreea
bly noticed. The curtness and in some cases, the in
civility of the Americans, could be changed to the
European standards with great benefit.
The hardships at times of European travel, the
contretemps arising principally from not having a
working knowledge of the different tongues, and
the irksomeness created through the red tape of
officialdom, had better be left to those who have
experienced, or to those who will in future travel
the road to experience, so they will be left out of
this narrative.
There is a type of annoyance, however, that our
friend has noticed all over Europe, principally
caused, he believes, from government ownership;
that is, flat wheels on steam cars formed by the
brakes wearing the wheels off from the round. In
some cases he has found the wheels almost octa
gon in shape. The passage of such over the rails
causes a thumpity-thump motion that is exquisite
torture. Why the authorities allow them to re
main smashing down the roadbed, is beyond the ken
of anybody except a government official. On one

124
journey from Trieste to Budapest which occupied
twelve hours of intensely hot weather, these flat
wheels were in evidence. They got on his nerves.
They were enough to change a Christian into a
cannibal. While sweltering in the heat and cov
ered with thick dust, he determined to do some
thing desperate when he arrived in the hotel. There
fore, after a bath and a good dinner, he, like Silas
Wegg, dropped into poetry and produced the fol
lowing atrocity:
Creeping out the bahnhof, clean and gay,
Passing houses, rear in view,
Away from man's laborious day,
Into the glorious country,
Wheel flat on the right, wheel flat on the left,
We went pound, pounding on the rail.
Past villages, red tiled in the vale,
Villas on the steeps,
Thump, thumping on the rail.
What ho ! man striking a woman,
Rock intervening? No, only kissing of her.
Throb, throbbing on the rail.
Past mountains high, valleys deep,
Bump, bumping on the rail.
Into the bahnhof gliding, weary, dirty, happy,
No more to hear hump, humping on the rail.
As poetry it is abominable ; but no worse than
he felt while being tortured. So please accept it
in lieu of profanity, which would be natural under
the circumstances.

The End.

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