Diary and Day Book of a 49'er Who Traveled to California Via the Isthmus of Panama
Various Places, including Panama and California: 1849. Cloth journal binding measuring 5.5 x 3.25", of which 45 pages contain writing in pencil manuscript. The diary and day book of an unidentified 49'er, documenting his trip from New York, across the Isthmus of Panama, and up the west coast of Mexico and California to San Francisco between May and July of 1849. From context clues, mainly the names of associates, we posit that the compiler originated from Newark, New Jersey. The diary portion runs to 19 pages, and begins with his departure from New York on May 23, 1849, aboard the steamship Crescent City. The first 2.5 pages of the diary consist of brief notes on latitude and longitude; the rest of the the diary, meanwhile, contains more detailed notes and observations on the journey. These include interesting observations on the crossing of Panama:
“it is the worst road they ever rode over…Put up at the Americana at $2…left on the 11th for the Island of Tobago 9 miles distant it is a watering place for ships…It is a beautiful bay this is a healthy place the natives are more industrious than us Panama tropic fruits in abundance…the seniors a powerful affect on all of the Americans…There is one of the first natural bathing places I ever saw fresh water it trickles over the rocks…The seniors bathe above us or that you may better understand the ladies but as we no understand we don’t hold any conversation with them.”
There are also entries about life at sea: “Took on board water and provisions 75 passenger we have now in all 250…in sight of the Island of [Sayulita] all well quite cold all with woolen clothes quite a fog all a long this coast…”; “A Mr. Lamb of Cincinnati lawyer died…we commit his body to the deep….”
From Panama, the author traveled to San Francisco aboard the steamship California. He writes his thoughts on the coastal Mexican locales he visits, i.e. “Passengers on shore this is a road strand no houses some old ruins there are 150 Americans here most of them short of funds no food yet don’t stop at Mazatlan.” This is followed by a few snippets about coastal California (“Islands off the harbour between San Diego and [Monterey] not inhabited some cattle on one of them….").
Two pages at the end of the diary detail the author's time in California and trips to the gold fields: “Met C.F.C. and…Col Plum’s son Fred is making his $5 day with Mr. Charles Fox of Newark, N.J. & both left for the mines on the 20 of July sailed for Sacramento City, crossed the plains 35 miles then over the mountains 25 miles more stopped at the dry diggings picked up some small pieces went on to the North Fork of the Sacramento such hits can’t be meat…worked 4 days to warm sold cut of tappings walked back to Sacramento City took vessel for San Francisco abundance of mosquitoes on the river bite through pants drawers boots…”
A half page of notes and the end of the diary, meanwhile, indicates that the writer returned home later in 1849 via Panama and Jamaica. The rest of the manuscript consists of roughly 26 pages of notes and accounts, ranging from a line or two to half a page or more. Includes addresses and names, some random scribblings, and notes and accounts related to the California trip. These include a line on the first page about the method with which the author acquired his passage: “J. Ward Raymond took 2 tickets of C.P.C….trip from Panama to sell for 1/2 of the profits cost of 2 tickets 17 April." The book also includes a two page "List of Prices in San Francisco", including lumber, beef, sperm candles, and bottled ale, a manuscript recipe for ginger beer powder, a list of supplies (razor and strop, shaving soap, money belt, hatchet), three pages of notes relating to gold dust the author brought back to associates in Newark, N.J. (“Received of James E. Nutman 11-10 oz of gold dust to be delivered to Mr. N.H. Nutmeg of Newark, N.J.”), and a page of accounts for expenses related to the Panama trip (“Paid 10 dines for W. Walters & Perma washing at Panama. Gave Mr. Perma $25 to pay for transportation of baggage. Paid 7 dines washing, 5 baggage, 6 canoe”).
A tantalizing record of a trip undertaken by a 49er. Wear to spine of journal, occasional fading and smudging to text, which is entirely legible, although the author's hand makes some words difficult to decipher. Item #12713
Price: $3,000.00