THE GOLD RUSH DIARY OF FRANK McCREARY
This diary was transcribed and provided by
Mrs. Grace Shaw
Monday 6th today is quite clear we had some pumpkin pies for dinner yesterday and they made us all sick so I will not go to my work untill tomorrow I went agunning awile and looked around the place to see what I could see
Tuesday 7th I started this morning by the broke of day, on horse back to go over to my work the weather looked rather dubious but I thought I would try it, I had not gone far before the rain begain to come down like gehne and the wind blew cane I traveled a bout two miles but the storm was so savere I was oblidged to turn, back as I was returning isaw a kieoter on a head of me, I put the hors on the run after him, I had my rifle with me and tried to get a crack at him, but he run a cross the flats ware I could not go with the horse. I had to go around so he got the start of me, the way he put into it was a caution to the black ducks that was in his way, he had to go trough some water and made a grate splashing, he got around a hill, so I lost sight of him, I soon got back to the house and dried myself before the fire, in the afternoon George Buckelew came over with the scow, and walked over to the house, he told me that Gerow was on board and had a letter and a daguerotype of my Wife and Child no storm could stop me than so we both mounted horsese and put out, but we had to go three or four miles out of our way to see a bout that got a drift from the scow, we then wet over to our shanty take a sail boat around to the scow about three miles up the bay, we arrived to the shanty at sun down after a long and rough ride of ten miles, we got the boat over the bar of the little bay after a hard pull, we then hoisted sail and pushed out, but the wind all got blewed, out by this time, so we had to try the oars, again we met another stop the tide was hard against us that we all could pull could not get the boat a long, so we had to about the ship and go back to the shanty, when we got thire George said he could not go any more tonight and Mr. Allen thought we had better stop all night, the chance began to look small for me to get my letter and daguerotype , but my dander was a little up for George had spent more time in going after his boat than neccssary, and I had set my mind on getting my letter to night, so I was determined to go through if I busted [the horses were tired and so I had to go on foot] , the said it was three or four miles and very bad going, and tried to persuade me from going, after resting a wile and eating a few crackers, I fixed for a start. thay told me the kieoters would catch me, but I told them if all the kie oters wolves and grisley bears in california was in the way and the dival at the head of them all, I would go through, I cut me a cudgel and took my six shooter with me and started off I had a very high hill to go over to begin with, that made me blow a little and that was not all I had many more to shin and dark gulches to go through one hill was so steep I had to over on all fours, but after an hour or twos I reached the old scow, without anany damange only getting my feet a little wet,and seeing a couple of brite eyes in some bushes, but I had the satisfaction of reading my wifes and seeing hers and my boys likeness after looking over a wile, I turned in and went to sleep with a goog will the daguerotype was my new years present from my brother James he could not have sent any thing to suit me better the letter was No 6
Wensday 8th I started this morning at ten oclock for the shanty on foot Horam went over to the ranch house to stay a week or two and recrute his helth. I got back to work at one oclock the prospects looks fair for clean weather, I had to stop at the top of the hill this morning to rest and look at my preasant, it is a grate comfort and pleasure to me
Saturday 11th I been the rest of this week to work on the house Mr. Allen and myself took a walk out on the beach as we ware coming back a drove of cattle was going up the hill near by us when [ the drover was] seeing to his horse thay started on by some bushes one of the cattle gave a dreadfull bellowed a few minutes and appread to be strugeling they all ran over the hill pufing and blowing we had only one riffle with us, so we thought it best not to veture out after them, but would go in the morning to see what was the matter, so we went up early this morning but could see nothing.
Sunday 12th the weather has been clear and pleasant to day I began this afternoon to write a long letter. After supper we heard a wild beast hallow in the woods near where the cattle had frakis last night Mr Allen said it was a Californian Lion well we for got all about that Mr a went to bed and I was writing when I heard something padling a long by the waters edge a bout five or six miles yards from the house. I droped my pen a little quicker and picked up my rifle and poked my head out to see what I could disciver, I could hear the critter run but I could not see him utill he got about a hundred yards off, I then let sliver at him and the way he let himself out over the hill was not slow, it was so dark I could not tell weather I hit him or what it was I think by the size it was a wolfe after hearing the Lion cry and then hearing this beast com so near our shanty made us feel a little skitish
Monday 13th we commeneed tairing down our shanty to put on the roof with. I killed four mice two lizerds and any quantity of spiders and big bugs under the boards our beds laid on after we got the boards all together, we found that thire was not stuff enough to put the roof on so we concluded that we would paack our tools and go over to town, we got everthing secured we started off with the sail boat at noon for the ranche house we arrived just in time for supper and staied thire all night
Tuesday 14th at ten oclock Mr Allen myself and another gentlemen started off in a largr sail boat. when we left the fogg was very thick. we expected it would clear before we got to the creek but as bad luck would have it the fog hug on so thick we thought the tide would be running in so to take us up to San Francisco after we got fairley out of the creek we lost sight of land, and contrary to our expectations the fogg grew thicker and we had no wind to keep stearage way on our boat, the tide was running very strong we could not tell which way exactly . we had a large boat and could not make much head way with oars, it was not long before we began to get in a long running swell which I new was not right for the bay, I told the men that we must be going out to sea or outside of the heads, we kiept heading to the sun and kiept the wind in our eye, Mr. Allen and the other man said we could not be going out of the bay that that the swell owing to the tide coming in our heavy weather out at sea we came in sight of some high land thay said it must be Aingle Island on the south end. I told them it was not the shape of Aingle Island the land was to high I said it must be the high Lands on the east side of the mouth of the harbour. I wanted to pull the boat on shore and go up hill to see our ware abouts, but thay said it would not do to land in the surf that was braking on the beach, it was not long before the land was out of sight again and the swell continued rolling higher and higher and our boat was astern fast enough enstead of going a head Mr. Allen said it must be a fogg bank between us and the land that was his reason why it disappeared so soon. I told him that we would fetch up in a fogg bank out at sea before long the majority was against and ware older men so I had to let them have thire own way, we saw an empty hogshead floating a ways off he Mr. A said it must be the rock near bird Island, near ware we ought to go across the bay, I could think that a rock from laughing, that any man could think that a rock two or three fett a bove the water would be first on top the waves running five or six feet high, and then down in the trough, and be out of the water, we was fortunate to have a good boat and she road the sea beautifully. I caught sight of a small piece of land again but the fogg was so thick we lost sight of it in a few minutes, it was time now to get a little uneasy about our situation, the waves swept our boat along like a feather, we keept getting nearer and nearer the breakers, we could hear them roar over our storeboard bow, the other man began to get a little frightened. they thought it was strange such swells could get in the bay. Mr. Allen said we had better change the corse of the boat and run more over to the other side, we took the oars and pulled all we could, we continued in this way for a hour or so, when we come in sight of some rocks on our right the other land was on the left we run close to them Mr. Allen said he was sure it was the rock near bird island all most oppors it San Francisco, directley another and another rock came in sight untill we found our selves a moust the brakers. we ran close to them as we dared to and rowed a long untill we came to the shore. I was glad to see land a gain and told the men we had keep close to it untill we found a good place to land, Mr. Allen said we would soon find ourselves near San Francicsco and their was no need to of risking the boat in the surf. I told him if he wanted to go to sea a gain, I would go on shore if I had to swim for it the other man begain to deside with me so we keept close to the shore. I put my wifes daguerotype in my pantloons pocket so if I had to swim I could save that. we rowed a long shore I should think about five miles, when we came in sight of the old fort on the south side of the entrance of the harbour a bout this time the wind began to bloe a little and fogg lifted so we could see ware we was, and sure enough we was out sea five or six, I asked Mr A if he beleaved it now he said , I may be whiped if I could belaved it we set our sails and was soon on our was to San Fracisco, I must say I felt thankfull that we was so fortunate as to get out of the scrape so far, for we had a hard job of it, the rest of our trip up the bay was very pleasnt we had a fair brease and clear sky so we could see ware we was going. we arrived to town about five oclock in the after noon all saif
Wednesday 15th I found by looking that the letter I recived from home was No 6 and the one befor was No 4 so I concuded thay must be another letter in the post offace for me I went befor I closed my letter for the mail today, sure enough I found my letter No 5 I came back read it then finished writeing my letter and took it to the post offace I sent the letter No 12 to my wife with a newspaper and one to my brother James
Thursday 16th I think I will go over the bay again this afternoon if the wind and tide is right. I want to see Gerow, I think I will start for home on the first ofnext mounth if I can get off. I went over the bay again this afternoon in the same boat that I went out to sea in. we had a very rough passage the wind blew by squarls, and would knock the boat on her beams end. before we could let the sail go, I got over all safe it was 11 oclock at night when I arrived at the house
Friday 17th I took a ride on horseback over to the old shanty at racktoon straits, from thire to California City and back again to the ranch, Gerow had started to fix up my business I wanted to see hm, but he lift for town that thire, I saw that thire was nothing much that I could do, so made yp my mind to go back to town and get ready to start for home
Saturday 18th this after noon a boat was going to town so I took another trip over to the bay. I arivved in town about 8 oclock in the evening. this time I had a pleasant passage
Sunday19th as luck I would have it I had a boat ship and go ver the bay again, with the row boat to help get the doctor over that has been attending Mr Buckelew, his health is very poor, I think he has got the consumption, very thing is truble and confusion here by the defactulty with the printing offace business. it was low tide when we got in the creek and we had to row against the tide all of the way which made hard work of it, we landed the doctor on a point far as we could get up. one man and my self staid with the boat untill the next tide came in, we went on shore made a fire and roasted so muy important trip to calive in, with a good cooking stove, and plenty of good provisions to eat I keep to work untill
Saturday 25th I beleave I have got to be quite a carpenter
Saturday 25th I started with Mr. Moore the carpenter to go down and finish the house on Rackoon Straits with a small boat with our tools, beding and provenider we have to take up our beds and walk here when we shift our quarters after we got thim we carried our traps ashore and found a place to sleep under
Sunday 26th when we came to cook our breakfeast I found we had forgot our frying pan, so I had to cook our beef stake and pan cakes on a tin plate and outdoors in the wind, at that, I are getting sick of this kind of living and I get back to old York town ware thay have good houses to live in with chimleys, and no fleas, I will be mighty glad, we finished the house on Tuesday morning at noon and was most out of patience and quite out of provisions
Tuesday 28th we went back to california city with the boat we had a hard pull against the tide and over the flats but succeded in getting in by 7 oclock
Wednesday 29th the sloop came over from town, I went over to the ranch house with some others hombreas and staid all night
Thursday 30th we started back again and started with the sloop for town, we got in at sun down. I find Mr. Buckelew is very sick the doctor thinks he has consumption so buisness will be stoped for a while he intends to take a trip down panama in the steamer Republic, I have fixed my bussines with Gerow so I can get off with the same steamer she will sail on Saturday so I will have to be moveing to get ready in time. I have got all my clothing and traps I brought out with me to dispose of to morrow. I have been washing out some shirts for to take on the voyage and it is now 10 oclock so I will bunk up for the night, to get rested for a hard day work to morrow, I found a letter from my Wife which Gerow got from the post offace it was letter No 7 with one inclosed from Father Brush my wife is down on coming to California, I will have a joke to play with her when I get home I will tell her I have come on for her, but guess not to bring her out to the flea Kingdom. This will be the last letter I will receive in California
Friday #1st hard to work getting ready for a start to morrow Mr. BR Buckelew & his brother will sail with me to Chargres, an a MR Smith will accompany me to New York
Saturday Feby 1st the last day in Clafornia the steamer starts at 4 oclock this afternoon every thing is upside down in getting ready for the start off-
February 1st 1851 Account of my voyage home from California. I left San Francisco on board the steamer Republic in company with mr Smith BR Buckelew + brother on Saturday afternoon at ½ past 4 oclock. The fogg was very thick when going out of the harbour. The sea rough outside with fair prospects of sea sickness
Sunday evening 2nd we are runing a long at a fine rate with a fair wind. but rough sea. I am agreeably disapointed about being seasick. I only felt a little squarmish at first but it is all over now. I slept good last night through all the noise and confusion. I can walk the deck quite strait. My being on the water so much crossing the bay has made quite a sailor of me. The weather is clear and could but we will soon run into a warmer climate. by to morrow or next day will make a change, Mr. Buckelew is going to chargres for the benefit of his health his doctor said a warm climate be good for him, his brother goes to take care of him Mr. Smith will go to New York and then to Boanis Aera South America ware his faimley lives. If no accidents happen I think we will have a pleasant passage, it is far differrant to start for home than to go from it. We have a first rate steamer with very good accommadations and I live in hopes of seeing home in 30 or 35 days
Monday evening 3rd we have had a very pleasant day. The sea is quite smooth, and we are runing or 10 knots we have not seen land nor sail since we left port. Nothing but the wide and the blue skye is to be seen, the stars shine bright this evening, with a new moon. The weather is getting warmer very day, it is just warm enough to be pleasant now, in three or four days we will be in Accapulca in Mexico, it will be hot enough then to roast eggs
Tuesday evening 4th fair weather and smooth sea. Our passage so far has been very pleasant. Nothing in sight yet but Mr.B is improving.
Wednesday morning 5th we came in sight of a barren Island called San Bineto, a large number of cow fish is following us they came close along side the steamer. I will take a sketch of the island before we run bye, this afternoon we passed the Nativadad Islands about ½ dozen in number thay are barren and uninhabberted. thay are rough looking places, it is a little over cast today. I enjoy the passage very much and keep good health
Thursday morning Feby 6th we had a melancoly seen a board this morning, an old sea captain a bout 75 years old died last night, and was buried in the sea. He has a faimley in the states and was returning home to see them, but he meet a watery grave, they launched him over board at 8 oclock this morning. He had the dysentarie before he left San Francisco thay sewed him up in sail cloth, tied some cast iron to his feet. The captain read a sermon over the corps and then he was thrown over board} he made but one splash and was all over. The sea rolled on as it rolled before. It was a hard sight but so it must be
Friday 7th we are in sight of land to day, on the northered of Cape St Lucas, we have a beautiful day. The sea is calm the weather is just warm enough to be pleasant we had to lat too, three hours this after noon to fix some of the machinery about the engine, we started again at sun down it is now 10 oclock at night and we are going past the Cape St Lucas about 8 miles off,it is a pleasant moonlight night , so we can set on deck and see the land quite plain. It is a barren mountainious place, not a tree or bush to be seen. I keep in good health and enjoy myself very much. I like it better then when I went out to, Calafornia. It is now getting so I will bid goodbye to the tip end of Calafornia and turn in for the night.
Saturday morning 8th sail oho hoy, a ship in sight this morning on our larboard beam, the first sail we have seen since we left port, a squall is coming up on our starboard quarter , the sea is covered with white caps, and looks angry. The skye is black, we will have wind and rain enough pretty soon, [ afternoon] the squall did not amount to much after all, we had a little rain and wind but it soon passed over. The worst of it went a stern of us, the weather is getting quite hot now, so we are glad to get under the awning in the shade, Saturday night once more- tomorrow will be another long Sunday, but we keep sputtering along each day brings us one day nearer New York, thay will be some happy hombres on board when we get thire
Sunday Feby 9th at noon. we are runing in sight of land this morning , off the coast, we have a good stiff brease with all sail sett. steaming and sailing along at a fine rate the sea is quite rough which makes some of the passengers a little sea sick or a little blue
In the gills, it is much pleasanter when the wind blows in our favour so thay can use the sails. It makes more excitement then when we are just steaming and rolling along so lazy, I have been reading a book on deck, all the mornings, a bout the last war. time seems to pass away very slow, and that makes it very tegous especialy when a fellow is going home, when I once get dar agin you wont ketch this child leaving very soon again. I expect we will get to Acapulco to morrow, I must try and geather som shells for my little wife, as she wrote me to bring her some when I com home, and as I are not very dusty probly som shells and other curiosity will do in the place, any how thay will last longer, the old steamer pitches a bout conciderable, wile I are writing this pepper gram. the bell is tolling for 12 oclock, a bell at sea sounds very doleful, especialy when it rings over the corps of those that meets a watery grave
Monday 10th when I went on deck this morning. I was supprised to see what thay was in the seenery from what I have seen in California, we are runing only two or three miles from the shore, on the coast of Mexico, the hills raises one above the other like the waves of the ocian, I can see the loafty peaks far back as the eye can reach, ridges hill and valleys forming many fanciful shaps, and so unlike the barren hills of California, these are covered with beautiful green trees, of a thousand different shades and collars what would some of my city friends give to behold this seen for an hour, those that are shut up in the brick walls of the crowed citys, how little do thay know how wide this world is made. the weather is very hot now, and the evenings moonlight , which makes it very pleasant I stay on deck until 10 oclock at night walking the decks or laying down on benches, wathcing the bright stars, as the tall mast tops moves gently on one side and the other, the sea is very smooth I can see the coast on one side, and the broad ocian on the other glissening like a large merrow and ends in the distance as if it run of a dam
Tuesday Feby 11th we arrived at Accapulca this afternoon at 3 oclock, after the captain of the port came on board Mr Smith and my self went a shore, we went to a Fandago ware thay was holding a wake over the corps of a little babe, wile we was thire some of the hands from off the steamer came thire and was a little drunk. thay went to dancing and kicing up a row with the Mexicans, thay took it all very well for some time, but the boat man got a going so high, thay was the bold Irish boy and of corse sould lick all the Mexicans in town, the natives colected a few poles and commenced pelting a way, and the way the paddeys left was not slow we bought some bunche of flowers made of shells, by the Mexican Senoritas, and a few shells + lo, I bought me a panama hat the sun is so hot it makes my head ache to wear a cap, when we came from the fandango down to the beach, we found some other rowdies had kicked up another row and was arrested by the guards and put in the scalabose, one of them got a baynot run in his after quarter, and one darkey cook got his head cut a little at the dance, our Captain went on shore got the men out of the calabose, we saw many curiousitys wile on shore, enough to pay us well for our trouble of setting up all night, the Mexicans treated us very well, we went in some of thire houses, and set down to rest our selves, Mr Smith speaks the Spanish language very well so we could talk with them, thay gave us oranges bananas coca nuts + lo the ladys all smoke segars. Thay are mostly hansom and cleavour thay have very small feet and hands thire teeth are very white and even. the most of them have very good teeth, Wednesday morning at six oclock the gun fired for us to com on board the steamer, we bought some bananas and oranges to eat on the passage down, we got on board, and started at 8 oclock for the panama, the steamer Columbia from panama and around cape horn came out the harbour as we went in, we also meet the steamer mail Carolina, three hours ___, she was from panama I suppose she has a letter for me on board. how I would like to get it, just to hear how all was at home. but if I have good luck and health I will soon be with them so I can both see and hear them. it will be a happy time for me if I find my little faimley all well, a collored man died on board the steamer yesterday he was buried at Accapulca the boys that got run at the fandango made a grate talk on board a bout the mexicans coming at them with swords and long knives, a number of small boys came out to the steamer wile in the harbour to dive after money the passengers would through over a dime and the little fellows would dive down after it, the water is so clear that you can see them sweming down in the water after the dimes than catch them in thire hands and put them in thire mouth when thay got thire heads out above the water thire cheeks will stick out with the money they get some of them gets quite a lot of change in this way
Wednesday 12th a pleasant day and smooth sea, we all keep well. Mr Buckelew is getting better he can walk about on deck, he thinks he will cross the Ismus, with us
Thursday 13th very hot no land in sight the fruit we brought with us goes first rate in the morning before breakfast
Friday 14th we are now crossing the bay of Queantipeck the weather continues very hot. no land in sight. the nights are so warm and pleasant I take my blankets and sleep on deck my health keeps very good only I are not quite so fleashery as I was when I left California. the hot climate takes the meat off a little. last year this time I had a party of ypung folks at my house and had just made up my mind to go to California
Saturday evening 15th we have a stiff breaze blowing against us with a heavy sea, so we go quite slow some of the passengers are sea sick. the waves run very high but the old steamer cralls over them like a toad over a tater hill my banannes are getting ripe so fast I cant eat them fast enough I wish I could keep som of them to take home with me
Sunday night Febuary 16th we have rather a unpleasant day to day. the sea continues running very high and the wind blows strong against us. we cannot walk a bout on deck much the steamer pitches about so, I have been laying in my birth most of the day reading and eating oranges, I cannot account for my good luck in not being sea sick, a grate many of the pasengers are at it calling the fishes over the side but a few other old sailors like my self are enjoying ourselves very well, some are singing others spinning yarns and so I think we will reach Panama a bout Tuesday noon, three or four Sundays more on the wide ocian and then I hope to be with my long looked for famliey and friends
Monday 17th the weather is a little calmer to day not much wind and very hot an other man is dieing to day with consumption. I saw some wales spouting at a distance thay do not come very close to the steamer
Tuesday 18th we are in sight of land this morning we passed three sails, we have a very pleasant day, I took a bath this evening in a big tub of salt water
Wednesday 19th the wind blows hard again this morning and the old big pot is all rilled up, but we keep spattering along in sight of land off the point that forms the bay of Opanama, the man that I spoke of the other day that is dieing of consumption is a live yet but no hope of his recovering. The land in sight is the coast of Gautimala, this afternoon we meet a small top sail schooner running before the wind it was a beautiful sight to see ho she road over the rough sea, the wind was blowing quite hard so she was soon out of sight. She was running very fast, we are now begging to get ready to land at panama, we will be in the morning I must write a letter to Gerow to night to send back by the next mail.
Tuesday 20th we arrived at panama at 12 oclock after an hours trouble and confusion, we succeeded in getting off the steamer so good bye to the old republic the good old ship that brought me over well and safe, we had a rough time in getting ashore and had to land on a reaf of rocks a mile from the city gate, this was an account of very low tide, now another trouble was to get the hombres to carrey our baggage up to the hotel, we got enough to take all but one small box and some traps, so I took the box and the rest of our party took the others, and we vamused for the hotel we put up at the Orleans hotel, after we got dinner and the mules engaged to cross the Ishmus, Mr. Smith and my self took a walk a bout town, the city did not look so filthy as it did when I passed through it before, the bells are all worn out or the nigers are to lazey to ring them for I don’t hear them ring much
Friday 21st We started at 5 oclock this morning Mr BRB an SMBuckelew Mr. Smith and myself, we had good mules and saddles with a fair prospect of a fine day we took one pack mule to carry our baggage, we marched very slow and steddy as Mr. B was not that very strong he could not ride fast, we had two guides with us one on a mule and one on foot, we went along first rate the roads was dry and and in good order, not much like it waswhen I crossed last summer, I had some sport with the hombrea that road the mule he went on a head and the baggage mule was tired to his mule tail and I road behind him to spur him up I gave the guide a little conive once in a while and I got him quite biusey so he fell spat of his mule three or four times, but he got a long very well we keep a head of the rest of our party most of the way, we arrived at gorgona on the river at 5 o clock in the afternoon. I had a sweet head ache for my comfort, after supper we engaged our boat and put the baggage in it in order to secure it so the darkeys could not make another bargen with some one else, Mr. Smith and I sleept in the boat all night to watch our trunks
Saturday 22nd we started down by 5oclock in the morning the passage down the river is very pleasant we had an awing over the boat to keep the sun off, I saw a Alligator about 10 feet long the river is very low so the boat tutches bottom in sum places, we keept the hombreas in good trim, with a little brandy so we got along very fast, we made three or four stops on our way down, we arrived at ½ past 8 oclock in the evening . the first boat in town, we took our trunks to a hotel and eat our suppers, took a short walk out on the beach of the old Atlantic , and then we went to bed for the night
Sunday Feby 23rd the steamer Empire city got last night from New York Mr. Buckelew went on board this morning and found his wife and child. She came on with a friend of his, he started off up the river with his famely and those that came with them , for Panama Mr Smith and myself took a walk over the old spanish fort or castle at the entrance, it has been a hansom place once but its most all in ruines now, the sun is very hot, and it is not good for us to walk a bout much, se we must keep still as possible, I saw three natives carring a coffen on a wheel barrow with a dead body in it, this is the way those that are so unfourtanate as to dye in the place are served nailed up in a box and dumped in some hole , it is a hard place here for white people to live the feavor is all most a sure death, a schooher is laying here to take a load of sick men from off the rail road that is building, but few of them will live to reach there homes I are now setting in our room we can see the wide atlantic ocian with the steamers waiting for passangers and the old fort and the Natives town made of low reed houses the crows, buzards are setting settinfg about on the top of the houses the steamer I have my ticket for has not arrived yet she is due to day and will start for new york on the 25th I brought a small monkey to carry home, to let the folks see one of the natives of the Isumus, I have not seen the Elaphant yet. I will get him if I can
Monday 24th I took a short walk this morning about town, the steamer Georger has arrived and will sail at 6 oclock tomorrow morning, so we will go on a board this afternoon after dinner we made the preparations to go on board, the sea was very rough and we had to go about two miles out to the steamer in a row boat it is a dangerous place in such rough weather. We succeeded in getting on board at 3 oclock all saife, my monkey was a little sea sick, he chatters away at me when I feed him if he lives I will have some sport with him when home
Tuesday 25th at 7 oclock this morning we pulled up anchor and started for Havana our first stoping place, the wind blows quite a gale and the steamer rolls very much, I begin to feel a little sea sick, this rough sea is to much forme or any weak srtomucks, however it will do one good I think it will prevent me from getting the charges feaver, so I went on the fore castle ware thire is the most motion to castup accounts it was not long before I began, oh Jisoes, I wish I was in New York, ware thire are no such big waves
Wednesday 26th we are runing past a small islandon our star board bow, the sea is a little smother and I have got over the sea sickness, we have a number of passengers on board that crossed the plaine to go out to Cali__, the poor fellows takes it very hard , to be sea sick, thay say thay may be darned if ever thay go to sea again, this afternoon we saw a steamer at a distance bound for chargres
Thursday 27th very pleasant weather, we have had a little squall of rain and wind every day sene we left panama it rained very hard at Charges.
Friday Feby 28th we passed th south west end of the Island of cuba at 2 olock this afternoon, it is a beautifull place, the land is level and covered with green woods we saw the light house and several habetations, the sea is very smooth and calm
Saturday march 1st we arrived at Hanava 8 oclock this morning. We got a passporte and went on shore, this is a splendid city, went around and looked at the principle places, and then took a coach and went out of town through the gardens and public squares, we went on to of a hill ware ther is a large fort, we could see from off the hill all over the city and surrounding country, it was a beautifull sight, we next returned to the hotel and eat ourdinner, after dinner we took a walk down on the battery it is a bout half a mile land and has a bnumber of fountains and hansom monuments on it in the evening after supper we went to the theatre thay say it is the hansomest in the world but I don’t think it equal to niblows garden the city is lighted with grasshoppers, thay perade the strets night and day the theatre is guarded by horse troops so everything is keept in good order, the Spanish Ladys seldom go out on foot thay all keep thire coach and horses or go carts I should call them, thay are made with two large wheels and long shafts, the wheels are behind the coach and the driver rides on the horses back some of them are coverd with plaited sliver, the driver has long leged boots laced up the side with sliver buckels on the foot. The coaches are all the same shape and size, I wish I had more time I would like to take a few sketches of the different places we have seen the performance closed at the theatre at half past 10 oclock, we walked back to the hotel and went to bed tired enough
Havana March 2nd Sunday. It is very hot today we walked a bout a little to see the fashious of the town in the evening we went out to the masqkeradi, on the public square, the milertairey band played every evening it is a grate holerday here now, I never laughed so much in my life as I did this evening , to see the many diffrent figures thay cut up with the funney dress and costumes, if I stay to morrow night I will get me a dress and have a little sport, I made a bargin with a german chemist at the hotel for a recpt for guilding gold and silver, I think it will be very usefull to me in my trade
Monday 3rd- We have just pulled up anchor for a start so good bye to havana, may we have a quick and safe passage to New York and find all well, the weather is black and stormy this morning, we will take it when we get out side the wind blows very hard from the north east the sea is very rough and the steamer has hard work to get along the sea was braking up over the fort at the entrance of the harbour as high as twenty five or thirty feet, it is the roughest sea I have seen yet, the air is quit cool
Tuesday 4th we have a very rough night of it the sea brakesd up over the bows of the steamer so it keeps the decks wet and sloppy, we passed two vessels this morning, I keep in my berth most of the time we are on deck the spray dashes up so it gives us a ducking of salt water, I have got another pet to take care of, an old man that put up at the hotel with us brought a parrot on board with him but he got so sea sick he could not take care of him so he gave the bird and cage to me, between the parrot and monkey it keeps a buisy attending to them, we are now in sight of the coast of Florada 20 miles of distance
Wednesday 5th this morning is very pleasant the wind has died away and the sea is quite smooth, we passed three or four vessels, no land in sight today
Thursday 6th I had the good luck to have my panama hat stolen last night, many of the passengers has been served the same way, so I took a list of names of those that lost any thing, and entered a complaint to the captain, I spoke to the offacer of the deck a bout it but he played little or attention to it, but the old man had a serch made but could find nothing, but a small pudill dog, he had the fellow put in Irons that took him the weather is getting cool and windy, the steamer is running a long at a fine rate we will soon be in port if nothing happens, we had a hard shower this afternoon and have a fair prospect of long storm
Friday 7th last night was a very dreary and stormy night the wind is blowing a gale from the north east, the sea is very rough, I fear we will have a hard time of it before the storm is over, the old man that gave me the parrot lost his son last night he was 17 years old his mother and father has been to havana for his health but it done him no good this is the sixth child thay have lost by the same disease, the storm keep getting worse our vessel pitches and rolls ver much
Saturday 8th the storm was very severe last night barrels tables chares and everything that was not lashed fast went pitching bout the ship, I sleept between decks in a cot to get out of the cold with a number of others, in the night the sea got so rough it sent our cots a sliding a bout the cabin, most of our cots got smashed, our lamps put out so we could not see one thing from another my cot took a slide across the deck severeral times but would come back to the right place and on it legs. It was the longest night I think I ever saw, the old ship would crack and snap when the sea would strike her, soon as I could see to find any way out I went on deck and got a lantern, I then went below to find my clothes some one place and some another everything was wet cold and mussey enough, all the bottles and decanters in the barroom got smashed, and the contents run out over the deck, old punch had on a long face when he seen his today was all split, we could have got in last night if it had not stormed so hard, thay had to run the steamer out to sea to keep out of danger. The fogg or mist is so very thick, thire is a port of the steamer called social hall ware the passangers goes to smoke and talk it is covered with oil cloth and is very slipery, so when the ship rolls the boy goes pitching from one side to the other, this makes sport for us and keeps us warm, we are heading in to the land now, and will I hope to soon be in sight of the harbour of the good old New York, it looks very dangerous on the water now the wind blows a stiff gale with rain hale and snow, the waves are runing 10 or 12 feet high we cannot stand on deck so we are oblidged to stay below decks, at 5 oclock we made sandy hook after the qurentine offacer came on board we went on shore and got up to the house at ½ past 10. All the folks was in bed, I soon woke them up after interducing friend Smith and talking over the news, we turned for the night
Sunday morning 9th I got up early went to the barbers to get some of my log hair cut off after breakfasting and seeing all the folks and getting my traps from the steamer, I started for the car to go up to the New Castle at 5 oclock in the afternoon, after an hours walk I reached the house any one can emmagin my happiness when I meet those so dear after a long distant separation,
This ends my voyage to California and back again, through troubles, dangers and pleasurs
B.F. Mc Creary
March 9th 1851a
Typed by Brad Bjorndahl