Letts, J. M. (1852). California Illustrated, including a description of the Panama and Nicaragua routes. New York, New York: William Holdredge, Publisher.

On the return trip to Iowa from California in 1850, David and Asa McCully and John L. Starkey were on a ship from San Francisco to Panama on which conditions were deemed by some of the passengers to be intolerable.

"6th. Calm, heat insupportable, and we are short of provisions. I have a warm conversation with the captain, and draw up a protest, have it signed by the passengers, designing to lay it before the consul at Panama.

"PROTEST. We the undersigned, passengers on board the ship Edward Everett, Capt. Henry Smith, do hereby most solemnly aver that we were induced to take passage on said ship by representations made by Capt. Smith and his agents, which representations were, that he had on board an extra supply of ship-stores, and that extra provisions had been made for the comfort of passengers. For this extra provision an extra charge of $100 in the first, and $25 in the second cabin, had been made, above that of any vessel sailing from the same port for the same destination, during the present season.

"The above-named Capt. Smith, through public advertisements and otherwise, called the attention of [sick people] particularly, to the superior arrangements made for their comfort, than a physician would be in attendance, &c.

"Immediately upon getting under weigh we learned, to our sorrow, that we had been grossly deceived; that the above representations were false; provisions, many of them, were damaged, and we were credibly informed were purchased as such in San Francisco. Of some of the articles that are indispensable at sea, we were short, and immediately put upon allowance.

"Some of the passengers had made arrangements to work their passage but upon first putting to sea were unable to do duty. The Captain called for them in person, ordering them from their berths and on duty, threatening in case of non-compliance, to put them ashore on the first island. Mr. Wm. B. Lewis, of Elmira, N.Y., who was working his passage as under-s[?] was compelled to do duty when unable, and finally compelled to take to his berth, from which he never arose. Just previous to his death he made a wish to see the Captain, and said, 'If I die my blood is upon the Captain's head.'

"The invalids, being compelled to live on the coarse fare of the {?] suffered for want of nourishing food, of which the ship was entirely devoid, there not being a particle of dried fruit, preserved meat, wines, or any of the articles thought indispensably necessary on ship-board.

"The physician, (whose father and Captain Smith were the owners of the ship) paid no attention to the sick than dealing out medicines, which they did only at the most exorbitant charges. In some instances, passengers having been sick for days without nourishment, were obliged to buy from the Captain at exorbitant prices, and cook with their own hands to sustain life.

"There have been five deaths on board, during the voyage. Wm. F. Capton of Palmyra, N.Y., we do most solemnly believe died for want of nourishment; and in the case of Wm. B. Lewis, we believe he was led to a premature death, by treatment received at the hands of the Captain together with the want of proper nourishment after his prostration.

"Aside from the above unheard-of conduct, Capt. Smith went to sea without a single life or quarter-boat, consequently entirely unprepared to ___ in case of accident, showing a recklessness of human life in the highest degree reprehensible, which should not be passed over in silence.

"We regret exceedingly that we are obliged to make the above claims against an American Captain, a class of men so justly celebrated for their philanthropy and kindness; but the circumstances under which we are living leave no alternative; and we hereby most respectfully request the Consul at Panama will immediately enforce the law in this case, believing that a few public examples will put an end to the abuse.

"At SEA, January 6th, 1850, lat. 6N, lon 92W, having sailed from San Francisco, 28 November 1849." (Signed)