California Gold rushTales of a Swiss Prospector

J. Christoph Brodbeck

Copyright 2009 by Tom Brodbeck All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Printed and bound in Canada

Art Bookbindery.comE m p o w e r i n g Wr i t e r s t o S e l f - P u b l i s h T M

ISBN 978-0-9811936-0-1

ContentsIntroduction Forward Mayors letter The Journal The Wedding 5 7 11 13 101

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introductionike many who traveled the vast hills of California during the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, Jacob Christoph Brodbeck recorded many of his thoughts and experiences in a diary he brought back to Switzerland to share with his family and eventually with his descendents. The leather-bound journal was passed down through generations and was deposited at the University of Basel library in the 1980s for safe keeping. However, decades before that, Brodbecks son Otto Brodbeck copied the journal which was written in pen and pencil in old German lettering word-for-word into modern-day lettering. It was from that version that Ottos grandson, Christoph J. Brodbeck who immigrated to Canada in 1955 translated the diary into English in the 1990s. Together with his son Tom Brodbeck, the journal was translated, edited and eventually published in 2009 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Every step was taken during translation from German to English to preserve, as much as possible, the original journal entries. It was not an easy task, given the fundamental differences in sentence structure, terminology and vocabulary between the two languages. In an effort to stay as true to the original entries as possible, some unorthodox language was used in translation. Nothing was added in parenthesis or otherwise to the journal entries. However, footnotes are included where necessary for clarification and explanation. California Gold Rush Tales of a Swiss Prospector includes a forward written by Tom Brodbeck, a letter Jacob Christoph Brodbeck wrote to the mayor of his home town prior to his departure to the United States, the body of the diary and finally, an excerpt of a letter written by Lisette Staehelin, the cousin of Marie Hohl, who Brodbeck married in 1864. That narrative describes parts of the couples spectacular wedding in Benken. We hope family, friends, historians and anyone interested in the California Gold Rush enjoy the story of one mans journey through one of the most fascinating events of modern history.

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forwardhe easy gold was long gone by the time Jacob Christoph Brodbeck washed his first share of yellow metal near San Antonio, California April 4, 1850. The days of plucking rich nuggets effortlessly from riverbanks and other fertile ground in the early months of the California Gold Rush was a luxury Brodbeck could only dream of when he sailed into the Bay of San Francisco two months earlier. Like most prospectors drawn to the promise of great fortune in California in the 1850s, Brodbeck discovered quickly that the get-rich-quick period of the Gold Rush had sadly expired. His first successful dig was a modest one about $8 worth of gold shared between him and his Prussian partner Henry Katker. It fell well short of the jackpots his gold-digging predecessors stumbled upon in the first year of the Gold Rush. But it was a promising start for the ambitious 27-year-old native of Switzerland who had little to lose and everything to gain by joining the pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands from around the world in one of the most historic events of the century. Ironically, Brodbeck had no intention of panning for gold, knee-deep in rivers and creeks, hauling pick axes, small tents and pots and pans by mule over the vast hills of California when he set sail from Europe to New York City in 1847. The fact he was in the United States when the Gold Rush broke was pure coincidence. Gold had not been discovered in California until 1848. And it was only after a short stint in New York City that the future judge and politician embarked on what may have been the most life-altering and influential adventure of his life. Brodbecks chief objective in the U.S. was to earn money to help save the familys struggling farm and flour mill back home in the small Swiss village of Benken. When the Gold Rush hit, it seemed an obvious opportunity to realize that goal. And so, like mobs of others world-wide, Brodbeck packed his bags, tucked his hopes and dreams into a suitcase and headed for the hills of California. He made the trek from New York City to San Francisco by sea, around Cape Horn the southern tip of South America and north to San Francisco.7

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It was the only direct route by water in those days. Others sailed to Panama, traveled overland to the Pacific and resumed travel by sea to California. Others, still, braved the long, treacherous and unpredictable wagon-andcart trip by land from New York to California. The journey by sea was anything but a luxurious excursion. It was tedious, seemingly endless about five months long and largely uneventful. It had few, if any, of the comforts the young flour miller from small-town Switzerland was accustomed to. The food was bland, the wine and schnapps short-lived and the quarters sparse. Other than a six-day stop in Valparaiso to replenish supplies and renew spirits, the entire trip was at sea, often with no land in sight for weeks at a time. The odd pirate vessel or occasional whale sighting were among the few sources of excitement for passengers. Brodbeck found comfort in the written word, though, both through journal entries he began when he boarded the ship Mr. Spragne on Sept. 24, 1849 and through his voracious book-reading appetite. He recorded in detail the ships coordinates and near-daily events undoubtedly for a lack of anything else to do including what food he ate, what books he read and what philosophical conundrum dominated his mind on any given day. The salted beef I could not stand and I have not eaten any of it so far and perhaps I will never learn to eat it, Brodbeck complained. It is the same case with the ships rusk, so that my nourishment did not amount to much. If there was excitement on the ship, Brodbeck was there like an eager reporter to record it, including when the ships captain had to discipline a lippy cook. The cook (a Negro), his hands bound above the head on the tackle, was being whipped by the captain himself with 24 blows on the behind with a piece of rope, Brodbeck observed. But you know I believe he was protected quite well by his wool shirt and pants because 10 minutes later the darky was again whistling in the kitchen looking at his hands which the first helmsman had bound very tightly. The punishment he received was for using coarse language towards the captains wife. Brodbeck was a deep thinker, surprisingly philosophical for his age and a great observer of people and cultures. He described in colourful detail the sites, sounds and smells around him during his journey, including the day he stepped off the ship in San Francisco and settled in Happy Valley. It is a place I would call a big city of tents outside San Francisco in the woods, he wrote. Tents on tents, where blacksmiths, bakers, butchers and mostly ship builders have their shops.8

Life in the mines of California was a rugged affair, though cold, wet, often lonely and sometimes extremely dangerous. It was an arduous and spiritually challenging existence, something Brodbeck complained about frequently in his journal entries. The word pleasure with reference to life in the mines should be removed from our vocabulary, Brodbeck lamented. My only pleasure is to shoot my rifle on Sundays and to think that different times may come. Like most who experienced the Gold Rush, it wasnt long before Brodbeck came to the disappointing realization that attaining great wealth from washing small amounts of gold nuggets from creeks and hand-shoveled pits was an elusive and unrealistic goal. Since I have been here, I have learned to realize that wealth is not acquired very quickly as so many overheated heads in the States and in Europe falsely imagine, he wrote July 7, 1850. I was certainly not one of those who expected to see everything to be gold, but I expected better than what I encountered. It was a sentiment he confirmed over a year later. The business of becoming rich is still looking poor, he wrote. There is no question of becoming wealthy, but to acquire something is still my hope. Nevertheless, Brodbeck was resilient in his quest, picking himself up off the ground after bouts of melancholy and loneliness and hurling headlong towards his chief objective in California to make money. For all his struggles in California, the young Swiss was resolute in his mission to raise capital, which he later did through a variety of ambitious enterprises, including running a general store and operating a cereal and flour trading business. If there was money to be made in California, Brodbeck found a way to earn it. But material wealth wasnt the only object of Brodbecks fascination during his American journey. He had a keen interest in the cultures he encountered throughout his travels, particularly his intrigue with North American Indians. Yesterday about five men and 10 squaws passed by here, he wrote. The men carried nothing but bows and arrows and the women were loaded to the gills with acorns, which they carry in cone shaped baskets on their backs, with belts fixed around their foreheadsthe squaw is nothing but the slave and the beast of burden to the male Indian. Brodbecks account of how he and his colleagues witnessed a cremation ceremony of a young Indian chief who died of alcoholism is a riveting and historically valuable narrative.9

As we approached, we saw eight men and three squaws sitting in a circle around a big fire, he wrote. With outreached arms they wailed and moanedWe got closer to the fire and saw leftovers of human bones in it which the old Indian from time to time scraped into a small round hole, which they had dug for that purpose close to the fire. Brodbeck had his share of dangerous encounters with Indians, too. He described how he and his partners once feared for their lives when confronted by a band of knife-brandishing natives during a long, grueling day of travel. An attractively built Indian with bow and arrows approached us, followed by several dozen others, he described. We did not know what they really wanted from us, but we did not like in the least the long, shiny, curved knives, and I would not have been surprised if one of them had split in two my head or Krattigers, or both of ours. He couldnt have known it then, but Brodbeck experienced one of the most historically significant periods of U.S. history. The Gold Rush drew hundreds of thousands of people from around the world to a place that was barely inhabited prior to 1848. California became the 31st state in 1850 and San Francisco grew from a tiny hamlet to a bustling city of 25,000 during the early years of the Gold Rush. Its unknown how much money Brodbeck raised before he returned to Switzerland in 1859 to begin a new life. But the California Gold Rush was an experience that no doubt made a profound impact on his life. He went on to marry Marie Hohl in 1864, had three children and ran the family flour mill and farm with his brother Niklaus. A respected and influential man in his community, Brodbeck was later elected to Parliament for his canton and became a district judge. Jacob Christoph Brodbeck eventually did enjoy the better life of family and prosperity he dreamed of during quiet nights of reflection in the hills of California. But he probably always had a special place in his heart for the friends, experiences and wisdom he gained while working the mines of California. Its doubtful the young flour miller regretted a day he spent on the Pacific coast, searching not only for the wealth of money but for the wealth of spirit, too. Tom Brodbeck Great great grandson of Jacob Christoph Brodbeck Winnipeg, MB 2009

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Mayors letter

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he following is a letter Jacob Christoph Brodbeck sent to the mayor of Benken prior to his departure to the United States:

Mr. Mayor Grass Benken Dear Mr. Mayor, Money rules the world. It is an old saying and I too am sensing the truth of same at this moment. I was destined to go to officers school, but I have had in mind to emigrate to America for some time now. I sold my military equipment a long time ago and had my military overcoat altered into a regular coat. If I wanted to enter officers school now I would have to re-buy everything, which would cost me a good part of the money earmarked for my voyage, and then I would have difficulty replacing same. This is why I consider it more sensible to leave for my trip to America now. During my absence, I name Jakob Kleiber, your son-in-law, as my trustee and he is herewith authorized to handle my affairs in my name in case of inheritance or other matters of substance. At the beginning of this letter I have clearly outlined three reasons for my departure to avoid any possible misinterpretation of same. With my compliments, I remain, Yours faithfully, J. Christoph Brodbeck Benken, October 18th, 1847

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The JournalNew York, Sept. 24, 1849n the 24th, in the morning, I boarded the ship Mr. Spragne where I found my friends already assembled. Very slowly, our ship was pulled from among the surrounding vessels. Once this was finally done, it was hooked onto a steamboat which pulled it to the middle of the North River, opposite the Castle Gardens, where we anchored. There, in shooting distance from the city, we had to stay the night once more. It was a marvelous starlit night and the silvery moon sickle stood in the west. I did not quite know if I should return to the city to be with my friends one more evening and return on board the next day, but I decided to spend the night on the ship. That evening I had a chance to think about my past experiences and also about my future and it was really worth the reflection. It has not been quite two years since I left my dear mother, brothers and sisters at home in order to go to America. I dare say that reality did not turn out short of my expectations. I always thought that I had to spend a few years of an apprenticeship in New York and it really turned out that way. I have the satisfaction of believing that Mr. Gagnebin was satisfied with my services during my employment with him. Although I do not leave behind any relatives in New York, I do have very good friends, i.e. when I think of S.M.1 who very kindly loaned me the money for my voyage, or when I think of Bd.th2, how he provided me with arms and how K3 and his dear wife looked after me like parents by providing me with all kinds of necessities for the trip, I have to say to myself: Yes, there are indeed some good human beings on this Earth. It is really a sweet feeling to know that someone loves you, to know that someone cares when one suffers from hardships, to know that someone exists who will shed a tear remembering us when we suffer an accident. Mankind could be so happy if it wanted to.1 2 3 Samuel Mrillat (a Swiss), a close friend of Brodbecks from New York. Unknown name. Krattiger.

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Of course, suffering will always happen but some people happen to create bitterness among themselves. What have I done that the people of the Schweizerhalle4 took a liking to me? Nothing special really, except that I acted like any decent human being. This is why Fanny liked me and for the same reason Katharine crocheted a watchband for me. One might hope that all humans would soon follow the words of our great founder of our faith: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The first night on the ship was very quiet. I slept like a king in the bed that Mrs. Krattiger made up for me, but strangely enough, I dreamt about back home. Even though I have not thought about the vacillating B.S.5 all day yesterday, I dreamt about her all night, which is the reason I have to think about her this morning! What might she be doing now? However she acted in the past, I wish her no ill fortune. It is a great morning and the view from the middle of the bay is magnificent.

Oct. 3, 1849Thank God my seasickness is just about over it is a horrible sickness. For three days already I have been completely kaput and I am very, very weak. The quality of food certainly does not help to strengthen me, either. Besides, I have no appetite whatsoever, which adds to the fact that I hate the lousy food. During our trip of 8 days so far, nothing special has occurred; always westwind and we are sailing happily in a south-eastern direction. If only the food would be better I could stand it all, but this way I have to rough it! We are not yet in the tropics. It is not very warm, as we have a steady breeze.

Oct. 14, 1849We passed the Tropic of Cancer on the 30th degree western longitude (Greenwich).

Oct. 17, 184920 northern latitude, 29 western longitude.

4 A Swiss restaurant in New York. 5 It is believed that these are the initials of a woman the exact name remains unknown in Switzerland with whom Brodbeck had a heartbreaking and departing relationship.

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Oct. 29, 18493 northern latitude, 27 western longitude. Mr. Benz opened a package of basil rusk, about 1/3 of it spoiled.

Nov. 1, 1849Passed the equator between 25 - 26 western longitude (Greenwich).

Nov. 3, 1849Since we have passed the equator we have had a good steady wind. 4 southern latitude. Since we have been in the tropics, I cannot complain about the heat not at all. Only one day it was you could call it very warm. From Oct. 23-31 we had almost constant calm, here and there interrupted by a shower. Gradually, I am beginning to get used to life on the ship, but I cannot brag about the food and this way of life is really very, very boring. When the ship bounces a little bit, I get dizzy and I am then not able to read. Since Ive been on board I have read several novels among them Zwei Diara by Alexander Dumas and Martin der Findling by Eugen Sue. I must say that I prefer Sues work a lot more than Dumas because there is a purpose, by describing the low classes of people, whereas I do not find the historical novel of Dumas very useful.

Nov. 5, 1849.9 southern latitude.

Nov. 7, 1849.13 southern latitude.

Nov. 9, 1849.18 southern latitude. In the morning we saw a ship in the south-west (we steered south-southwest) which had been sighted already by the captain the previous evening. After a while it steered toward us. We recognized it as a brig6 and the way it bounced, we judged it would not be very heavily loaded. It steered in a6 Two-masted vessel with square sails.

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right-angle direction to our ship. Perhaps it looked as though, once arrived on our right side, that it would then turn towards the south west in order to sail parallel to us. But our captain turned our ship a bit more to the west so that the brig came to our left side by sailing in front of us before it had time to turn. It passed about 100 steps in front of us. We hoisted the American flag and on the brig the Portuguese flag went up. After it turned, we sailed about a shooting distance from each other. They wrote in chalk on the side of the ship: G 23, 40, the western longitude of Greenwich, and Captain Chase responded with the southern latitude. Then he asked via megaphone: Where bound? Rio Janeiro! Where from? Liverpool and we answered the same questions with New York and California. Afterwards the brig stayed back some, turned behind us and sailed away from us in a westerly direction. As the captain said, he did not have the best impression of this visit. He suspected it might have been a pirate vessel because of the following circumstances: The ship changed its course to come near us, no name on the ships aster, not loaded, and also that we were at the latitude of Bahia, where such birds live. All these facts made the captains suspicions not unbelievable.

Nov. 10, 184920 southern latitude.

Nov. 13, 1849.Passed the Tropic of Capricorn at 35 western longitude therefore in line with Rio Janeiro.

Nov. 14, 1849.26 southern latitude. A raw wind from the south east. Cloudy and severe bouncing of the ship. Almost all passengers do not feel well.

Nov. 16, 1849.32 southern latitude. Calm weather.

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Nov. 18, 1849.35 southern latitude. Yesterday we experienced one of the most disagreeable days since weve been on board. Unbelievably stormy and very cold, which we felt more so because we had been used to warm weather for quite some time. Today the weather is again quite nice and the sea quiet. This afternoon a nice breeze starts up again and towards the evening we move happily onward again. If the cold weather should proportionately intensify as we move south it should be very cold around the Horn.

Nov. 19, 1849.36 14 southern latitude, 48 20 western longitude. Just before dark we encountered a brig close enough to be able to communicate with. It was the brig Almeda: from New London to Talcahvano, Chile, 53 days out. Later on in the evening a second brig caught up with us. These light ships move with a light wind faster than our heavy laden ship. But the next morning this brig was a distance behind us.

Nov. 20, 1849.During our voyage from New York we have sighted ships often and have exchanged signals, which I have not always noticed. At the beginning we saw mostly English around the tropics, two Portuguese and around here South American vessels. From New York to the Tropic of Cancer we had changing winds with almost always nice weather. From there to the equator quite often a lack of wind interrupted by bouts of strong winds combined with rain showers. From the equator an excellent breeze to 7 southern latitude where we were able to take advantage of the trade winds which carried us swiftly down to 26, where they left us again. From there to todays date, wind and weather have been variable; sometimes during a 24-hour period we had no wind, nice wind and storm. Before we arrived between the tropic, we saw very few or no birds, nor fish. Between the tropics we were followed by swallows and flying fish, sometimes only the odd ones and sometimes in flocks. One day we saw a ?7 mammal of the family of whales. South of the Tropic of Capricorn we saw porpoises, a fish that looked like a whale, which I had the occasion to see often on my trip over from Europe. They appeared in hoards and usually we experienced a storm afterwards.7 Brodbeck writes ?

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Nov. 21, 1849.Heavy bouncing of the ship interrupted my writing effort. The wind which was blowing very hard all morning, intensified to a storm in the afternoon. The ship swayed fiercely and the leeside took water. The old man did not allow the wind to turn the ship until he was really forced to. Sails were taken in and the ship was driven in a northeasterly direction because the storm wind blew from a southwesterly direction. As soon as the storm let up some we sailed again in the best possible direction in order not to lose time. All night it swayed tremendously. Towards morning the wind diminished some and we were able to sail west-south west. Towards evening the sky cleared and at this time (7 p.m.) we have nice but cold weather. Wind south east. 38 72 southern latitude; 50 24 western longitude.

Nov. 23, 1849.40 22 southern latitude. Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. In the morning, like any Sunday, one of the passengers read a sermon. The rest of the day was spent merrymaking (that is to say in cabin #1). During the evening one of the sailors fell about 30 from the middle mast down to the deck. He was wounded on his back, one arm and the head, but he will probably be back in good shape before long. As far as Thanksgiving is concerned, the Americans do not celebrate it the same way as we Swiss. For them, Thanksgiving is a day, as mentioned above, for merrymaking; i.e. to have a good time, so that on this day, more wine and brandy was consumed than usual. As I was about to close my book, I was drawn by a noise from the forward house and I saw something that I had never seen before. The cook (a Negro), his hands bound above the head on the tackle, was being whipped by the captain himself with 24 blows on the behind with a piece of rope. But you know I believe he was protected quite well by his wool shirt and pants because 10 minutes later the darky was again whistling in the kitchen looking at his hands which the first helmsman had bound very tightly. The punishment he received was for using coarse language towards the captains wife.

Nov. 25, 1849.44 6 southern latitude. Nice weather in the morning and lasting until close to 4 p.m. This morning we sighted several whales. Some were noticed in the distance by their spray, exhaling water into the air, two of them came very18

close to the ship so that we could see them very well when they surfaced to breathe in air. Too bad one could not see them whole. First you see the head with the hole on top, then the wide back and afterwards the tail end looking like a set of horns. Some of the people were catching the odd bird of the flocks which have been accompanying the ship for weeks. They attached red bands and leather bands on them and let them loose again. The ones they caught were (I believe) a sort of seagull. The one kind is the size of a pigeon with white and black spots with a hump on its black beak. The other kind is grey white, the size of a duck with a sharp hook at the end of its beak and like the other kind, with black webbed feet. Also accompanying us are big flocks of a kind of swallow but not with a fork-like tail, looking for food on the water surface. Also, we saw albatrosses.

Nov. 30, 1849.47 48 southern latitude, 61 westerly longitude. Since the 25th we have experienced steady, stormy weather and always head wind, which explains the slow progress we are making. Yesterday the weather was a bit better and the wind direction a little more favourable. In general it is cold, which we are more sensitive to, particularly after the long period of time we were used to warm weather. In the cabin and the forecastle they set up stoves; not for us as yet, although I dont see where they could put them. The day before yesterday I had the good fortune of buying 6 lbs of sugar from a fellow passenger which will serve me well as I had to drink coffee and tea without sugar because I could not drink it sweetened with molasses. I still do not like salted beef and pork, nor the ships rusk.

Dec. 1, 184949 southern latitude, 61 25 western longitude. Rather nice but cold weather. The colour of the sea is not dark blue which it was until now, but already bright green. When the plumb line was thrown around 3 p.m. the water depth was found to be 70 fathoms (420 feet). In the afternoon, several whales were sighted in the distance. At 6 p.m. there was a ship ahead, which the captain judged to be a whaler.

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Dec. 3, 1849.50 16 southern latitude. Yesterday and today are rather pleasant days. Although not very warm, it is bearably mild. The sea is calm and a light breeze makes us drift ahead imperceptibly. Yesterday and today we are seeing a lot of whales, which, as the sailors say, were not caught by the whalers because they would not produce enough train oil. Most of the ones seen would measure 20-40 feet, the biggest about 60 feet. From a distance one can identify a whale by the burst of spray up in the air, approximately ? feet. On the horizon it looks almost like a sail, then one hears a noise like the falling of a large mass of water and then one sees the back and the tail fin. If the whale is very close, one hears the noise and sees the body at the same time. Also up close it does not seem that the exhaling spray is as high, because the highest bubbles are very small and are invisible. This is why the sailors say that it is not water that sprays upwards but the breathing, which you will see from far but not from nearby, just like breathing of humans in the winter.

Dec. 4, 1849.53 14 southern latitude. Yesterday we accomplished a fair distance due to favourable wind and sailed between the continent and the Falkland Islands without seeing anything of substance. This afternoon the wind is deteriorating without being unfavourable. All passengers, or better said, all on board, wish longingly to finally get around the Horn.

Dec. 5, 1849.54 27 southern latitude. Nice weather. (Last evening we had such a thick fog, like we have never seen on this trip so far). Around half past twelve one of the first class cabin passengers said we were about 35 miles from Staten Island8 (the ship was pointing south and we had a good breeze from the north west). As we were still talking about it, the captain yelled from the quarterdeck from where he had looked for a while towards the south west: Land ho! And before long we could distinctly see land as well. The view was just like our mountains, where the upper part is snow covered. It is something8 Isla de los Estados

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new for us to see land again and even though it is snow covered, it is still a comfortable feeling.

Dec. 6, 184955 13 S., 61 35 W. Very strong southern wind and very cold so that we had to stay in all day. Evening a little more pleasant.

Dec. 8, 184956 10 S., 61 30 W. For a few days we have been accompanied by a barge skiff. In the evening, the day before yesterday (the 6th), the latter was so close we were able to exchange signals. It showed the English flag. Yesterday was a stormy cold day. Today the sun shines but it is rather cold due to a raw westerly wind. Today I am 27 years old!!! Surely they think of me today back home. May they all be well and in good health and may I be allowed the pleasure to see them again well and in good health after a few more such birthdays. Five years ago on my birthday, I did not have the faintest idea that I would begin my 28th at the southern tip of America and who knows where I will celebrate it five years from now? Todays celebration is not at all splendid and boiled potatoes9 and salt beef is not a high class fare. But this evening I will drink a glass, or in the absence of same, a tin cup of port wine and eat some dried rusk to the good health of my mother. Also, I will not miss to thankfully think of the well meaning givers (of port wine and rusk), Mr. Gagnebin and Mr. Otto. Really, I would have been badly off without these goodies. My wine and cognac will last me to San Francisco, but the rusks will be gone before we reach Valparaiso. I wonder how things are going in New York. I would like very much to get news from S.K.10at my arrival in San Francisco as this would decide my future plans of action. May I expect that he will come to California next summer? Did the circumstances develop in a way that he prefers to stay in New York? Or, rather, was it Gods will that he returned to Switzerland? But the latter question will be answered by the news from Switzerland at our arrival in Valparaiso. What will be all the news? Was my fatherland forced to give into the Reaction? I hope not. But if so, I will have to honour the bet I made with my friend Samuel. What is my9 Pommes de terre en robes de chambres, he writes. 10 Krattiger.

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friend Badruth doing? How is my friend Roth? What about friend Krattiger and his wife and household? And Thuerkauf and his little woman? And Nemming? Greetings to all of them.

Dec. 9, 1849Last evening a ship came close enough to exchange signals. It showed the American flag. This morning it was close enough to exchange words. It is the barge Uncas from New London, destined for San Francisco and also wants to stop off in Valparaiso. The barge has been out 117 days as it sailed on Aug. 14th, and has no passengers aboard. The captains invited each other for breakfast. The question as to how long ago we left New York was answered by captain Chase, with a small deduction: 65 days! The people from the Uncas sent us three hurrahs which we returned heartily. Then we parted. We shall see who will be in Valparaiso first. According to the calculations of the Uncas, we are positioned today at noon 64 30W. (Correct). 11 a.m.: at home it must be 5 0clock. I dont knowdo you think about me?

Dec. 10, 184957 S., 65 3 W. Nice weather, but cold, head wind and current against us.

Dec. 11, 184957 22 S., 66 15 W.

Dec. 12, 184957 43 S., 71 2 W. The Benziger family, Mr. Henry, A. Hovey and I celebrated the passing around Cape Horn with a drink of warm brandy and the wish that after three years of success, we would be able to get together for a repeat celebration.

Dec. 13, 184957 53 S. 73 W22

Pretty nice weather, but not warm. At 5 oclock a trickle of snow, called riesel11 in the Baselbiet12.

Dec. 14, 184958 S. 74 18 W. A cold day. Everyone wishes to get to the North pretty soon, to a warmer climate again.

Dec. 15, 184958 S. 75 36 W. Foggy and cool. Clearing some during the evening, but still northwest wind.

Dec. 16 (Sunday), 1849.57 32 S. 77 11 W.

Dec. 18, 1849.55 14 S. 76 14 W. Yesterday the wind blew strongly from the south west, but this morning it grew into a storm, the likes of which we have not seen on our trip so far. The waves blew over and washed the sundeck better than the sailors were ever able to accomplish.

Dec. 20, 184951 30 S., 79 W. Rainy and cold. However, with a pretty strong west wind. We move at a good clip in a northerly direction and hopefully we should reach a warmer climate soon. Days are getting shorter due to foggy weather and also because we are getting further away from the South Pole. South of Cape Horn we experienced daylight from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m. This evening they put up two side sails on the foremast. But later a gust of wind broke the rope and the timber which held it broke with a big crack in two.11 12 Sleet Greater Basel area.

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Dec. 21, 184947 53 S. First rate. Over the past 24 hours we traveled the longest distance so far on our trip. Hurrah for Valparaiso! Today is Christmas market in Basel. Perhaps some of my people are in Basel and are stopping for a drink Uf Im Platz at Mr. Loews.

Dec. 22, 184944 50S. The favourable wind held on until 2 a.m. but then it weakened and by 8 a.m. it was completely calm and there was warm sunshine. In the afternoon it became cloudy and cool and the wind returned to some extent. This morning everybody was busy on board the ship. Some did laundry, others fished for albatrosses with fishing rods and pieces of meat on the hooks. Others were busy pulling the skins off the caught birds. Everyone wanted to have either a foot, a beak, a wing or at least a few feathers. The albatross is about the size of a swan, but its neck is by far not as long. The head, however, is bigger. Most of them measure 10 to 11 with wings spread, and from beak to tail 3. The beak, about 7 long ends in a sharp hook. The wings are black, chest and belly are white sprinkled with black, strong web feet without spurs. The most peculiar thing I noticed was the way it folded its wings. It has a joint more than a goose and therefore folds its wings three times. First backwards, then forwards then the wings swing again backwards, covered by the feathers of the second wing lengths. The tail feathers are very short. The shades are very different. Some are almost white, others nearly black; others again show a star-like spot on their wings and a red ring around the neck. Towards evening a white painted ship caught up with us and came very close. However, neither us, nor the white one, hoisted the flag. The wind increased and we ended up ahead again. At midnight it was way behind us. Another happening of the day was the quarrel between a sailor and the captain regarding salted beef contained in a newly opened barrel which really stinks.

Dec. 23 (Sunday), 184943 20 S. Rain and light breeze until 8 a.m. After 8 a.m. the wind increased a lot, the weather cleared, we forged ahead square the yards, northward.24

Unfortunately, I ran out of rusks. Many thanks, Mr. Otto, without them I would have been badly off.

Dec. 24, 184940 20 S. Nice weather all day and light southerly wind. Everyone on board is busy doing laundry the ship looks like a big laundry establishment; the deck and tackle show the colors of all nations on Gods Earth.

Dec. 25, 1849.38 10 S. Christmas A nice warm morning. Everyone in a good mood and wishing each other a Merry Christmas.

Dec. 26, 184936 13 S. Nice weather but steady break over the waves. First I thought the wind had turned, but as soon as I checked the compass, I realized that the ship changed direction, not the wind, as we steered east-north-east, towards the coast. At noon I was on the quarterdeck as the captain was about to calculate our location, basing himself on the sun. He then went into his cabin and in a few minutes he returned on deck and called north east ho, land hoy! There it is! And really one could see the outline of land in the distance through a hazy mist. The water has a black, green dirty colour. In the afternoon the coastline showed itself very clearly and it was really a special, comfortable feeling to be able to see land once again from close up. However, what went on at the coast, whether it was inhabited, one could not see. We saw cliffs and mountains, valleys and plains which looked like wheat fields mixed with what looked like forests. The place was Spitzecarana or Fuchsbay.13

Dec. 27, 1849.35 S.13 This might be Fox Bay.

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Warm and foggy in the morning, no land in sight anymore, calm and bright, nice weather all day. Towards evening a light breeze starts. Everyone prepares to go on land. Washing, haircutting, readying the anchor chains, getting the captains boat in shape. As for myself, I wrote home and to friend Mrillat.

Dec. 28, 184933 28 S. Again calm. In the afternoon we saw the coast up close and 10 ships right around us. To go on land is not possible today but we hope to be able to spend Sunday in Valparaiso. From afar, the coast looked ragged, infertile. But of course, one cannot judge the fertility of the soil from a distance. In the background, the snow covered Andes. It reminded me of the Alps, rising far above the foothills.

Dec. 29, 1849Near Valparaiso. There it is, the lighthouse, which shows the way to the harbour, but we cannot get there because of headwind. About 14 different ships are around us and we cannot get in. One of them is the U.S. ship Vandalia, another a French warship, another showed the English flag and quite a few more are American. It looks as though we will not be able to land today, either. But we landed after all; it is night time; we are in the harbour and the anchor was lowered. A customs officer came on board and a doctor to check the manifest and to see if there are any sick people on board. The doctor is a Frenchman. We swamp him with questions about Valparaiso, which he answers willingly. Finally, an employee of the post office came with the notice that the postal bag for the Panama steamer would be closed tomorrow at 8 a.m.

Dec. 30 (Sunday) 1849.Never before, since we have been on board, have we risen as early as we did today. Everybody got ready to go ashore. The first to go were the captain with the 1st class passengers and B&H. Since I was unsure of getting ashore before 8 a.m., I gave my letter to Mr. Hovey to look after. One of the passengers owned a boat which some of us used to go ashore. We landed on the only dock in Valparaiso where we pushed ourselves through a mass of neck-andneck crowd on to the firm land. Soon we found our co-travelers at the post26

office. A letter from Valparaiso to Panama costs 56 cents, which one has to pay in advance. Then we looked the city over some. Valparaiso is situated along a pretty horseshoe-shaped bay. Only a narrow strip is flat and two streets run along its length. High hills, here and there scattered with little houses rise behind this narrow plain. A stranger wonders why children would not roll down the steep slopes, onto which the small houses seem glued. All the surrounding hills and mountains have a naked appearance; one should think that this red clay earth would not be able to nourish plants. But we were told that during the rainy season everything would have a very friendly green appearance. Proof of heavy rain can be seen by the washed out and therefore erosion covered hills and mountains. Close to the pier the newly-built customs building catches the eye. It is the biggest building in the city and looks quite nice with its tower and clock. Among other noteworthy buildings are two churches, a new theatre14 and several very attractive private homes. The houses in general are low, built with unfired bricks and the roofs are covered with hollow clay tiles. The lighthouse stands on top of a hill near the entrance of the harbour. We received permission for a thorough visit of the fort, which is located on another hill overlooking the harbour. The rooms in the barracks have high ceilings (like most buildings here in general) without wood floors and are kept pretty clean. On top of a hill, close behind the customs building, are two rows of pretty apartment buildings with little gardens in front of them, occupied by foreigners. On another hill is the cemetery containing several excellent, attractive monuments. Nearby is a protestant cemetery where I found a marble gravestone with the name Scheitlin from St. Gallen. On another hill behind it is the jail where we found shoemakers and tailors working in the same room. In front a few carpenters were at work. The institution is guarded by about 15 soldiers who wear, besides a long sword, a small chain, the use of which is easily guessed. I already learned from the doctor on the ship of a patissier Suisse in the city. I looked him up in order to see if more Swiss people are located here. As I suspected, I found a Graubuendner15 associated with an Orell from Zurich, who at one time lived in Basel and in Buenos Aires, before coming here. At his house I met a Henry Gimbert, a bookbinder from Zurich, a nice young man who accompanied Mr. Benzinger and his wife, my copassengers, to the botanical gardens. I learnt from him that another Swiss from the canton Thurgau is living here and established as a trading agent.14 15 Playhouse no movie theatres then. Someone from the canton of Graubuenden.

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Two brothers from Locle16, watchmakers, arrived here a month ago and set up shop. Since I needed a watch repaired, I visited them the following day. They are pleased with the way the business is going. Since the four or five other watchmakers left for California, they found lots of work and good pay. The trade in Valparaiso is mostly in the hands of foreigners. During our stay in Valparaiso I visited the city every day stayed there all day and returned back on board in the evening, except on New Years Eve, when I stayed the night at Mr. Orells. But I was so tired that I went to bed at 10 p.m. New Years Day was a beautiful warm summer day which I spent in the company of Henry A. Hovey and D. Chambers, my co-passengers, in whose company I remained more closely (than with others) during our stay here. We started the New Year in a rather pleasant way, under good auspices. On Wednesday, we second-class cabin passengers made our joint purchases and my few Spanish words, which I learnt during our voyage, really helped out. We bought cheeses at 12 cents per lb, sugar at 10 cents, dried figs at six cents, chocolate at 18 cents, pepper at dollar, nuts at six cents, flour at $2.75 per 100lb, wine at dollar per gallon, butter at 37 cents per lb. The wine is a light red and tastes not bad at all. The captain and Messrs Dana, two 1st class passengers, bought about 120 bags of flour at $5 per 100 kilogram on speculation because the latest news from California indicated a price of 30 to 35 dollars per 50 kg bag there.

Jan. 4, 1850This was the designated day of departure. The anchor was being lifted, we passengers all gave a hardy hand. It was so hot though that I had to have a drink twice during the up-winding procedure. By midday we left the harbour and a good breeze brought us quickly out to the high sea.

Jan. 5, 1850Back to the life at sea but we are not seasick and we have some of our own groceries to counteract the ships rugged food a little. Nowhere do we see land now and all that is left of it is a memory. Oops, I almost forgot to mention, Mr. and Mrs. Benzinger visited a school in Valparaiso where a New Yorker is the principal. An offer was made to Madame Benzinger: $500

16

The city of Le Locle, Switzerland.

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per year salary plus room and board to teach English. It came by letter sent on board. Mr. Benzinger went to the city the third afternoon, helped set everything up, accompanied Madame the fourth morning to her new destination, came back on board and off we went towards Northwest. Since the Benzinger family stays in our section, we now have more room.

Jan. 6, 185028 S. 76 W. Nice weather, favourable good wind. Wine, bread and cheese happy faces.

Jan. 7, 185026 S, 77 44 W.

Jan. 8, 185024 18 S. 79 23 W. Since our visit in Valparaiso, I enjoy better food and new wine! This produces better blood and my nose bleeding does not want to stop.

Jan. 9, 185022 S. Since my nose bleeding did not want to stop, I took out my Raspail17and found under the heading hemorragie, para. 309 against epistaxis or nose bleeding a medicine to inject or snuff: Eau de Goudron 500 grammes, alcool camphr 3 grammes, vinaigres rectifi 3 grammes. I have now prepared this mixture and will see if it works. The weather and wind continue to be nice and favourable and since we passed the Tropic of Capricorn yesterday, we are now in the tropics.

Jan. 14, 185015 22S, 93 47 W.

17

A French medical book.

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Continued favourable wind and nice weather. It is so nice on deck that I cannot but take my diary there and scribble something in it. I will try to copy the weekly menu: Each morning coffee and each evening tea, if we wished sweetened with molasses. Salted beef and pork with ships rusk, if we wished. Some of the other dishes were: Monday mornings: mash with molasses (mash is a gruel made of cornmeal but salted and with lard). At midday: pommes de terre en robe de chambre = boiled potatoes with skins on, in Benken18 called Geschwellte Erdaepfel. Tuesday mornings: potato scows (a mixture of mashed potatoes with salted minced meat); at midday: beans (cooked like peas); Wednesday mornings: Breadscows (mixture of crushed ships rusk and minced meat); at midday: rice. Thursdays mornings: dough (flour dough, either baked or boiled as a pudding with molasses). Fridays mornings: breadscows; midday: beans like Tuesdays. Saturday mornings: potato scows; midday: potatoes, sometimes with fish (unsalted). Sunday mornings: breadscows; midday: in most cases dough, but as long as available, i.e. about 12 Sundays, fresh pork, sometimes cooked with flour as a pot pie, often fried with boiled potatoes. We had to pick up these dishes in the kitchen, unsalted without gravy. We then had to fix these meals with molasses and salt, the latter we had to get from the steward in the first class section. In the beginning, I was unable to eat this stuff. The salted beef I could not stand and I have not eaten any of it so far and perhaps I will never learn to eat it. It is the same case with the ships rusk, so that my nourishment did not amount to much. The potato scows tasted so much like the salted beef that I was unable to eat it either. The breadscows I was able to eat after about two months on board I sweetened it with molasses. After our stop in Valparaiso I had wine, cheese, bread (which is all gone and got a bit mouldy), nuts, chocolate, and pepper and cinnamon, so that my food intake has increased from before. Since Madame Benziger is no longer with us, I usually share the meals with Mr. Benziger, who does not get his meals from the ships kitchen, but cooks it himself. So now, I have almost every morning fried potatoes (in Benken called gebregelte erdaepfel). Also, he shares his coffee with me, much better than what is supplied by the ship, because I can now sweeten it quite a bit.

Jan. 20 (Sunday), 18508 56 S., 104 W18 Benken,Canton Baselland, Brodbecks home village.

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We still have nice weather and very favourable wind. It is beautiful here (the weather) and if the sea would always be like it is now, slightly ruffled by the southeast wind, this oceans name Pacific would be well deserved. Yesterday, I read a novel Memories of a Preacher by P. Lippard and I cannot but copy a section of it: 19 Let us say a word in relation to the wonderful fact of the universe, which in the olden times was called witchcraft, but which in the nineteenth century is called magnetism. What is magnetism. Is it good or evil? Is it from God or the devil? Is it indeed a fact, as tangible as our existence, or only a dream, as idle as a hypocrites religion? It would require volumes to answer questions such as these. It may be that magnetism is the great tie which binds the great family of humanity to its God. It may be the invisible ocean of being which is evermore breaking upon the shores of our lower world its low murmurs repeated in the songs of poet and prophet, through all times. Like everything, it may be perverted. Quacks have peddled the gospel is the gospel therefore a lie? Quacks and mountebanks have exhibited the mysteries of magnetism, to gaping audiences at a quarter of a dollar per head is magnetism therefore a delusion? Magnetism is God. It is of God. It will, without a doubt, at some future day, be made the direct agent of incalculable blessing from God to the human race. It seems to us to be divided into three forms. The first, called simple the magnetic slumber the body is perfectly paralyzed, while the mind is unutterably calm. No words can depict the complete quiet of the soul, while in this state. The second is known as the clairvoyant state. The mind of the magnetized roams wherever the will of the magnetizer commands. It is thoroughly subject to his will. To speak in plain words the soul of the magnetized seems for a while to have lost itself in the soul of the magnetizer. The third state may be called trance, although the word does not altogether convey our meaning. Here, the soul seems to be altogether freed from the body. It soars where it will and beyond the power of the magnetizer. We all have read well-orated stories of persons who have been entranced whose bodies have reposed for days and weeks in a state resembling death, while their souls journeyed to the world of spirits, and communed with angels. Trance has various outward manifestations. The body sometimes lies in corpse like immovability. The lips do not open, no word passes the sealed19 This is a book written in English that Brodbeck transcribes in part.

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portals of speech. Again, the body stirs with a strange life; the eyes flash; the cheeks glow; the lips mutter words which, according to the character of the listener are the ravings of incoherent frenzy; or the revelations of prophetic inspiration.

Jan. 26, 1850Equator 116 W. Yesterday we saw the first vehicle since we left Valparaiso. It was a brig, but too far away to see any details of it. So now we are passing the equator for the second time and we are closer to our destination.

Jan. 28, 18504 N. 117 W. The wind, which has been favourable since we have been sailing the Pacific, is getting gradually weaker.

Jan. 30, 18504 N. Since yesterday we experience a lack of wind and rain, the same as on the Atlantic at the same latitude. Hopefully, we will not be held up here as was the case there. Many sharks approached the ship up close and the helmsman tried to harpoon one of them, but was not lucky enough to do so.

Feb. 1, 18508 8 N. Yesterday we experienced a light northwest wind and then picked up the northwest trade winds shortly thereafter so here we go towards California. True, we lean toward the leeboard side and get a little more shook up than south of the equator, where we sailed the southwest trade winds which did not sway the ship.

Feb. 2, 185010 32 N., 120 W. Always moving ahead towards California. The weather is nice but we are rocking pretty hard and from time to time water hits the deck. 27 more32

and we will be at our destination. Everyone seems to sense it and often I hear people say that in 2 or 3 weeks, we will have to fend again for our food. What will we do first, after we land? Although I do not worry about succeeding in looking after myself, one cannot overlook the fact that the rainy season will not be over when we arrive and that San Francisco will be overcrowded and living quarters and jobs will be harder to find than in the summer when the gold hunters are in the mines. What I will do, I really do not know. As a foreigner and non-citizen, I will not be allowed to go into the mines because I heard here on board, as well as in Valparaiso, that foreigners will not be permitted in the mines. But, we shall see.

Feb. 4, 185014 41N., 123 W.

Feb. 5, 185016 51 N Steady north-east wind and nice weather.

Feb. 6, 185018 45 N., 125 W.

Feb. 7, 185020 10 N. The days are beginning to get shorter and the weather is foggy and cool, like autumn, so that one recognizes that the sun is summering the southern half of the globe and that we are again in the northern half.

Feb. 8, 185023 31 N., 128 W. Thanks to the north-east wind, which continues on and on, we have today passed the Tropic of Cancer. A nice day, although cool wind.

Feb. 9, 185026 N.33

Nice weather, good wind.

Feb. 11, 185028 15 N, 131 W. Sunday. Yesterday the old black moor was butchered, so that today we ate fresh pork, a good and scarce dish on board a ship, especially for a person who cannot stand to eat salt meat. The wind is changing a little more to the north and we are therefore forced to move more towards the west, even though we have already passed San Francisco, which is situated on 12 northern latitude.

Feb. 12, 185030 15 N. A nice day. The wind is diminishing and turning towards the east a little.

Feb. 15, 185033 8 N, 260 W. For two days we have had calm and although the weather is nice, it is not very warm, particularly at night it is cool. We see a kind of black albatross around here and we try with our rifles to shoot at them and I hit at the first shot (perhaps it was a bit of luck). I also had occasion these days to show my ability as a painter. Messrs Dana, two first class passengers, who are planning to establish themselves in business in San Francisco, noticed me drawing names on the luggage of some of our passengers. They asked me if I would be able to paint the sign for their house, which I answered in the affirmative. They brought out the boards immediately and I, like a real painter, painted BOUGHTON=DANA+CO., Stoves, Pipe, Iron & Tin Ware. It looked better than I dared to expect.

Feb. 16, 1850This morning we hear the welcome clanging of the anchor chains, which are now ready on deck to be thrown overboard. Since we now have favourable wind, this should not be delayed for too long.

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Feb. 18, 1850.36 10 N. The favourable wind is receding. This afternoon, a dark mass of clouds appear in the northwest, announcing a storm. The sailors are taking in the sails in a hurry. The storm approaches and wild waves surround us. A rough night is anticipated.

Feb 19, 1850Same longitude as yesterday. The storm has not died down yet. During the night it was so rough that we could only sail with doubly knotted topsails. Since the north wind prevails, it is very cold, reminding us of the Cape Horn. Yesterday we sailed in an easterly direction so that we did not gain any distance. Towards evening the wind changed a bit to the west, so that we can now sail towards the north-east. But the wind is so strong and the sea so wild that we do not advance much.

Feb. 20, 1850The storm died down during the night and this morning the sea was relatively calm. The wind is coming from the west, so that we can follow our course with considerable speed.

Feb. 21, 1850This morning the weather changed from nice to dark clouds and then rain. At 9 a.m. we see land to our right. Sail ho, is commanded in frequent intervals. We are nearing our destination. Immediately in front of us, we see a number of rocky islands. The water is green, like everywhere close to the shore. We are approaching the coast which appears to be green. On the mountains one can see trees, probably pine and spruce. In the afternoon, we find ourselves near numerous ships. We see the entrance to the Bay of San Francisco. A pilot boat approaches. By means of a little boat, the pilot, a sailor with a face tanned by the elements climbs aboard our ship. The captain then asks him: What are the regulations here? Regulations, Sir? Pilot law established, Sir? Whats the pay? $8 a foot. He climbs to the quarterdeck . Down the helm! and he is now the commander of the ship. So here we are at the entrance to the harbour. In front of us the land, where we all hope to improve our temporal conditions. A strange feeling, an almost oppressing feeling, overtakes us unwillingly. Will our hopes and expectations35

be fulfilled? That is the question which probably each of us asks himself, but only time will tell. We land at a big sand bar where big waves break on the shore. The anchor is rolled down! In front of us, San Francisco; in the bay an armada of ships. The city spreads up the hill. The entrance to the bay is very narrow, but the bay itself is large with the odd green island here and there. The surrounding mountains look quite friendly, now green, after the rainy season. The setting of San Francisco is not unlike Valparaiso, but the houses look more inviting, as they are mostly newly built and painted white. The harbourmaster, Captain King, came on board before we dropped anchor and he gave us the impression that everything seemed well organized in San Francisco. The captain, Dana, the elder, Laund and Andrew Jackson went to town in the captains boat. When they return we will learn more about how things are in California. Until now we have learnt that room and board is generally expensive; all other things inexpensive and labour very well paid. This sounds good to most of us passengers. On the other hand, Mr. Dana is very sad, as his shipment of stoves he has on the ship seems to be a bad speculation; in any case not very profitable.

Feb. 26, 1850.When the captain and the passengers, who went to shore on the 21st, came back, they were stormed by everyone with all kinds of questions. The quintessence of their report was: nothing doing; knee-deep mud in the streets; room and board 12 to 16 dollars a week; gambling in all the taverns in short they were discouraged. But most of us were not, hoping to find some kind of occupation. The steamer to Sacramento was full of passengers destined for the mines. On February 22nd in the morning, we prepared to go ashore. The captain supplied us with a boat, which we had to return in the evening. Before long I was able to find a Mr. Woodruf for whom I had to deliver a letter from Messrs Wallis and Mathey of New York. I was half hoping to find a letter there for me, because the steamer from Panama arrived yesterday, but I was disappointed in my expectation. In the evening, all passengers returned on board. One of the passengers, Regevlos, a German, found a job as a cabinet maker. He receives 4 dollars a day plus room and board. On the 23rd we loaded our belongings on a boat and steered towards shore; but not to the dock where we would have had to pay half a dollar36

for each bag, but we landed at Happy Valley. It is a place I would call a big city of tents outside San Francisco in the woods. Tents on tents, where blacksmiths, bakers, butchers and mostly ship builders have their shops. Five of us passengers had decided to live together. While two of us went to the city to buy a tent, the others searched for a location to set it up. The tent was put up on a hill from where we had a full view of all the ships in the harbour. Our trunks were put in the tent, our mattresses on top. We did not feel too comfortable the first night, but got used to the camping life before long.

March 4, 1850.We are beginning to like our life in the woods. In the morning, we prepare our breakfast, thereafter we usually go to the city to either look up acquaintances, or to sell merchandise we brought along. Quickly, I sold ten musical clocks, which Mr. Cucodet of New York had given to me for $4 a piece. A set of drawing instruments, which I had also brought along, I was not able to get rid of too quickly, as hoped. Perhaps I will not obtain any more than I would have in New York for same. But I will have to sell it in order to gather enough money to go to the mines, which, as I hear, generally costs about $100. Mr. Benzinger, whose name I mentioned earlier, got so discouraged by the situation here that he decided to return to Valparaiso. Since he did not have the means, $150, he made an arrangement with the captain to pay for the trip in Valparaiso, which he will be able to do at any rate since his wife will have saved up this amount by now. In case he cannot pay, Mr. Dana will back him. Among the established, I got to know a Mr. Bischoff from Thun, associated with a Swiss named Fatton. When I told him, by the way, that I had a letter for Captain Sutter, he told me this would not help me because such a mass of arriving people had letters of recommendation for him. This made sense, but still, I would like to get to know the man personally whose name is known practically the world over. Naturally, my thinking is far from wanting to inconvenience and or burden the man in any way. But since my travelling companions probably want to go to the southern mines, I will probably not see Sacramento City this summer. Since the steamer Oregon sailed for Panama March 1st and since I want to inform my dear mother of my arrival here as soon as possible, I also wrote to my friend S.M. at the same time. Before I go to the mines, I also want to write to my friend Krattiger. Yesterday I tried to learn about the whereabouts of Mr. Kruger, a German, to whom I had to deliver a letter from New York.37

At Mr. Russs, a German also, I learnt that the latter had left for the northern mines about 14 days ago. Russ is operating a boarding house and has been here 4 years. He told me he owns several city lots and is therefore very comfortable. A certain Rosenmund, a hatter, from Liestal, supposedly went to Sacramento a few days ago and it could be that he might have a letter from my uncle Hagler for me. I am almost tempted to write to Captain Sutter to ask if he might be in possession of a letter for me. Here on top of our hill, we are living in rather pleasant fashion. Of course, when it rains, we have to move into the tent and even then we are not entirely sure of not getting wet. We consider this a good training school for life in the mines. Also, we live here a lot cheaper than we would in the city. To pay 14 dollars a week for room and board per head is monstrous compared to our expenses here, which were only 7 dollars last week for all of us. True, we still had flour bought in Valparaiso and some other things which we could not have used in the city, but are serving us very well here. Sunday, a week ago, I went to attend services at the Baptist church with three of my friends the church was jam packed. It was a typically colonial type of congregation, i.e. only about 13 females in the audience and half a dozen children, which shows the proportion of female and male population in San Francisco. Last Sunday (yesterday) friend Chambers and I climbed a hill on the other side of the city where we enjoyed a wonderful view of the bay. In front of us vineyards, cities and villages along the bay. How better to compare it all than to the Lake of Geneva region. Now a word about my 4 companions: 1) The oldest one, I believe, is K. K. Lee from Brooklyn. He operated a hat store on Chatam Street in New York and since the business was perhaps not too lucrative, he came to California. He is very undecided and slow to move and if he comes along with us to the mines, we will have more trouble with him than with any of the others. Admittedly, this is hard to judge in advance, because illness can strike the strongest as well as the weakest. As he told us, he has a young wife at home. 2) Henry A. Hovey, a coach maker from Boston, is a man in his forties. He limps, due to an injury years ago on his left leg. He is what they call in the States a Shrewd Yankee. Besides that, he is a straight, honest and religious man. He belongs to the Baptist church; he has a wife, two sons and two daughters. One of his sons works in a trading company in New York, the others are in Boston. Hovey is more or less considered our president.38

3) Henry Katker is a Prussian, already 10 years in the U.S. He is in his thirties, has not much education and is used to life in the fast lane. In Patterson, where he worked in a foundry for a few years, he seems to have gone to Sunday school and he is now very religious. Every second sentence he says is: If it is the will of the Lord and he reads the Bible all the time. But on the other hand, his lust for the yellow metal is also strong. Despite his broken English, he is very easy to get along with. 4) David Chambers from Albany, a carriage maker, is about 30 years old and one of the strongest fellows we have on board. Whether he is married or not I could not find out as yet, because he never answers the question seriously. He is a straight man, the way I know him. He is close to Hovey. With Lee, Hovey and Chambers we have three old fellows and it is true, they hold together a bit. But I think I will soon be considered as one of them, although I have not yet had the honour to pass my initiation. We shall see when we return from the mines.

Mar. 8, 1850We have been here more than two weeks and I have not been bored yet. We have been spending our days partly in the city, partly here on top of the little hill at our tent. Last Sunday, Chambers and I and Hovey went on board Mr. Spragne to get a wagon belonging to Hovey. Because of the strong tide and the strong wind, the ship drifted further out into the bay and so the captain kept us on board for two days, where we worked hard and stayed in the first class cabins. When we left, the captain gave us each $5.00. At the same time, he told us that it would be agreeable to him if we would stay on board the ship to help him work. He would pay us $2 per day plus first class accommodation. But because we wanted to leave for the mines soon and Chambers having to make two machines for gold washing, I dont know if we would leave or not. At any rate, I would have to go back to the ship to change the lettering on the sign that I painted to read Dana Brothers because the associate Boughton is thinking of going back to the U.S. The Dana brothers are still living on the ship. Also last week I had to paint the name on a sailboat for which I received one dollar. Thursday evening, during dinner, the elder Dana said that he saw Captain Sutter that day in the city. So I thought I might see him, too, and I went on shore Friday. When I asked at Bischoffs where I might perhaps find him, he gave me a strange reply. He said that he did not know and that Sutter did not bother with new arrivals. Therefore, I gave up the search, as39

I thought a better chance might present itself later. However, I would have liked to know if there was a letter there for me.

Mar. 16, 1850When we arrived here, we were told that the rainy season was over, but we had to learn otherwise. It is true, no day goes by without sunshine for a few hours, but the nice weather seems interrupted by lots of rain showers then two or three days follow without rain. We are now getting ready for our departure to the mines. Right now Hovey and Katker are in town to find out the possibilities on how to get to Stockton. Chambers is very busy making cradles.20 These are sold here for $14-$25 a piece, but we get them at less cost. Two of our trunks supply the necessary boards and the sheet metal for two machines costs $4, so that even by having to give Chambers something, we pay much less. If possible we will leave next Tuesday, even though people generally are saying its rather early. Everybody says it is too early, but everyone is leaving. Yesterday I wrote friend Krattiger, but Ill bring the letter to the post office only Monday. Lee wishes very much to stay here longer because he is afraid his health would be affected by the rainy weather.

March 18, 1850.The new moon seems to have changed the weather somewhat because since the change of the moon, we have rather steady nice weather. Yesterday, Sunday, I was at a place about four miles from San Francisco, called the Mission. The settlement is composed of a number of low houses, built of clay, covered with hollow clay roofs, the same type as in Valparaiso. The Jesuites, who were here as missionaries, built a church here.

March 21, 1850.Finally, we have decided to leave San Francisco to go to the southern mines. The steamship to Stockton costs $25 and the sailing boats usually ask $12. But Mr. Hovey found a man who has a sailboat and wants to take us for $10. Mind you, it is only an open boat, but we can sleep under a canvas just as well as in a tent. Here we are now on board in the bay and enjoy the panorama20 These are used to wash gold.

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in natura of San Francisco, hearing the knocking and hammering of the house builders and the monotonous singing of sailors unloading ships. San Francisco, also called Buena Herba, was two years ago, as eyewitnesses assured me, nothing but a poor hamlet of a few houses. Now it is an important city, although the wooden houses and tents are witness to the fact that everything is done in a hurry. There is busy activity everywhere: streets leveled, docks built, etc. After one year in the mines, coming back here, we will certainly see the place much changed. It is easily possible that a house will stand where we broke camp this morning and that Happy Valley will no longer be a camp area, but will look like a city. Yesterday I visited with Messrs Bischoff and Fatton (Washington St. between Montgomery and Kaarny St.) and handed them the drawing instruments set with the instruction to sell it on commission for $25, if possible. Our group has changed somewhat. Mr. Lee, who found life on board of a small boat too uncomfortable, decided to travel to Stockton by steamer. Whether he will actually do it, I dont know, since, as he mentioned, he was offered a position as head waiter at the Bryants Hotel with a monthly salary of $150. In his place we took on another member, or more or less an associate member by the name of Frank Winslow, a passenger of the first class and relative of the captain. He wanted to go into the mines with us. Since we ended up not having enough space in our tent, he bought himself his own tent and wants to put it up alongside ours. On board of this small boat are four other passengers, Mexicans from Mazatlan, two men and two women. At 4 p.m. we left San Francisco and moved with a good breeze across the bay into the Bay of Pueblo, where we anchored for the night. It was disagreeable, it rained and in the morning my wool blanket was wet and therefore, so was I, and I got a cold which I got rid of the next day by smoking camphor cigarettes.

March 25, 1850.The second day it rained almost continuously and it was quite cold. We passed the newly built city of Benicia during the evening and we passengers then retired to sleep. When we awoke in the morning, the boat was anchored; several ships were around us. On a nearby picturesque plateau, we see a few houses. It is New York-on-the Pacific. Our captain set us ashore so that we could move our legs a little to help our blood circulation. We found a place for breakfast, which we needed, which cost $1.00 per person. Between San Francisco and New York-on-the-Pacific we enjoyed the sight of green, pretty hills and mountains. Outside New York, the area is41

flat and swampy. At this town, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers join. We had to follow the latter, but we could not make much headway because of lack of wind. Towards evening on the 23rd, we rammed into a sandbank and got stuck. The low tide had been moving the water down, so that we could do nothing but wait patiently for nine hours until the high tide got us re-floated. Chambers, Hovey, the captains helper and I went ashore in a rowboat and set a fire in order to cook supper. The captains helper, Lorenzo, returned back to the sailboat with the rowboat when he saw that the prairie, which extends for miles and miles to the Sacramento River, was on fire and was moving in a crooked line towards us. Happily for us, the grass along the river, about a 20-foot strip, had already been burnt. In this situation, we did not have to fear that the fire would bother us. The dark sky descended on us and the fire moved closer. It was a beautiful view. The crackling and crashing contributed to make what we saw as a romantic experience. On the other side of the river, there was fire also, it was nice. We stayed on shore until 11 p.m. We drank our tea and ate our fried pork and then returned to the sailboat, which re-floated at around midnight. In the early morning, we sailed again. Before long, we felt the current of the river away from the influence of the tide. In all my life I have never seen a river that meanders like the San Joaquin. We saw several schooners stuck. We were lucky to be sailing in a small boat, being able to maneuver around the bends very well. At eight oclock in the evening we arrived in Stockton. We stayed the night on board. We had breakfast for $1 (another place charged $1.50) and set up our tent about a mile from the landing. Stockton is situated on a branch of the river looking almost like a lake, in a big plain, which extends almost 60 miles towards the mountains. Behind Stockton, in the plain, grow lots of oak trees. Mules and cattle are grassing everywhere in this flatland. The streets in Stockton are very, very muddy. Whereas the soil is sandy in San Francisco, here it is clay, with half a foot of humus on top. In only a few years, Stockton will be an important town. Among the signs, I found the name Mathey familiar to me from New York. Mr. Mathey, located a story above Chas. Gagnebin, was established as a watch importer. He then moved to California and now, as I could see, operates a general store by the name of French & Mathey. I think I will go and see him.

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March 26, 1850.Last night it was rainy. Towards midday it cleared and no clouds around Mount Diablo, the highest mountain in the area, south-west of here, a sign of nice weather, the captain said. For lunch we will cook salt pork and beans. The pork costs 30 cents and beans 12 cents a pound.

March 29, 1850.Calaveros River. Life in Stockton comes to an end. Yesterday at 1 p.m. we left Stockton. We loaded our belongings on a cart and had to pay $20 per 100 lbs to the mines (San Antonio). The baggage of our group (5) amounted to 238 lbs, my own 48 lbs, so that the trip from Stockton to the mines cost me about $20. It is now 6 p.m.; we arrived three hours ago here at the Calaveros River. One has to cross it by a small ferry. So many passengers are waiting that it looks like one or two days of waiting in order to cross. However, it so happens that a veteran of the Mexican War has his bags on our cart and since he knows the ferryman, we will be able to cross tonight at around 9 p.m. when the moon shines. The river is only about 20 feet wide and during the summer, one can drive through with carts, but now the water is too deep. The carts are being unloaded, taken apart and ferried across. The mules and oxen are chased across the river. The ferry costs dollar per person. The stretch of road about 6 miles from Stockton was extremely bad, bottomless. It reminded me of the road from Benken to Neuweiler, particularly when the cart got stuck. From that point on, the road was very good. We now pass through a beautiful valley between hills, through meadows with healthy grass growth, and if fruit trees would replace the oak trees, life could be very pleasant here. Too bad one cannot see any fruit trees at all.

March 31, 1850, Easter.Yesterday at 8 a.m., we left Calaverus River which we crossed, not without getting wet the night before. The road led us through pretty, flowery, grassy hills and in the distance one could see mountains covered with forest and in the background the snow-capped Sierra Nevada. Since we left Stockton, I have not seen one female person. But travelers belonging to another cart drew our attention to one such creature. Without their pointing out the person to us, we would never have recognized that someone from the opposite sex was travelling among us.43

Everyone would have thought to be looking at a 16-year-old, slightlybuilt boy. Our co-travelling lady was in company of two Frenchman from New Orleans and was either French or Creole. A red shirt, white jacket, blue slacks, an old powder horn on the belt, a pretty face covered with a widebrimmed felt hat, made her look like a handsome young boy. Last evening we crossed the Calaverus the second time and now we are camping along its shore, between mountains sparsely forested with oak and pine trees.

April 1, 1850.Easter did not pass without the odd rain shower, not heavy enough to get wet to the skin, though. We hiked over mountains and through valleys, forded cold mountain streams and arrived finally in a narrow valley only about a mile from San Antonio and since there is no road to the place, we had to set up our tent here. This morning our carter headed back and two of my companions and I took off to have a look at San Antonio. A footpath along a brook led us, after a short climb to the place, which is composed of a number of tents located on a level spot along the river. Gold diggers are very busy digging big holes into the ground and sifting and washing the earth by means of cradles. If and when any heavy, yellow metal is left they put it into a leather bag. I watched for a while and saw how two men each found about $10 worth of gold in a short time. Today is voting day in San Antonio for the Calaverus district. This is probably the reason why we noticed so many idle people. The inhabitants are all male with the exception of four or five squaws. At the entrance of the official town tent, I found the regulations of the company of San Antonio. One paragraph specifies that gold diggers who are U.S. citizens have the right to an area sixteen square feet of ground. We returned to our encampment and Chambers, Winslow and Katker went up to try a pit to see if they could find anything. I would be sorry if they would suffer a first of April joke.

April 2, 1850.I also went digging a hole yesterday and washed the red earth without finding even a particle of gold, so it was a real April Fools day for me. Chambers went for a second time to San Antonio this afternoon and met a friend of Hoveys who used to be in business in San Francisco and is now digging for gold here (named Godman). The latter came down in the evening and gave us bad news about the yield of the local mines during this time of the year,44

because the water level of the river is still too high to be able to work in. He intends to leave here and go to the mines on the Macalamne Hill.

April 4, 1850.Today Katker and I were busy digging and found gold for about $8.

April 6, 1850.The day before yesterday Winslow, homesick from life in the mines, went back to San Francisco. He sold a few of his things and obtained a good price for them, i.e. two Brateither picks $7, and axe $2. etc. Yesterday afternoon Hovey and Chambers also returned to Stockton so that Katker and I are now alone. We bought from our returning friends their portion of the tent and provisions. Hovey did not feel well and the profitability in the mines is so insignificant at this time of year that he prefers to perhaps work as a house painter in Stockton.

April 7, 1850 (Sunday).Yesterday Katker and I transported all of our belongings from our encampment up to San Antonio. We set up our tent on the left side of the river, opposite San Antonio, right beside Godmans tent; therefore we did not get any work done yesterday. Life is expensive here when one realizes that a pound of bread costs dollar. More reasonable is fresh beef, which can be bought at dollar, but is not always available. Vegetables are not available, except potatoes at dollar per pound. Katker and I do not have much gold yet; tomorrow we will check just how much our work has brought in. It is a real mountain life here and the area can easily be compared with the stretch between Laufen and Saugeren along the Birs River.21 This afternoon I plan to take a hike with my rifle to the surrounding mountains, but by myself. White Sunday in Benken, I would spend so much differently if I was there. Not that I wished to be there now, but it is my dearest wish to be there one day again and to see the places where I picked flowers as a child, played ball as a boy and loved as a young man but hold it this is too sentimental for the mountains of California. Strange, how it goes in life. As a boy I always thought perhaps not to become an important man, but at least to somehow distinguish myself and now I am in the second half of my twenties and what have I accomplished? Instinctively, the21 About 20 km. from Benken, as the crow flies.

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question arises: Could I have done something else? It is very possible that I could have done something else, but how does one have the same experience at age 15 than at 27?

April 14, 1850Katker and I worked all week and we now have washed gold for approximately $35. Until now, we always paid our groceries with coins, but yesterday we paid for the first time with gold nuggets. The gold digging and washing in the hot sun and always standing in the water is hard work. But when one looks at the little pile of gold nuggets in the evening and realizes that one received good pay for the labour, one forgets the tiredness and the hard work. Then, happily one goes back to the camping place, cooks supper then lies down on a bed of pine branches wrapped in a wool blanket. Before long, one forgets the hard day in a sweet sleep. Of course, it is very disagreeable to wake up at night or towards morning with cold feet. During the day it is tremendously hot, however, the second half of the night is very cold. Spring is in an advanced stage, the hills are full of flowers, the hardwood trees clothed in fresh green. It is conspicuous that one cannot find any fruit trees at all. Our daily menu is very uniform. In the beginning we bought bread from a Frenchman, who had established a bakery, but we found out soon that it was less expensive for us to buy flour at 40 cents a pound than dollar for a pound of bread. This way in the mornings we make coffee, fry bacon and then fry our flower in its fat to produce something like a pancake, mind you, without eggs. At noon, ditto, and in the evening tea and ditto. From time to time we alternate a little. Usually on Saturdays cattle traders come along with herds of oxen. On Sundays a few are butchered and we can cook our beans with fresh beef. The oxen traders and their workers are mostly Mexicans. They are on horseback and it is curious to see how quickly they ride up and down steep mountains, swinging their lasso, driving the oxen in the right direction.

May 2, 1850.Tomorrow we will probably leave San Antonio to go to San Angelo camp. Since we have been here, we have dug and washed about 13 ounces of gold which at $16 per ounce equals $208, or $104 for each of us, or $4 per day. The cost of living is about $1 per day, resulting in a net of $3 per day. Many days we produced $20, other days only $2. The riverbank, where we worked,46

is now totally dug through and we now have no choice but to try our luck elsewhere. Godman and another company went to San Angelo and we want to follow them to see if there is anything to be done there. The mule, which will carry our things, will cost us $6 per day. I wish my mother could have my 5 ounces of gold; she could probably use it, as April 15th has just passed.22

May 7, 1850Hidden Diggins. We did not move to Angels camp, but along the northern arm of the Calaverus near the Macalamie. The rumour went around that the mines are very rich here, but in possession of the Mexicans and that the Yankees wanted to take over. We left San Antonio on the 3rd at 4 p.m. with another group comprised of four Americans and Godmans young apprentice. We had 2 mules and one horse and we hiked that evening about 8 miles deep into the night. We set up, or better, hung our tent on a tree. Early in the morning we got up and followed ONeils River for 4 miles in a westerly direction, then changed towards north. We passed pretty, flowery hills and arrived at the northern branch of the Calaverus River at a place where about 70 Chinese camped and were busy washing gold. From there our road led us along a small brook uphill, between mountains, then sometimes very steep, sometimes more flat. Many times the path was so steep on side hills, that the mules had to tread very carefully in order not to slip. It is curious to see how they sure-footedly pass the dangerous spots with a load of 300 to 350 pounds. Finally we reached the top of the mountain. At our feet, deep down at the Calaverus was the Spanish camp. Downhill we went. It was steep, very steep. Mexicans, Indians, Chinese, Americans and Frenchmen had set up their tents and huts made from branches on both shores of the river. We waded across it for the third time, then climbed up the hill on the other side and set up camp under a tree. Never before since I have been in the mines have I seen as many mules and horses together as here. Almost every Spaniard owns a mule or a horse. Deep into the night (it was Saturday) lasted music, song and the donkey braying all night long. Early Sunday morning we saddled the animals again. Little me mounted the better mule and drove the other two back to San Antonio where I arrived in the evening. I rode the whole distance. At the dangerous spot, I left the bridle completely loose.

22

Mortgage payment due date.

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Since I left Benken, I never rode a horse, but in spite of it this ride did not tire me in the least, because one sits very comfortably in the Californian saddles, almost like in an arm chair. Monday morning, the same way back to Hidden Diggins in the evening.

May 19, 1850 (Pentecost).We found the yield in the mines here better than in San Antonio. Katker and I divided our gold yesterday. Each of us is now in possession of 10 ounces. Our companions, however, are not all very satisfied and wish to go elsewhere. There is talk that a Mexican dug up 50 lbs in a canyon near an Indian camp, but was chased away by the Indians, ending up with three arrow wounds. The place is about ten miles up river. Whether this story is true or not, I do not know. But I am tempted to make an excursion to the place. Last Sunday I was with two of my companions at a location called The Rich Gulch, where there was very profitable mining activity since last summer and where very rich deposits were found recently. This caused the diggers there to dig very deep about thirty foot ditches to divert the water. The place is about 6 to 8 miles from here, but mountainous, therefore difficult to move to. Tomorrow is Pentecost Monday! Oh boy. I will now take out my little Spanish grammar book and study it a little.

May 26, 1850 (North Branch Calaverus)Last Monday, we, i.e. a group of about 15 men, took off for the Indian camp to find the rich placeras. We were all armed, had food for two days, shovels and pick axes for digging, as well as our wool blankets. In the afternoon, we reached the spot where the Indians had camped but had left that morning. The fires were still burning, the huts intact, but the Indians were gone. We spent the afternoon partly looking for the Indians, partly digging for gold, both without success. The next morning, most of the group returned to Hidden Diggings, or how the Spaniards called it Jesus Maria. Five of us wanted to do more research. We followed the river upstream right up to its spring. There, the terrain was more flat and I found the most beautiful pines and cedar trees that I had ever seen. We continued our hike. Finally, the forest opened up and before us was a relatively large flat area, in the background the Sierra Nevada, where the