The following article, condensed from correspondence in a daily paper
of New York City, will be found to contain many valuable hints to the
California bound traveler. It came to hand too late to appear in its
proper place, where the four different routes are spoken of:
The first grand desideratum is, to secure comfort on the passage, by
the most efficient and economical means, thereby, as far as possible
insuring the arrival of the company at their destination in good health
and condition.
To insure the most perfect health and comfort attainable on so long a
voyage, a vessel should not be fitted up as our European passenger
ships are, with bunks for the passengers to sleep in, but the berth
deck should be free from bulkheads fore and aft. This arrangement would
give plenty of room for the company to swing their hammocks or cots,
which could be stowed on deck in pleasant weather, leaving the berth
deck free from encumbrance, for the company to amuse themselves with
conversation or exercise. Such an arrangement would secure a more
perfect ventilation (a very important consideration) than bunks could
possibly admit of, as bunks unavoidably harbor filth and vermin,
besides leaving very little room for the exercise so absolutely
necessary in preventing the diseases incident to a protracted voyage.
Before the company proceeds on the voyage, each member should subscribe
to a code of regulations, and officers be appointed to carry them into
effect. This arrangement should be made in order to obviate the
vexation and annoyance which inevitably occur wherever a large number
of persons are promiscuously on shipboard. A simple system, such as
regularity of meals and cleansing the interior of the ship, similar to
the Navy regulations in that particular, are indispensible and will
contribute much to the pleasure, comfort, health, and good fellowship
of all on board.
The company should be composed of _practical persons_--Agriculturists,
Mechanics, and Artisans, as _nearly equal in pecuniary condition and
intelligence_ as circumstances will admit, and it would be very
important for the most useful and necessary arts to be well
represented. By such an organization, the company would be very
efficient; for by taking on board cloth, leather, iron, lumber, brick,
&c. their clothing, shoes, iron and wood work of a brick house might be
made on board. And would employ the various mechanics connected with
those arts, would tend to relieve the monotony of the ocean, and
PRACTICALLY _illustrate the benefits and many advantages_ of a true
_association_ of interests.
The agricultural implements of the most approved method, together with
the choicest varieties of young fruit trees and garden seeds, should be
provided. Instead of the usual ballast for the vessel, brick and lime,
if necessary, could be taken for that purpose, which might be used by
the company or disposed of to great advantage at San Francisco. The
vessel might be profitably employed in transporting passengers to and
from the Isthmus, with great profit to the company, of which the
officers and ship's company should be members. A _skillful surgeon_
should belong to the association. Every member of the company should
contribute all the useful books he could, as a library on ship-board
would be a constant source of amusement and instruction.
Persons about embarking on so long a voyage should be very particular
and have their provisions carefully put up. The United States service
rations will be found to be very economical. The following is the
weekly allowance per man:--
Sunday 14 oz. bread, 11/4 lb. beef, 1/2 lb. flour. Monday 14 oz.
bread, 1 lb. pork, 1/2 pint beans. Tuesday 14 oz. bread, 2 oz.
cheese, 1 lb. beef. Wednesday 14 oz. bread, 1 lb. pork, 1/2 pint of
rice. Thursday 14 oz. bread, 11/4 lbs. beef, 1/2 lb. flour. Friday
14 oz. bread, 4 oz. cheese, 2 oz. butter, 1/2 pint rice, 1/2 pint
molasses, 1/2 pint vinegar. Saturday 14 oz, bread, 1 lb. pork, 1/2
pint beans, 1/2 lb. raisins.
The spirit ration is omitted.
This is sufficient for the hardest-working seaman. The flour should be
kiln dried; any baker can do it. It is only necessary to evaporate all
the moisture, and pack it in air-tight casks. Pine-apple cheese is the
best and should be put up in water-tight boxes, saturated in alcohol.
Sour crout, pickles, &c. are excellent anti-scorbutics, and should be
eaten freely. Be careful and lay in a good store of "salt water soap."
N. B. The flour should be packed in casks that have contained distilled
spirits.
A vessel bound for California by the way of Cape Horn by touching at
Rio Janeiro, Brazil and Callao, in Peru, would divide the voyage into
three periods, increasing its interest without much addition to its
length of time. Rio Janeiro has one of the most magnificent harbors on
the globe, far surpassing in natural grandeur the bay of Naples. The
approach to the stupendous mountain coast is inexpressibly grand. The
entrance to the capacious roadstead is through a narrow strait of great
depth of water unobstructed by rock or shoal, flanked on the North by
the huge fortress of Santa Cruz; on the South the "Sugar Loaf" rock
proudly rears its lofty cone near one thousand feet above the surface
of the deep. The entire bay is nearly surrounded by numerous mountain
peaks of every conceivable form.
Leaving Rio we prepare to encounter the terrors of the "Horn," having
overcome its Westerly gales and "head-beat seas" debouching on the vast
Pacific, we career onward before the "trades" to Callao, the port of
Lima and capital of the Peruvian Republic. Here the refreshments
peculiar to the Tropics are plenty and of excellent quality. We ride at
anchor over the ancient City of Callao, (destroyed and sunk by an
earthquake 1746,) in sight of the lofty Andes, the mighty cones of
Pichnia and Cotopaxi blazing their volcanic fires far above the region
of eternal snow, their ice-frosted summits glittering in the sun,
forming a dazzling contrast with the clear deep azure of the tropical
skies.
Waving adieu to Callao, our canvas spread to woo the "trades," we sweep
onward to Alta-California, and entering the "Golden Gate" of the
Cornucopia of the Pacific, drop our anchor in the bay of San Francisco.