There were among the cabin passengers, however, several gentlemen of the highest respectability. We arrived at Chagres in eight days from New York. There were four of us who had been previously acquainted with each other, and it was our intention to travel too>ether, until we reached San Francisco. As I had some little knowledge of the Spanish language, I went on shore and bargained for a boat to take us up the Chagres river to Cruces. This being at the early part of the emigration, there were many more inconveniences and difficulties to encounter, than at a subsequent period. The negro boatmen were very saucy and obstinate, notwithstanding the price for taking passengers up river was ten times as much as it had been before the gold fever broke out.
After aereeino; for the boat, and having our luggage on board, and as we supposed, everything ready for a start, we found the niggers had gone off, nobody knew where; at length, by searching, I found one of them, and demanded the reason why we were not on our way, as several boats had already started. The fellow replied they were getting their food, and would soon be down. After waiting with much impatience for nearly two hours, and threatening to take out our trunks, they made their appearance, and started. There was a strong current against us, and it was with much difficulty that we made the least headway; bat by keeping close in with the bank, and with a vigorous use of the poles, they managed to make a little progress ahead.
After sundown it soon became quite dark. We had now reached a miserable stopping place, which they called Gattoon. There were no sleeping places here, nothing but a few bamboo negro huts. I was aware that to sleep in the open air in this region, was very dangerous. What was to be done? I tried among the huts, and could see no place fit for a dog to lie "in. There were several other boats that had stopped here, and on the beach were groups of passengers, that intended to pass the night in drinking, smoking and singing. The reason why I felt so anxious to get under cover, was, that I had hardly recovered from my late illness; and felt afraid that exposure might produce a relapse, which of course in a place like this, would end in death.
I had missed my companions, and as the night air become chilly, was determined to get in somewhere. A short distance from the boat was a large pigsty, built of bamboo, and over the swine there was a sort of chamber where the husks were kept. I managed to crawl into this chamber, but tbe floor was so slight, I was fearful that it would give way and let me down among the grunters; at any rate, I was under cover. I had not been here Ion 2:, when I heard one of my companions enquiring for me. He was a very heavy man, and I knew that the floor would not hold him, so I lay perfectly quiet.
There were six large hogs in the sty, and they knew that some lodger had taken possession of the upper part of their domicil; whether they were afraid of losing their provision, or were indignant at my impudence in thus intruding upon them, I cannot say, for they kept up such a hideous squealing and grunting through the night, that sleep was out of the question; and if my bamboo floor had given way, 0 shocking to relate, what ivould have been my fate? At daybreak I left my lodgings, without saving even goodmorning, to any one doivn stairs; went over to the boat, and there they were strewed along the beach, some asleep, and some half drunk, trying to sing.
I found my companion, who had managed to get along, somehow or other through the night. We began now to muster up our niggers, who were not far off, and were soon under poles again. Notwithstanding the rapid current against us, and the little headway we made, the balmy air, beautiful prospect on each side the river, and the sweet singing of birds, altogether made it a most delightful morning. Chagres river, for beautiful and picturesque scenery, is not surpassed by any other in the world. We had an ample supply of provisions but were somewhat cramped for room, being obliged to sit or lie in one position nearly all the time. We passed the day very pleasantly, and at night stopped at "Dos-Hermanos," or two brothers.