As to the true ownership that was as hard to decide, as it was to determine where the first negro came from. The brig that I was waiting for had now arrived. She had stopped at Valparaiso, and brought some fifty or sixty bags of flour on freight, consigned to a house in San Francisco. The brig was bound up the river to Sacramento. We had the flour brought on shore, and safely piled on the wharf. The consignee was notified. Very soon an upstart of a youngster came down with his cart to take it away, but just as he commenced loading, it began to rain. He then in a very pompous manner, declared he should not receive it, and if any of it was wet, he should hold the brig for damages; because, said he, it should not all have been landed at once.
The young man who was supercargo of the brig informed me of the difficulty. I hastened immediately to the wharf. The boy was there when I arrived, and had just ordered the cart oft". I said to him, very pleasantly, " What's the matter, sir? He began to stretch himself out, assuming a very dignified air, and very impudently told me that he should not receive the flour. I replied, the brig is bound up the river, and as the bill of lading specifies, the flour is to be landed immediately on her arrival at the port of San Francisco, and here it is, and while you are taking it away, if it rains much, we will cover it with a sail.
He still used impudent language, at which I got provoked, and just went up to him: said I, "If you say another word I'll throw you into the dock, you good-for-nothing puppy! there is your flour: now go tell your master what I have said to you." The result was, that every bag of it was moved before sunset. We procured a pilot, and the brig started off for Sacramento. By some carelessness she got on to a bank, fifty miles below, and in all probability the river would not rise for some time, so she was likely to lay there a month. I felt much troubled at the circumstance, as her cargo was lumber, and in consequence of the daily arrivals, it was fast falling in value.
We had another trouble, the men were intent on leaving the brig, and it was with much difficulty that they could be kept on board. I went up to Sacramento again, to make some arrangement about taking off the deck load, and securing it ao-ainst the bank of the river until some means could be devised for getting it to the city, but I found it difficult to procure men to do this, without paying them enormous wages. I finally, as the last resort, purchased a small steamboat that belonged to a California company. She was to be sold to settle up the voyage, but some of the owners wished to retain an interest in her which was agreed to.
I had her immediately prepared to go down river for the brig as they had succeeded in getting her afloat, and she then lay in deep water. The steamer was a small concern, not much larger than a common pilot boat, although her engine was to all appearance a good one, and of sufficient power for a larger boat. We wooded up, made the necessary preparation, and started early next morning. The crew, consisting of myself as captain, a broken-down lawyer for a fireman, a half-and-half mechanic who had some slight knowledge of a steam-engine, for engineer, and a broken-down schoolmaster for cook and general assistant. Thus manned and equipped, we started off, to tow a deep loaded brig against a strong current, and a head wind.
While going down river, I had my fears as to the capacity and power of the engine, whether it would move the brig against such a powerful resistance. I was also aware that neither myself nor the engineer, knew much about steam, but was certain that the whole matter devolved on me, and was determined to make the best of it. We reached the brig on Saturday night, lay by on the Sabbath, and at 12 o'clock, midnight, roused all hands out, got up steam, and with most intense anxiety watched for the decisive moment. We started the engine, and to my inexpressible joy, she went ahead! I jumped on to the hurricane deck over the engine, cheering up my legal fireman, who occasionally broke out into a moan, declaring he could not stand it any longer, holding up his delicate, lady fingers, to show me how they were scratched.
" Never mind that, my good fellow," said I, " give her the resin; stir up the fire. Engineer, how much steam have you F He tried the cock, " whiz! ivhiz!" " As much as she will bear, sir." " Never mind, give her a little more. Stir up the fire! Go ahead, boys!" I kept on the forward part of the deck, expecting every moment to find myself high up in the world, but found it was as necessary to cheer them up, and encourage them, as it was to hold up the arms of Moses when he was fighting the Amalekites, for as soon as my voice stopped, they began to flag, and look very serious.