We found it was now necessary to anchor, in order to fill up the boiler. At three o'clock P. M., we partook of some refreshment, examined everything about the engine, found it good, got up steam and off again. I found by the movements of my poor lawyer, that he had much rather have entered a nolle pros, and given up the case, than to have gone on with it; and my schoolmaster-cook-and-maid-of-all-woik, was much given to declining, which made it necessary that he should be addressed either in the potential or imperative mood. And to keep matters along, the crew of the brig were employed in running out the kedge, and hauling ahead, which kept them continually grumbling, and to add to the variety of the scene, the mate and pilot got into a fight, and take it al coTier, it was a funny mess.
Nevertheless I kept my steamer all right, encouraging the fireman to throw in the resin, and stir up the lire, now and then enquiring of the engineer how much steam he had. "Whiz! whiz!" was the answer. The fore part of the boiler was red-hot, still we went along slowly against the current, I was afraid to stand over the engine, expecting every moment that something would happen. Bat there was no alternative, " Go ahead!" was the motto. I thought of some lines which I remembered to have read when a schoolboy, and which I applied to my engine: " Limbs, do your office and support me well, bear me to Iter, iJien fail me if you can /" We passed a number of vessels bound up to Sacramento, but they could do nothing, and were obliged to lie at their anchors, until either a favorable wind or the abating of the current would give them a chance to get up.
At night we could see the mast heads of the vessels lying at the levee, which was twelve miles distant. We let go the anchor, and took our dinner, after which we turned to, cleared up, filled the boiler, and felt quite encouraged. The fireman had got over his fright, and " Whate'er in docile childhood or in youth, He had imbibed of fear or darker thought, Was melted all away." We had now arrived near our journey's end. The strength of the current was much diminished, and it being necessary that some arrangement for a berth should be made at Sacramento, I concluded to cross the prairie on foot, a distance of about fourteen miles, and thought that I could do it in five or six hours easily.
At daylight, the following morning, I went ashore, taking with me some beef and bread, the captain's gun, and a few charges of powder and shot. After passing through the forest that lines the river, found myself on an extensive prairie, bounded by the horizon., Kept along in the right course, four or five miles, hut found it so muddy, with pools of water from the recent rams, which were too deep to wade through, that I concluded to alter my route, which brought me into a much worse condition. All at once I found myself among the fculies, where the water was over my head, and a noted place lor grizzly bears. Immediately turned about, in order to retrace my steps, but was soon bewildered, and uncertain which way to go.
I struck out into the prairie again, to take a look round; the sun was obscured, and there was nothing by which I could direct my course. Though much fatigued, there was no place to sit down, except in the mud. It was now getting towards noon, and I began to have some slight fears that I must pass the night " out doors." While stopping a few minutes to rest, I saw an animal start up just ahead of me, attempted to cock my gun, and, behold, there was no spring to the lock! I took it by the muzzle, and made it fly through the air. In my trouble, I could not help comparing that gun to some men that I have come in contact with, though they look very well, and are well charged, yet, when required to perform any special duty, they have no spring to their lock!
Was now relieved of this useless weapon, and went ahead, my eye intently fixed on the horizon. I saw something in the distance that looked like a man on horseback, and following out the law of incidence, changed my course, and in an hour we met, and ascertained that I was going directly away from the point I wished to go to. He, pointing to a little lump of something in the distance, said that it was a load of hay, that not broken down, I must go up to it, and then be sure to follow the cart ruts, which led into Sacramento. Was very much fatigued, and should have esteemed it an act of politeness if he had given me his horse.