70 California 



was more delicious and grateful than ever was 

 a spring-scented breeze. 



We now had plenty of company; fleets of 

 vessels were on the wing from all countries. 

 Our taut little racer outwinded without ex 

 ception all who, like her, were going to the port. 

 Toward evening we were grinding and wedg 

 ing our way through the ice-field of the river 

 delta, which we passed with difficulty. Arrived 

 in port at nine o clock. The ship was deposited, 

 like a cart at market, in a proper slip, and next 

 morning we and our load of oranges, one 

 third rotten, were landed. Thus all the pur 

 poses of our voyage were accomplished. 



On our arrival the captain, knowing some 

 thing of the lightness of my purse, told me 

 that I could continue to occupy my bed on 

 the ship until I sailed for California, getting 

 my meals at a near-by restaurant. &quot;This is 

 the way we are all doing,&quot; he said. Consult 

 ing the newspapers, I found that the first ship, 

 the Nebraska, sailed for Aspinwall in about 

 ten days, and that the steerage passage to 

 [ 185 1 



