142 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



raiso as I went ashore yesterday, the 24th, to present my 

 letters of recommendation, spending the remainder of 

 my time in writing letters, as the mail is going out to- 

 morrow and all letters are to be handed in today. They 

 will go with the Royal Mail Steamer to Panama and 

 from thence to Europe. I can see that boat right close 

 by; the next mail will go within another month's time. 



The main thing has been accomplished; you will know 

 on receipt of this that I have arrived here in good 

 health. It will be my lot and is my determination (as 

 I am ready and filled with courage) to meet in America 

 whatever the future may have in store for me. I have 

 made many inquiries about San Francisco, both here 

 and in Valdivia and strange to say the reports are very 

 contradictory even from people who have come from 

 there but a short while ago. I have therefore decided 

 to investigate for myself, caring little for favorable or 

 contrary information. There is, unfortunately, little 

 chance of continuing the voyage to San Francisco on 

 board of this vessel and we — i. e., seven other passengers 

 and myself— will have to embark in a strange boat. 

 Probably we shall have to remain here a few weeks and 

 if this proves to be the case, I shall write again for the 

 next mail. Should we, however, get a chance to set out 

 sooner, which would be a surprise indeed, then you will 

 receive my next letter from San Francisco. Do not 

 therefore set your heart upon another letter before four 

 months. You will in all probability have heard that San 

 Francisco has been visited by two conflagrations, one 

 in May and another one in July, destroying a greater 

 part of the city. I now hasten to close this letter, as 

 the time is growing rather short. 



How much I would have liked to know that this letter 

 will be in your hands at the time of your birthday, my 

 dearest, most beloved mother, but this will be an abso- 

 lute impossibility. I would have been so happy in giv- 

 ing you this pleasure, knowing that you who love me 

 so tenderly and unceasingly, would have rejoiced in 

 nothing more than in the thought that your boy is well 



