LETTER NO. IX 



San Francisco, Cal., January 13th, 1853. 



My Beloved Ones— My somewhat sorrowful letter No. 

 17,* finished in San Francisco towards the end of last 

 October, must have reached you some time ago, and I 

 have no doubt, you have ever since longed for another 

 letter from me and for news about my health. 



I have experienced hard times since then. Under the 

 impression that I had completely recovered my health, 

 and thinking that the unhealthy season must have ended 

 long ago at Long Bar, I started on November 4th to re- 

 turn thither, and immediately upon my arrival went to 

 work again. My dream was of short duration, three days 

 afterwards the fever returned, and ever since— for fully 

 two months— it has been racking me day and night. As 

 it happened the rainy season set in at the same time- 

 storms and floods— and so dispensed me from telling 

 you what I suffered during that time. Day after day 

 the rain came pouring down in torrents, accompanied by 

 the howling of the storm. The canvas-roof of my tent 

 could not withstand it any longer; the water would soak 

 through, and so I lay— shaking in a cold chill, in vain 

 trying to get warm— in a bunk and under blankets, both 

 wet through and through by rainwater constantly drip- 

 ping in. In the beginning I tried yet— exerting all my 

 strength— to make my board; but I very soon became so 

 weak that I had to give that up, and shortly after, I was 

 often not even able to prepare myself something to eat. 

 In regard to this, I had often to depend on the kindness 

 of my neighbors who now and then would let me have 



*The author's number includes more private correspondence. — 

 Transl. 



258 



