ELDORADO 295 



a rider on the leader. Xo other sort of conve\anee 

 was seen in Havana at that time. No doubt great 

 changes have taken place in Cuban towns within 1 

 last half century. 



Previous to our arrival in New York a meeting was 

 called in the cabin of the steamer for the purpose of 

 ai)ix:)inting a committee, whose duty it should be to 

 eni|)loy counsel, and, if so advised, to commence suit 

 against the steamship company for damages caused b\- 

 our detention at Asjienwall. Quite a number of busi- 

 ness men from San Francisco and other California 

 towns going East to purchase goods, claimed to have 

 suffered loss. I was appointed on that committee, 

 and, upon our arrival in New York City, we consulted 

 John \'an I>uren, who, after a full discussion of the 

 matter, advised that the delay and ex])ense 1)efore 

 reaching a judgment would not justify commencing 

 an action. 



John \'an Buren was the son of President Martin 

 Yan Buren, and was popularly termed "Prince John." 

 He was appointed Attorney-General by President 

 Pierce. He was a fine specimen of physical manhood, 

 and when observed walkfng on Broadway, was a head 

 taller than ordinary men. His father, whom I saw 

 when he was a Presidential candidate in 1840, was 

 short and stout. (My first Presidential vote was cast 

 for Martin \'an Buren in the year 1848.) John re- 

 ceived the title of "j'rince" through having visited 

 England, with the view of paying his addresses to 

 Queen Victoria, then in her nineteenth year. He 

 danced with her at a court ball, and ever after his re- 

 turn home was called "Prince John." 1 distinctlv re- 

 member the circumstance of his first visit to I'Jiijland. 



