14 



fever having set in. The circumstances of the sailing of 

 the "Eliza" were vividly narrated, including the singing 

 of the famous California ditty, with the refrain : 



" Oh ! California ! That's the land for me ! 

 I'm going to Sacramento with my wash-bowl on my knee" 



composed by Mr. Jonathan Nichols, well remembered as 

 a humorist of rare poetical and musical talent. 



The "Eliza" arrived at San Francisco, June 1, 1849, 

 after a passage of one hundred and sixty days, landing at 

 a wharf forty feet long, the only one in the place. They 

 afterward took the barque up the river to Sacramento, 

 paying a pilotage of one thousand, seven hundred and 

 twenty-five dollars for one hundred and twenty miles, the 

 feat having been successfully performed in six days by 

 the best pilot upon the river. The vessel was for a long 

 time used as a store house, boarding house, wharf, etc. 

 Mr. Peabody traced the gradual rise and growth of the 

 city, the prevalence of lynch law, the custom which had 

 grown up of disregarding the Sabbath, the gambling 

 places, the rough ways, and the disposition of everybody 

 to do something in the way of work to make money, re- 

 gardless of previous social position. 



Mr. Peabody gave some very interesting details re- 

 specting the disposal of the cargo and the prices then 

 prevailing. In one instance the sum of eighty-five dol- 

 lars was paid for a bag of onions (two bushels) which 

 passed through his hands. 



Mr. Peabody's knowledge of the development and 

 growth of business was of necessity closely connected 

 with his personal experience in the house of Flint, Pea- 

 body & Co., begun Dec. 1, 1850. The trade was pur- 

 sued with energy, and three vessels, sent out by Capt. 

 Bertram, arrived in the spring of that year. Capt. Per- 

 kins sailed for home in June r 1850, and was the first to 



