PERSONAL ACCOUNT. 



3 



cases, I employed a good cook, and purcliased liglit wines, and, by a gonerons diet, myself and 

 companions escaped all disease, althougli we were out every clear night observing— at a time 

 Avlien it was thought certain death to the foreigner to expose liimself. 1 learned this agrwahlo 

 preventive treatment in Vera Cruz, which I twice visited when the vomllo w-as ra^iinir 



o*"& 



the last time under aggravating circumstances. Being engaged in embarking my regiment, 

 which was encamped two miles from the city, I was obliged to make frequent visits to the 

 latter both night and day, exposed alternately to the scorching sun and the evening dews; 

 and although frequently passing through infected districts since, it was not until the autumn 

 of 1853 that I sutfercd from this disease. I attribute the attack at that time to the fact of beins 



o 



Ivcpt on board a sliij^, Avliere/by an unexpectedly long voyage of eigLtcen days from T5ra;coa 

 Santiago to Tensacola; we were reduced to salt junk and wliislcey. "With the system sufferinfj 

 under this diet, I incautiously visited ^Mobile, where the epidemic was very violent. In all 

 jdaces where this malady has prevailed, it is undoubtedly the case that those addicted to the 

 nse of salt meats, brandy, whiskey, and the stronger wines, Madeira and Sherry, are the most 

 likely to suffer. And wc may not see any important changes in the health of the southern 

 coast of the United States until its inhabitants shall conform to the habits of tr(»pical nations 

 discard rich, unctuous food, and all alcoholic drinks, and substitute pilaus and the ligbt wines 

 which can be produced in the mountains of the Carolinas and Georgia, but more particularly in 

 the champagne country of Texas* 



It was not until after the middle of May that a steamer appeared in the harbor, Avhich 

 proved to be the ^^ Panama,'' one of the line of United States Pacific mail steamers^ upon which I 

 had shipped from Kew York the heaviest of the astronomical instruments intended for the 

 boundary survey, in charge of Captain Hardcastle, corps Topographical Engineers. 



The ^^ Panama '' was built before the discovery of gold in California, when it was supposed but 

 very little would be carried by her except the United States mails and the government officers 

 passing to California and Oregon. Her tonnage was, I think, something under 1,000 tons; 

 yet such was the irresistible press for passage to California, that when she weighed anchor to 

 proceed on her voyage, no less than seven hundred souls, exclusive of her creW, were found to be 

 on board. Every reasonable effort was made by Capt. Bailey and other officers of the ship to 

 administer to our comforts^ yet the voyage was of the most disagreeable and unsatisfactory 

 character. 



The treaty with Mexico required that we should be in San Diego on or before the 31st of 

 May. We arrived there on the 1st of June, but finding the Mexican commissioner had not 

 come, we were at once satisfied that no evil would result from the unavoidable delay. On 

 reaching San Diego we found the escort of troops awaiting us. It was composed of com2)any 

 '^A;'* 1st dragoons, commanded by Lieut. Coutts, and company ^^H,'' 2d infantry, commanded 

 by Cap t . Hanlen. 



San Diego appeared to me not to have changed since 181:6-'47. The news of the discovery 



of gold in the northern part of California, produced less commotion in that quiet town than in 

 New York or Panama. Fortunately for us, it did not feel the effect until the reaction came 

 from the Atlantic side, some months after our arrival. Had it been otherwise, all attempts to 

 keep together the enlisted men and laborers of the survey would have been idle, and the com- 

 mission would have been disorganized before doing anything. 



The Mexican commissioner arrived July 3, at San Diego, accompanied by one hundred and 

 fifty troops. The joint commission was organized on the 6th, and on the 9th I established my 



