CARIBBEAN SEA. 
197 
who shared my state ; room. The Empire City is the u ne plus 
ultra ” of steamers, and Captain Wilson worthy to command her. 
She is almost a world in size, furnished with the greatest mag¬ 
nificence, her bill of fare comprising the luxuries of all climates. 
The Steamers Alabama from New Orleans, and Falcon from New 
York, came in, in the afterpart of the day. 
25th. The dust by the Oregon has just arrived from Panama, 
and as soon as it is on board we shall up anchor. There are 
$1,600,000, besides what is in the hands of passengers. Bungoes 
are coming off with passengers, and as it is blowing a gale, the 
steamer rolls tremendously, making it almost impossible for 
passengers to board her. The greatest dexterity is required, 
for, after reaching the steps, one is in imminent danger of being 
swept off by the next sea. Ladies were drawn up in chairs, as 
were also the invalids. In the afterpart of the day, I had the 
extreme pleasure of assisting on board my friend E. W. Clark, jr., 
I had left him in his berth on board the Everett, in a very 
feeble state ; but the tropical fruits had operated upon his system 
like magic, and he had become able to cross the Isthmus on 
horseback. He eventually recovered, and was restored to his 
friends. Mr. Lewis came on board also. He had lost the use 
of one of his legs, and was borne across on a litter. One of our 
fellow passengers on the Everett was less fortunate; he lived 
two days after coming to anchor, when he expired and was taken 
on shore at Panama, and buried. 
26th. The British Steamer, Severn, has just come to anchor, 
also the Cherokee from New York. At 3 p.m., the Alabama 
moved off in the direction of New Orleans, crowded with pas¬ 
sengers. The smoke is beginning to loom up from our chimney, 
our quarter boats are hauled up; soon the windlass draws our 
anchor from its bed, and our steamer raises her head, and makes 
her first leap for home. We passed the Cherokee and received 
three hearty cheers, then the Falcon, then the Severn, and were 
soon on our course, in the direction of Kingston, Jamaica. 
Chagres is situated in lat. 9°, 21', long. 8°, 4'. We were now 
fairly launched, homeward bound; the waves of the Caribbean 
sea fleeing from us, as if fearful of being drawn into the vortex 
of our wheel. I remained on deck until a late hour; we had a 
fresh breeze and heavy sea; the moon was almost full, and 
