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Collection: Books and Periodicals
Three Years in California by John D. Borthwick (1857)(LoC) (423 pages)

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Page: of 423

10 GOING ASHORE.
companionship with any one not provided with the
same amount of rubbish as themselves, might involve
their losing the exclusive benefit of what they supposed so absolutely necessary. I actually heard one
of them refuse another man a chew of tobacco, saying he guessed he had no more than what he could
use himself.
The men of this sort, of whom I am happy to say
there were not many, offered a striking contrast to
the rest in another respect. On arriving at Chagres
they became quite dejected and sulky, and seemed to
be oppressed with anxiety, while the others were in
a wild state of delight at having finished a tedious
passage, and in anticipation of the novelty and excitement of crossing the Isthmus.
In the morning several shore-boats, all pulled by
Americans, came off to take us ashore. The landing
here is rather dangerous. There is generally a very
heavy swell, causing vessels to roll so much that
getting into a small boat alongside is a matter of
considerable difticulty; and at the mouth of the
river isa bar, on which are immense rollers, requiring
good management to get over them in safety.
We went ashore in torrents of rain, and when
landed with our baggage on the muddy bank of the
Chagres river, all as wet as if we had swam ashore,
we were immediately beset by crowds of boatmen,
Americans, natives, and Jamaica niggers, all endeavouring to make a bargain with us for the passage
up the river to Cruces.