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state of things was quickly changed, however. It was a new experience for them, this contact with Anglo-Americans of the ruder sort, strong, shrewd, and overbearing, too often impudent and hi suiting, too many of them unprincipled, with a sprinkling of unmitigated rascality. The mild and ignorant tropi- cal man shrank from them at first, then grew sullen and suspicious, and finally fell to cheating in return, though never able in this last accomplishment to equal his bright exemplar.
Two pilgrims landing at Chagres from the steam- ship Isthmus, in January 1849, the Quaker City then lying in the harbor, hired bongos for themselves and baggage, proceeded up the river to the head of navi- gation, then transferred their belongings to the backs of mules, riding one between them, alternately, and so proceeded to Panamd. This was then the usual way. The steamer California was there, having just come round Cape Horn, and having on board some sixty passengers from Valparaiso.
There was quite a panic among the travellers, sev- eral thousands of whom were collected there, waiting for an opportunity to proceed to San Francisco by any conveyance whatever. There was much imprudence among them. The excessive use of intoxicating liquors, eating tropical fruits to which they were unaccustomed, and heavy rainfalls, contributed to develop sickness among them. It was diflficult to obtain accommoda- tions; people were crowded, and many died from cholera and fever. Many of the persons on the Isth- mus at the time had tickets only to that point, and tickets from there to San Francisco, for deck passage, were sold as high as six hundred dollars. The steam- ers could not furnish acconnxiodations for so many persons. The steamship compan}^ allowed a certain number of tickets to be drawn, but there was much trickery in this. In order that there might be fair play, some of the outsiders were called in ; but gam- blers and other improper persons having been selected.
