USA > California > The California pilgrim: a series of lectures > Part 12
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posted on the embankment, thrusting tickets at everybody, and crying up the merits and superiorities of their favorite eraft. Occasionally, they would meet for a wordy set to, and entertain the crowd around with their wit, scandal, and blackguard. Sometimes they kept their tempers, and sometimes they were angry and inelined to be bellicose, and were in danger of giving over the war of words for one of blows. Now and then, a Chinaman, or a Mexican, falling between them, was in danger of losing his clothes, or having his blankets and traps taken to one boat, while he was A case of embar- hurried off to the other. Occasionally an rassinent. " honest miner," or some verdant stranger, about to go on one boat, would stop, and hesitate painfully, at the solemn and disinterested assurance of the runner of another, that the boat would sink, could never perform the trip, her boiler was nothing but patches, had holes in it as big as his leg, he had better go to one that was fast and sure ; while runner, number two, got him by the arm and told him this boat was all right, and bade runner, number one, " dry up," and go about his business, and get his face bleached.
The more the bells rang on the steamers, the more the throngs increased, on board and on shore, and it seemed as if half of the town had turned out to witness the sight and the race. There was, in truth, a larger number there Going east. than usual, for the semi-monthly departure of the ocean steamships was at hand, and old residents, with troops of friends around them, were setting out for the eastern states, and hands were shaken, and farewells were said, on every side, for many minutes ; and these things ceased only when the bells were tolling, and the express wagons came dashing up the slope of the embankment, with their boxes
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and bags, containing thousands of treasure, and their mail Express matter. bags, filled with letters, papers, and packages of daguerreotypes, jewelry, gold and quartz specimens, flower seeds, and poetry. Then the boats moved off, under full heads of steam, and with flying colors, while hats and handkerchiefs waved ; and in five minutes they had dashed around the point, and were out of sight.
Mr. Sharp said, those steamers were the pride of their officers, and of the people of the city also, and that very justly ; for they were fast, elegant, and commodious, and could carry heavy freights, and make their time very promptly. They were skilfully managed, and hardly a serious accident had befallen one of them, in the three years they had been running in these waters ; and hundreds were carried in them every day, with speed, and comfort,
Agents of the and safety. The agents were capable and
lines of steamers. popular men ; and the community in Embank- ment was fortunate in having the right men in such places. To one of them, especially, the whole population, and the religious portion of it, in particular, owed a debt of gratitude, for the early and decided stand he took in favor of observing the Sabbath. So great had been his influence, in connection with others, that scarce a steamer of the regular lines had discharged a heavy freight on the Sabbath in three years. He had resisted every importunity to break over the rule, discharge boats, and deliver goods, on the Lord's day, except in some cases of necessity ; and he was held in honor, for his course, by all the best citizens, and by those who looked to the order, peace, and permanent prosperity of the inhabitants.
He said the result had been, that the levee, instead of being a place of labor, noise, and disturbance, was a scene 12
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.
of comparative quiet, on the Sabbath. During the pleasant season, there had also been a religious service there, toward Preaching in the evening, of a Sunday ; at which large numbers open air. were sometimes present. The carliest preachers in the city took turns in officiating at this meeting, in the open air, under the green trees, which, then, were far more plenty than now, and not a few were large and flourishing. Many had heard the first sermon there, after their arrival in the country, and many eyes there had been wet with tears.
Thence they proceeded up to the main thoroughfare, and passed a block of buildings, in which were several banking houses. Keep Faith inquired of Mr. Sharp, who seemed to have knowledge of such things, if there were any " tricks of trade" in that department of business. Mr. Sharp did not know of any. They issued no paper money, and were not in the way of loans and discounts. Their business Banking and ex- seemed to be pretty much limited to taking change not a deposits, buying gold dust, and selling bills of
bad business.
exchange. In cleaning gold dust, they could blow it very hard, but if the seller elaimed the sand and the refuse, they let him have it, and, in that case, nothing was gained by hard blowing. In the weighing process there was room for deception, but it would hardly pay to practice it, in the long run, even if any might be disposed to try it. He did not see but banking was about as fair as any business that could be done. Men who wished to overreach could always find ways of doing it. The men who brought the gold dust in their . leathern bags, would contrive to save a penny, sometimes, by selling a part of a lot to a banker, take all the sand and refuse matter from the portion sold, and restore it to their bags again, and then go and pay out the rest for
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Gold dust goods at the stores, as average dust, at the quartz and sand. current rates. And some of those, in former times especially, who had occasion to pay out dust, would contrive to pay it out with more sand and quartz in it, than there was when they received it. It was a popular belief in some of the mines that, from time to time, the gold grew ; in town, on the contrary, it always seemed to be the sand that grew.
The next prominent building they came to was one in which a fine hall was devoted to Ceres, Flora, and Pomona, where a fair and high festival, in their honor, had been kept for several weeks; and cach had Agricultural hall of Enthusiasm & ('o., seedsmen & florists.
rejoiced in the profusion of gifts and offerings laid at her feet, and had smiled on those who had been at so much pains to add to her realm these new dominions, and, with medals and chased goblets, had rewarded such as specially deserved honor. The travelers were glad to see, in all this establishment, such evident signs of improvement in a country, possessed of such a wealth of soil, so favoring a climate, such benign skies, and so, susceptible of the very highest culture, and the most picturesque beauty.
They now went rapidly up the street, and allowed nothing to interrupt them, till they came to the handsomest Overton block. structure in the city, on a prominent corner, in which was a half hidden saloon, a splendid jewelry establish- ment, a banking house, various stores for books, clothes, and so on, and the city post office. From the windows of 'this end of the building, four long lines of men, in Post office. alphabetical divisions, stood out, diverging in various directions. Each man in each line was waiting impatiently his turn to come up to the window, and inquire
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if any had loved him, had missed him, had thought of him, had estimated him, had disliked him enough to send him a letter. One half were fated to receive none. A few in the line saved time by having newspapers to read. Some saved their legs by having stools to sit on, which they hitched along from time to time. Boys with candies, nuts, and cigars to sell, were tempting others in the line to buy some- thing, for temporary occupation. A vulgar, foul mouthed, profane babbler was sticking up election posters, and A street poli- haranguing the crowd in favor of Gien'l -- for
tician.
the Presidency ; and others, of like politics, for lower offices. He had his auditors at a disadvantage ; for they could not run off' and leave him without losing their places in the line for the post office window.
Keep Faith remarked, that if he were a voter in Embank- ment, he should be pretty sure to vote for one whose election such a profane twaddler did not advocate. The friends of Gen'l - ought to buy him off, and shut him up somewhere, that he might not so disgust his own party men as to drive them into the ranks of the opposition. Political cam- They hoped this was about the last of the politi- paign.
cal campaigning. They had encountered it everywhere in Bustledom, and were heartily sick of it, before they met with this kind of a creature, brazen, shameless and silly, who seized his opportunity to inflict a tirade on hearers bound and unwilling.
From this corner they went south, a few rods, till they came to a broad, low roofed structure, pretty much deserted The first gospel now. Mr. Sharp said he had heard preaching
shed. in that place, many times. It was built of unhewn sticks, and covered with boards, and was thought very comfortable in its day. Several mechanics owned it,
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and occupied it as a shop during the week, but on Sundays it was transformed into a place of worship, and the ministers of all the denominations represented in the city took turns in officiating there, while it was possible to use the place ; for they were afterwards crowded out of it by anvils, buckets, bellows, forges, tubs, and so on.
They now went out through an alley, and stopped under some large trees, which still remained standing, in the rear of a certain engine house, with a tower and an alarm bell. The grove of the Mr. Sharp said, that in the grove, which for-
convocation.
merly embraced these trees, were held some of the earliest religious services in the city. Rev. Mr. Augustine had preached there during the first July the city ever knew. He stood in an empty wagon. Some few chairs had been brought from a new hotel in the vicinity ; the same hotel that a year or two later, in other hands, gave notice by a sign board, that, in it were " Rest for the weary, and storage for trunks." A few females occupied the chairs. The men stood, sat, or reclined, in a circle, on the grass, within hearing distance ; while the preacher discoursed . from the text, " The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill ; but time and chance happeneth to them all."
It was now toward evening, and the travelers were weary. So they went to rest themselves, and, afterward, to obtain their supper. While they were at the table, having been joined by Mr. Antiquary, they fell to talking of the comforts of living, and even some of the luxuries, now enjoyed in Bustledom, as compared with the fare they were put upon during the first year of its history. Then Mr. Antiquary told them how he had an office among the bushes, made of
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scantling, palings, and blue cotton cloth, where he took in Living in primi- his friend, Sharp, to lodge. He used to boil tive times. his tea kettle against a log, make tea, coffee, and chocolate, in succession, but in the same vessel; fry salt pork and fresh beef together, in the same pan ; stew dried apples and steam hard bread how he could. Occasion- ally he had a dish of boiled beans, or split peas, or a can of preserved meats. Fresh bread, milk, butter, eggs, and the like, were things unknown. He afterward went to a board- ing house. It was a cloth building, of course. The table was made by driving stakes into the ground, nailing cross pieces of board to them, near the top, and laying long, loose boards on them. A breadth of coarse sheeting, torn off the proper length, made the table cloth. When one strip had been on so long as to have lost its original color,
.1 boarding house.
fashionable it was thrown away, and another strip torn off
and put in its place. The dishes were common earthern ware, and not tin, and it seemed like living, to eat from a plate once u ore, and at a regular table, and not on the head of a banel; though he did sit on a medicine box, and his feet were uj en common carth. The courses at dinner were remarkable for their unexciting character, uniformity, cool temperature, and general firmi- ness. Mule meat could not have been more stubborn than some that was set before them, as steaks and sirloins. He was indeed an admirer of the antique, but he was constrained to withhold his admiration when it entered the culinary department.
Pilgrim remarked that the Arabs of the desert were an ancient race, and they were said to cook meat under their saddles, when riding.
Mr. Sharp thought he had been invited to sausage meat
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that came from that vicinity ; but as it made a solid bridge over the gulf of starvation, he was not disposed to complain of it now ; but he had rather not revive the memory of such dainties. So they ate their meat with gladness, and left the table.
When it was evening, Mr. Sharp invited the company to walk through the streets, and observe some portions of the Evening walk. city, at those hours in which they appeared more in their true character, than in the broad light of day. Pilgrim and Keep Faith went with some reluctance ; for they felt more like passing a few quiet hours with Mr. Augustine, amid his books and papers.
There were no lamps in the streets, but the moon shone brightly, and some shop windows threw their blaze upon the sidewalks ; not always, indeed, where they were most needed. They came, after several turns, to certain notorious corners, on one of the great streets, where were fine structures, illuminated at every window, above and " Remove thy below. The doors were all thrown open. way far from The rooms were so arranged that one could her, and come
not nigh the look, from the street, through two or three in door her
house." succession. All were elegantly finished, provided with the most costly furniture, adorned with pictures ". Lest thou give and paintings, hung with splendid tapestry, thine honor unto
others, and thy and beautifully carpeted. Perfumes were years unto the
cruel." wafted through them, and the soft light that fell from astrals gave the whole scene an air of enchantment. Moving about, within, were gay women, in splendid attire. The pianos sounded, and then came the melody of voices, " And thou attuned to familiar airs. For a moment, they mourn at the last when thy flesh might have seemed the abodes of innocence and thy body are consumed," and beauty. But they noticed now how
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Haring and gaudy were the colors of the walls, the hangings, and the dresses. Females came and lounged in the front saloons, talked unblushingly with men at the doors, and nodded familiarly to one and another that passed in, with entire freedom. Men occupying all sorts of stations in life came there ; and those of every age. None were as yet " And say, how noisy and drunken, but all the means and ap- have I hated in- struction, and pliances for a midnight revel were at hand. my heart de- spised reproof," There were now crowds collecting in the
streets. Many among them were bearded miners from the mountains ; and others, were strangers in the city; and all were roving about, in quest of excitements. So they withdrew from that quarter, sorrowing for the multitudes, young and old, who were thronging the house of the "And have not " strango woman," whose "house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. None that go unto her return again, neither
obeyed the voice of my teachers, inclined mine car to them that instructed me." take they hold of the paths of life. She hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong have been slain by her."
Passing toward the river, and then turning a corner to the right, they were presently in front of the most spacious hotel in Embankment. Flags and banners were suspended The Orleans. in front of it, from cords stretched across the street, from building to building. The whole front was one blaze of light from lamps, and lanterns, and illuminated windows. The vast lower saloon had been tastefully fitted up for a military dance, and this they learned was the occasion of such a brilliant display.
Mr. Sharp was addressed by a manager, who recognized him and Mr. Antiquary, and he invited them to go in. At first they declined ; but, being urged, they went in as
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spectators, with the privilege of retiring at any moment they pleased. The company was not yet very large, but the dance was beginning, and they were making up the sets A ball is given for a cotillion. The ladies were few, in in honor of mili-
tary men. . comparison with the number of men. There were matrons of forty years, ladies of fewer years, supposed to be under twenty five, and young misses, from twenty down to mere girls of ten, who were partners of grown men, some of them elderly, in the same dance. The visitors did not tarry long They walked around the immense room, to view its flowery and gilded walls, and splendid decorations. Among the chandeliers, that helped to make up the dazzling light, were some that had been hired from one of the churches, as they thought, from the striking resemblance to some they had seen there.
They retired from the scene of gay dissipation, where the beauty and fashion of the town were assembled, sorry that Not well pleased. some were present whom they supposed to be of too domestic and staid a character to frequent such gatherings for amusement, and sorry that children should be so early made familiar with the frivolities and dissipations of parties, routs, and dances, in a land where the people were so liable to the abuse of even innocent gayeties.
They now went out, and rejoined Pilgrim and Keep Faith, who had been, during the time, promenading up and down the street, and listening to the various sounds, concordant and discordant, that fell on their cars from every quarter. Going together around the corner, they found themselves in A row of fash- front of a row of gambling saloons, covering ionable saloons. one half of a block. The ceilings and doors were very bigh, and they could see inside above the heads of the crowds about the doors. In one was a violinist, of
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remarkable powers, enchanting many with his strains. In another, was a brass band, blowing furiously. In a third, were vocalists, with banjo and rattles. All these, and the band at the theater, were filling the whole region with confused and bewildering strains of music.
The travelers crossed over, and went as close as they could get conveniently. There were hundreds of men in every saloon, and the side walks were also full of men. They got a glimpse into one saloon, where were tables for the A. B. C. game, and by them men rattling the " bones," the vulgar for dice; tables for roulette, and the The money attendants were shouting : "red wins," changers in their places. " black takes it," " now's your time," and so on ; tables covered with blue or green cloth, with piles of silver and gold ou them ; at one, a man with Freuch cards, taking people "by the door ;" at another, a man with American cards, inviting bets by " spread outs," and by terms technical in his vocabulary ; and at others, men playing games that outsiders knew nothing of. In all, there were a dozen tables, or more, in the establishment, and around each was its own peculiar group of men betting, and men looking on, and men who were " broke," and men who would be wiser now, if they had pluck enough.
In one of the saloons, perhaps the most magnificent one, the Far held a conspicuous place, flaming with showy bottles and decanters. On the wall, over the bar, hung a large painting, done in oil, of one reclining, in a nude state. Paintings and It was handsomely framed, and mirrors large
picture ‹.
and splendid were on either side of it. No one could enter without gazing at it. All around the room, every available space was occupied with similar productions
1
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of the pencil, and the brushi, and all were of a character to please the voluptuary and the bawd.
About the ceiling, about the walls, about the pillars, and about the finish of the wood work, with paints, and gilding, and pictures, the endeavor had been made to give the whole a gorgeous and dazzling appearance. This, combined with exciting drinks, with stirring music, with the sight and Men bewildered. jingle of money, and with the whirl and novelty of everything, induced many to risk their purses, who felt sure before that nothing could lead them to such a step.
The hot and steaming air, reeking with the fumes of rum and tobacco, came rushing out upon them, from these places, at every door, as they turned, and took their way homeward. On the way, Mr. Sharp told them that a man,
A rencontre, of the same sort as the rest, had been shot in and a shooting affair.
a quarrel, in one of those saloons, only a few months before. The one killed was the aggressor, and so the other was acquitted in court. A friend of his was near at the time, and, hearing the report of firearms, ran to the spot. The wounded man was pierced by three balis, one of them fired after he was pinioned and held down. When he entered, the victim was lying on one of the tables, yet breathing. A great crowd was collecting about the door, and most were afraid to enter for fear of more shooting. The scene in the saloon, while that man lay dying, was one he could never forget. The band, up in the musicians' box, still kept on with its playing. At half of the tables the games still went on, as if nothing had occurred beyond the kicking of a dog. Men were hallooing, wrangling, and pouring out oaths and curses on every side. A notorious strumpet, staggering with drink, was looking on, and indulging in utterances obscene and profane. And there
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Death in a gam. was one who was trying to excite merriment bling saloon. and laughter, by the remarks he made concerning the changes and contortions seen in the coun- tenance of this gasping mortal, as he lay there in his death agony, on a gambler's table, without commiseration, with- out a touch of sympathy, without even the poor taibute of a tear. If ever there were a hell on earth, he thought it could be like nothing else than that.
Pilgrim inquired of Mr. Sharp if there was as much gambling, in these days, as formerly. He replied, that the amount was about the same as in previons years ; but was less, of course, in proportion to the number of people. There were fewer saloons, but the few were larger and more Gambling has 'a splendid. The money made in gaming was tendency down- ward. less than it used to be, because the sums risked were, now a days, small; and there were not many who would, at present, venture their all upon the turn of a card. Sometimes those who kept the tables found it difficult to pay their rents, licenses, and personal expenses. At least, so they said ; and you were no gentleman if you did not believe what they said.
He thought there was more private gambling now than two years ago ; and there were also many more billiard tables, and the like, every year ; and thus the forms of gambling, and of all that kind of dissipation, would keep changing ; and it was to be hoped that the business would diminish, somewhat, with each successive change of form, and each further withdrawal from the public gaze.
They had now reached their lodgings, and they bade Mr. Antiquary and Mr. Sharp adieu, not knowing that they should soon meet again. They paid their devotions and rested as usual. But they departed not in the morning
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as they had intended. They staid close at home with Mr. Augustine, and discussed various matters of importance with him, and gave him such counsel as they could, and, in turn , were instructed and cheered, and spent a glad day.
MORAL.
Conjoined with intemperance, licentiousness and gambling are the regnant vices of our city and state. They constitute a demoniacal triad, cruel, terrible, and monstrous. The whole outline of the beast can not be drawn. Strength is knit into his muscles, his sinews are lusty, and his rage is ungovernable. He hath power over the whole nature of man, to blight and to destroy. He hath taken to himself his power, and doth reign; and many be they that wor- ship this beast, and that carry his image. On how many, alas, hath it been stamped, who shall bear it with them, in their corruption, down to carly graves, down to depths of infamy !
These three vices, that reign among us, have each some part of our nature to attack and destroy, as neither of the others could. Intemperance levels its forces against our physical natures; gambling bewilders, assails, and ruins our intellectual natures; and licentiousness stupefies, deadens, and destroys our moral natures. And when the three combine against a man, how certain is the iron constitution and the most vigorous frame, to give way, to turn livid, to swell, to collapse ! how certain is the noblest, the most splendid, and powerful intellect to recoil upon itself destructively, or to sink into dim and doleful eclipse ! how certain are all tender sensibilities to be blighted, the conscience to be blunted, and the will debanched, while the
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