James White was a 21 year old farmer from Quincy, MA. In 1849 he sailed from Boston around Cape Horn to San Francisco and the gold diggings of California. In all he spent 6 months at sea and a year in California. I've transcribed his journal and am publishing it here as well as on Amazon/Kindle and Apple/iBooks.
Moving Out:
Thursday the 27th.
Went out to work. Taken with severe griping? & dysentery feeling. Swore off work. Determined not to work anymore till I was entirely well. Apleton was poisoned so that he could not work. What luck. This is as well as four fifths do.
The 28th.
Felt very weak. Took white bark tea & pine tea for diarrhea. Layed in tent all day.
The 29th.
Felt some better. Not very strong. Washed a few of my clothes.
Sunday the 30th.
Went out a few rods to some Chilean tents & sold my rifle & pistol etc. for 4 1/4 oz. This was diverting somewhat from the Sabbath custom at home, but here it is the only day to trade.
Monday, Oct. 1st.
Not very smart. Kept still all day.
Oct. the 2
Not able to work. Boys out prospecting. Wrote letter to John Wood. Rumored loss of the Panama Steamer.
Wednesday Oct. the 3d.
Concluded to sell our provisions etc. and go down to Sacramento or somewhere else & try our luck.
Thursday the 4th.
Selling out all day, provisions etc. The 1st of this month declared dividend over and above all our expenses of 225$ each.
The 5th.
Wrote letter to Sister Antoinette & E.H. Rollins. Sent both specimens of gold. Heard from up the river. No good accounts. Everything looked discouraging for miners this morning. Went up a ravine nearby & startled a doe within two rods of me.
The 5th.
Wrote letter to Sister Antoinette & E.H. Rollins. Sent both specimens of gold. Heard from up the river. No good accounts. Everything looked discouraging for miners this morning. Went up a ravine nearby & startled a doe within two rods of me.
6th.
Selling out. A great many leaving the river. The Sonoran camp first being deserted. Growing cooler.
Sunday the 7th.
Sold all out and made engagements with teams to go down or leave here early in the morning. Could not sell my gun. Left it with Goodrich to sell and to send down the money as soon as it was sold. Felt quite able to perform to the journey. Made all preparations to leave early in the morning.