Lot
532 
Wonderful Lengthy Letter Detailing voyage to San Francisco, postmarked very light but readable orange-red "San Francisco, Cal. 18 Aug" cds with matching "40" rate handstamp on folded letter to N.Y.; datelined "At Sea Aug 8, 1850"; very lengthy transcribed letter full of content which must be read to be appreciated, reads, in part, "…We had on board the "Lucy Allen" a bad woman, 2 young men with her who were very bad characters from New York City, called by some bowry boys… as we landed the down upon us impounded some of us until we were all bloody in our faces six of us got the blows the rest of us went free without harm…There was gambling, drinking and laziness and all sorts of wickedness as you will recall this was on Sunday that we landed… I saw mahogany dugouts (canoes) at Panama I should say they were five feet through they are the best boats the natives have…I saw prickly pear trees 10 feet high, all kinds of cactus grow here without nursing, lemons are as large as my 2 fist and as sweet as honey…I should think about 2000 are waiting for a passage 2/3 of those on board had through tickets on steamers but were afraid on account of being sick…some have just come in from California brining the dust [gold] in boxes… July 4 fine day how to celebration some speeches some toast drank with a loud hurrah for California and everything else, some got drunk and had a fight finally went to bed at 12:00" with additional great detail of the lengthy voyage from the east to California, light wear and toning along folds, Fine.Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $550