memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第26部分

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ing　so　to　the　captain　afterward；　he　explained　that　it　was　addressed　to　a　passenger　who　attempted　to　lower　one　of　the　boats。　　Guards；　composed　of　the　crew；　were　soon　posted　to　prevent　any　interference　with　the　boats；　and　the　officers　circulated　among　the　passengers　the　report　that　there　was　no　immediate　danger；　that；　fortunately；　the　sea　was　smooth；　that　we　were　simply　aground；　and　must　quietly　await　daylight。

They　advised　the　passengers　to　keep　quiet；　and　the　ladies　and　children　to　dress　and　sit　at　the　doors　of　their　state…rooms；　there　to　await　the　advice　and　action　of　the　officers　of　the　ship；　who　were　perfectly　cool　and　self…possessed。　　Meantime　the　ship　was　working　over　a　reef…for　a　time　I　feared　she　would　break　in　two；　but；　as　the　water　gradually　rose　inside　to　a　level　with　the　sea　outside；　the　ship　swung　broadside　to　the　swell；　and　all　her　keel　seemed　to　rest　on　the　rock　or　sand。　　At　no　time　did　the　sea　break　over　the　deckbut　the　water　below　drove　all　the　people　up　to　the　main…deck　and　to　the　promenade…deck；　and　thus　we　remained　for　about　three　hours；　when　daylight　came；　but　there　was　a　fog　so　thick　that　nothing　but　water　could　be　seen。　　The　captain　caused　a　boat　to　be　carefully　lowered；　put　in　her　a　trustworthy　officer　with　a　boat…compass；　and　we　saw　her　depart　into　the　fog。　　During　her　absence　the　ship's　bell　was　kept　tolling。　　Then　the　fires　were　all　out；　the　ship　full　of　water；　and　gradually　breaking　up；　wriggling　with　every　swell　like　a　willow　basketthe　sea　all　round　us　full　of　the　floating　fragments　of　her　sheeting；　twisted　and　torn　into　a　spongy　condition。　　In　less　than　an　hour　the　boat　returned；　saying　that　the　beach　was　quite　near；　not　more　than　a　mile　away；　and　had　a　good　place　for　landing。　　All　the　boats　were　then　carefully　lowered；　and　manned　by　crews　belonging　to　the　ship；　a　piece　of　the　gangway；　on　the　leeward　side；　was　cut　away；　and　all　the　women；　and　a　few　of　the　worst…scared　men；　were　lowered　into　the　boats；　which　pulled　for　shore。　　In　a　comparatively　short　time　the　boats　returned；　took　new　loads；　and　the　debarkation　was　afterward　carried　on　quietly　and　systematically。　　No　baggage　was　allowed　to　go　on　shore　except　bags　or　parcels　carried　in　the　hands　of　passengers。　　At　times　the　fog　lifted　so　that　we　could　see　from　the　wreck　the　tops　of　the　hills；　and　the　outline　of　the　shore；　and　I　remember　sitting　on；　the　upper　or　hurricane　deck　with　the　captain；　who　had　his　maps　and　compass　before　him；　and　was　trying　to　make　out　where　the　ship　was。　　I　thought　I　recognized　the　outline　of　the　hills　below　the　mission　of　Dolores；　and　so　stated　to　him；　but　he　called　my　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　general　line　of　hills　bore　northwest；　whereas　the　coast　south　of　San　Francisco　bears　due　north　and　south。　　He　therefore　concluded　that　the　ship　had　overrun　her　reckoning；　and　was　then　to　the　north　of　San　Francisco。　　He　also　explained　that；　the　passage　up　being　longer　than　usual；　viz。；　eighteen　days；　the　coal　was　short；　that　at　the　time　the　firemen　were　using　some　cut…up　spars　along　with　the　slack　of　coal；　and　that　this　fuel　had　made　more　than　usual　steam；　so　that　the　ship　must　have　glided　along　faster　than　reckoned。　　This　proved　to　be　the　actual　case；　for；　in　fact；　the　steamship　Lewis　was　wrecked　April　9；　1853；　on　〃Duckworth　Reef；〃　Baulinas　Bay；　about　eighteen　miles　above　the　entrance　to　San　Francisco。

The　captain　had　sent　ashore。　　the　purser　in　the　first　boat；　with　orders　to　work　his　way　to　the　city　as　soon　as　possible；　to　report　the　loss　of　his　vessel；　and　to　bring　back　help。　　I　remained　on　the　wreck　till　among　the　last　of　the　passengers；　managing　to　get　a　can　of　crackers　and　some　sardines　out　of　the　submerged　pantry；　a　thing　the　rest　of　the　passengers　did　not　have；　and　then　I　went　quietly　ashore　in　one　of　the　boats。　　The　passengers　were　all　on　the　beach；　under　a　steep　bluff；　had　built　fires　to　dry　their　clothes；　but　had　seen　no　human　being；　and　had　no　idea　where　they　were。　　Taking　along　with　me　a　fellow…passenger；　a　young　chap　about　eighteen　years　old；　I　scrambled　up　the　bluff；　and　walked　back　toward　the　hills；　in　hopes　to　get　a　good　view　of　some　known　object。　　It　was　then　the　month　of　April；　and　the　hills　were　covered　with　the　beautiful　grasses　and　flowers　of　that　season　of　the　year。　　We　soon　found　horse　paths　and　tracks；　and　following　them　we　came　upon　a　drove　of　horses　grazing　at　large；　some　of　which　had　saddle…marks。　　At　about　two　miles　from　the　beach　we　found　a　corral；　and　thence；　following　one　of　the　strongest…marked　paths；　in　about　a　mile　more　we　descended　into　a　valley；　and；　on　turning　a　sharp　point；　reached　a　board　shanty；　with　a　horse　picketed　near　by。　　Four　men　were　inside　eating　a　meal。　　I　inquired　if　any　of　the　Lewis's　people　had　been　there；　they　did　not　seem　to　understand　what　I　meant　when　I　explained　to　them　that　about　three　miles　from　them；　and　beyond　the　old　corral；　the　steamer　Lewis　was　wrecked；　and　her　passengers　were　on　the　beach。　　I　inquired　where　we　were；　and　they　answered；　〃At　Baulinas　Creek；〃　that　they　were　employed　at　a　saw…mill　just　above；　and　were　engaged　in　shipping　lumber　to　San　Francisco；　that　a　schooner　loaded　with　lumber　was　then　about　two　miles　down　the　creek；　waiting　for　the　tide　to　get　out；　and　doubtless　if　we　would　walk　down　they　would　take　us　on　board。

I　wrote　a　few　words　back　to　the　captain；　telling　him　where　he　was；　and　that　I　would　hurry　to　the　city　to　send　him　help。　　My　companion　and　I　their　went　on　down　the　creek；　and　soon　descried　the　schooner　anchored　out　in　the　stream。　　On　being　bailed；　a　small　boat　came　in　and　took　us　on　board。　　The　〃captain〃　willingly　agreed　for　a　small　sum　to　carry　us　down　to　San　Francisco；　and；　as　his　whole　crew　consisted　of　a　small　boy　about　twelve　years　old；　we　helped　him　to　get　up　his　anchor　and　pole　the　schooner　down　the　creek　and　out　over　the　bar　on　a　high　tide。　　This　must　have　been　about　2　P。M。　Once　over　the　bar；　the　sails　were　hoisted；　and　we　glided　along　rapidly　with　a　strong；　fair；　northwest　wind。　　The　fog　had　lifted；　so　we　could　see　the　shores　plainly；　and　the　entrance　to　the　bay。　　In　a　couple　of　hours　we　were　entering　tine　bay；　and　running　〃wing…and…wing。〃　Outside　the　wind　was　simply　the　usual　strong　breeze；　but；　as　it　passes　through　the　head　of　the　Golden　Gate；　it　increases；　and　there；　too；　we　met　a　strong　ebb…tide。

The　schooner　was　loaded　with　lumber；　much　of　which　was　on　deck；　lashed　down　to　ring　bolts　with　raw…hide　thongs。　　The　captain　was　steering；　and　I　was　reclining　on　the　lumber；　looking　at　the　familiar　shore；　as　we　approached　Fort　Point；　when　I　heard　a　sort　of　cry；　and　felt　the　schooner　going　over。　　As　we　got　into　the　throat　of　the　〃Heads；〃　the　force　of　the　wind；　meeting　a　strong　ebb…tide；　drove　the　nose　of　the　schooner　under　water；　she　dove　like　a　duck；　went　over　on　her　side；　and　began；　to　drift　out　with　the　tide。　　I　found　myself　in　the　water；　mixed　up　with　pieces　of　plank　and　ropes；　struck　out；　swam　round　to　the　stern；　got　on　the　keel；　and　clambered　up　on　the　side。　　Satisfied　that　she　could　not　sink；　by　reason　of　her　cargo；　I　was　not　in　the　least　alarmed；　but　thought　two　shipwrecks　in　one　day　not　a　good　beginning　for　a　new；　peaceful　career。　　Nobody　was　drowned；　however；　the　captain　and　crew　were　busy　in　securing　such　articles　as　were　liable　to　float　off；　and　I　looked　out　for　some　passing　boat　or　vessel　to　pick　us　up。　　We　were　drifting　steadily　out　to　sea；　while　I　was　signaling　to　a　boat　about　three　miles　off；　toward　Saucelito；　and　saw　her　tack　and　stand　toward　us。　　I　was　busy　watching　this　sail…boat；　when　I　heard　a　Yankee's　voice；　close　behind；　saying；　〃This　is　a　nice　mess　you've　got　yourselves　into；〃　and　looking　about　I　saw　a　man　in　a　small　boat；　who　had　seen　us　upset；　and　had　rowed　out　to　us　from　a　schooner　anchored　close　under　the　fort。　　Some　explanations　were　made；　and　when　the　sail…boat　coming　from　Saucelito　was　near　enough　to　be　spoken　to；　and　the　captain　had　engaged　her　to　help　his　schooner；　we　bade　him　good　by；　and　got　the　man　in　the　small　boat…to　carry　us　ashore；　and　land　us　at　the　foot　of　the　bluff；　just　below　the　fort。　　Once　there；　I　was　at　home；　and　we　footed　it　up　to　the　Presidio。　　Of　the　sentinel　I　inquired　who　was　in　command　of　the　post；　and　was　answered；　〃Major　Merchant。〃　　He　was　not　then　in；　but　his　adjutant；　Lieutenant　Gardner；　was。　　I　sent　my　card　to　him；　he　came　out；　and　was　much　surprised　to　find　me　covered　with　sand；　and　dripping　with　water；　a　good　specimen　of　a　shipwrecked　mariner。　　A　few　words　of　explanation　sufficed；　horses　were　provided；　and　we　rode　hastily　into　the　city；　reaching　the　office　of　the　Nicaragua　Steamship　Company　（C。　K。　Garrison；　agent）　about　dark；　just　as　the　purser　had　arrived；　by　a　totally　different　route。　　It　was　too　late　to　send　relief　that　night；　but　by　daylight　next　morning　two　steamers　were　en　route　for　and　reached　the　place　of　wreck　in　time　to　relieve　the　passengers　and　bring　them；　and　most　of　the　baggage。　I　lost　my　carpet…bag；　but　saved　my　trunk。　　The　Lewis　went　to　pieces　the　night　after　we　got　off；　and；　had　there　been　an　average　sea　during　the　night　of　our　shipwreck；　none　of　us　probably　would　have　escaped。　　That　evening　in　San　Francisco　I　hunted　up　Major　Turner；　whom　I　found　boarding；　in　company　with　General　E。　A。　Hitchcock；　at　a　Mrs。　Ross's；　on　Clay　Street；　near　Powell。　　I　took　quarters　with　them；　and　began　to　make　my　studies；　with　a　view　to　a　decision　whether　it　was　best　to　undertake　this　new　and　untried　scheme　of　banking；　or　to　return　to　New　Orleans　and　hold　on　to　what　I　then　had；　a　good　army　commission。

At　the　time　of　my　arrival；　San　Francisco　was　an　the　top　wave　of　speculation　and　prosperity。　　Major　Turner　had　rented　at　six　hundred　dollars　a　month　the　office　formerly　used　and　then　owned　by　Adams　&　Co。；　on　the　east　side　of　Montgomery　Street；　between　Sacramento　and　California　Streets。　　B。　R。　Nisbet　was　the　active　partner；　and　James　Reilly　the　teller。　　Already　the　bank　of　Lucas；　Turner　&　Co。　　was　established；　and　was　engaged　in　selling　bills　of　exchange；　receiving　deposits；　and　loaning　money　at　three　per　cent。　　a　month。

Page；　Bacon　&　Co。；　and　Adams　&　Co。；　were　in　full　blast　across　the　street；　in　Parrott's　new　granite　building；　and　other　bankers　were　doing　seemingly　a　prosperous　business；　among　them　Wells；　Fargo　&　Co。；　Drexel；　Sather　&　Church；　Burgoyne　&　Co。；　James　King　of　Win。；　Sanders