"Coach to Deadwood, South Dakota," 1888, photograph by J. C. H. Grabill. Larger.
Forty-niners bound for the mines could walk, ride, or sail to California, each of which offered its own dangers—and its own brand of tedium. But once arrived, the hardy traveler could counter with a little excitement—on a California stagecoach.
London writer and artist J. D. Borthwick left New York for California in 1851. Arrived in bustling Sacramento, Borthwick next set out for Placerville, also known as Hangtown. His departure via stagecoach was typically—exhilerating.
There was no trouble about luggage—that is an article not much known in California. Some stray individuals might have had a small carpet-bag—almost every man had his blankets—and the western men were further encumbered with their long rifles, the barrels poking into everybody's eyes, and the butts in the way of everybody's toes.
At last. . . the drivers gathered up their reins and settled themselves down in their seats, cracked their whips and swore at their horses; the grooms cleared out the best way they could; the passengers shouted and hurrahed; the teams in front set off at a gallop; the rest followed them as soon as they got room to start. . . and in a few minutes I found myself one of a small isolated community, with which four splendid horses were galloping over the plains like mad.
J. D. Borthwick set down his California experiences in his 1857 book Three Years in California, which featured eight of his own illustrations.
Western stagecoach, photographer, date unknown. Larger.
Getting around California during the Gold Rush meant you had to move fast—even if you didn't want to.
In 1852, English journalist J. D. Borthwick was astonished to see how the Sacramento stage depot kept crowds moving, with characteristic hustle and just a bit of friendly persuasion.
On each wagon was painted the name of the place to which it ran; the drivers were also bellowing it out to the crowd, and even among such a confusion of coaches a man could have no difficulty in finding the one he wanted. One would have thought that the individual will and locomotive power of a man would have been sufficient to start him on his journey; but in this go-ahead country people who had to go were not allowed to remain inert till the spirit moved them to go; they had to be hurried up; and of the whole crowd of men who were standing about the hotel, or struggling through the maze of wagons, only one half were passengers; the rest were "runners" for the various stages, who were exhausting all their persuasive eloquence in entreating the passengers to take their seats and go. . . . "Now then, gentlemen," shouts one of them, "all aboard for Nevada City. Who's agoin? Only three seats left--the last chance today for Nevada City--take you there in five hours. Who's there for Nevada City?"
J. D. Borthwick published Three Years in California, or the Gold Hunters in 1857.
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