This sounds so daunting to us today, but we have to remember there were only so many choices in the 1800s!

THE JOURNEY

Some of the gold rushers traveled around the horn - particularly those who lived near the Eastern seaboard or arrived there from foreign lands - opting to board a sailing ship and travel by sea.

American ships' captains had excellent reputations for traversing the vagaries of both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans in relative safety, and many of the ships of the day were equipped with steam engines, giving them a distinct advantage over vessels that were governed by wind alone.

It was about 17,000 miles to travel the Atlantic from New York, Boston, or New Orleans south along the Eastern coast of the three Americas (North, Central, and South), around Cape Horn, then north along the Western coast of those same Americas before reaching San Francisco - the Gateway to the Goldfields.

But the journey took no more than the 4 to 6 months it would take to travel overland (and sometimes took much less than that).

Plus, it was considered to be a safer, and much more comfortable trip.

There were stops along the way to resupply, with the ships taking on food, water, and wood for the steam engines.

Between stops were long spells of boredom that were occasionally interspersed with periods of abject terror - as when the ship traveled through dense fogs, bringing on fears of collision, or through fierce storms and heavy seas, leading to visions of the ship being rendered asunder with all hands lost at sea!

A shorter route, but one wrought with its own perils, was to cross the land at the Isthmus of Panama.

Those who chose this path disembarked at Chagres, Panama, used river canoes and mules to cross the Isthmus through rainy, seemingly impenetrable jungle, and reached Panama City on the Pacific side within about 3 days.

If they didn't contract a tropical disease like malaria, and if a ship was waiting for them in Panama City, the timing for the total trip could be as little as 6 weeks - 12 weeks at most!

All in all, sailing to San Francisco seemed like a good idea to many - over 25,000 traveled via ship.

And, it didn't cost any more than going overland; both trips could be done for about $400.

I hope you've enjoyed our little trip around the Horn!

If you're interested in how other 49ers got to California, check here:

For what they did once they arrived, try these pages:

Please continue your exploration of what Northern California has to offer by using the Nav Bar at the left, by using the links at the bottom of the page, or by using the customized search box below to find the specific topic that interests you.

Like what you're finding here at DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com? Then please share with your Social Network (see the buttons in the NavBar to the left, or at the bottom of the page).

For more pictures of Northern California and other great stuff, check out my facebook page, www.DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com. Become a fan, write on my Wall, contribute to the Discussion Board, post a Review -- join in the fun!