WILLIAM SAMUEL RAWLINGS HAMBLY
31st March 1823 ~ 1st December 1898
WSR Hambly sailed from San Francisco on the 29th September 1853 on the “Destruzione”, a 238-ton Italian barque captained by a Genoese, Giacormo Gazzolo. The “Destruzione” with a crew of 13 carried 48 adult passengers & 6 children and sailed via Tahiti to Sydney, arriving on December 24th 1853. His earlier life, complete with his adventures in America have been previously documented. He came to Australia as part of the Gold Rush and initially prospected in the Bendigo region of Victoria before settling in Ballarat, not as a miner, but instead setting up a boot & shoe selling business with his brother-in-law, Samuel Squires Gimblett, the husband of his younger sister, Dee Hambly. SS Gimblett had arrived in Melbourne on the 18th June 1851 on the “Earl of Charlemont” which was shipwrecked as it tried to enter Port Phillip Bay. Gimblett set up a footwear manufacturing business in Crediton, Devon and distributed his product throughout England as well as WSR Hambly in Ballarat. The Gimblett Story will be covered in another volume. Somewhere, sometime in these first few years WSR Hambly met and married a young teenager, Susannah Netherton in Collingwood, Victoria on the 27th November 1855. Susannah had arrived in Melbourne from Plymouth on the 20th July 1852 on the “Euphemus” with her siblings and her mother, Lucy Upcott Rundell. Yes, there will also be a volume on the Rundells. The boot business prospered; his shop was the first to have a glass front in Ballarat; and his marriage bloomed – he and Susannah had ten children.
In May 1876, at the age of 53, WSR Hambly sailed from Melbourne to Sydney on the “City of Adelaide” to start a four-month trip to California and Nevada where he was going to visit family who had settled in America; primarily his brothers David and Frank, and his sister Mary Ann. On the 2nd June 1876 he departed Sydney on the “SS City of San Francisco” a 3,000-ton steel steamer that was part of a group of ships built specifically to serve the mail run between the west coast of America and Australia. On the 9th June 1876 at the port of Kandavu, Fiji, he transferred to the “SS City of Sydney” for San Francisco where he arrived on the 10th of July 1876. From there, he took a ferry to Oakland on the opposite side of the bay and boarded the Pacific Railway train north to Oroville via Maryville. He had to wait a day before taking a 3am coach through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Spanish Ranch, where upon arrival at 7pm he walked a further 4 miles to his brother David Hambly’s home, Snake Lake Ranch.
WSR Hambly stayed with his brother for just over two weeks, travelling to Greenville to visit David’s son, Charles (David Francis Charles Hambly: 1860-1890) on a “very nice open 4 wheel light waggon & a pair of mustangs”; and to the town of Quincy on horseback with David.
On Sunday 30th July he and David left Snake Lake Ranch at 5am and rode to Quincy where he farewelled his brother and took a four horse Cobb Coach, and then a “very nice & handsome double 4 wheeled buggy & pair of nice greys” to Reno, Nevada, an 80-mile, two-day journey.
On Tuesday 1st August he took the train to the Battle Mountain Station, arriving mid-afternoon and going straight to Galena, only a few miles south where he stayed with his younger brother Frank (John Francis Charles Hambly: 1844-1912) and his wife Eliza. The next day his sister Mary Ann and her husband Captain Joseph Richards came to Frank’s house. Over the next week WSR Hambly stayed with both the Richard’s (about 3 miles away) and his brother Frank, catching up on family matters and viewing the Galena/Battle Mountain area and its mines.
On the morning of Wednesday 8th August, the three siblings and Captain Joseph Richards left for the Battle Mountain train station in “an express Waggon & a splendid pair of horses belonging to Captn R”. Mary Ann and Joseph Richards accompanied WSR Hambly on the train to San Francisco, WSR having a “bed on the Celebrated Pullman Palace sleeping cars a distinction which is impossible for me to describe”.
On his arrival in San Francisco after the four-day train journey, WSR stayed with his niece, Mary Ann’s eldest daughter, Dee Hambly Richards (1851-1914) and her husband, Mr. William Doxey for the next few days before boarding ship for the homeward journey on the 16th August. The night before, David Hambly’s eldest son, William David John Hambly (1846-1911) and his wife arrived at the Doxey’s from San Jose, on their way to spend the winter at Snake Lake Ranch.
WSR sailed on the “SS City of San Francisco” from the 16th August to the 7th of September where at Kandavu Fiji, he transferred ship for the last week’s sailing to Australia. He arrived in Sydney on the 14th of September.
WSR Hambly wrote three letters to his family while on this trip, all of them in his unique longhand, all of them full of interesting observations, vexations and love for his family. The original letters have been faithfully transcribed by “Super Cousin”, Marion (Ryan) Brennan complete with side scrawls and 1870’s grammar and punctuation. These letters have then been transcribed into digital format, with grammar, spelling and punctuation editing. Both sets are part of this volume. Maps, photographs and sketches have been added to provide some “colour”. Whilst only the family photographs are the only original “Hambly” historical images; all others have been plucked from the internet and are quite faithful to the 1870’s period.
What struck me when researching the journey outlined in the letters that WSR sent back to Ballarat was the scope of the railway system in this mountainous region and the variety of connections that could be made via horses and coaches.
“Monday, June 5th 1876 on Board Ship San Francisco
My Dear Wife and Children,
If you get this it will rather surprise me. But I shall write and run the chances that may offer in getting it posted at Kandavu Fiji & if you have time to write by the next outgoing mail to California after you get it. I want you to get a Bill of Exchange from Mr. Nicholls for £20. I am afraid I shall not have money enough to bring me back and I do not care to be borrowing in California. You must enclose the first one only the other two keep – direct to Mr. Doxy – Bancrofts Stationery Warehouse San Francisco for W Hambly ask Mr Brown to direct it. It will look more businesslike, get it payable at sight & in San Francisco. If I do not want it, I can bring it back again.
We left about 4pm on Friday I was very queer when I went on board and continued so until yesterday. I have not been sick but qualmish with a disagreeable nervous headache, today I am first rate and ate a good dinner such as it was. I have lived on soup until today when I ate a small portion of meat and potato but before long, I expect I will find my appetite, our provisions are all fresh but on Tin plates and cup – which I object to, but it is useless. I will buy a Crockery plate and cup at Fiji if possible. I have not drunk a drop of Tea or Coffee since I have been on Board and I don’t think I shall until I get a crockery cup to drink out off. I don’t mind the plate, but I stick at Tin Cups & bad Tea & Coffee without milk. I got a dozen oranges in Sydney which and with good water I manage to keep from being thirsty – we will be at Fiji about Friday and then Tranship onto the Australia on & to San Francisco. This steamer will go down to New Zealand call at the different ports and return to Fiji & go on with the next mail to Frisco.
Our sleeping arrangements are not first rate but quite as good as I expected for steerage. I got the loan of a mattress from the Steward, but the nights are now warm and a sheet will be all we shall require. I forgot to bring the towels, had to buy 3 in Sydney, also a thin coat and a small black bag to put my dirty clothes in. It will come in very handy for any of us to use when going from home – Mr. Hanson, formerly of Ballarat Monumental stone cutter. Wainwrights Son in Law is on Board. Mrs Hanson is staying with her Mother. Dr Hudson is not (?) I do not know – we are nearly halfways to Fiji from Sydney and the sea is quite as smooth as a millpond or Wendouree on a fine day – have seen 1 Whale and 1 flying Fish. I should have liked it cooked the flying fish I mean they are very good eating I believe. I think this journey will quite satisfy me, I don’t care so much for it in the Steerage – it would be just possible in the first cabin I could not get a second cabin passage.
This is an immense steamer 3,400 tons & with a plenty of room to walk about. but we are not allowed to go only so far towards the first Cabin port of the ship notices being posted to that effect – respecting yourself I hope you are getting strong and yourself again. I would not bother to go down to shop too often if I were you or when the weather is fine and inviting, for I want you to be strong and well when I come back, but I hope baby will keep on Nursing. It would be awkward did you have to dry nurse it all together – I do hope this will find you and the children all well. Kiss them all round for me and tell the boys they are well off; there are boys here having a hard life of it no older than Willy. Tell Lucy to be a good girl and mind baby good – give my best respects to all your folks Fanny. Mr Brown and Alfred & hope business is good.
I am My Dear Susan yours W Hambly. ”
Snake Lake Ranch (U.S.A.)
July 15th 1876
“My dear wife and children,
I arrived here on Wednesday evening the 13th from Orville the highest up station towards the mountains on the Northern Pacific Railway. The Central Pacific train ran as far as Maryville and then the first named junction ran to Orville. I left San Francisco on Monday morning supposing I could have gone on to this place on Tuesday morning, but found had to stay over Tuesday as the coach only goes up one day and returns the next, so had to stay in Orville all day Tuesday much to my disgust. Left Orville for this place at 3 a.m. and rode all day and got here at about half past 7 and walked the last four miles over the mountains to this place after being well shook up and down for say 60 miles along some of the most fearful roads in the world I should think, but they seem to pull through all right. The coaches are strong, horses first rate, and the drivers good and careful. So here I am on Friday morning with the mosquitos buzzing around me and with an occasional bite – but they do not trouble me much.
David has certainly a nice place here. It is an oblong circular valley about 1 mile long and about half mile wide surrounded by mountains on every side – covered by dense pine forests. They have I expect about 50 head of cattle and fatten them for the market. They milk about 15 to 20 cows, make a great deal of butter all the year round and get a good price for it. They feed the pigs and calves with the milk and seem to be prosperous. Mrs. H as usual – work, work, work, is their only object and to get gain is all they live for seemingly. They seem to be acquiring property around them, and no doubt if they live long enough to realize it this place will eventually become a very valuable property. They grow all kinds of vegetables, but the bulk of the ground is in hay which they feed the cattle with during the winter months – which are very severe here. The last winter was a particularly severe one – a great depth of snow fell, and they had to clear the snow from the windows to admit the light, and to walk on snowshoes and ride on sledges. I should not care for it. It is quite cold enough now and can see snow on the mountains in places. I shall stay here about a week, and then go on to Mrs Richard’s and Frank’s at Battle Mountain and return to San Francisco. I shall be glad when the time comes to leave again. I cannot see a great deal to amuse me here – should not care much for this kind of life after being used to town so long. I shall have a month now to spend somewhere – shall have to go and see David’s son who is living at San Jose below San Francisco. This will take a few days. David’s second son was married a few weeks ago since to a girl of 16 – they don’t care for her much. Must go and see them before I leave, I expect. I found them all in good health. They have three boys still at home – eldest about 15, youngest about 8. They are going to school but work at home mornings and evenings. Mrs H has grievances and is a great stickler for everyone doing the correct thing. Anyone cheating her gets it quite rough.
I am quite well, and this is no doubt a healthy place and is now delightful weather – the rheumatic pains in my knee a good bit occasionally. I hope and trust you are all enjoying good health. I am very anxious to hear from you. It seems to be such a long time since I have heard. It seems a year. Expect will be at Mary Ann’s when the mail comes. Mr. Doxey will forward to me when it comes. The business is going alright, I hope. This travelling in the mountains is very expensive and I will have to be very economical to make my money last out.
I am not quite sure if you will ever get this but shall speculate on it. David and Jane are very kind to me indeed and are certainly looking a little older but not so much as I expected. Mrs H says I am exactly the same as when I left Nelson’s Creek 23 years since. I must quit – a man is waiting to take this to the Post Office 4 miles away – must trust to man’s honesty to post it. Give my love to everyone who enquire. Expect your mother is with you – remember me to your brother Alfred and Wife and all friends. Kiss the children all round for me and accept my best love from
your affectionate husband
W. Hambly
In great haste and excuse scrawl. You will not have to write after you get this as I shall be on my way home. W.H. expects to leave 16 or 17 August.”
Snake Lake Ranch (U.S.A.)
July 18 1876
“Left San Francisco for above place on the 10th day of July /76 at 8am crossed the bay on the Central Pacific Railway Co Ferry boat to Oaklands, a town situated on opposite side of the bay, the station is here, and passengers overland for the Eastern States & Europe congregate here every morning for a start which causes considerable commotion for a while until the train start, the riding is much more agreeable on the American Cars than on those used in Australia on the Victorian lines being made very long say 50 feet and have a passage way down the centre of each. The seats are made reversable, or the backs of them can be turned back. when four can sit opposite each other, but if all the backs of seats are turned the one way every one sit the same way, & two on each seat or 4 abreast but with the passage way down the centre – each car has 8 wheels – 4 on each end and near the end consequently the bulk of the carriage is free from any resistance underneath and the motion is not disagreeable. but rather easy and free from the grinding, jerking sensation felt on Cars that are fixed with the wheels at proportionate distance all through & the consequence is that a journey from San Francisco to Oroville a distance of 166 miles and from Oroville here 64 miles more making 294 miles in 2 days, can be accomplished with considerably less fatigue than a corresponding journey could be in Victoria. I arrived in the above-named place about 7pm & learnt to my disgust, that I would have to stay one day the Coach not leaving for this place Snake Valley until the Wednesday Morning. I passed a long disagreeable day. but finally as they say here I got through with it & left about 3am on Wednesday Morning with a splendid moonlight & fine weather, and although it was the very middle of Summer and harvest was on all over the low country & Oroville was very hot over 100 in the shade. I had before 9 o’clock am to put on my overcoat. the wind from the Mountain tops was Cold, Cold, Cold. & we were ascending all this time & very soon we saw heavy banks of snow laying in places from the Winter previous & had not as yet melted away & from all appearances it will remain in same places until snow fall again the coming fall perhaps in October – We breakfasted about 8.50 and a thorough American Mountain breakfast it was & brought back vividly to my mind such breakfast’s sat to 23 years since not many miles from where I was then sitting. We changed horses and started on still up roads & up roads towards the summit, we were going at a slow pace having a rather heavy load of passengers & luggage & roads rough but made, made after a fashion the largest stones dug out and thrown down over the sides which in places are no doubt from 50 feet to 500 deep, the roads are cut around the sides of the steepest & highest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the summit has to be reached and down, down, down again on the other side is the (?) I cannot say for one moment that I did not feel afraid, as an accident might happen by one of the horses falling or a stone in the wheel track, or any unforeseen thing in many ways & if such a mishap should ever take place why great will be the smash & I would not care to be thar or thar about either for I guess that to even look on at such a smash would considerably scare a man, and worse, one of the female sex. but we got on all right; to the very summit & grander sight no man unless very exacting need not wish to see from here we got a good view of the Sacramento Valley & could trace the direction of the river by the belt of trees growing on the banks thereof. We took dinner here and changed horses – dinner 50 cents as was also the breakfast –
Started again with a fresh driver who threatened to take us through in double quick time as we were late but in going down on this side it was a much easier matter to get the horses along quick than in our climbing one in the first portion of journey & it was this coming down on this side that I felt nervous about, our Jehu no doubt was a good driver & drove fast which therein lay the danger in our toppling over into one of the Gulches as the least mishap would have sent us rolling down. We passed in our journey through some beautiful valleys and mountain scenery to describe is more than my pen is able to do & must leave it for you to imagine. I arrived at the Spanish Ranch about 7pm walked here 4 miles to Snake Lake Ranch a most beautiful valley about a mile long with about ¼ wide & surrounded by mountains covered by tall pine and oak trees to the very top. I did not know the trail you might be well assured off from Spanish Ranch to this place, being not on the Coach road had to stop at the above named place & walk over the mountain & had my friends known that I was coming would have sent a horse for me. having five running on the farm – I am now since have been here looking about, the different points of interest, visited last week the County Town of Plumas County, situated in the very centre of a most beautiful valley named the American Valley, which, 23 years ago I walked through & on to Spanish Ranch 8 miles from it & on the road, I went up a gully that during the last 5 years it is calculated that 5 millions of dollars’ worth of gold has been taken out & I walked over it, & not many feet below the surface the bulk of it was found it is now a deserted place being worked out & quite a town sprung up near the diggings named Elizabeth Town & when I went through it a few days since I saw only two houses. Where a year or two ago, over 1000 were congregated together working at mining but it was not my fortune to be one of those that helped to dig this treasure but no doubt shall be told that I have been digging treasures in Australia far more satisfactory to some folks that I am acquainted with in Victoria & no doubt it is all for the best in the long run of time.
I arrived here on Wednesday Evening the 12th July found the folks all well in health Mrs Hambly told me that she was quite sure I was coming soon but could not say when, something or somebody, as she puts it told her so and called on someone else in the house to verify her statement she is the strongest minded spiritist believer in this section of the country & no doubt she is sincere in her belief, & black cats & other omens for good and evil are often brought to bear on circumstances happened or is going to happen. It is (spirit land and its inhabitants) often spoken off but there has not been any tests or circles since I have been here but I do believe that if I wished it one would be got up any evening but I have no wish to become acquainted with the spirits of our departed friends while on earth, but from information received, we will, after throwing off our earthly shell, still live as a spirit & enjoy everything as we do now & shall enjoy each other’s company wives & husbands & children as we do now. the difference being that we will be in different spheres but we will be permitted to work ourselves up to the very highest but by living good honest lives & not thrash our wives or wives jaw their husbands they will each enjoy high spheres of pleasure and enjoyment hereafter – very convenient & pleasurable idea to live & die for – -Mrs H is exactly the same woman still very excitable & loud talking often but it is mostly with her husband that she talks so to. she thinks & believes that her neighbours are begrudging what they have around them and all the persuading in the world would not convince her to the contrary. They have a very nice place & could be wonderfully improved if they would lay out 200 pounds on it by draining the ground. The springs from the surrounding hills and mountains are still running down into it & keeping the valley very wet & the grass that is generally cut & housed by this time July 20 is not yet cut as the surface of the ground is still in many places covered with water & it will be September before it the hay will be harvested this ranch or farm is composed of a valley oblong in shape surrounded on every side by mountains from low, to 2 miles high, and while writing this can see snow of the peaks of mountains perhaps 3 or 4 miles high from the base, on the valleys at the foot & it is not unusual for it the snow to stay on until it snows again at the commencement of Winter. The outlet of the is valley is very narrow and by going down about say 150 yards from the narrowest part a tunnel could be driven straight up the centre and unwatered or drained and it is my opinion that gold would be struck if the bedrock could be reached. that would more than pay several times over the cost of this work but I do not think the present owner will ever do it for reasons perhaps better not be mentioned here – but some day doubtless when the present owner will have given up the management of it, to say one of his four sons. this draining business will be done. and more than likely the value enhanced in to a considerable extent and did I own it and paid for – should consider I had a fortune for every one of my children. but two thousand dollars or £400 would have to be laid out on it and then every Acre could be brought into available and exceedingly rich land fit & capable of growing anything that one could wish for. but at present about two thirds of the surface is covered by a sour wild native grass interspersed with almost every variety of weed from a thistle to the everlasting & universally despised sorrel & also a good mixture of Californian wild flowers also. I have advocated strongly the cutting them out by China labour but am told that it will not pay but I contend that it will and endeavour to prove it. but to no purpose I am afraid and will have to leave it for someone else to carry it out –
On the 19 of this month July I left here with my brother on a very nice open 4-wheel light wagon & a pair of mustangs & good for 50 miles without a stop if necessary. we done some very tall climbing certainly and the opposite to It was accomplished with all the ease as if it was plain, or smooth travelling. we round around the mountains on a road cut by the county for the accommodation of & convenient for Mail rather being took in double quick time travelling from one valley to another as it is only in them that folks can exist at all.
The mountains being so steep and high would be almost impossible for anyone to get up them, much less live there on although there are places on them here & there where folks have settled down – perhaps cutting logs for sawmills or for miners requiring timber for building ditches and flumes that are being built all through the country around the hills to carry the water, necessary for washing away the mountains of gravel found often on the sides of thereof. perhaps a mile high from the stream running at its base – we travelled & rode alternately, sometimes going down places that would seem to a new chum almost impassable that horses & wagons could possibly get down. across wooden bridges of very rude – but strongly constructed with a notice nailed up on them that $5 fine will be levied if anyone drove faster than a walk d+ we kept the order strictly having very fine weather & good horses & aplenty of time did not care to hurry – the driver being a believer with the writer in being merciful to dumb animals especially horses – about noon we came to a Soda Water spring we indulged beautifully by laying flat on our bellies or on that part of us the opposite to our backs there are cups to be had sometimes. but we came when the wheels of someones carriage had run over them all, perhaps for a game or for spite as I understand that a cute Yankee has treated the spring & ground adjoining & carries the water away in jars to sell, but I hear he does not sell much if any. Most folks prefer taking it as we did or out of cups dip’d out of the spring as it bubbles up I believe the drink I took in going out & the one I took in coming back done me good as I have not needed to consult Scott since I have been here after the first two days I believe the water from the numerous springs around here are charged with certain properties that agrees with me. I enjoy good health but do not gain flesh – we arrived at Mr Charles Hambly’s house in Greenville about 6pm after a tiresome and very hot ride, glass standing over 100 & pouring down its rays on our backs all afternoon. It made my brother feel quite sick. I stood it first rate & consider myself able to stand a good deal yet. Mr Charles Hambly is lately Married & was introduced to a young married woman not yet 16 years old. she does not suit the ideas of her husband’s parents at all, at all being too young for one reason & not suitable in no respect (as they say) for him, he is a very nice young man and is entitled so says I to a different kind of Woman but she may improve, certainly and there is indeed any amount of room for it. We stayed all night had supper & some music from an Harmonion & during the recitals our young Wife squatted herself on a low rocking chair behind the parlour stovepipe and ejaculated occasionally a foolish speech or threw grains of sperm candle at a young man that boards in the house and laughed & tittered as if she hadn’t forgot the, the – the day he popped the question – however next morn we got breakfast by 7.50 and started for home Snake Ranch did not return back the first part of the road the same as we went out & after climbing up a mountain for about 2 hours, gained the top & found a lake of Water quite as large as Wendouree and from 1 to 50 feet deep – it is intended for sluicing or driving waterwheels and belong to a company. is now driving a sawmill & is kept supplied by springs flowing still above the surface of the lake & by now still laying in the mountains above – it is a most beautiful place but the village near it consisted 6 months ago of about from 18 to 20 houses was all burnt down & all except one family have left the neighbourhood – we stopped here 2 hours and took dinner with a relation of David H’s Wife. another young woman not yet 19 & have two children already. left here at 1.15 & descended a hill almost as steep as the roof of any house for about 2 miles & on the level of where we started from in the morning took a good draught of Soda Water on passing the spring out of a Salmon tin & arrived home at about 6.15 – Mrs Hambly was extraordinarily agreeable this evening & made herself comfortable with all around her which was a rather an extraordinary circumstance – I was took to task as to my opinion etc of the young Mrs Hambly etc- Saturday 22 at 5pm I am writing this in an upstairs room above where 4 women and 2 men all of whom are spiritualists except one man a school master who is boarding with my brother. they are now going on with their spirit arrangements – I can hear Mrs H going on at a great rate as if she was in a fit which she is I guess or else she would not make such an earthly noise & mentioning people’s names that have been dead a long time. I cannot hear much of what they are saying but have no doubt that it is nonsense David is gone to Greenville with his son Charley & have taken over a load of sundries consisting of hogs & other household goods that he had been accumulating around him – I am very glad that he David is not here to join in this business as I should feel right bad did I see him participating in the exhibitions going on this evening. Mrs H no doubt does & also the other females I think that I am a queer or eccentric man in not joining in with them in sitting around the table hobnobbing & arguing the point with them on the truth or otherwise of the manifestations being exhibited here this evening. but I cannot bring myself to the belief that it is the correct thing to do and it would be by far a more creditable undertaking for those ladies to be mending their stockings or making a garment for themselves or husband instead of wasting their time for hours around a table waiting for it to walk around the room as Mrs H informed me she has seen it do but up to 10pm when I retired to bed I did not hear that the table had undertook its perilous journey & from the nonsense must attribute it to the unbelief of those sitting around it & notable the schoolmaster and another young man a Cornish friend of the family & I could occasionally hear a great outburst of laughter as if the planchette had been cutting up some fantastic tricks but I heard from the young School Teacher that the spirits did not seem very lively & about 8.50 they broke up the séance & retired to bed I could not rest of sleep for the mosquitos bit and stung until I was quite used up almost desperate.
Today Sunday 23. this morning I rode on horseback in company with the schoolmaster to a Mr (?) the young Charles Hambly’s Father in Laws prospecting camp as it is called here to invite them here to spend the day as Sunday seemed to be the day they fancy for meeting friends in the mountains – they could not come as they are camping in the open without any covering except bushes. they intend prospecting in the neighbourhood for 6 months & must prepare comfortable quarters for the winter as they intend to stay over the coming one & if anything as severe as the last one will get perhaps 10 to 15 feet of snow all around them and I would very much like to take the winter with them as I believe they will have a good diggings in time should not wonder if David did not go in with them before they get through but during the next two months he will have quite enough to engage his time and attention saving the hay or else the winter rains or snow may be will catch him unprepared for feeding his stock – but I believe he has a good diggings at his very door If he could get down on the bottom or bedrock for the water & I have been advocating strongly the erecting a Wind Mill or a small steam engine to pump the water & work the alluvial deposit running through the Ranch & also over the Mountain – but I am afraid the money is wanting to buy the appliances no doubt exists in my mind that he can see it but the bulk of his property is in cattle horses & other livestock which with the Ranch if sold right out would turn him in a good round sum. he is getting very weak in his back when working having rec’d a hurt some two or three years ago which tells on him now he looks 10 years older than myself but he has been annoyed out of 10 years of his life by a chattering wife – & I am afraid it will continue so to the end of time as there is no improvement in her in that respect for the last 23 years I have heard enough of it once more and intend leaving here for Reno thence to Virginia City & on to Battle Mountain on next Wednesday July 26thhaving been here since Wednesday 12th & shall have been here about 14 days including the day of my departure. I undertook to help my brother to mow grass yesterday. I got along very well for a while, but I found that my fingers were getting very sore & my thumbs bladdenng, caused no doubt by holding the scythe too tight the weather was intensely hot at the same time & I soon gave it up for those that it suited better
Today 25 July
I am very sore & expect to be more so by the time my journey is over to Battle Mountain I understand it will take one two days to get through the journey but I do not mind the riding in the Coach nearly as much as staying at those
miserable road side Houses – they are not a whip better appointed today than when I left here twenty three years ago & I still find there are generally a lazy loafing lot of fellows about waiting every opportunity to get a dig at one’s pocket without being seen at it. I am glad to hear from my brother that the loafing community have a dread of stealing for fear of being lynched as the last 2 men hung in this County were hung by the men living in this neighbourhood & after the authorities had discharged them as being not guilty. Charles Hambly my brothers second son was robbed of 75 dollars at one of those above named houses his pants was removed from under his head during the night he must have slept very sound more so than the writer has done for many years past – I guess I could have felt the sensation of having a much smaller article from under my head than it. July 26 I left Snake Ranch on horseback for Quincy to take the stagecoach for Reno thence to Battle Mountain but I found to my disgust that his, the owner of the coach, had not yet arrived from his former trip – & more than likely would not leave until Saturday 29 I had to return here Snake Ranch which went terribly against the grain but I had to put up with it & make the best of it & in coming back over the mountains between 8 & 10pm it was splendid moonlight should have missed my way sure had not David been with me. he knew every inch almost of the road beside his horse has been going over the same road for the last 10 years & doubtless knew it also & the road is only a narrow trail & in places nearly obliterated by being covered with the foliage from the fir trees. however, I managed to keep up tolerably well, but occasionally lost sight of my guide as new trees & horses look all alike in such places. the moon shining between the trees & casting their shadows made apparently an innumerable amount of trails more particularly when it the moon was at our back which in the journey of 5 miles we had to travel on every point in winding around the mountains. when as my brother said if we could fly home could get there in about 1½ miles in a straight line.
I shall not have much time to stay with the folks of Battle Mountain as I have to be in San Francisco by the 16thAugust and Mr. Doxy wished one to stay with them a week before leaving but shall not be able to do so I am afraid although from what David intimated to me I shall soon tire of Captain JR and I expect will spend the greater part of the time with Frank and wife. Mrs David Hambly speaks very highly of her – Mrs Frank Hambly, and Bessy Richards comes in for a good share of praise for being a good & also a handsome lady. I am sure to like her if that is so as you, Mrs William Hambly, know from your own personal experience that I am very fond of good-looking people and things, but I must confess I have not seen any of the first named – viz handsome women. Mrs Doxy is certainly a fine grown handsome woman according to some folks’ standards, but I do not think she will come up to Bessie from my idea of the photo I saw of her. However, if they are only removed from a Hambly they cannot help being good looking. You will endorse this sentiment, I think. Everyone is profuse in their praises of Frank Hambly as being a first-class young Man, handsome in person, splendidly made, good figure. David says that the young Josiah Richards is the handsomest young man he ever saw, however handsome faces is not much account if actions & ways do not correspond and from all account Captain Joseph is very much to blame for what his son is, being too severe with him & keeps him too distant & treats him as if he was a boy & consequently have sought other company than his own folks & took to drink, but I hear he has quit it & is now living home. I shall induce him to come down here if I can; he can earn from 50 to 75 per month here or from £3 to £3.10.0 per week to work in the mines. Charley, David’s son is earning $3 per day working in a saw mill (or 12/-) £3.12.0 per week. Wages for working men are double as good almost as they are in Victoria & were I one, I would not stay in Ballarat (?) hours – however perhaps his Father and Mother do not care about his leaving home but it is the best thing for him certain & it is more likely that Frank will leave from where they are now & Josiah Richards is more than likely to go with them, however I shall know more about it when I get up there when I will take notes of my observations (oh the blamed mosquitos, they are teasing me awfully I have knocked my specks off about 6 times during the last hour & cannot kill them all, they are whizzing & biting me from head to foot & I am obliged by night to cover my head & face all over with my pocket handkerchief in fact have to tie myself in a bag as it were and almost smother myself, but they do not mark me) – yesterday I went with my brother David over the mountain that raises up at the back of this place to a ranch called the Butterfly ranch on some business, rather disagreeable concerning impounding hogs – & before I got back 7 miles was dead beat being very hot from noon to 2pm & without a breath of wind. It is glorious weather not a cloud nor a drop of rain since I left San Francisco the 10th July nor do they expect any change until September. I am very tired today & very sore, but I think my general health is improved. I have not required a Scot since I came, I drink plenty spring water & milk and it is doing me good no doubt.
28th July.
Hay carrying is commenced today, broke the cutting machine yesterday & have to send several miles for a small trifle to get it repaired. It is very awkward here to get what is required often without going a long way for it. Hay is the principal crop grown here, being a dairy farm great quantities of hay is required to feed the cattle during the long winters in the mountains & the great quantities of water constantly running on to the land prevents grain from growing. Consequently, grass is the prevailing crop on the mountain farms a small piece of ground a little dryer than the bulk is appropriated to raising vegetables for the families – a great quantity of which a few years was sent to market for the use of the miners but the alluvial mines are supposed to be wrought out. Miners are gone out of the neighbourhood – & vegetables are not much required – although a good few companies are still sluicing away the immense deposits of gravel occasionally found running through the mountains being no doubt the oldest beds of rivers that existed previous to this country undergoing the great change it has done as we now see it. The present water courses are running the opposite direction to those old ones that are now being wrought by hydraulic water power brought around to them in ditches from a long way up those rivers heads where dams are made & the water brought around the sides of the mountains for scores of miles & cost fortunes to complete them. There is one company in this neighbourhood & Mrs Hambly boards one of the men connected with the ditch and also supply the men with great quantities of milk & butter.
Word is just brought here that the conveyancing will start from Quincy for Reno on Sunday morning at 8am. This journey will take two days; thence to battle Mountain a day & half so it will be Wednesday of next week before I will see any of them. A brother of Mr. Sommer, seed merchant Melbourne is living at Quincy. I took tea with Mrs. Sommer on Wednesday last did not see Mr. Sommer he being at work some distance from home, expect to see him on Sunday when I go in from here. Expects a message & letters to his brother to deliver to his seed shop in Swanston Street Melbourne.
From the 28th – 30th; nothing of importance happened on the ranch, hay cutting & saving is now rigorously being carried on & Mrs Hambly is still in a bad way concerning her hogs being still in the pound and $50 being demanded for their release. David is gone to Quincy today to consult a lawyer concerning the legality or otherwise of the transaction and I am afraid that before the affair is settled some rough work will be indulged in. Spiritism is being argued at all times or whenever a favourable opportunity occurs to push the thing. I have noticed on several mornings while at breakfast Mrs Hambly has
informed me that someone has been holding conversation with her through the night & that sundry scratchings have been indulged in to attract attention. Now be it known to all concerned that (whether intentionally or not) two squirrels that are confined all day invariably escape by night & run up & down the house at a great rate and make a great noise & scratch considerably. Now is it not possible for those said squirrels may be the spirits as heard by Mrs Hambly & conversed with, in imagination by her on subjects congenial to her will & wish, and I notice that the Jenkin family is paramount in all her communications and can say about them anything & everything she thinks fit & of very little importance or interest to anyone else.
On Saturday night 29 July my last on Snake Ranch I finished up my stay by being umpire in a foot race, but the American runners are not good at it and it was soon brought to a finish.Sunday morning 30 July I left the Ranch in company with my brother for Quincy to take the stage for the nearest approachable station on the Pacific Central RR. It was at our starting 5am very cold and a white frost was visible on the cut hay laying on the ground. I was glad to warm myself at the stove & Mrs. Hambly was up to give me a parting idea on the Saturday night spirit manifestation but I really forget now who it was we were honoured with on this night so the impression has not struck me very powerfully, her having much in it – & so we started with one horse between us, arrived about 7am, took breakfast with Mr. & Mrs. Sommer & after many wishes & kind words for my safe arrival home shook hands very hearty & away I started in a four horse Cobb Coach the driver of which used to drive on the Ballarat & Geelong road before the RR was opened, he was very good company and the Box seat was reserved for the distinguished Australian Visitor and we yarned over olden times on the road etc. We got on very well considering the roads which were thought to be good, but I pronounced vile in the extreme. We toiled & climbed up the sides of mountains until one would have thought intended a trip to the Moon or some other place high up, but change comes quick after & in a few minutes found us going down, down at a great rate & perhaps for half an hour would be descending at the rate of about 10 miles an hour. This state of things kept going on until we stopped at a Ranch kept by two bachelors & partook of dinner. There is a celebrated Quartz? Mine in this neighbourhood worked by an English company & is paying good dividends I believe. I would have gone over but the coach did not stay long enough & had to be satisfied by a distant look; are called the Eurekas, being a series of Mines. There are no others in the neighbourhood I believe that is any good. We left after a good wash & a good dinner for the second half of our Sunday’s journey to our resting place for the night. We arrived about 8pm, took supper & retired to the worst bed I had yet seen & not to sleep, the bed bug troubled me considerably & was glad when 4am was announced & to be up & leaving, & after paying my 1 dollar departed & the morning was so cold that I had to dismount after rising about 4 or 5 miles & walk & run the next 4 or 5 to get my blood to circulate at all. We arrived at the Summit House about 7am, had breakfast & was informed that we would be transferred to another coach to be taken to Reno, the nearest. We waited about until 2:50 before getting away but the ride was a splendid one in a very nice & handsome double 4 wheeled buggy & pair of fine greys. The road was intolerable but by going as fast the wheels seem to jump over the inequalities without much jolting or jumping. The surface over which we passed during this journey from where we slept on Sunday night has been covered by the celebrated Sage brush of the Early Emigrant I have heard so much about from David & his wife and others who came through in 49 & following years & the old trail was often pointed out to me as the one they passed over in coming over the plains to the Gold fields of Lower California. They must indeed have had a severe time of it, especially the women & children – with the dust from 1 inch to a foot thick in places.
We arrived in Reno, a station on the Railway about 7pm. This town is built on the Truckee river & Valley & a splendid location for a town. It is a very bustling place and seemingly a thriving town, & everything is very expensive here and 2/6 for Meals & 3/ for beds. I had almost made up my mind not to submit to the charges but was afraid I should get knocked up if I did not get some sleep. I was called up at 3am to go on by the train that had left San Francisco that morning at 8am. I found most of the passengers laying about the cars some sleeping & others trying to do so. I had a few short naps while sitting on the seats but did not take the trouble to make up a bed. I was glad when daylight came so could see the country and a more desolate uninviting country I never saw in my life, nothing but the everlasting sage brush. We were now in the once Celebrated by Early Emigrants, the Humboldt Valley & very PAGE TORN. We came to the Sink or Swamp as Australians would call it if the water covers a large extent of the country & at this place it sinks away & evaporates in the sand. I saw near here, steam rising on the plains on the other side of the river from a hot spring, it looked (SINGULAR?) indeed. The river of the same name formed itself between banks on a level with the plain or Valley and ran for scores of miles alongside the RR, but the river wound around & ran often from one side to the other & in a good few places ranches were made & hay Oats & Wheat were grown to a very limited extent.
The mountains in the distance were the Most Miserable & barren, one could not fancy anything could be so much so, not a tree or bush of any kind could be seen on them, but rocks heaped up, one pile upon another & still pile upon pile & often in a gorge facing the North could be seen snow left from the previous winter which was a severe one. We got to the Humboldt House a bright spot amidst desolation and proves what Man can do, by the aid of water and skill in laying out ground with trees & sowing artificial grasses and a most beautiful resting place & here we took breakfast & rested 45 minutes & met an Australian that had come over on the San Francisco, was going to Scotland with his son to a College.
We had a talk on things in general & Australia in particular. I knew he was an Australian by his Silk Coat & Helmet hat, my own Coat, and this one being the only two I had seen in the Country. They wear Roughbrown Holland ones instead, being in opposition to anything of the English style – arrived at Battle Mountain Station about 1:50pm, a miserable place indeed, still sage brush & bare mountains in the distance & left about 2:50 for this place. I found them all well, I came to the Mining town of Galena first, John is living here. I never saw such a likeness to another in my life as he is to what David was when he was the same age, his wife is a very nice woman but very thin indeed & have a plenty of hard work to do, which is good for her I believe. Their little girl is now about 18 months I think, fat & hearty, not much of a Hambly in looks – I stayed with them all Wednesday & yesterday Captain Joseph Richards heard that I had arrived on the evening of the 1st, they came in from their place about 3 miles further on, about 7 in the morning before I was up. Mary Ann stayed all day with me & the three of us had a considerable of a talk & Australia came in for a good share of commendation & your good self, Mrs Hambly, was not forgotten & all the youngsters were collectively & individually spoken of often. Captain Joe went back again after spending 2 hours with me. The next day, we, that is Frank, Mary Ann & self, went out to Willow Creek, passing their house at Copper Canyon to the concentrating works. We passed the day there in a bower made in amongst the willows growing near a small creek. Captain Joe showed me over the works which is quite an extensive arrangement. He is sanguine that it will be a success someday, but as yet it is not so to his satisfaction. We took dinner in a rough cabin in which the men eat & sleep that are working at the Mill, retired about 6 to Supper, there are no teas here by the way – but 3 dinners a day & the appetite is pampered with about 1 dozen different kinds of things got up by Chinaman in a very nice tempting style, but my appetite is not good enough to be tempted to eat much & I am quite sure I shall not PAGE TORN as well here as at David’s place. My appetite was good at Snake ranch, but the journey up here seems to have sent me back to the old style. Today, Friday, I am spending the day in company with my sister & her two daughters, they are very quiet in their manner exceedingly so, in fact too much so, but perhaps if I had been a little more lively, they would do, but you know my style & it is not possible to be anything else & be natural.
The two girls are grieving to go to San Francisco, but their father will not let them go down. Mrs Doxy wants them badly. Josiah the eldest son is a very naughty boy & has disgraced himself & his parents also. He does nothing but lay about the grog shops & other low places – drinking etc. The Mother or Daughters never mention his name to me, only as that “Josiah” done or said such & such a thing – there are two little girls, as well as Bessy & Bell at about 5& 9, & a boy between called Harold Rawlings Hambly Richards, their son Frank 10 years old died at Oaklands last year at a boarding school. I went out and saw his grave in the Masonic grave yard. Mary Ann grieves muchly about him; he was the pride of the family I hear. Tomorrow Captain Joseph intend staying home to show me about the mine – it is not much to see I am afraid & I don’t think it will last long. If the concentrating works do not succeed the whole will soon collapse. I intend staying here tomorrow Saturday 5th to Monday 7th & then with my brother at Galena the 8 & 9. It will take the next two days to land one in San Francisco the 10 &11 & shall then only two clear days in the City before leaving on the 14. I should like to stay one month longer – but duty prompts me to obey the call hasten home.
I forgot to mention that on my way from the Summit House to Reno the driver saw a Rattle Snake close to the road, he drew up the horses, I got down with two other passengers & found the reptile still in the same place & did not seem much inclined to skedaddle and seemed inclined to dispute possession. I gathered up three or four stones & gave it the benefit of a straight shot, hit him four a+ the neck just behind the head but it did not seem to kill him as he wriggled himself in around the stems of a sage brush & hid himself, but by a continual fire of stones he was at last disabled. I got the loan of the drivers whip & fetched it out & brought it to a smooth place, placed my heel on its head & wrenched off the rattles from his tail & have them now in my possession – I had been looking out hard & sharp since had been in the Country for this chance to kill one & was glad the opportunity had come to distinguish myself. I had killed several snakes at my brothers ranch, but they say the snakes there are not poisonous.
August 7 8 & 9. Have been spending the last 3 days at Galena with my brother Frank and Wife – I am persuaded over & over to stay longer but my first impressions of going home by the August Mail seem to stick home & will have to go down to San Francisco tomorrow – Thursday. Vessel leave on Monday have not much time to stay in the City. It will not be policy on my part to stay long in it on account of the Smell being prevalent, although it would not scare me. It is not pleasant to be mixed up with it. I fully expect the San Francisco steamers will be quarantined in Sydney which will be a great nuisance to one, anxious to get home, but I hope they will not be wanting to vaccinate the passengers, but after being done will be a further preventative against the scourge. Captain Joseph Richards & wife have decided to go down to San Francisco with me tomorrow but will stay at Sacramento City for 3 or 4 days. It will be pleasant to have company as it is a dreary miserable drive of nearly 500 miles – & the night ride will be tiresome in the extreme I am afraid. The journey here was from 3 in the morning to noon next day, but I had a sleep before starting which helped out the night.
I have enjoyed myself much since I have been here, went underground at the Mine and saw all that was of any consequence to see. Captain Joseph was very nice & agreeable with me, and ever since I have been here have been very agree with his Wife & family but I hear from his daughters & Mrs Richards that he has been very nasty & disagreeable with them at times, as for little cause, however they will have to fight it out to the end, and make the best of it. Off to San Francisco tomorrow morning 10am.
Wednesday Morning 10am left Galena from my brother’s house in company with Captain Joseph Richards, Wife – brother Frank & self in an express wagon & a splendid pair of horses belonging to Captain Richards, had to be at the Station, Battle Mountain by 12/50 a distance of 14 miles and over a very severe road. We were a very jolly party – jokes, fun & laughter was the order & the fact of our being two brothers & a sister riding together in this outlandish part of the world quite five hundred miles away from San Francisco which only a few years ago was the fighting ground of hostile Indians & from the name the place now bears. Battle Mountain is a strong evidence of its being what its name indicates = my brother informed me that once upon a time the Whites or American & European settlers in the Valleys on & around the base of the above-named Mountains undertook to whip the Indians for their continual harassing & murderous incursions amongst them. They, the whites, organised & met them in battle array, attacked them & a severe chastisement was the consequence having killed a great number. It had no doubt a salutary effect on them, for peace & goodwill, as ever since not the least trouble of any kind has been had with them. I was rather surprised on my way up from San Francisco to Battle Mountain to find the Indians travelling with us & both the up & down trains had quite a number on board, but they confined themselves to a (?) portion of the Cars & generally the one next the tender. The young & old alike travel & occasionally they ask for victuals & on the whole seem to get along with being objects of wonder to a great many more especially to Europeans travelling Californiaward. It is amusing to see the marked difference between the females in the matter of paint, the single ones being of a red ochre colour which no doubt to them is an attraction & an indication of a willingness to become wives, as they do not use it I understand, until willing & ready to become some young buck’s squaw & again become as black & often as ugly as nature could well afford to make them & it is notorious that often after becoming a Mother if it possible they age about 20 years & by the time they reach 30 are in appearance sixty. I saw them in all stages of life from the Papoose a month old slung on its Mothers back in a wooden tray with a wicker work roof fixed on one end of the machine to protect its head from the sun & weather – to the more mature boys & girls running around the cars hunting up victuals. The men as a rule are too dignified to beg except on particular occasions but are looking out for spirits & money at the Saloons & boarding houses along the line. They have (the men) learnt mostly the evil practices of the Whites and are great gamblers, will not work only to obtain a sufficient amount to buy a pack of cards, or a bottle of Whiskey. The women are often employed by the white Women in the neighbourhood to wash clothes, attend to babies & do other little jobs about the house, in the absence of the Doctor or nurse – they come in handy. Mrs Frank Hambly was wanting a squaw muchly during the time I was staying with them, but they were all away from the neighbourhood at the time. The nearest doctor lives about 30 miles from Galena & to get him to come so far to wait on a lady is quite an undertaking. Mrs Frank Hambly is very frightened she may want his services before getting away from the place. He is, her husband, looking around the Country for a better place to remove to before the winter set in, but are in hopes that the Mine will go to work again, when will be in a position to stay on & if any amount of men get employees, Doctors & other professionals will again come & settle amongst them, but at present the place is a deserted village & Captain Joseph Richards place about 4 miles further in the Mountains still. Is in a worse fix still as only about 6 or 8 men beside their own family is about the place & with nothing better to look at from morning to night but sky & mountain & an occasionally a straggler looking for work & none to do, a miserable country surely for a family such as Captain Joseph Richards is, no doubt he will get out of it as soon as an opportunity presents itself.
I mentioned in the beginning of this article our going to Battle Mountain Station on my way to San Francisco I might mention that on our road & within about 7 miles of the same a portion of the gear gave away & considerable ingenuity had to be exercised in order to allow the horses to get with us in time to catch the train which waits for no-one here, more than elsewhere seemingly, however brother Frank was equal to the occasion he found old rope, wood, nails etc and fixed the break so that we went on our way with the expectation of breaking down every minute, however we got through in good time with 30 minutes to spare. Got dinner at the Hotel, the best on the road price $1.00, took my ticket #32.00 to San Francisco, went aboard took my place & was calculating on my spending the night not very comfortable. Captain Joseph in the meantime had taken two tickets, for self & Wife, also two sleeping car tickets which cost him 9 dollars for one night for two persons. I told him before we got to the train that I should not take a sleeping car ticket & would just as soon sit up to see the country etc but he was kind enough (although I protested) to get one a ticket for a bed on the Celebrated Pullman palace sleeping cars, a distinction (?) which is impossible for me to describe, suffice to say it is magnificently got up – and everything that the most fastidious could desire. I retired about 9pm, took a short nap & finished with the sleeping part of the arrangement. The balance of the night I lay mostly with my head on my hand looking out of the window it being close to my pillow & had not to alter my position in bed. About midnight we had attained the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and it being a most magnificent night. The succession of Valley,
Hill & Mountain, our winding around the sides of the same almost coming back to where we started from on the cutting into the side of a precipice going around & around often twice before a holding on place could be found to get across one to the next one & finally (yanking) we entered the Snow Sheds, which I hear are 40 miles in length. In places they are broken down by the great weight of snow that accumulated on it during the former winter & in other places this wooden tunnel is being extended, the sight is truly grand in the extreme & was only sorry that it was not day light & could enjoy the full of it beauties. At the first blink of of daylight a little after 4am I was up & out on the platform. This fixing is a part of each car where they join each other & quite a number can stand on it & admire or otherwise the surrounding scenery. I took my position here and enjoyed the look out amazingly and amongst other sights was a Mountain Lake, how high I could not begin to say but it was a sight not to be forgotten. It must have been quite as large as our Wendouree & no doubt from the general conformation of the hills and Mountains is an extinct crater – but immense fir trees is growing all around its margin, should have much liked to have a day to explore the neighbourhood, but in a few minutes we were away, away on the off side of the Mountain flying along almost at lightning speed & during the morning before breakfast time passed several large mining towns, notably Dutch Flat & is wrought by hydraulic water power & mountain sides & tops have been washed away & is still being done so & profitably so I hear – I certainly should prefer to live here if had the choice of Countries to begin life again here is every kind & condition of life; Mountain & Valley, rough & smooth with Orchards & Vinearys & fruit of every kind in its season & the winters not very severe being lower down than the country passed through of Snow Shed noted previous. On & on over rickety bridges, one in particular I noticed the train came almost to a standstill & only went up at a walking pace and the creaking & groaning & the watching of the guards – & men placed along the line indicated too well that danger in the first degree is anticipated some time or other & was right glad when we got over safely. About one thousand chinamen are employed here moving earth from an adjoining Mountain to shorten the span over the Ravine a new iron bridge being about to be erected near the present one (TMay?) It be fixed & in working order before the present wooden one give way & kill 2 or 3 hundred people should be the prayer of every one.
Reached Colfax, a nice Mountain Town about 8am breakfasted here – 75 cents, prices coming down as we come down from the peaks, but snow can be occasionally seen in the sheltered nooks facing the North consequently the air is keen & bracing. Grapes, peaches & apples can be bought here for 10c/lb & very nice fruit indeed it is – stayed about 30 minutes when all aboard was sounded & rattled away with a winding & around first to the right & then to the left with an occasional turn about the Engine seem to be coming back again & before this bend would be completed a turn again the other side would be in course of being accomplished until one would be reminded of the old saw of two crooks make one straight but the cars seem to be admirably constructed to stand this strain as they seem to keep straight on the track as the wheels are rounding the curves and accidents are rare in this department. We arrived at the Celebrated Cape Horn about 10am, the train was brought to a standstill in order to allow the passengers a chance to see the finish but of scenery along the whole (?) the road here is made close to a precipice & is 1,500 feet above the bed of the American river. The surrounding view of Mountain & valley is grand in the extreme & after taking a good look we proceed down towards the Valley, glimpses of which we often get after a long & tedious journey we arrive at Sacramento City. Stayed here about ½ hour saw a little of the place but towns do not attract my attention half to what the country does & returned to the Station waiting to be off. Left Captain Joseph & wife here. Down the Valley was exceedingly monotonous & was right glad when the City was in sight – arrived at Mr Doxey’s at 6-50 in good time for dinner, found them all well and expecting me. San Francisco had no attraction for me & was anxious to be away home.
Sunday Evening. 7pm Mary Ann & Captain Joseph Richards arrived at the Doxeys from Sacramento City, she was much improved in health & was much better altogether since I met with her & this journey down to San Francisco seem ed to renew her wonderfully and her kindness to me has been such to be held in remembrance the longest day I live & Captain Joseph Richards has done everything to make one comfortable that a Man could possibly do and Mr. & Mrs. Doxey has done everything that lay in their power to make this visit to them agreeable to me & had he more time would have devoted it to the showing me the sights of San Francisco but at home & everywhere when out he was ever attentive to my enjoying myself & it was my fault if anything was wanting in order to its accomplishment and both Mr. & Mrs. Doxey on several occasions expressed how much she be pleased to see you, Mrs. Hambly, in San Francisco as by the way I have spoken of you to them & Mrs. B I think have written of you that they think you are a duck of a woman that everybody could respect and love. I told them all they had not better do it, for I wanted to do all that myself, they told me I was selfish. I retorted by informing them that we had agreed to do it & could not break the contract, I said a good deal more about you & concerning you, as to how we agreed & differed to agree again, but
never quarrelled under any other circumstances, only to love each other the better for it and the older we got the more stupid we got over each other – all this little talk I believe did have a very marked effect on Captain Joseph Richards for a more kindly mannered & nicely spoken man towards his wife I have rarely seen & he must be a bad man indeed if he can repeat the unkindness to her again reported of him by Mary Ann herself & confirmed by her daughters & endorsed by my brother Frank & he knows quite well I have been informed of it all, by condemning his wife for not showing & practicing more affection & love for him.
I charged her with this and told her it was his greatest grief and trouble in life seeing others being cuddled & petted and he had to go without it and was a continual source of regret to him. She, Mary Ann, said that it was the cuddling & fussing the nurse gave him during the time he was sick in San Francisco before his wife out, and since that time he has been an altered in every respect; she says that everything is done for him that should make a man comfortable in his home but he seems very much satisfied with her style or manner of treatment to him but I think I can divine where all the trouble comes in which shall not be mentioned here, however I gave them both good and wholesome advice – told them how happy and comfortable we got on together – also how we managed with our children so as not to lose their respect and love and I have reason to hope our little tete a tete has resulted in some good for them both if not to be the perfect reconciliation.
He, Captain Joseph Richards returned home on Tuesday the 15th being summoned by telegram from Battle Mountain by his Daughter that one of the Directors had arrived on the Mine and required his attendance. I wished him goodly on Tuesday morning and all sorts & conditions of good wishes were exchanged on both sides for each other, our families & for you in particular, and if you did ever come over would put you in the corner cupboard to take care of you. All hands seem & desire muchly to see you. On the evening of the same day, William Hambly, brother David’s son and wife arrived at Mr Doxeys from San Jose on their way to his fathers to spend the Winter & perhaps to finally settle there which would have been done long ago if it had been for his mother’s violent temper but I gave him & his wife both some good wholesome advice which if carried out will get along with her – but – I hear his, William’s, wife is very spithy & is not likely to get along for very long. He, William is going to try to get his father away from it & come to San Francisco to live but she, Mrs Hambly told me that she would never leave the ranch alive. They are both getting too old now to work hard & should give it up to the boys, but they are both very hardy & still accomplish a deal of labour & spiritism. William Hambly is a smart young man & seem to get along at almost any thing for a while but do not settle down to any one thing in particular. But if his mother would bridle her tongue, they, David & him, could get along fine & a good living for the whole of them could be made comfortably & how they will get on will remain to be seen, (?) this they are on the Ranch. On Wednesday 9am I embarked on board the San Francisco bound for Sydney & did not leave with (?) one of the Vilest Cities except New York on the American Continent.
Today Saturday 19th August everything going on first rate, fine weather, my health is tolerable after 2 days (que?) splendid accommodation & agreeable company & from all appearances shall have a prosperous voyage.
affectionately WH
on board S.S. SAN FRANCISCO
Wednesday morning August 23rd. Everything connected with the Ship going on very agreeable, running on an average about 11 miles an hour & expect to be at Honolulu by tomorrow about noon when will stay about 24 hours to take in Coal, discharge cargo etc am very anxious to get on.On Sunday last attended Church when a young Church of England Minister officiated and acquitted himself very creditably – preached a very good sermon indeed. He has a wife & family on board, the wife has been sick from our leaving until yesterday, she came on deck with quite a young baby. It is a great loss to young children to be left without the Mother’s care even for a few days. This young Minister is not accustomed to children evidently, they have dirty faces & look dirty all over which is quite useless & unnecessary, there being every accommodation for washing & cleaning them –
Had a large & Aristocratic assemblage & everyone conducted himself or herself very decorously – although I believe there were some that came from the gaming table & retired to it as soon as service was over – I have been invited to take a (WORD OMITTED) on several occasions but have always declined having fully made up my mind on leaving home never to play cards & with the exception of taking a glass of Wine with Mr. Doxey on say 3 or 4 occasions have not tasted liquor since leaving Sydney & do not intend doing until I arrive home. Have often wished for a glass of our Ballarat Ale. I tasted some Humboldt beer at my brothers place but one mouthful was quite enough. It was worse tasted than what you send back to Mr. Duncan as sour & I have heard that it is considered, this Humboldt stuff, to be good & the best bad indeed must be the worst.
Nothing of interest has transpired during the last week to call for special attention here, the most notable event was the fire alarm, but it did not create any amount of fear seemingly. One female seemed to be very anxious to find out which boat she had to get into & looked quite bewildered for a while but finally she got over her trouble & settled down quietly. This young hussy is migrating from San Francisco to Honolulu for purposes not very creditable to her etc. She flaunts herself about and around amongst the passengers and after dark she makes herself well known by accosting those who she thinks might probably be tempted but do not think she drives a very brisk trade as all that I have spoken to concerning her is disgusted at her boldness & general behaviour.
We were allotted during the last week our (mos) for the boats & rafts in case of accidents or fire. I found that I had been allotted Raft No 2. Those rafts are splendid arrangements & consist of two India rubber bags & are covered by very strong canvas coverings fitted by & with seats, lashed very firmly, secured by ropes & all seemingly fit & capable of standing any amount of rough weather. Each of the bags or cylinders is provided with a bellows to inflate the same should they become exhausted but I trust we shall not be unfortunate enough to ever require them; are very good to look at but to use not pleasant things more than as lifesaving we have also provided us & is placed under our pillows a life preserver in shape of a vest or jacket & no doubt would keep one above the water for a considerable time. I find my appetite is tolerable good. We breakfast at 9am a rather late hour but anyone requiring coffee earlier can have a cup by 7 but I decline taking any for reasons you are aware of no doubt. Lunch is announced at 1pm & is virtually a dinner to all ends & purposes, and as such no one could object to, except the most exacting. Dinner at 6. This is the great meal for excellence of the Americans, but I fail to see but very little difference in it to the lunch so called. Again at 8/50 the gong announces Tea or Coffee to those requiring a stimulant before retiring to bed. I find the most patronising it are the Ladies, but I never indulge.Friday September 1st. Nothing of importance have transpired either amongst the passengers personally or collectively to call for any special comment. I find we have on board, a Mr. Fry from Ballarat, a young man with more money than brains & is just returning from a continental tour; he has been interest me by his adventures in Italy, Germany & France but I wondered how he could find his way about not being able to speak the language of either of the above named countries but I found that he had companions which accounted for the Milk in the Cocoanut – he asked me point blank what my name was, I jibed a second to inform him but I was not ashamed of it & gave it & where I lived etc & said he knew the shop quite well & would call on us when he came back. He intends staying one Month at the Fiji Islands, do not think he is a good representative Fry of the old stock & a little more frying would not have done him any material injury I guess however will leave him to fry his own fish wherever he may be.
During the last week games of different kinds & qualities has been got up by some of the youngers of the Gent passengers such as leap frog, jumping, climbing up the riggings, feats of strength and numerous other boyish pastimes to while away a few hours & to relieve the everlasting monotony of (?) yarning sailor & other stories. I did not go in for any of the games not but what I could do with ease the greater part of them but there was an amount of risk & danger of hurting one’s self in the doing that for others gratification. I did not care to risk breaking my arm or leg or perhaps my neck therefore most respectfully declined the invitation to perform – no thank you – but one evening just before dinner I saw a rope hanging down from a spar placed in a horizontal position on the upper deck. Several gents were about after the sports had been brought to a finish. I, without premeditating doing it, caught hold of the rope as high up as I could reach, which having a long reach gave me an advantage, I drew myself up by the shear strength of my arms & touched my head to the spar or beam. Seeing me do this several directly tried it & but one could accomplish it. I was immediately written down as an athlete and invited to go in for other games all of which I declined and have not since been asked.
We have had quite a musical treat this morning. Madam Jennie Claus the celebrated French Violin performer who came on board at Honolulu gave us a mornings entertainment in connection with the Piano, played by a young married lady who could speak French fluently. They got on admirably & received great applause. Madame Claus is a very little lady short & stout & not a good figure by any means is travelling alone & for pleasure I believe, but no doubt this report is incorrect for purposes not understandable but no doubt she will turn up one of these days to come on to the Australias. She is unaccompanied by any male or female
companions, agents or other hangers on. She goes bareheaded on board & have not seen any covering of any kind on her head since on board, have a mop of hair like a man more than anything she certainly not like an English woman & not by any means becoming a woman say 30 years old. Saw land a few days since our weather, found it to be Newyork Island, small & uninhabited, expect to see land again on Sunday and on Tuesday expect to be in Kandavu our port of rest for perhaps a day or perhaps less we shall part here with our New Zealand passengers who will be transhipped to the City of Sydney and the very few left for Sydney N.S.W. I hope will make a quick & prosperous voyage to that place. The sea has been a little more agitated on the return Voyage than the one up to Frisco but nevertheless very fine.
We arrived at Kadavu Fiji on Thursday 7th September quite two days after our time. We did not remain long here, arrived about 9am and left about noon the City of Sydney Steamer had been waiting for us about a week, was ready to leave at the same time for Auckland and other New Zealand ports and came on after us down the Channel. It was a grand sight to see a 3,000-ton steamer coming along after us steaming at about 12 miles an hour. We kept company until our boats diverged & each took its respective track and in about 2 hours was lost to each other’s sight. While in port & during the time the mail bags were being transhipped it rained only as it knows how to in the tropics & for 2 hours it came down a deluge. It was fine during the Evening & by sun down we lost sight of the Westernmost Point of land of the Island of Kandavu & fairly on our way to Sydney. From Honolulu to Fiji nothing of importance happened the forever & even style of life seem to have taken possession of the ship, and her living freight & all & every style of amusement seem to have been exhausted & reading was the only thing that could be done to while away the time. Our few hours at Kandavu was a great relief to us all. It is a most beautiful little place as a harbour – the hills are covered with a dense scrub & with palm, cocoa & other trees & an occasional native hut peeping out from amongst them & the canoes skimming over the water going & coming from the ship to the village looked pleasing, every hill looked green here, a marked difference to Honolulu in this respect but the natives did not have much to sell to those on our ship – the Zealandia had been here on her way to San Francisco and the limited quantity of everything the Natives produce was no doubt bought up by the passengers of that ship which had come up from New Zealand & on to Frisco, however I did not purchase anything, my not having any American Coin & not wishing to have any I declined changing gold for American silver & English silver could not be get on board at Kandavu; distance run from
San Francisco to Honolulu 1760 miles
Honolulu to Kandavu 3790 ditto
Kandavu to Sydney 2050
Miles 7600
or – 15,200 Miles there & back &
say 1200 miles to Melbourne & Sydney & back
& say 1060 ditto to Battle Mountain & back
& say 200 ditto to Ballarat to Melbourne & back
will make up the respectable distance of
17,660 Miles which I hope will be the last seventeen thousand miles I will travel for some time to come if ever. From Thursday 7th to this day the 13 we have had very miserable weather, indeed more particularly so during the last two days viz Tuesday & Wednesday. Last night it blew a gale and the ship was pitching and toppling about considerably but nevertheless rides it well. It is well for us that we are not on a Small craft.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE FAMILY OF WILLIAM SAMUEL RAWLINGS HAMBLY ~ BALLARAT
Left to right: Richard Squire Hambly, David Netherton Hambly, John Frances Charles Hambly, William Rundell Hambly, Frank Netherton Hambly.
Front row, left to right: Lucie Hambly, Marion May Hambly, William Samuel Rawlings Hambly, Susannah Netherton Hambly, Maud Mary Hambly
miles of irvings 
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