GEORGE GOSS LETTERS Steamer Promeatheus Oct 15th 1851

Dear Parents

My last was dated the 8th since which we have met with a variety of incidents 
which I shall detail but you no doubt wish to know how I am! I am well and 
have been dureing the entire voige. it agrees with me first rate and I think 
my lungs will not trouble me much I have no cough nor any pain in them and 
have not been seasick in the least but I do not like our living on water which 
is very warm. Mr Goodell is well he has not been much sick but to return to our 
journey our wounded friend was landed at Lewistown. his wound is not dangerous! 
we left Deleware Bay about 10 o clock on Thursday morning and reached our old 
rout about Noon when it began to blow which made our boat rock and soon they 
began to heave up Jonah and Friday morning 1/2 our company are spewing and the 
rest with a few exceptions not much better. the wind continues to rise and at 
sunsett it is a severe gale and nearly all on board are sick about 10 o clock 
we shiped a heavy sea which covered the after deck two feet with water and we 
are in no very pleasant situation I can tell you with the water over our heads 
and runing down the cabin stairs and the Ladies screeming like fury it continues 
to blow and rain all night but this morning (Saturday) it begins to calm down a 
little and stop raining and before

page2 midnight it is quite still again but some of our crew think we were in 
considerable danger but the most which I feared was that of falling as I kept on 
my feet nearly all the time waiting upon one and another. Sunday 12th it is fair 
and all but 5 or 6 are on the gain nothing of importance today has happened. 
on Monday we saw land about 3 P.M. which prowed to be the Island of Maggwassna
(difficult to read but might be what is now known as the Turks and Caicos) North 
of St Domingo Johnathan Clifford is sick with the diarrhoea he has been sick ever
since we left New York but never told of it till now.

Tuesday 14th we made St Domingo this morning at sunrise it is very calm today 
Mr Clifford is much worse this morning and it not expected he will live. he 
continues to grow worse and died this afternoon at 3 o clock of diarrhoea we 
buried him after a short service at 6 beneath the wave thus one of our number 
is gone and in one short week after leaving our Native land it has cast a gloom 
over our whole party which I trust will teach us a lesson of sad experience 
not soon to be forgotten. our Phisician thinks if his case had been known in season 
he would have recovered but who can tell we now can only be the more carefull in future
wich I trust we all shall and take every small complaint in the begining

We have had a fine view of St Domingo as we have been in sight of land the entire 
day and sometimes so near that we could see Natives on shore or in their boats along 
the coast. the Island appears hilly and sandy covered with shrubs and trees 
looking cool green and very pleasant 

page3 Wednesday 15th it very calm and pleasant today and our Capt says we shall reach 
San Juan (now San Juan del Norte) on Friday morning I have nothing more of importance 
to write now and perhaps here is as much as you will get time to read for you see by 
my writing that I have a very pleasant sprining place to write but I think you would 
like too know something about the company which are on board well we have a motley set 
of passengers Negroes, Spainards, French New Yorkers, & New Englanders in all about
---. we have about 40 Ladies and about 20 children there are two Ladies from Woodstock
Vermont on board who go to join their husbands one a merchant at Sacrimento and the 
other a Capt at San Francisco and both quite wealthy it is said. I have formed some 
acquaintance with these Ladies they are very pleasant and sociable and serve to 
remind me often of the girls in old Vermont. I have conversed with several of our 
passengers who have been to California and are now returning with their families they 
all speak of it as a healthy place and say that anyone who is strong and industrious 
is almost shure to do well there is a Doctor from Maine who had been there 2 years he 
thinks we had better go to the Southern mines this winter, he is now going to keep a public
hous on the Isthmus They say it is hard fare in the Stearage and almost all wish they 
had come in the cabin but I do not like our living there very well for breakfast we 
have 8 or 10 kinds of meetes and fish such as fresh pork, Lamb, beef salt and fresh 
boiled & fried, salmon, mackerel, fresh fish Oisters lobsters, etc with Tea, coffee, 
Biscuit & butter etc etc

page4 for dinner nearly the same round of meets and potatoes with puddings, pies,
Nutts, Resins, apples, etc which comes at the very fashionable hour of 3 PM. for 
supper we have the same round of meets with warm biscuit sauce cake etc and all cooked 
by black greasy wooly headed Negroes - but that we could get along with if we could 
only have that spring of good water to home ours is like dish water seasoned with 
red pepper do send us some of our water when you write at least sprinkle some on your 
letter. I am writing on the dining room table which the waiters want to set for dinner 
so you see I must stop 

October 17th We are all well and shall reach San Juan this evening and start up the river
(Rio San Juan) tomorrow my health continues to improve Sam'ls well as ever and we are all 
in good spirits all is confusion and hurry today so that I cannot write at all. say a kind 
word from us to all our friends and write us when you can give the inclosed to Mrs Goodell 
and look for our next from California

Now good by one and all 
Geo Gofs