April 12, Friday: Roads impassable. We lost our connection and had to lay up two days.

April 14, Sunday: Took a view of the Tuscumbia spring, the finest I ever saw. Came very near changing from the overland route. The Geo Co. left us in the evening. It was to me a day of much anxiety, the difficulties of our undertaking beginning to stare us in the face and the impossibility of deciding which is the best route to take.

April 15, Monday: Wrote to Calvin and Elizabeth. Heard the most frightful reports of cholera and small pox on our route. Left Tuscumbia about sundown with six passengers crowded into a small coach with two narrow seats but had good teams and got along very well riding outside part of the night, it being clear and pleasant.

April16, Tuesday: Pass through a poor piney country most of the way, bad roads, leaky coach, teams and drunken driver. Had to get out in the mud many times during the day. Reached Holley Springs, Miss. About 1 o’clock at night. It is a pleasant little town in the midst of a fertile country. Slept a short time. Rainy.

April 17, Wednesday: Left Holley Springs at daylight. During the day had a careful driver, a fine coach, splendid teams and awful roads. Met great numbers of teams to and from Memphis, loaded with cotton and merchandise and many reports of cholera and small pox. Reached town about sun down, put up at the Commercial Hotel and after getting some supper, washing and shaving felt like a new man.

April 18, Thursday: Passed the day in anxious watching for a boat. Visited the navy yard which when completed will be f fine place, main building 1470 feet long all enclosed by fine walls, has a splendid garden, battery of 14 guns. Had one of the finest dinners I ever sat down to.

April 19, Friday: Spent another day in vainly watching for a boat.

April 20, Saturday: Went on board the Western World about 2 a.m. and started again on our journey after an unexpected delay of nearly 60 hours.

April 21, Sunday: Passed Lake Providence and Vicksburg during the day. Saw many plantations under water.

April 23, Tuesday: Had a dense fog during a portion of the night and did not reach the steamboat landing New Orleans until about 8 A.M. Called on Dr. Gilbert, made my exchange, was advised by all to take a sailing vessel and not a through ticket. Learned about 2 P.M. that the J.W. Dyer was to sail at sundown. Bought a ticket and made all haste in getting an outfit which we completed and got on board a little before sundown. Our friend S. here commenced in earnest a course which if not changed must prove his ruin. There were many fine buildings going up in the city and many indications of improvement.

April 24 to May 1: Reports unfavorable winds, little progress, much seasickness.

May 1, Wednesday: Mad a fair run during the day but lay by at night with a strong wind exactly in our favor, causing not little cursing among the passengers.

May 2, Thursday: Passed Cape St. Antonia in the morning and a man of war, causing our Captain much trouble to keep his passengers out of sight. Lay her becalmed most of the day. Caught a large Spanish mackerel.

Again little progress is reported

May 10, Friday: Saw two large waterspouts in morning, a grand sight; a little fight at the breakfast table, another squall and little progress, the usual amount of gambling. Query: will none of these gamblers need the money they are losing and spending for wine, brandy, eggs, etc., before reaching San Francisco? Saw two whales.

May 16, Thursday: Beat about the coast all day and still unable to find Chagres. The mountains of the Isthmus present a grand appearance.

May 17, Friday: After a most tempestuous night and some difficulty with the mate, we early in the morning fell in with a vessel Broom bound to the same port and had the good fortune to find the long looked for Port of Chagres. Came to anchor about 9 o’clock. Paid $1 for being carried on shore. Town on a low beach, Americans on the right and natives on the left hand bank. Native houses are mean huts covered with leaves. Paid 10 cents each for a boat to carry us up to Gorgona. Passengers Smith, Wm V Roberts, John Enders, Moor and myself. Boat heavy loaded. Left about 1 P.M. Nothing dangerous about the town. Went about 12 miles to Gattoon, river not rapid here, scenery along the banks most delightful.

May 18, Saturday: Gattoon, a native town built in the usual rude way, all gamble and smoke. Coffee dime a cup, 2 dimes for the privilege of sleeping on the ground, a thousand strange noises and little sleep. Arose at 3 A.M. and soon started up the river, which grew more rapid and difficult. Scenery still more delightful than the day before. Coconuts and lemons in the greatest abundance. Stopped two miles short of our proposed place. Super 25 cents bulls hide to sleep on for 50 cents.

May 19, Sunday: After sleeping most soundly on the bulls hide and wet clothes prepared for a start at daylight and found the river much higher and still more difficult. By walking, paddling and hiring reached Gorgona a little before night after many a narrow chance of being turned with our baggage into the river. Our walk was a most delightful change from our cramped situation in the boat; the size of cane almost beyond belief. Nothing wanted but industry and enterprise to make this one of the most delightful and productive countries on earth. Most of the day passed without once thinking of its being Sunday. Made part of my supper on hard bread and raw ham. Went to a native fandango, made a little shelter on a bar of the river and after bathing in its waters, went to bed or rather laid down on the pebbles of the beach. Overtook our company.

May 20, Monday: Gorgona situated on a high bluff bank on the left hand side about 45 miles from Chagres. Quite a native town. Some improvements. Every house a grocery or liquor shop. Paid 75 cents for breakfast, hired a native to carry my baggage for $5. Went with him to his house, was politely asked to take a seat, while he fastened my things together to carry on his back. Started about 9 o’clock on the dreaded road to Panama. The sun was hot but it soon commenced raining and had heavy showers though the day, through the mountain scenery was so beautiful as to make one forget the hardships of the route. Looked in vain for the dreadful places we had to pass. Reached the halfway house before night 13 ½ miles. Washed our boots and pants, gathered wood and built a big fire. Dried my wet clothes. Paid $1 for a bad supper, 2 dimes for sleeping in a pigpen.

May 21, Tuesday: Sent part of our company ahead to engage a passage on a steamer if possible, had 13 ½ miles travel to reach the city and as on the day before, walked alone with my little native, teaching him to count and some English words. Drank from the mountain streams. Reached the Cruces Road, 21 miles from Gorgona, a paved road built by Spain, about 6 feet wide, now broken up in many places. About 12 o’clock reached an elevation from which we at once saw the ancient city of Panama and the vast Pacific. Reached the city about 12 o’clock and for the first time entered a walled town. Put up at the New England Hotel $1.50 per day. Found there was no chance on board a steamer so I intend to rest awhile.

May 22, 1850, Wednesday, Panama: Remarks on my trip to this place. Was fortunate in starting to Memphis instead of Nashville, being much more unpleasant, more expensive and no saving of time. Brought more baggage than was necessary. Again, in New Orleans bought a revolver, useless so far and was most unfortunate in taking a sailing vessel instead of a through ticket on Howland’s and Aspinwall’s line which could have been obtained at regular rates but followed the advice of those in whom I thought I could depend. At Chagres took too small a boat and suffered it too heavy loaded and to go up without a steersman, thereby causing unnecessary trouble and delay. Should have brought some $40 in dimes, thereby saving from 10 to 20% in exchange. But still, am as yet, very far from regretting that I have started. Though I have had some hard ships they amount to little when compared with what I expected to endure and have seen enough to repay me for all and more too. And the delay here would hardly be tedious but for the thought that I have left home, wife and child to go to a far off country to make that which shall render us comfortable and happy.

May 22, Panama City: Found the town crowded to excess with no good chance of getting away and in a state of excitement owning to a recent disturbance in which two Americans and some natives were killed and that I ran a very great risk in coming most of the way by myself.

May 23, Thursday: Bought a ticket on a steamship Sarah Sands 2^nd cabin for which I had to pay the round sum of $310 rendering my pocket quite light.

June 9, Sunday: Spent the week in looking most anxiously for our boat. Though so long delayed beyond my expectations, I still succeeded in keeping in good spirits and bore my delay patiently in the hopes that every hour would bring us the news of the arrival of our vessel until Sunday when the Isthmus arrived from San Francisco, leaving May 15 at which time the Sarah Sands had not been heard of, which will prolong our stay at this place till the first of July certain and how much longer we know not. The passenger’s accounts unusually discouraging. This news had the tendency to depress my spirits to a considerable extent in spite of all my efforts to the contrary. Smith left the 5^th.

June 11, Tuesday: Billy and I bought some tools for $18 to go to work.

June 12, Wednesday: Commenced work at $3 and $3 ½ per day and were placed on the north side of a building and the day being clear we found it most excessively hot but got through the day tolerably well.

June 15, Saturday: Felt quite unwell in the morning but went to work and continued till 3 o’clock and quit with a most severe pain in my head and some fever and much fear that my work will cost me very dearly. Amt $10.50

June 18, Tuesday: Still suffering with a sever pain in the head with much fever. Our boat does not come and putting all together I am about as near being discouraged as I wish to be and to say the least I would like to be able to place myself at home a few days to get well, to get something fit to eat and some good water to drink.

June 19, Wednesday: Still, quite unwell, find it impossible to remove the pain from my head, have a very sore neck and a severe pain in my left shoulder with some fever in the evening which put with our long detention here makes me about as near homesick as I wish to be.

June 21, Friday: The steamer Oregon arrived from California 250 passengers and about 3,000,000 gold bringing word that the Sarah Sands had got out of coal and was not there June 15 so we may not look for her any before the 5^th of July if then. From reports miners not doing very well when they left. Getting some better.

June 22, Saturday: Went to work in the New York Restaurant but not much liking the business quit dishwashing, etc. At night had another of those disgraceful fights.

June 26, Wednesday: Went to working taking up a floor in the forenoon, in the evening laid down floor. Stood it all appearances very well.

June 27, Thursday: Worked during the forenoon very well and an hour after dinner but was compelled to quit with strong indications of an attack of my old and most painful disease (probably kidney stones) which a dose of laudanum soon removed and felt quite well.

June 28, Friday: Awoke about 3 o’clock in the morning and found myself suffering with a severe pain in my side which soon changed to its old location and I found myself suffering again with that dreadful pain without any sure means of cure. Took two large pills of opium, kept hot bricks upon the painful spot and steamed considerably but removed not the pain only by spells when it would return as severe as ever. Thus I suffered with little cessation for five days when the medicine and together things stopped the severe pains and without the expense of calling in a physician. I am not fully determined to expose myself no more by working in Panama as it costs me such intense suffering. Though free from pain, I find myself almost too weak to stand. Had I known before leaving home what I would have had to endure even thus far on my journey I never would have left and if I can end this trip with any good success, my place in future is home.

July 6, Saturday: Columbus arrived from San Francisco bringing news that the Sarah Sands had not left June 18 so we may still make up our minds for a still longer sojourn in Panama which place I am so very anxious to leave. Still very weak.

July 7, Sunday: Spent part of the day in reading the Bible and in the evening heard part of a sermon on the Battery from Pat Brier.

July 8 & 9, Monday and Tuesday: Too weak to stir about much. Hungry all the time.

September 20, Friday: Rose at dawn, got a hasty breakfast and with pan and spade again made my start on that by many considered unlucky day, Friday. Took a look at the diggings which were enough at least to make one wish himself comfortably at home. Mr. Roberts being unable to go with me showed me how to wash in a pan the result of a hard day’s work about $1.

September 22, Sunday: Spent in reading a little in my Bible posting up my books and wandering over the high hills. Billy worse and taking all together have a very dark prospect before us.

October 6 to 13, Fifth Week: Carson Creek, California. Went to work in a old hole given me by Mr. Johnson in company with Mr. Sutton. In 3 days made $34 which enabled Roberts to start for Stockton which he did Saturday, October 19, thus leaving me alone and almost destitute of both money and provisions as I let him have nearly all. Saturday did a very hard day’s work, made $10 but felt quite lonesome on being left entirely by myself in this wild country.

November 23 to 30, 1851. Went to Sonora. Sent home by Adams & Company 53 oz at $16 per oz.

April 1, 1852: He left on the steamship S. Cortes but kept no record. His trip this time was via the Cape and he landed in New York, visited his parents in Ohio before going to his family in Alabama.