On this day in 1849, regular steamboat service to California via Cape Horn arrived in San Francisco for the first time. The SS California left New York Harbor on October 6, 1848. Four months and 21 days later she arrived in San Francisco, bringing a wave of gold-rushers by sea.

The Way West.

One If By Land... The most common land route used by the 49ers to reach California began at Independence, Missouri and ended some 2,000 miles and six months later at Johnson's Crossing, near Wheatland, in Yuba County, California.

Two If By Sea... By sea, the distance was longer, depending on whether the route was around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, or via transit across the Isthmus of Panama. The Panama route proved to be the easiest and was often favored over the land route for the return trip home by Americans.

Back to the Ship. The SS California was the first to make the Cape Horn Route. The ship itself was designed with utility in mind. The hull was reinforced with diagonal iron straps to withstand the pounding of the paddle wheels. Though rigged with three masts and sails, wind was only meant to be only an auxiliary source of power. The California was expected to carry a full head of steam at all times while underway.

Setting Sail... or Making Steam. The steamer departed from New York under the command of Captain Cleveland Forbes. The California and her crew of 36 left with 500 tons of coal ~ all she could carry. Also on board were provisions to last a year, a complete set of spare machinery, and a handful of passengers headed for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Valparaiso, Chile.

South of the Equator... The California crossed the equator, arriving in Rio de Janeiro in just 26 days. On December 12th, after crossing the Strait of Magellan, the California and her crew began the journey north, through the Pacific, headed for Callao, Peru..

Word on the Street. When the ship arrived on , December 27, word had spread about the Gold Rush. The ship's agent persuaded Captain Forbes to take on 17 cabin and 80 steerage passengers, each eager to search for gold in California.

Gold Fever. By the time the ship reached Panama on January 17, 1849, there were at least 700 gold seekers eagerly waiting to board. When they learned that the steamer had already taken on passengers in Peru, a near riot erupted.

Berth-Swapping. The mob, armed with revolvers and knives, demanded that the foreigners be removed and replaced with native-born Americans. The agent finally ordered the Peruvians to sleep on the deck; all available beds were given to the new passengers.

On the Sea Again... The California departed on January 31, this time with 365 passengers ~ almost twice the number she had been designed to carry ~ and all the coal she could hold. Two gold-seekers occupied each bunk; every inch of deck space was taken.

Acapulco. On February 9, the steamer entered Acapulco to replenish its supply of fresh water. Everyone on board took advantage of the chance to go ashore and stock up on private stashes of food. They practically wiped the town out of fruit, bread, and sugar supplies.

Hard Days at Sea. Back at sea, the captain had to deal with an insubordinate crew, a stowaway, and a dangerously low supply of coal. He was forced to order that all available wood on board be used to feed the furnace, from bunks to bulkheads. Fortunately 100 sacks of coal were found. The coal powered the California as far as Monterey, where the ship took on 30 cords of wood.