Valparaiso, Oct 6th, 1849

We arrived here safe and sound but it took us 138 days. That is better than the rest of the ships have done. One vessel from New York: 159 days to here. Plenty of California Boys here. News is good. I saw a capt of a brig right from California. Plenty of gold there. Provisions is cheaper there than in Boston, a very little fighting. It will take about 50 days to go up from here. I have not had any chance to send any word back since we left. This will stop here until to 30th of the month, then go to Panama, then take the U.S. mail. I have not been sick a day since we left. Capt Cooper is a first of a man. We have just touched here for water. I have not much time to write for what little time we stay. I want to be running about on land. You can judge for yourself after a fellow has been tied to a vessel 138 days it is something new to get on land. You tell Woodward that I am right side up. I have got a little gin left yet. I thought if I wrote a few lines to you it would do just as well as to write to both. I am bound to get some gold before I come back “boys”. The postage is only 75 cts from here to Panama. You tell George Peirce that I have not got time to write him as I agreed to, but as soon as I get there I will write and let him know the whole story. We lay some ways off from the shore. So far it is something of a job …

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