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Sund 22 —Below zero—Reading and walking A.M. ditto P.M. after supper got in with a party of literary gentlemen—the conversation began about the sufferings of the persons who were on board of the steamer San Francisco—a vessel employed by government to convey troops to California—of whom there were over 700 on board. The ship encountered a heavy gale, during which, by the breaking of her machinery, she became totally unmanageable
after being knock about at the mercy of the sea—and merely kept afloat by almost superhuman power—they remaining passengers were taken off at great risk by three other vessels—About 250 lives were lost by being sickness and being swept overboard. From sympathy with the subject, some of our party began to tell what they had gone through. Happening to mention that I had been in Texas during the time it was a rRepublic—and as it was supposed that persons who were there at that time must have witnessed a good deal worthy of relation, I was obliged to give my hearers "the story of life—frrom year to year—the battles, sieges, fortunes that I had passed". I ran through the most eventful portions of it to the apparent satisfaction of my heares , who thanked me for deligh amusing them, as they said, with a very interesting narrative, I talked nearly an hour and half—making quite a lecture.
