The more I study about the various people who chose to seek gold in California, the more I realize how difficult it was to just get to the goldfields. The Pilgrims were mostly men. The majority were young, however middle aged and old men got the fever too.
There are a plethora of diaries and memoirs of those who made the trip. They reveal some interesting information about those times. Ironically, some were professionals, such as lawyers and doctors. Many were farmers. Others were merchants and the like. Some were married. One thing is certain, each one of them was willing to pull up stakes and risk life and limb to strike it rich.
Its not like the trip was easy. There were a multitude of shallow graves dug all across the continent in very lonely places, testaments to the hardships. The diaries and memoirs, of the Forty-niners, described the graves in great detail; an indication that the the Argonauts suffered much anxiety. Ships bound for California lost many on board, as well. Convenience and safety were not enjoyed by the sojourners.
The costs attributed to the journey were exorbitant for Americans , who lived on or near the East coast The land package was $200 to $800. The passage by sea was as much as $ 1,200. But in addition, many who traveled to California to find their fortune were required to be indentured for a year or longer to the “company”, the members of the wagon train. They committed to pool their earnings from whatever source and share them with the other members of the company. Few followed through. This obligation was quickly forgotten by the members when they reached their destination.
Almost every man intended to return to his home, once he became wealthy. As dangerous and costly as the trip was, nearly all who took the risk fully made the decision to return home, even before they began the journey. This is true of Americans as well as citizen from far away countries. Their stay was measured.
Maybe the most committed to such a plan were the Chinese. Their culture encouraged them to stay close to home in order to be ready to care for elderly family members, as needed. This was considered a circle of life tradition. To abandon that responsibility was to bring shame on the family. A universal intention, for the Chinese seeking gold in California, was to return to their home town when they struck it rich.
This determination was manifested in various ways. Very few brought their wives. They came to the goldfields with the most meager possessions. Once in California they disbursed, at least at first, into the wilderness in very small groups. The “Celestials” as they called themselves, had no intention of creating cities filled with their countrymen. They were going home.
Circumstances changed their minds, however. Most Chinese seeking gold in California were so poor they could not pay their way. Most indentured
themselves for a period of years to benefactors who made them toe the mark. The period of servitude dashed hope of an early return home.
But what occurred, after their arrival, was quite incredible. Attitudes and customs changed. As the Chinese either struck it rich or not, they found other endeavors to keep them in the Western world. The result was the formation of a Chinese culture in the new land. San Francisco, Sacramento and a myriad of smaller towns had their own Chinatowns. The “Celestials” became active participants in the amalgam of world citizens concentrated in the brand new State of California. They became an integral part of the mix of cultures and ethnicities that today make California what it is.
The inclusion of Chinese and citizens from various parts of the world are discussed in my novel, Equal and Alike. Why not join me in the adventure? It is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other fine book stores.