DuringthestayofmyfamilyinNewOrleans，weenjoyedthesocietyofthefamiliesofGeneralTwiggs，ColonelMyers，andColonelBliss，asalsoofmanycitizens，amongwhomwasthewifeofMr。
Day，sistertomybrother—in—law，JudgeBartley。GeneralTwiggswasthenoneoftheoldestofficersofthearmy。HishistoryextendedbacktotheWarof1812，andhehadservedinearlydayswithGeneralJacksoninFloridaandintheCreekcampaigns。Hehadfinepowersofdescription，andoftenentertainedus，athisoffice，withaccountsofhisexperiencesintheearliersettlementsoftheSouthwest。ColonelBlisshadbeenGeneralTaylor’sadjutantintheMexicanWar，andwasuniversallyregardedasoneofthemostfinishedandaccomplishedscholarsinthearmy，andhiswifewasamostagreeableandaccomplishedlady。
LateinFebruary，IdispatchedmyfamilyuptoOhiointhesteamboatTecumseh（CaptainPearce）;disposedofmyhouseandfurniture;turnedovertoMajorReynoldsthefunds，property，andrecordsoftheoffice;andtookpassageinasmallsteamerforNicaragua，，enrouteforCalifornia。WeembarkedearlyinMarch，andinsevendaysreachedGreytown，whereweunitedwiththepassengersfromNewYork，andproceeded，bytheNicaraguaRiverandLake，forthePacificOcean。Theriverwaslow，andthelittlesteamcanal—boats，fourinnumber，groundedoften，sothatthepassengershadtogetintothewater，tohelpthemoverthebare。
Inalltherewereaboutsixhundredpassengers，ofwhomaboutsixtywerewomenandchildren。InfourdayswereachedCastillo，wherethereisadecidedfall，passedbyashortrailway，andabovethisfallweweretransferredtoalargerboat，whichcarriedusuptherestoftheriver，andacrossthebeautifullakeNicaragua，studdedwithvolcanicislands。LandingatVirginBay，werodeonmulesacrosstoSanJuandelSur，wherelayatanchorthepropellerS。S。
Lewis（CaptainPartridge，Ithink）。Passengerswerecarriedthroughthesurfbynativestosmallboats，androwedofftotheLewis。Theweatherwasveryhot，andquiteascramblefollowedforstate—rooms，especiallyforthoseondeck。Isucceededinreachingthepurser’soffice，gotmyticketforaberthinoneofthebeststate—roomsondeck，and，justasIwasturningfromthewindow，aladywhowasafellow—passengerfromNewOrleans，aMrs。D—，calledtometosecureherandherladyfriendberthsondeck，sayingthatthosebelowwereunendurable。Ispoketothepurser，who，atthemomentperplexedbythecrowdandclamor，answered:\"Imustputtheirnamesdownfortheothertwoberthsofyourstate—room;but，assoonastheconfusionisover，Iwillmakesomechangewherebyyoushallnotsuffer。\"Assoonasthesetwowomenwereassignedtoastate—room，theytookpossession，andIwasleftout。Theirnameswererecordedas\"CaptainShermanandladies。\"AssoonasthingswerequieteddownIremonstratedwiththepurser，whoatlastgavemealowerberthinanotherandlargerstate—roomondeck，withfiveothers，sothatmytwoladieshadthestate—roomalltothemselves。Ateverymealthestewardwouldcometome，andsay，\"CaptainSherman，willyoubringyourladiestothetable？\"