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‘ I’ve decided to take another ship and go to New Orleans,' Edward told Robert Allen as they headed on course for New York six weeks later. 'And then to California. The captain says that everybody who is anybody has gone to buy land in California. So that's what I shall do.'
'But won't it be too late, sir? The gold rush was last year, in forty nine.'
'I'm not thinking of digging for gold,' Newmarch said drily. 'I'll set up as a supplier. The diggers will need supplies. You know, food, shovels, picks.'
'Won't they be there already? The suppliers will have followed behind the miners.'
'That's what I've decided to do, Allen!' Newmarch said stubbornly, brooking no discourse, though he conceded a private doubt that perhaps he might be right. 'I want to take a look. Besides, New York is just another city, bigger and grander probably than what we have at home, but nevertheless it is still a city. I want to see America in the raw, to find out what it has to offer.'
Allen was disappointed. He'd wanted to visit New York and had planned to leave Newmarch's employ. He was convinced that there would be opportunities there. Men of business who would employ him until he was ready to set up for himself.
'So where shall we head for, sir? If we got off in New York we could go overland to California.'
He saw Newmarch's cynical sneer. He had noticed that his employer had regained his confidence during the latter part of the voyage. He was no longer sunk into despair as he had been when they had first set out, and he had joined with other passengers as they'd set up card games.
'Don't be ridiculous, Allen! I'm not cut out for roughing it. I don't want to join some damn waggon train. No thank you! I want to have a little comfort, even though it's tedious on board ship. No, we'll change vessels and go on to New Orleans, stay there awhile and then onto California!'