This question from Judy is worthy of multiple inputs: (below) It varied a LOT with WHEN? and somewhat from where, but much depended on chance, as well as defying death, somewhat! My G grandfather John Syme left Scotland in 1848 for Quebec (no dates given) but "--in Nov 1849 embarked on the 4 month voyage around the Horn to San Francisco" and I have heard it might be six months if conditions worsened, storms, whatever. (take a "strong stomach!) But John Parker jr kept a diary in 1863 ( I can post if things stay slow<G>) of his New York to SF across the Isthmus. With two sisters, at 15 years of age. He boarded at Bowling Green, by the way, and sailed April 21 "--at 12 and a half oclock" On May 2nd , crossed the Isthumus from Aspinwall and took the cars, "--arrived at Panamar (sic) and went to the steamer", May 19th, Landed in San Francisco. Not bad, except for questionably food, but little time for Yellow Fever, or whatever. His older sister made the same trip in 1856, but crossed the Isthmus by canoe and mule and took 2 to 3 days with rain heat and biting insects. (no diary) Their dad, John Parker sr had gone from Boston to SF in 1849, and returned in 1850, via wagon train from St Louis, but without baggage, IE: he was not moving the family, just on a lark. We have no details, he did not consider it an unusual trip (!) He would have sailed from Boston, with many ship changes, down river to St Louis, likely in Mar or April. With luck he was in northern CA by Sept or Oct. No doubt left April or May the next year to return the same way. He did the "moving" trip in 1866 by "caravan" with wife and child, no record of time. With the completion of rail in 1869, many went that way, but people continued to go by wagon. These were changing times, but hazards remained, ships sunk, animals died, disease struck. The Scots must have been immune! There must be other accounts? --JD (Judy writes) > >James, JD, >Which would take longer? I saw that a Plymouth to Adelaid sailing trip for my >Aussie cousins, was January to Mid May. I imagine Nova Scotia, NY, Baltimore >(etc.) around the cape of SA up again, would be not as long, but certainly a >treck...But I can't even imagine starting out in an oxcart or wagon...maybe by >boat to St. Louis like Louis and Clark????and then by wagon westward? Weeks and >weeks and weeks....Had anothr Uncle on the other side leave NY, sail to the >isthmus of Panama, treck across, sail up to Calif. make a fortune only to be >killed in Panama on the way back. Maybe that was the express route... >Anyhow, do appreciate your response.. I have been searching east coast arrivals >for years, but may try west coast now, since I know he met his wife in San >Francisco and was definitely in Calif. near Nevada before he got to Va. City, >Mont. and finally Lead, SD. Wandering bunch, our ancestors, weren't they? >Thanks, >Judy in Colorado > >> >> > > >