Gold Rush Voyage, 1

1 of 17 pieces of a panorama: Gold Rush voyage from Portland, ME. 3 mast vessel under sail in left foreground. Figure fishing in lower right wearing blue coat and top hat. Land, trees, buildings in background. This is part of a group of 17 watercolor sketches depicting a voyage from a recognizable Portland, Maine, around Cape Horn to the California gold fields. The vessel flying the flag "Ho for California" may be the only full-rigged ship known to have departed Portland for California in the 12 months after the discovery of gold - the little 318-ton Andrew Scott. The gent fishing in the (South Portland) foreground is probably standing on a breakwater which no longer exists. The Scott is thought to have become a storeship at San Francisco and never to have left. In all, 65 vessels left Maine ports in the first year of the Gold Rush.