Gold Rush Era Letters

there has been a great many of our passengers Sick from our first Sailing. The four men Belonging to our Company took Sick again after going a board [aboard] Ship and one of them the stoutest Man in the Palmetto Co. Died on the Seventh day of our Sailing from Panama

Michael McGrath Native of Co. [County] Limerick Ireland and Resident of Charleston, S. Ca. for the last ten years. Died on Board of the Ship Sophie on her way to California on the Morning of the 16th of May 1849, about 9 OClock [O'Clock]