THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY 251
While the schooner was lying in San Pablo Bay, Past Mid- shipman Gibson was ordered ashore for some purpose, taking five men and a boat. When the boat had proceeded some dis- tance and the men thought themselves out of sight of the Ewingj they seized Gibson and threw him overboard, and made for the nearest shore. Fortunately McArthur was look- ing through his glasses at the time, and saw the whole occur- rence. He dispatched a boat to the relief of Gibson, who was rescued, and the deserters were overtaken and captured. They were tried by court martial, and two were condemned to be hanged, and lashes were ordered for the other three, as was the custom in those days. One of the leaders, John Black by name, was hanged on board the Ewing. In all of his letters McArthur mentions the inability to get men to carry on the survey, which was greatly delayed, and this fact discouraged him sorely at times. The high wages and allurements of the gold fields kept men from entering the government service at a few dollars a month, and such men as could be secured were generally worthless.
San Francisco was in the midst of the gold excitement, and in a letter dated September 23, 1849, McArthur wrote to his father-in-law, John J. Young, who was now a commander in the Navy, as follows : "People are still crowding here from all parts of the world, and everybody seems to be as crazy as ever, but good order seems to prevail, and you would be surprised to see how quietly business is carried on everything ship- shape and orderly. There is already a good police in San Francisco, and the same was established yesterday in Sacra- mento City, so if a Vagabond comes out here to cut up his capers, he is quite mistaken.
"There is no especial news here except that the convention for forming a state and state laws has been in session for some time, and have acquitted themselves with great dignity and good sense. They will have good, wholesome laws, I have no doubt.
"The joint commission for the selection of sites for Fortifi-
