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INTRODUCTION
of its hardship. The plight of the seaman had always sad
dened him.
The Annie Smith docked at San Francisco in the early
fall of 1849,after an eventful voyage around Cape Horn,and
Professor Thomas left the vessel without the formality of
saying good-bye to the skipper, for that verjuiced person
had failed to recognize genius even when it was constantly
under foot, and had looked with vigorous disapproval upon
all attempts to improve the grog and the drinking habits
of the crew.The Professor wisely remained in seclusion until
the Annie Smith had sailed on her return voyage, and then
became First Assistant to the Principal Bartender of the
El Dorado, a famous resort of early San Francisco. There
he continued his researches, and found excellent laboratory
animals in the booted, bewhiskered, red-shirted, artillery-
laden miners who flocked into the El Dorado eager to
exchange their new-found wealth for the product of the
bartender's genius. For these gentlemen, rough of exterior
but sound drinkers. Professor Thomas prepared the simple
beverages of the period, but on occasion he also compounded
novel mixtures which crashed through their systems and
practically shook them loose from their boots, or at any
rate from their gold dust. It is related that once, when a
gang of desperadoes swarmed into the El Dorado intent
upon robbery, the Professor suavely suggested that they
refresh themselves before proceeding with their nefarious
enterprise. They assented, whereupon he prepared a dram
which stretched them quivering and helpless upon the floor.
The Vigilantes then hanged them with considerable cere
mony.
Professor Thomas refused to divulge the composition
of the potion with which he had laid the bandits low,insist
ing that it had neither commercial value nor artistic merit,
and that he would never again mix it unless confronted by
a similar emergency. So far as can be ascertained he died
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