▁was ▁loaded ▁for ▁a ▁voyage ▁up ▁to ▁Sac r amento , ▁starting ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁of ▁August , ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Edward ▁Ever ett , ▁William ▁V . ▁Well s ▁was ▁in ▁command , ▁Alfred ▁N . ▁Pro ctor ▁as ▁engineer ▁and ▁S . ▁P . ▁B ark er ▁as ▁assistant . ▁▁▁▁ ▁When ▁she ▁arrived ▁at ▁Sac r amento ▁on ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁of ▁ 1 9 th ▁of ▁August , ▁ 1 8 4 9 : ▁ ▁" The ▁steam ▁wh ist le ▁was ▁sound ed ▁on ▁approaching , ▁and ▁the ▁whole ▁camp ▁was ▁soon ▁assemble d ▁upon ▁the ▁river ▁bank ▁to ▁receive ▁us ▁and ▁witness ▁the ▁unique ▁sight ▁of ▁a ▁steam bo at ▁on ▁the ▁Sac r amento . ▁Such ▁a ▁gre eting ▁has ▁s eld om ▁been ▁witness ed . ▁The ▁bl asts ▁of ▁the ▁wh ist le ▁and ▁the ▁y elling ▁of ▁the ▁mult itude ▁us her ed ▁in ▁a ▁day ▁of ▁j oll ification , ▁in ▁which ▁whis ky ▁was ▁the ▁fuel ▁that ▁kept ▁up ▁steam ▁on ▁shore ▁long ▁after ▁the ▁fires ▁had ▁gone ▁out ▁under ▁the ▁bo ilers ▁of ▁the ▁little ▁P ione er ." ▁ ▁P ione er ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁run ▁on ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁River , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁side - w he eler , ▁ 7 0 ▁feet ▁in ▁length , ▁ 2 5 ▁feet ▁beam , ▁with ▁an ▁eight ▁horse ▁power ▁engine ▁that ▁made ▁" 4 ▁kn ots