Carving the flesh from a guava with perciscion, and tossing the chunk on top of slices of pineapple that were freshly skinned, a native woman in Panama prepared the exotic fruits for a curious Belle Cora. It would be the first time the woman who was born Baltimore would taste either. She had paid the woman in exchange for the new strange food, and walked back to the camp that morning to share the experience with Charles, and a silent Charity. Food sources were scare where hundreds of travelers had flooded the old city, waiting for passage among the huts and rocky shores in Panama. There was a disturbing lack of ships on the Pacific side of the Isthmus. Hundreds upon hundreds of travelers were waiting to catch a ride north, some gold seekers had waited for nearly a month before approaching vessel was seen. The salted meat stock had gone bad, the remaining cheese, had been chewed away by rats. The lard, and butter was now rancid. The rice, bread and flour, was ridden with bugs. Many of the hopeful passengers, were now sick with malaria, yellow fever, dysentery and cholera. A week and a half had passed before the Cora’s, the remaining members of their new team and a devastated Charity were finally able to board a sidewheeler to California, for a hefty price. Securing a spot took a battle of wit, and a handful of cash.  Sam, one of the men, in an act of compassion, offered to cover Charity’s fare, who had yet to speak a word since her twin sister’s death. The tickets to California were one hundred and fifty dollars each. Finally, disembarking on the last leg of the voyage, an anxious Charles and grief-ridden Arabella stood silently together on the deck of the ship. Hand in hand, they sailed into the magnificent golden sunset. They had survived the jungle, and were at least, healthy, and more than halfway there.“Land ho”  passing several ships, was heard which resounded again and again from Stem to Stem till all joined in the welcome chorus “Land ho.” Belle and Charles Cora slept the next two weeks away in their stateroom on the ship until they arrived in Acapulco. At least one hundred soon to be miners from Mexico joined the traveling company on board. Life on the ship got rowdier with the new addition of fresh faces, and the gambling men got back to work. WIth the help of the Mexican soon to be miners, they learned the game of Monte. It would be nearly two more weeks at sea until they arrived in San Francisco. Just enough time to make another small fortune, if they were lucky. The Shores and Golden Mountains of California were directly ahead of us, we approached near the Coast and from observations we were to the Northward of the entrance to the Harbour, we sailed down the Coast till night when the weather became thick and foggy again, it was deemed imprudent to proceed any further, we dropped anchor. The climate is mild and of an even temperature, which but a short time ago contained but a few old and dilapidated spanish dwellings, one which  I observed was still standing, it was constructed of Adobes or sun burnt bricks, one story high, the roof was covered with Tiles, and looked as ancient as old Antiquity itself. The Bay and Harbour has been celebrated, from the time of its first discovery, as one of the finest in the World, and is justly entitled to that character. Belle Cora looked towards land. The sight was incredible. A dense forest, made up of thousands of masts that towered over their abandoned ships that were packed into the cove, like sardines in a tin. No one remained to man them, as all the entire crew had by now rushed to the hills. Belle was amused to see, some of the vessels that were closer to the shore, were turned into saloons and gambling halls in the floating ghost ships. The vagabond gang was rowed to the shore of San Francisco. They passed by groups working to disassemble the mass suffocating the bay. Shouting, sweating, and hoisting lumber from ship to boat to land. The men were contributing to the construction of the growing city. There were over one hundred thousand men in tents and makeshift shelters in what was the tiny village of Yerba Buena just a year earlier. Development could hardly keep up with the four thousand immigrants that were arriving each month.  As the group disembarked, they realized the magnitude of the waiting congregation. In the excitement, Sam hopped off with Charity’s ticket and instantly, was gone. Tension grew and a commotion on the boat ensued. The purser, who was fiscally responsible for the collection of the fees for passage, had roughly grabbed Charity’s arm.  He demanded that she was to stay onboard until her ticket recovered A still then silent Charity snapped back, “Time is money and you will be held responsible for my damages and losses, plus interest caused by delay of my disembarkment!” The team, dumbfounded to finally hear their friend speak, stared in awe as the purser and the bold Yankee woman began to quarrel with raised voices. They drew the attention of the waiting group of men, anxious to lay their eyes on the sight of a lady. The crowd was growing restless Belle, had not been paying attention, being distracted in a romantic moment with Charles. Caught up in the celebration of reaching California. She looked up at the group, as a well dressed man approached the edge of the dock. He appeared more of a gentleman, and commanded the attention of the mass of miners who were standing by. The distinguished man cast a bag of gold at the purser’s feet. After opening the bag to reveal its contents, he released Charity’s arm. Belle was distracted again by the weight of the bag, which had momentarily blurred her gold hungry vision. Gaining focus, her and Charity’s saddened eyes locked as her best friend was escorted off the boat and quickly vanished into the sea of men, in the cold embrace of her new owner. It had all happened so fast, and she should have done something. It was then, in that moment, Belle realized her own worth, in the fast moving world of California. 

The couple chose to build in the small mining town of Marysville, which was north of Sacramento. If you were coming from up north to the gold fields, you were for sure to pass through the area. Marysville was named after the wife of the town’s founder’s employee. The man had struck it rich, and eventually bought half of the territory. His wife’s name was Mary Murphy, and she was a survivor of the ill fated Donner Party.  

The New World Gambling Parlor opened its doors in Marysville in 1850. Tempestuous oil paintings of nude women decked the halls as you entered the lavish establishment. Large, gold framed elaborate mirrors lined the walls where gamblers had the decision between poker or roulette, faro or dice in the grand venue. Along the length of an entire wall, lined a long bar held by intricate brass monuments, where Belle poured drinks and flirted with the customers. The New World Gambling Parlor began earning a fast profit, and just before it’s one year anniversary, the New World Gambling Parlor, burned to the ground. 

After attempting to clean up the mess, Belle and Charles had gathered what was left of the New World Saloon, that could be salvaged, which was nearly nothing. Without worry, the couple looked to start over. In April, Belle and Charles decided to move the operation to the small town of Sonora. There were five thousand people at least, occupying the once Mexican village. It was now a booming mining town, and it was in dire need of some serious entertainment. 

In Sonora, Belle began to explore. Native men who had traveled up from the from missions wandered the streets, selling aqua fresca, cuatro reales! Every decent place in town that sold liquor, employed a pretty, smartly dressed french girl. In open air kitchens, the Mexican women were making fabulous money selling tortillas, tamales, produce, and sopas, smothered in chile sauce. On the corner, a white woman from Curtis Creek offered apple pies for five whole dollars. There were many other bawdy houses in operation, and they were mostly run by Mexican men. 

The mix of cultures was mesmerizing, to Belle. A variety of languages were spoken on the streets around her as she strolled through town. At the end of the street, a large group of men had gathered midtown to bet on bear fights. She watched for a while, then continued. She then came upon a smartly organized village of Chinese immigrants tents, midtown, that offered laundry service, and opium dens. Her eyes widened. Mexican settlers homes, down the streets, were decorated in romantic flags and fabrics. Dance halls spotted the town, where the men paid in gold dust for the guaranteed close proximity of women.

This time, under the name Arabelle Ryan, the confident woman and Charles found and purchased a home, near Woods Creek. Belle decided upon calling the gambling den and brothel the Sonora Club. The venue opened in 1851, again Belle paying close attention to the design, and the comforts offered. The business boomed, with Charles dealing cards, and Belle drawing in the crowds with her sure fire charm. She was the ultimate picture of success. In a short nine months, they accumulated a profit of over one hundred and twenty six thousand dollars. 

The plan was working. They were ready for the big time. Belle wanted to go where there were an endless amount of potential customers. The couple then decided on moving to San Francisco, where they had first landed in California, nearly three years prior. Hundreds of thousands had now come through the port town and they both felt like it was truly the right place to be.

They began scouting, began collecting furnishings, and began scheming. By the fall of 1852, Belle and Charles opened her third parlor house in November. This time, on the Barbary Coast. The Cora House was on DuPont Street, and, for personal reasons, Belle had a white picket fence built around the front yard. Dream realized.

Be gentle with me,” a hired young girl was whispering to a miner who was removing his boots, “this is my first time and I’m all shaky inside.” “Don't be frightened, my dear,” the man said as he crossed the room to turn down the lamps. “I’ll see that you enjoy it. I promise.” Upstairs, in the virgin’s room of The Cora House, the prospector had just paid three times the going rate of the home, for the privilege of deflowering a virgin girl. Outside of the room, ten other miners were peering through peepholes, strategically hidden in the bedroom’s walls. Belle had sold admission for five dollars a piece to witness the action. It made for good business, a virgin, was not so easy to come by in California. Women in general were few and far between. This particular virgin, Emma, who had somehow kept an innocent and youthful appearance in her line of work, was a tremendous actress. She played nervous and scared, night after night, with much success. Emma was the Official Virgin of Belle’s home, and she made a whole ten percent more than the other girls for her talented act.