Flora (sternwheel steamer): The ship was built for the company's trade with Marysville, and thus had an exceptionally shallow draft of 11 inches. She was launched in 1865 then acquired by the California Pacific Railroad Company in 1871.
From Sacramento, "They steamed inland on the Flora to Marysville on the Feather River..." (pg 356 Scharnhorst V1)
From Marysville, "They then took a stage to Grass Valley..."
Scharhorst reports that Twain spent the night in Meadow Lake, a mining camp where Orion had previously lived. It is currently a ghost town on the map called Summit City.
The trip from San Francisco to Sacramento was made by river boat, Mark Twain choosing this type of transportation rather than stagecoach not only for nostalgic reasons, remembering his Mississippi steamboat days, but because it was more comfortable, more scenic, and because the boat had a bar.
Metropolitan Hall in Sacramento on October 11
Tuesday, Aug 13.—Arrived at Carson Sink where Carson river loses itself. It is a beautiful lake, 25 miles long by 15 wide, and 60 miles from Carson City.
Wednesday, Aug. 14,—Arrived at Carson City 580 miles from Salt Lake, or 1700 miles from St. Joseph (Orion)
Sunday, Aug 11.—Passed points declared by the driver to be the highest we had crossed. Saturday and Sunday nights were very cold, though the days were very warm. (Orion)
On the seventeenth day we passed the highest mountain peaks we had yet seen, and although the day was very warm the night that followed upon its heels was wintry cold and blankets were next to useless.
On the eighteenth day we encountered the eastward-bound telegraph- constructors at Reese River station and sent a message to his Excellency Gov. Nye at Carson City (distant one hundred and fifty-six miles).
Burton: To Ruby Valley. 7th October.
Burton: To “Chokop's" Pass. 8th October, 1860.
Burton: To the Wilderness again. 9th October.
Burton: To Sheawit Creek. 10th October, [Roberts Station]
Friday, Aug. 9.—Sunrise. Across the desert, 45 miles, and at the commencement of the “little Desert.” 2 o’clock, across the little desert, 23 miles, [approx 20 miles between Simpson's Springs and Dugway] and 163 miles from Salt Lake, being 68 miles across the two deserts, with only a spring at Fish Creek Station to separate them. [Willow Creek on the western side] They are called deserts because there is no water in them. They are barren, but so is the balance of the route. (Orion)
At four P.M. we had doubled our distance and were ninety or a hundred miles from Salt Lake.
See Burton To Ruby Valley
See Burton To Meadow Creek. 27th September.
Thursday, Aug. 8.— Arrived at the edge of the desert, 95 miles from Salt Lake City, at 4 P. M. [Simpson's Springs] (Clemens)
See Burton To Tophet. 28th September.