Some risk,--little comfort,--a total inversion of all accustomed
habits,--a feeling of insecurity,--irritability,--a longing to be
ashore; in short, a total _be-blue-devilment_ at times, with a few
hours of pleasanter colour just to keep hope alive.
The ignorance and simplicity of some of the passengers are greater than
might be supposed; one said the other day he supposed we had five
hundred miles yet to go, and another asked me if America was
mountainous.
26th. A tremendous wave broke over us, giving the ship such a shock as
laid her down on her side. Great was the confusion; trunks thrown upon
trunks, tables, chairs, all forced from their {10} mooring, in spite of
bolts and ropes; we were glad to find however that, excepting the
fracture of glasses and crockery, no material accident had happened to
any one.
About this time an account of each steerage passenger's stock of
provisions was taken, and though but three weeks out, several were found
nearly exhausted; so improvident had they been.
* * * * *
The following list of sea stores is recommended as sufficient for a
steerage passenger.
42 lb. Beef or Pork.
56 lb. Cabin bread (biscuit).
14 lb. Flour.
7 lb. Cheese.
4 lb. Butter.
1 lb. Coffee (ground).
1/2 lb. Tea.
10 lb. Sugar.
1/4 lb. Pepper.
1 lb. Salt.
7 lb. Split Peas.
Bottle of Mustard, about 1s. 6d.
100 Eggs.
2 Bushels of Potatoes.
A few red Herrings.
2 Quarts of Vinegar.
{11} 4 Dozens of Porter.
1 Gallon of Spirits.
Some Carrots, Turnips, and Cabbages.
2 lb. Soap.
Some pieces of Tobacco-pipe Clay, which will be found to rub well
with sea water in cleansing the skin.
A Tin-pot with cover, in shape like a coffee boiler, with a hook
at the side to hang upon the bars of the Caboose grate.
Crockery, Spoons, &c.
A passenger provided as above will not experience want in any common
passage, and indeed there are some articles with which he may dispense;
as, for example, the Porter; and others he may lessen, as the Potatoes
_perhaps_. With respect to medicine, it may be as well to provide some
Epsom salts and magnesia, and a few lemons will be found highly
grateful; otherwise the ship always carries a chest containing the
common remedies.
31st. The wind blew what the sailors call a strong breeze, which is in
fact a gale, from the west; the ship laboured much, and such was the
impression upon the minds of many of the steerage passengers, that at
night they took leave of each other, thinking it not likely the vessel
should live through the night.
{12} _June_ 1st. With the prospect of a protracted passage, an
inspection was also judged necessary of the ship's cabin stores; and
such waste and extravagance was proved against the Steward, that it was
resolved to take into our own hands the ordering of each day's
provisions: a meeting was consequently held, an account of stock taken;
and ordered, that one of the party by rotation should superintend each
day's consumption of food; and also of water, which had likewise been
used very extravagantly. Let those going a voyage not only ascertain
their _sort_ of Captain but their _sort_ of Steward, upon whom I can
assure them a very material share of their comfort will depend.
The general subject of conversation now is, calculating the probable
duration of the passage; yet it is essential to comfort during a voyage
to abstract the mind as much as possible from such reflections, and to
engage it as much as in us lies in some useful studies and
occupations--'tis one of the worst to watch the winds and the waves;
'tis one of the most useless, for we cannot command them.
We are, it is supposed, approaching the great bank of Newfoundland: as
much doubt exists as to the accuracy of the dead reckoning of longitude,
(and we have no other,) our anxiety is great {13} to ascertain the
passage over the bank, by which a new departure may be taken.
8th. It is now the general opinion, in which the Captain coincides, that
we have passed, without knowing when, the great Bank; the weather is
warmly tempered by a fine S. W. breeze, and the ship is wafting us
delightfully over summer seas: hope again "tells a flattering tale" and
conversation runs chiefly on what will be done, and what will be had, on
our arrival at the much-desired Port.
Last night the full moon exhibited, through a heavy mist, an appearance
of several rings of the prismatic colours,--a beautiful effect, which I
remember once before to have witnessed in England.
11th. Spoke the brig Spring, of Blyth, homeward bound; and had the no
small satisfaction to find that her calculation of longitude nearly
agreed with our own late suppositions.
This morning the extraordinary conflict between the fish called the
Thresher and a Whale was seen near the vessel; the Thresher repeatedly
raised itself on the Whale's back, so that its tail was nearly upright,
and struck the Whale violently with it on the head; it is said that the
Pilot-fish is at the same time wounding him underneath with his
sword-snout: they did not however succeed this time, but relinquished
their pursuit at the noise {14} which the people made at the
extraordinary spectacle. The Thresher appeared to be about six or seven
feet long.
16th. A Shark seen in early morning: and a large Sword-fish swam
majestically round the ship's bow, probably taking it for a Whale; but
finding his mistake he dropt astern, and soon after a shoal of small
fish, perhaps endeavouring to avoid him, rose completely out of the
water;--his length was about nine feet as we judged, and his form and
colours beautiful. Several kinds of birds have lately been seen; among
which we viewed with pleasure the "Hagdown" as the sailors say it is
always seen on or near soundings; it is about the size of, and somewhat
resembles, a Duck.--Many Porpoises too have lately passed us; one of
these the men struck, and succeeded in getting it on board, when it was
soon cut up and eaten; we were prevailed upon to taste it, and must
acknowledge that it could not have been distinguished from a fine beef
steak; the gravy was indeed richer.
18th. The events of the voyage have lately been harassing and pregnant
with danger; three officers have kept reckonings of longitude, and all
have proved erroneous; the ship has headed them considerably, and, when
we little thought of our danger, has been near wrecked upon one of the
dangerous shoals off Nantucket; the grave of {15} many a good vessel.
Our escape was providential: during breakfast, the Captain, with
seeming presentiment, suddenly went upon deck while the lead was
throwing; he made the next cast himself, which he had no sooner done
than he let it go--gave the word "'Bout ship"--ran himself to assist,
and notwithstanding the great confusion, it was quickly effected;--the
steersman called out "What point?"--answer, "Out as you came in," and in
twenty minutes we had deepened again as many fathoms! Had this happened
during the night, or had the sea been rough, we should, in all human
probability, never have been heard of again. It was conjectured, that we
had been upon the edge of what is called "Fisher's Rip," and the water
when the ship was put about had suddenly shoaled to less than three
fathoms.
We stood a southerly course until midnight, in order to avoid the
breakers which lie out forty miles south from Nantucket; and then tacked
again.
19th. More alarms,--yester-evening the Boatswain suddenly called out
"shoal-water!" the line was immediately thrown, but the depth proved
twenty-five fathoms: at half past nine P. M. one of those storms which
are I suppose frequent in this new world, passed over us, and most
awfully grand was its transit. At eight P. M. the ship was just put
about under a {16} clear serene starlight,--not five minutes had elapsed
when we heard great noise and confusion upon deck, and running up saw
the sky covered with the tremendous cloud-storm; throwing its black
mantle across from E. to W. and dipping its points like wings into the
opposite sides of the horizon. The sails were flying in all directions,
and the men clueing them up as fast as they could, while the ship was
turning round at the mercy of the whirlwind; providentially, the extreme
violence of the storm passed above us, and even while we beheld it, the
dense vapour seemed to vanish from the sight instantaneously; leaving
upon our minds the effect of enchantment.
Six o'clock P. M. not yet quit of terrors; another storm, the extreme
force of which we have again been spared, has just past over, but its
effects continue; it rains violently, and lightens incessantly.
_Sunday_, 20th, four A. M. Land at length seen on starboard quarter,
which proved to be Long Island: the sun arose and brought with it a day
and breezes the most favorable, under which we ranged along the coast of
the Island, at about seven miles' distance, having a view of it which
imagination made delightful. Various schooners, brigs, and other
shipping are in view, working {17} different ways, and our recent alarms
are forgotten in the beauty and grandeur of the scene.
Before night we passed Sandy Hook, were boarded by a pilot, who took us
up the Bay about six miles and then cast anchor for the night: once more
then surrounded by land, the outline of which was indistinctly seen by
the aid of an azure sky thickly studded with stars, we at length retired
to rest, and undisturbed by noise slept profoundly.
21st. The ship dropped anchor again opposite the Quarantine ground,
where it was necessary to undergo an examination of the births previous
to obtaining permission to gain the much desired Port. A party of us
took this opportunity to go on shore, and after seven weeks' confinement
to enjoy again a walk on land. We procured clams, oysters, milk, new
bread, &c. loaded with which we returned well pleased on board. The
houses here are chiefly frames covered with boards, having lean-to sheds
roofed like the houses with shingles, the best being made of cedar;
under these sheds the inhabitants sit and enjoy the cool breezes,
unannoyed by the scorching rays of the sun: cherry and peach are the
principal trees around these dwellings, except the weeping-willow and
formal Lombardy poplar; these last one would suppose the least likely
{18} to be cultivated in a country where shade is more a necessary
comfort than to be called a luxury.
This morning in working up to the Quarantine ground, we passed a
schooner, or rather the remains of one (for it was a mere wreck,) which
had suffered in one of those black squalls that had passed over us; she
had only a stump of a mast left, to which her remaining sail was tied.
22d. After some difficulty in obtaining the permit for our departure
from the Quarantine hospital, (which the filthy state of several of the
steerage births amply justified,) we at length weighed anchor for the
last time, with a favourable and light breeze, affording leisure to
admire the beautiful surrounding scenery of the Bay, and soon brought-to
off the city of NEW YORK;--an officer of the customs came on board; he
appeared a very respectable man, and behaved very politely to the
passengers; at the same time was strict in his duty and superior to a
bribe.[4] Our fees at the custom-house on clearing were altogether half
a dollar and twenty {19} cents: on leaving England we had paid the
Captain for doing the same for us three pounds. This was probably _good
pay_ for the trouble, and indeed I should recommend every passenger not
to be above managing this affair for himself, if he values money.
23d. The heat of the weather in the city is so oppressive to English
constitutions, that we have established ourselves across the river, on
the Jersey shore, at a very pleasant place called Hoboken;--here we pay
7$ per week each, for board and lodging, and have a quick and pleasant
communication with New York by steam ferry-boats every hour during the
day to and from it.
On entering our present boarding-house to inquire their terms, &c. we
encountered the first striking specimen of the effects of freedom
without refinement; upon asking for the Landlord, a young woman who was
sweeping the floor slip-shod, desired us to walk into a room she pointed
to; where, she said, we might wait for further orders!! We did as we
were ordered, reflecting on this contrast to a good English inn where,
upon the traveller's arrival, from the Landlord down to "Boots,"[5] all
are immediately {20} upon the alert ready and willing to attend to your
wishes.
One reason for this want of attention in the American servants is, that
they are paid wholly by their employers, and expect no compensation from
their guests; though, I have since seen enough to convince me that this
praiseworthy custom is gradually wearing away, and that in general the
servants will not refuse a fee when offered.
Called at a working cutler's near the post-office, to purchase a pocket
knife; he asked two dollars for one which in London would be sold for
about four shillings; said he paid rent for his shop alone 400$, and
that fuel cost him during the winter seven shillings sterling per week.
The Americans at New York have not made a favourable impression upon me:
almost every face expresses the game of desperate speculation. I am told
that this is owing to the general distress of mercantile affairs
consequent to the late war with England; and also the effects of the
French revolution, felt upon both continents, but in a much higher
degree in America, as that country was less able to bear up against
it;--the people here like those of England were beyond measure
extravagant under the deceitful prosperity, and they now doubly feel the
dreadful re-action. Besides, like ancient Rome, here is the asylum of
{21} the desperate and discontented of all nations:--Will the period
arrive when, like the former, this modern Rome shall rule mistress of
the globe? It is, if I may venture to judge, at all events very distant;
they must first gain the necessary qualities for the attainment of such
an elevation; at present, of these they are nearly destitute. But to
return to my journal.
Business here, with the exception of a few respectable houses, is
conducted on an apparently slovenly plan; clerks at their banks look
like our tavern waiters in deshabille, and the bankers themselves not in
appearance so respectable as our clerks.
The town is handsomely built, and several things constantly remind one
that here the people rule, and their convenience and comfort are
studied: the footways for example are in general twice as broad as ours,
in some instances taking up at least as much of the street as that set
apart for the carriages; and the hackney coaches are not only neat but
_elegant_ in our sense of the word, and both drivers and horses equally
superior. In a late publication,[6] it is observed that the goods in the
stores are set out in a slovenly manner; {22} my own observation is that
their shops or stores are apparently as good, and the stock as well
shewn as in many good houses in London: their coffee-houses and
dinner-rooms in the best lodging-houses are even superbly fitted up,
very much in the French style: the Tontine, the City, and the
Bank-coffeehouses are three of the first; and a person may now dine at
any one of them, I believe, for three dollars and a half per week, and
fare sumptuously upon turtle, &c. every day;--wine is but little drank,
or any other liquor indeed, either at or immediately after dinner by
Americans; the reason for this, as given to me by an American, seems
good--"We consider dinner as a sufficient stimulus" says he "without
adding wine or spirits to it."
The business of the courts of justice during the summer is done in the
evenings and nights; the great heat of the weather in the day time
absolutely preventing any number of people from collecting together
without danger of fevers, particularly such persons as compose the
witnesses, auditors, and attendants in a law court.
Mr. Fearon states, that forgery of bank notes is unknown here, for, that
the execution of them is so excellent (I write the sense of his words
from memory) it renders it too difficult to attempt.--I can affirm that
there was scarcely a store I {23} went into at New York, but they could
shew me several; and so well executed, it was impossible for me to see
any difference between the valid and the forged note.