Friday, September 22nd 1854 ~ London

Last evening I was taken with an attack of cholera, which began by cold, shivering and colic pains. A physician was called in who by heating drinks and heat applied to the feet, threw me into a high fever, which lasted all night. Today I am better, but not of course out of bed. The Dr. called again this morning. Lizzie makes a fine nurse. This is the first time her abilities have been tested on my behalf.

Thursday, September 21st 1854 ~ London

The coronation chair, Westminster Abbey.

Miss Ayres boarding house, 29 Geo St Hanover Square ~ As we drove through the streets from the [?] last evening – the lamps are just lighted and London was in her glory. But I was not as much impressed with the size of the city as I expected to be for we must have driven nearly the whole length of the place and through many of the finest streets. The streets were not fuller than those of New York and most of the buildings we passed no longer or more handsome, but there was a greater uniformity of appearance and there were less small houses placed beside great ones. All was equal and regular in the same locality, whole streets of stately edifices all looking alike. When I woke up this morning, I was much surprised to find the roof of the houses covered with an inch or two of snow. It was not enough to make bad walking however and immediately after breakfast we started out for a walk to Westminster Abbey. We are in a little street running parallel with Regent St. only a few steps from “Regent Circus” toward Cheapside, so that we had only a long half mile to walk through Regent St and the Quadrant. We didn’t come within sight of the old Abbey until we were quite upon it and then of course we recognized it by the peculiar spires that we had so often seen in prints. It is very striking in appearance, more so even than one would suppose from seeing it merely on paper. The parliament houses are just opposite and constitute, with the Abbey, a very imposing group. And now we are about to enter this great mausoleum of England kings and of her most celebrated men, pause we on the threshold and ponder its history. Here most of the sovereign of England have been crowned. It has seen them in adversity as well as in prosperity for it was for a long time the sanctuary of England and during the wars of the roses royalty and the brigand took refuge here together. Cardinals, bishops, and priests owning allegiance to the Pope have administered here. Here the covenant has been supreme. Now the sites of the church of England alone find access to these walls. How many generations of men have worshiped here. From the mail clad Norman, when might made right, to the man in bradcloth of these latter days engaged in commerce, manufacture, and invention. The proportions of the Abbey surprised me, it was more vast than I had imagined. When we entered service was being performed, and we sat down to join in worship before beginning our round of examination. It was performed in a way that did not please us at all. The reading was quick indistinct and monotonous, so much so that it sounded far more like bad chanting. The voice rose and fell in a regular cadence. It was to our unaccustomed ears anything but solemn. After service a virger carried us about and showed us the tombs of Mary Queen of Scots, the mother of Lord Darnly, Queen Elizabeth (these three lay side by side), Henry 7th and his queen, Charles 2nd, Anne, Mary, Addison, Gen. Wolfe, Mers Liddons, Sir Robert Peel,William Pitt, Kimble, Garrick, Sheridan, Dr. Johnson, Shakespeare. This is a full length figure of the great poet bearing in his hand a scroll with the words “the cloud capt towers, the gorgeous palaces etc.” Major Andre in marble size of life. Fox, a beautiful reclining figure. Newton and many hundred other great men. Besides the great assembly of Kings and Princes of whom I have mentioned but a very small part, I could scarcely realize that we were standing on the ashes of men who were so famous in their time and who even now, being dead yet live. The chair was shown us in which all the kings of England have been crowned since the time of Edward 1st. It is a very old rough and uncouth piece of carved oak with arms. We noticed here a monument to Rich and Kane, who died 1679.

Wednesday, September 20th 1854 ~ London

Pasture in Gumley, UK (photo: pdeee454 via flickr)

Miss Ayers boarding house, 29 George St Hanover Sq. ~ This is a boarding house in the American style, or at least it is called the American style but is in fact a poor imitation. She has a common parlor and charges by the week, but has a different price for brand varying with the size and situation of her rooms. This is a great place of resort for Americans who always prefer living together at a boarding house to living shut up in their own apartments at a hotel. At an English hotel a party of gentlemen and ladies are obliged to take a private parlor, in which they dine and from which they never emerge except to go to their bedrooms, or out of the house. There is no public saloon and no table (d’hote). Then the charges are made in accordance with each separate convenience or necessary one has. For instance – bedrooms so much, parlor so much, breakfast so much, tea so much, dinner so much, candles and fire are another charge. Even the dinner has no regular price, it depends upon what one orders. Being at a first class English hotel costs a party containing ladies from $3 to $6 per day each. $3 would be living with great economy. --- At half past nine this morning we started from Liverpool and reached London at half past four. We left our sea chests at the hotel in Liverpool, to be called for on our return there, in route for home. It is a great deal of extra trouble to carry much baggage in traveling abroad and a very great expense as well, for the allowance of baggage is very small to each person in public conveyances. In England it is about 60 pounds and in some places on the continent I believe every pound is charged for. We passed through an extremely beautiful country today and its is a beauty never seen with us- one arising from a state of high cultivation. The land is generally level, and almost all of it in grass, pasture or meadow, along this route, so that the effect is very beautiful. You ride for hours through a country covered with the greenest, cleanest looking grass, shaded with fine looking old trees. One almost imagines himself in a gentleman’s park for the whole distance. The houses of the cultivators are scarcely ever seen from the railroad – in a word it is a perfect garden scene, unlike anything one sees in America, where nature wild, beautiful, but uncultivated in this degree, invites labor and promise plenty. The white cows and droves of sheep look very picturesque. The depots have little flower gardens in front, are built in cottage style, and have neither the air of business or the cake and gingerbread look that ours have. Then English when they travel are not always eating cakes and pies. Both are almost unknown.

Tuesday, September 19th 1854 ~ Liverpool, U.K.

Liverpool ~ The Doctor (Gallup) finally bid us good bye today and started for London. He had become, in his character of suitor to Alice, a little in the way. It would have been amusing to me, if I had not felt a little badly for him in his disappointment. We bought for him yesterday a cane with a compass in the top, a very odd affair, as a little memento of our friendship and voyage. He said goodbye to us just as we were getting into a carriage to take us to the railway for Chester, which ancient city we visited today in company with Capt Knowles. Starting at ten this morning and returning at seven o’clock in the evening – as soon as we arrived in Chester we went to a hotel and ordered dinner prepared at a certain hour and then walked out to see the place. This is the oldest town in England, or rather the oldest looking town- its walls are still perfect and most of their watch towers standing, all of course covered with moss and ivy. The walls cannot be over 12 feet high and have a very antique bow and arrow look. They extend completely around the city and upon them is a very pretty walk presenting picturesque views. This being the first walled town we have seen delights us much – the streets are narrow; the houses queer and old fashioned, and the people primitive looking for England. The chief object of interest in this place is the fine old cathedral, which with a few alterations since, was completed in the 12th century and is still perfect. It is a most venerable looking pile of blackened stone, weather worn on the outside and its carving much defaced. Like almost all catholic cathedrals it is cruciform – one enters by the (nave) which is empty and unadorned, except by a few plain marble tablets to the memory of men who died in the 18th century. From the end of the nave opens the Choir, which is beautifully fitted up for service. The lower part is lined with tier above tier of carved oak in gothic spires – the seats, or rather their arms, are also elaborately carved and this work is very curious. It was done in the middle ages and is taken from scriptural history. Of course the designs are somewhat rough and uncouth – one is the “root of Jesse, he is represented as an old man with a tail and to this tail are attached several other old men and women, his descendants in single file. Many feet above us and running around the building is a very narrow stone gallery – so narrow that two persons could not possibly walk abreast in it. It is arched and that so low that a man of the usual size cannot stand upright in it. Here, eight hundred years ago, in each of these arches, stood a veiled nun and chanted the Te Deum, in concert with the monks who were placed in a similar gallery just above this. The Captain became wedged in one of the passages and it was really several minutes before he could extricate himself. In the transepts are the “parish chapel”, the “chapter house”, school room and monks refectory. The transepts being thus divided up, break the cruciform appearance of the cathedral. In the chapter house are preserved some torn flags borne at Bunker Hill. In one of the passages a Norman crypt was pointed out to us, where many of the dignitaries of church and state in the times of the first English Normans were laid. We saw it through a grated window. In passing we noticed a monument about two feet high of stone and somewhat carved of an Abbot that landed in England with William the Conqueror – this is in one of the side isles. There are many monuments here that were much defaced in the time of Cromwell who made the cathedral a vast stable for his horses. We now returned to the hotel and dined, after dinner we returned and heard service here. The chanting was done by a choir of eleven boys of different sizes and it was very sweet indeed. They were all robed in white and looked very devotional and withal made a perfect picture standing in the midst of the gothic spires of dark oak, in this venerable and massive building. The shadows of a thousand years seemed looking down upon us. These sang sweetly and the whole service was most impressive. We walked to the barracks and on the wall of the city and then returned to Liverpool.

Monday, September 18, 1854 ~ Liverpool, U.K.

Liverpool docks, ca. mid 1800's (painting by R. Dudley)

Queens Hotel ~ Captain Knowles dined with us yesterday at six o’clock. Prof. Treadwell* undertook to do the honors of the table. He ordered the dinner and had the general getting up of the whole affair. Dr. Gallup and Dr. Spooner dined also with us. We had a very fair dinner – an immense piece of roast beef in real English style, so large that it took my appetite away to look at it, but the Prof. did not provide properly in the way of wine, and before dinner was over we had to look at empty bottles, and no more was ordered. I should have taken the matter into my own hands, but did not do it. Thus far I have not been particularly pleased with the English, with whom we have come in contact. They have shown themselves somewhat extortioners and unjust in little ways, however we are still green, verdant in the ways of the old world. Professor Treadwell has been joking Dr. Gallup so much at the table and elsewhere about Alice, that the little gentleman has evidently been persuaded that he is in love. Unfortunately Alice at such times could not always refrain from a blush, which of course greatly encouraged the Dr. I fear we shall have some little trouble in getting rid of the fellow, or keeping him quiet. He is in many respects a fine man but this time “can not come in”. Our rooms are in the third story and look out on a large square, in which is the great St. Lawrence Hall just being finished; an immense stone building to be used (I believe) for municipal purposes. Most Americans go to Mrs. Blodget’s boarding house, we called there yesterday but it was full. The “Queens” is not the crack house, but it was the best we could get into yesterday, all are full. It is however first class and very comfortable. This morning I went dawn to the custom house with Prof Treadwell; there we met Capt Knowles and had our baggage passed with but a slight examination. Capt Knowles brought it in, with the emigrants and their effects on a steam tug. They are particular here in searching Americans for Segars and tobacco in every form, for there is a very high duty on it, $2.25 I think on every pound. By the way it is the custom for American ships to give a pound paper of chewing tobacco to the pilot when he boards them. The custom house are careful to see that no reprints of English books are brought into the country. I called on Brown and Shipley, and took a letter of credit on the London house. Received a delightful letter from Mother. Mr. and Mrs. Treadwell left today for the Chester and London also Dr Spooner. I presented letters of introduction to Chas Humbertson** and others. He wears a threadbare coat and is a plain enough man for one so well known.

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*Prof. Treadwell may be the inventor and Harvard professor Daniel Treadwell (1791-1892). He was a friend of Longfellow and the inventor of the first mechanized printing press and rope spinner!!

**A newspaper in Liverpool references Charles Humberston as a "commission merchant," which was also C.K. Cobb's trade at the time.

Sunday, September 17th 1854 ~ Liverpool, U.K.

Queens Hotel ~ We landed at noon today after a splendid sail up the river; we took a towboat outside and came up wind with its assistance, although it was not necessary for the wind was fair for coming in alone. There is an aspect about the harbour unlike America. The river Mercy, a short distance up which Liverpool is situated is straight, wide and regular, and shores low and verdant. It is lined with beautiful beaches on either side, with thin black bathing boxes. Just back of the beaches, are often long blocks or rows of white houses, gentlemans beach residences or resorts for passing a few hours of a hot afternoon, for the gentleman of Liverpool. As we approached land today near enough to see verdure again our delight was extreme, green things never looked so beautiful before to us, who had seen nothing but the ocean for 21 days. It being Sunday we could not land with any thing more than a carpetbag, so shall have to go to the custom house tomorrow. This afternoon we drove over to Doctor McNeil’s church at “Princes Park” but did not hear him. We walked back from there. It is a beautiful walk and the park is beautiful and extensive, decidedly English in style. Mr. Treadwell and myself have taken a parlor between us.

Saturday, September 16th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The weather is very misty. At three this morning we were off Tuskan light opposite Wexford, from there we ran in the fog to Holyhead reaching it at one this afternoon. The fog lifted just in time to show us its rocky shore, only a few hundred yard ahead of us, and this rather startling one, was the first glimpse we got of merry England! We are now only forty miles from Liverpool and we expected to be there today.

Soon after passing Holyhead the Liverpool pilot came onboard and informed us that he could only take us to the entrance of the harbor where we should have to “lay to” for the night the water being too low to admit of our crossing the bar until another tide. So here we are under easy sail to use up the time. We have been hailed lately by several pilot boats and some towboats. When the pilots see us on board, the usual salutation is, “how many feet have you got?” It appears it depends on the number of feet of water the vessel draws, what price can be claimed for pilotage. Captain Knowles is much relieved in being able to resign the charge of his vessel to the pilot. He is worn out with the toil and anxiety of directing the course through this fog.

Friday, September 15th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ At ten o’clock we arrived within sight of the first point of the Irish coast (Cape Clear) but it was nearly twelve before to my landsman’s eyes, it appeared a well defined land of hill and dale. The day is clear and we could plainly see the bold coast, looking like broken off sand banks descending into the water. We could scarcely realize that we were gazing on the Old World! We to whom it had been so long a dream, a many colored picture in the atlas, a story of the geographies and histories, its every foot of earth recalling some record of the olden time, while our native land was still a wilderness. And this is the country of our ancestors, from which they went out a little band to plant a mighty nation, destined perhaps to be the most powerful of modern times, as it is now the most enlightened. Alice, who is decidedly the most enthusiastic of the party, could not restrain her oh’s! of delight. With the day only closed our view of Ireland, a poor woman, of the steerage, died yesterday morning, of consumption, and just after dinner today she was consigned to the sea. The body was sewed up in its bed clothes, making a compact bale, not unlike a coffin in shape and size, shutted at one end, then placed on a plank which was balanced on the bulwarks, while Dr. Gallup read some prayers, the ceremony over, one end of the plank was raised, there was a dull splash, and the waves received their charge, only to be released when the sea shall give up her dead. It was a very solemn sight. The woman was a native of Ireland and was on her way to die there. Death came but a little too soon, her country was in sight, as she took her last journey. There is only a step between birth and death, a baby was born aboard yesterday. The mother is a single lady, who made the voyage for her health, she being troubled with “dropsy”. She was treated for that until yesterday when her dropsy was removed!! I wrote to Aunt Jane today giving a full account of our voyage.

Thursday, September 14th 1854 ~ At sea

Cape Clear - island off the southern tip of Ireland (photo: G. Feldman).

At sea ~ It is a very pleasant bright day, but I am still very much under the weather, indeed I feel so miserably that I do not at all regret the approaching land. I should have done so a week ago. At noon today we were only 130 miles from Cape Clear and we are all rejoicing immensely in the prospect. This afternoon was occupied in reading “Crilla” a ridiculous book, but it was all we were fit for.

Wednesday, September 13th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The weather is less squally, and sea not so high. I feel quite unwell today and mean to take calomel this evening. We are making splendid time just now. I went out with Dr. Spooner to the end of the bowspit today and had the pleasure of seeing the waters curl under the bows as the Chariot divided the waves. It is a beautiful sight, one seems to be removed from the vessel, and it is hard to get rid of the idea that in a moment more, she will be upon you in her rapid course.

Tuesday, September 12, 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ We had a severe blow again last night, which kept poor Captain Knowles on deck nearly all night. He has but two hours sleep, this morning the wind is not as high but the weather still unsettled. The ship rolled so as almost to preclude sleep during the night, and everything not fastened was thrown about with much noise, for an example, Dr. Spooner’s trunk slid out of his state room crossed the cabin and was found in Professor Treadwell’s room in the morning. It was impossible to keep in one’s birth and escape hard knocks, without holding on. Mrs. Ashenden was much frightened and made her appearance in the Captain’s room at one o’clock, just as he had “turned in” for an hour, to know “if he thought we should live out the night.” She reminded him, he says, at that moment of the ship, on account of the “scantiness of the upper rigging.” Altogether we had quite a funny time! In the evening I fell asleep on a sofa, and during a heavy lurch, found myself seated on the floor, with all laughing at my confusion. The ship creaks as if every plank was being slowly dissevered from every other. We are directly before the wind and therefore do not feel the sea, as we should, if we were facing it, or had it on the beam, still it is very hard to keep one’s place whether seated or standing, even with our present experience. The waves are now really magnificent and we enjoy above all things standing on the deck and looking up to them. We are often in a vale from which high hills of water rising on either hand bound our view, and them mounting a sea, we have a view as from a mast heads. We have seen several school of porpoises about the ship, springing out of water in their gamols around us. “Mother Cary’s Chickens” are following us constantly, and we see many gulls. Time passes very fast and French and readings do not prosper well.

Monday, September 11, 1854 ~ At sea

A Sea ~ We had a severe gale in the night, which kept Captain Knowles up until daylight, our great ship was tossed about like a bubble and I confess I had no idea of a blow at sea until I heard the roar of the wind through the rigging last night. I went on deck at nine o’clock, and then it was so dark I could not see my own hand before my face, and the wind was so high that I couldn’t stand on the deck without holding on to some stationary object – it was from the Westward and we ran before it under double reefed topsails. All the cabin passengers slept in their clothes last night. As the storm was commencing a poor fellow, one of the steerage passengers, was dropt into his watery tomb, he died at five in the afternoon, and about eight the body was sewed up in its bedclothes and thus consigned to the sea. He was a Catholic and had friends on board who would have no service performed. We in the cabin did not hear of the death until all was over. This morning the wind blew hard, but the waves were not particularly high, owing to its having changed in the night. This morning we ran 70 miles along side of a large ship, bound for Liverpool, our relative positions in that run only changing a quarter of a mile. She is still this evening as near us as ever. Professor Treadwell and the Captain have been marking her progress by the compass. Captain Knowles informs us that he never knew such close sailing before. Our cabin is veneered on all sides beautifully, but when there is much motion it is really hard to make one’s self heard there, the creaking of the wood is so great. In a palace this cabin would make a perfect gem of a boudoir, but here it seems to us decidedly out of place. The walls are veneered throughout with mahogany inlaid with (white) satin wood, and the ceiling is handsomely gilded. It is painful to contemplate the possibility of its becoming in a few years the resort of a merry whalemans crew. To what base uses do we come at last! Mrs. Treadwell, and other ladies of the passengers are laying about the cabin floor again on mattresses, reading etc., the rough weather makes them feel a little inclined to be sick again. And how miserably they look!

Sunday, September 10th 1854 ~ At sea

Wilson's storm petrel - aka a Mother Carry's Chicken
(photo by P. Coin)

At sea ~ The day opened pleasantly with but little wind and scarcely any sea. It is almost as balmy as last Sunday was. The ship has been followed for several days by Mother Carry’s chickens – they are beautiful little birds, about the size of the blackbird. Their color, I think is grey with white breasts, they fly close to the water, and are ever on the wing, sailing about and feeding from the surface. They seem to follow us for the sake of the rejected provisions that are constantly thrown overboard. In feeding they touch the water lightly with their feet, but keep themselves in the air as they pick up what they wish. They are quite tame and often fly within easy gun shot. I believe the sailors think these birds presage a storm. They must have wonderful power of wing, for they are met with in mid ocean and are never seen to light. We had prayers this morning by Dr. Gallup while I read a sermon. This afternoon a heavy wind is sprung up and Captain Knowles predicts a stormy night. It is a westerly wind, so that at all events it will be useful. A poor woman dying of consumption joined us at prayer time. She returns to the “old country” that her friends may close her eyes. How different are our feelings from hers, yet it is only a question of a few years, which goes first.

Saturday, September 9th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ Lizzie is quite unwell today, she has a bad headache and bilious attack. Alice is much better, after dinner she was able to leave her birth and go up on deck. Last night was very rough, but the wind just astern, and very high, so that we made at one time fourteen knots per hour. Capt. Knowles says he never made better time. The wind has been very strong all day and the sea much higher than we had before seen it, many of the waves swelling up as far as the top of the hurricane deck. I spent several hours looking over the stern at the hills and plains of water, they have today realized my idea of ocean waves. Everything not lashed is flying about the cabin floor. We made 260 miles from noon yesterday to noon today, and are now just halfway between Boston and Liverpool, having been out 14 days, could we proceed at this rate one week more would see us ashore. This afternoon we signalized a New York ship bound West and gave name.

Friday, September 8th 1854 ~ At sea

Pickled limes - an old-time New England treat.

At sea ~ Alice was taken again with cramps about ten o’clock last evening. Mary sat up with her nearly all night. She slept but two hours. Dr Gallup was very much frightened by Alice’s symptoms, and entirely lost his presence of mind, so that we were absolutely forced to expel him from her state room, he disturbed her so much by his agitation. Nature proved a good physician, administered a good nights rest and today she is much better. The weather is rainy and rather cold, thermometer at 58 to 60. We are at last on the banks, we reached them yesterday, and are now leaving Newfoundland on the west. We seem at last fairly clear of the new world and bound in earnest for the old. All indications are in favor of a long passage. We passed twelve vessels yesterday and signalized one, which should report us at home. Most of these however were fishing craft. Mary and the Captain, Professor Treadwell and myself had a game of whist this evening. We occasionally get up a supper just before retiring. Sometimes I ransack the pantry, sometimes the Dr. gets out the ginger preserves, or anchovies, bread butter etc. Pickled limes.

Thursday, September 7th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ Just a year ago today Lizzie was taken with her brain fever at Saven Hill. To what a train of recollections does this lead! The Captain started us from our slumbers this morning, by knocking at our state room door, and asking if we wanted to see a ship of war! Of course Lizzie and I were drest (after a fashion) in a moment, and on deck, and there in plain sight were two French frigates just astern, and near enough to read our name. They were under full sail and bound West, with colors flying. They looked splendidly, very unlike in rig and general appearance to merchantmen, the masts were straighter, “taughter”, firmer, more raking, and the hull less crank. We ran up our flag and passed without hindrance, but our neighbor the ship New York was less lucky. She was about a mile on the other side of us, but as she was a new ship and a little tardy about showing her colors, the Frenchman determined to over haul her. By this time we were both well ahead, so one of the French frigates rounded to and gave chase. Her yards were alive with men to effect this maneuver, crowd all sail etc. It was indeed a most beautiful sight. A stern chase is always a long one and so it proved in this instance for it was only after three hours of close sailing that the Yankee was overtaken and boarded. We had preserved the same relative distance between the pursuer and the pursued, but now of course we left our competitor behind, the result of the examination was favorable and she was soon allowed to proceed. This was a highly exciting scene and one I suppose that rarely falls to the lot of mere land-lubbers - the breeze was strong and the American ship laid down to it until her hull seemed nearly out of water, while the frigate maintained a perpendicular position. Every short time after the chase began the second frigate was lost in the distance. Alice is ill today was taken with cramp last night and has not been able to bear her birth. This afternoon the weather became thick and we are once more alone on the ocean.

Wednesday, September 6th 1854 ~ At sea

A Whist Marker, used in the English card game "whist."

At Sea ~ Wind still from the East. We passed another Bark bound West this morning, and signalized her. There is very little sea today and we all are not only feeling well, but bright and in high spirits. My health seems to have improved already under the influence of the invigorating sea air. Dr. Gallup has made 36 pills for Lizzie, of monstrous size, all to be taken in four days! For general debility. She is about as well as usual and rather rebels at such a fare. Lizzie and Mary have begun writing home but as we have not yet reached the “banks”, there is but little chance of the letters being sent under two weeks.

About noon today we discovered a new ship on our lee quarter and have been racing with her all day. At present she is about two miles behind. She is about 2000 tons clipper built and Captain Knowles thinks she is the “New York”, on her first trip from N.Y. for Liverpool. If so she left N.Y. on the 25th one day before we left Boston. Which will reach England first? The Capt. Signalized her but she refuses to tell her name. We are both close hauled. We read today 11 weeks in Europe by Clark and had a game of whist in the evening.

Tuesday, September 5th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The wind is again light and poor Captain Knowles sees but a small chance of returning to the bosom of his family for a long while to come, it seems to make him quite blue. He says Lizzie reminds him so much of his wife but the only point of resemblance I can make out is that they are both very short. All the ladies aboard are quite in love with the Captain, with his manly face and gentlemanly bearing. I believe by the way it is quite the style at present to take a tender interest in any captain under whom one crosses the Atlantic (at least for the fair sex). Captain Knowles has some easily seen faults. His habits of command make him peremptory and overbearing toward inferiors and all those over whom he has any kind of authority. We had a polka on deck last evening to the music of the Doctor’s flute. This morning we passed a Hamburg bark, bound West, and were almost near enough to speak her, not quite, but as we signalized, we are in hopes of being reported on her arrival in America. We exchanged longitudes with her. The thermometer stands at 64 today and has ranged from 62 to 70 thus far on the voyage. We have now been out nine and a half days and have only made about seven hundred miles of our course. We breakfast at eight bells, dine at four bells and take tea at four bells. The table is a little dizzy feeling consequent upon holding onto your chair, balancing your plate etc., to say nothing of seeing the movable sack of glasses swinging over one’s head, all this is slightly unpleasant and will always remain so to me. At Breakfast we have coffee and tea, white bread, rye bread, boiled rye, ship and soda biscuit, beef steak, broiled salmon, pickled salmon, etc. At Dinner fish, roast duck, potted pigeons, meat pie, roast beef, stewed tomatoes, green corn, potatoes in all forms, Carolina potatoes, rice, plum pudding, squash pie, gooseberry pie, watermelon, cantaloupe, prunes, figs, nuts and raisins. This was today's dinner and is a fair specimen of all. We have for tea, bread as at breakfast, herrings, cold tongue, smoked beef, stewed prunes, preserved ginger, and Mrs. Venton’s best cake, all provisions either in the ice house or in exhausted-air cases and it is wonderful how fresh everything tastes even the cake seems as if just baked.

Monday, September 4th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The Captain came down to breakfast this morning in fine spirits, his good honest features beaming with pleasure for the wind is fair! And we are running due East. We were much frightened last evening by the cry “man overboard” but it was scarcely an instant before he caught a rope and was safely drawn up. He fell from a loft, struck off by the flapping of a sail. We had a squall at dinner time that carried away a spar.

Sunday, September 3rd 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The morning is glorious, no wind and no sea of any consequence, the ship is scarcely making two knots per hour. This quite comes up to my idea of a Sabbath at sea, the stillness of the waters recalls the unwonted quiet of a New England village on the Lord’s day. The wide expanse enlarges and elevates our thoughts, while the balmy air inspires peace and content. Of course all are feeling well. We had service in the cabin at eleven o’clock. I read the service and Dr. Gallup the lessons, after which I read a sermon. We sat upon the deck until about 9 o’clock.

Saturday, September 2nd 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ We have been aboard just one week today, and it seems quite a little lifetime since we parted with our friends at home, but time will probably pass more quickly as we become more accustomed to this quiet life. It is perfectly monotonous but still time passes very quickly and we find but little leisure for reading. It is almost impossible to keep ones eyes from the heaving plain of water, always the same, yet ever changing. The winds have moderated and the clouds have broken away, but it still proceeds from the East and we are now again in the Gulf Stream. The sailors songs still strike us agreeably – there is considerable variety in the words, but it is difficult to catch them, perhaps that is just as well as many of them are indecent to refined ears. On the whole we think they sound much better at a distance. We are hoping that the sea will subside enough for public worship tomorrow.

Friday, September 1st 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ Our course is East South East, the breeze still comes from the same quarter and seems likely to remain adverse. We are feeling as if we should have a long passage. I do not dislike the idea at all. The day has been pleasant and we all passed it on deck. I felt quite unwell this afternoon and got Dr. Gallup to administer some soda flavored with ginger. He was a long time preparing it in his little cabin. The Dr. is a queer looking little man of Dutch extraction who has passed the greater part of his life in one of the West India islands, where I rather think he did not see much of life for he is somewhat unsophisticated in the ways of the world. He is however an accomplished man and quite a gentleman, he seems to have taken a lively interest in us and in providing for our physical comforts. This evening the wind has freshened into a gale and promises a stormy night, still the ocean has not realized my anticipations of grandeur as yet. The royals and top-gallants are taken in and a reef is put into each topsail. A good deal of water from a high breaker came over the bulwarks today although we are about fifteen feet above the sea.

Thursday, August 31st 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The ship is somewhat less crank today and the wind more favorable. All the lady passengers made their appearance at the breakfast table for the first time this morning and it really seems like quite an event in our very quiet life. Mrs. Treadwell only came with a great effort that she might not be the last. She has passed the greater part of the day heretofore extended on a mattress on the cabin floor. After breakfast we had a game of shuffle-board on deck, where we remained reading, studying French etc. We were on deck also in the afternoon. All feel well enough now to enjoy the new life. Our time goes quickly, so much so that we read but little. It is an unfailing pleasure to watch the ever-changing swelling waters. It is still pleasant without over coats or shawls. We see large banks of seaweed every few moments. This afternoon a school of porpoises were playing about the ship, springing out of the water every few moments and then swimming so near the surface as to be distinctly seen in their rapid course - we are moving from ten to twelve knots per hour and yet they pass us as if we were standing still. A sail appeared and in the distance this afternoon. In the evening we sat upon the deck listening to the Doctor’s flute, and exercising our melodious voices in the Ave Maria, Home Sweet Home etc. At nine o’clock we descended to the cabin and had a game of “old-maid,” Alice much frightened but not hurt!! Prof. Treadwell today thought I would not dare to go aloft, there being no “lubber-holes” in the “tops”. I made the attempt and succeeded, when I returned he desired to put his hand on my wrist to see “how the pulse went.” Dr. Gallup reads French to us and has become in a measure our teacher. In the steerage are two poor women in the consumption who are returning to Ireland to die, our days are also numbered and be they shorter or longer they will pass like a dream in the night, or the shadow of a cloud, and the places that have known us shall know us no more forever and we shall be called upon to render an account to our Maker. Looking upon the vast expanse around us should teach us humility and our own littleness in the presence of Him who holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand.

Wednesday, August 30th 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ This morning the wind is somewhat better but we are still further in the gulf stream and have made with our numerous tacks North and South but a very few miles of Easting. I shaved this morning for the first time since leaving home and left the upper lip. Capt. Knowles thinks I was seized with “mal de mer” just in time to check operations on that member. Lizzie and the girls are much better today, even Alice seems to have partially recovered. The Capt. and Dr. carried mattresses up on deck for their use, on which they have been reclining all day, watching the ever undulating plain around us and basking in the warm sun. It is surprising how a few days of sea sickness preys on the damask cheek and bleaches even the sweetest rose. Our ladies appear as if they had passed through a dangerous illness, all sentiment is famished and listless content the greatest good aimed at for the present. The moon has made her appearance and we are looking forward to a succession of fine moon light nights.

Tuesday, August 29th, 1854 ~ At sea

Painting: "The Chariot of Fame crossing the Atlantic from Liverpool to Boston" by M.J. Whitehead.

At sea ~ Lizzie and the girls are somewhat better today although it is still rough and the tin cups that hang to our births are in requisition sometimes. Capt. Knowles is in despair for the wind comes from the old quarter and we are much out of our course. We have seen a whale in the distance, but as yet no other fish. Time is divided into watches and bells – there are six watches in the 24 hours of 4 hours each, beginning at noon, at half past twelve the steersman strikes one bell, at one o’clock he strikes two bells, at half past strikes three, at two he strikes four bells, at half past, five bells and so on until four o’clock when the number of bells reaches eight. Here the second watch comes on, and the sublimity of the ocean does not strike me as I supposed it would were I out at sea. I am disappointed in the heighth of the ocean waves, they seem higher when one is seated on the rocks at Sahant or the beach at Newport – perhaps it is that the land is an obstacle that shows to advantage their force. Our great vessel looks smaller contrasted only with this vast expanse of water – and the effect of the waves upon her have ceased to cause wonder.

Monday, August 28th, 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ I slept well last night, and awoke this morning to find the wind as yesterday high and unfavorable. There is even more motion, the vessel moves fast but not in the right direction. I found it very difficult to dress but accomplished it by holding on to the fixtures of the state room. All our lady passengers are still sick, but Alice suffers more than any one else. We are getting into the gulf stream and see much floating sea weed about us, the air is damp and mild, so much so that an overcoat is uncomfortable. I am becoming quite well acquainted with the Captain, he is a tall large set man, quite good looking, and withal very much of a gentleman. He has a wife and family on Cape Cod and has evidently very strong domestic feelings, dislikes to leave his little wife, but as she is a bad sailor, he makes his voyage alone. I have learnt the names of the masts, the first forward is called the “fore-mast”, the second, the main-mast, the third the mizzen, the lower sail on each is called after it as main-sail, fore-sail, mizzen-sail. The second sail is the “top-sail” with the name of mast, as “fore top-sail” etc. The third is called the “top-gallant” with name of mast, the fourth is the “Royal.”

Sunday, August 27th, 1854 ~ At sea

At sea ~ The wind in the night has been gradually increasing, and is now blowing hard from the old quarter (South East) and we are pitching about a great deal. The waves do not look high but as they strike our broadside they cause us to roll heavily. It seemed impossible yesterday that our noble ship could have so much motion – she is very “crank”, as the sailors call it, that is, lays over on her side, so that it is really quite a feat to climb from one side of the cabin to the other. All the passengers are sick – too much so for prayers or indeed for anything under the sun – none of the ladies have been out of their births today. I got up early and went to breakfast and managed to eat a pretty hearty one of chicken etc. but was relieved of it all soon after, the captain noticed that I walked to the deck railing in a contemplative mood, and I thought I saw in his face that he divined a reason in the procedure. I took a light dinner and feel better, but still see no beauty in sea or sky and earth is nearly out of sight. This morning we got a parting glimpse of Cape Cod, the last we shall have of our country if no accident happen. Our course is South East, it should be due East I believe. Lizzie is very sick and confined to her birth, Mary is also sick but cannot relieve her feelings! Poor Alice is the greatest sufferer of us all and wishes devoutly that she was again in Boston. The table today has assumed a new garb, long parallel stats of wood, extend its whole length beneath the table-cloth, they are about three inches high and serve to balance our plates upon and keep them out of our laps. All the glass is suspended above our heads on a swinging shelf that vibrates with the motion of the ship. A poor fellow who came aboard to say goodbye to his friends of the steerage, was carried off by mistake and now he is anxiously looking out for “sails” in hopes that he may be transferred to an inward bound ship, but his chances are small – he will probably have to go with us to Liverpool.

Is Mother watching the weather at Saven Hill, or at Newport? It will be long before we can know.

about the author

From my mom (nee Julia Kane Cobb), great grand-daughter of the journal keeper:

"The man writing the story is Charles Kane Cobb, who married Elizabeth Codman in June of 1853. My grandfather was their son, Frederic Codman Cobb, born in 1859. Elizabeth Codman Cobb lived until 1917, long enough to welcome her grandson (my father) Frederic Codman Cobb Jr. who was born in 1915."

about the ship

Chariot of Fame (1853-1876):

A clipper ship, launched 1853 in Boston.
Captained by Allen H. Knowles of Cape Cod from 1854-1862.
Traveled to U.K., Chile, Peru, San Fransisco, Baltimore, Boston.
Apparently abandoned in 1876 en route from Peru to Cork (source).

Saturday, August 26, 1854 ~ Ship Chariot of Fame

Ship Chariot of Fame ~ Our project of a tour in Europe was hastily made two weeks ago; on account (on my part) of increasing ill health and need of relaxation from the labor of a clerkship in a dry goods commission house. Mary has not been well and thought the change of air and scene might benefit her, besides, of course, anticipating much pleasure from foreign travel; while of course my little wife, always ready for a “spree”, was doubly so for one of such a magnitude. Everything combined to make our way clear before us, and here we are a party of four on board the Chariot of Fame, a noble ship of 2000 tons, at sea and bound for Liverpool. I have spoken of three of our party the fourth is Mrs. Alice Watts – we feel as if we know her very well, having past a year under the same roof, and trust that quarter “familiarity” will not breed contempt on either side. We missed the cars this morning which were to carry us in to Boston from Savin Hill, and were forced to take Pa Little’s old carryall and drive in town where we joined Alice at the depot of the Old Colony railway, and as it was too early for carriages there, we four drove, with baggage, to the ship in our carryall, and must have looked very like an Irish family moving, or a Neapolitan turnout. Poor Mother bid us goodbye at Saven Hill with a tear or two and Grandmother says she never expects to see us again (the prevailing tune, by the way, of the last five years at every parting). They bore it, on the whole, much better than could have been expected considering that Mother was trusting to the ocean her all for an absence of perhaps a year. We felt very badly at parting with her, she has to look forward to a long, and perhaps lonely winter in Schenectady. William Codman, Mr. Foster, Mr. Watts, and others went to the limits of the harbor with us in the towboat “Rescue” which carried us out, and as the waving of their handkerchiefs disappeared in the distance, the last material link seemed broken that bound us to our American relatives and friends, but I hope their hearts will be with us on the watery way that is opening before us and I am sure ours will often revisit home and follow them in their daily occupations.

The day is cloudy, the wind unfavorable, being light and from the North East, so that we are close hauled and moving slowly. We have 150 steerage passengers on board, most of them paupers sent home to Ireland by the state. They are grouped forward, among the sailors, and present quite and picturesque appearance. The vessel is covered with flags of the sailors’ songs, being a novelty, sound very pleasantly to our landlubber ears. I doubt if we see any harbor more beautiful than this, with its little islands, its frowning fort, its fine shipping etc. We can detect no motion (up and down) in our vessel, although fairly out at sea, she lays upon the water like a great leviathan, slowly edging Eastward. It seems impossible to us that she could ever be the “sport of the waves.” Our cabin passengers are Mr. and Mrs. Prof. Treadwell, Dr. Spooner, young Shelton, Mrs. Ashendon and children, Dr. Gallup surgeon of the ship and of course Capt. Knowles, our commander. We left the wharf this morning at ten o’clock and now, at ten at night have a lee shore in plain sight. Mary and Alice have a stateroom together next to ours.