Saturday, October 7th 1854 ~ Baden Baden, Germany

Hotel de la Courde Baden ~ This certainly is a charming place. Very beautifully situated, but looking in itself like all watering places. The streets wide and unpaved, rows of trees, wooden houses etc. Baden is surrounded on three sides by high hills covered with deep woods, and having beautiful walks along their sides extending for miles in every direction. Just behind our hotel is a large flower garden filled with bright autumnal flowers, bounded by a high brick wall and behind it rises one of the three hills to a height, which would make its ascent very toilsome. At a distance of about half a mile in front is the hill which forms the opposite boundary of our little valley. It is somewhat higher than the one behind us and is crowned by an old ruin which was the earliest residence of the Dukes of Baden. This ruin is so embowered by the trees, that it is only seen through the foliage and above it, in its iron strength of other days. We attended service this morning at the English Chapel, but Alice was obliged to remain in the house on account of a bad toothache. At four o’clock Lizzie and myself took a walk to the neighborhood of the great club house, which seems to be the favorite promenade; there a band (a large and fine one) was playing polkas in the open air, while ladies and gentlemen handsomely drest were sitting or walking under thee trees. Nurses teaching children to dance to the music etc. Rather a gay scene for the Sabbath! From here we struck off on one of the paths through the hill side woods, taking religious books with us and using them when quite above society and its [voices]. After returning home we started out again to obtain some medicine for Alice and were informed that the apothecary could only sell a small quantity of landanum (too small to take life) to any one person. Baden is a place where gambling is authorized by law, and this perhaps accounts for such a regulation. In our walk before breakfast this morning, we saw a handsome house of peculiar architecture, with long piazzas, etc. which we found covered the chief springs. We went in and were served from the spring which comes up into the midst of a handsome room with frescoed ceiling. The waters are hot, have no decided taste and resemble in color water slightly tinged with milk. They spring from the ground in thirteen places at a boiling heat. I bathed in them this evening and found the bath so warm that cold water was needed to dilute.

Tuesday, October 3rd 1854 ~ Bonn, Germany

Left: Cologne Cathedral under construction in 1856. Right: in 1912, after its completion in 1880.

Hotel Bellevue ~ I date at Bonn because I write from there this evening but the whole day has been spent at Cologne. Mary was quite unwell this morning. She had headache and was obliged to remain at the hotel while we were sightseeing. We started early and first directed our steps to the great Cathedral “Domkirche.” It is still unfinished and was begun in the 11th century. At present the work is being prosecuted with vigor and will probably be concluded in a half century more. This is a great gothic structure and when completed will be the largest of its style in the world. It has two towers, one on either side of the nave, that will be 500 feet high. It contains of course many wonderful relics (what Rhemish or Belgian cathedral does not!). Among them are a “lock of the hair of the Virgin” and the “skulls of the three Kings of Cologne,” the wise men or Magi, who first came to adore the infant Christ. The vast proportions of the outside of this cathedral impressed us much. We gazed at its proportions a long while. From one of its towers springs quite a good sized tree, taken root on a deposit of ages. We now went to the Ursuline Chapel, whose walls are filled with the bones of the eleven thousand sainted virgins who were massacred here by the Huns in the 3rd century. I have given their history under date of Sept. 29th. In the sacristy their bones are arranged in glass cases which extend from the floor to the ceiling and perfectly line the room. We were shown the skull of St. Ursula with her name embroidered upon a band of crimson velvet which encircles it, covering up the lower jaw and thus taking from the face that repulsive expression common to this object. Very many of the other skulls were similarly adorned. The question presented itself to us, how they came to know these skulls one from another, after they had been in a confused heap for ages. In this same place they pointed out to us one of the “alabaster wine pots used by our Lord at [Cans] of Galilee. It was broken and looked old. From here we visited another church where there is a splendid painting of Rubens. It was presented by him to the church, the one in which he was baptized. The subject is the crucifixion of St. Peter. His executioners are affixing his ponderous body to the cross head downwards and driving the nails. His face is calm, but each mussel of the body betrays his suffering. He is represented as in high health, but an old man with gray hair. This picture impresses us more than any we have ever seen and now we feel as if we never should see its like again. We saw the house in which Ruben was born and Mary de Médicis died. The church which has Rubens painting still preserves the font in which he was baptized. It has the tomb of a child of an English king in the 3rd century, a monument much defaced.

Tuesday, September 26th 1854 ~ London

St. Paul's Cathedral.

London ~ My physician called again this morning and told me I had better leave London as soon as possible and breathe a purer air and there in accordance been making preparations to leave tomorrow. Today we visited St. Pauls cathedral, one of the largest buildings in the world. It is cruciform and of stone which time has made of a reddish brown color. The outside of St. Pauls is far more imposing than the interior. It requires 20 minutes to half an hour for driving around it and gives one a fine idea of the greatest of architectural wonders of past centuries. One does not obtain as good an idea of it however as if it stood in an open space instead of being shut in and encompassed by narrow struts. The interior is of course very magnificent from its vast proportion but is devoid of ornament and is somewhat broken by columns so that the size does not take in all at once. The dome is enormous, its highest point is 350 feet above the pavement of the church. The building is well lighted and has not the solemn grandeur that a soft light united with such vastness must give. In the crypt lies the body of the Iron Duke. I changed some of my English gold for French today at h 86 Cheapside.

Monday, September 25th 1854 ~ London

A horsedrawn "Handsome" carriage (Bettman archive).

London ~ This morning when the Doctor came he gave me permission to go out for a little drive, so Lizzie and myself got into a “Handsome” which is a one horse conveyance like a chaise except that there is a seat for a driver behind and above so that the reins pass over the chaise top, and the house (to those inside) seems to be without guidance. We saw the outside of St. James Palace of Buckingham Palace, drove around Hyde Park, St. James Park, saw “Temple bar” where the right of the Sovereign bows to the authority of the municipal authorities. Temple Bar was one of the gates of London and it still marks the terminus of the ancient city. It looks not unlike a small and somewhat defaced triumphal arch. The Dr. had forbidden me to breathe the atmosphere of the old city, so Temple Bar was an effectual bar to me. It seems a great pity. I should be thus laid up where there is so much to see, where every foot of ground, the name of every street recalls some story or history.

Sunday, September 24th 1854 ~ London

Have been up a little while today and am very much better but still very weak, scarcely able to stand. The doctor has been here twice today. Have had a very serious attack, which would have ended a poor constitution.

Saturday, September 23rd 1854 ~ London

I am still better today. The doctor has been here and pronounced me much improved, but I cannot get out of bed yet. When I rise for a moment my head swims and I am obliged to lie down again. He has called again this evening.

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.

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.

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!

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.