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.