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 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).