|
John Horsburgh
Voyage to America
1855 |
|
The November 1946 edition of The Scots
Magazine includes an account of a voyage from Liverpool to New
York, undertaken by John Horsburgh in 1855.
This article consists of extracts from
John's diary written during the 22 day voyage. It makes entertaining
reading. It would be good to know if John's diaries have survived
and to discover what else he wrote.
Here are some extracts from his account of
the voyage:
|
|
Thursday
1 Feb
|
"We (four young men,
ages 19 to 20) met at Liverpool and went on board the sailing ship
'Princeton' with our baggage."
"The passengers, I
guess, number 230 to 250, mostly Irish. They occupy the upper
steerage"
"We are in the second
cabin and have a room to ourselves - four for £18 £4
10/- each." |
|
Friday
2 Feb
|
"The Irish are very
noisy as 'Patricks' always are, for they have no patience to speak one at
a time." |
|
Saturday
3
Feb
|
"9am They are
pulling up the anchor and the sailors have commenced singing and working
in right earnest. We have now got a steamer to tug us down the
river."
"12 noon. The
pilot left us with the steam tug 'Constitution' and we are now left to the
wind, sail, and tide, and, can I forget to say, also Providence. The
Captain now took command." |
|
Sunday
4
Feb
|
"We are going slow
- the wind is not strong and is against us. In the morning we
heard the Irish at their devotions." |
|
Tuesday
6 Feb
|
"My
birthday [his 21st]
- first thoughts
of home and old connections. Thankful to say we are safe out of the
Channel - borne onto the broad Atlantic." |
|
Wednesday
7
Feb
|
"Awoke last night with
a noise I cannot describe - men and women roaring and
swearing, praying and invoking mercy from Mary - all
unfastened goods rolling from one side to the other." |
|
Thursday
8 Feb
|
"Wind not quite so
strong but still favourable - it is warm to-day -
just like a day in June at home. Have sailed 162 miles since
yesterday." |
|
Friday
9 Feb
|
"Awoke hearing a cock
crow - got up and made porridge." |
|
Wednesday
14
Feb
|
"Reaching the top of
the stairs I heard the wind roaring and whistling, the masts cracking
- the waves boiling up and swelling with wrath. Oh! it was
beautiful! I rushed downstairs for my waterproof telling the boys to
get out of their beds and come upstairs if they wanted full value for
their money." |
|
Friday
16 Feb
|
"Storm
abated last night. We are in the latitude of the Banks of Newfoundland
- the sun is hot but there is a cold east wind. 15 sails up
and going well." |
|
Saturday
24
Feb
|
"Deck covered with ice.
Bows of ship are like pillars of beautiful marble. Saw a pilot.
Hailed him. We are 50 miles from New York."
"Had a long dialogue
with the first Mate who will be Captain next voyage and well deserves it.
Neither he nor the captain in their united or separate experience ever had
such a quick passage across the Atlantic. Longest time was 8 weeks
and we are within 40 miles of New York in three." |
|
Sunday
25
Feb |
"Land Ahoy!! I
was up on deck first. Extremely cold. (20 below zero). 9.15am.
Hailed a steamer and reefed our sails to which a vote of thanks. Now
in tow of the steamer tug 'Titan'. "
"The coast is
beautiful. Houses and trees in abundance - a thin coat
of snow covers the ground."
"2.30pm. Full in
Port, 22 days and four hours since we sailed. |