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Subject: Memoirs - 1833 Ship Sailing
Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 06:50:06 EST

Our Rolla (ship) proved to be a roller indeed and we had a hard, long voyage,
but saw most of the wonders of the deep. Icebergs, flying fish, nautilus'
etc. etc. Once for two days the sea fell into a perfect calm, like a mirror,
and I, unforbidden, up the rigging to the second cross-trees. The sea looked
like a glass funnel, - the horizon as high as I was and the ship's bulk down
in the apex of the funnel. While there I saw dark steaks pass across the
shining surface. When I came down, the sailors I told of it said that was
what we all wanted, and soon the sails began to flap, they were opened out
and the ship began to move over the water, now growing all dark. When, one
morning the sea on one side was covered with cliffs, pinnacles, and detached
blocks of ice, it grew very cold. The ship was headed south to get clear of
danger. Within a week we were off Cape Hattera and the heat (it was about
July 1) made the pitch swell and bubble up between the planks of the deck.
We were out of provisions, - had only a few moldy brown ship biscuits in
moldy lumps and a pint of thick yellow stinking water a day for about 2
weeks. We obtained a barrel of fresh mackerel from a fishing boat, - very
rich and oily. My share was no sooner cooked and swallowed than it went back
into the waves. But we had wind and fair wind at last and about the only
time that I saw a real smile on the grim brown weather tanned face of our
Captain was when he turned around to some of us and said, "Two good things
together - a fair wind and a pilot!" We were then, it appeared off the mouth
of the Delaware. SE wind was blowing, soon the pilot boat appeared and we
went steadily on. The scent of the land and the woods came to us, so long
doomed to foul air and horrid stench in our narrow crowded quarters, where 80
persons were huddled in and had to be battened down during a two days storm
that carried away part of the railing of the deck with much else. Soon we
saw bright woods and many birds, and, after long waiting, a house, then a man
in shirt and pants carrying a scythe, a little dog trotting along. I felt as
if I was ready and willing to exchange skins with that dog only to be in his
place. Later a boat put off and offered bread to the shining hungry eyes
that were all along the deck, waiting. I got a piece and never did anything
taste so good. Why, I thought, do people put anything on bread to make it
taste better? On getting up to Philadelphia, July 9, 1833, I had an
illustration of the fact that one can hardly get into any strange or far off
place without finding some acquaintance. A man, not very good looking, came
on board before we could get leave to get off. He proved to be one who had
lived a mile from Didley, on the turnpike to Hereford, the next house beyond
the "Three Horseshoes." He had been sick, he said, and wanted help. But we
had great need of help ourselves. I had been robbed of provision on the way
and could think of nothing but getting a meal. When we did land and get to a
tavern (Philadelphia was then a very plain, half Dutch place) we could eat
but very little, and it did not at all meet expectations.

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