. . . Jan 16. Sunday. In the forenoon meeting. During our meeting it was to our joy, that we heard the sailors lift the anchor, in order that we should be sailing at noontime. We were sailing along with a steamship (likely roped to it) until 4 o'clock, sailing along the coastline of Liverpool, about more than 2 miles. Finally the steamship left us; but we could not see the shore for fog. The wind was in our favor, and we did good sailing through the night.

Jan 17. We could see land on both sides of us; toward the south a mountain range, and toward the north, Iceland (then Danish). We had fine weather. Toward evening we could see the light blink from a lighthouse.

Jan18. Now we are out of the St. George Channel and can only plentifully view air and water. We had sailed well during the whole night. The wind had blown favorably. We are now sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

Jan 19. Good weather. No news; but most of us are seasick.

Jan 20. Storm during the night. Today the ship is slingaring [UNCLEAR], so that I was seasick and had to go down to our room. We saw a two-masted ship north from us.

Jan 21. During the night good wind, and good sailing. In the evening, strong wind.

Jan 22. The wind blowed favorably to us; many, that had been seasick, came on the deck; and we viewed 10 ships in sight (perhaps all old-time sailing ships.)

Jan 23. Sunday. During the night fine weather. Only a little wind. The air is milder. At noontime many dolphins were swimming around our ship. In the evening we held a meeting.

Jan 24. A quiet night, and a beautiful morning. In the evening the wind blowed, and the waves got bigger. [p. 8]

January 25. The wind blows harder. Hail and rain. Waves go high. The water is remarkably lukewarm. We see 3 frigate ships. One of these ships were damaged by the heavy winds towards evening.

Jan 26. The ocean quite calm. A few persons were on the deck; but it hailed and rained. The wind calmed down. The whole night and the following day (Jan 27) we had good wind for our sailing. We think that the sun now is giving more heat during the day. Toward evening it thundered. We saw some frigate ships.

Jan 28. During the night good and favorable wind. 2 frigates and one brig ship in sight. In the afternoon these ships were far back of us. Only one ahead of us.

Jan 29. During the night, good wind blowing in the right direction. During a hard rain in the afternoon some little damage was made to our ship.

Jan 30. Sunday. Wind moderately blowing during the night. Fine morning. Many promenading on the deck in summer costume. Many walk on the deck barefooted. We have now come to Passaten [LOCATION UNCLEAR] so called, where the general climate is warmer. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon we had a meeting on the deck.

Jan 31. Beautiful weather. Like summer in the forenoon. I saw many dolphins around the ship. Today I dressed in summer clothing.

Feb 1. Good wind for us; the air warm; in the evening some rain, in connection with whirlwinds (whirlwinds) that created some little damage to the ship.

Feb 2. Winds moderately blowing warm air; but we were badly bothered by insects, and especially were passengers from Ireland, and was said, carried the insects with them from Ireland; and now, that the air was warmer, all kinds of insects multiplied!

Feb 3. Fine summer air; wind blowing moderately. A child, born in Hull, (England) had died and was buried in the ocean.

Feb 4. Warm air and good wind for us. The deck was full of passengers that laid down and bathed themselves in the sun. We were still badly bothered with insects. In the afternoon I saw some big fish around the ship.

Feb 5. Fine weather and a pleasant wind blowing.

Feb 6. Sunday. More fresh air during the night. More wind in the right direction, and the ship is sailing very fast. The day is set to be a day of fast and prayer. We had meeting nearly all day. In the evening the sacrament was administered. Several church members voluntarily, humbly acknowledged that they had transgressed some of the gospel commandments. Many of the brethren spoke, and the Spirit of God was manifested; but I was not that day as glad, as I would liked to have been, [p. 9] as I felt that I had been somewhat sidetracked by some of the brethren, ever since we commenced our journey. I did not find the love present in the hearts of some church members, as I thought they, as church members, would be in possession of; but I am thankful to my God, that he has opened my eyes, so that I can also see my own weaknesses, and see that I was also at fault myself, by insisting upon having my wishes, as to the management of the emigrant's journey-affairs carried out. We had the whole day a fresh breeze blowing, with lightnings in the northern skies.

Feb 7. Fresh, cooling winds. Today I saw the first "flying fish" as sild--a small fish [HERRING] well-known by Danish people. Afterwards I saw them flying over the near surface of the water like they were birds; but fish are they. In the afternoon I again saw a great many dolphins around the ship. A half-year old child died during the night.

Feb 8. The day was uncomfortably warm. In the evening the were lightnings in the sky.

Feb 9. During the night a cooling wind blowed. In the morning I saw exceptionally big fish near the ship. During the day the air was warm, and no wind blowing, so we nearly laid at one place all day. Big fish were seen in the water after sundown.

Feb 10. Not hardly any wind blowing and very hot. We can nearly walk around without any clothing and be about the same scarcely dressed during our sleep on the top of bedding around around [SIC] the big masts on the deck.

Feb 11. A little wind. The two ships that followed us yesterday, have gone on ahead of us.

Feb 12. Little wind. 2 ships southeast from us.

Feb 13. Sunday. Held the meeting as a fast and prayer meeting, where each of us could speak freely; and several brethren expressed themselves in relation to evil things, that had been committed; and they wanted to clear their conscience and be forgiven by the Lord. In the evening a child was born.

Feb 14. In the morning a frigate ship passed us and similar ships will always pass us on account of the still air we now have; hardly no wind. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon we had land in sight in the southwest.

Feb 15. We were near one of the West Indian Island. (Three of these islands were at that time Danish possessions). Another child was born.

Feb 16. A fresh wind blowed all day in our favor, and we sailed well forward. Another sailing vessel was seen ahead of us.

Feb 17. Less wind. After the noon hour we could see the smoke from a steamer North of us. [p. 10]

February 18. Good wind blowing favorably for us. At noontime a three masted ship passed us to toward the north. In the afternoon an exceedingly great flock of birds was seen, and occasionally great big birds flew near to the ship.

Feb 19. In the morning and again towards evening, we saw land to the north. The wind blowed our way forward both during the night and the day. An hour before evening a Svale bird came flying to us and stayed with the ship until evening. The isle now to be seen is St. (Santo) Domingo.

Feb 20. No wind hardly during the night and during the day a burning heat. In the evening the air temperature was enjoyable. It is Sunday today. We had a meeting in the forenoon. St. Domingo was in sight all day.

Feb 21. St. Domingo is still seen all day, but the sight above our heads are greatly changed. The birds, that we see in great flocks fly down to pick food from the surface of the water, (perhaps little fish) are birds, that we have never seen before. The sun is at noon hours nearly perpendicular about our heads. The heat in the atmosphere is very depressing and the sweat rolls from our bodies in big drops. The moon is now north from us, and shines exceptionally clear, so we can see ships on the ocean at great distances. We got tired in our legs by viewing the moon and the North Star and the different star complexes etc. A child, that had been very sick died in the afternoon. Many of the passengers slept on the deck during the night.

Feb 22. St. Domingo is yet in sight. A little cooler. Toward evening good wind.

Feb 23. In the morning we lost the St. Domingo island of sight, as our sailing ahead was good. At noontime there was not much wind. We sailed over a sand-bank in the ocean, where the water was only a few fathoms deep. In the evening, we had a frigate ship sailing back of us, but it was soon ahead of us, as we mainly had to depend on good wind to move fast.

Feb 24. The Island of Jamaica is seen south from our ship and that big island has exceedingly high mountains, reaching up to the clouds, or even higher. The mountains on Santo Domingo had a similar height. Today there was no wind at all, but likely caused by little, waves not hardly seen. Our ship tipped a little from one to another and at evening it had finally turned clear around in the water and was actually going back again. After the sails were arranged, and a light breeze again was blowing at 9:30 o'clock, we sailed forward again towards our destination, and we soon were said to be in the Caribbean Sea (east of Central America and north of part of South America.) [p. 11]

February 25. Wind blowing moderately. The air was cooler. The big isle of Jamaica could today no longer be seen . The isle has heaven-high mountains.

Feb 26. The sailing was about as yesterday.

Feb 27. Sunday. We have still good wind and are dong good sailing. We had meetings in the forenoon and in the afternoon. Late in the evening we passed the west side of Cuba, where there was a light tower. As we had been sailing a long distance south from Cuba, that was the reason for, that we had not seen the light from the tower before.

Feb 28. We are today in the Gulf of Mexico and we are now sailing in north and northwest direction. The wind blows very favorably to us. Some of the emigrants doubt the correctness of certain doctrines, that the missionaries have been preaching, and I earnestly pray to God, that he will protect me, so that I always will be able to know, what principles are true gospel and what his holy will is. Some great fish was seen in the evening. Toward evening the youngest child on the ship died.

March 1. Today the wind does not blow so good to us. The wind direction is not so good. We had lightnings and rain last night, and the wind blowed against us. We had to sleep in our rooms under the deck.

March 2. The wind velocity is greater; but it is cold today. [p. 12]

March 3. Today we did not have much wind. In the evening no wind was blowing.

March 4. Today better wind, but it tore one of the sails. The air is getting considerably cooler, and we have to dress heavier. We have a strong wind today, but during the night there was no wind.

March 5. Elder Forsgren sent words -a message- down in the ship to us to get our things tied up solidly, as he expected a storm to come up; and in the morning the wind turned, and a very strong wind blowed the whole day, with wind blasts between the even wind, and many water waves went over the deck, where some children were playing, but none of them was hurt. During the night we slept well in our bedrooms, in spite if the ship's, slinging and tipping from one side to another. We depended fully upon God's protection. During the night the sailors let the boat drive in the direction of the wind (that likely was about the direction, that they ship master and sailors, wanted to go).

March 6. Sunday morning we had a good wind, but later on during the day the wind stilled off, so there finally were no wind to provide sailing. It was said that we at that point were only about 10 miles from the shore, where the Mississippi River flowed into the ocean in the Gulf of Mexico. We held our Sunday meetings in the forenoon and the afternoon. [p. 13]

March 7. During the night we had a little wind, so we could come nearer to land, and in the morning there was cried Land! We could see several ships laying for anchor at the mouth of the river, and we were soon sailing in the very mudret [DANISH WORD FOR: the mire] water, and where we remained waiting for a pilot to come out to us, to direct our ship to the place, where our captain could throw anchor, which was done at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon. A great many big ships were seen laying for anchor, and smaller boats were in constant activity between the big ships transferring passengers and freight, etc. New Orleans is a city laying abut 25 miles from the outlet of the Mississippi River. Our ship's captain and Brother Forsgren went up to New Orleans to arrange to have some steamship come out to us and take our ship further in towards land.

March 8. In the evening, March 7, an old woman died at eleven o'clock. In the morning a coffin was provided, and some of the sailors, and Brother [Poul Christian] Larsen and other brethren, went in a boat with the coffin in which the corpse was nicely placed and had her buried. When these men came back, they carried with them some green tree branches and green plants. [p. 14]

March 9 & 10. No statements.

March 11. A child died through the night.

March 12. In the morning at 5 o'clock, Christensen's wife (Her maiden name is not stated) died. (He had likely been working in a soap factory in Denmark, as he is mentioned as Saebesyder). [UNCLEAR] At 5 o'clock in the afternoon Brother Forsgren and the captain came back in a steamship from New Orleans. Forsgren brought back fresh meat and ship's bread that the same evening was distributed among us.

March 13. Sunday. Last night another man died among us, [Jens Peter] Ibsen from Bornholm. Two of his children died on our journey to here. We are still laying outside the mouth of the Mississippi River. The air is always foggy - at least while we have been here. We can't hardly see a ship's length ahead of us. Sometimes the wind can drive the fog away for a little while. The steamboats make a great noise, as they go up and down the river, and the bells ring, so that it can be heard, where they are laying. It is seemingly very unhealthy to live here, for persons, that are not used to a similar climate. Five of our company have died here, and several of us are sick. The water in the river is not at the present time deep enough, so we can be floated in. Our ship's last [DANISH WORD FOR: load] is partly sacks of salt, that for the greater part of same will be thrown overboard today, to make the ship lighter. We are told that two steamboats will come tomorrow to drag us over the mudret ground in the water; and we hope that we with God's help will be able to soon continue our journey. I have today seen new grown fresh carrots, turnips and cabbages. [p. 15]

March 14. A little boy died last night and was this afternoon buried in the river. We were this afternoon dragged a short distance by two steamships; but they got stuck in the deep mud at the bottom of the river and had to lay still during the night, until the water raised higher, so they could proceed again.

March 15. During the night the water raised higher, and we were dragged froward about four English miles. We throwed out our anchor and laid at that sport until sundown, when our frigate ship was roped (perhaps chained) to one side of a steamship, and another frigate ship was similarly placed on the other side of the steamship that had the two frigates on drag during the whole night. At the sides of the river we could only see big growths of water plants and little trees.

March 16. In the morning we had a clear view of fine houses, orchards and flower gardens, and the little birds were singing in the trees. About all nature was smiling to us [p .16] Seemingly the passengers on Forest Monarch had all been transferred to the big ship, where we came together with people of different nationalities; but, regrettably, the majority of these other passengers showed very low in civilization and in moral conduct, so that they nearly all schemed to do us what harm, the could; and as we could not even be sure of our life, we doubled our night watch. Two of the sailors aboard came to our defense when they slung their insulting words towards us. But if was very regrettable, that many unclean things were perpetuated by some individuals of our people.

March 17. Last night, about midnight, it rained hard and was very dark, so they had to anchor the ship until morning, when as we again were sailing, the views of the river shores were grand and became prettier and prettier, as we proceeded forward. Late in the forenoon we could see the big city of New Orleans. The frigate ship, that, as well as our ship, had been towed to the steamship, was placed mile below the city, and the steamer that, as stated, also dragged our ship, was laid to shore to take into its hulk tons of wood (or coal) to burn for steam processing, which work was accomplished in about one hour; but during that time we could step from the ship and set our feet on American ground. That was the first time that I had "landed" in America. We succeeded in coming up to New Orleans about noontime. During the afternoon many Danish people came aboard to find out if there had not come any Danish emigrants, that they possibly would know; or otherwise, to hear the latest new from Denmark. In the evening a child (from Bornholm) died. The child had been sick a long time. [p .17]

March 18. The last two nights there has been so-called "blind alarm" on our ship, but God be praised, nothing bad happened; but we must ever be on our watch. We had today to take our clothes and things up on the deck, to be examined by the tariff service men. In the afternoon another child died, and it was decided that we should stay on the ship through the night.

March 19. In the forenoon we went aboard on a steamship, that took us about mile [LIKELY DANISH MILE, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 2 ENGLISH MILES] higher up at the city frontage near the outskirts, where there in the river laid a great many steamships. We came now aboard a three-decker that should on the mighty Mississippi waters take us 300 up to St. Louis. These ships are only built as practical river ships, and could not be used for open-sea service. These ships are very long and wide. They look like a three story building, with flat roofing and alton [UNCLEAR] on the top. The pilot stays in a finely and solidly built salon at the front of the ship form which he directs the ship. He must be on the outlook all the time, as big tree stocks may come floating down the river and catch in some sheep wheel, and to almost-unavoidably break some, if the revolving wheels are not stopped by the sailors concerned, that the pilot, or the lookout sailor, has signaled to. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon some big ship's sailed up through the river; but we were sailed a little down the river to a ship, that was placed below Forest Monarch, where we took a big lot of sacks of salt aboard. It was about 7 o'clock in the evening when we again sailed up the river. We should be given "quarters"on the lower deck, near the machinery, where there was plenty of space, we were told; but they filled so many of the rooms with salt sacks, so many of us could only get very narrow spaces for sleeping accommodations; and I and my family were so unlucky that we could not find any place where we could lay down. Late in the evening I found a place on the side of some up built fixture, where we crept up; and we had a good rest in that quarter and we were very pleased that we found that good space for sleeping accommodations. Next day we took our old neighbor, W. Anderson, and his family with us to our good sleeping quarters, from which we have a fine view out over the left side of the river shore. We can sit here unhindered to write and read and talk to each other, and during our sleep at night we don't risk to be stepped on or pushed aside etc. The last night that we stayed on the frigate ship, a child was born! [p. 18]

March 20. Sunday. I laid in my bedding in the morning and enjoyed greatly the fine view I had out over the river shore, as we sailed up the river: [-] hundreds of houses and gardens and orchards, and people walking, dressed in their Sunday clothes. But although it was Sunday, many persons were fishing at the river shore. Many little boats pramme [DANISH WORD FOR A FLAT-BOTTOM ROW BOAT] were seen coming floating into the Mississippi from side streams, into that mighty river. These boats, (or small ships) were built like houses with a roofing at the top, and had both kitchen and sleeping rooms. (Brother [-] writes in technical details very interestingly about construction of these boats, built for housekeeping, as well as for sailing.) At our sailing up the river much freight was taken aboard at different places. There was too great disturbances aboard to, that we could hold a gospel meeting. Some of the bed-spaces had to be taken for the placing of freight. I and my family and others, realized, that we could not, on account of circumstances, hold a meeting.

March 21. No special news. As we sailed up the river, the mighty river stream run through wide stretches of forest, where nobody lived, and where actually millions of people could live, on both sides of the stream. At different places certain forest spaces were cleared of trees, and ground plants burned off, so that the land could be worked for ordinary agriculture purposes. (Brother [-] in detail a description of the natural riches to be converted through hard labor and often in a [-] way during future years, for the sustaining of mortal life, of millions of men). He writes: "We see at different land stretches little houses built and some of the little houses are evidently at present not occupied. The forest counts hundreds of thousands of big trees, can be the greatest value to us as timber for future generations.

BIB: Nielsen, Christian. Diary of Christian Nielsen December 1852-March 1853 (MS 5710) pp.8-18+ (CHL)
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