. . . We left Liverpool, England in the sailboat named John Bright, at four o'clock on the afternoon on April 30, 1866.
May 1--Very cold and snow. Martha is seasick. Harriet, Jack, and I very good.
May 2--Very cold and wet. Martha continues seasick. We went upon deck. It is a grand sight to see the waves roll mountain high. Herbert is seasick; Roland very poorly.
Sister Staples is very kind in helping with the children. John is very busy attending to the cooking, but all together very comfortable.
May 3--Very fine, but all of us are very poorly except Frank and baby. They are first rate. Martha and [-] continue very seasick. We have just been upon deck to see a steamer pass. A hailstorm has commenced, and the vessel is rocking very much at times. It is about time for prayers.
May 4--Very cold, and our seasickness still continues. The ship rolls very much. Martha and I went upon deck, a wave dashed over and gave us a ducking. We saw five large fish. The heads resembled those of horses.
May 5--We still remain poorly, not able to eat. The winds are very contrary. They have drifted us out of our latitude very much.
May 6--Sunday--We are all feeling a little better. Martha said she dare say you would be wondering what we were having for dinner. We had a Yorkshire pudding. Just as it was done, the captain ordered us upon deck, so we had to stand outside and eat it the best we could. We also had boiled potatoes and peas. They had to stand in the water about one hour after they were done before we could get into the vessel to eat them.
Evening--We are upon top deck, and the winds are very high. The waves are rolling mountain high. Little Frank is afraid he will fall over. We wish you were all with us, particularly Tom Green. He would make a little fun out of it, to see us tossing to and fro.
May 7-- We are very poorly yet. The ship is tossing our things about. We are sailing very swiftly today. I wanted to find what times it was. Jack said I was to ask Mrs. Barlow.
May 8--We remain very sick, Martha hasn't been able to eat anything since she came. The sea is very rough. John has to work very hard in the cooking department.
May 9--All of us are a little better.
May 10--The sea is very rough. None of us are able to stand on our legs. I fell down and hurt my leg badly. John has had many falls. In fact all of us, more or less. The things are rolling about. The victuals (food) are tossing about, but we cannot help laughing. [p. 1]
May 11--Dare say you have heard people say they could go to sleep without rocking, but we cannot go to sleep with rocking. We had plenty last night. Talk about a swinging boat, why bless your life, it is nothing compared to being rocked on the sea. We can hardly keep in bed. We had to get up and turn our heads where our feet should be or we could not stay in bed at all. The tins and boxes were rolling about. The slop-buckets upset. The sailor said it was as rough a night as they had ever seen, and it continued so all day.
May 12--Saturday night, 6 o'clock--we have just finished dinner. John has just gone up town to get our rations for next week. I do not think he will call at any public houses on the road. The sea still remains very rough, but we are not at all afraid, for we feel we shall get to New York quite safely. The reason I tell you of these things is because I told you I would send you the truth of how things were. We have plenty of music and dancing on board. Mr. Cox is very tolerable considering all things. Both Frank and the baby keep quite well.
May 13--Very wet and cold.
May 14--Still remains very showery.
May 15--A beautiful fine day. We had a concert and dancing on deck. At night we went up on deck to see the sun sinking in the west. It is the grandest sight we have ever witnessed. It is impossible to describe, but if you would like to see it, you will have to do as we have done. It is my birthday today.
May 16--Very wet again. There was a gale come along and tore the sails down. It was very rough.
May 17--Still remains cold and very high winds.
May 18--A very rough day, and we were driven back some distance. We have had to keep our bed, because we could not stand up. Sometimes we were almost upright in bed. There was such confusion with the boxes and tins, many smashed all to pieces. John has had several falls, but the rest of us are well now.
May 19--The winds had calmed down.
May 20--Sunday--We have had two good meetings during the day. It is very foggy. We just went on top deck. John is boiling the potatoes for our supper.
May 21--The weather is a little warmer.
May 22--We expect to be given notice in about a week to quit John Bright.
May 23--Every few days they stove the vessel out, so we have to go upon deck. We find our dinner on top deck. We had meat pies, and jam tarts. We thought it Brother Green and some of the Birmingham boys had been with us it would of caused rare fun to see us gyspying in the sun and to see the big fish trying to catch the little ones. We have had three births, but no deaths, Herbert, Frank and baby have the whooping cough. Mr. Cox is anxious to see land.
May 24--Very foggy. We cannot see very far. We dread the banks of Newfoundland. There were whales seen this morning. Martha and I went to see them, but were too late. At night there was a thunderstorm. [p. 2]
May 25--Had some rain, but not surprised. We wonder if our company general went to have his bread and cheese. We would like to have some. We have to drink water and vinegar with a little sugar in it for our drink.
May 26--A fine day. Fully expecting the pilot in tomorrow to take us to Castle Gardens. Our health is all very good.
May 27--A very heavy fog. The vessel is tossing about, which has made us sick again.
May 28--Raining very heavily. The vessel is at a stand still.
May 29--It is raining heavy again, with thundering and lightening.
May 30--The sea is very rough. We are drifting between eight and ten miles an hour out of our latitude.
Little Frank and Roland seized with a blight in their eyes. We had to be smoked out again, so we took our dinner on top deck. The waves washed over and wet a great many through. We can see many fishing smacks, so expect we are nearing land.
May 31--Very cold. Quite as cold as winter in Birmingham. The vessel is quite at a stand still. Roland and Frank's eyes very bad.
June 1--Much warmer. Many fishing smacks about. The second mate and two more men went out in a boat and brought a turtle which caused a great deal of fun on deck. Little Frank seized with measles.
June 2--Very fine day, no wind at all. The vessel goes as much backward as forward, so you see how fast we are sailing. The baby and I have bowel complaint.
June 3--Raining very fast. About one o'clock we saw a boat coming along, which proved to be the pilot. So, we are nearing land. There was great shouting for joy. Sorry to say the baby keeps very ill. Little Frank is some better.
June 4--Very hot all day. Smoked out again. Great preparations for the inspector to some and look over the ship. Martha, in a great hurry to come downstairs, came down all at once--has not hurt herself much. We are all very tired. We have worked hard since we came on board. Goodnight, until tomorrow.
June 5--A beautiful fine day. The tug has just come to take us into New York. It is the grandest sight I ever witnessed: to see the things as we go up the river. We have just gone upon deck to pass the doctor. He never took any notice of any of us, so we passed first-rate. Frank and the baby are a little better.
June 6--We are still upon the ship in much confusion. They have taken our berths down. We expect to go into Castle Garden today. It is a grand sight to see the things. Sam and Emma Pike came to see us. They look well and are doing well. Baby is better.
June 7--We were taken into Castle Garden today about twelve o'clock. We had to stay there until twelve o'clock at night. During this time we went into New York. We went and found some bread and cheese, and a little something else. The things are very dear. We had to pay at the rate of a pence for a small loaf. Martha and I bought a hat for traveling. They are one yard and three quarters around. If you get a piece of string and measure with, you can see how far it is around our hats. At ten o'clock we had to [p. 3] walk about two miles to a steamboat. The lame, old, and children had to have cars, so we fell in with that number. We had to sit in the boat all night, so you guess how comfortable we were.
June 8--We rode all night. At break of day we were hurried out to go to the train. We rode all day. It is a pleasing country. It is impossible to describe the acres of land that lays uncultivated. Riding in the train is very tiresome. It shakes very much. It is something like a galvanic battery. We go along fast--much faster than we do in England. Baby is still very low.
June 9--We still are riding by rail. We went through British Canada. We also went through Toronto and Montreal. We were stopped on the road and searched by soldiers; thinking we wore firearms. We had to change trains at Montreal. Mr. Wheeler, the cab man, met with an accident. He had to have his foot taken off. We saw some beautiful waterfalls on the road. We saw a band of firemen at Montreal. Had just left when they began war. There is nothing scarce but wood. The houses are mostly built of wood. They look well. The people dress fine about here.
June 10--Still continue on by rail. We got some new suits, which were quite neat. Things were very cheap in Canada. Meat is one half a pound and everything else according. The eggs are now five pence a dozen. Things have raised on account of the war. Soldiers are stationed every short distance along the road. We are riding day and night.
June 11--We are still journey by railway. We had to change cars and drop over a river into the United States. There we got refreshments, and started again on our journey. We rode all night. The baby remains very ill.
June 12--Still continue by rail. It is very tedious, riding by rail so long. The country looks well. We have passed by nice villages. It is very hot in the day time. Herbert is seized with the measles.
June 13--Still going by rail. Very sad news to tell of today's journeying. Mr. Cox was taken worse during the night and remained so until about nine o'clock, then he died. The name of the place was called Michigan. He was taken on to Chicago. We then bought a coffin and had him buried at a cemetery about four miles from Chicago. We stayed there during the night. Sorry to say baby keeps very ill. It puts me about very much. Little Frank has the bowel complaint, but hope he will soon be better.
June 14--Today's journey is a sad one to us, on account of the death of our dear baby. It grieved us much. She died at the place where Mr. Cox was buried. John stayed behind to bury her. She died with the same complaint as my three other children. We then left Chicago, and proceeded by train to Quincy. We changed trains, and crossed the river.
June 15--Then we took the train and proceeded to St. Joseph. We stayed all day and night there. We inquired about Mr. Burr from Birmingham and found them. We had a hearty breakfast and dinner and tea. We had for dinner a leg of lamb, green peas, and new potatoes. They wanted John to stay with them. He would get from four to five pounds a week. A gentleman got out of his carriage and wanted Martha to stay. He said he would give her four dollars and her board a week. The servants haven't much work to do. They would not do it if they had it to do. She enjoyed herself with us.
June 16--Then we took a boat, and went up the Missouri River. The water is very dirty with undercurrents. We saw Indians on the bank. Little Frank is some better.
June 17--We still keep going up the river, we have to be on top deck. [p. 4] We can lie and see the moon and stars shining upon us. We do not fear being exposed to the air, because we are getting used to it.
June 18--We are still on the river. It remains very hot. The water keeps very muddy all the way.
June 19--Arrived in Wyoming [Nebraska] very early in the morning. The heat is very oppressive. You should see the children, they are blistered with the sun. Little Frank's arm is very bad. We can see something like sparks of fire. They are small insects. There are not many houses. The teams came to the river for our luggage and took it on to the grove.
June 20--We pitched our tent at night, then a heavy thunderstorm came up, and we all got wet through. You would be surprised at the lightning. It is quite different than it is in the old country.
June 21--It was very hot. Another thunder storm came on that was much worse than before. It wet everything through. We had to take the children naked into a shed, and keep them there until we dried their clothes.
June 22--Another lot of teams have joined us. We do not know how long we will stay here.
June 23--We are still in the shed. We saw Mrs. (Yates) from Birmingham. Also, several teamsters that we knew.
June 24--We do not expect to leave for four or five weeks, then will start the Birmingham Saints.
June 25--Still there are more teamsters coming that we are acquainted with.
June 26--The London Saints arrived this morning. Mary was confined this morning. She has a girl and doing fine.
June 27--We had more friends come to see us. One gave us about two pecks of flour and other things which came in very useful. Brother Neau came and showed us how to make our bread for the plains.
June 28--Very hot.
June 29--We went over to Nebraska today. It is very rough riding. Sometimes we went up, down, and sideways with our ox team. The teamsters said that was nothing to what we had to go through before we got to Utah.
June 30--July 1-2-3--Still remain very hot. We had another thunderstorm, but escaped getting wet. We do not know when we leave here.
July 11--Left Wyoming five miles and then we joined Captain Chipman's train. . . . [p. 5]
[NO ARRIVAL DATE IS GIVEN IN THE JOURNAL. HOWEVER THE 1997-98 CHURCH ALMANAC (P. 176) NOTES THAT THE CHIPMAN COMPANY ARRIVED IN SALT LAKE CITY SEPTEMBER 15-16, 1866]
BIB: Clark, Caroline Hopkins. Diary (Ms 8306 1 #10), pp. 1-5. (CHL)
(source abbreviations)