January 18th, 1862
DEAR FRIEND: This is Saturday, the fourth day from port; but ‘till now I have been unable to leave my state room, or take my pen, and yet the weather has been, in general, delightful - though Wednesday, the day of our departure, was stormy and unpleasant. We started for Jersey City about 11 ½ o’clock; and there had to wait over an hour for the arrival of the tug, which was to convey us, with our luggage, on board the steamer Asia, which lay out in the stream, her outlines just visible through the dense fog, which enveloped everything. On board the tug, things looked very dismal, and uninviting─the rain fell in torrents, drenching the decks of the little vessel, and driving all the passengers to cabin, or cuddy below. I for one could not stand this, but sought the upper deck regardless of the rain; fortunately the ship was at no great distance, and we soon reached her side─the gang plank was lowered, and we ascended to her deck. There was only time for hurried glance around, and we were obliged to go below to make room for luggage. An hour after, the trunks securely stowed away in our state room, and our minds reduced to their usual state of calmness, we again sought the deck, under the shelter of an umbrella brought in anticipation of bad weather. The fog thickened, and the progress of the ship though the water was slow and tedious. Under the shelter of the smoke stack, we watched the pilot, as he stood near the bow giving his orders in a loud clear voice, which were repeated, in the same tone, by several seamen between him and the helmsman.
We passed near to forts Hamilton and Lafayette but could have no good view of these works, renowned as the defenses of New York harbor. The shores of Staten and Long Island were also very indistinct. In fact the fog and rain together, made such a mist before us, that the Captain said it would be doubtful if we should get over the bar that night; but all doubt on the subject was cleared up by all the fog, which itself cleared up, and kindly allowed us to proceed on our way. The Gedney channel, us all New Yorkers know, is the bug-bear of Sea Captains, but our ship passed through it in perfect safety; and the shores of Sandy Hook, loomed up dimly to our sight. Another hours, and our ship before a fair wind, and under a cloudy sky, was on her way over the broad ocean. The pilot leaves us, the captain takes command, the shores recede from view, sky and ocean alone surround us; and I, in common with most of my fellow passengers, … our berths under very peculiar circumstances. The winds and waves have raised within us a commotion similar to the rolling without: that is to say, we are getting sea sick.
I have been lying in my berth in a state of quiescence, since Wednesday eve, and here it is Friday night-quiescence did I say?─far from it-no-I am not ashamed to acknowledge that I am subject to like frailties with my fellow mortals, I was sea sick. It is impossible to describe the feeling of sea sickness, so I will not attempt it. Every one knows that the malady is a subject of ridicule, and not of commiseration.
Monday Afternoon
─Forty-eight hours have I been in my berth, literally weather-bound, for we have had a regular snow storm. On Saturday evening About 7:30 the wind which had along been from the west, suddenly reared around to the north east, bringing with her violent storm of snow and sleet during the night the girl increased in being full and our faces we made it comparatively slow progress nearly all the passengers have been woefully sick and are only now recovering the sea is rough and the ships movement unpleasant it’s about few of those who are in nature bilious, and therefore suffer greatly from the motion of the waves, have ventured in the cabin. They are preparing dinner. Can I take any? I fear not; already the odor, pleasant, enough to the hungry soul, is becoming disagreeable, and visions of a hopeless siege in my state room again come before me. Seven bells have just struck; a half hour more, and we will have the principal meal of the day ─ the four o’clock dinner.