Travel Diaries and Journals

Wednesday.. Snowed most of the day. Annie Cruthers made a long [call?] in the morning. George Hudson came about nine A.Me. and staid [it?] one P.Me. Of course we had a very pleasant time. The young gentleman, however, broke a window while frolicking with Sarah. On account of the snow Sarah was obliged to give up the idea of going home to-day. Father also wrote to us that the Sound is filled with ice, and the boats are unable to [run?]. The Bay [States?] in performing her usual trip, last night, had to cut her way through the the ice for fifty miles.

Ice! ice!! ice!!! We are under a complete blockade from this rare, but truly formidable [besiege?] !

Out-of-doors every thing is compelled to wear his cold, hard, and glittering chains; and tight as we may bar our doors he is sure to find his way inside, [illegible?] - [illegible?] even there! And as if in wry sarcasm he will at night esconce himself in the tea-kettle, still on the stove in which the fire has just gone out. In one or two rooms, at the cost of a great deal of fuel, and by keeping close to the fire, we manage to keep from freezing. Of course a great deal of our time is taken up in trying to get warm, but to attain that seems almost impossible. At night we dread to leave the fire to go to bed, and in the morning we dread to arise. And then to think of the poor in this dreadful wea- ther - The poor who have no fire - no shelter - how sad! God pity the poor! is my daily prayer.

[written sideways across left gutter] sea with us. George Hudson called after tea / and we all / attended singing school. There was no singing school however. Mr. Warner did not come. and we sat round the fire all the evening laughing, talking, [illegible?] and in fact enjoying ourselves quite as mach as if the usual exercises had taken place Mr Donaldson and Mr Dias were there but [in decency?]. refrained from interfering though we did not share other feelings that is if they have any! They [schuo?] as have a good [opening?] of George's spirit and it is well [theraputic?].