The Stabler Family

Journal &c.

6 mo 16th 1827

Left New York at 10 1/2 o'clock A.M. on 7th day in the steam boat and in about one hour reached the fine Packet Ship "Pacific" Bound for Liverpool then lying at anchor off the Quarrantine having dropped down that afternoon before. This ship is ranked among the best belonging to the port both on act of its trim, and rapid sailing. Commanded by Captain Rowland R. Crocker — Mate, Thaddeus Pickens, 2nd Mate Jno Jenks, Sixteen Able fine looking Seamen, Stewart, Waiters, 2 Cooks, Cabin boy, one general Servant and a live stock attendant, which made up the Ships Crew, and having on board J.P. Stabler from Maryland, Corneleus Laurence his wife & servant woman {shorthand} {shorthand} from New York. – J Bentejac Lady {shorthand} and female Servant from N. Y., E Harris Lady & female Serv^t from Phila, {shorthand} {shorthand} M^rs T Vance an Irish Lady {shorthand} lately from Vera Cruz (Mexico) with four Sons Patrick, Thomas, Alexander & James and one daughter (about 15) {shorthand}. Don Alonzo [Jaurz] Fernandez & Servant boy, Paedro from Spain – W^m Langsdon from * {shorthand} 15 {shorthand} !!!!

Char Town S.C. {shorthand} James Templeton {shorthand} lately from Vera Cruz; Don José Mariade [Ageo] from Spain – Robert Wilson {shorthand} from Mobile James D.P. Ogden N.Y. Jacob H Clark Am. Consul (Lubec)* (a Bostonian). W. C. Jackson, an Englishman who had made a Short "tour" Geo Hamilton a young man from Ch Town SC A.P. Pillot a French Mercht from Ch^s town and Martin Frederick a german confectioner lately from Augusta G^a making in all fifty two Souls {shorthand}. Wind & tide being against us, I had an opportunity of examing the Ship before weiging anchor, and while the Vessel was Still – She is 135ft upon deck and from the deck to the top of the mainmast 138ft, and her Burthen 600 Tons, Loaded at present with about 10,000 bushels of corn in bulk, and the bal of the cargo, Cotton. It would take pages to describe fully every comfort and convenience, as well as absolute Luxury that proffers their and to render our voyage a pleasant one. I may sum the whole up in a few words by saying that but for the motion of the Ship alone, and the noise of the water, we might *{shorthand}

easily imagine ouselves on board of (at?) a fine Hotel in some Sea port town. The furniture and trim of these packet Ships is got up in the finest modern Style, and as far as eating & drinking the best which our Country can afford will go to prove the character of our bill of fare we have the evidence within us * having just risen from a splendid dinner _ We have a great abundance of poultry of every kind several hogs, pigs for roasting 4 Lambs & four muttons which with the fresh meat brought from the market already killed, will be en^o to last us with an ordinary passage {shorthand} across the Atlantic & back == Ice – Soda Water – pine apples – apples – oranges Lemons and other dried & fresh tropical fruits – Pear, Currants, Cherries Strawberries &c. the product from Climate, all add to the variety – in short it would be tedious to detail the numerous items in our fare _ _ And more than this our Company appears * {shorthand}

of the most respectable class _

About half past four, we weighed anchor, and pass'd the narrows a little before sunset _ At 9 oclock our Pilot was dicharged, (by whom I sent letters homeward) and we stood out to sea in a South Easterly direction.

1st day morning 6 mo 17th

After a poor nights rest from the motion of the ship, I got up about Sunrise & went up on Deck and what was to be seen? nothing but Sky and water _ one "wide unbounded prospect lies before us." Land has disappeared perhaps forever from our view! Home – with all its endearing charms has receded from our sight – And for aught I know (at the present moment), ere the [period] roles round when our barque may reach its haven. Some of us who are now with buoyant Spirits riding triumphantly over the countless billows of the Atlantic may exchange the safety of one Barque for

rolling over like barrels in the water, sometimes jumping entirely out of the element one after the other like so many sheep gambolling over a gutter and they will have a tolerable idea of ——— what? why of my scanty meagre powers of description. So much for the "Sketch book" to please my cousin [Bert] — which thou will find not like thy favorite Washington's but a book of only sketches — the fragments of thought — strung together helter skelter — sometimes perhaps a Sermon and [anon] a song for instance Captⁿ Crocker has just said he has Sailed 288 miles in 24 hours in this vessel which is more than he ever did in any other and the day we dined together at [M^t/r] Hicks he said he had X^d the Atlantic 138 times and never was wrecked or met with any serious accident. This

much for one sketch - now for another - Our Passengers have begun to be sea sick - One runs here to relieve himself - another there - the women are heaving - and the men trying to do so - I am clear yet - an almost universal disposition to get out of sight to puke - and a genteel disposition it is, too _ _ I have kept moving about on deck - and mostly near parts of the Ship where there is the least motion - another "sketch" - Three sail in sight and it is now about 12 o clock. I have just eaten my luncheon - and find it sets like Georges Pudding pretty "heavy" upon my Stomach _

No sooner said than done - its all gone to the fishes - and may it do them as much good as it has me to get clear of it and then it may not be said that our headWind has blown nobody good

Evening - four fifths of the passengers sick particularly those who appeared to eat heartily, some few old travellers keep up but some deadly sick, which I have not been yet _ heard of one boy who was lying on the deck and as the Captain passed him gave a slight kick _ saying "Come Sir get up". _ oh for pity's sake captain throw me ovrboard if you please, but dont kick me." _ Of this feeling I know nothing yet.

Spoke an English brig this evening bound for the West ward - pass'd within a few [rod] of her but very swiftly and "no time for chat" as my facetious brother says of the Man in a hurry - Ask'd him to report us _

2nd day Morning The first dash is to take a [seidlith?] powder when I got dressed, and the next to throw it over board for the benefit of

the __ stomach. A fine wind this morning, which takes us about forty six hours right out to sea in SE direction _ All the passengers but three or four pretty tolerable Qualmish _ Several had to clear out from the table at breakfast _ I among the rest to lose my second meal and it of good old Mush and New Milk - Dinner hour four to five o clock but declined taking much but some Corn'd beef and bread and after a while topped off with Strawberries and pineapple _ This Sea breeze is a wonderful Strengthener _ I have not eaten much but feel stronger by a good percent than when ^{1 came} on board _ My pulse 50 to 55 calm & quiet & to my Marvel all my old fears about the dangers of the Gulph below us and its various and rapacious inhabitants have so far left me that on this account I am a stranger to the feeling. Poor Rachel [Law ^d]

brood bid defiance to the toils of the Angler.

4th day 20th. A warm morning this _ wind still SSE. _ a sail in sight _ - almost all my qualms have taken their departure _ The Sail in Sight proves to be the "Bayard" one of the Havre packets - It also sailed with the Acasta on the 13th _ as it put about passed our stern half a mile off, but with good glasses we saw the deck crowded with its passengers _ not near eno to speak then

At 12 o clock find our Latitude 36° 35 _ Somewhere if I recollect the L of Richmond, Va _ the Sea water warm as well as the air _ The Bayard in sight at 12 o clock _ but now lost to our [Wn] _ A Calm has overtaken us - perhaps a prelude to its opposite _

The Shearers _ shear the waves or swell more properly and the gulls strech their wings to gull the poor finny

6th day 6 mo 22nd A fine breeze this morning blowing right aft, which tho' it makes the Ship roll from side to side wafts us at 7 or 8 miles the hour. Another Sail in Sight bearing SW. The brig seen last ev^g rather nearer this mor^g. Saw several Portuguese men of war in comp^y with each other _ _ a whale seen this afternoon _ a smooth sea and less rolling. _ Heard from the good old Cap^t Crocker. Some rare storeys about Anna Braithwaite &c and from W^m Landgon who came over with her at the time Bishop Hobart did {shorthand} {shorthand} Yesterday afternoon I received a letter from my friend the "Ready Writer" which I must Answer with the books he gave me he * inclosed a portrait of the Old Patriarch Elias. At 12 oclock took the Latitude. Saw a plank floating on the waves with fish round it and covered with clams _ presently a Dolphin jump^d over it - Small flying fish to be seen occasionally. [Men?] hoisting the main topsail this morning. a *{shorthand}