Written on board the sailing vessel "Vanguard" out of Liverpool for New York
The original document was owned by Barbara LAVIERS and is now in the special collections of University of KY, Lexington, KY.Transcribed by Huw Daniel 1999.
May 6th 1863
Six of us Welshmen arrived at Taff station, Merthyr, South Wales. We were enroute for Liverpool. We met a young woman at the same station. She was going to Liverpool also, so the time was spent in talking about America.
When we arrived at Chester station there was a very large crowd awaiting the train, enroute to the Chester races that day. There not being enough coaches to accommodate everybody we were overly crowded, which was not pleasant to us. We arrived at Liverpool the same evening, and met the shipping agent, Thomas LLOYD. We could not stay with Mr. LLOYD that night as had been pre-arranged, his wife having died that day. We took quarters at the Talbot Hotel.
After making all arrangements we went into the shipping office, and payed our passage to America. This took all the money the young woman had, which caused her to feel very sad. So I being the only single man in our company I consoled her by telling her I would defray her expenses until we boarded the ship next morning. Her name is Mary LAMEY.
May 7th
We boarded our vessel, the Vanguard, and after the elapse of four or five hours, we hove out into the river Mannon and cast anchor for the night, which was spent in dancing. This annoyed us very much for the fact that we could not get our bedclothes, causing us to sleep in the clothes we had on, the first time I did such a thing in my life.
I brought six pounds of cheese from Merthyr, and Jim brought three pounds, which cost quite a sum. In Liverpool we bought one loaf of bread apiece. That cost us six pence; we also bought a barrel with a key and lock to it, to hold our provisions.
May 8th
We arose in the morning after sleeping in our clothes on the bare planks of our berths. Which made us feel very sore not being accustomed to such. About ten o'clock a steam tug came out to us, with more passengers. And among them was one of our company, Richard HUMPHREYS. He brought with him one shillings worth of red herrings, which added much to the luxuries of our larder, and also a six penny loaf. The day was spent in preparing for the voyage.
Such as making our beds, and lashing our trunks in such a manner that they might resist the motion of the vessel. Feeling well satisfied with our days work, we retired for the night.
May 9th
In the morning we were all up on deck to receive our rations, but we were doomed to disappointment, as the Captain would not take time to serve us. At about twelve o'clock the tugboat came to pull us out into the open ocean, and remained with us until the next morning. While we were up on deck our carpet sack and provision barrel were robbed of their contents.
The vessel was searched today for stowaways. Parties trying to steal their way to America, without paying their pass. Six were on board. They were handcuffed and sent back to Liverpool on the steam tug. As they left they wished that the Vanguard and all hands would go to the bottom before they arrived in New York.
May 10th
We were very sick in the morning. Towards the afternoon we received our rations, which consisted of meat and peas. We made a mess of them, and took it to the galley fire to have it boiled, and after waiting for several hours, finally had it placed on the fire. But before it boiled, kettle and contents were stolen. So we had no breakfast or dinner. At about eight o'clock we received our kettle, but it was empty. So our provisions for that day consisted of a cracker apiece. We retired for the night, but did not get much rest. The young ladies in the next berth made too much noise and kept us awake.
May 11th
The morning was clear, and this being my 23rd birthday. One which I shall never forgot by the incidents which occurred during the day. We were far out in the Irish Channel. We soon discovered that it was useless to try and cook our food on the passengers galley. So by paying fifteen shillings to the Captain's cook, he agreed to do it for us, which he could easily do, as we received but half rations.
Now about four o'clock in the afternoon there arose a big storm. The vessel was pitching and tossing as though it would capsize. The night was spent in religious exercises. Especially by the Irish Passengers, counting their beads and making liberal use of their holy water.
May 12th
Storm still raging, and everybody upside-down. Twelve o'clock. The storm is abated to a calm, and we are at a standstill. WE occupied the balance of the day in cleaning up our berths.
May 13th
We are still waiting for the wind to arise. Ah! The wind is rising. The day closes, nothing strange has happened.
May 14th
We were driven up on deck while the sailors cleaned the lower decks, and disinfected them by throwing a mixture of sulphuric acid and lime around.
May 15th
The wind has calmed, and we are at a standstill. The day has been spent in dancing, and singing. We did not enjoy it, still we participated in it to drive away the gnawings of hunger from our minds. We are not the only ones that are in this sad plight. All the passengers on board are hungry. With the exception of a few who brought plenty with them, and were wise enough to watch that it was not stolen from them.
May 16th
All the passengers were driven up on deck for a few hours to allow the foul air to escape that had accumulated below. Dick HUMPHRIES (one of our company) and myself had a mess of oatmeal and water cooked, but we could not eat it as we had neither spoons or plates to divide it among us. So there I stood with my kettle of hot porridge in my hand, and my eye on the sailor who kept watch on the hatchway that led into the cooks galley. Finally he was called away. This was our opportunity. Dick and George THOMAS and I swung ourselves down by a rope, as the ladder had been removed, and it took but a moment to procure the implements necessary to enter upon our feast. I soon divided it, and our share was soon gobbled. Then I had quite a time to save Stephen, Will and Jim's share, which I had on plates, as the wrangle was going on. The watch returned, and you bet we had to skedaddle. But I got them their share safe. This was about two o'clock in the afternoon, and this was the first we had had to eat since yesterday afternoon.
The captain was on his watch when the Dr. in making his rounds caught a man lighting his pipe under deck, and informed the captain. (Now this was strictly prohibited) Whereupon the captain ordered him brought up, drawing his revolver, said "You g_d d__m bugger, why don't you smoke up on deck until h__l freezes over, and chew below." He ordered him up on main mast, but he refused to go, whereupon two burly sailors laid hold of him, and lashed a rope to him, and hoisted him up like they would a sail, and as they did it they sang, "Come down my bonnie bunch of roses." He remained there for the greater part of the night and it was very cold.
May 17th
This is Sunday and we have fared better today than usual, for the simple reason that we have had three meals. We oatmeal and water (burnt) for breakfast. For dinner we had meat and potatoes. For supper oatmeal and water. This is the first time we have enjoyed three meals a day since we are on board.
The evening is clear and there is an eclipse on the sun, which we can see very plainly, and after it had ended the sun set very red. The passengers were all on deck. One of the company had in his possession a bagpipe, he was requested to play it, which he did, and all the passengers engaged in dancing until it was dark.
At this time a quarrel arose between the ship's carpenter and one of the passengers, his name was Thomas SILK, but quarrel was all there was of it, as it did not come to blows. This ends all that occurred today.
May 18th
In the early part of the night of the 17th the third mate caught two men in the act of stealing water and provisions. One of the culprits being the same one that had been punished previously for lighting his pipe below deck. They were lashed fast in the captains boat, at the stern of the ship until morning, when the captain called a jury of six which were as follows: 1 Englishman, 1 Scotchman, 1 Welshman (that being myself), and 3 Irishmen, one of the Irishmen being foreman. The reason the captain did this was to exempt himself from all blame from the passengers. He also gave the jury the power to administer the punishment, and also charged the jury to take into consideration that the water and provisions which they had stolen were from the store that was to feed the passengers, which would run short as it was.
They were brought before the jury and found guilty, and sentenced to seven days in irons, with one cracker, and a pint of water each a day. But they had friends, and they gave them plenty, when no one was around. I was secretly warned that I was to be thrown overboard. Whereupon I borrowed a dagger, which I carried on my person until we landed.
About nine o'clock in the morning the wind arose, and we were going at about six miles per hour. At the bow of the ship we saw quite a number of porpoises. The third mate being a good hand with the spear speared one, which the sailors drew up on the deck. After spearing the one, the rest disappeared. This is all the proceedings of the day.
May 19th
The wind is still the same, only a little stronger. Our boatswain is sick and not able to be on duty. We are all on deck, as the usual cleaning of the hold is in progress. Dick and I had an opportunity to slip down the hold. We intended to prepare a mess of peas and meat, thinking to boil it for dinner, but before we had commenced we heard a terrible row, we ran at once to learn the cause of it. There had been one of the passengers sitting in the galley door, and being in the way of the ships cook, he had thrown boiling water on him, and scalded him.
This had caused the passengers anger to rise, and they made a rush at him, but the ships crew rushed into the midst of them with drawn cutlasses, which made them fall back, so that saved the old cook from getting his just dues. Just then the captain appeared, and after learning what was the matter, struck the cook a severe blow. This was done to pacify the passengers, he also ordered him handcuffed and locked up for six hours. This knocked us out of our dinner that we were about to prepare. The captain would not allow his cook to do any more cooking, for any of the passengers, so this act caused us to do our own cooking, and on the passengers galley. But we got back 10 shillings from the cook out of the 15 that we had given him to do our cooking.
May 20th
Our captain has issued new orders this morning. The passengers were divided into six parts. Each part to have one hour to cook their victuals. When the hour was up, the galley was to be closed for the next. This caused a great deal of victuals to be spoiled, some was half cooked, some burnt, and others not warmed at all.
After this rule went into effect, we were very much annoyed with the second mate, the galley was always crowded, and he having to pass, we were in his way, so for his fun and to clear the way, he would throw a bucket of salt water over us. Now I will explain why the captain made such a rule. You see there were a great many of the passengers that were better off than the rest, and when they came on board, they brought with them lots of food. And these were the parties that always had possession of the galley, and us that had nothing but the ships allowance could not get to cook it for these people, as they always had possession of the galley, cooking their extras.
May 21st
The wind is still in our favor, and this is the only thing. I had a bucket of salt water thrown over me this morning, while trying to get my breakfast cooked, which I finally succeeded in doing. After partaking of our breakfast, we were on deck washing our kettle and plates, Jim threw the water overboard, the wind blew some of it on the ropes. Whereupon a sailor administered a vigorous kick in his posterior, and with an oath warned him, if he did the like again he would throw him overboard. Oh! How Jim wished they had been on land when he did it. He would have had all the kicking he wanted.
May 22nd
The morning is clear, and the wind is blowing a stiff breeze. Everything is as usual. Where we are sailing now, the water is quite warm, the wind has abated and it is quite cold.
May 23rd
This morning the wind arose, and by eight o'clock was blowing a stiff gale, and it increased until now a storm is raging. We are now on the banks of Newfoundland, and we are below deck. We are amused by the whistling of the wind, and flashing of the lightening which lights up the deck so that a pin could easily be seen, then the darkness would be intense. Above all the noise of the storm, the prayers of the Irish could be heard. We are under lose reef, and the storm is still raging.
May 24th
Storm still raging like it was yesterday.
May 25th
Same as yesterday.
May 26th
The storm still continues as if it would never cease.
May 27th
The wind and storm has abated this morning. I can scarcely write, we are so hungry, our diet having consisted of one dry biscuit and a few drops of water and half of that tar. These are the miseries we have had during the five days of the storm.
May 28th
The vessel is nearly standing still, as there is scarcely any wind, every sail is set, and we are making one mile per hour. This gives us chance to cook a little to eat, and to get washed, as we are in a plight, everything being upside-down after the storm. There are hundreds of small birds flying and sitting on the vessel, the sailors call them sea swallows. As the old sailors say, "We always have a calm after a storm."
May 29th
We are getting very thin for the want of food. The lice are creeping all over our bodies. The captain says, with pure wind and plenty of it, we could reach New York in three days. It is a common thing to hear many of the passengers praying for wind, and saying by the help of God, and the good luck of the Vanguard, we will soon reach New York.
May 30th
The wind is calm, and this is the warmest day we have had since we started.
May 31st
At about three o'clock this morning a large iceberg was sighted. It was one mile long, and as high as the topmast of our vessel. It was a beautiful sight as the moon shone upon it. In it's wake followed a smaller one, they passed on the weather side of our vessel, at the rate of about two knots an hour, and about half a mile away. We also passed a whale, which the sailors called a thin-backed whale, shortly after we passed the whale there arose a dense fog.
June 01st
The fog is very thick and the sailors are on watch on all sides of the vessel, besides the bell rings every minute to warn others so that they will not run into us.
The captain has lost his smoke pipe, one that he paid four pounds for (Almost twenty dollars in American money). He had occasion to go under deck and he laid it on the capstan. Someone of the passengers stole it, and he is swearing terribly, and says he will search every box on board, but what will he find.
June 02nd
The fog is as thick as ever, and scarcely any wind, and what there is, is against us. All at once the spouting of a whale was heard at the stern of the ship, his spouting was like the puffing of a large engine. We could not see him as the fog was too thick.
The doctor caused quite an excitement today, about dinnertime he stated that the fever was on board, and that he would make money now, as he would receive 10 dollars for everyone that died. There are notices in all parts of the vessel stating that the fever is on board. There has been more cleaning done today than has been since we started.
The captain plumbed the water here, there is forty fathoms he says. We are on the banks of Newfoundland, we are looking for the French fishermen. They are blowing the horn at the bow of the ship.
While I am writing there is a terrible row amongst the Irish, they are fighting like dogs.
There are five fishing boats seen, one with sails, four with oars. They told us there are five fishing boats ahead of us at anchor.
There was nothing strange until about ten o'clock in the evening. The fog horn was blowing as usual, when another blew in answer to it, the captain ordered the ship stopped. When a little boat drew near this caused much rejoicing on our ship. All the passengers were under the impression that it was the pilot, imagine our disgust when we learned it was fishermen who had lost their vessel. They were taken on board. There arose a storm, had they not been lucky enough to run across us, they would have been lost. The captain called them d-m (sic) fools to risk their lives in such a shell as that.
June 03rd
The storm has ceased, and the fog is as thick as ever, it falls on the deck like rain.
I have spent the forepart of the morning picking lice off our bedclothes, for we are nearly eaten up alive.
The fog cleared about four o`clock this afternoon, which gave us a chance to look around us.
June 04th
The wind is in our favor, the ship is sailing at the rate of ten miles an hour. At eight o`clock the fog came on again. In the evening the wind started to lull. The fog is getting thicker than we had it at all, now the wind has lulled into a dead calm, we are lying like a log on the water.
June 05th
We are still in a calm, not making any headway at all. We all feel very melancholy today, as our provisions has run out. We have made our breakfast on a handful of peas, and have another handful left.
I cut George THOMAS` beard with a shears, as they were in his way.
June 06th
It is cloudy, and scarcely any wind. Many got a bucket of salt water thrown over this morning in place of breakfast. This is the work of the second mate, he delights in doing it. This evening the wind has risen and is blowing a stiff gale, it is blowing so hard that the captain has ordered all the sails taken down.
June 07th
The fog is gathering this morning, and as the day is advancing the wind is dying away. While we are on board we are forced to watch our water and food by turns of two hours each. Today being my turn and having nothing to watch, as we have had nothing to eat for two days, and lying in a cam, my thoughts run as follows:
(Composed by Thomas LAVIERS)
If old mother Neptune the God of the sea,
Would give us fair wind we more happy would be
But the happiest day I think I shall see
Is the day we are landed when ere it shall be.
For here we are suffering with hunger and pain,
Caused by the roll of our ship on the main.
We are weary of waiting, sick and unclean,
Such objects of misery my eyes never seen.
Half `lowance we get, this is put on our card,
And our biscuits taste strong, and awfully hard;
And the little we get, just fancy our look,
When we go to the galley, and can't get it cooked.
Such miserable thieves, I never thought there were such,
For one of our company is always on watch;
And with the all the watching, I just now have said,
They will steal your water from under your head.
The doctor will drive us like dogs up on deck,
And we dare not resist or we're caught by the neck;
They just use us here as they seem to think fit,
And get their food always, though we don't get a bit.
We look at each other as hard as can be,
And say "it will change when we cross o`er the sea."
But one think (sic) is sure if riches I get,
This lesson I've learned will ne`er be forgot.
We have had mass this morning it being Sunday. Today makes one month since we came on board. The vessel has been lying still all day, but the wind is rising, and the fog is still very thick, and falling on the deck like rain.
June 08th
The wind calmed as the sun arose, and we are lying on the water like a log again. About four o`clock in the evening the fog cleared a little.
We have sighted a Prussian barque, she is about a mile and a half away.
June 09th
The fog has cleared and we all feel glad as we see around us. There is a schooner close by going in the same direction as we are.
We can see five large whales close by, spouting water up into the air. When they passed by our ship I was on the bowsprit looking at them. They were as long as the long-boat, and about three times as broad, the fins on their backs were about four feet square.
Now we are having a fight between an Irishman and an Englishman, the cause of it was, the Irishman threw lice into the Englishman's rice. They were finally stopped.
We are compelled to take off our shirts quite frequently, to pick off the lice, such a thing we never did in our lives before.
We are going to bed tonight very sick, Jim and I.
June 10th
This morning I am a little better, but Jim is about the same. When he went up on deck after being in the close air all night, he nearly fainted.
We are lying waiting for wind. Everybody feels melancholy, everything is as silent as the grave, and the deck is bespattered with blood. All the provisions we have is about half a pound or rice, and we have to live Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on that. We have not tasted ship bread for three days.
There was a poor woman fell down the hatchway. She was carried to her bunk in an unconscious condition, in which she remained about one hour.
The wind blew so hard we had to reef our sails. We are in sight of four vessels, English, French, Portuguese and Prussian. The Prussian vessel is for the same place as we are; they hailed us and asked if we had plenty of provisions, our captain answered yes, if he had, we did not. There were a few more questions exchanged and they bore away, but we soon left them behind out of sight, because our ship could stand more wind than theirs.
June 11th
The wind is still the same, only it is warm in place of cold, which has been the usual thing. The water we are in is quite warm also. We are very hungry, after considerable coaxing we bought four biscuits off a sailor for a shilling. Shortly after we made the purchase, the young lady (Mary LAMEY) which accompanied us from Taff Station, and the one that I had paid expenses for in Liverpool before we came on board, made us a present of eight biscuits, ten pounds of rice, and a sackful of oatmeal. I can tell you, this was the most acceptable present I ever received in my life.
Two others of our company procured twenty-two more biscuits by giving a muffler each. These are hard times here, but we are not the hardest up, as there are some that has neither victuals or tobacco. There are a great many of the old sailors smoking tea, which is plenty, as no one uses any of it.
June 12th
It is very cloudy and dismal today, we can't go up on deck as it is raining very hard.
June 13th
There was an accident this morning. A woman while going to places where she had no business, fell down the hold of the ship, from which she sustained serious injuries.
We have a great many fights on board, too many to keep account of.
I have been trying to beg a little tobacco for George THOMAS and Stephen JONES, which I succeeded in doing.
June 14th
The wind is still in our favor, there was a shoal of porpoises passed the ship this morning. Our breakfast consisted of oatmeal and water, for dinner we had peas and meat, and while we were eating the dr. and second mate came with a lot of tar and set fire to it in the hold. This was to purify the ship, it made such a smoke that we could not finish our dinner up on deck and let our meal go until tomorrow.
This is the sixth Sunday we have spent on board, and the most miserable one I ever spent in my life. The Irish held mass after dark. When we go to bed we are annoyed by them, as they take down the lamps and play cards. This is the way they carry on. They will hold mass, and then at night they are going about like devils.
June 15th
The wind has turned against us. The sun is nearly overhead us, I never saw it so high. The evening was very clear, and as the sun went down we could see sparks like fire in the water, the sailors call it brine. When it was dark the captain threw sky rockets up into the air, these are signals for the pilot to come on board, and at intervals the Dr. wheels a large ball of fire around on each side of the ship.
June 16th
At about five o`clock this morning the pilot came on board, which made us all jubilant, as we knew then that we were not far from land. In the evening we could see land like a small cloud, and when it grew dark we could see a lighthouse. We expected to arrive in New York that night, but the wind calmed and the tide carried us back out of sight of land by the next morning. We were very much disheartened.
June 17th
The wind arose again this morning and we are making better headway than any of us thought we would. About ten o`clock the tug boat came out to us, the pilot was received with joy, but the tug with more, as we knew that we would stop again until we got into the river. We got into port about two o`clock in the afternoon.
Then the doctors came on board from Staten Island.
We saw a great many soldiers going down the river to war.
We cast anchor about five o`clock that evening. The captain told us we could land that night, so we threw everything overboard, and Dick and Will had put on a white shirt and their best clothes, but the Lucy Thomson got in ahead of us so we were compelled to stay on board until morning. Dick and Will had to sleep in their good clothes, we called them clergymen. When we cast anchor the captain and the pilot went on shore, so we did not get our allowance, but the sailors gave some biscuits to the passengers. Dick and Will got our and would not give them to us, so we had to do without, but there was a boat came out with bread, and we had silver we could buy, but Dick and Will had nothing but gold and they would not change that, so they had to do as we did when they got the biscuits, sit and look on. This was the first fresh bread we got since we came on board.
June 18th
The steamboat came alongside and about four hours were spent shipping our boxes on a hungry stomach. We landed at last in Castle gardens, and after being asked where we were going, and paying our fares, we had breakfast on bread and warm milk, this was a treat, yum! yum! We scarcely knew when we had enough. We then went to Thomas William's home and took a bath, after which we took in the sights of the city, and returned to the same place for supper.
June 19th
We spent the greater part of the day in castle gardens going about seeing what was to be seen.
June 20th
This morning I found a purse with sixteen dollars in it, at breakfast I returned it to the owner. After breakfast we took the train for Pottsville Pa.
June 21st
This is Sunday, we went with some folks to the Old Dart, so we spent our Sabbath happily.
June 22nd
We went to Sinclair to look for work, did not get it, so we went to Greenberry Valley, and succeeded in procuring work here, for two. We lost George JONES and Stephen GRIFFITH. We spent the night with William MERRIMAN, a brother to Hugh D. MERRIMAN.
June 23rd
We went to Minersville to look for work and failed, went to Swatara, there we succeeded. We then returned to Pottsville, and spent the greater part of the night in dancing and singing.
June 24th
At nine o`clock we started with the stage for Swatara arriving safe. We took quarters at Abe WILLIAM's hotel at Swatara Falls.
June 25th
We have started work, and with this, ends the ups and downs of our travels from our Mother Country to Free America.
Signed: James and Thomas LAVIERS