| Title: | Henry Johnson, Hamilton to Jane Johnson, Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1557 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Johnson, Henry/19 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Johnson, Henry |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Hamilton, Canada West |
| Destination | Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Johnson, Jane |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | husband-wife |
| Source | T 2319/1: Copied by Permission of The British Museum, London WC1. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404127 |
| Date | 18/09/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 20:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 2107 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Letter 3 Henry Johnson, Hamilton, Canada West to Jane Johnson, Dungonnell, Antrim. 18 September 1848 Hamilton Canada West, Sept. 18 1848 My Dearest Jane Since I wrote a letter to you from Liverpool enclosing a gold Heart for Alex which I hope you received, I have had rather a rough time of it. I was a week in Liverpool before the ship sailed, which was on the 7th of July. We started with a fine fair breeze and got along well untill [until?] the third day when it came on to blow very hard. I was lying in my berth sleeping when I was wakened with cry and shouts of Ship's lost "the ship's sinking - I started up and such a sight: Men, women & children rushing to the upper deck. Some praying & crossing themselves others with faces as white as a corpse. On deck they were gathered like sheep in a pen crying on the Captain to save them. I asked some of them what was wrong but they were so frightened they couldn't speak. However I seen the sailors rushing down to the lower deck & I followed determined to know for myself and there sure enough the water was coming in through one of the portholes at the bow as thick as a large barrell [barrel?]. For a long time all the efforts of the sailors & two mates were unavailing to stop it and they gave it up in despair and came and told the Captain to lower the boats. He cursed them & told them to try it again but the first mate refused & told him to go himself which he did telling the man at the helm at the same time to put the ship before the wind, a very dangerous experiment at the time as we were near some rocks on the Irish Coast. However he went down & got it partially stopped which partly quieted the fears of the passengers although some of them didn't get over it till the end of the voyage. There was fur [four?]-five hundred on board all Roman Catholics with the exception of about forty protestants and a more Cowardly Set of hounds than the same papists I never seen. In the time of danger they would do nothing but sprinkle holy water, cry, pray, cross themselves and all sorts of Tomfoolery instead of giving a hand to pump the ship and then when danger was over the [they?] would Carry on all sorts of wickedness and they are just the same any place you meet them at home or abroad. I took the matter cooly enough. I knew if we were to go down I might as well take it Kindly as not as crying wouldn't help me. Under this impression I enjoyed the Scene about me well. One old fellow Kept me laughing nearly the whole time at the way he was getting on. The very Senses were frightened out of him Cursing & praying in one breath. I got such a disgust at the party of papists at this Scene that I felt almost as if I could have submitted to go down if I had got them all with me. "God forgive me". We got all right again and went on our right Course. Up to this time I had not opened my provision box as it was lowered into the hold but when I did get at it I found the ham alive with magots [maggots?] & was obliged to throw it overboard. The remainder of the stuff I eat as sparingly of as possible but Could not spin them out longer than four weeks at the end of which time I was obliged to subsist on the ship's allowance which was two pounds of meal or flour and five pounds of biscuit in the week. The pigs wouldn't eat the biscuit So that for the remainder of the passage I got a right good starving. There was not a soul on board I knew or I might have got a little assistance "but it was every man for himself". Altogether it was nearly eight weeks from [the time when?] we started from Liverpool untill [until?] we got to New York, the longest passage the Captain said ever he had. Six days before we got in a regular storm came on with the wind in our favour and anything I had read or imagined of a storm at sea was nothing to this. We had some very hard gales before but this surpassed anything I ever thought of. Although there was some danger yet the wind being with us and going at the rate of 13 miles an hour through mountains of sea I enjoyed it well. In the Six days the Storm lasted we made more than we had done for Six weeks before. This was the pleasantest time I had although not for some others. One poor family in the next berth to me whose father had been ill all the time of a Bowell [bowel?] Complaint I thought great pity of. He died the first night of the storm and was laid outside of his berth. The ship began to roll and pitch dreadfully. After a while the boxes barrels etc. began to roll from one side to the other, the men at the helm were thrown from the wheel, and the ship became almost unmanageable. At this time I was pitched right into the Corpse, the poor mother and two daughters were thrown on the top of us, and there Corpse, boxs [boxes?] barrell [barrel?] women & children all in one mess were Knocked from side to side for about fifteen minutes. "Pleasant that, wasn't it Jane Dear". Shortly after the ship got righted and the Captain came down we sowed [sewed?] the body up, took it on deck, and amid the raging of the storm he read the funeral Service for the dead and pitched him overboard. When I got into New York I eat too freely and the second day I took dysentry, a very Common Complaint here which lasted 14 days. I went to a doctor and he gave me a Small bottle told me to use with it a glass of burnt brandy three times a day. This I done but it still continued untill [until?] I was scarcely able to stand on my feet. I made application to get into the hospital but on account of a wrong name being on the ship's books they would not let me and were going to fine me into the bargain only I started off as fast my legs would carry me. I stopped in New York about ten days and in that time made every exertion to get a situation of some kind. John McKillop, John Johnson, and another were on the look out every day but unless by accident I might remain there till doomsday & not get one. I told John McKillop I had a letter to a young man in this country and he advised me to start off direct as business was better and there wasn't the slightest chance in New York. Business is so very bad in it at present. I was very ready to take his advice as I felt my money slipping away from me very fast and I thought I would try the end of it rather than hang any longer on a mere chance. I got packed up & started for the place I had Bristow's letter for. I passed through a great variety of Scenery coming here & through a great deal of annoyance also. The space I have here will not allow me to describe it to you but I may have another opportunity Soon. When I came here I was very much disapointed [disappointed?] to hear that the young man to whom I have them letter died in July last of a bowel complaint in two days sickness leaving his father & mother & sister entirely helpless. They had only come over a short time before entirely depending on him. If you have any opportunity of letting Bristow Know this send him word. The young man's master is at present in New York and will not return for a week. When he does return I intend showing him Bristow's letter and making application to him myself either for a situation with himself or in some of the mills about here and I think very likely will get one. At any rate I intend to Settle down here in one Shape or other as I am tired of being tossed about such as I have been this long time and besides it is a great waste of money travelling. If you had a thousand eyes you couldn't watch the rascals that are on the way from New York to Canada unless you have been this way before. It is scarcely fair for the short time I have been in the Country to give an opinion upon it one way or other; however as far as I have observed the Country the people their Manners and Customs I will give it to you. In ten days travelling through the state of New York I came in Contact with a good many characters of the Yankees and from New York the Canada Shore I did not meet one that I Could like. They have no regard for religion, children have very little respect for their parents, and they Carry what they call the spirit of independence So far as even in their speech to defy God himself. The Canal Boats carry on their trade on Sunday Same as another day. If you were dying they would Scarcely give you a cup of water without paying and for everything you do get they charge very high although the first cost price is very low. There are better and worse but any I came in Contact with are of this Stamp. Labour is very well paid but I don't know that some tradesmen wouldn't save as much at home if they would take Care. The people of Canada are quite different. They are all Scotch and North of Ireland people, homely and civil in this part. When I came into it first I felt almost as if I was getting home again. It is most decidedly a better place to rear a family in than the States if you wish them to have any regard to religion or any respect for their parents. You must forgive me not writing to you immediately on landing as I promised to do as I wanted to be settled in Some place where you would Know where to write to me and also I did not wish to Send any word untill [until?] I could Send Something encouraging to you as I am Sure My Dearest Jane, you would require Something by this time to keep your Spirits up. If I had got into a situation I intended sending some money with the letter but I hope you are not yet in want of any. I will write again immediately I get settled in any place so that you may Know where to direct your letter to as I am Sure by this time you must have a great deal of news to tell me. I hope you heard good news from Wm. [William?] McKeen & family & Isabella. Give my love to all your family & Kiss the two little children for me. You and them has never once been out of my mind and heart since I left you. I have been very very anxious on your account and I do think if I had Known all I have suffered since on account of being Separated I would either have had you with Me in spite of everything or else remained and suffered the worst they Could do on Me but dont be discouraged Dear Jane. I am at present in right good health and determined to do all that lies in my power for you and if possible to redeem Some of the past errors of my life. As I intend writing again Soon, I need Say litle more except this. I dont wish this letter to be shown. It is only for yourself as there are few others Care anything for Me. So I wish to be forgotten by them. God bless you! I am as ever My Dear & beloved Jane Your faithful & devoted Husband for ever Henry Johnson P.S. I will be able in my next letter to give some description of the Country. This I merely intend for yourself. |
