| Title: | Kerr, James to Graham, James and David, 1852 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4867 |
| Collection | Dear Uncle. Immigrant Letters to Antrim from the USA (1843-1852) [R.H. Roy] |
| File | roy/3 |
| Year | 1852 |
| Sender | Kerr, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Olympus Ship |
| Destination | Newpark, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | Graham, James and David |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | nephew-uncle |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 508 |
| Genre | account of passage |
| Note | |
| Transcript | LETTER 18 From James Kerr to James and David Graham On Board the Olympus Lying off Greenock January 29th 1852 Dear Uncles You will not be a little surprised to hear from me at this time and how I am situated. You have perhaps heard that I left Liverpool in the Olympus for New Orleans but any further you are no doubt ignorant I will give you a detailed account of our adventure. I arrived in Liverpool on Friday morning and had my luggage removed to Mr. McHenry's store and waited upon Jas. Lawther who went with me to the shipping office where we made our arrangements for my passage. I had my luggage removed the same day on board the ship where it stopped until we put to sea, which was on the following Sunday the 18th I believe. The wind was blowing from South, our Captain came to the conclusion to sail North about as the wind was favourable for that course. We had favourable weather until Tuesday morning 20th when the wind shifted round the West by South and blew a perfect hurricane (we were at that time round the North of Ireland) which contained till Friday night the 24th when it calmed a little, on Saturday it was more favourable, and we were able to reach Greenock on Sunday about 2 o'clock p.m. with loss of sails, main mast sprung and some other damages. The carpenters are busy in repareing our damages. It will take them about 8 days so that it will be 10 or 14 days before we will be able to put back to sea. There has not for many years been so many vessels put back for stress of weather as at this time. Had not our ship been a good one we would never have reached port indeed our chance was but small as the ship was unmanageable on account of the loss of sails and the wind driving us towards the land we would have been stranded had the wind continued a little longer. I heard our Captain say he never expected to see any port again. We have few passengers, our number being about 30, the greater part are from the South of Ireland, the most dirty, lazy, ignorant, degraded and superstitious set I ever saw. I am very well situated considering everything. I have a berth to myself so that I can keep from coming into contact with those priest-ridden wretches, disgraces to humanity. If it was not that there are a few Scotch and English people on board I would be most wretched. If you have not written to John yet mention to him the cause of my delay. Excuse these hasty lines and give my respects to Dr. Hall, Mr. Orr and all my enquiring friends. I remain yours truly, James Kerr. P.S. I expect an answer on return of post direct to me on board ship. Olympus, lying off Greenock, Scotland and I think there is no doubt but I will get it. |
