| Title: | Mary Cumming, [New York?] to Margaret [Craig?], [Lisburn?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 769 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cumming, Mary/2 |
| Year | 1811 |
| Sender | Cumming (n. Craig), Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | middle class housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New York, USA |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Craig, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | T 1475/2 pp.27-31: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9, Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9006083 |
| Date | 01/11/1811 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 01:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 1747 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Thank God, my dearest Margaret, I have the happiness of telling you that we got safe to New York yesterday about three o'clock. It would be impossible almost to conceive the delight I felt when again I set my foot on land. I never in all my life felt so truly grateful to Providence. Oh, my dearest friends, I never imagined when I last wrote to you what a voyage across the Atlantic was! But let me endeavour to give you some account of our passage. This day six weeks we left Liverpool, and I may say I never had one day's good health since that time. We did not sail till Saturday morning as the wind was not fair. I was confined to my bed for three weeks - the longest ones I have ever spent. The sickness was most dreadful, it was with difficulty I could rise for a short time in the evening to get my bed made. There I lay, not able to lift my head from the pillow. My dear Mr. Cumming attended and nursed me during all my illness with the greatest care and attention, in fact he did everything for me that it is possible for one to do for another. For a long time he had to feed me like a child, indeed I was quite as helpless as an infant. As long as I live I shall never forget his attention and kindness. I was so weak at last that nothing would remain on my stomach, and for some days I lived almost on port wine and water. Our passage (except for a few days) was very rough, indeed it blew a constant gale, alias a storm, for the most part of the time. When we got near to the Banks the weather became warm and pleasant for a few days. I then got better and was able to be on deck for the most part of the day. I then enjoyed myself very much, the weather was very warm, unpleasantly so for a short time, but I shall never be a good sailor, I suffered more the last Sunday we were at sea than any day before. But I have dwelt long enough on the miseries of a sea voyage, let me think if it has any pleasure to make amends for them. That question would require some consideration. I was very much delighted looking at the sun setting, which is a glorious object at sea. I believe I only saw it set three times during our voyage. I remember one night in particular watching him sink into the ocean, the scene was delightful. For a great length of way waves appeared fringed with burnished gold, the sky was so clear and the air so pure and reviving that it wanted nothing but a little bit of terra firma in view to complete the scenery. Fine as the scene was I thought as I stood admiring it "It would be a far more delightful sight to see him set behind an Irish mountain." When shall I see that again? Our accommodations were very good, we had plenty of most excellent provisions, and what was our greater comfort, there #PAGE 2 was a very good cow on board, so that we had plenty of good milk, which is the greatest luxury at sea you can imagine. Our party was very pleasant. There were two ladies on board, one the captain's wife, the other a very pleasant woman who lives in Augusta. Mrs. Brown is just as bad a sailor as myself, for some days we would not be able to go from one room to the other, but I will not think any more of our troubles. Mr. Cumming was not once sick, which was a great blessing. I think he looks fatter and better than when he left England. I have often amused myself thinking when at sea if the author of the miseries of human life had ever crossed the Atlantic. If he had I think it would have afforded him a few more. For instance when you are lying in bed in a rough gale of wind trying to get a little sleep, the ship to roll in such a manner that you have to hold yourself in bed in order to prevent being heaved on the floor, or when you would attempt to stand to come smack against the side of your bed so that your legs would retain the impression for a fortnight after. All this happened to your humble servant. There was one night I thought we were all gone, and I bawled out stoutly, as you may imagine. But I almost forgot to tell you I have had the felicity of seeing the sea in a storm. I went on deck one evening for the purpose, but I was very glad to get down to my room again. You cannot imagine a more grand and awful sight. The ship was lying quite on her side, the waves now and then dashing over her, sometimes she would get between two of these great mountains of water that you would be almost sure would swallow her, then rise to the top and plunge down in a sea of foam. I never wish to witness so frightful a scene. Our Captain said he never had so rough weather even in the middle of winter. We passed several ships on the way, and had the satisfation of getting before them all. The "Lydia" is a very fast ship, we have often made ten miles in an hour, which is going pretty quick. Last Monday morning I hear the enchanting news that the land was in sight. This is the most delightful hearing that can be imagined. The pilot came on board soon after, and we were all sure we would get up that night, but the wind got into a very bad humour and left entirely, so that we were obliged to spend another night at sea, in sight of the smoke of New York, which was very provoking to be sure. During the night we got within ten miles of the shore, and the next morning the wind took it into its head that we should go no further that day, but we did not agree with Mr. Boreas, for we thought we had been quite long enough in his power, so we got a boat and here we are all safe landed in the great city of New York. In my life I never was so enchanted with the view of the shore and the harbour coming #PAGE 3 up. I can give you no idea of the beauty of the American woods at this season of the year. I have often admired the colouring of the trees in Autumn, but never could have conceived that the colour could be so much richer here than with us. The green is so very bright, and I can compare some of the woods to nothing but groves of gold; and the nice little white wooden houses peeping from among the trees render the scene altogether the most capitivating that I ever looked at. Then we had a fine view of the fortification and spires of New York. Oh, how I wish you had been with me, I am sure you would have been as much pleased as I was. We dined yesterday at an inn, Mr. Robert Dicky came to see us as soon as we arrived, and insisted that we should all come to his house and stay with them, so we got here yesterday evening. Mrs. Dicky is a cousin of Mr. Cumming and Mr. Brown, she is daughter of Dr. Brown of Baltimore. I believe Mr. Dicky is a very rich man, I never saw so elegant a house as this is, everything in it is superb. I am writing in a splendid drawing room, there are so many fine things to look at that I can hardly write for admiring them. I have just been in the parlour. There is to be a party of gentlemen here to-day, the dinner table is laid out in great style, indeed I wish it was ready for I begin to feel my land appetite again. Mrs. Dicky is a very pleasing and accomplished woman, I like her very much. Her mother is with her at present, I believe she will go on to Baltimore with us. I think we shall stay a few days here, I have not seen much of it yet, but what I have seen I like very much. The trees along the streets have a good effect, they consist chiefly of poplars that look beautiful just now. I have been almost all morning writing this sad scrawl, but I know my dear Margaret will excuse it, for indeed I am not myself yet. You would laugh to see me walk, I feel as if I was still on shipboard. Oh, my beloved friends, how anxious I am to hear from you again! I think I shall get a letter from you on my arrival at Petersburg, I will write immediately after I get there. We think of staying a day or two at Philadelphia, and three or four at Baltimore. Mr. Cumming wrote to Armagh to-day. I hope Mary Cumming is with you now. When you write tell me all the news you can think of. The weather is rather cold here at present. I must reluctantly bid you farewell as my head begins to ache. Write, my dearest Margaret, whenever you receive this. Do not disappoint me for I am anxious to hear how you all are. Give my kindest love to my dearest Father and James and Rachel. I suppose James has gone to Dublin. I hope my Father will write to me sometimes. You will not have to complain of my neglect, for it is the greatest pleasure in the #PAGE 4 world for me to write home. Give my kindest love to Miss McCully and my dear Meg [Margaret?], I hope they are both well. How often I thought of you all when I was ill. You never in your life saw me so thin as I am at present, but I expect to get fat directly, I must go and dress for dinner. Farewell, my dearest Margaret! Write soon to Your Ever Affectionate Mary Cumming. Miss Craig, Strawberry Hill, near Lisburn, Co. Antrim, IRELAND. |
