| Title: | Isabella Allen, New York, to 'My dear sisters', Belfast |
|---|---|
| ID | 35 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Allen, Isabella/103 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Allen, Isabella |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N. Ireland |
| Recipient | Marshall sisters |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | D1558/1/2/34: The Papers of William John Campbell Allen, Deposited by F.D. Campbell Allen Esq., 15 London Road, Harrow-on-the-hill, Middlesex |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9910058 |
| Date | 19/09/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 22:10:99. |
| Word Count | 2584 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New York September 19th 1838. My dear sisters, I suppose by the time this reaches you you will both be settled at home. Alida painting pictures from the sketches she has taken in the Highlands upon my word my young lady you are a pretty article to be [----ting?] over the country in such a way. I received Rosa's letter on Wednesday evening on my return from Niagara and need I say what a treat it was. I thought the direction was in Alida's handwriting but I was delighted to hear that she was enjoying herself in Scotland. You dont say anything about having written by the Packet of the 13th, so I suppose I know not to expect her to bring me any news. I suppose by this time the Great Western has reached England and you have heard of our safe arrival and intended tour so I will begin at the beginning and give you a sketch of our journey We started on Friday morning with Mr and Mrs Brown picked up Mr Buchannan [Buchanan?] and his son - English going in the same way and with Mr Maginnis made a party of 8. The two first are very pleasant fellow travellers: the two second fidgetty [fidgety?] and careful of self: the last a good natured Welshman not much information, but always good humoured and the [rare?] of [too?] moderate people. We all met on board the steamer going to Troy 150 miles up the Hudson. The morning was nasty and we saw little of the river but cared less as we were to return in the same direction. Mr & Mrs C [--b--ere?] on board, and we parted at the end of the day probably not to meet again in America. From Troy we took The next morning the railway to Saratoga springs a most fashionable resort in summer for fashionable its waters are considered finer than any in America and equal to any in Europe. It is a very pretty village surrounded with woods the streets on each side seeming to terminate in a forest. The Hotels with the exception of one were closed they are large wooden buildings with long verandahs vines or creepers hanging in festoons from pillar to pillar every thing was comfortable and we remained there. Sunday, went to church and visited a pretty lake in the evening, but I must hasten on our route and my journal will give afterwards the details. On Monday we took a stage for Whitehall 38 miles distant the [incline?] is very easy and the horses good but oh [Poz?]! had you jolted over the roads, they are just made by the ground being cleared for [stained] [a?] certain width from grass and trees, and a fence of wood marked [stained] [each?] side. No stones laid down but when crossing a swamp trees are laid across the interstices filled with [sand?] The first part of the journey was comparatively easy but the last seven miles were beyond my expectations. We went into holes and out of them no grand style and could not help admiring the dexterity of the driver who took us along in safety. Very few accidents happen on the roads and the people in the country think nothing of a few heights and hollows We next morning took the Steamer across Lake Champlain. It is the most beautifully finished boat I ever was in a perfect [babys--se?] We reached St John's the next morning, took a railway to [La?] prarie, there got into a steamer and crossed the Mighty St Lawrence to Montreal the weather up till then had been oppressively warm the thermometer in the shade at 75, but as soon as we entered Canada it was cold and bleak the sky clear and beautifully blue. Indeed I never saw it equalled in my own country. We were very much pleased with Montreal went searching for furs and found to our surprise that all the skins are sent to England, dressed and made up there and sent back here, so that they are quite if not more expensive in Canada than at home. In New York they are very dear and as to ermine it is scarcely to be procured so [--og?] will provide herself much more cheaply at home On Friday evening we took a steamboat again, and sailed down the river to Quebec. I was disappointed in the scenery on this part of the St Lawrence the banks are flat but very thickly inhabited and the width of the stream in parts is immense. Quebec is beautifully situated and is a most extrordinary looking place quite impregnable. Saturday was unfortunately a pouring day the only wet one we had on our travels. We visited the citadel however, and had seen the town cathedral on the previous evening. on Saturday night we went on board again and steamed during all Sunday reaching Montreal on Monday morning just in time to catch the stage that was on the road to Kingston at the end of Lake Ontario. We heard everywhere in Canada that disturbances are expected on Lord Durham's departure and next winter is likely to be a very unsettled one. All seem vexed at the idea of his Lordships leaving. For two days we steamed and staged alternatively taking the stage where the rapids were too strong and too rough to be navigable we slept on board vessels at night and boarded in them. The river is much more beautiful as you sail up, numberless islands wooded to the water's edge over it's surface make it very beautiful, villages and houses all neat and thriving are along it's banks and the streaming of some very strong rapids gave an excitement to the sail. On Monday morning we embarked on Lake Ontario the boat was a very fine one strong and finely fitted up. Our passage one of 24 hours to Lewiston on the Niagara river was very rough The lake is like the ocean we were frequently out of sight of land and the waves on it must have been tremendous for they struck the boat so as to make her tremble from end to end. We were seasick but what of that, the morning took us to the Falls. How I wished I had had you all beside me as I stood looking at the magnificent scene. My expectations were far exceeded. I could have conceived nothing so grand, so overpoweringly beautiful. We stopt [stopped?] on the American side at the Cataract hence from which we could see the stream hurrying to it's Fall and hear the continual rush of the water. The morning of our arrival we spent on the American side seeing all the fine points and the different falls in detail. The last sound sound (sic) I heard was the music of the water and the same sound awakened me in the morning. Say you "how could you sleep at all near such a spate" alas travelling about so much fatigues our bodies and in spite of ourselves we must eat drink and sleep. Friday morning was wet but it cleared and we took a stage to the Whirlpool two miles below the Falls. on our return we took the ferry boat to cross to Canada; the boat like a Larne ferry boat rowed by one man leaves the shore scarcely ten yards from the American and not a quarter of a mile from the great horse shoe Fall, the water is amazingly calm and wears a smooth surface to conceal the raging beneath. It was with fear and trembling I stept [stepped?] into the boat. The spray came across us in clouds and our crossing in safety so near the cataract seemed miraculous. We landed and walked to table rock, stood at the edge of the tremendous fall, looked down below where it frothed and foamed and threw up a body of spray far higher than the rocks over which it fell. Went down to the entrance of the place where persons go underneath the Fall, saw six men dressed to enter, returned to the Ferry, crossed and then bade adieu to a scene that I never expect to see equalled. I would have encountered double the seasickness and fatigue to see it. it was truly magnificent. From that we took a railway to Buffalo: thence staged to Rochester. on Sunday staged 63 miles to [Auburn?]. From that had railway and stage to Atica. On Tuesday we visited the [Freuton?] falls which are perfectly beautiful, the scenery is romantic and the river takes 5 successive falls each one of them about 5 times (or probably more) the size and height of those on the Clyde. The day was bright and warm, and the spray formed into beautiful rainbows. We were all in good spirits and I think it was the pleasantest day we had on our excursion. William and I parted company from our fellow travellers at Mica taking the railway night train to Albany which place we reached in time for the boat down the Hudson. We had a glorious sail the river is romantic and interesting, we devoured [Poz's?] letter which was waiting us and here we are in good health and spirits in the Carleton once more. We travelled 1600 miles in less than three weeks, saw what was to be seen and enjoyed ourselves highly, so you may think we were not idle. On Monday week we talk of starting for Augusta where we have received an invitation for [from?] Mr Campbell to take up our abode with him which we intend doing. I am afraid we will be rather too great a tax on his hospitality, but William says not. This is a pouring wet day. Yesterday I was shopping with Miss Corbitts kind assistance and with the exception of [making?] a bonnet [frad?] everything, French goods & all much dearer than at home. And now my paper has come to a close. What are you all doing at Wellington Place. I wish I could take a peep at you, see you busy at your occupations and say two or three words to you. If before One O'clock tomorrow I have anything to add I will cross a piece. Now goodbye for the present Give my love to my dear Peri & Meri Knowly John [W?] J. the [Ba's?] and all and Believe that I am everywhere your attached sis Isabella To all to whom these presents shall come their son in law or brother in law (as the case may be) [sends?] [p--ting?] So far as Isabella will permit me to peruse her epistle general, I perceive she has given you a brief sketch of our journeyings since we landed on this continent. Our absence from New York must be our apology for permitting two or three packets to sail without any letters from us, but I am not sure that where there are so many of you, we will be ready to receive any excuse for a packet leaving Liverpool without a communication for us:- The advantage of crossing the Atlantic by steam was finely illustrated to us (notwithstanding our comparatively unfavourable passage) by the fact that the Orpheus which sailed from L'pool [Liverpool?] the day before we left Bristol only arrived here last Sunday, after we had travelled on this Continent upwards of 1200 miles. I can add nothing respecting our journey except that Isabella has proved a much better traveller than I anticipated: we had some sufficiently fatiguing days' journeys in the stages, but she never complained and was always ready for the following days occupation whatever it might be. Rosa will accept my thanks for her mention of my mother: and I hope from what she says that the old lady will be induced to go out more frequently this winter than she has been in the habit of doing, even when I am at home. I should be glad to hear, what arrangement she has made with respect to servants, and whether she has concluded on heartburning herself until my return with the hopeful youth I left with her. Unless I hear of these matters from some one of you; she will take good care that I shall not hear of any of her arrogances until I reach home, although if I heard earlier I might have it in my power, even at this distance to lessen them in some degree. One circumstance has been omitted I see by my secretary and that is that at Buffalo, a town at the foot of Lake Erie, which has sprung up within 23 years where no trace of civilization was to be found 30 years ago, we stopped in a Hotel superior to nine tenths of the houses in our largest towns in England or Ireland, and that Mr. Brown & my self went in the evening to a theatre which in point of elegance has no equal at home out of London and where the orchestra was very much superior to any thing I have ever heard even in the Hawkins Street Theatre in Dublin. With regard to the music this is not merely my own opinion but of others who were with me and have seen the places I have mentioned. Kindest regards to all which of course includes Miss Knowles. I presume you will let my mother (sic) that you have received this epistle from us: and I remain most truly from W.J.C.A. Saturday morning. I have little more to add to what I wrote yesterday. the rain never ceased and I sat working while William read to me during the greater part of the day. This morning the sky is perfectly cloudless a most beautiful blue. It seems a pecularity of this climate that there are no uncertain days, it either pours in a torrent or is fine for 24 hours, no showers and sunshine blended. William is going to see a large vessel launched at after 9 O'clock. The hours here are early breakfast at 8 O'clock and we intend getting into the good habits of early rising. I hope before this poor little Andrew is better, does Bella ever speak of her Aunt Bella? dont let her forget me and her Uncle. Is Master Sheridan growing any. if I am going to remain in the house till Miss Corbitt calls to take me out to shop. We shall not hear [Deary?] tomorrow preaching, he is removed from this now. it will be a comfort to be in a place of worship again in the last nine weeks I have only been at meeting three times and that is too few. We heard in Saratoga an excellent preacher and sermon quite uncommon and much better than we meet with in similar places in our own country. But I must close for William is going to take this out with him Goodbye dearest sisters Remember and write by every packet and [Meggy?] remember I will expect to hear from you William is wondering when he will receive an epistle from John. Give my love to my Motherinlaw(sic) and tell her that I am trying to keep William in order that he may not be any worse when he returns to her than when he left. It is a difficult task. once more goodbye. Remind My Peri to write and Believe me ever Your affectionate siss Isabella. Envelope Address:- Andrew Marshall Esq. M.D. 3 Wellington Place, Belfast, Ireland. Per Royal William to L'pool |
