| Title: | Mary Cumming, Liverpool to Margaret Craig, Lisburn. |
|---|---|
| ID | 797 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cumming, Mary/118 |
| Year | 1811 |
| Sender | Cumming (n. Craig), Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | middle class housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Liverpool, England |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Craig, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | T 1475/2 pp15-18: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404185 |
| Date | 30/08/1811 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 25:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 1239 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Liverpool, August 30th 1811. My dearest Margaret, We arrived here yesterday evening about five o'clock, safe and well after encountering the danger of a tempestuous sea and the most dreadful sickness I ever endured, but I will try to give you some account of the passage. I cannot express what I felt on parting with you all, I watched you walking along the shore till I could see your figures no more. Had I been in spirits I would have been delighted with the view of Rostrevor [Rosstrevor?] and the Carlingford mountains, which appeared more beautiful than I ever saw them. The Mourne mountains began to look very black and angry. I thought we would have a very rough sea before long, and so it happened. I had not as yet felt the least sickness, and began to think I would not. About eight o'clock we were asked down to the cabin to take some tea, we had not been long there when the ship began to heave in rather an odd kind of manner, so I thought I would make an exit out of the cabin as fast as possible. When I came on deck the scene was a good deal changed, the females were all sick, some of them crying; the waves were rather higher than I had ever seen them before, but still I was not sick. Mr Cumming told me there was no danger; we sat on deck and I amused myself looking at the waves, which sometimes appeared as if they were on fire, an appearance I had never before seen. At this time the ship was going very fast indeed, and I began to feel very sick, which put the thought of danger out of my head. You cannot, my dear Margaret, conceive what I suffered from that time till about twelve o'clock the next morning, it is the most deadly sickness I ever felt. Mr Cumming thought I would be better if I would go down to the cabin and try to get a little sleep, but that was impossible. Figure to yourself me lying in a little bed about two feet wide, Mr Cumming in one above me, the ship quite on her side, the waves booming against her in such a manner that I sometimes felt her side bending, the noise of the men pumping on deck, the cries of the females above us calling "Oh Captain, the hold is full of water", the sound of the great waves dashing over the ship, me as sick as death, thinking every now and then I felt her going against a rock. Imagine to yourself all these things, and you may suppose my feelings were not of the pleasantest kind. The wind got higher about four o'clock in the morning, the water came into the bed where I was, and I think it was about half a foot deep in the room where we were. Mr Cumming was sick a little, but all our troubles are over now, I never felt better in my life than I do to-day. The wind abated about ten in the morning, we came on deck, and were delighted with a fine view of the Welsh mountains. Mr Cumming is the most affectionate attentive nurse that can be, indeed he is everything my fondest hopes could wish for. I believe he thinks he should be more attentive than ever, now that I am parted from all my friends. Bad as I was the other night I was amused with the cabin boy who was very attentive to me indeed. I was lying in my berth about the middle of the night listening to the sweet murmuring of the waves below me when I heard in the cabin the most uncommon kind of noise that you can think of. One of the gentlemen called out "What is the matter?" "Oh, nothing at all" was the reply, "It is this door that has gone adrift". I then found out that he was trying to shut the cabin door. A little after a sweet little boy that was in one of the berths tumbled out in the cabin, he was not hurt, however. The next morning Mr Cumming was looking for my green veil, which had been mislaid somewhere about the bed, he did not find it however, but he got a dead rat that had been under my head all night, so upon the whole my first voyage has not been of the pleasantest kind, but I must think nothing of these trifles now. We dined and slept at an Inn, and about half an hour ago arrived at Mr W. Brown's, where I am at present. Mr Brown and Mr Cumming are gone to see about our trunks. I believe we will go to the theatre to-night, some of the London performers are here at present. Mrs Brown is a very sweet looking woman, I am sure I will like her very much. They have one little daughter about six months old, Liverpool seems to be a great bustling place, but I have not seen much of it yet. I am longing most anxiously to hear how my dear Father is. I think I will have a letter on Sunday from you. You will not have to complain of my not writing often, it is the most pleasing task in the world. This is a sad confused epistle, but you know I am not the best hand at letter writing, I will improve, however. Oh, my dearest Margaret, how often I think of you all, but I trust I shall soon see all my dear friends again. I feel very happy, the prospect of being soon with you again will keep up my spirts for four or five years. I believe Mr Cumming leaves this for London on Monday, I will write when we get there. I would have written last night, but I was very much fatigued, and not myself. I felt as if I was in another world when I awoke this morning. I am sure I will be very much better after my sea sickness, there was a great deal of bile on my stomach. Mr Cumming joins me in kind love to you all. Give my most affectionate love to Miss McCully and my dear Margaret. Mr Cumming thinks I will not be sick any more, I am sure I hope so most sincerely. I have just sent off the keys of my trunks, I suppose they are going to open them at the custom house. I do not like such customs at all as they have in this country. You will hardly be able to make out this bad writing, but I know you will excuse me, it is well for you my paper is done, for I think I could write this hour, I think I am talking to you. I was very much pleased with the view of Liverpool coming down the river Mersey - I do not know whether I should say down or up. Farewell, my darling Margaret, expect to hear from me soon. Be sure to write often to Your Affectionate Mary Cumming. Give my dear Rachel a kiss from me . Do you know it is like a second parting with you for me to quit writing. I hope my dear Father is quite well by this time. Once more adieu. Miss Craig. Strawberry Hill. Lisburn. IRELAND. |
