Journey Day by Day
~ Summer 1852 ~

The Sisters all very sick and obliged to stay in their suffocating apartments.  To procure nourishment which we could take in our condition was impossible.  The Stewardess was extremely kind, but being herself a stranger on board could not get for us the things [...]

All pretty well, but rather weak.  There was nothing we could take at dinner.  Sage soup was served in which the waiter said there was no meat, but a little chicken.  We sat up late dreading our close and uncomfortable rooms.

Sister Fidelis very sick, high fever and suffering intensely all day.  The weather pleasant, not as warm as usual.  In the night, Rev. Mr. Rollinson came for Sister Francis to assist the sick: although she was suffering greatly herself, yet she was delighted to [...]

A delightful morning. All the Sisters pretty well except Sister Fidelis, who was confined to her bed all day.  Mr. Briggs preached, and had service on the upper deck about eleven o’clock; nearly all the passengers attended.  In the evening, Mr. Rollinson preached in [...]

This morning was cloudy, and admonished us of a storm.  Sister Fidelis unable to be up: all the other Sisters pretty well, but enervated.  Sister Francis after getting up to be ready for breakfast, was taken very sick, and obliged to return to bed, [...]

A very pleasant morning. Acapulco in sight, but it was breakfast time before we anchored. . . The ship took on board a supply of water, coal, chickens, turkeys, tomatoes and corn.  The coal was placed directly under our window, and the noise and [...]

A lovely morning. Cape St. Lucas in sight.  Ridges of mountains similar to the scene witnessed on the Isthmus of Darien, though not so high.  Our first glimpse of the sand banks in the distance.  In the evening a great change in the weather, [...]

The sea very rough and the wind bitterly cold, we had to remain in the cabin nearly all day. . . Nearly all the passengers sea-sick. The evening extremely cold. All the ladies sought comfort in warm clothing. Alas! Poor we had no change, [...]

We awoke early and felt somewhat refreshed.  The first and most fervent wish of our hearts was that we might be transported to the shores of the “Golden Land” in time to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  But disappointments are our [...]

A very cloudy morning.  We stopped at San Diego a few hours, but we could see nothing except high rocks covered with moss.  How our hearts yearned for land, and the spot we were henceforth to call our home.  Everything around us looks wild.  [...]

The morning is quite foggy.  Passengers fearful they could not see to anchor that day. However, our sad hearts were somewhat cheered at the prospect that our long and tedious voyage was at an end, this being the last day.

Our last, long and dreary night is over.  At two o’clock in the morning we were aroused by cries of “San Francisco in sight.”  It would be hard to describe our joy at the hearing of such welcome news and our anxiety to set [...]