Sunday, April 30th, 1882

Sunday 30th At Sea
A rainy day - stayed in saloon all the morning and caught a glimpse of the foul Fiend - ah bah! I wished I was on land and vowed I would never come to sea again. I endured for a time until the Cap't began Naomi on his organ and then I plunged boldly to the ship's side in the pouring rain and raging wind. Stayed out all day, got rid of any breakfast and ate nothing but hard tack the rest of the day. Miss Smith who could not even imagine that any well bred person could be sick went to bed early in the afternoon - perfectly wretched. The first mate Mr Adams (Franenknecht) is lovely, a German, jovial, kind and attentive, has been 22 yrs on sea and full of interesting experience. Has most fascinating expression, like B.J.L.'s all the ladies enamoured. He wrapped me up in blankets and I laid down in the doorway of his stateroom until 9 P.M. talking with him. 9 knots an hour. Clearing -

Saturday, April 29th, 1882

Saturday 29th On Board "Sarah" - A perfect Spring day. West wind. After breakfast sent telegram to Papa, went to the Consul's office and bought passport - $2.75 - giving one ages and color of hair. Mr Bradley was with us - came on board at 11 a.m. Found very pleasant married people, Mr & Mrs Lee of Canandaigua, N.Y. Miss Smith travelling [sic] with them. She is quite fascinating, sparkling, intelligent and enthusiastic. Dr & Mrs Robertson, Canadians - a crowd of rather ordinary looking young men - a Mr Wallach of Washington, Mr Kent of Exeter, Mr Townsend, Mr Bicknells, and a Mr Taylor - A Mr Phillips, Portuguese living in Cal. yellow as saffron, looks as if he might be seasick later on. A tolerably good dinner and supper. Steam tug Elsie took us to sea. Fort Winthrop, Independence and Warren in harbor, saw Nantucket & various summer resorts on way out. A rubber of Whist, Mr Lee & Miss Smith against Mrs Lee & self - we were beaten twice.

Passport

Friday, April 28th, 1882

Tremont House, Boston
Friday, April 28th
A cloudy day and East Wind. Mama and I went shopping and I bought a present for Laura Belden. Mr Bradley called in the morning and brought Grace an air cushion. We are very impatient. In the af Bessy Parker came to see us looking very bewitching and full of enthusiasm. Her sister has broken her engagement! Another victim! Mr & Mrs Bradley came in the afternoon and the former went with me to the Portuguese Consul's where I was to buy passports. He was not at his office and we wandered about all the wharves in search of him, taking a long and very pleasant walk. Still cloudy and East wind.

Thursday, April 27th, 1882

Tremont House Boston
Thursday, April 27th
A North East storm. Shopped all the morning, bought hammock for Grace to smuggle on board Ship. Hopes to use it instead of berth. Went on board Sarah. Such tiny quarters. I felt suffocated at the mere sight. I never can stand it - and such a degree of intimacy as we must be on with the passengers. I groaned over it. Fear Sarah may not sail 'til Saturday. Grace well & not much tired. Uncle Frank departed at 5.30 P.M. and we felt a pang of homesickness at his leaving. Col. Parker called in the evening to say that Bessy had too severe a cold to come into town in the storm, but will come to see us tomorrow. He is charming, fine looking, courtly manners and All. To bed!

Wednesday, April 26th, 1882.

Tremont House. Boston, Mass.
Wednesday, April 26th 1882.
A perfect Spring morning. Kitty came over early to tell us she had received no telegram from Ship "Sarah". She had a long talk with Oscar last evening and says she feels as if she hardly knew him before-his pride subdued and he so lovely and gentle. She was lovely in her expressions of sympathy for him and plucky in her determinations in other directs. She has developed wonderfully in three months. I went to Brooks House to say goodbye to the aunts & uncle Wm who looked better than I have seen him look before since he came to Bratt[leboro], is taking Warner's Cure which he recommends to Kitty & me! Aunt Lily, Allie, May & Howard and Papa at the station. A letter from Katie & Will who are off for Europe on Thursday by [?]. Grace bore the journey wonderfully from Millers Falls lying down in State room of Palace car. At Bartletts, met a young Mr Townshend going on "Sarah" and had a glimpse of two other young men, bought draft for $175. in mil reis - Cabin list full - found long letter from E.B.V.K here. A hearty dinner. In the evening to theatre, Boston Museum, Lester Wallack in Rosedale, Annie Clark heroine, Wallack as fascinating as ever reminded me of B.Y.L. in Californian Days. Dyrtus[?] and J Led.


Click link for additional information on the Tremont House.

Introduction - Page 8

[8]

Passenger on Bark "Sarah" Cap't Hale
Can - Bensauda & Co. St Michaels
"-C.W. Dasney & Co. Fayal
Barque Sarah 560 Tons.

2020 miles direct from Boston to Flores.

Cap't L.R. Hale.
Mr. Franenknecht (Adams) 1st mate.
Mr. Silva 2nd mate.
8 sailors - 7 Portuguese, 1 Norwegian.

Squeegee to scrub off the deck.

$1.00 = 1150 reis
$0.01 = 11 1/2 reis
$0.07 = 1 mil reis
$1.04 = Spanish dollar
Mr Lee
$.05 = Petaka
$.24 = C
$

Introduction - Pages 6-7

[6] [Blank]
[7]
Counting the hours by bells and lights
We rise and sank
The waves on royal banquet heights
Tossed off and drank
Their jewels, made of sun and moon
White pearls at midnight, gold at noon
H.H. [1st verse of "Spoken" by Helen Hunt Jackson]

Wind East - The ship cannot sail today. The hour is set for 10 AM tomorrow. D.L. Bartlett Co. will keep you fully advised so you need have no uneasiness. [Note pasted to the page]

Introduction Pages 4-5

[4] [Blank]
[5] [Moon and sunrise charts pasted to page]

Introduction - Pages 1-3

Mary R. Cabot [inside front cover]

[1] [Blank]
[2] [Blank]
[3] [dried 4 leaf clover pasted to page]
July 17th S.W.C.

My Introduction

Mary Rogers Cabot

Thankfully, Mary Rogers Cabot (MRC), my great grand aunt, seemed to have been a collector and writer of all things family history related. She saved thousands of letters written to her, from her as well as letters from others. She wrote a two volume set of books documenting the history of Brattleboro, Vermont, titled Annals of Brattleboro 1681 - 1895 (Press of E.L. Hildreth & Co, 1920 & 21). It also appears she went on many adventures to places far beyond her local Vermont roots, such as Wetumpka, Alabama where her parents were married, to San Francisco, California where her father worked for some time, to the Azores, to Egypt, to Europe, and more. She was the oldest of four children, born 20 August 1856, Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont, to Norman Franklin Cabot and Lucy Quincy Tarbell (Brooks) Cabot. She never married and passed away in her home town on 30 April 1932. This blog includes her journal of her sailing trip to the Azores in 1882 with her mother and youngest sister, Grace (my grandmother).

I have the original journal and a version that Mary apparently re-wrote into more of a story. I am transcribing the original version and will be posting the transcriptions here. My original intent was to post the journal posts on the same month and day that they were originally written (starting on April 26th). Since I have not transcribed the entire journal yet, I may not be able to keep this up for very long, but I will do my best.

I have found a great photo of the ship ("Sarah") that Mary Rogers Cabot sailed on to the Azores. This ship is known as a Barque (or Bark). The header photo on this blog was drawn by MRC and was included in the back of her journal.

I hope you enjoy Mary's journey as much as I have!