Up to breakfast and ate heartily - feeling splendidly - everybody on deck. Mild air - cloudy. Hardtack - a luxury -. Young men & Robertsons sing all the popular Operas - good voices. Mr Phillips has been terribly sick, pumps water in to empty lemon and drinks all day - eats heartily and then pays respects to Neptune. L[?] Mr Townsend lots of plush[?], keeps us roaring all the time. Dr. Robertson never seasick before, said he does not know how we ladies could survive rough weather if seasick now. Thought us most unfortunate. A very few minutes later plunged to ships side, perfectly miserable. Sympathies with ladies now. Mr. Lee, cannibal, eats anything & everything. Mrs Lee cannot keep on her boots, feet grown so thin already from effects of seasickness. Mr Phillips says horizon is crooked. Mr Townsend comes in saying he is exhausted from eating his beefsteak, hardest work he has had in six months. Poor food. Grace and Mr. Wallach both together on music. Sailors all Portuguese but one Norwegian. Cap't says two ships at sea, without wind will come together by attraction. Try to read but find it impossible. No thoughts, mere animal existence, repose, never want to move again. Grace flies about, banging against everything - she & Mama perfectly well. Mr Wallach, Mr Lee, Mr Kent ditto. All the rest have been more or less unhappy. In the afternoon a stiff breeze came up - sea outbound half the time, awfully exciting - Veronica on horizon - Cold. Begin to be miserable, plunge in to berth at 7 P.M. Later Milly Smith falls in a heap on the floor and begs that I will put a bullet through her head. Cap't jealous of first mate so trys [sic] to keep us ladies aft while the mate urges us in to the waist. He finished me by making me learn Solitaire this evening. Made Grace come inside and stay this afternoon. Mate tells us not to mind him.
[The following are some silly rhymes made up while passing time on the ship]
John Phillips our friend from Cheyenne
Was sallow and sickly and thin
His pluck it endured,
Though the sea it secured
His dinner again and again
Mrs Robertson
Oh Phillips! Man of every clime
Thou art too golden hued for rhyme.
I'll tackle thee another time.
G.C.
Tis not alone for sweetest smile
Which here (a sketch) portrayed, our hearts beguile
But that them hast come from below
That all who know thee love thee so
Oh Milly Smithers! Milly Smithers, O!
G.C.
When the Captain finds life hard to bear,
When the passengers flee from his lair,
When even poor Grace
Gets away from the place,
Then he sits down and plays solitaire.
His name it begins with a B -
He is not very pretty at sea -
If he'd only be brave,
And courageously shave
He would not be half so uglee.
M.S.
Miss Smith has an "unmitigated bulge" on Grace.
Thursday & Friday plum duff days.
Pie once a year
The hope of those, bereft of hope!
To some thou seemest kind
To others, still compelled to mope
Ty working's blind.
M.R.C.
Miss Smith & I - "in hopes!" May 3rd
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