cams_HDudley_b13_F005_001_001

Ship Pharsalia, Feb [February] 2^d 1849 [centered]

lat [Latitude] about, 32° [degrees] N. Lon. [Longitude] 62° W. For the sake of relieving
the tediousness of a long sea voyage, I determined
when leaving Boston, to write a little every day.
To keep a sort of a journal of matters and things
that come under my observation during our voyage
round Cape Horn, up to this time there has been
so much confusion sea sickness &c^a [et cetera] on board that I
have been prevented from following out my
intentions. But now as we have succeded [succeeded]
in establishing some degree of order, (if one can
call anything order, where on board a ship with
1 one hundred and sixty persons) and having in
partialy [partially] got my sea legs on, I will try to
cronicle [chronicle] a few lines. But I suppose I might
as well begin at the beginning.

Having a dezire [desire] to see the Country which our
Government had lately come in possesion
of, through our treaty with Mexico, known
as California, I determined to leave the
business in which I was then engaged, at Lawrence, Massachusetts in the hands of my partner Mr Colby,
and take passage on board the ship Pharsalia
which was then laying in Boston, nearly
ready to sail for the land of which report
spoke so favorably. And I will not deny that
the report of the vast wealth to be found on
the banks of its rivers and, among its wild
and ruggied rugged mountains; had some
influence in determining my course of
action. So after numerous delays and vexations
I succeded [succeeded] in company with my friend, Mr.
S. B. Emerson, of Harrison, Maine, in getting my
things on board. And on Saturday, January
27^th at 12 o'clock we weighed anchor, and Passed
out of Boston harbor, with a fine breeze, and
a hearts full of these feelings, which none can feel
but, those who who are leaving friends and home
far behind, perhaps never again to behold them,
more.

The Number of persons found to be on board including
Oficers [Officers] Crew and stewards, was not far from one hudred [hundred]
and sixty, of whom one hundred and twenty one
were steerage passengers, and about twenty Cabin