Diary: James P. Stabler, 1827 (Volume 1)

rolling over like barrels in the water, sometimes jumping entirely out of that element one after the other like so many sheep gambolling over a gutter and they will have a tolerable idea of ——— what? why of my scanty meagre powers of description. So much for the "Sketch book" to please my cousin Bett — which thou will find not like thy favorite Washington's but a book of only sketches — the fragments of thought — strung together helter skelter — sometimes perhaps a Sermon and anon a song — for instance Captⁿ Crocker has just said he has Sailed 288 miles in 24 hours in this vessel which is more than he ever did in any other and the day we dined together at Mr Hicks he said he had X^d the Atlantic 138 times and never was wrecked or met with any serious accident. This

much for one sketch - now for another - Our Passengers have begun to be sea sick - One runs here to relieve himself - another there - the women are heaving - and the men trying to do so - I am clear yet - an almost universal disposition to get out of sight to puke - and a genteel disposition it is, too _ _ I have kept moving about on deck - and mostly near parts of the Ship where there is the least motion - another "sketch" - Three sail in sight and it is now about 12 o clock. I have just eaten my luncheon - and find it sets like Georges Pudding pretty "heavy" upon my Stomach _

No sooner said than done - its all gone to the fishes - and may it do them as much good as it has me to get clear of it and then it may not be said that our head Wind has blown nobody good

Evening - four fifths of the passengers sick particularly those who appeared to eat heartily, some few old travellers keep up but some deadly sick, which I have not been yet _ heard of one boy who was lying on the deck and as the Captain passed him gave a slight kick _ saying "Come Sir get up". _ oh for pity`s sake captain throw me overboard if you please, but dont kick me." _ Of this feeling I know nothing yet.

Spoke an English brig this evening bound for the West ward - pass'd within a few rod of her but very swiftly and "no time for chat" as my facetious brother says of the Man in a hurry - Ask'd him to report us _

2nd day Morning

The first dash is to take a Seadlith powder when I got dressed, and the next to throw it over board for the benefit of

the __ stomach. A fine wind this morning, which takes us about forty six hours right out to sea in SE direction _ All the passengers but three or four pretty tolerable Qualmish _ Several had to clear out from the table at breakfast _ I among the rest to lose my second meal and it of good old Mush and New Milk - Dinner hour four to five o clock but declined taking much but some Corn'd beef and bread and after a while topped off with Strawberries and pineapple _ This Sea breeze is a wonderful Strengthener _ I have not eaten much but feel stronger by a good percent than when I came on board _ My pulse 50 to 55 calm & quiet & to my Marvel all my old fears about the dangers of the Gulph below us and its various and rapacious inhabitants have so far left me that on this account I am a stranger to the feeling. Poor Rachel Law^d

quite affected by the Sea Sickness - she eats but little, still is better than was expected by her friends - - Mrs Harris a young & blooming wife upon whose cheek is strongly depicted the vivid glow of consumption seems almost to live on air _ or as one of the sailors express'd it "upon a quarter less nothing" _ Wind still NE by E.

This evening passed the London Packet Acasta distant about a mile, which sailed from NY the day before us _ left her out of sight by 8 o clock _ she was branded on the fore topsail sheet with the letters G. C. . We are still in the gulph Stream with a "high and head sea" to what we had yesterd^y - lost another meal _ which is the third. ___

3rd day 6 mo 19th _

A quantity of the gulph weed floating on the surface is the first thing that strikes our attention this morning _ made many efforts to take some for the gratification of the "Curious"