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Diary of a trip on the Nile River, 1874-1875.

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  • UPenn Ms. Coll. 851
    • This red leather-bound volume, beginning in August 1874 and ending in February 1875, is the anonymous diary of a woman from New York City. Most entries in this vividly detailed journal begin with the date, followed by the time and the temperature and/or weather. The diarist and her companion, to whom she refers as "C." (who is probably Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, 1828-1887), leave from New York on 22 August 1874 on a Cunard steamer named Algeria. They arrive in Liverpool, England on 2 September and travel to London, where they tour the city and its outskirts. On 19 September they proceed to France, arriving in Paris on 22 September. Here they visit museums and tour the city, meeting friends and artists, including painter Albrecht Schenck (1828-1901). From Paris they journey to Italy, making several stops, even gambling in Monte Carlo. The writer relates details about France's landscape of eucalyptus and olive trees. They arrive in Italy, stopping in San Remo and Savona, where she records witnessing women working in the brickyards. A train takes the women through Italy, where the works of art and architecture they encounter in Florence, Rome, Pompeii, and Naples are documented. From Brindisi the pair takes a steamer to Egypt, arriving in Alexandria on 10 December. The writer describes the sounds of waterwheels, foggy mornings, the landscape (some of which is desolate and arid and some with barley and lentils), wildlife, bazaars, mud villages, irrigation, and local peoples and their dress. They arrive in Cairo on 12 December, where they visit the Cairo Museum, travel to the pyramids, see the sphinx, and are escorted by an officer to visit four mosques. On 20 December the women, Daibes (their dragoman--a guide and interpreter), and a crew of sixteen begin their voyage up the Nile River on a dahabeeyah (a shallow-bottomed boat with two or more sails) named "Southern Cross." A list of the crew and description of the boat including a layout drawing are recorded in the journal. The women often socialize with their friends the Browne's, who are traveling on a dahabeeyah called the "Lotus." Each stop along their voyage is documented; at Luxor, for example, they travel on land by donkey, reaching the temples of Thebes and seeing a Coptic monastery. The women encounter sandstorms and traverse the cataracts. Passing the Tropic of Cancer at the end of January 1875, they commence their return trip down the Nile to Cairo. The diary ends abruptly as the writer is describing Ramses III tomb on 27 February 1875. Six leaves are laid in the diary, including a list of people and distinguishing characteristics, a layout sketch of a boat, a plan to visit Syria, a landscape sketch in pencil, a clipping naming some people leaving New York on the Algeria, and a map of the Nile River Valley.

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    Last edit almost 4 years ago by NunezA
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    Aug. 22-1874. Saturday. Left New York in Cunard steamer Algeria David, George, Bruce, D. W. Bishop & [and] Ella Barrett with Augusta (the laundress) to see us off - a rainy day. D. W. Bishop introduced us to Mr. Brown of Yorkshire, & to Mr. Smith, a Pres. [Presbyterian] clergman [clergyman] of Lenox, who with his family was going to his native Scotland. Capt. [captain] read service on Sunday morning - in afternoon dead body of whale white, & shiny quite near us upon the water & hundreds of little birds upon it. The first half of voyage had smooth sea, mild temperature, & head winds. Saw a number of vessels. The second sunday morning found the sea running high (it had been quite rough for a couple of days) suddenly a great wave rose ten feet above the deck & came down upon it knocking down every one before it, C. among the number & came down the gangway & into all the deck staterooms to the depth of five or six inches, setting all moveable things, trunks, &c afloat. I sat up in my couch & held on to my trunk & to C's chair that they might not go out & obstruct the passage ways. This was shortly before 10 A.M. After a time C. waded down to me with her shoes in her hand to report herself all sound but drenched. Lunch as usual at noon, & soon after the stewards had succeeded in getting the water out of the

    Last edit almost 4 years ago by kladcat
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    room sufficiently for C. to change her dress + for us to look into my trunk. Everything below the bags had to be wrung out + hung up! On Sunday night a woman in the steerage died of heart disease. The wave was not the cause they were not at all wet there. The following night she was buried at sea, the Capt. [captain] + Dr. being present. Tuesday at 2 p.m. landed passengers at Queenstown, having gone up into the harbor farther than I had ever been before.

    Sept. 2 Wednesday at 8 a.m. stopped at the bar of the [?] for four hours for the tide. Finally stopped about 2 p.m. custom house officers + Mr. Sherlock came on board. We were at the Adelphi where Mr. Sherlock had engaged rooms for us at 3 1/2 p.m. Among our passengers we had become more particularly acquainted with those with us at the Captain's table. Mrs. [Lavisson?] a daughter of Baltimore + her niece Miss Patterson, (great niece of Mme Bonapart) Mr. Yarnall of Philadelphia, going out to meet his wife + children in England - Mr. Jacquemod a silk merchant 25 years old, native of Geneva, but being 6 years or more in Japan full of life + hope - a Scotch lawyer opposite Mr. Middleton, half Italian, half English, a most

    Last edit almost 4 years ago by kleclair
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    refined + cultivated young gentleman. He was baptized by Pope Gregory 16, has an uncle a cardinal, + a great grand father's head was hung under London Bridge for being a Jacobite. There was also a Mr. + Mrs. Macklin, a most devoted couple who had a room opposite ours. After dinner walked to Brown's Library, but had not long to remain, the Egyptian collection looked interesting. Stepped into the Great Western Hotel - bought the [inevitable?] piece of camphor. I did not have any letters to write as I had written to all the family from Queenstown.

    Sept. 3 Thursday. Had been most comfortable at the Adelphi. Left soon after 9 a.m. in the London + North [Western?]. The country At E. Sq. Station saw six [convicts?] chained together looked brown + autumnal. Reached Euston Sq. Station 2:30 p.m. Are at Brown's Hotel, 21 Dover St. Piccadilly. A rainy afternoon very tired, did not go out.

    Sept. 4 Friday. A rainy day went about noon to the Kensington Museum. Met directly Miss Carter of Iceland one of our fellow passengers who showed us the drawings of the students, one of her own among them very prettily colored, a fruit piece. A course of fruit is gone through before they are allowed to go to the human figure. Took our

    Last edit almost 4 years ago by kleclair
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    lunch in the grill room. The wall in tiles representing the month + seasons, stained glass window of Fox + Grapes. At one end is a great range with a very large gridiron, + the steak or chop the only thing furnished there are cooked before your eyes + served quite hot + nice. Opening out of this is the Dining room where cut from the joint + are served. We went through the Picture gallery, [Keramic?] galleries, + the Loon collection which is very beautiful particularly in enamels.

    Sept. 5. Saturday. Walked over to the Regents Quadrant, + down Regent to Carleson [Carlton?] Terrace. C. spoke to one of the men who have fruit stalls behind the Terrace at the end of St James Park - his great grand father had had the stall originally. He had a cow there too so as to sell fresh milk. Bought guide books for at Shawfords + [tape?] map of London at Smiths. Lunched at Charing Cross Station, noisy + confused. Strolled to the Victoria Embankment + sat down in a garden by Charing Cross Bridge. Here still stands the old water gate of York House. Visited National Gallery - notice the [Saruers?], + took cab home. Found our trunks by the goods train had arrived.

    Sept. 6. Sunday All Saints Margaret St. - reached there late, a [fibor?] seat, cheri absent on holliday + wretched

    Last edit almost 4 years ago by Mick
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