George Ritchie, NY, to "My Dear Father & Mother",Londonderry.

DocumentID

9406202

Date 11-01-1851DocumentType

Letters (Emigrants)

Archive Public Record Office, Northern Ireland

Citation George Ritchie, NY, to "My Dear Father & Mother", Londonderry.;PRONI T3292/2; CMSIED 9406202

Link http://ied.dippam.ac.uk/records/30953 (Consulted: 05-04-2014)

New York, January 11th, 1851.My Dear Father and Mother, You will expect to have heard from me before this time. I didnot arrive here untill [until?] the 23 of December last. I postedyou a paper containing the arrival of the Hudson with the names ofthe Cabin passengers. I have seen Brother John. He is doing betterand looks better than when I left here. I have not as yet got into any business. Indeed I have not gotmuch to write you, except about the passage, which was a long andsevere one. On my arrival in Glasgow I found only two Ships in Port for NewYork. They were both very small inferior ships, but The "Hudson"was rather the best of the two. Mr. Fisher in order to getpassengers had bills printed stating that they were fine ships of 1,000 tons burthen. Now The Hudson the largest of the two is a shipof only 360 tons. The Hudson was laden with pigiron which is themost dangerous kind of a load. And from her great depth in thewater, I could see that she was laden very heavily. - The riging[rigging?] of the ship was bad viz. [vide licet?] the ropes, sails,and spars looked old and frail. And from her great depth in thewater I could easily see that she must sail very slow andconsequently make a long passage. Indeed I dreaded the idea ofgoing out on a long voyage right in the beginning of winter in such

a ship as the "Hudson". I would have went [gone?] by Liverpool, butafter buying some little articles of clothing I found that I had notchange enough left to pay for a passage in a first rate LiverpoolShip except I had gone first to London and sold my U.S. stock.Fortunately I did not sell it in England. It is now worth a greatdeal more here than I could have got for it there. The passage in agood Liverpool ship would be from 14 to 17 pounds and then theprobability of waiting at Liverpool perhaps three or four days for aship - The winter was fast approaching .- I had a long journeybefore me; and I felt anxious to get started.- I could get apassage in the "Hudson" for Å11. She was to sail the next day. Andfinding that I could do no better in Glasgow I paid my passage andwent on board. I sent some letters to you by Mr. Withrow. We leftGlasgow on the 16th October, there were two other Cabin passengersbesides myself, our names you will see in the paper I sent you. There were on leaving Glasgow 111 steerage passengers. We stoppedat Greenock to be examined by the health officer, where it wasascertained that a bad fever had broke [broken?] out amongst thesteerage passengers. This was truly discouraging with all theprospects of a long and severe passage before us. Seven of thepassengers were taken ashore. We then left Greenock on Saturdaythe 19th of October; on Sunday the 20th we got clear of the channeland got round the Nor. [North?] West coast of Ireland. The day wasfine and in the afternoon as I saw the last blue line of my nativeland fade away like a cloud in the horizon, It seemed to me that Iwas then gazing for the last time upon those hills which pointed outthe land of my forefathers. I felt a degree of loneliness that Inever before experience [experienced?] Many a deep sigh have I wafted across the deep water to that Dearspot where a kind father and a fond mother first gladened[gladdened?] the happy period of my boyhood. But I will not dwellupon the subject. It causes painful remembrances as those happytimes can never come again.- Who can tell, when he sets forth to wander whither he may bedriven by the uncertain currants of destiny? or when he may return?or whither he may ever again behold the scenes of his childhood. The vast space of waters that separates the hemisphere, is like ablank page in existence. From the moment you loose [lose?] sight of the land you have left,all is vacancy, untill [until?] you step upon the opposite shore,and are launched at once into the noise and bustle of another world. In traveling [travelling?] by land there is a continuity of scene,and a continued succession of incidence that carry on the story of

life, and lessen the effects of absence and separation. But a widesea voyage severs us at once. It makes us feel conscious of beingcast loose from the vicinity of a settled life; and sent adrift upona doubtful world. It interposes a gulf not only immaginary [imaginary?] but realbetween us and our home. A gulf subject to tempest, fear, anduncertainty.- I was so completely prostrated with sea sickness that I was notable to keep a logbook of the passage. But of this much I amcertain that we had some of the most terrible weather. After those passengers were taken on shore at Greenock, wefortunately had no more fever on board. There was one birth, and two deaths on the passage. One was a boyof seven years, and the other was our cook, who was swept overboard,when we were about a week at sea. It was on the night of the 25thOctober, as we sat by the dull light of the cabin lamp, while theship was plunging through the foaming element, the seas continuallybreaking over her, we were alarmed by the cry of "a man overboard"we rushed to the door of the cabin. It was our cook. He was washedoverboard. We could hear his cries. The next blast swept us out of all hearing. The sailors knew himto be an excellent swimmer, but the storm was too great to run therisk of putting about the ship in search of him. Poor fellow! His last cry was unheeded. He was left alone to struggle withthe contending elements. His last struggle was soon over. He sunk amidst the roar of thetempest. His bones are now whitening in the watery regions of the deep. But we had worse storms than this to encounter. Yes weexperienced some of the most severe weather; many a long darkheart-sickening night have I spent during those ten weeks we weretossed upon the merciless waves of the vast Atlantic. Yes to aperson pining under sickness and lashed upon the waves of a stormysea, one of those dark December nights, seems of an immense length.It would seem as if the sun had forgot its course, and as if the lawof nature itself had been subverted. On the 22nd November was the most severe storm I ever witnessed.As night approached the storm increased. The sea was lashed intotremendous confusion. There was a fearful rushing of the waves, andbroken surges. - Deep called into deep - At times the black volume of cloud overhead could be rent by theflashes of lightening which quivered along the foaming billows, andmade the succeeding darkness still more terrible.

As I looked upon the ship staggering and plunging among thoseroaring caverns, it seemed miraculous to me how she regained herbalance or preserved her boyancy. [buoyancy?]. She would plunge androll so deep into the water that her "yards" would sometimes touchthe water; while the seas were continually breaking over her decks.This was a trying time for a ship heavy laden with pigiron. As Isaid before it is then a most dangerous kind of a load, when theship comes to labour hard in the heavy seas. The great weight ofthe iron being, all concentrated in one place is very apt to strainthe bottom of the ship and render her leaky. She did get so leakyfor half the voyage she had to be pumped out once in every fourhours night and day to keep her from sinking. A ship laden with any other kind of freight is not only safer butshe pulls over the wave with a slow easy motion not causing near somuch sea sickness.- If ever you have any friends going to sea neverlet them go in a vessel laden with pigiron. For besides beingdangerous the ship will have a quick, uneasy, sickening motion.When the ship gets thrown upon her side by a wave, the greatconcentrated weight of the iron in the bottom of the ship causes herto start up again with a sudden jerk which is very straining on aship in the heavy seas. On the 22nd December the thrilling cry of "land" was given fromthe mast head. None but those who have experienced it can form an idea of thesensations you feel when you first come in sight of land after along and dangerous voyage. We soon got into the harbour, and on the 23 we got towed by asteamer up to the dock. It was just ten weeks from I left homeuntill [until?] I arrived here. As we approached the dock it was thronged with people. - Therewere some idlers. - Others, eagerly expecting to meet with friendsand relatives. There were repeated cheerings, and salutations,interchanged between the shore and the ship; as friends happened torecognise each other. The ship soon got close to the pier. All now seemed to be hurry;bustle and confusion. A great many of the Passengers meeting withtheir friends and acquaintances.- I stood and looked quietly on. -I alone was solitary and idle. My wandering eye ran along the crowd, but I could see no friend tomeet. No eye to recognise me. I looked upon the loneliness of myposition. I stepped again upon the land; but I felt that I was a stranger inthe land.

I believe your patience will be worn out reading such a longletter. I will therefore conclude and leave room for John to writea few lines. My health is very good since I arrived here. Please remember me to Jane. Tell her I felt sorry that I did notget time to go and see her before I left. I hope that brothersDavid and William are getting on as successfully as ever. When youwrite let me know how Mary Anne is . When you write let James writeme a few lines before you seal your letter. Please remember me toall enquiring friends. I have not room to mention all their names. Remember me to Mr. James Anderson, tell him I intend to write tohim after I get established in business. Address me at 110 Broadway. Farewell my dear parents. May God bless you all is the prayer ofyour affectionate son George Ritchie.Dear Father and Mother George having written you a long interestingletter, has left me a page to make a very few remarks. And first Iam very thankful to God for leaving me still in the possession ofgood health after all I have come through. I return you my mostsincere thanks for your kindness in sending me the money, shirts,socks &c [et cetera?] and also my thanks to David andother friends for their kindness to me upon this occasion. The bestreturn I expect to be able to make you for some time will be toreform my course of life and so enable George in his next letter togive an account of my better conduct. I am at present collectingnames on the canvass for a new Directory we get 1/2 a cent a name.I can take about 200 a day. It was a great pleasure for me to seeGeorge coming here again, he was very glad to see me and the minuteand detailed account he was able to give me concerning you all andalso the Old neighbours and friends was a source of great happinessto me. One principal reason for congratulations is that when thereis generally so much suffering through the country in consequence ofbad times, That you are all prospering and some on the fair way toindependence. I did not intend to say much in this letter, butmerely to express my thanks for your kindness and liberality. Iwill however, as soon as I have anything worthy to say, write you along letter, or most probably write to David. Farewell my dearParents it would be my wish to see you once more. God bless you all I remain your affectionate son John Ritchie.

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