Voyage to California: Written at Sea, 1852
The Journal of Lucy Kendall Herrick

edited by Amy Requa Russell, Marcia Russell Good, and Mary Good
Lindgren with an introduction by Andrew Rolle

148 pages, 7-3/4 x 10, illus., cloth, ISBN: 0-87328-165-9, $24.95

Introduction   Table of Contents  

Page 66

Friday June 18th. This day has been remarkably hot; quite overpowering. We had a plentiful and heavy shower towards night, which somewhat refreshed us. I never saw it rain faster. Hurricanes and storms are a frequent occurrence in these waters. The Captain and mates watch the weather narrowly.

Mr. Waterson caught another bonito.

The Captain threw a bottle overboard today, containing a statement of our position—latitude and longitude—with the request that the finder would ascertain the "set" and the strength of the currents that had borne it to its place of capture. Bottles are not infrequently found to have floated some thousands of miles, borne on with a resistless tide. Annie could not forgo the opportunity of putting a "wishbone" and some similar wonders in with the paper to astonish the finder.

Saturday June 19th. Still very sultry—scarcely a breath of wind. Thermometer—80 degrees in the cabin.

This night witnessed the operation of "tacking ship." The Captain cried "Ready about." This was echoed through the ship and all hands were summoned. Each man seized his rope and waited further orders. Then the Captain sang out, "Put your helm down." Man at the wheel says, "Helm down." Then the Captain cries, "Hard a-lee." This was

Page 67

echoed and immediately fore- and jib-sheets let go and fore-top-bowline. Captain cries, "Main topsail, haul." Round comes the mainsail, and mizzenyards fly round like a whirligig! At this moment all was excitement, even Rover racing with the men and feeling it his duty to "lend a hand."Captain then cries, "Force bowline, let go and haul," and then around comes the foreyard and here we are on the opposite tack, heading west by south.

Retired early, but the heat was so great we all went on deck again for an hour.

Sunday June 20th. A good breeze, but bearing us three points off our course; 6 degrees north of the line.

Monday June 21st. Sultry and oppressive. Two English vessels sailed very near us. How refreshing it is to see a ship, after gazing so long on naught but sea and sky—apart from the real grandeur of a ship in full sail on the open sea. Wind rising…the sea is becoming rougher.

Tuesday June 22nd. Hot; gentle breeze; smoother sea.

Wednesday June 23rd. Very warm without any wind. Mamma saw a beautiful nautilus today. She described it as resembling a lady's pink silk bag, with strings, as it floated by. The portion of it that appears above water is supported by a number of feelers underneath which act as rudders. When caught, if one happens to touch the nautilus, it stings very sharply. It belongs to the connecting link of fishes and marine vegetables.

Page 115

Wednesday October 13th. Last night we had a splendid sunset again, though quite different to those I have mentioned before. It was very fiery indeed. The western heavens seemed as if in a blaze, tinging the surrounding clouds with red. This morning our wind died away and now our vessel is nearly heading towards San Francisco. Still we are over 560 miles off, and it seems as though we must always have another week before us. The time certainly hangs very heavily.

I exchanged a few words with Mrs. Waring today—the first in a long time. We spoke of the Valparaiso women and she told me she thought them like Indian women…She cannot speak without being vulgar.

We found today our dirty clothes were many of them spoiled from lying long and being damp. As many are new, this is a sad business.

Mr. John Waterson entertained us with the history of a most remarkable coat he wears, which always seems to me as if it were made for someone else, but he has given me a different idea now, particularly as he says he gave the man a good licking for making it too small!

We are now sailing well. Oh that it may last!

A pig killed today—a Chilean!