5-12-1688
Tuesday
This morning dawned clear and bright with the sun coming up over the land as we floated of waving and crying and sniffing and rubbing our sleepy eyes.
I suppose the crew thought we all looked so sad and dejected that that decided to try to find a way to cheer us up a bit, which was nice of them.
First they asked us if we “new any thing about ships” and we told them “not much”. So they gave us a tour. It was quite enjoyable after we finally got used to the ground moving under us. At first we all sort of wobbled around with our arms spread out a little trying to keep our balance, it was a bit like ice skating for the first time just not so slick. But they held on to us and we held on to each other and had an grand tour of the ship!
First they showed us the forecastle then the mid ship where there’s masts and sail and lot of rope hanging around like spider’s wed in an old house! Then they showed us the Poop Deck which was nice and high and you could see the whole ship from there if it weren't for the sails. After that we went down below and and they showed us the Galley, and the hold where all the things to sell in America are kept, as well as food and drink for the the trip. then they showed us where we’d all be sleeping at. It was the First Mates cabin. It was right under the Poop Deck.
Our room has three small glass windows with shutters on the outside to close when the weather get bad. There are four hammocks hanging from the roof, and a bed against the wall. There's a small mirror on the wall, and a very small dresser nailed to the floor with a wooden pitcher and wash basin sitting in a near corner.
I’ve got to go now it’s time for supper. I shall write more when I get a chance.
Hannah
5-13-1688
Wednesday
Dear me! I can not believe that it has only been a week since we left home! It seems like such a long time. Papa, Mama and the rest have probably left by now, I do miss them.
Hannah
5-14-1688
Thursday
Ben and Rachel are not feeling well. Captain says it is sea sickness. I sure hope so.
Hannah
5-15-1688
Friday
I think it is sea sickness, they are feeling some better to day.
I have not been writing things that I am thankful for lately, so I am going to start back now.
I am thankful that this trip has gone so well thus far.
Hannah
5-16-1688
Saturday
Today it has been raining. We played chess and checkers with the sailors in the galley. Then we told stories until bed time.
Mr. Hardy told a story about going to Africa on a slaver (that’s a boat the gets slaves) it was a very sad story, but I guess it had a sort of happy ending; by his the end of his second trip to Africa and back to France he felt very guilty about taking human people and selling them to other human people. After that he became a Christian, not a Catholic, but real Christian, though, I not sure if he’s like us though, but he is very kind to us and praising God for every thing, and praying quite a bit too.
But any way after that Cook told about how he ran a way to sea when the was a boy. Then several of the men told stories that I don’t think were quite all true. They about things called Sea Monsters, and mermaids, they had seen in bays and lagoons down south. And a couple of them told one story together about a Hurricane, which sound s like a silly word to me, (But of course I didn’t say so). They said hurricanes were huge storms that spun in circles and right in the middle of all the really strong ones is and eye and in the eye the water is calm and you can see the clear blue sky above you. I don’t think it was a true story though it might have been, all my siblings (except Joseph) have told me I have a very small imagination.
But after that and right before we went to bed Leah told a story about a Princess in a castle who thought she didn’t have any brothers and sisters, or a Mama or Papa and she lived all alone with her servants and her seashell collection and pet blue bird (two things Leah has always wanted) and was always lonely. She went on to tell that one day, a handsome poor boy, as she put it, came to the castle looking for work, (she looked right at Ben when she said that too). And so the princess put him to work polishing her shells. Then one day while the princess sat drinking her tea and reading her Bible and asking the Lord to send her a family if that was His will, and that if it wasn’t then He would cause her to be happy with that, when all the sudden the handsome poor boy rushed in holding a shell neckless of hers. The princess then asked the Boy what the matter was, and he answered, “Princess, your highness, how did this here shell get broke?” and the princesses answered “It’s always been like that Handsome Poor Boy. See the letters on it? You can’t read all the words because its been broken in two. I always wonder who has the other half. And if I’ll ever meet them and then we can put the shells together and read the words it makes!” Then The Handsome Poor Boy. said “ In my little cottage that I share with my baby brother and sisters,--since we don’t know where our parents are at-- we have a shell that looks like it might fit this one, I polish it every day and that’s how I got so good at polishing you know.” Then Princess said “I have a very good idea. You go home and get your siblings and come back for supper, and bring your shell and we’ll have a feast and a party, and see if our shells fit together.” And that‘s what they did, and then the shells fit together so you could read the words and the words said “The person who owns the other half of this shell is your family. Your Papa and Mama are being kept in a dungeon out in the woods against their will. Go save them.” So they did. and there was a big fight and they freed their Papa and Mama and they were the king an queen and all the children were the princes and princesses, and the first princess had a family and was never lonely again and they all lived happily ever after!
Then we went to bed.
Hannah
P.S. Today I am thankful for Mr. Hardy, and Leah.
5-17-1688
Sunday
Today has been good. This morning the sky was sunny and bright. And the Captain had church on deck. That was all right but we children felt that it wasn’t quite sufficient for a Sunday church service. And so after lunch we went to our cabin and read Matthew five six and seven and then we talked about them, and tried to figure out what Papa and our preacher would say about the verses. Then we all prayed.
All day long the crew has had to swab the decks so the boards don’t shrink an we spring any leaks. And when we asked if we could help them with anything they said that since we have our sea legs that we could do that. So we hauled up buckets of water an sloped it all over the deck to keep the boat sealed up tight.
The interesting thing about being at sea on a Sunday is that its like eating or taking care of live stock on a Sunday. It’s fairly important for your survival.
Today I’m thankful for all these nice sailors around.
Hannah
5-18-1688
Monday
Today has been splendid! It was very sunny today and we swabbed the decks again to be helpful. I am sore from all of it. And Mary and I especially look like the lobsters we caught and had for super, after they were cooked. All red.
Hannah
5-19-1688
Tuesday
I do wonder what Papa, Mama, and the rest are doing right now. they say it just might be possible that they over take us before the trip is over. I don’t really care that much who gets there first I just pray that we’ll all be safe.
Today I’m thankful for wind. It’s been pretty hot. Oh! and yesterday I’m thankful for the Lobsters. They were very tasty.
Hannah
5-20-1688
Wednesday
Today we are ‘be-calmed’. It is very hot.
Hannah
P.S. It is the middle of the night. We were just on deck be cause it was so hot in here. The wind has just started to blow again. We are going back to bed.
Today I am thankful that folks are always on deck keeping an eye on things, but even then I know:
Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Psalms 127:1
Hannah
5-21-1688
Thursday
It is raining.
Hannah
5-22-1688
Friday
Still raining. And its cold.
Hannah
5-23-1688
Saturday
Today I’m thankful for rain. Because we don’t have to swab the decks.
Hannah
No comments:
Post a Comment