Thursday, 17th May

It is now a beautiful day and all the rough weather is forgot, and the people at all sort of amusement on deck. An emmigrant would require to bring a great variety of provisions, small quantities of each kind. They get tired of every thing here but potatoes, so the thing that is most wanted is changes. A bird came on board last night from Newfoundland very like your Blackbird.

Friday, 18th May

We are now on the Banks of Newfoundland. All the difference that we know is that the weather is dull, hazy and foggy with heavy showers. The Banks are navigable all over. The only difference in that point is that they can find the bottom on the Banks. While on the main ocean the bottom cannot be found at all as the line will go only a certain depth. I mention this because the most of the people here had the idea that part of the Banks were to be seen at least, but it is not the case. We have been sailing north and south for two weeks or more, besides that we were sometimes driven back so far. The wind is still westerly.

Saturday, 19th May

We are now perhaps about half way across the Banks. It is a fine day very like that on which we left Aberdeen, the wind from the north, small vessels at the fishing, the bright sunshine, and the whole very like the Bay of Aberdeen but colder, and no land in sight. They sounded twice last night and had first 65 and then 50 fathom water.

Monday, 21st May

Yesterday was the most beautiful day that we have had since we came on board. We had bright sunshine, no fogg, the water glittering in the sun. The sea studded with the vessels at the fishing, some of them a mere speck on the horizon, others quite near. Sometimes a dozen of them in sight at once, but we were running before the wind from 6 to 8 miles an hour and we soon left them far behind, rolling and tumbling as they lay at anchor on the billow, to come in sight of others. Such a day is rare to be met with on the Banks. The passengers lolling on the deck the same as if they had been on some grassy knowl in Auld Scotia. We had Service in the forenoon as usual. We had contrary winds the greater part of the time for first 5 weeks and were knocking about two weeks or more within a few hundred miles of the Banks. We are now nearly across them, well to the south, and sailing north west or so. We have a Captain and First Mate which I dont believe there is their equal on the Atlantic, kind, civil, cheerful, obliging, able seamen, loved and esteemed by all, but a few of the young men who are beginning to get a little troublesome.

Tuesday, 22nd May

The wind is still favourable, the weather foggy with heavy showers. We expect to be at the mouth of the Gulph to-morrow. We have come farther the last three days than we did for three weeks before, it all depends on the weather here. The people are all cheerful and as clean and healthy as when they came down the harbour of Aberdeen. Our outer clothing is dirty with coal smoke but we are all clean at the skin, and for my part, me, my wife and family would sail across as long as you like, were it not for the cooking, nobody likes it. Our children have enjoyed themselves fine at sea and been quite healthy, and so have all the children. You see them running and sliding about and laughing when no one can scarcely stand. There are upwards of 130 on board from above 60 years of age to the mere babe, all healthy alike. The few that have been sickly are young strong men and women. And one thing: I would advise all who have not activity, more especially old people, to keep in bed when the sea is rough, or always keep a good hold, and watch the roll of the ship. For instance, my wife had been firing banocks one day and I go to help her down with them. Well I take a hold of the cook house door, the banocks in the other hand, and Mary has hold of me, roll goes the ship, and I lose my hold, and away we went together. So there am I, yonders my wife, and the banocks all over the deck. We were not hurt, but several people have got severe knocks by losing their hold.