From England to Canada

A record of the three-week ocean voyage by Henry Brown and family in 1870.

The Brown Family’s three-week voyage from Gravesend, England to Quebec City, Canada aboard The Ganges is presented here with the original spelling and grammar intact.

Wednesday: First day roughing it. Bable of noises, confusion, indescribable, passed the yard just before 2 o’clock imagined I saw John who returned salute brought up at Gravesend had bad arrangement, got dinner about five o’clock. Plenty of fun going on, singing laughing, etc.

Henry Brown writes of spotting “the Great Western running away under her sail”: in all probability, it was actually the above ship, the Great Eastern, which Brown spotted, as the Great Western was broken up in 1856.

Friday: Turned out about 5 o’clock, weather moderate, land scarcely describable Boat to take off pilot coming off shook hands with pilot and cheered him off. Em. rather bad with spasms the only drawback. Sea looks grand, still there must be something in the life on the ocean waves. Children getting their sea legs nicely. Laugh to see. them going along the deck staggering, they appear to think it all right, take everything as a matter of course.

Saturday: Took Minnie on deck last thing Friday night, showed her the last of old England for a time. Told her that was where Grandma and Auntie lived, She said she wished we would ride back to them, but her request didn’t run very deep, she was highly delighted running after me along the deck. For Saturday need not say much only ho ho ho ho been rough all night. Turned out about 6 came on deck and paid the penalty. Queer all day, ate scarcely anything.

Sunday: Still very queer. Rather fresh breeze N.E. by N. We going W. bound or N. caught the seas broadside which makes her roll very heavily. Got Em. on deck about 10 o’clock with the children where she laid until about sup. Eat very little but felt a little better. Thought how Maria would enjoy the water running as high as the rail as good sea boats ship very little water, only got a little spray all day slightly dampening Em’s blanket. Had some singing in the afternoon which woke Minnie up a bit, wanting us to sing the piece she learnt Sunday before. There is something for children to do which some of them knew and we had it over. Went to bed feeling better.

Monday: Turned out about six o’clock, delightful morning. Wind moderate but heavy sea running, making her roll still heavily. Makes you laugh to see the plates dancing and sliding from one side of the mess table to the other. Obliged to stick forks to hold them. Want about fifty hands to hold them and yourself too. Sickness going off. began to peck again but not quite right. Lena about the best sailor. She’s far too lively for us just now wanting to run about and laughing to find she can’t stand. Never saw a sail on Sunday, passed about a dozen to-day, most of them a good way off, but spoke to quite close brig, spoke to her by flag signals, we landsmen got quite enthusiastic about it and cheered her off.

Tuesday: Turned out about half past four, wind from S.W. blowing rather fresh but being a little more favourable to our course. We ride the seas better all sail set so you see we mean to get over the sharp gales, two or three heavy lurches. Breakfast time makes you laugh to see pots chasing plates and coffee emptying itself in the butter. Nice pork, biscuits and coffee for breakfast, so you see we fare fairly well. Getting all right again. Em. still rather queer. Aunty must not talk of getting over the water any more. Lena quite enjoys it watching the waves calling out “I here” as we ride on them. Minnie tells me this morning she only wants to stop at Canada a fortnight because she wants to come and see Grandma and Aunty Maria. Saw a whale spout up about six o’clock about ¼ mile off. We were watching for the sunset but just as it got down to the water a cloud obscured it. Delightful evening one-sixth moon and the stars shining.

Wednesday: Out about five o’clock, wind after going down yesterday afternoon sprang up again in the night blowing pretty fresh. Em. still has great difficulty in keeping anything on her stomach, the rest of us nearly right. Sighted a couple of sails first thing in the morning, came up with another about half past twelve going in the same direction as ourselves but we going much faster. Coming on to blow pretty heavy with squall of rain pretty near all of us keeping in our downstairs apartments this afternoon.

Thursday: Out about 5 o’clock, a beautiful morning, wind gone down a great deal but shifted. We have got a head wind now but hope it will not remain so long. Child seven months old died last night, inflammation on the lungs. Buried today at 4 o’clock. Carpenter made small coffin in which it was placed. Bell tolled, engines nearly stopped brought to the gangway, parents following proceeded by the Captain and our clergyman who read the burial service. While doing so it launched into the deep.

Friday: Out about ½ past 6 o’clock. Wind pretty fresh but shifted a little more on our beam about S.W. by W. Nice warm wind nothing particular fresh. Begin to think a sailors life rather a monotonous one, perhaps it appears so because we have so little to do. Getting impatient to get to land and make a fresh start. Have only seen one sail today that was about breakfast time and that a good distance off. Minnie has one after bad coughs but is getting the better of it. Em. has been much better today.

Saturday: Out about ½ past 5 o’clock, clear morning scarcely any wind, beautiful sun. Nearly everybody on deck. Rigged up a swing for the boys in the fore rigging which they pretty well enjoyed. Minnie and Lena having fine fun running about, with a tumble now and then. Sighted two sails towards the latter part of the day and spoke to them both. One was New York liner the Great Western running away under her sail, she looked very fine.

Sunday: Were to have had service on board to-day had the weather been favourable but unfavourably it blew harder the first part of the day than we have experienced before and pretty rough sea, it looked grand. Em. did not see it at its height. Moderated about 12 turned out fine afternoon. Em. and the children came on deck had two short services one in the after part on the lower deck and the same forward but the din of the children prevented hearing much. We have had a number of short services at night during the voyage.

Monday: Out about 5 o’clock on the banks of Newfoundland. Cold drisley rain, dense fog blowing the mist all day, going a good part of the day half speed so not getting on so fast, but hope to sight land to-morrow. Do not expect to land much before Friday or Saturday. Been a miserable day for the children had to keep them downstairs all day. The decks got very wet on account of the hatches being open for ventilation. Fog cleared about 5 o’clock but keeps very cold, wind from N.W.

Tuesday: A beautiful day but wind very cold, had an increase last night a little girl born. The water not near so deep here so we didn’t have it near so rough.

Wednesday: Hazy this morning but not quite so cold, saw about half a dozen porpoises playing away around the bow, swimming at an immense rate about 6” below the surtace of the water. Two o’clock came upon a thick fog again, keep blowing the wind. Have not sighted land yet and by what I hear now we nay go through the gulf without sighting it. I expected we should have seen either Newfoundland or Cape Breton Island. We had a fine bit of fun on board, the crew got up a party, the ones on deck inviting a number of the single young men and ladies on-board after tea, which passed off pretty well in spite of the weather. Amused themselves by singing and dancing.

Thursday: Woke up this morning with the cry of land, tumbled up pretty sharp, could see a long stretch of land like a cloud on the horizon. Sun just rising but rather too hazy to see it to perfection as the land grew more distinct could see what appeared to be very high hills, the valleys running between the hills appeared covered with snow, some of it looking like beautiful waterfalls, but I think it is most likely vapours rising. We had a number of land birds flying about the ship and sitting on the deck. Appeared quite tame, some of them that were trying to catch them would nearly put their hands on them before they attempted to fly. We are now I believe in the gulf. I believe we want a few miles to the south as we were coming N.E. this morning till we rounded the Islands we sighted. But I should think it a pretty good hit considering the number of miles we have come without landmarks.

Dinnertime came on deck and saw two large rocks poking their heads above water but I believe only inhabited by birds. Had a bit of a squal this afternoon. A flash of lightening with thunder and heavy rain, saw another whale spout up the water while waiting for tea but too far off to see much of it.

Friday: Very foggy morning but warmer, too foggy to go on, our Captain seems particularly cautious. Some impatience manifested on board but we had better wait a little while than run ourselves into trouble.

Saturday: Still foggy but a breeze springing up which keeps clearing it now and then. 11 o’clock pretty clear can go ahead alright again. Sighted land on both sides about ½ passed twelve o’clock. Would not for a long time believe it to be land on one side having no idea we should pass such high land. Looked exactly like a dark blue cloud on the horizon streaked with white on the higher peaks which afterwards turned out to be snow. Our mate says the high peaks are four thousand feet from level of the seas. We could only see the upper part as we were I daresay 20 miles from them. The mist rising from the sea obscured the lower part but twas a splendid sight to trace the range of hills as we went along, especially towards the latter part of the afternoon when the sun came out and shone upon the snow. Has been very cold to-day but in the evening getting much milder, we are now fairly in the St. Lawrence River.

Sunday: Saw a whale really yesterday afternoon, it being calm and only about 20 or 30 yards off the vessel could see 10 or 12 feet of its back as it rolled over and believe a most splendid morning, shipped a pilot about 7 o’clock, expect we shall go right on to the quarantine ground which I believe is about 30 miles below Quebec. Expect to reach it by 9 or 10 tonight. Hope to pass the doctor and get into Quebec sometime tomorrow. The scenery in this beautiful river is passed describing, stocked full of small islands. A number of them having lighthouses upon them. We are passing by a part most splendid this tea time about 6 o’clock. On the other side is a vast plain lain out into beautiful farms. Through the glass can see the groves of trees and houses with churches fine. Then in the background high hills covered with trees. The Islands covered with fir trees, the land being so high they appear so close but we nay judge the distance by the size of the houses, they appear large enough for dog’s kennel’s.

The other side of the river is high barren hills, many of them with snow still lying on the tops but their being so high shuts off all view beyond. We have come to anchor about ½ past 8 this evening for the first time since we left Gravesend. We are close enough to a beautiful Island to see the lights glimmering through the windows of some of the houses. I had no idea the scenery up the river was half so beautiful, its well worth coming the distance if only to see it. Saw a tug yesterday taking down a ship, paddles worked by an old fashioned steam engine. Have passed a great many sails in the river, appears to be a great deal of traffic.
We had three services on board and they were well attended. I don’t think I ever heard a church clergyman that I like better than Mr. Cohen, he might very well be taken for one of our own ministers, he chooses his subjects so appropriate and his addresses and prayers mostly extempore. He came around with a large number of Bibles and made the head of every family a present of one, they are a very nice print. There is a great deal of noise and excitement and its been such a beautiful day and prospect of soon terminating our voyage seems to raise their spirits.

Monday: Saw a splendid sunrise this morning, The Islands that we are anchored close to looks a fairy land, It has its church with spire and houses all white painted. They all appear to be the same up and down the river. I believe they are principally French settlers here. Called up on deck every body about ½ past 8 to pass the Doctor. I believe there were very few but what passed, but unfortunately for us there are several children that have the measles and chicken pox and so we have all the honour of being quarantined. All our clothes that were dirty were taken by the married folks to the Island for washing. The single young women went with theirs also. I think what made the Doctor more particular is that the Tweed went up the night before and another vessel, with immigrants. So many going to Quebec at once would be dangerous so I suppose he has kept us here to get some of them dispersed a bit. Our Island 1½ miles long by ½ mile wide, we are accommodated in large sheds with berths.

Something similar to ships berths only a little more room. The Island seems to be formed of slate rock and its surprising to see the trees growing right on the rocks and there are some places where the snow is 2 ft. thick now where the snow has not been much exposed to the sun but it is plenty warm enough now in the middle part of the day. I hear the winter sets in a month ear1ier here than in Toronto and breaks up a month later. We shall have 2 months advantage I hope where we are going.

Tuesday: Beautiful morning all bustle going a washing. There are coppers and plenty of firewood and water so all the ladies are going ahead and men turned into housewives we are much more comfortable here than on board, but its a great delay and extra trouble. They are making themselves pretty comfortable, there is plenty of dancing up till 10 o’clock at night. All the sick are at the hospital at the other end of the Island.

Wednesday: Beautiful morning a splendid atmosphere here when it is fine, not quite so much hustle today so took Em. for a bit of a stroll among the rocks and trees. getting our luggage aboard again this afternoon. Expect to get aboard ourselves about 6 o’clock, tomorrow morning about 2 hours run to Quebec so hope to land there tomorrow.

Thursday: Up by daylight bed packed up and away. Started about 8 o’clock from the Island, left 7 families behind who were unwell. Arrived Quebec about 12 all busy this afternoon about the luggage. As soon as the luggage is all in the care we are to start for Toronto. So must finish quick as we must provide for ourselves. Em says you are to exchange letters with her Mother. Good Bye for the present. Hope soon to send you some good news.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 1999 issue of Family Chronicle.