This Tuesday morning, November 1st, I got up in good time to prepare for the 10:03, leaving Park Square station for New York, Grand Central Station. I breakfasted in good time & walked across the common to the station to get my ticket in good time. I was amazed at the masses of young & even elderly people hurrying into the city. Oh, what young women there must be employed in Boston, & as for the male class, thousands. It was a crowd every where & so early. Business begins at 7 in most places & by 8, all is in full swing. It was a great sight to see such an inrush & all intent on making a head along the paths & through this beautiful “common”, a large park, tree planted, & some fine monuments about. I got all arranged & off in the 10:03, a full seated train & a very pleasant journey I had. A lovely day, bright & warm, too warm for 1st November, pretty scenery all the way & some very large towns en route, & scarcely any portion of the journey that was not populated or country residences, & we skirted the coast, Atlantic. I took by choice the “shore” line, the prettiest route, & certainly I was charmed. Here & there were such fine coves & shore residences, little bays full of pleasure craft, others with vessels freighted. It was a fast train & we arrived to the minute, 4:30. Before I left Boston, I took a snap at the front of the Park Sq. Station, including a monument of Lincoln, commemorating emancipating the slaves.
[8:48]
One thing I’ve oft been to record & forgot it is the absence of dogs in America. So few are to be seen. Also the level crossings running across throng public streets, & one crossing in a town this morning as we passed through. Notices are on painted boards well exposed. On this particular one was, “Stop, look, listen”, in large black letters on white ground. You would shudder if you saw these trains crossing & running in streets. One of the places we passed today near shore put me in mind of the low-lying islands entering Kirkwall, Orkney. Very familiar names too are given to many places: Newhaven, a charming place for scenery, New London, another, & so on, & the pretty autumn tints are fine, tho’ not to compare with Canadian Maple. Our first stop in N. York was at 124th St. Station, & for a long way into N. York, Edinbro’ style of drying clothes, but a seemlier system. They all have long poles at the end of their bit garden or yard, & each flat has a rope to a hook opposite their window & a block system draws out & in, & on top of flat roofs, the washing was visible, some just hanging them out, & it seemed as tho’ it was washing day in that locality. On my arrival at 4:30, I went to hotel, had a wash &c., & then telephoned Gust Heye for information as to where I might find the Andorinha, & I was told she was yet at Brooklyn laying at merchants’ stores, foot of Vandyke St., and did I know she was all but a wreck? A fire broke out a week gone Monday at the wharf where she was discharging & has so damaged her that her future is uncertain. I set off a long way over to Brooklyn & on my arrival, I did not experience any difficulty in finding her, tho’ it was dark & a queer way it was after leaving car. [8:49] Albion was ashore. Sutton was watchman & the mate, Mr. Pye, & the coloured steward all that was on board. The ship quite a wreck on deck & the rigging hanging in tatters. It became moonlight by this & I saw better, but will return in daylight. I left a note for Albion & he is to meet me at hotel tomorrow. The mail leaves per “Brittanic”, White Star, tomorrow, so I mean to post my diary by her, but will do so early, & should I meet Albion in time to supplement it by post card, I will send one. All being well, we shall soon be home. Some of the crew has already gone, & all hands expect to leave the ship & go home. Sailmaker, I think, goes tomorrow. I did not see him.