Isa's Blog - America 1854 - First Impressions
Isa for short, was born in England in 1831. She was a small, sickly child. When she grew up she was still small (four feet, eleven inches tall) and sickly. The doctors could not figure out what was wrong. They recommended travel. Mr. Bird gave Isa one hundred pounds (this was equal to a clerk's yearly salary) to visit America. He told Isa she could stay as long as her money lasted. That was the beginning of Isa's adventures.
In years to come, she traveled by horse, mule, yak, camel and elephant to out of the way places. In 1892, Isa became the first woman member of the British Royal Geographic Society. Follow Isa on her travels.
Lynn B. Connor - Adventures in History
WHO WAS
ISABELLA LUCY BIRD?
ISABELLA LUCY BIRD?
Portland, Maine
August 1854
Two months ago I left England for the Americas. The voyage to Canada where I visited relatives was an uneventful nine
days, five hours.
The voyage along the coast to Maine was not so uneventful. "The wind sounded like continual discharges of heavy artillery, and the waves, as they struck the ship, felt like cannon-balls." On reaching the United States, a polite custom officer, trusting my answers to his questions, did not open my trunks.
Arriving at this hotel I "sat down in the ladies' parlor. I had not tasted food for twenty-five hours, my clothes were cold and wet, a severe cut was on my temple, and I felt thoroughly exhausted. These circumstances, I thought, justified me in ringing the bell and asking for a glass of wine. Visions of the agreeable refreshment which would be produced by the juice of the grape appeared simultaneously with the waiter. I made the request, and he brusquely replied, 'You can't have it, it's contrary to law.'
"That the inhabitants of the State of Maine are not 'free' was thus placed practically before me at once."
T
August 1854
Two months ago I left England for the Americas. The voyage to Canada where I visited relatives was an uneventful nine
days, five hours.
The voyage along the coast to Maine was not so uneventful. "The wind sounded like continual discharges of heavy artillery, and the waves, as they struck the ship, felt like cannon-balls." On reaching the United States, a polite custom officer, trusting my answers to his questions, did not open my trunks.
Arriving at this hotel I "sat down in the ladies' parlor. I had not tasted food for twenty-five hours, my clothes were cold and wet, a severe cut was on my temple, and I felt thoroughly exhausted. These circumstances, I thought, justified me in ringing the bell and asking for a glass of wine. Visions of the agreeable refreshment which would be produced by the juice of the grape appeared simultaneously with the waiter. I made the request, and he brusquely replied, 'You can't have it, it's contrary to law.'
"That the inhabitants of the State of Maine are not 'free' was thus placed practically before me at once."
T
Quotes on this page are from ILB's THE ENGLISH WOMAN IN AMERICA
