THE JOURNAL OF WILLIAM RHODES JAMES Written between 1836 and 1841 America - Jamaica - Australia Edited by Sarah Harrison 1 William Rhodes (known as Rhodes), eldest son of Herbert Jarrett James, was born in Jamaica in 16th August 1817 and was sent to England with his siblings in 1823. For a time he was at Hyde Abbey School in Winchester where his father and uncle had been students. In a letter to Messrs Howland & Aspinwall of New York of 30th January 1836, his father tells of his intention to go to Philadelphia or New York the following April "..and shall direct my eldest son to meet me in the States in which case I must request the favor of your attention to him until I go, by placing him in lodgings where he will be comfortably provided for & taken care of, he is only 18 yrs of age and has not been long removed from School, he must not therefore be allowed to have his own way altogether". Rhodes arrived in New York on the 18th August aboard the 'Ocmulgee'.1 12 Saturday, August 20th 1836 On Thursday at 11 Oclock am we dropped anchor in quarantine ground, and at the same moment appeared alongside of us a small boat, bearing a little yellow flag at the stern, to designate the approach of a Custom House Officer. This was the Doctor who immediately mounted the side of the vessel, and taking his seat in the cabin, noted in his book the number of passengers both in the steerage and the state rooms, the Captain3 having to pay a Dollar duty for every head, infants and crew I believe excepted. After making a few more annotations, this officer in company with the Captain, surveyed the vessel, and making a general inspection below decks, to see that all was clean and no sickness prevailed, returned to the cabin and gave us permission to land as soon as we liked with one change of clothes. The steamer we were informed left the wharf on our left hand at 12Oclock - all of us accordingly, some in the ship's boat and some in the officer's found our way there as soon as we could, and taking our passage by that conveyance, in the course of 30 or 40 minutes were landed on the wharf of the City. One shilling or 12½ cents was exacted for our fare. The boat was small and not built exactly after the fashion of England - all the machinery of the engine might be seen working on the deck, but a small box was built to enclose it having a door on each side, and on each side of this was a rope connected with the helm, by pulling either of which the vessel was guided. Several small plots of ground were to be seen in the middle of the water on which fortresses were erected and well disposed for the protection of the town, the portholes being so arranged in them severally that they might cross one another's fire. On landing I stepped into a Hackney coach with two of my fellow passengers and proceeded to an hotel which 2 one of them, from old acquaintance therewith, recommended. Our vehicle was somewhat in the form of a Phaeton or small Barouche, with a dickey and two seats facing each other at the back of it. Two black men occupied the box seat one of which drove the pair and the other acted as footman to open the door and hoist the luggage. We quickly arrived at the Hotel and my comrade dismounting, went to the Bar to enquire if we could each have a single room - but as it is usual at this season the house was so full that he was informed private accomodation could not be granted, and we could only be two of four occupants in a Chamber - this we accepted, and paying a dollar each for our drive we dismissed the Coach and entered the Reading Room - here I found a Directory and ascertaining the residence of Messrs Howland and Aspinwall4, I enquired the Dinner hour, and immediately proceeded to my destination - arrived there I presented my Father's letter and asked anxiously if he were yet arrived, but I received to my bitter disappointment a negative reply, and at the same time two letters were put into my hands, the one an excuse for my Father's non appearance, the other bringing me a kind invitation from Mr King5 to come and take my quarters at Hamilton in Upper Canada - feeling the destituteness of my situation I resolved to accept this and 2 take my departure as early as possible, but our Vessel as is customary in this Country with all that enter Port, was obliged to remain in Quarantine Ground for 24 hours, before she might come up to the City and the luggage could be examined by the Officers, this accordingly has occasioned me some delay and obliged me to prolong my stay. Having returned to the Hotel, I took my seat 3 in the Reading Room, and at the hour of three a sonorous bell was rung to indicate Dinner time, at the immediate sound of this a general hurry was seen towards the stairs, and before I had attained the first story on which was situated the Dining Room, not only all the company with the exception of a few stragglers were seated, but many appeared to have nearly gulped down all their dish of hot soup. From 120 to 150 at least in number composed the company and the whole ceremony of Dinner proceeded to my idea in the most gluttonous manner. The course is too well stamped in my memory to need recordance. It is a habit peculiar to almost all the Americans to chew tobacco and boxes are provided for their convenience in the Public Rooms, but notwithstanding this the whole floors may be seen bespattered with their coloured saliva, and to think of the process of evaporation constantly in action is by no means a pleasant idea in a Reading Room, as it reminds you of the delicate and pure atmosphere that you are momentarily inhaling. It seems by no means an act ungenteel, for a Gentleman to make use of his fingers before applying the Pkt handkerchief, as I have observed several do this with equal adroitness to any of our well practised Labourers - and likewise give the subsequent smack of their digits with equal significance, to reject the mucous adhesion. I was particularly struck with the confidence apparently reposed by the Shopmen on any Gentleman who may enter into their shop - for going myself yesterday into a Chemist's for a glass of soda water, I placed $¼ on the counter to pay for myself and a friend, and the boy having no small change requested me to leave it till I came again, that being the first time that he ever saw my face - this is an instance of undemanded trust that I never heard of in England, and there are Rogues and Sharpers here as well as there. The Omnibus's appear as numerous in this City as they may 4 be seen in London, and though better horsed, some of them even with four, yet in respect of decent appearance they are far inferior - but the Hackney Coaches may perhaps be reckoned as equally superior to ours. The cattle driven in all the public vehicles much surpasses what we have in the same capacity. August 22nd/ Yesterday being Sunday, I proceeded after Breakfast, not knowing one Church from another, to seek me out one in the neighbourhood to which my walk would be in the shade. Having satisfied myself with the external appearance of one in William Street6, and learning that Service commenced generally throughout the City at half past 10, the hour arrived, I bent my steps to the Church which I had selected. Being shewn into a Pew, I engaged myself till the ceasing of the toll in observing the interior of the building. It was arranged much after the manner of our own Houses of Worship, with the exception that the Reading Desk, there being no Pulpit, was erected quite at the end of the middle aisle against the wall. The pillars which supported the Galleries were ornamentally carved at the top in very handsome workmanship, the sculpture also about the desk was in the same beautiful style. All the inside was painted white and Venetian Blinds were suspended to the windows, which together gave a very cool and summer-like appearance, but must in the winter be rather forbidding. The Clergyman rising read the 10 Commandments then gave out a hymn to be sung, I believe, by the community in general, one man being appointed to raise the tune. 5 3 The Minister next read a Chapter from the Bible of his own selection, and afterwards made a long extempore prayer in which he manifested true brotherly love, praying for the whole congregation as one private family - another hymn was then sung, when the Minister giving out a text of two or three verses proceeded to comment upon them, making a discourse in a wholly familiar and conversational manner for about one hour or more. His exhortation was certainly the most spiritual and faithful that I ever heard in a Church. After concluding this, he gave out another psalm, and then five or six persons who seemed generally appointed for the purpose went round the Church making a collection, as is customary after each service in the day - the hymn was then sung and the congregation rose while the Minister implored a blessing over them.