Notes-
Left home on the 13 May 1850 Arrived at Boston same day Stopped at the Adams house, remained until Wed. 15 then took passage in the steamer Canada—Stateroom No 13.14.
After arranging our room went to take rapid glance at some of the others—went up into the salon—remain there until passengers for the shore were requested to withdraw- took leave of children & friends—the rain forbade my going on the upper deck to exchange the waving of handkerchiefs & watching them until they faded away from sight. the beautiful view of Boston harbour lost also & what may prove to be, as I felt deeply, a last look of my native land & though I said when I left home I cared not for a pleasant morning I should have glad of a pleasant one to have sailed out of the harbour, if had pleased God to grant
In 1850, Edward and Orra White Hitchcock went to Europe on a trip that mixed business with pleasure—at first, mostly business, as they were not eager to go, but were resigned to please the Amherst College trustees, who thought it would be a good break for their exhausted president. This page from Orra's diary is about settling into their room on the ship and watching her homeland fade into the rainy distance. For more entries from her diary go to the story A Geological Pilgrimage.