The death of a spouse can be a deciding factor in the decision to emigrate. Although English male immigrants to the United States outnumbered women by an approximate three to two ratio, Markerly's age at sixty-two placed her in an even smaller category. Scholar Charlotte Erickson notes that women over the age of sixty comprised only about seven percent of emigrants in a British census taken in 1841. Assuming that she fell into this category with her departure in 1833, this indicated a strong willed and exceptional individual for her age. Widowhood forced her to assume the traditional male role of logistical planner. Her journal noted her last sight of the British Isles as the ship passed through the Firth at thirteen to fourteen knots. She described the snow-covered mountains of Scotland on the left of the Firth and the rugged Orkney's on the right. “I went upon deck before I returned to bed to bid adieu to land (as I thought) and my native land forever.”14
That night in bed, boxes and baskets bouncing into her berth because the sea was so rough awakened her. Anything not securely fastened down shifted violently below deck. In spite of the churning seas, she managed to get some sleep, but noted that the next day she was growing more fatigued. However, Markerly described herself as being in better condition than most of the other passengers and therefore blessed. She made this assessment even though snow and hail prevented her from going on deck. She passed the time making entries in her journal as she described her companions immobilized by seasickness. “Pale sickness reigns and spreads his sluggish leathern wings, while he, despotic sway maintains and o'er each form his mantle flings.”15
As one could imagine, conditions aboard sailing ships were deplorable compared to today's standards. Unless someone has experienced intense seasickness, the closest approximation would be a severe case of stomach flu with no relief in sight unless they were able to get to dry land. Voyages often took five weeks or longer, and Markerly's was no exception. Historian William E. Van Vugt described seasickness as a form of filthy hell, quoting one emigrant who said, “for the first quarter of an hour you feel afraid the ship is going down, and for the next quarter of an hour you feel afraid that it will not go down.” On Tuesday morning, April 16, her journal noted that she was feeling better than most of the females onboard, revealing an exceptional strength for a woman her age. However, she did mention one woman of lowborn status who exhibited no seasickness symptoms whatsoever. The widow categorized this woman as stuffing her face from dawn until night, constantly intoxicated and referred to her as a “disgusting animal.” Perhaps this revealed her position on temperance for she made no other reference to spirits in any of her writing.16 It is ironic that the ship made its best headway during high winds, which produced the worst symptoms of seasickness.
Luckily, for the passengers, the sea calmed and wind abated the next day but this reduced their speed to three knots. Still, she noted that this was a fast pace on good roads for land travel. As the sun warmed the afternoon, the passengers were able to come on deck and engage in some modest exercise, including Markerly, who took a short walk back and forth on the stern. Nevertheless, her journal reveals some impatience when she described their speed as slowing to only one to two knots per hour. This could very well fall into the category of “be careful what you wish for,” for the next day, the weather turned to raging winds and waves that ran mountains high, according to the author. She spent the day in a stupor, unable to either sit or stand. The rest of the passengers were in worse health than at anytime on the voyage so far. The following morning, hail pounded the sails and poured through the hatchway. That afternoon, she consulted with the first mate, who apologized that the ship was a good knot off course, and informed her that they were at Latitude 54 degrees, 20 minutes north. At that time, another curious passenger noted that it was four o'clock on board and six o'clock in the evening back in Hull, England, so they had traversed two time zones. Late that evening and early next morning, the pitching of the ship tossed every article not securely moored. As Markerly interrogated the sailors the next day, all members of the crew concurred that the stormy conditions would continue through the evening. She noted that the captain and all hands had been at their stations through the night until Sunday morning, April 21.17
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