Queenscairn to Quebec

Robert Scott, baptised 12 February 1793 at Lempitlaw Spouston, married Janet Clark baptised 26 January 1794 at Temple Hall Morebattle, and had nine children.

Their daughter Mary Scott, born 1830 at Queenscairn, married Robert Shiell at Yetholm in 1852. They had 10 children at Yetholm.

Robert Scott died in 1844 and in 1854 most of his family moved to Ontario, Canada. In 1855 their mother also went to Canada. She died at Galt, Waterloo in 1872.

In 1854 seven children of Robert Scott and Janet Clark Scott came to Canada on a sailing vessel. No mention is made of daughter Mary, and it is presumed she remained behind. The trip took eight weeks from Glasgow to Quebec.

The following year (1855) their mother arrived in N.Y. and was met by John, the eldest son. Janet Clark Scott used to say "the happiest day of my life was when John met me in N.Y. and I knew I would soon be re-united with my family." Robert Scott, her husband, died in Scotland.

Diary kept by Janet Scott - a sister of Margaret Clark Scott who married James McNair

Written in 1854 relating to their trip from Scotland to Canada to 1854

In the family coming at that time were John Scott (the eldest), Janet, Margaret, George, Robert and the twins Phemie (Elizabeth) and Agnes. Their mother Janet Clark Scott stayed a year longer in Scotland with her daughter Mary Scott Shiell, coming out by New York.

• June 12, 1854 - Left Morebattle at 4 o'clock. Took train at Maxwellhaugh at quarter past 7 in the morning. Went into Edinburgh with Mr. Renton of Kelso. He was kind. We left Uncle Scott and Walter Huggle at Maxwellhaugh. John Harris met Cousin Mary Actchison at Portabella, Uncle John Clark and Elizabeth Cranston at Edingburgh. Uncle gave us a cup of tea at a temperance hotel. Took train to Glasgow, called on Mrs. Laidlaw, had tea. John Sproat came on board to see us. Mr. Portons called after we were in bed, a very frank man. He left shortly. All came to bed. None on board but ourselves.
• June 13 - Got up, all had slept well, had our breakfast. Brothers went out to transact business. John Sproat came again, he had until 4 in the afternoon. We got our cabin washed out and began to be more comfortable. Mr. Portons called again and gave us a small parcel to his son in Montreal. Wrote to mother and to Aunt Margaret. John Sprott came again after 8 and stopped to half to 10 when we said farewell to the last friend in dear Scotland. We all went to bed. There was none on board that night.
• June 14 - Wakened at half to 2, the vessel was just leaving the quay, towed by a steamer. Rose at 3 to see the banks of the Clyde, beautiful scenery. Wrote to Mother. We were at Greenock at 5 when we sanded. We had to stop till about 1 when we were towed to the other side side of Greenock. The head wind prevailing we stopped all night. Agnes was a little sick but better by night. I got seasick but got to bed and slept well all night.
• June 15 - I lay in bed until 10. We left at half 9 o'clock towed by steamer. Beautiful morning. The steamer left at 1 o'clock, the captain going back with it for something. We cruised about Rothsay till he came on board again, a pretty place. We hoisted sail and passed several places, Saltcoats, Androssan. All well - none of us sick. Got our provisions yesterday. Have 2 passengers, Mr. Swah and daughter. Sailing 3 miles an hour we came to Goats Fell, a high hill in Arran and in sight of Ailsa Craig.
• Friday, June 16 - All well and slept well. Passed Ailsa Craig which is 2 miles in length - favorable weather, fine morning. Washed our cabin. Oh! how I wish Mother had been with us and that I could hear how Mary is - 'tis impossible. We all enjoy sailing. Much passing - several vessels outward bound. Evening - been becalmed all day between Ailsa Craig and the Mull of Cantlire. A gale got up about 5 o'clock. I was sick.
• Saturday, 17 - All sick and vomiting except John. A rough sea.
• Sabbath – 18 - Terrible gale from the north east all night. Everything was tumbling over. All sick and vomiting but John. Favorable wind for us.
• Monday 19 - All up on deck. I tried it twice but had always to go down again. I am still sick - rough sea. A vessel passed us bound for Glasgow. John wrote home but we could not get to her.
• Tuesday, 20 - Sick all day - lay all day - live on toast and oatmeal gruel. Could not take tea since Friday. The rest are able to be on deck.
• Wednesday, June 21 - Sick today - up on deck half hour. Had to come down again - sea rough - wind east - vomited sorely.
• Thursday 22 - Rough sea, a gale all night, everything tumbling heel o'er head. John first broke the pan, Maggie spilt the treacle and the bed came twice down during the night. It settle down about 4 o'clock on Friday morning.
• Friday, June 23 - Up on deck 10 minutes - sea rough.
• Saturday, 23 - Sea rough - lay in bed all day.
• Sabbath, 24 - Rose and vomited sore. Went up on deck afterward. Stopped 2 or 3 hours, felt rather better.
• Monday, 25 - Rather rough - still sick.
• Tuesday, 26 - Some better, a good deal on deack Pretty rough sea.
• Wednesday, 27 - Very calm all day - a good deal on deck. Saw a whale as long as the ship. It got rather foggy toward night.
• Thursday, 28 - Beautiful day. Very calm all day but got rather foggy at night. Some of them saw a fish, supposed to be a shark. Pretty well.
• Friday, 29 - A fine breeze - going fast. Saw some beautiful popoises. They are pretty, racing in the water, brown backs and white bellies. When they leap it seems as if it was a hare leaping a fence. They have a large fin on their backs. All pretty well.
• Saturday, June 30^th - Damp morning with head wind. Spoke to vessel "The British Queen" from Quebec to Bristol. They were to report "The Mary" from Glasow. Rather unwell all day.
• Sabbath, July 1^st - Fine morning, very calm. SUn out all day. Rather unwell but able to be on deck. Saw a whale. Plenty tracts to read and good books. Sabbath was observed pretty well.
• Monday 2^nd - Got up after dinner, still poorly. Damp foggy day. Vomited sadly at night again.
• Tuesday 3^rd - Wet day - lay in bed all day ill. Men much in the cabin to-day on account of the rain.
• Wednesday 4^th - Misty morning. Got up in the afternoon and on deck till night. Maggie had a washing yesterday with the soft water, which was hung out on the rope ladders to day. They were not dry however. John and George are often up the ladders to first landing on the mast. Rob dare not attempt it.
• Thursday 5^th - Misty morning - cleared away to bright day. Got up about 11 - rather better again. Maggie had a baking in the galley over - good bread. Got our clothes dried out to-day, Saw a shoal of whales of the bottle-nosed specie. There would be 20 or 30 of them close to the ship for about an hour. They are large looking animals to be fish. Got a glimpse of a sword fish. Saw also two beautiful Nautilus with their tiny sails spread, sailing past. They just looked like a beautiful piece of white honey cake floating on the wide waste of waters.
• Friday, July 6^th - Wet day, rough sea - head wind. Ill all day.
• Saturday, 7^th - Foggy morning which cleared away toward night. Got up about 4 in afternoon. Rough sea. Got a swagger with the Captain on deck as I could not walk. Saw a pure red Nautilus.
• Sabbath, 6^th - Fine day, sun out all day. Saw 4 ships to-day. We had Divine Service on board to-day -the Captain reading a sermon and prayer. Text Psalms 95-5 "The sea is His and He made it." 'Twas very impressive, all seemed to listen with attention. We had a beautiful sunset. One would have thought the sun just dropped into the waves.
• Monday, 9^th - Beautiful day with a pretty fair wind and smooth sea. Saw one of the ships we saw yesterday all forenoon. We had passed her as we lost her. She is outbound. We are halfway. Saw 2 whales at a distance. They seemed to be very large ones.
• Tuesday, 10^th - A fine day sunny, all day not well. Saw 6 vessels.
• Wednesday, 11^th - Foggy day - Ill to-day.
• Thursday, 12^th - Foggy - got up in the afternoon.
• Friday, 13^th - Foggy and wet. Ill in bed all day. We are in the north side of the false banks of Newfoundland. They saw an iceberg. "Tis cold weather - head wind all week.
• Saturday, 14^th - Up in the forenoon. Foggy with head wind.
• Sabbath, 15^th - Pretty well to-day have some appetite. Foggy at times. We are at the Great Bank of Newfoundland. Saw some fishing boats. Took some soundings and found it 40 fathoms. Saw great numbers of Squalls. They are yellow tops like a piece fog, and some like a girl's net which they spread out to fish.
• Monday, 16^th - Up to breakfast. To-day they tried to fish with lines but caught nothing great. ?boats. It got foggy about 11 and continued all day. If it had been clear we could have seen land.
• Tuesday, 17^th - Foggy morning. Cleared away about night when we saw the south coast of Newfoundland. Happy sight indeed! Headwind still.
• Wednesday ,18^th - Saw land to-day. Foggy weather.
• Thursday, 19^th - Foggy - headwind.
• Friday, 20^th - Sunshine, a better breeze to-day. Foggy at night.
• Saturday, 21^st - Fine breeze to-day. Wet morning cleared up to a fine breeze.
• Sabbath, 22^nd - Fog cleared, a little calmer.
• Monday, 23^rd - Becalmed all day. The first day we have felt warm.
• Tuesday, 24^th - Becalmed all day, a breeze got up toward evening. Saw the phosphorus in the water after dark, shining as if the sea had been on fire. We stopped on deck till 10, it was so cool and pleasant after a warm day. Great numbers of geese and ducks - also sea weeds which are pretty.
• Wednesday, 25^th - In sight of St. Pauls, a small rocky island at the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which we entered this morning. It has two lighthouses. We passed the south side at 2 this morning. A fine breeze all day. We passed Bird Rock this afternoon, 7 miles to the south of us. Met fog - morning close and warm.
• Thursday, 26^th - In sight of the Magdalen islands. Wind more into our head to-day. Saw the coast of Anticosti to the north tonight. Sea rough. To-night saw the moon.
• Friday, 27^th - Head wind. Saw Cape Gaspe on the American Continent. Very high headland. We are going along Anticosti on the other side of the Gulf. It is 125 miles long by 25 broad. It is hilly and covered with trees which we see. It is not inhabited but has 2 lighthouses on it, Becalmed to-night.
• Saturday, 28^th - Becalmed all day. Have gone about 4 miles on our course since last night. A breeze sprang up and we went a good bit.
• Sabbath, 29^th - Becalmed all day again. All very dull to-day, fog at night.
• Monday 30^th - A strong breeze westerly and we have gone about 50 miles. We see the coast of Canada on both sides, very hilly, all covered with wood. Uninhabited.
• Tuesday, 31^st - In sight of the 7 Islands. Becalmed since last night. All in good health. A pilot came on board.
• Friday, August 3^rd - Have gone about 10 miles since Tuesday morning. At Cape de Monte - in sight of a lighthouse and some huts. 200 miles from Quebec.
• Saturday, 4^th - A breeze came last night. In sight of some Canadian houses on the south side. Very calm but a breeze got up at night. St. James Fair Day!
• Sabbath, August 5^th - A fine breeze all day which carried us beautiful along with the tides. Very beautiful settlements on the south side of the river. Very hilly on the other. Thunder and rain - wind got into our head which caused us to cast anchor when the tide is out every 6 hours.
• Monday 6^th, 1854. Head wind.

Quebec - arrived here to-day after a passage of 8 weeks from Glasgow.

With thanks to the McNair family of Saskatchewan, Canada ancestors of the Shiell family who made the trip across to a new life.