This article ran in the November, 1982 (Vol. 12 #4) "Theakiki" the Quarterly Newsletter of the Kankakee Valley Genealogical Society. To clarify, Bourbonnais is a town in Kankakee County, Illinois, but in 1848 Kankakee County had not been formed, so Bourbonnais was part of Will County at the time. Bourbonnais was named for the gentleman who owned the land the village was built on: François (Brunet dit) Bourbonnais. pp. 5-9 A Voyage To The United States: June-July 1848 . . . . . Contributed by Mrs. Earl (Toni BERGERON) BETOURNE, a great-great granddaughter of the author, L. E. SYLVESTRE whose French-written diary is translated below. Cap St. Ignace District of Quebec, Canada to Bourbonnais Groves, Will County, Illinois, U.S.A. We left from Quebec at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 8th. The weather was good, strong north east wind. We landed in Montreal Friday the 9th at 9:00 a.m. and reembarqued at 9:30 a.m. to continue on our way through Lachine canal and upward the St-Lawrence river to Beauharnois canal which we ascended the same day. The weather was very nice all day long, fairly warm. The Beauharnois Canal is fourteen miles long to avoid the cascades. At night we stopped at Coteau du Lac. The night was very fine. In the morning it rained from sunset until 9:00 o'clock. The rest of the day was cloudy with south west wind all day long. At night the sky cleared up. It was Saturday the 10th. After stopping at Matilda, Prescot and Brockville, small English towns on the left coast of the St-Lawrence, we carried on our journey through the thousand islands and in front of Watnonkoui before entering into lake Ontario. Turning north west to reach Cataraqui, now Kingston, on the north shore of lake Ontario, where we landed at 6:00 p.m. and reembarqued immediately on the "City of Toronto" continuing on lake Ontario. The sky was clear all night with a strong south west wind. The 11th was the Pentecost day. We stopped at Cobourg, pretty town on the north west coast of lake Ontario. North west wind and clear sky. We were in Toronto at twelve (formerly York). Weather and wind came all day long. Night beautiful. We stayed in Toronto Monday 12th for the same ship. Town built with bricks is important, very clean, beautiful buildings, churches and bishop's palace, with trees of all sorts. From the lake the sight is not as good, the land being low and flat. Kingston is built of cut stone, fortified for war. Huge towers protect the approaches by water giving an agreeable sight, the town being higher up. There is a bishop's palace. All the north coast of St-Lawrence river is beautiful with numerous orchards and beautiful vegetables. From Quebec to Montreal 60 leagues, 180 miles From Montreal to Kingston 60 leagues, 180 miles From Kingston to Toronto 60 leagues, 180 miles We left Toronto the same day at 2:00 p.m. Clear all day nice north west breeze. Heading south from Toronto to Niagara (previously Fort George) at the estuary of Niagara river in Ontario, at the occidental point which is English and Youngstown on the oriental point which is American. The Niagara river goes north south. We went to the bottom of the fall. Fair west breeze, clear in the afternoon. We landed at Queenstown, English city on the left shore opposite Lewiston, American town on the right shore. We reached the top of the fall by stage coach at 7:00 p.m. It took 3 hours to get through the detours. On the hills south of Queenstown stands a beautiful monument in honor of the brave general Brock. From Toronto to Buffalo, 21 leagues (63 miles). We lodged in an Inn at the top of the fall. It was a fine clear night. Tuesday the 13th we embarqued a steam boat to reach Buffalo. The river is about 1/2 mile wide. The shores are lower than from the falls Niagara. There are many islands. We passed between Fort Erie on the left and Black... on the right. We reach Buffalo at 8:00 a.m. Always same good weather north wind from Kingston to Buffalo. All the farms are alike. In all the towns the soil blows like snow. Buffalo is big city built with bricks. Many channels run through it. Also a small but deep river used as a harbour for the numerous ships that go by every day. The business is considerable. We stayed there for one day and one night with a fine temperature. Wednesday, the 14th, the weather was fair with strong west wind in the afternoon. We left at 9:30 p.m. on lake Erie heading west south west. Very bright night. Thursday always in the same direction about 1 1/2 miles from the southern coast of the lake which is quite high and well inhabited. We discover mountains in the Ohio state but cannot see the southern coast of the lake. At 4 p.m. we reach Cleveland situated on the oriental point of Cuyahoga river opposite Ohio City on the oriental point. As our ship conveyed one governor of the United States, a powerful cannon booming and music resounded from both towns where the business is good. We left at 9:30 p.m. by a lovely moonlight. Heading offshore we lost sight of the southern coast and proceeded west towards Detroit. I did not see anything else for the rest of the night. I was sleeping. Friday morning the 16th going northwest we met many islands and entered into the beautiful Detroit river and reach the City of Detroit, capital of Michigan State situated on the right shore of that wonderful river. The town is built of brick and the business is favorable. As soon as the town saw the national announcing the arrival of their state minister on our ship, the cannon resounded for a while. On the left side in front of Detroit is Sandwich on the English territory. We departed at 11 o'clock. From Buffalo to Cleveland the distance is 63 leagues. From Cleveland to Detroit 52 leagues. Leaving Detroit one child fell overboard and was rescued, but this delayed us. Afterward the ship headed east north east to enter into lake St. Clair. Wind west south west. Weather clear and warm. The shores of the Detroit river are wonderful and well inhabited. The crops flourishing and ripening, beautiful orchards, wooded land of superior quality, tall timber. Nothing remarquable on lake St. Clair except that it is shallow with vast flats on the north side where great herds of cattle pasture. Entering the channel at the mouth of St. Clair river we turn north or north east and east to south east. On the river the direction is north north west. The St. Clair river is nice scarcely populated. The land looks good, tall good quality trees and many forts on the right side: Huron, SteClair, Palmer and Belle Riviere on lake Huron on the American side. The left side is English. The forts are not of much importance. I could not get their names. We entered into lake Huron at sundown. Heading north we see the shore of Michigan state on our left. Clear sky all night. Saturday 17th cloudy all day with a few showers. Whole day to cross the lake and we landed at Mackinaw Island at 6 p.m. after sailing 50 leagues from SteClair river heading north and turning west to Machinaw without seeing the land on the east side. Mackinaw Island is elevated and good looking. The fort is on the south side. It is the meeting place of the Indians and fur traders. Good fishing. There are many islands between lake Huron and Michigan, some are very wide like Manitou and Manitouwan. We left Mackinaw the same evening to navigate towards Michigan going west quarter south west turning left as we proceeded into the strait joining both lakes. Cloudy skies in early night. The distance from Detroit to Mackinaw is 106 leagues. Sunday, the 18th, strong west wind all day. The fog covered the lake till 10 o'clock. At 4 p.m. we reached Sheboygan pretty little town on the occidental coast of lake Michigan. The Wisconsin coast alongside the lake are low and scarecely inhabited. From Mackinaw to Sheboygan 108 leagues. We left Sheboygan immediately for Milwaukee, a distance of 17-1/2 leagues, woody shores. We entered Milwaukee at 3 o'clock Monday morning the 19th. We saw the city only by moonlight. It seemed to be pretty, standing at the far end of a small bay on higher land. Cloudy sky and showers in the morning. And we reached Chicago, Illinois at 9 a.m. We remained there all day long having no facilities to go and see the country. From Milwaukee to Chicago 31 leagues. On Tuesday and Wednesday, 20th and 21st, we stayed in town and left at 10 a.m. the following day. Temperature always fine with west wind. Leaving town we proceeded south and south west towards the prairies. Chicago is a large and beautiful city built with brick and wood. Business is very important. It is the depot of all the production of many surrounding states. The prairies gave the impression of a vast sea, houses are scarce, scattered groves and marsh land. Late that night we slept at the home of an American and we were well treated for money. Early the next day, Thursday the 22nd, with only the sky and the prairie in view except for a few groves of mediocre quality oak and walnut trees. Always going south south west. At noon we finally arrived at a well populated place called Bourbonnais Groves, 21 leagues from Chicago. Cloudy sky in the morning, rain in the afternoon up until night with lightning and thunder. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 23, 24, 25th fair weather clear, warm with westerly wind. High mass on Sunday and at 2 p.m. we left for Chicago where we arrived Monday 26th. Fair weather during the day with south wind but heavy thuder storm at night. Tuesday 27th fair in the morning with south west wind cloudy after. At 9 a.m. we deported from Chicago for Buffalo on the New Globe. At noon we stopped at Little Port and at 3 o'clock at South Port. We left at 6 p.m. under cloudy skies. We were delayed by the burial of a captain of the american troops killed at war in Mexico. There were many soldiers on our ship for that ceremony. From Little Port to South Port 5 leagues and 4 leagues from South Port to Racine where we stopped. From Racine to Milwaukee 8 leagues. From Milwaukee to Mackinaw 12-1/2 leagues. Wednesday the 28th fair weather, clear sky wind north on lake Michigan. At 8 p.m. we passed by Manitou Island and many other islands on our way to Mackinaw, by a magnificent night. Thursday the 29th feast of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul fair weather with sweet south breeze. We arrived at Makinaw at 10 a.m. North east wind entering into lake Huron around 2 p.m. Same wind all night. Friday 30th soft south west breeze St. Clair river at 2 p.m. And by 7 p.m. we navigated on lake St. Clair to reach Detroit river by 8 o'clock and Detroit City at 10 p.m. We continued at 12 by a bright night. Saturday, July 1st cloudy in the morning with strong north north east wind. We crossed Lake Erie to reach Cleveland at 10 in the morning resuming our trip at 3 p.m. With moderate wind we reached by 5:30 Grande Riviere on the pretty meridional coast of the lake. The river is deep and wide with handsom buildings on both sides. We quitted at 8 p.m. to continue on lake Erie by clear night and east wind. Sunday the 2nd fair in the morning, rain after 2 p.m. and we arrived at Buffalo by 10 a.m. It rained the rest of the day and all night and no wind. Monday 3rd we departed from Buffalo at 9 a.m. by railroad on the american side passing by Chypewa, Blackrock and Lockport to get down from the heights of Niagara Falls to Lewiston at the bottom where we embarked to navigate down the Niagara river to lake Ontario. All these towns are on the right side of the river. The day was very fine and warm with wind south west quarter west. We left Lewiston at 4 p.m. The night was clear and at 12 midnight we stopped at Genessee. It is a small river between high coasts cut like walls. From there we reached Oswego at 7 a.m. Tuesday 4th. The town is built on both sides of the river which enters into the town towards south south east. From there we continued our way on the lake with strong north west wind. The waves were so hard on the ship that almost everybody was sick. Going north north east across the lake to a bay on the east shore of lake Ontario called Sackets-Stenbows where we arrived at noon. It is a huge port on the south shore and a nice river across from the north to the south. Going back east we reach a little port on the right shore were we change steamboat and continue on the same direction between many islands to the St. Lawrence river that is the discharge of all the great lakes on which we navigate during this journey. Cloudy the 4th, strong south wind, rain in the afternoon. After we had left the lake the wind did not bother us anymore. From that river we entered the St. Lawrence through the Thousand Islands to reach Ogdensbourg at 9 p.m. by a bright night. Wednesday the 5th weather clear, wind west we left at 8 a.m. Passed in front of Prescott on the left shore and continued on the St. Lawrence going rapidly downstream the currents being extremely strong through shallow rapids and cascades of Long Sault. One must go through it to realize what it is. During the afternoon on little lake St. Francois we faced north wind and reached Lachine at 5 p.m. Then by railroad to Montreal where we arrived at 6 o'clock and stayed over night. Thursday the 6th we left for Quebec City with a cloudy sky all day, violent and cold north east wind continuing all through the night. Friday 7th fair strong north east wind. We spent the day in Quebec and departed at 11 p.m. by clear and calm night. Same weather Saturday with south west wind. Finally we arrived at Cap St. Ignace at 9 a.m. July 8th 1848 Signed L. E. Sylvestre Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. ~Helen Keller Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly. ~Robert F. Kennedy It is never too late to be what you might have been. ~George Eliot --------------------------------- Yahoo! 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