July 16, 1834
At ten o’clock, accompanied by Messrs. Gebhard and Schuchart, we went aboard the steamboat that brings the passengers to the packet. Its name was the Rufous King. It was moored at pier 2 on the North, or Hudson, River. We took leave of our friends, and in twenty minutes we were at the ship Havre, which had already weighed anchor in the middle of New York’s nice harbor basin and had the pilot aboard. As soon as the luggage was stowed in the ship, all sails were hoisted. The weather was very hot and [there was] very little wind.
After eleven o’clock we were very close to the lighthouse of Staten Island on our right. The batteries on Long Island were to our left. Not far from us lay a Liverpool packet that was still waiting for its passengers. A little farther on, the wind was completely contrary and extremely weak; therefore, we anchored and took down all sails.
Behind us and to our right was the tip of Staten Island, which appeared very picturesque; the lighthouse and the telegraph [were] close by. To our left [was] Long Island. Several steamboats sailed by; we signaled to them to tow us out of the harbor; however, none were inclined to do so. In the evening we had little wind, but we tacked as much as possible and maneuvered very slowly ahead.
The Francis Depau, a Havre packet, entered the harbor, passing by us. It had a crowd of deck passengers (emigrants) on board who stood close together on the foredeck and looked at us. Its foretopmast had broken off; it must have lost [the mast] in a storm.