Welcome to Henry's Travel Blog!

Although he kept detailed business papers, Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw left little personal material for biographers to consider in analyzing his life. One of the few items which remain is a series of five journals. Following his retirement from the hardware business in 1840, Shaw traveled abroad and made notes, recollections, and even sketches in these small bound books. Join us as we chart Henry's journey to Europe and beyond.
 
Shaw's variable spellings, punctuation, and grammar, preserved throughout, are typical even for well-educated gentlemen in the 19th Century. Important note (4/14/09): The entries from March 11, 2009 through April 8, 2009, correspond to recently discovered text from Henry Shaw's journal. They will be posted online under the correct dates to preserve chronological accuracy.
 
   
   

Posted Online Saturday, June 20, 2009

August 31, 1841: Southern End of Corfu

On rising this morning and going on deck found we had already reached up to the southern end of Corfu - our steamer running midway in the channel between the verdant shores of the island, and the bare mountainous coast of Albania, the island is covered with olive trees all but the highest mountain ridges, and a succession of villages all along to the port of the city, the strongly fortified citadel of which situated on a projecting rock was visible some fifteen miles off -

The place is built by the Venetians and surrounded by fortifications which for strength are second only to Malta & Gibralter, entering the port presents a beautifull panorama, the principal features of which are the palace of the Lord High Commisioner, the lofty palace like Venetian houses, the cupolas of the Greek churches - and the green cypresses (?) and other ornamental trees on the esplanade in front of the city - with the lofty, mountain ridge of St. Salvador in the back gound -

Our boat on letting go her anchor w-s quickly surrounded by crowds of noisy and importunate boatmen very much resembling in this respect an Italian port - the custom house gave us no trouble not even opening our trunks - went together with Capt Wale an eng gentleman to the hotel called the clubhouse facing the esplanade, but. unfortunately all tve rooms were occupied, ani so had to put up at Mrs. Talyors i english hotel - less pleasantly situated in a narrow street of which Corfu is for the greater part composed - in the evening walked out on the esplanade, where hundreds of the people of the place were enjoying the promenade - one side of which looks over on the sea, where the moon reflects her silvery beams, on the wide expansive bay gently rippled by the evening breeze

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Posted Online Friday, June 19, 2009

August 30, 1841: Greece

The haziness of the atmosphere this morning prevented our seeing anything of the island of Zante or Zacyrithus (?) of the ancients - in the night we had passed the mouth of the river Alpheus which traversing the celebrated vale of Olympia flows into the Adriatic opposite the southern end of Zante - Chiarenza (?) is a town on the coast of Peloponesus opposite the northern extremity of the same island - the heiress of one of the hereditary dukes of Chiarenza marrying into the royal famlly of England in the reign of Edward 3rd was the origin of the title of Duke of Clarence -

At ten o clock we had rounded Cape Papa promontory of the ancient Achaia as our boat stops a few hours at Patrass in the straits of the Gulf of Sepanto - a little struggling city - beautifully situated Qn rising ground at the foot of the lofty mount Voihdia - the haze had in a measure cleared away by 12 o clock - affording a fine view of the approaching port and surrounding mountains - we landed at the quay, among a somewhat- wild looking set of Greeks -

The town is just rising out of its former ruins the result of the greek revolution - its unpaved streets are regularly laid out - there are a few good houses, but the greater part are rude constructions of sunburnt brick in the port or rather roadstead - there are two or three small english brigs taking in currents - which people on the warf were busy packing - the fruit is put in a large casks in which men get in and trample dovn with their bare feet - anything but a cleanly process - after seeing the process of packing currants or uva di Corinto - from whence they originally came - proceeded to the castle overlooking the town - a fortress constructed by the Venetians on the site of the acroeolis of the ancient Patra - walked round the walls, in which are the large stones of the ancient walls- as also - parts of columns and Scraps of marble - remains of the temple of Diana Sarhia, which was standing in the acropolis - at the time Pausanius visited Patra - the ruins of which have been thus employed by the Venitians in the building of the Fortress which is very large and strong, now neglected and in its turn going to ruins - little use in modern warfare being commanded by some high ground a Quarter or half a mile to the east of it - thro a field of the currant grape - the vines of which are similar to the other grares - arrived at the eminance, ami from the top had an extensive view the straits and receding shores of the gulf of Sepanto (?) - on which at a distance ten miles could just distinguish the city of Sepanto the ancient Neaupactus on the declivity of the mountains of (space here) Missilonghi is not visib1e being in a vlley between two ridges of bold and lofty mountains- - that is the place where Lord Byron ended his career - and where the brave Marco Botzans was killed in courageously attacking the turkish camp -

At my feet was the town of Patrass bounded by a rich and productive plain covered with the current vine, the source of the little trade and prosperity, the city is possessed of - left Patrass at 4 o clock in the afternoon - remained on deck late in the night - which was a calm serene moonlight - at midnight sailed past the mountainous island of Ithaca which in the moonlight looked dreary and forbidding - and which Homer describes as
"Honed with cliffs, our meagre land allows
This heroaage for the mountain boat to browse" -

We passed to the east of Ithaca, therefore the island of Cephalonia was intercepted from view except a cape extending out to the north - we were fast approaching another of the Ionian islands - Sta Maura - Seucadia of the ancients on the nearest extremity of which is the precipice hanging over the sea called Sappho's leap - but being near one o clock in the morning retired to my cabin - so terminating a long and interesting days travel

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Posted Online Thursday, June 18, 2009

August 29, 1841: Shores of the Pelleponesus

Between six and seven this morning were passing Cape Males - with Cerigo on our left - with my spy glass could see some small houses and cultivated fields - by twelve o clock doubled Cape Matapan and our course now lays N West into the Adriatic Gulf - thought I could distinguish the temple of Neptune in ruins - notice as the landing placing of Ibrahim placing of Ibrahim pasha when he came to invade Greece in 1826 -

Among the mountains of the ancient Sacedernon descried the two towns of Mezapa and Kyparissa - crossing past the entrance of the Gulf of Coron - could distinguish the fortifications of the city of that name on the shore of the Gulf - next passed Cape Gallo - our steamer steering between the islands Cabrera & Sapienzo and the main shore - Modon is surrounded with a wall & tower constructed in the time of the Venetians, and stands on a point jutting out into the sea - it is almost uninhabited - only saw two persons standing on the fortifications - some of the houses appeared to be in ruins, and without roofs - just at sunset were opposite Navarino which is a little town with a fortified acropolis near the sea -

Facing it is the island of Spagia which forms the bay so celebrated for the destruction of the turkish fleet in l827 - by the united squadron of English, french & Russian ships as it was rather hazy had not a very good sight of the hay - on a lofty extremity of a promontory to which we passed very near is a fortress called Navarino Vecchio the ancient Pylos - ahead was the island of Frote - the evening was calm only a gentle ripple on the surface of the Adriatic - nothing could exceed the beauty of the scene - the setting sun casting his departing rays on the hold shores of the Pelleponesus - got into conversation this evening with a very intelligent old gentleman Count Bulzo - a greek - going from Athens his place of residence to Zante - where he has vineyards of the grapes we call currants - of which this is the time of harvest

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Posted Online Wednesday, June 17, 2009

August 28, 1841: Athens

By six o clock this morning were under the lee of the coast of Attica - the wind lessened and sea more calm - the motion of the boat during the night was very great - which made me vomit a good deal - and a sea breaking in at my cabin window drenched me ov°r with salt water. Camiriere! Cameriese! shouted out repeatedly before the steward came to my assistance - changed clothes and cabin - the cold bath seemed to stop the vomiting -

Quite refreshed this morning - eat breakfast and arrived in the harbour of the Peireus - went ashore - proceeded in a carriage with my Ionian companions to Athens, hot, dusty & hazy - the surrounding mountains of Attica scarcely discernable - but thro the dust and haze could more plainly see the temples on the Acropolis - in the coffee house ac Athens where we were glad to take shelter out of dust and heat in the streets -

Met a venerable old greek who is consul at Trebisand and who dines with us once or twice at our boarding house at Constan - called on Miss Cannons the english ladies with whom I travelled from Malta to Athens in the french steamer - found them in their house where they had just opened their school under the auspices of Muviocordato - say they were quite discouraged and the romance of the undertaking was quite over, at one time had made preparations to return to England but afterward were rersuaded to remain longer - complain of the heat, musquitoes, etc. etc. - also of the society of Athens - in appearance they are all much paler and thinner than when I left them - promised to call on their brother Mr. Cannon when I went to Cambridge - the Streets of Athens are unpaved which with the high wind renders the dust intolerable - spent one hour in the coffee house reading a file of the french Nationale - nearly dark when our steamer left the Peireus - the wind is still from the north but abated and now favourable to our course to Cape Malea - passed close to the island of Egina, and two hours afterwards were abreast of the island of Hydia

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Posted Online Tuesday, June 16, 2009

August 27, 1841: Passage to Corfu

Busy this morning in getting passports signed - and engaging passage to Corfu - paid 47 florins abt 24 dollars for first class cabin passage - three gentlemen natives of Sta. Maura - one of the Ionian islands will be fellow passengers to Corfu - this is another Greek feast - nobody at work and how the poor people manage to keep so many feasts seems a wonder

Took leave of friend Evangeles - but not without being reminded to call on Capt. Glover his friend and protector at N York - left the port of Syra at seven in the evening - and had scarcely got round the island before the wind began to blow very fresh - the deck covered with passengers & several ladies most of whom are very sick - went to my berth quite discouraged by seasickness - -

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Posted Online Monday, June 15, 2009

August 26, 1841: Delayed

Learned this morning that the steamer delays another day - dined rather earlier and rode out to a greater distance than usual - say four to five miles to a valley called Crossa at the very extremity of the island - partook plentifully of figs & grapes at Mr. Tarbuckshes farm - spent the evening at the casina with friend Evangeles

Posted Online Sunday, June 14, 2009

August 25, 1841: Snails

Time hangs rather heavy - after the usual promenade in the morning, which is of necessity short - unless I extend it by climbing the rocks - spent several hours in reading the discourse on the decade of T Sivy - eat of a dish today for the first time in my life, snails, which I had frequently seen in baskets for sale in the nrrket at Constane - but had never had the curiosity to try them before today - in most of the provision shops at Syra they are for sale among the fish and other eatables - they are boiled in the shell and taste like cockles - and qpart are very palatable- the austrian steamer from Smyrna arrived today so that we shall be off tomorrow -

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