John Milton Binckley, June 1859 Travel Diary, Page 50

[John Milton Binckley, June 1859 Travel Diary, page 50. Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing scans of the original document, and in turn many thanks to Peter Johnston Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source. This is my rough transcription. Extra paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

Or if she had no other consolation, great as that is, how darksome, and chill our life would pass!

The railroad here is rough, & these abominable accommodation trains have no springs, I believe, to the cars. The jolting is all along bad, but now has become intolerable.

I occupied about five miles in trying to make a note, it was not expected that it could look like a memorandum, my object was only to make such a mark as would show when I should hereafter see it, that I had made it on purpose. The following is a facsimile of the result of my industry:

[large scrawl as pictured in the lower middle above.]

On this paper however, I have not been able to avoid disclosing some design, but in the original pocket book, none whatsoever was perceptible & this inscription was apparently made without any concurrent spiritual Emotion or operation whatever. The object was, I believe to say, "Here the roughness of the road is such that the passengers [to be continued.]

[John Milton Binckley (1831-1878)].