It seems most likely that they purchased their steamship tickets ahead of time and had a definite date of departure. They went through the process of selling or giving away what they could not take to America (like animals and large furniture).
For the voyage they would have taken their own bedding, linens and blankets for the voyage, personal items, soap and towels for bathing and for washing, and food. Some basic tools and gadgets would be needed as well. This wasn't going to be a carnival (pun intended). They would have packed as many clothes as they could fit in a suitcase (probably one per person). Entertainment for the two children would have been a few choice toys. As for sentimental items, who knows. Very likely they shipped ahead some light furniture, featherbeds, more tools, and larger items (together with a kiss and a prayer) which arrived separately to New York.
Since we cannot ask them, we don't know how long it took to get from Aubonne to Le Havre, but they would have allowed several days, a week minimum of travel time. First, there was the weather. August/ early September would have been fairly reliably warm and dry, though they certainly would have encountered stormy weather during their trip, or at least rain showers, several times, and it was cooler at nights. Hopefully they arrived at the train station and were sitting on a train (not on a diligence) during the rainy times, and that the terrain, creeks and rivers permitted a normal journey. If not, everybody had practice in enduring bad weather. September/ October was the good season for ocean travel, by the way.
They were fortunate that they could speak French. This gave them a great advantage as they were passing the borders of France and its towns.
There would be delays along the way. They had to show their identifications (we would call them passports) probably many times, which proved their births and registrations in Switzerland. Not only at the border of France, but also in the cities and smaller towns, ID's would be required, and inspections of their luggage as well. It is not like today, when no longer are passports required to cross borders of European countries. These inspections would have had their tense moments.
This is a copy of the Extrait du Registre des Naissances for our grandmother Anna Ida Treuthardt. She would have carried it with her (or with her papa, who did not let her out of his sight, and vice versa). She was 11 years old. Naturally, each person had his or her own papers.
Registration for the Canton of Vaud
of the Swiss Confédération.
Arrondissement of the Civil State of Aubonne.
The stamp with the "Libertie et patrie" shield cost 15 centimes.
It is an "extract" for the registration of birth. (like our birth certificates).
Recorded in volume 10, folio 2SS. (I don't think those are 5's)
On huit (8) February mil huit cent Septante deux (1872)
at 12 hours (o'clock) of the night
was born at LAVAUX, near Aubonne
Treuthardt Anna Ida the legitimate daughter
of Fréderich Christian
of Zweisimmen /Bern/ (Bern is the Canton of Zweisimmen)
resident at Lavaux, near Aubonne
and of Anna Jeanne, neé Geiser
Conforming to the extract,
Aubonne the 10th August 1883
stamp of the Canton of Vaud, Civil State of Aubonne,
signed by the officer of the Civil State
(cannot read his name)
It makes one cry to think about their leaving their families in Switzerland, and of never seeing them again. They probably asked themselves many times, "why are we doing this?"
Today, we don't wonder any more. They did it for us.
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