Margaret wrote to Baba: "It was a dreadful moment when the Bremen weighed anchor and steamed away to the open sea, leaving a desolate Kimco to return to Southampton on the tender. I felt as if my solar plexus had been removed, for hours afterwards. I watched the Bremen out of sight and, although I could not see your beloved form, it was impossible to take my eyes away from the ship till the last second. Darling, how much love you have taken with you. All my heart is yours, it is just beating out the seconds till we meet again."
Chanji recorded: "Baba also feels [sad] as he has never felt before."
On board the Bremen , Baba and Adi Jr. shared a second-class outside cabin (490 on C deck); Beheram, Chanji, Kaka and Ghani were in another one. During the voyage, Baba preferred to be in seclusion to avoid being recognized. He often remembered the lovers whom he had left behind by spelling out their names on his board and even had tears in his eyes when he thought of an individual. Daily cables filled with love and longing crisscrossed the Atlantic between Baba and those in England, echoing the sweet melody of the Beloved's song.
Baba would occasionally take walks on the deck for an hour in the morning and evening, and he played Ping-Pong with one of his companions. Every afternoon, he visited the movie theater on board. Otherwise, Baba remained in his cabin, either discussing future plans with the mandali, listening to Paul Robeson records, or having general or private meetings with Quentin, Meredith or Margaret Starr.
Nearing America, Baba dictated a new message and had it printed on the ship's printing press. At first, none of the mandali could understand why Baba had gone to this trouble while still at sea, but when the steamer was 40 miles from New York on 19 May 1932, newspaper reporters requesting an interview swarmed to Baba's cabin. Baba did not see them but gave each a copy of the message through Chanji and Quentin (who tried to answer their questions). Only then was Baba's purpose disclosed.
The message Meher Baba had printed was as follows:
I have not come to establish any cult, society or organization, nor even to establish a new religion. The religion I will give teaches the knowledge of the One behind the many.