 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
have slept with his two sons, and Elizabeth with her daughters. Being small persons, the six foot
square bunks, narrow space and low ceiiing, would not have troubled them unduly. Henry was
of an age, nearly 16, to bed down with the single men. But the fact that his name does not
appear in the lists of single men, suggests that he lodged with his family. It seems he may also
have been a sickly child.
Once below deck the Honeycombes would have stowed such hand luggage they were
permitted to bring on board. Their boxes and heavy luggage wouid be stored in the hold, along
with any change of clothes, to which no access would be allowed for at least a month. Having
identified their quarters and the nearest water-closet (separate ones for men and women, and
each with a chute to the sea and a seat-flap), they would have contained their doubts and deep
gloom and commiserated or joked with their neighbours. Some of the women
45
and girls would have doubtless wept at what they saw and at what they were leaving behind.
But the children would be seized with excitement, as much as the younger men. They were on a
ship, and going to sea; it was a great adventure at least to them.
First-class or cabin passengers were the last to go on board. But even they, amongst the bustle,
confusion and noise that attended every embarkation, had to shift for themselves as the Captain
and crew made the ship ready for the voyage, while awaiting the pilot, the tugs, and the tide.
Two emigrants who embarked from a quay at Liverpool in the 1850s described their
impressions of this scene.
Charles Scott wrote: 'Families walking behind each other up the plank into the ship loaded with
their bags containing their months Change of Linean and Cook-Utensils - like Noah and his
Family going into the Ark... Turn your eyes around the quay and you see Buckets, Tubs,
Barrels, and such like placed in ample order for the Ships use, then before those stood a great
Mountain of luggage belonging to the Passengers such as Boxes from the Hat Box up to the
large packing Box.'
Robert Corkhili; 'What with the singing of sailors, the swearing of Officers, the complaining of
passengers... this ship sounded like the Original Babel.'
Animals were often carried on board as a fresh supplement to the basic menu of salted beef and
pork, potatoes, biscuits, rice and peas. Chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs and even cows were
boxed in and penned on the main deck, mainly for the consumption of cabin passengers and
officers. Large ships might carry as many as three cows, 50 pigs, 90 sheep and 300 assorted
chickens, ducks and geese. A disagreeable odour would accompany them across the world.
The ship's galley, partly enclosed, was also on the main deck and big ships might include a
butcher - as well as a doctor, and a matron to supervise the single women. Some of the crew on
big ships might make a pet of a pig, calling it Dennis. One or two perhaps had pets of their own:
a monkey, a parrot, a dog. Cats as well as dogs were sometimes brought on board by
passengers. Even a favourite horse or workhorse might find a place on deck.
Although Mereweather mentions no animals being on board the Lady McNaghten, this does not
mean they were not there.
All the clutter of livestock, stores, an outdoor toilet, sail lockers, ropes, galley and sailing gear
left little space for promenading or for the rowing-boats that served as life-boats, some of which
were put to use as shelters, pens or receptacles. No ship ever had sufficient for the numbers on
board. There was little if any life-boat drill. During a storm the deck hatches were battened
 |