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asleep in his berth with a lighted pipe in his mouth. The burning tobacco had fallen on his
counterpane, and set the bedclothes on fire. Luckily the smeil of fire had alarmed the inmates of
the adjoining cabin: they rushed to the steward's assistance, and drew him from the danger,
stupified with terror and intoxication. By God's superintending providence the fire was soon
extinguished.'
The cabin (or cuddy) steward served the cabin passengers. The incident would have served as
a scary reminder as to how vulnerable all on board a wooden ship were and would have
probably enforced fire-safety awareness and precautions.
Meanwhile, gale-force winds continued for two more days, and the ship bucked and banged on
its course. Some were bruised and injured, as was Mereweather himself. '! was thrown by the
violence of the motion from one side of my cabin to the other, and severely cut and bruised. At
dinner we were obliged to iay hold of the cuddy table with one hand, whilst we fed ourselves
with the other. Had a dish of roast meat hurled into my lap.
'6 March: The gale has subsided, and the sea is going down fast. The children being no longer
sea-sick, I resumed my school today for the first time after leaving Plymouth. About 18 children
attended. The forenoon (from ten to twelve) is taken up by spelling, reading the Bible, and
learning the Church Catechism; the afternoon (from two to four) by needlework for the girls. I,
myself, instruct two of the eldest boys. As I am the whole and sole promoter of the school, I
only assert a right when I require that ail the children, of whatever denomination they may be,
shall subject themselves to my course of religious instruction. The parents make no objection to
this arrangement, although the majority of the children are born of Dissenting parents. The
school is opened in the morning by the children singing the morning hymn; and is closed with the
evening hymn. Of course, if the sailors are busy where the children are, the singing does not take
place. I always endeavour to be present at these hymns, because I can assist the children, and
because my presence is a check on any jocularity among the bystanders, should the little things,
as they often do, sing out of tune. But I would here record my great satisfaction at the entire
sympathy which is shown by all the married persons for my undertakings.'
One wonders whether Henry Honeycombe was one of the older boys to whom Mereweather
refers, and whether the four Honeycombe children, baptised as Anglicans, attended the school.
As not all the children on board were involved (18 out of 34), and as William Honeycombe was
probably a free-thinker if not an atheist, it seems likely that his children were not thus employed
during the day, although it would certainly have occupied their time and allowed their parents
some time to themselves. But perhaps the two youngest, Martha and John, were allowed to
attend Mereweather's school and the afternoon sewing sessions.
The school, newly resumed, was abandoned, however, the following day.
Mereweather wrote of 7 March: 'At six this morning, a little boy, five years old, a delicate child
of whom we had no hopes, was found dead in his berth. At noon, which is the usual hour of
buria! at sea, the body having been sown up in canvas together with a large shot, was brought
on deck by two sailors in a
handbarrow, over which was thrown the union jack. When it was taken to the lee gangway, 1
began the sublime service, surrounded by the Captain and officers and most of the emigrants -
all, of course, bareheaded. As soon as I pronounced the words "We, therefore, commit his
body to the deep, to be turned into corruption," the flag was gently and reverentially lifted from
the bier, and the corpse allowed to slide into the ocean. There were no games on deck, or
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