Into the Bowels of Hell
by F.E. McConvey
Published: 13 January 1988
Were your forbears Irish? If so, they may have traveled to this country under the most appalling conditions during the 1800's.
Life on the Old Sod during the first half of the 19th century was no bed of roses, either. The country was over populated and bands of paupers roved up and down the highways and byways in search of food and shelter.
the end of the wars with Napoleon brought a slump to the market; therefore, farmers received next to nothing for their produce. The inevitable chain followed. Unable to pay the rent on their leased properties, tenants were evicted by landlords. In many instances, the vacant leases were grabbed by wealthy middlemen to be sublet at exorbitant fees.
Upwards of three million dwelled on small farms, ranging in size from one to 10 acres, where little was grown except potatoes and large families. Very few were fortunate enough to own a cow, but those living in the coastal areas enjoyed herring with their potatoes.
To add to their already miserable lot, the potato crop failed in 1821. The famine was relieved by an abundant harvest of "tattie" in 1822, but even this bounty was not sufficient to alleviate the sickness or the destitution.
One family was described as having ten or twelve members, living in squalor and abject poverty. Their abode was roofless and graced few intact windows. Inside, there were no furnishings. One iron kettle served both as a cooking pot and "a vessel to wash the tattered remains of their wretched garments in."
For most all hope was lost. Hunger and despair reigned supreme.
It is little wonder that they seized any opportunity to leave such a pitiable existence behind and emigrate to America.
With the increased passenger traffic across the Atlantic, overcrowding on ships soon resulted.
One ship of 300 tons crammed 450 passengers on board. Twenty-three of their numbers had to die before sleeping accommodations could be provided for all.
Many emigrants became the cargo and otherwise empty timber ships on their return voyages. In most cases, no bunks were provided on these vessels. Passengers curled up on the lower deck in whatever space was available.
Steerage on an emigrant ship has been described by Lloyd Hale as follows:
"Seventy-five feet long by 20 or 25 feet wide and 5 1/2 feet high. Berths were arranged in double rows on each side of five foot aisle. Each berth was designed to hold six adults and was ten feet wide by six feet long. The four rows of 13 berths might something over 300 people, while the aisle held their baggage, food supplies, and whatever else they had contrived to bring along with them."
"If the weather was bad, all passengers were confined to their narrow quarters and here they slept and ate, the children played. All the normal functions of life went on in the semi-darkness in an atmosphere that got thicker by the day until at the end of the period of confinement, investigators might be of the opinion that conditions in slave vessels were preferable to those that existed on many an emigrant ship."
The British government attempted to legislate better conditions limiting the numbers of passengers allowed for each ton of the ships register. It had little effect. Children under 14 were considered a half passenger; under seven, a third. Babes under a year were not even numbered.
Sadly, it does not end here. Rats from the hold made their way to steerage. Hunts were common and hundreds of these vile creatures were exterminated.
Fortunate, indeed, were those whose journey lasted only 30 days. More often, they were upon the sea for a duration of 50, 60, or even eighty days.
Can you imagine the stench that emitted from those unwashed decks after one of these voyages? Often it was impossible to hire a crew to throw out the ballast until the ship had aired for at least three weeks. Even then, the hirelings refused the job unless compensated by a substantial wage.
Many emigrants were obliged to provide their own food for the journey. A delayed sailing and/or an extended voyage could pay havoc with the supplies.
Foods had to be chosen carefully so they would keep until the end. Oatmeal was a basic. Unfortunately for the Irish, potatoes usually rotted within two weeks because of the dampness. Most foodstuff were pickled.
Usually the meat was putrid, crawling with maggots. The biscuits, full of weevils, could not be eaten until rapped soundly against the edge of the table to shake loose the inhabitants. Even the drinking was intolerable.
But, their miseries increased with the seasickness. The violent storms of the Atlantic flung them from side to side like rag dolls. The sea water leaked in upon them. Like animals, they huddled together for warmth.
Still, life went on. Babies were born amid the din and confusion. More often though, the emigrants died from the terrible diseased that swept these pestilence ships. Often they survived the ordeal, reached the new land of their hopes and dreams, only to died while still in quarantine.
So many arrived in such a sorry state, they became financial burdens upon the port where they had disembarked. IN order to offset these costs, a tax of five shillings was levied for each passenger who landed in Lower Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
This is one of the reasons why ships' passenger lists are so difficult to locate. Captains, increased only in their profit, often deliberately destroyed or conveniently misplaced the lists in their attempts to avoid paying the tax.
These Irish still had plenty of hard times to face, but as the years passed, through sheer grit and determination, they managed to improve their lives.
Do you think you could endure similar hardships with the same gutsy spirit displayed by your ancestors?
QUERIES
15. JOSEPH PRICE From Haletown, Eng. in 1870. Son, ALFRED. Master stones cutter (McAdam Railway Station and Marks Street School). Seek the family bible, name of ship on which they arrived and any pictures of this family. Also, would like a copy of the history of the Marks Street School in St.Stephen written by TOM ACHESON.
Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.