Liverpool Mercury 1913
Journal of the outward voyage in the ship CONSTELLATION
From Liverpool to New York
12th, October 1853
Wednesday 19th October 1853
Left the Waterloo Dock at 12 at night and went into the river.
20th , at 11 am took a boat and went on board after bidding all goodbye.
12 midday, all passengers ordered on deck and passed the Doctor.
1pm, weighed anchor and put to sea. Got as far as the bar and turned back, for the want of water to cross it.
12 night, weighed anchor again and went to sea
2am, crossed the bar, steam tug left us about 4am.
Winds fresh blowing a nice stiff breeze, both well.
21st, 6am, fine morning but wind very high. In a fix for the want of bread. When we came on board yesterday the purser had given out the weeks allowance, and would not give us any on account of not being on when they were served. So we had to do without.
But when the cook learned how I was situated he made me a present of 25lbs of American biscuits, and with the ships allowance weekly said it would be enough to last the voyage.
We should have fetched 30/40lbs of bread with us for the ships allowance will not last us above 3days.
Later wind a complete gale, threw three of her sails clean away, continued so all day and night, the ship several times sailing on her sides, during which time the passengers boxes, tins, etc, went from one side of the ship to the other. Several passengers hurt by things knocking about between decks.
[I]- very sick, had to go to bed early after dinner, I never felt the least sick. Almost all the passengers sick, more or less.
22nd, 7am, fine morning, wind moderate.
11am, A fine view of the North of Ireland and the coast of Scotland.
3pm, wind rising a little, [I] – had to go to bed, ate nothing all day till 4pm, a pancake, which the cook sent her.
7pm I’m thinking about going to bed, wind getting up and very high. Had to furl all the sails, continued all night.
Sunday 23rd, 4am, very fine star and moonlight morning, only 3 sails set.
8am reported on deck that there were 3 women and one child dead.
11am, the dead women and child were hauled on deck and thrown overboard, without any prayers or respect, as if they had been dogs, it it a dreadful sight to witness, I hope it will be the last.
1pm, [I] – sick again, ate a few potatoes the cook sent her.
4pm, wind getting up again. [I] – obliged to go to bed. So rough she cannot stand up. One of the sailors bad with the fever, Doctor has no hope for him. We have not been able to clean ourselves it has been a rough day. Spent a short time in the galley.
8pm, going to bed, when some of our deck passengers began to sing hymns.
There was a report in the night that some persons were robbing the passenger boxes. A search was made but no one was found.
24th, 7am, fine morning, wind light, slept well last night, but woke with a very bad headache. Washed, shaved, and put on clean clothes.
9am, cook sent [I] – some beef, etc, for breakfast, but we had, had it.
12, wind rising, several showers of rain this morning, continued all afternoon.
6pm, [I] – not so well, went to bed, I am alright, went and spent 3hrs in the galley with the cook.
9pm, went down to bed, quite well.
25th, 7am, a most beautiful morning, wind moderate. [I] – woke with a bad headache, blames it on account of the ship rocking all night.
9am, cook sent her some mutton chops, etc, for breakfast.
One of the passenger’s cooks died of the cholera and was buried last night at 12, there are several passengers bad in the lower deck.
11am both well since having a good breakfast.
1pm 4 more passengers thrown overboard, 1 last night, besides the passenger’s cook, making 6 deaths today.
Wind rising again tonight, just commencing to rain, a beautiful starlight night.
Lost our best towel today, someone has made love to it. Plenty of music on the lower deck.
7pm, went to bed, both well.
26th, 5am, most beautiful starlight morning, wind moderate, both well.
8am, cook gave us some hashmeat for a snack.
10am, had breakfast of beefsteak, etc.
12, wind fair for the first time since we left Liverpool, about 600 miles from home.
1pm, could see the masts of a ship a great way off.
2pm, dinner of soup, roast beef, etc, from cook.
3pm, buried 4 passengers today, a great many sick in lower deck.
Received our allowance of provisions today, tea, sugar, flour and bread.
4pm, a fine afternoon ship making 9mph.
6pm, beautiful night, [I] – and I spent 3hrs in the galley
9pm, went down to bed, both well.
NB, forgot to say, every day whilst we have been out, we have had our breakfast, dinner and sometimes tea, given to us by Mr A - , the cook, consisting of fresh meat, mutton and fowl, etc, what has been sent to the cabin table, so that we have hardly touched our own provisions.
27th, 5am, a fine morning, wind moderate, a land snipe flying about our ship.
One child buried this morning.
9am, slight shower of rain, soon cleared off.
10am, breakfast beef, mutton chops, etc, [I] – heartsick, but better after breakfast.
2pm, dinner, beef, mutton, etc.
A most beautiful day after the rain, no wind till after 7, with a sharp breeze, spent 3hrs in the galley.
9pm, went to bed, both well.
28th, 8am, fine morning, wind moderate.
10am, breakfast of roast beef, etc, several slight showers of rain.
A man fell down the hatchway on some passenger’s boxes and broke them. Did not hurt himself.
6 passengers in the lower deck the Doctor has no hopes of.
2pm, dinner ham, baked beans, boiled fowl, etc.
2 sailors sick, one bad when we left Liverpool.
Seen a ship in full sail going the same way as us, over sailed her in 3hrs.
3pm, wind getting up.
6pm, since writing the above, 2 women died in the lower deck.
7am, wind strong, getting to gale, ship going at a rate of 10mph.
Spent an hour in the galley.
8pm, went to bed, both well.
29th, 8am, fine morning, wind light, from N.N.W.
10pm, breakfast salt beef, fowl, etc.
I was very bad all night and had a bad cold. [I] – has a slight one, accounted for by sleeping between two hatchways and only 10ft apart from each other and they being left open day and night, rain or fair.
2pm, dinner salt cod fish, mutton, pancakes, etc several light showers in the afternoon.
4pm, raining, all the sails but two reefed, expect to have another rough night.
6pm, spent 2hrs in the galley.
8pm, went down to go to bed, a little better than I felt this morning, [I] – quite well.
Copyright 2002 / To date