Liverpool Mercury 1913
Journal of the outward voyage in the ship CONSTELLATION
From Liverpool to New York
Sunday, November 13th, 7am, fine morning, wind moderate, washed and shaved.
7.30am, breakfast, fried bacon and onions, went on deck for a short time, wind continuous and fine.
10am, breakfast again, of roasted pork and ham.
1pm, ship ahead of us, coming towards us.
3pm, dinner, roast pork, chicken and bacon, preserves and dumplings, cook sent [I] - a can of sago.
4pm, the ship we saw at dinner time turned out to be the POMONA of Alloa, from St Johns, N. B, for Leith in Scotland. She was a large sized brig and came so close across our starboard quarter that her jibboom nearly touched our side. She reported being 8 days out and had, had very bad weather all the time, lost sight of her by 6.30pm.
Went to the galley stopped till 9pm. Had tea with cook, 2 deaths today making 86.
9.30pm, a most beautiful starlight night, wind a dead calm, ship quite steady.
The first really clear night since we left the river Mersey, went to bed, both well.
N.B, a month tonight the cook and D – B -, and [I] – and me were seated very comfortably in D – St, we were remarking so in the galley tonight.
Nov, 14th, a beautiful morning, wind rather strong, all well.
10am, breakfast, roast chicken, salt salmon, hot rolls.
Wind still rising.
12noon, two blocks fell from aloft and struck a young woman on her head.
They laid her head open, but did not kill her, although it was thought so, as she did not move for a quarter of an hour. She is not expected to recover, it was done more through carelessness than anything.
2pm, dinner, roast beef, stewed chicken and salt beef.
3pm, went to the galley and spent all afternoon there, then went below.
A most beautiful night, wind still high, ship going at a rate of 10 to 12 mph.
Talking in the galley if the wind holds on at the rate it is will reach New York by Friday. I hope that it may, 2 deaths today.
Nov 15th, 9am, fine morning but wind very high, [I] – very bad, a second sea sickness caused on account of the ship rolling so last night and this morning.
10am breakfast of boiled ham
12noon, the woman just died that was struck with the two blocks yesterday. The Doctor is going to examine her brains this afternoon.
2pm, dinner, roast pork.
Several deaths today, wind still continues high, [I] – a little better.
5pm, tea of apple tart, cook gave [I] – some preserved apples yesterday of which she made some apple tarts.
Spent 3hrs in the galley
8.30pm, thinking of going to bed, a most beautiful moonlight night, wind very high, water coming in on our deck, [I] -, a deal better, I quite well.
Nov 16th, 8am, a fine morning, wind moderate, [I] – a little better but complaining of a slight headache.
9am, breakfast roast pork
One or two deaths this morning, wind getting up again.
2pm, dinner, roast pork and baked beans.
Wind very high blew one of her sails into ribbons.
Provision day today, received, tea, sugar and flour.
3pm, wind abating, passengers all getting up a memorial of thanks to the Doctor, Captain and various officers for their kind attention to the sick passengers during their sickness, also making a subscription to the Doctor, for him to start in his profession in New York.
[I] – spent all afternoon in the galley and had tea with the cook.
8pm, thinking of going to bed, most beautiful moonlight night, wind calm, both well, thank God.
Nov 17th, 7am, fine morning, wind moderate, I was bad again last night but feel better this morning, [I] – quite well.
8am, breakfast, bread and coffee, ship going at a rate of 6mph
10am, breakfast, liver and bacon.
12noon, wind rising going about 9mph, just 410 miles from New York, expect to reach there by Saturday morning if the wind continues at present, it is S.W, one point from fair wind.
2pm dinner, roast pork and salt beef
3pm, passed a brig from New York, too far off to speak to her.
3pm, had tea and fresh bread to it, spent 2hrs in the galley.
8pm, had a cup of chocolate, fresh bread and boiled ham. No deaths today.
Nov 18th, breakfast, mutton, pork chops and chicken.
A very heavy shower of rain, wind dropping, ship not making 2mph.
12noon, a mutiny on board with the sailors about their meat. There have been several disturbances before about the same thing, but not a general one like this morning. The men all struck work and went to the forecastle.
The cause of it, they have 64lbs of meat allowed to them for dinner, from which they have to save enough to serve for them for supper. Today they had their allowance of 64lbs of pork, besides 50lbs of fresh pork, which the Captain gave orders to the cook to make a sea pie for the men.
After they had got it all [ finding it – as I am sure it was – very good, for I had some of it and so had [I] - ] they came to the galley and demanded more. When the cook told them they had got it all, and they had got all that he had.
They struck work, and shortly after went to the Captain and told him they did not get half enough, and they did not get above one half of what should be allowed them by the laws of England and America.
The Captain then sent for the cook, carpenter and steward to inquire into it, the carpenter told the captain he weighed 64lbs of meat every day, the cook said what he got from the carpenter he gave to the men, but that they must not expect to get 64lbs, of beef or pork, as when it is boiled it shrinks away so.
The Captain ordered the men forward to get to work again or he would have them all put in irons, when they went away very sheepish, I can tell you.
2pm, dinner of roast mutton, still continues dull.
3pm, it appears today a general day of fighting, the purser has just had a fight with the man in the next berth to us, for calling him out of his name, it was a short one and soon over.
Shortly after the carpenter and one of the sailor boys were at loggerheads with each other. The boy had done something to annoy him and the carpenter got hold of him and gave him a good shaking, after which he let him go, when the boy swore at him that he would put a knife to him.
The Captain came forward to see what was to do, and heard the boy threaten the carpenter, when he got hold of him and gave him a good thrashing, and took him aft and put him in irons in the lower hold, on bread and water for a change.
We surely will be quiet after this for the rest of the day.
Took soundings for the first time and found we were in 30 fathoms of water and we were 190 miles from New York at 12noon today.
3.30pm, a dead calm, ship losing ground, rain stopped but very foggy.
There were two deaths last night and one this afternoon, a child in the next berth to us, making a total of 99 deaths on board since we left Liverpool.
Spent 3hrs in the galley, had tea, roasted mutton and fresh bread.
8pm, wind getting up, hope to reach New York tomorrow or the day after, although we have lost a deal of ground today, but if the wind comes strong, we hope to make it up tonight, and tomorrow we expect we shall have a busy day cleaning up, so as not to have a long quarantine.
9pm, thinking of going to bed, dull night, both well.
There is a good watch kept for a pilot, hope to have one on board before the morning.
Nov 19th, 7am, a very dull morning, wind a dead calm, was so all night.
8am, a barque in sight on our starboard side, oversailed us by 1pm.
2pm, a ship passed us but too far away to speak to her. She gave three cheers and we returned them. When she had passed a little and got to windward, I could see her name, she was the JANE, but I could not make out where of. She looked very like one of the New York and Havana Packets.
About 8am there was a row between decks, it appears about 30 with sticks, etc, came up on deck under pretence they had been sent by the purser to do some work. Some of the passengers resisted them, when they gave some of them a rough handling, but nothing of consequence as the mate, with some of the sailors came down in time and drove them all below.
I expect there will be another fracas tonight or before we reach New York, it appears it is only done for plunder.
9pm, dull night, calm and foggy, ship tacking from, N.W and S.W, 240 miles from New York at 12 night, lost 50 miles since yesterday.
Copyright 2002 / To date