The Indian Ocean - Michael Pearson [174]
We can start with an account of a voyage from Kolkata to Europe in 1799. Our traveller took a barge from Kolkata for three days to get to the ship, but was disappointed when he went on board:
We found the ship in the greatest disorder; the crew principally composed of indolent and inexperienced Bengal Lascars, and the cabins small, dark and stinking, especially that allotted to me, the very recollection of which makes me melancholy. The fact was that as Captain Richardson [his patron] and myself were the last who took our passage, all the good apartments had been previously secured by our fellow passengers.... In the next cabin to mine, on one side was a Mr. Grand, a very passionate and delicate gentleman; and on the other side were three children, one of whom, a girl three years old, was very bad tempered, and cried night and day; in short, the inconveniences and distresses which I suffered on board this ship were a great drawback from the pleasures I afterwards experienced in my travels.
There followed a delay of two weeks while the captain spent time in Kolkata, and then the dangerous passage down to the sea. 'During our passage down we had several narrow escapes. Our vessel drew thirteen feet and a half of water; and we passed over several sands on which there were not six inches more water than we drew. Had the ship touched the ground, as the tide was running out, we should have stuck there, and probably have been lost.' They reached the open sea only one month after our author had left Kolkata, and already water and provisions were running low. When they reached the equator those who had not crossed it before were ducked, but 'When it came to my turn, by the mediation of one of the officers, and a present of some bottles of brandy, I was excused this disagreeable ceremony.'
Not a happy traveller, our author found four problems with his ship:
The first is that to which every ship is liable; viz. the want of good bread, butter, milk, fruit, and vegetables; to which are to be added, stinking water, and washing the mouth with salt water . . . and the difficulty of getting to and from the quarter-gallery, with the danger of being wet, or drowned, while there. To these I should add, the state of suspense and agitation to which a person is constantly exposed, the confinement in one place, and the sickness caused by the motion of the ship.
The second class arose from want of wealth; viz. a small and dark cabin, and the consequent deprivation of air and light; the neglect of servants; the want of a ship cot, on account of the deficiency of room; and the tyranny or rudeness of my neighbours, who ever studied there own conveniences at my expense.
The third class is confined to foreigners, by which, I mean persons who are not Europeans; viz. the difficulty of shaving oneself; the cutting of one's own beard and nails; not having any private place for ablution; the necessity of eating with a knife and fork; and the impossibility of purification. From the latter I suffered much inconvenience; for as it was only customary on board to draw up water in buckets early in the morning, at which time all the crew washed themselves and whatever else they required, I was frequently under the necessity of drawing it up when I wanted it, in one of my own copper vessels; but during the rough weather many of these were lost in the attempt, and I was at last reduced to one ewer. I therefore relinquished the practice of purification, and was consequently incapacitated from the other duties of our religion.
The fourth is confined to ships not belonging to the English; viz. noise and tumult when any business is done; the abusive language