The Indian Ocean - Michael Pearson [175]
All standard enough, but the third complaint should have given the game away, for indeed this traveller on a Danish ship was an Indian Muslim. But apart from this his observations fit well with a host of other accounts of long voyages before the age of steam. He was unlucky in the matter of food, but this was because he was travelling on the cheap. In 1811 Mrs Graham sailed on a Royal Navy frigate, and the admiral in charge had laid in stores – a lot of stores. 'I found on board stores of every kind, sheep, milch goats, wine, preserves, pickles, fruit, vegetables, in short, everything that could possibly add to the comfort or convenience of a long voyage.'109 She passed the time pleasantly, 'after breakfast I always write or study for three hours, after which I draw, or do needle-work, till dinner-time, when I again read for an hour or two before I take my evening's walk, so that my time will not hang heavy on my hands in fine weather.' A cabin passenger bound for Australia in the late 1830s wrote that 'You will think we do nothing but eat and drink when I tell you that we have hot breakfast at half past eight, meat and new rolls, tea and coffee at twelve, grog and biscuit at half past three, dinner all fresh meat and very good at seven and at nine grog and biscuit.' Should this not be sufficient, one could provide one's own food, and take on fresh supplies when the ship called in at any port.110
In 1845 Emma Roberts published a book which was full of practical advice for the traveller from England to the east: what to take, what to expect, how to behave. It gives a good impression of life on board in the time before steam and Suez. The best cabins were on the poop deck, even though they were noisy, as
the hen-coops are usually placed upon the poop, and though the unfortunate denizens of these prisons may occasionally be quiescent, every movement of the ship causes the feet of the coops to strike against the deck. In bad weather, or during the working of the vessel, the noises made by trampling overhead, ropes dragging, blocks falling etc etc are very sensibly augmented by the cackling, chuckling, and screaming of the poultry....
But this was actually good training: 'Without, however, wishing to alarm those per sons whose destinies are fixed in India, it may be said that the noise on ship should be looked upon with some indulgence, it being merely preparatory to the disturbances which must be endured on shore.' One should take a couch to have in one's cabin, 'since, when the ship is rolling, a recumbent attitude is exceedingly desirable.' One should also take a filtering machine for water so as to 'be furnished with a fair portion of wholesome water with which to perform their ablutions, instead of having every sense offended by the wretched stuff so often served out from the casks.' A supply of brandy was advised, to ensure good service from the crew. 'There is, generally speaking, more gaiety on board outward, than homeward bound vessels; few of the former sail without taking passengers visiting India for the first time, and these, buoyant in spirit, and enjoying the freshness of youth, usually endeavour to beguile the tediousness of the voyage by getting up a play or a concert.' She also provided a long list of desirable clothing.111
Frederick Trench left from Chennai on a small French ship bound for Europe. The passage was bearable, but hardly exciting:
The days are passed as usual at sea very dully. Turn out at day light, read, chat and walk a constitutional till breakfast and then at the sound of the cloche de dejeuner descend to the cuddy and sit down before the following cheer – an omelet, a hash or mutton chop,