The Journey continued
the lockers so thoughtlessly provided for the Immigrants use
were full of dirt, mouldy bread, and suet full of maggots,
beneath the bottom boards of nearly every berth upon the
lower deck were discovered soup and bouille cans and other
receptacles full of putrid ordure, and porter bottles etc, filled
with stale urine, while maggots were seen crawling
underneath the berths, and this state of things must have
been prevalent for a long time as the 2nd Mate describes the
ship to have been in the same state when he supervised the
cleaning of her by the Captain's order five weeks previously".
(Welch, 1969 p.28)
The description on conditions given by Dr Hunt, the Port Health Officer, had a similar impact but wasn't nearly as offensive to the senses: "The great mortality seems to have been occasioned by the crowded state of her decks and want of proper ventilation, particularly through the lower deck. This caused debility and sickness among her passengers to such an extent that a sufficient number could not be found to keep them clean. Dirt and filth of the most loathsome description accumulated, tainting the atmosphere and affecting everyone who came within its influence as with poison." (Carroll, 1970 p. 29)
Captain Boyle landed the Ticonderoga at Portsea at Point Nepean, so chosen because of its isolated but accessible position and good anchorage. A quarantine ground was marked out with yellow flags and white paint on the trees, and tents were erected using the sails and spars from the ship. The government purchased two houses that had been occupied by lime-burners and converted them into hospitals. The Lysander sailed over from South Australia, and was outfitted as a hospital for the worst cases.
By this stage, Dr Sanger and Dr Veitch were in a debilitated state, particularly the former as he had contracted typhus during the voyage.
Read more ....
The description on conditions given by Dr Hunt, the Port Health Officer, had a similar impact but wasn't nearly as offensive to the senses: "The great mortality seems to have been occasioned by the crowded state of her decks and want of proper ventilation, particularly through the lower deck. This caused debility and sickness among her passengers to such an extent that a sufficient number could not be found to keep them clean. Dirt and filth of the most loathsome description accumulated, tainting the atmosphere and affecting everyone who came within its influence as with poison." (Carroll, 1970 p. 29)
Captain Boyle landed the Ticonderoga at Portsea at Point Nepean, so chosen because of its isolated but accessible position and good anchorage. A quarantine ground was marked out with yellow flags and white paint on the trees, and tents were erected using the sails and spars from the ship. The government purchased two houses that had been occupied by lime-burners and converted them into hospitals. The Lysander sailed over from South Australia, and was outfitted as a hospital for the worst cases.
By this stage, Dr Sanger and Dr Veitch were in a debilitated state, particularly the former as he had contracted typhus during the voyage.
Read more ....
Ticonderoga
One passenger described how up to ten dead passengers
were bundled up in bedding and mattresses at a time, and
thrown overboard to float away. (Dundas, 1909)
On 5 November 1852, 90 days after their departure, the Ticonderoga crawled into Port Phillip Bay flying the yellow flag and carrying the stench of death. The Port and Harbour Master at Williamstown, Captain Charles Ferguson, reported that "100 deaths and nineteen births had occurred on the passage, seven of the former since the ship anchored at the Heads. There are at present 300 cases of sickness amongst them, principally scarletina" (The Argus, Melbourne, Tuesday November 9 1852, Shipping Intelligence Section). There were in fact, 311 cases of "fever" (defined as typhus), 127 cases of diarrhoea and 16 cases of dysentery on the ship's arrival.
On 5 November 1852, 90 days after their departure, the Ticonderoga crawled into Port Phillip Bay flying the yellow flag and carrying the stench of death. The Port and Harbour Master at Williamstown, Captain Charles Ferguson, reported that "100 deaths and nineteen births had occurred on the passage, seven of the former since the ship anchored at the Heads. There are at present 300 cases of sickness amongst them, principally scarletina" (The Argus, Melbourne, Tuesday November 9 1852, Shipping Intelligence Section). There were in fact, 311 cases of "fever" (defined as typhus), 127 cases of diarrhoea and 16 cases of dysentery on the ship's arrival.
The report given by the Immigration Board in Melbourne to the
Emigration Commissioners on the condition of the
Ticonderoga on its arrival, stated that "The ship, especially the
lower part was in a most filthy state, and did not appear to
have been cleaned for weeks, the stench was overpowering,
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