The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-04 00:00:00

THREE PERSONS BURNED FOR
WITCHCRAFT.

The New York papers contain an official despatch
from the Governor of a Mexican district to his supe-
rior, giving details of the buoning of two men and a
woman by his orders for bewitching a citizen, and fail-
ing to cure him after promising to do so. The bonfire
was made in a public square, and surrounded by a
guard of sixty men. After the tire was lit the victims
promised to give up their charms if they might be
released, but after the charms had been obtained they
were reconducted to the stoic& and the cruel sentence
carried out. The bonfires IP Ere kindled by persons
supposed to be accomplices, who were thus warned of
what would be their fate if they continued their sor-
ceries. From the tone of the Governor's despatch he
evidently expected the approval of his superior.

FROM DERRY TO QUEBEC IN AN
EMIGRANT SHIP.
The following extracts, front an interesting sketch in The
Hour, will be of interest to intending emigrants:—
The treatment of emigrants on the passage to their
destination is an important matter, particularly now
that there are so many people leaving the United
Kingdom ; and to elicit the required information I
embarked at Mo vine, near Derry, in the North of Ire-
land, for Canada, in the steamship Scandinavian, of
the Allan line. We left the wharf at Derry at three
o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, the 22nd of May,
in the mail tender. Moville is something like twelve
miles from Derry, at the entrance to Lough Foyle. We
reached the Scandinavian about six o clock. The
English and Irish mails were at once put on board, the
anchor raised, steam got up, and off we went, bidding
adieu to Ireland by firing a gun. Stewards, waiters,
sailors, etokent, engineers—in fact, everybody that had
any responsibility—seemed to be as busy as lamplighters
putting things to-rights. . . . The Scandinavian
had in all 997 souls on board, consisting of the crew,
80 cabin passengers, 28 intermediate passengers, and
nearly 800 steerage passengers, who paid a from
Liverpool to Quebec, Montreal, or Portland. The
saloon of the vessel is in the stern, and is elegantly
fitted up with chandeliers, sofas, cushions, mahogany
seats and tables, mirrors, and every requisite that would
add to the comfort of the passengers or please their
fancy. Next to the saloon is the bar, where anything
could be had as good and almost as cheap as in a Lon-
don hotel, but in limited quantities. Then comes a
series of state-rooms or cabin passengers sleeping
berths. Each compartment has two bunks, and is
fitted with all the toilet appliances necessary for the
most fastidious or select. There are also a number of
berths under the saloon. All the meals of cabin'
passengers are served in this apartment, on the
two tables which run its whole length—the one
presided over by the captain, the other by the
doctor. 'There are four meals—breakfast, luncheon,
dinner, and tea; the first being at 8, the second,
at 12, the third at 4, and the fourth at 7 o'clock. After-
wards ycu may indulge in a walk on deck, a glass of
punch, a smoke, or a chat, and then retire about
11 o'eleck. Among the cabin passengers every type of
character is to be found. Some, who have made
money from small beginnings, by expending it freely
and giving their orders in a loud voice, would
make their fellow passengers believe that they were
very great people. Others had only slender purses,
and were going out to Canada to improve their posi-
tion by purchasing land, or to embark in some busi-
ness that would return a reasonable profit. Then
there were the pleasure-seekers, who wished to see the
world ; and last, but not least, the unprotected femele,
who would be all of a fidget if the ship gave a Blight
lurch that would in any way prevent her reading the
last new sensational novel, but who would scan the
bill of fare as if her very life depended on being well
served. On the whole, the cabin passenger(' of an
ocean steamer are very excellent people. The bill of
fare is capita, every dainty being provided. In fact
cabin people have just what they please, and at a
moment's notice, as there is a liege staff of waiters in
attendance. . . .
Of steerage passengers there were nearly 800 on
board, and from nearly every nation in Europe—
English, Irish, Sel"tch, French, Germane, Swedes,
Norwegians, Danes, Austrians. There were 89 chil-
dren front Miss NlePhereon'ehome in the Commercial-
road, who had a speelal portion of the ',hip partitions
off for their use. They were under the charge of three
young ladies and a gentleman named Merry, the whole
being under the care of one of the ship's matrons and
the steward. They were very kindly treated by those
in charge, the ladies paying every attention to their
little childish fancies ;in fact, they could not have
had more care from their own parents. There was also
a great number of English agricultural labourers,
members of the Leamington Union; some were from
Dorsetshire, and others from near Wellingboro' in
Northamptonshire. They were accompanied by a ,
delegate named Yardan. As soon as they knew that
I was going out to investigate the subject of labour
and emigration, on behalf of the labourers of Ireland,
they were de(ighted, and requested me to mention in
my letter to The Hour that they were very well
treated on boat d the Scandinavian. One man ((aid that
he ate more meat on board in six days than hc had hasl for
six months bef we. Some of these labourers had their
families with them. One family consisted of four
children; another of three sons end a dauehter. Their
ambition WV. to get a little home of their own in
Ontario, where they were all going, se were most of
the other steerage people. If bone atm muscle, combined
with ambition and determinetian, will make a happy
home in Canada, the members of the National
Union that were on board the Scandinavian pos
sem those qualities to a very lave extent. Several of
their fellow-passengers an one occasion quiszed them
for being led by such a man as Joseph Arch, but the
Union men clinched the argument by imploring a bless-
ing on his head. There were several members of the
Durham Miners' Society also going out to try their luck
in the new country; they said that if mining was plen-
tiful and well paid for they would work at it for a year
or two, and then go on the land, but if not they would
go farming at once. The emigrants from Irelmil were
principally young people, several of them having but
recently left domestic service in that country. Meet
of them had letters of introduction of Catholic clergy-
men or other friends. The Scotch were also going to
settle on the land, and seemed very desirous of getting
into a settlement of their own people, of which there
are a great many in Canada. Most of the foreigners
were undee Ina charge of a Government agent, who
acted as interpreter. The major portion of them were
to remain lu the province of Quebec, or Lower
Canada, as that is the French district that was
colonised from France before General Wolfe took
Quebec in 1759.
Discipline was strictly maintained on board of the
Scandinavian ; alllights had to be out at eleven o'clock,
eacept lights that were to helm all night in the steerage.
A couple of men were on duty every night, and had to
report to the captain or officer on the bridge every two
hours. The male steerage passengers slept in ham-
mocks slung from the deck. The woman and children
slept in bunks fitted along the ship's side. The single
men had a place to themselves, and the single women '
also. One of the dodoes went through the steerage
every rimming to see if all were in good health. Some,
perhaps, were a little sea-sick, and would require a
powder; others, probably, had a head-ache or a
slight cough ; but in all cases their complaints
were listened to and prescribed for. In the daytime,
of mirk+, the whole of the passengers were together
ou deck, but the chief steward was always among
them to prevent any impropriety of act or language.
The captain is bound by the company's regulations to
go through every part of the ship at least once a-day,
to see for himself that the people are psoperly treated
and sanitary regulations carried out; and, having
accompanied him on several occasions, I am Id
opinion that there was not a complaint er
grunible from Liverpool to Quebec. Captain Smith
is the very beau ideal of a gentleman, and courteous
to all, but particularly kind to the humblest and
weakest. Such a man is an acquisition to the Allan ,
line, and many was the God bless hint !" he reoeived
from his paseengers at Point Levi when they disem-
barked. Captain Smith, who is a thorough seaman,
bolds a lieutenant's commission in the Royal Na, iii
Re-serve, Men of his stamp are an honour to the
maritime service of England, and have done much
to maintain her flag and influence on every sea and
every clime. There was but very little sea-sickness
during the voyage. It blew a middling gale on the third
day out, and the sea ran high, but to anyone not
affected with giddiness it was a magnificent sly it to
stand at the stern and see the mighty waves rollir g up,
and the vessel's bow breasting them, and pitching down
into the great gully or trough made by the tumbling sea.
The food for the steerage passengers we,;; or the best
description, consisting of fresh bread, biscuit, soups,
beef (fresh and salt), ner'.;, potatoes, tea, coffee, ase.
Anyone sea-sick or children requiring special attention
got he;J-tea or gruel Everyone received a plentiful
*apply, as there was no stint whatever in the provi-
sions, and anyone who says that emigrants are starved
on the voyage out says what is not the fact as far an
the Scandinavian is concerned. On the first Sunday
the Captain read a few prayers from the Church of
England service in the saloon, but any of the passen-
gers could attend or stay away just as they pleased.
Facilities were also given to Christians of other de.
monstrations to worship (lod according to their reli-
gious belief.
On approaching the banks of Newfoundland the
weather was very cold, as the icebergs were floating
down from the northern regions. It is totally impos.