Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-09
A SHOCKING PICTURE.
Node of Life Of Emigrant Passengers on
European Ships.
by Telegraph

LONDON, May 7th.-Miss Charlotte G..
O'Brien. daughter of Smith O'Brien, of
" Young Ireland fame. sends to the Pal
NaH Gazette letter entitled 's Horrors of
an Emigrant Ship" which created profound
sensation, and will be subject of question
in the Commons on Monday by O'Donnell.
Miss O'Brien visited Queenstown in order to.
examine the mode of life of emigrants on tho
steamer, which vessel, however, she does not
name. The following are the main points ::
1t is unnecessary to say that wherever the
sacred foot of wealth trod ON this ship all was
gold and silver, shining brass, cleanliness,
comfort and decency. We had come. on
board, however, to see emigrants, and we
were determined to see their. quarters first.
When we saw the quarters of the single men
descriptions of the slave-ship flashed across
me. Below this place our guide showed Us a
deep hole, saying 81 could not take you
down there; it is much worse than you sse. %
But my business was with women's quarters,
and we went there. Between two decks better
lighted than the mems quarters, was q large
space open from one side of the ship to the
other. From either side of the long central
walk to the outer walls of the ship were
slupg three enormous hammocks, one sus.
pended about thres feet from the hoors
What was going ca in the two other ham.
| mocks above these. l could not see. Iprs-
sumo they were thss as those below. 7
suppose each of thsse hammocks carry about
| 100 people. They were made of:sail-cloth,
and, being suspended all around from hooks,
| were perfectly Sat. Narrow strips ofI sail
cloth divide this great bed into berths, and
these strips of cloth, when the. mattresses
| were out, formed divisions about eight inches
| high; when the mattresses are in, it. must be
| almost on le5el.i Now, in these beds he
| hundreds of men and women. ANY man
who comes xith woman who is on who
calls herseles bis wife, sleeps, as a matter OF
right, in t5s midst os hundreds Of yOnng
women whasare compelled to live IN his pres
| ence day aad night. If they remove their
clothes, tSsy must do SO under his eyes IT
they lie Down to last, it must be beside
| him. Il. is shame even to. speak OF
these things, but to.destroy sr,Eh an evil 1t IS
necessary to look a. these abodes OF misery.
In daylight, and when open tor Inspection,
| they sze empty and swept and garnished !;
| but think of tins scene IN the darkness OF
| nighs-the ship aitching in mid, eean, when
gEnmering lamp or two makes visible to
yoss this rnsss Of moaning humanity. Look
| at that youxz mother, with swo or three
hslpiess babss, In the sgoDses Of sea sic knees,
apable TO nsase but over the PROSTATE bodies
as her felicw-suffeTers. look at this lnnoce nt
kgirl child. living among 6issolute men ana
ilabandonad women. end half stupthed WIN
suffocasson and sea.sickness. amid the curses
and qraans of hundreds. If she arises ard
fises so save her soul, whither shsn she go
Aoz;n she must tread on the writhin bodies
of man and women, But the picture IA too
ba,r;bie to hs locked at. the sound ia too
dreadful to ten to. This is 10 biStat OF
;,n,,,,rs dream--it IS truth; it is Living hor.
roI ,,n menaciag the lives, honor aud souls Of
Ivl, hur,drsds of thousands of eur felpw-country'
) Women women. The ship on which saw these
things Is anppDsed .Tq.a to earsx oso ssseIsgs sgs
VOYAGE / 115 emigraats,