The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-19
HORRORS OF THE sTERRAGE.
Inspecting the Emigrant Quarters OF an
Ocean Steamer.

Miss Charlotte g. O'Brien, daughter of
Smith O'Brien, of "Young Ireland
fame, sends to the Pail Nall Gazette a
letter entitled Horrors on an Emigrant
Ship" which creates q profound s:nsa-
ton and will be the subject ola question
in the House of Commons on Monday
by O'Donuell. Miss O'Brien visited
Queenstown in order to examine the
mode of life of emigrants, on steamer,
which vessel, however, she does not
name. The following are the main
points:
CONTRASTS.
"It 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
the emigrants, and we were determined
to see their quarters first. When We saw
the quarters of the single men desGrip-
tions of slave ships flashed across me.
Below this, place our guide showed US
deep hole, saying, q could not take you
down there; it is much worse than what
you see.' But my business was with the
women's quarters and we went there.
Between two decks better lighted than
the mems quarters was larger space
open from one side of the ship to the
other.
THE woMEN's QUARTERS.
"From either side of q long central,
walk to the outer walks ofthe ship were.
sIung two enormous hammecks-oneslls-
pended about three feet from the floor.
What was going on in two other ham.
mocks above these could not see, but /
presume they were the same as those
below. / suppose each of those ham.
mocks carry about one hundred persons.
They were made of sailcloth, and being.
suspended all around from hooks were
perfectly fat. Narrow strips ofsailcloth
divide this great bed into berths. 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 a level.
HERDED LIKE BEASTS.
"Now. in these beds. lie hundreds of
men and women. Any man who comes
with 4 woman who IS or calls herself his
wife sleeps, as.asmatter of right, in the
mid,t of: hundreds of yohng women who
are compelled.to lire in his presence .lay
and night. Ifthey remove their clothes
they must do 50 under his eyes. II they
lie down to rest it must be beside him.
It is shame even to speak of
these things, but to destroy such an, eyiiit
is necessary to look at these ahodes OF
misery. In daylight, and whenpopen for
inspection, they. are empty, swept and;
garnished.
SCENE AT NIGHT.
.sBut think of the scene in the dark.
ness of the night, the ship pitching IN
mid.ocean, when giimmering lamp or;
two makes visible to you the mass Of
moaning humanity. Look at that young
mother with two or three helpless babies
in the agonies of ea.sickness, unable to
move but over the prostrafe bodies OF
her fellow sufferers. Look at this inrIo-
cent girl child lying among dissolrlte
men and abandoned women, half suHo-
cation and sea..ickness, amid curses and
groans Of hundreds. IF she arises and
fees to save her soul, whittier shall she
go7 Again she must tread on the writh.
ing bodies Of men and women.
A LIVING HORROR.
"But the picture is too horrible to- he
looked at, the sounds too dreadful 10
listen TO-. This is no brutal or impure
dream. it is truth. 1t is a living horror,
menacing the lives, honor and souls Of
hundreds and thousands of our fellow
country women, the ship on which ] saw
these things being supposed to carry in
this manner 1000 steerage passengers.
She carried last year OIL one voyage
l775 emigrants. l was grieved to see the
American flag floating over q whited
sepulchre like that beautiful boat,
haunted by the memories of sin, full ct
rauan;no. ,u;ckadness md all manner clf |