Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-02-01


our troubles began. II we had been
able to pay for our passage even in
the second cabin. it would have been
altogether different, there we would
have enjoyed some comforts. but my
father had met with misfortune, he
had lost almost all that he had
possessed. 90 that he was unable tb
pay the high 8 ices demanded for
cabin passage. d there was there
fore nothing Or for us than the
steerage.
The Sir Rob Peel was sailing
vessel Of eigsa IN hundred tons
burthen, and that day was a
good average ct Her captain was
every inch Q & = leman, fine ca
pable officer vii ON the respect of
all on board. my years after
ward, happenJ~ 20 be a guest In
the home of Governor and Mrs. Lar
rabee, at Clermont. Iowa. The con-
versation at the table turning upon
ocean voyages, the governor asked
me the name of the vessel on which
had crossed the ocean. I replied:
1.-THE Sir Robert Peel" why, he
said with a smile, "My brother was
captain of that ship" "At the time
we crossed the captains name was
Chadwick" l replied. "Yes." he
assented. "at that time it was Cap
tain Chadwick. and my brother was
hrst mate; he afterward succeeded
to the command Of the ship" Up
on reflection I was able to recall Mr..
Larrabee a. an efficient and gentle
manly ohicer. The steerage was
crowded with passengers, who, like
ourselves. were bound for "the
States" There were four hundred
and fifty Of them Of various nation
alities. quite enough to make It in
tcresting for the rest Of us. II the
black hole Of Calcutta was much
yeRqa tn <,theks1l 1laeEnne. 0o4 spity
the p6drs wretches Who were shut
up in It. OF course the oficers did
everything in their power to make
the place endurable, but the moral
and sanitary conditions were ter
rible. It could not we'll be other
wise, nearly Ave hundred people
crowded into so small space, some
of whom were shamelessly filthy.
The stencil at times became 30 un-
bearable that we complained to the
officers and the wretched crowd was
driven to the deck, and tar was
burned in the steerage to purify the
place; at that it was no worse than
other ships and quite likely it was
much better than some of them.
From that time to this. after an
interval of over fifty years, l still
retain the remembrance Of those
noisome emigrant odors. Indeed it
is inconceivable how any person who
has been obliged to endure 1t for
any length Of time, could ever for
get it; you would know it among
q thousand. wherever you might
chance to meet it. A few years ago
I was walking down Broadway, New
York. in company with friend: we
were heading for Castle Garden.
hoping that we might witness the
docking of some incoming ocean
greyhound. Long before we reach
ed the point we were aiming for ]
suddenly stopped and began sniffine
the air. "What in the world are
you snuffing at" laughingly asked
my friend, What Is the matter?"
Cant you smell it," I excitedly
asked him. Smell nothing" he re-
torted. "Are you crazy?" mot on
your life," Indignantly cried, "Just
wait . bit and you'll see." And sure
enough, In few minutes they came
alongside, a large party of them:
they had just landed and with their
dunnage tied up In bundles and
elung over their shoulders. were
making headway up the street. and
/ could scent them from afar. they
had come to America.
1t was not long after we had gone
aboard that the ship having complet.
ed her lading. began slowly dropping
down the river In tow Of tug. care
fully feeling her way amid the in
tricate mass of river and sea-goine
craft. Both sides of the Thames
were lined with cities and towns. on
down to its mouth. We were leav.
ing the old country for the new
To my younger sister and me it wai
q picnic. It was great. but to all the