Sentence:  Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,nb.... Even such a <WSD>boat</WSD> as the "Mount Vernon" offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind.