Coachroaches and Seasickness
What would you find more difficult about the four month journey to the Canterbury Settlement? Cockroaches or rough seas?
On board the Charlotte Jane, James Edward Fitzgerald edited a ship’s newspaper called The Cockroach which included in its first issue a poem:” The Meditation of a Cockroach” by Thomas Cholmondeley.
On board the Charlotte Jane, James Edward Fitzgerald edited a ship’s newspaper called The Cockroach which included in its first issue a poem:” The Meditation of a Cockroach” by Thomas Cholmondeley.
THE MEDITATION OF A COCKROACH
I am no less than a cockroach bold, Creeping and crawling from deck to hold, Hunting each cabin and hammock and bed. Under the pillow where rests your head, Under the tablecloth, up the chair, • I run up your sleeves and I crawl through your hair; Neither man nor child does the cockroach spare, But most I visit the ladies fair; And they all behold me with shudder and scream And start from my presence as from an ill dream, So ugly and black I can make myself seem. This is surely a destiny great, This is indeed a station Worthy the wish of the subtle fate Of the mighty chief of the noble state Of the ancient Cockroach nation! For I am the Prince of the -Cockroaches all, And they bow before me in bower and hall. And the Captain owns me for what I am, And takes off his cap with a low salaam. And when I appear the sailors say 'Make room, my lads, without delay For the King of the Cockroaches comes this way'. Father Hesper! Father Hesper! Hear my prayer I vow: Hearken to my chirping whisper Rising from below. My religious fits come seldom, So you'd better listen now. For my lungs are feeble-smaller Than the organs of a man, |
I was never yet a bawler, Hear me, therefore, while you can. If I lie, I wish the cook may Pop me in the pan. By the pensive ray Of Cynthia's gleams, By the dawn of day Flushed with rosy beams, By the frolickings of Phosphor On the broken sea, I beseech ye--prosper All who sail with me. By the starry choir that lances A pale nightly glance On the bark that heaves and dances As the billows dance, Guide us guide our ship and cargo On the infinite expanse. |
Just as there was no escape on the ships from these insects, there was no avoiding the terrible weather which threatened life and possessions. Edward Ward’s diary entry on October 29, 1850, tells a tale of a sleepless stormy night.
Tuesday, October 29th
No sleep last night on account of the tremendous rolling of the vessel. From a brief doze I was awakened by a shower composed of the following materials - a can of sperm-oil, a can of spirits of wine, a bottle of ink, a bottle of eau-de, cologne, my watch & a shoe, all of which had been packed, as I thought, securely before I went to bed. Nothing, how, ever, was open but the bottle of eauade-cologne, and therefore no harm was done. Two or three heavier - rolls than ordinary seemed to bring every smashable article on the ship down at once. I could hear boxes, casks & heavy things giving way in every direction and people striking lights and looking timidly after their lives and properties. The gale continued to increase till and after breakfast-time. After breakfast it did some damage to braces and halyards and the top-sails were double reefed, mainsail furled, jib taken in and stay-sail set - in fact all made snug. Wind and rain came in heavy squalls and otherwise, and as I write the motion is almost too great to make more than an attempt successful. However, we are going on our course as straight as we can go - and almost as quick - 210 miles since yesterday to the S.E. Lat. 38.20 S., Long. 6.48 W. This, the first day of heavy gales, produces something strange and uncomfortable every hour. Dinner was an awful scramble, plates and dishes falling about, of course, but that was the least. You were as likely to find your neighbour in your plate as your plate in your neighbour's lap, or your lap in your neighbour's, as any other arrangement. Thus, part of my dinner was eaten on the floor and part on the table - you must eat what you can get and for small dishes must exercise the art of harpooning and shooting flying, as potatoes, salt and bread, &c., come swimming past. Very cold and uncomfortable on deck, but the sight of the waves grand."
Just because you were in first class didn’t mean that life at sea was comfortable. It was sometimes very difficult, including dinner in the ‘cuddy’ during stormy weather. The scene below helps us imagine the problems of dining aboard ship when seas were very rough.
Tuesday, October 29th
No sleep last night on account of the tremendous rolling of the vessel. From a brief doze I was awakened by a shower composed of the following materials - a can of sperm-oil, a can of spirits of wine, a bottle of ink, a bottle of eau-de, cologne, my watch & a shoe, all of which had been packed, as I thought, securely before I went to bed. Nothing, how, ever, was open but the bottle of eauade-cologne, and therefore no harm was done. Two or three heavier - rolls than ordinary seemed to bring every smashable article on the ship down at once. I could hear boxes, casks & heavy things giving way in every direction and people striking lights and looking timidly after their lives and properties. The gale continued to increase till and after breakfast-time. After breakfast it did some damage to braces and halyards and the top-sails were double reefed, mainsail furled, jib taken in and stay-sail set - in fact all made snug. Wind and rain came in heavy squalls and otherwise, and as I write the motion is almost too great to make more than an attempt successful. However, we are going on our course as straight as we can go - and almost as quick - 210 miles since yesterday to the S.E. Lat. 38.20 S., Long. 6.48 W. This, the first day of heavy gales, produces something strange and uncomfortable every hour. Dinner was an awful scramble, plates and dishes falling about, of course, but that was the least. You were as likely to find your neighbour in your plate as your plate in your neighbour's lap, or your lap in your neighbour's, as any other arrangement. Thus, part of my dinner was eaten on the floor and part on the table - you must eat what you can get and for small dishes must exercise the art of harpooning and shooting flying, as potatoes, salt and bread, &c., come swimming past. Very cold and uncomfortable on deck, but the sight of the waves grand."
Just because you were in first class didn’t mean that life at sea was comfortable. It was sometimes very difficult, including dinner in the ‘cuddy’ during stormy weather. The scene below helps us imagine the problems of dining aboard ship when seas were very rough.
See also >>
Our Journey | Packing – What would you take? | Rich and poor | Are you hungry? | Cockroaches & seasickness | A girl’s diary
__________________________________________________________________________
Haere Mai, Welcome / Solving History’s Mysteries / Will you join us? / Our Journey / Our New Land / Resources / About this site / Links / Sitemap
Our Journey | Packing – What would you take? | Rich and poor | Are you hungry? | Cockroaches & seasickness | A girl’s diary
__________________________________________________________________________
Haere Mai, Welcome / Solving History’s Mysteries / Will you join us? / Our Journey / Our New Land / Resources / About this site / Links / Sitemap