SIXTIETH ANNIVESARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 8

SIXTIETH ANNIVESARY

ARRIVAL OF THE TYBURNIA.

" ALBERTLAND PIONEERS.

AN ARDUOUS VOYAGE. .

:> lt is 60 years to-day since the ship Tyburnia arrived at Auckland with 366 passengers ; belonging to , the . Nonconformist party, bound for the Albertland settlement in the Kaipara district. >■ .. The circumstances 'in which the Tyburnia reached • port, after a trying journey of 96 days, were not happy, .for smallpox , broke -out on board on the tenth day at sea, and although no , case had occurred within a. month prior to the arrival of the vessel, she was placed in quarantine ' off the north end of Rangitoto, where she remained for a month. Oh October 4, the Tyburnia at last en. tered the harbour, and anchored off Auckland town. ■-.'.■■' An interesting account of the long sea journey from Gravesend is given by Mr. H. B. Morton, whoso reminiscences provide a striking contrast with conditions of the present day,, whew ■ ocean-travel is luxurious to a degree undreamed of by those hardy voyagers of two generations ago. .' • / ■ "In these . days, when the humblest emigrant has a passage in a 10,000-ton fast steamer, well lighted with electricity and fairly well ventilated, it is difficult to realise what it meant for a family of small means to cross the ocean 60 years ago," says Mr. Morton. "The few who were fortunate enough to travel first-class occupied- the after-deck, or poop, which furnished accommodation for tho captain, officers, and a limited number of passengers. The food .of the latter was certainly no better than that provided nowadays for third-class passengers. A few sheep, a number of crates of fowls, two or three pigs,> and a cow, wore carried for j their use. Needless to say, mutton and poultry did. not improve as -time went on. The pigs did better, perhaps, but the poor cow, fed on hay, soon ceased to yield much milk.

"As for the les3 fortunate passengers, who numbered about nine-tenths of the whole, they were carried in 'tween decks,' which meant the hold of the Ship immediately below the main dock. Of course, there were no port-holes, and such light as there was by day came through temporary sky-lights fitted over the hatches, and always liable to be removed in stormy weather. At night, darkness was made visiblo by heavy oil lanterns, swung from the deck beams. Reading, or indeed any sort of occupation requiring light, was out of the question below deck. The sleeping accommodation consisted of small enclosures constructed of rough deal boards. . "These were days long prior to cold storage, and the food consisted of salt beof and pork, very salt and very tough, hard brown biscuits, dried vegetables, and a periodical allowance of suet and flour, supplemented by exceedingly moderato quantities of such luxuries as tea, coffee, salt, butter, and sugar. Lime juice must not be ' overlooked. It was prescribed by the Board of Trade regulations as a preventive of scurvy, and its use was compulsory." . „, , „ Referring to the outbreak of smallpox, Mr. Morton speaks of the feeling of dismay which spread throughput the ship when the unwelcome truth became known. The situation was. a terrible ono, there being no proper hospital, while passengers slightly affected were placed over those in advanced . stages of the disease. There were 35 cases in all, but only one ended fatally. . ' ... . , The difficulties which the Albertland settlers subsequently had to face are well known, and all honour is due to the men and women of the Tyburnia and other ships of the Nonconformist party, who so bravely faced; the hardships and uncertainties of life in a hew and untried land.