Douglas - The Death Ship
A
small ship, with two masts, The 379 ton Douglas was sheathed in
copper(1).
Built in Hull in East Yorkshire,
England, in 1846, she was owned by Collinson and her Port of
registry was London.
Her Master in 1850 was Captain Douglas
(1851 - Captain M Rogers).
With a total of 21 deaths, mainly
from cholera, on the voyage to Australia in 1850, the ship was
called The Death Ship in South Australian newspapers. There were
lengthy complaints published about the officers and surgeon
(REGISTER January 12, 1850). Other referred to the ship as 'The
Black Douglas'.
**The Tragic Tale of the 'Douglas': A Voyage of Suffering and
Neglect**
The year is 1850, and the South Australian Register
brings forth a chilling report of a voyage marked not by the promise
of new beginnings but by the harrowing grip of death and despair.
The 'Douglas', once a name whispered in fear throughout Scotland,
now emerges as a vessel of infamy upon the shores of South
Australia, leaving in its wake a trail of sorrow and neglect.
In the annals of maritime history, the 'Douglas' stands as a
grim testament to the darker realities of seafaring life. What began
as a journey of hope for many, seeking new horizons in distant
lands, descended swiftly into a nightmare of unimaginable
proportions. The promises of kindness and sustenance made by brokers
were but hollow echoes, drowned out by the relentless specter of
death that haunted the ship.
The chronicle of horrors onboard
the 'Douglas' reads like a macabre symphony of suffering and
indignity. Amidst the scarcity of provisions, passengers were forced
to resort to desperate measures for survival. Rats, once vermin to
be eradicated, became sustenance for the desperate souls confined to
the ship's cabins and steerage. The sale of personal effects, the
grotesque dance of the captain with a lady's bustle, and the sordid
transactions of liquor at exorbitant prices only served to deepen
the atmosphere of despair.
Medical comforts, essential for
the preservation of life, were withheld until the eleventh hour,
leaving many to languish in agony without relief. The rampant spread
of diseases like cholera claimed numerous lives, with the ship's
corridors echoing with the wails of the afflicted. In the absence of
proper care and attention, even the most mundane tasks became
fraught with peril, as evidenced by the tragic demise of passengers
in the prime of their lives.
Amidst this tableau of misery,
moral depravity found fertile ground to flourish. Officers indulged
in libertine behavior, while drunken revelry permeated the very
fabric of daily life onboard. The veneer of civilization crumbled
beneath the weight of desperation, revealing the stark realities of
human nature laid bare in the face of adversity.
The
'Douglas' stands not only as a vessel adrift on the unforgiving seas
but as a symbol of systemic failure and neglect. The pursuit of
profit at the expense of human lives laid bare the callous
indifference of those entrusted with the well-being of the
passengers. The cheap system vessels, marketed as a lifeline for the
less fortunate, proved to be little more than conduits of suffering
and exploitation.
As the South Australian Register solemnly
observes, death continues its relentless march aboard the 'Douglas',
claiming more victims in a macabre dance of misery and intoxication.
The very guardians of the ship, entrusted with the safety and
welfare of its passengers, are themselves ensnared in the throes of
drunken stupor, complicit in the unfolding tragedy.
The saga
of the 'Douglas' serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of
human life in the face of adversity and neglect. It stands as a
testament to the enduring resilience of the human spirit, even in
the darkest of times. May its tale serve as a cautionary beacon,
guiding future generations away from the treacherous waters of
apathy and indifference, towards a brighter horizon of compassion
and empathy.
Notes:
1. The
copper sheathing was to make her free of barnacles, hence the
expression copper-bottomed.
2. This is the ship that Margaret Landells, nee Douglas, died on
in 1849, as did her son William. Possibly born in Alnwick, Northumberland, she married Adam
Landell(s) (b. 1813, Alnwick. d. 1883 in NZ). Apparently they
married in 1832 (supposedly Gretna Green). They had 8 children. Also
on board were Jas Douglas, Ed Douglas and Adam Landells.
Source
Sources for this article inlude:
• Adelaide Observer 12th
and 19th January 1850
See also:
Ships named Douglas
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