CO885-5 — Page 552

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O.885/5

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

after this is finished, the Sirdare, Bandharries, and Topaze are paraded on the quarter-deck for the inspection of the A little before sundown the Surgeon Superintendent. Senior Compounder has all the weakly people and conva- lescents, and the nursing women and young children, assembled on the quarter-deck and fed as at breakfast and dinner times, and when the coolies go down to spread out their blankets for the night, the topazes sweep down and clean the main-deck and the channels, flush and disinfect the Before 8 p.m. the closete, and fill the tubs for the night. coolies should all be below and the deck quiet so as to allow time for sleep to the mate whose watch is below, and at

8 bells the Surgeon Superintendent should go down, sec that all is quiet and orderly, receive the reports of the sirdars, take readings of the thermometers, and arrange ventilation for the night. In oppressively hot weather I sometimes find it better to send the people below during the afternoon, as I have found the coolie-deck from 5 to 8 cooler than the main-deck, even where partially shaded by the awninge, and not allow them up on deck till the heat of the day is over, and send them down below about 9 p.. so as to avoid the night dews, which fall very heavily in the tropics, and I have the upper deck washed down in the morning about 5.30 a.m. as well as in the afternoon, and during this weather the Sirdars on watch should get parti. cular orders on no account to let the women bring their children out of the steaming 'tween decks into the night air without clothing. I generally have little flannel jackets inade for the infants and youngest children, as soon as we sail, out of the flannel in the dispensary, to be worn while passing under the sun, which, in my experience, is the most dangerous part of the voyage, and that in which most of the fatal disease occurs, and in which the foundation of nearly all future serious trouble is laid; and, as the success or non- success of the voyage is very often if not generally decided there I should counsel the Surgeon Superintendent to be very careful. If he is lucky enough to have a good pus age through the "Doldrums," and is not kept for days lying becalmed under the blistering heat of a vertical sun, he will be spared a great deal of wearing anxiety as well as personal suffering.

In rough and wet weather very different management will be required, as, for instance, having ropes stretched from the hatches to the closets to prevent the people and especially children from being thrown into the channels as the ship rolls or lays over to a strong breeze-having sand strewn on the deck when it is slippery and preventing the people :

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from washing themselves or their clothes in rain, as this is almost sure to bring on febricula, and they will always try to smuggle their wet clothes down below.""

Every opportunity should be taken advantage of in fine weather to have the blankets, especially of the women with children, brought on deck, thoroughly shaken on the lee side. hung in the rigging for a couple of hours, sprinkled with a solution of carbolic acid and taken below. This is best done on bright, clear days, when the wind is free (abaft the beam), as when the ship is on a wind (close-hauled) it is apt to sag her down to leeward.

It is well to have regular days for washing persons and clothes during fine weather, and the screen for the women should be made like a tent for decency's sake, that they may may not be seen from aloft.

For washing clothes it is a good plan to have a strong lather made in one of the deck tubs, and make the people bring their sarrees dhotees, &c., and have them thoroughly saturated, and then take them and wash them out. The allowance of soap is rather small, and can be economised in this

way, as if issued to the people in bulk they waste it and leave pieces in the channels.

Fine drill is required by the Board of Trade regulations, Fire drui and when the master is detailing his crew to stations, I detail some of the best and most handy coolics to assist at pumps, &c., and give rewards to those who are quickest on the signal being given, generally the ship's bell rung quickly at unexpected times, but this of course is in the discretion of the master of the ship.

The people should be mustered after breakfast

every Sunday, being arranged in their order in the list and their names called by one of the Compounders, and each man, woman, and child made to pass before the Surgeon Super- intendent for his examination. This to be done either on the main or coolie deck, as most convenient or the weather will allow. It will be rather tedious at first, but they will soon know their places and then it can be done in half an hour.

It is almost impossible to mention all the changes in the routine of daily life that will be necessary during the varying climates through which the ship must pass, but these few hints may be of use.

In conclusion I may say to the Surgeon who takes charge of a coolie ship for the first time that it is to him alone that I have addressed what I have said, with the hope that it may

* In very cold weather I issue two blankets for the use of ench Sirdar on duty at the hatches, which he hands over to his relief.

Muster.

C.O

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8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO