Ship "Columbus"

Report by Surgeon Superintendent

     At the close of this voyage I have to state that the conduct of the Emigrants has upon the whole been good. I found it necessary to separate John Ford and his wife, placing the former among the single men and the other in the single women’s compartment. Particulars of the circumstances which rendered this necessary will be found in the log.
     I have followed out to the best of my abilities the printed instructions supplied to me by the Agent General and have endeavoured to do my duty conscientiously and efficiently.
     I have however had many difficulties to contend with, when we had left London only a few days it was found that only one small bag of sand had been put on board. When this was all used we could no longer dry holy-stone the tween deck and we had to trust to our scraper and brushes. I have had the tween decks thoroughly cleaned every morning before 10 o’clock and whenever the weather has allowed of it. I have had the bedding on deck two or three times a week only one small keg of eggs was found on board and a large number of these were broken and there was no “condensed egg” on board.
     Some of the emigrants made complaint to me that one of the carks of beef was not good. I went and inspected it and tasted it, and found that although it had had a slight peculiar odour (not putrid) I could say that it was unwholesome and I could not therefore condemn it as such. In special stores were found for infants except those described as “medical infants”, I would suggest that in future the portion of the charter party which requires certain stipulations concerning communications between the officers and crews and the single women to be instructed in the ships articles, be observed.
I would object strongly to having ? of any kind got up out of the hatchway in the single women’s compartment, as in this ship.
I have had two deaths among the Emigrants since we left London. The first was that of a delicate infant and occurred while we were in the English Channel. The other death was that of Thomas Glen who died on June 23rd from collapse after excessive choleric diarrhoea. I collected the effects of this man as required by my instructions and gave them over to the Captain with a list of these signed y myself.
I have with this kind assistance of Mr Dennison (Cabin Passenger) conducted Divine Service twice each Sunday except when prevented by bad weather. Mrs Dennison also kindly undertook the arrangement of the Sunday School. The amount of sickness on board has not been great. I attribute this in a great measure to the fact that I have been very particular in preserving ventilation and cleanliness in the tween decks. I have found the Carbolic Acid a valuable disinfectant and when it is diluted and sprinkled upon a sack and the sack spread under a windowsail the air comes lashing down and carries the fumes of the acid through the whole place and purifies the air.
     School has been carried on by the Schoolmaster every day. I found that several of the girls and their parents objections to them going among the boys to the Schoolmaster and as these were a somewhat large number of children on board I thought it would be much better to appoint a Schoolmistress for the girls and selected one of the single women who had been used to teaching and gave the teaching of the girls over to her and I am happy to say she has conducted the school with much credit to herself and advantage of the children. I have promoted as much as possible games and proper amusements among the Emigrants and I have given these between ? on India and Ceylon etc for the amusement of the Emigrants. I have found considerable difficulty in preserving cleanliness in the tween decks and have been compelled to be present almost all the time during cleaning times, to keep them at work.
     I endeavour to get up a class for the Schoolmaster among the single men for writing etc etc but found that only about 12 men would join it and there were as a rule as well educated as the Schoolmaster and they soon ceased to attend class.
(signed) Surgeon Superintendent.

No births.

I hereby certify that the above is a true statement of deaths on board the ship
“Columbus” on her passage from London to Canterbury amongst the Government Emigrants.
Surgeon Superintendent.