The Voyage
The crossing by sailing ship took about seven weeks to Quebec, with very cramped living conditions, a six foot square berth for three adults or six children. Cooking was done by the passengers using stoves on deck. Ships used included the England, the British Tar and the Diana (1837). The voyage was longer but cheaper than going to the United States because the migrants were providing a return cargo for ships bringing timber to England. Ships would be towed up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal by wood fired steam tugs where the passengers had to transfer to barges known as Durham boats to ascend the St. Lawrence Rapids to Prescott before catching a steamer to Kingston, Ontario and Toronto, then still called York. When the Rideau Canal was open the rapids could be avoided by using the Ottawa River and the canal.
Read more about this topic: Petworth Emigration Scheme
Famous quotes containing the word voyage:
“He makes his voyage too late, perhaps, by a true water clock who delays too long.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“But where is laid the sailor John
That so many lands had known,
Quiet lands or unquiet seas
Where the Indians trade or Japanese?
He never found his rest ashore,
Moping for one voyage more.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)