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home, a home that would seldom be stiU. They lived, slept, ate and amused themselves
in close, stuffy quarters with no privacy, little light and sub-standard hygiene. Clothing
could be washed only over the side of the ship, resulting in many things being lost
during poor weather: numerous Italian speakers arrived in Australia owning little more
than the clothes in which they stood up. They were dependent on the crew for all their
material needs and received little sympathy for their sufferings.
Inadequate food and poor drinking water were major causes of ill-health
among the travellers. The H. Ludwina, which has previously been mentioned, had a
delayed departure from Antwerp while the passengers protested the inadequate food
suppUes. The protest, however, made little impact and during the voyage passengers
were served mouldy biscuits and other rotted food. Complaining about the food
supplies in a letter, TranquiUa Pata from Sonogno wrote:
il vito era pessime che non potevamo gustarlo, era la matina lunedi
cafTe a mezzo gierne erbeglie con lacqua, e martedi fagioli con
lacqua, merceledi broda di farina, gievedi pome di terra e carne,
venerdi fagioli neri come carbone, sabato broda di ongiadaa, e
domenica carne e pasta cetta in un sacco, siche edonque io sono
state sine il gierne 19 senza nemene gustarlo, in 19 giorni il mie
vito e state selamente che due lira di zucchero e 4 di formaggio che
io le telte Amburge, ie ne meteva tre volte al giorno nella boca
selamente per star vivo, ie sono venute a una debolezza che quasi
non poteva piii regermi in piedi, io non mi credeva piii di guarire.
Leonardo Pozzi had also complained about the poor food aboard the Agen Und
Heinrich but endeavoured to overcome the problem by making his own suppa and
pancotto (soup and bread).^" Passengers with a little money could bribe the crew for
additional food or, like Leonardo Pozzi, trade their interpreting skills for extra rations.
Since those who had paid more for their tickets were treated to better food and
accommodation, it would not have escaped the travellers that life on board ship
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