James CARRUTHERS was born in Guillyburn a farm six miles south east of Closeburn Village
Dumfriesshire Scotland. In 1851 James was apprenticed to his brother William, finally
attaining the distinction "master boot maker".
James still a single man at age 26 left the port of Southampton in July 1861 on the
immigrant ship Cold stream destined for South Africa.
The Cold Stream was by no means a Luxury liner. All immigrants had to line up twice a week
to be checked for cleanliness! Bathrooms were provided for women that contained wooden
tubs in which they could bath in sea water. The men however had to make do with sloshing
buckets of water over themselves as best they could! a box of wool and materials on board
enabled the women to make clothes and household necessities that became their property at
the end of the voyage as did the blanket and mattress that they had been issued when they
embarked.
No alcohol was allowed in possession of a passenger. The ships' surgeon had charge of
all alcohol, vinegar, hops and malt (used for leavening the bread).
Single women were forbidden to speak to any males and could not leave the Poop Deck. At
about 7.30 in the evening they would be ushered to bed ( if it was very hot they could
stay up until 9 pm. ) Some dared to write notes to the single men and crew but if caught
their salt ration was cut and they had to go to bed straight after supper! Salt was a
luxury and could be stopped as punishment for any untoward behaviour from anyone on the
ship. The immigrants were divided into groups to make "work parties" who had to
serve food, clean up and collect rations . Weekly each of the adult immigrants was given
the following :
20oz Beef - 10oz Tea - 56oz Flour 42oz Biscuits 12oz Sugar 16oz Oatmeal 16oz Pork 6oz Lime
Juice 3/4pt Peas 6oz Raisins 8oz Potatoes 8oz Suet 20oz Coffee 8oz Treacle 8oz Rice 10oz
Cabbage Salt/Pepper 4/5th pt Other Veg 4oz Butter 16oz Preserved Meat Mustard and
Pickles.
In addition each received 21 quarts fresh water per week (which included cooking water).
Children under 12 were given half rations plus an egg or egg powder and each day a quarter
pint milk and 3oz preserved soup. At times the ship's baker would, if the passengers
gave up their allowance of flour, make bread to cut out the monotony of biscuits and at
times the passengers could use the galley ovens to make their own breads.
The health and welfare of the passengers would have been of prime concern to the
Ship's Surgeon because, rather like a haulage contractor of live animals, he was paid
7/- per head for each immigrant landed alive and this fee went up to 10/- per head after
10 trips!
The immigrant ships varied in size enormously. The 459 ton 'Auriferea' was by far
the smallest, built for the rice trade she held 226 immigrants in an area less than half
the size of a tennis court! with 6ft 6in head room between decks. At the other end of the
scale was 'The Gypsey Bride' which was 190ft by 38ft with 7ft 6in head room and
carrying 413 people. The Coldstream was 756 Ton and fastened together with iron bolts
!!! She arrived at Port Elizabeth South Africa only 18 days later on the 3rd of August
1861.
Who could have imagined the prospects that lay ahead?, huge tracts of land teaming with
never ending herds of wild game, Lost temples, rivers with gold in every wash, waterfalls,
that 'Angels would stop to gaze over in flight'.
The great excitement and anticipation of venturing north in to the interior, to explore a
new frontier......
Had they any idea what price they would have to pay!! etc.....