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Clearances - Emigrant Ships

Emigrant Ships


The Inverness Courier informed people about life in the colonies. Schedules for ships were also published, and ships from Aberdeen or Dundee would stop at Cromarty on the Black Isle before sailing to Canada if a sufficient number of passengers sent an early application.

   

The Hector was one of the first emigrant ships. She sailed from Loch Broom in 1772 with Highland families on board bound for Pictou, Nova Scotia.

You can learn more about her voyage here: .

The bard John MacLean settled at Barney's River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in 1819:

'S i seo an dùthaich 's a bheil an cruadal
Gun fhios do'n t-sluagh a tha tigh'nn anall.
Gur h-olc a fhuaras oirnn luchd a' bhuairidh
A rinn le'n tuairisgeul ar toirt ann'.

'This is the country where there is hardship though the people coming across don't know it. It was evil they brought on us, those enticers, who contrived through their fairy tales to bring us out here'.

The ship "Brilliant" departed from Aberdeen on April 12, 1842, headed for Quebec.

You can learn more about her voyage here: .

The Hercules sailed from Campbeltown in 1853, bound for Australia. She had already picked up passengers from Skye There were 830 passengers on board. During a voyage to Adelaide of seven months 56 die. According to a doctor on board the passengers were:

'of a very weakly condition...all people of very shabby worn
out constitutions badly suited for a long and wintry voyage'.


The Georgiana sailed from Greenock, 13 July 1852.

Emigration notice from the counties of Inverness & Nairn.


View a dietary scale for each adult passenger per week .

 

"...the 23rd Psalm was sung, amidst much sobbing, and under very deep impressions...Not one bitter word was spoken against landlord or factor. They declared, in very touching language, that they went forth trusting in God."

The Georgiana story is an interesting one because on arrival the crew mutinied because they wanted to be taken straight to the gold mines. You can read a report sent home from the Captain
.