What hardships did passengers suffer at sea?
the people were so eager and anxious to see, all creep from below on deck to see the land from afar and they weep for joy, and pray and sing, thanking and praising God. The sight of the land makes the people on board the ship, especially the sick and the half dead, alive again, so that their hearts leap within them; they shout and rejoice, and are content to bear their misery in patience, in the hope that they may soon reach the land in safety. But alas!
When the ships have landed at Philadel- phia after their long voyage, no one is permit- ted to leave them except those who pay for their passage or can give good security; the others, who cannot pay, must remain on board the ships till they are purchased, and are released from the ships by their purchas- ers. The sick always fare the worst, for the healthy are naturally preferred and purchased first; and so the sick and wretched must often remain on board in front of the city for 2 or 3 weeks, and frequently die, whereas many a one, if he could pay his debt and were permit- ted to leave the ship immediately, might recover and remain alive.
The sale of human beings in the market on board the ship is carried out thus: Every day Englishmen, Dutchmen and High- German people come from the city of Phila- delphia and other places, in part from a great distance, say 20, 30, or 40 hours away, and go on board the newly arrived ship that has brought and offers for sale passengers from Europe, and select among the healthy persons such as they deem suit- able for their business, and bargain with them how long they will serve for their pas- sage money, which most of them are still in debt for. When they have come to an agree- ment, it happens that adult persons bind themselves in writing to serve 3, 4, 5 or 6 years for the amount due by them, accord- ing to their age and strength. But very young people, from 10 to 15 years, must serve till they are 21 years old.
Many parents must sell and trade away their children like so many head of cattle;
for if their children take the debt upon themselves, the parents can leave the ship free and unrestrained; but as the parents often do not know where and to what people their children are going, it often happens that such parents and chil- dren, after leaving the ship, do not see each other again for many years, perhaps no more in all their lives. . . . It often hap- pens that whole families, husband, wife and children, are separated by being sold to different purchasers, especially when they have not paid any part of their pas- sage money.
When a husband or wife has died at sea, when the ship has made more than half of her trip, the survivor must pay or serve not only for himself or herself but also for the deceased.
When both parents have died over half- way at sea, their children, especially when they are young and have nothing to pawn or pay, must stand for their own and their par- ents’ passage, and serve till they are 21 years old. When one has served his or her term, he or she is entitled to a new suit of clothes at parting; and if it has been so stipulated, a man gets in addition a horse, a woman, a cow. When a serf has an opportu- nity to marry in this country, he or she must pay for each year which he or she would have yet to serve, 5 or 6 pounds.
UNDERSTAND, ANALYZE, & EVALUATE
1. What hardships did passengers suffer at sea? What relief could they hope for upon reaching Philadelphia?
2. Explain the different purchase agreements between passengers and masters. How did the death of a family member affect a passenger’s indenture contracts?
3. What do the ordeals of indentured ser- vants tell us about prospects in Europe? What do they tell us about the concept of liberty in the colonies?