Free A Distant Dream by Vivienne Dockerty

didn’t tell us that it was one rule for us and one for them,” Johnny cried, after George had asked if he could listen to his grievances. “They said that we would be free settlers. Free means moving around when yer want to, not stuck down ‘ere waitin’ until someone bothers to open the hatch and let us out. We’re all herded together like in a cattle ship.”
    George nodded sympathetically. He felt the same as Johnny did, but as it was free passage there was not a lot they could do.
    â€œI’ll speak to someone,” he promised, looking around at the other men who had begun to form a group, fed up with their captivity, especially as there was still a lot of ocean to travel.
    â€œMeantime” he said, looking over to a man who had been entertaining them over the last few nights, “give us a tune on your fiddle, Seamus and seeing as there won’t be any lessons this morning, the girls can have a dance.”
    It was the middle of the day before Jimmy arrived, throwing open the hatch to allow the appointed to carry out their deeds. He wasn’t prepared for the rush of people who knocked him to the ground in their haste to free themselves whilst George stood back looking on in horror. Jimmy got to his feet and raced off to summon help, bringing back three rough looking sailors armed with muskets who came racing along the deck.
    â€œIt was a show of solidarity” George, who had been appointed spokesman said when the men were taken before the captain in order to hear their punishment. “How would you like it if you had to spend your life in a cattle pen?”
    His words were heard by not only O’Neill but Sir Rodney, who being Her Majesty’s representative, had been summoned to the hearing as well. Being a compassionate man and having seen for himself the conditions that the free settlers were having to put up with and knowing that the captain had not, he asked for leniency and asked whether perhaps a little more freedom could be granted too? Captain O’Neill, well aware that there were many ships now in competition for the lucrative contracts awarded by Her Majesty’s Commissioners, agreed that he would think about it, but for the moment the men involved would have to scrub the decks for a week.
    It was the talk of the table that evening. Later when sitting with the captain, each of them eating a freshly cooked steak from a whole cow that had been brought on board to keep the cabin class fed until they reached Cape Town, Lady Harriet, briefed by her husband on the limitations of his intervention between the captain and the passengers’ welfare, suggested that the ladies present should put their heads together and come up with some ideas to keep to keep the steerage dwellers occupied.
    â€œThe conditions are disgusting down there” she said to the ladies, when their husbands were on their port and cigars and they had retired to their corner to drink coffee. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they all go down with dysentery and the smell – I was glad I had a handkerchief in my reticule.”
    Bessie nodded. She had been down there that day, taking a bag filled with fruit, the bananas and a few navel oranges especially for the orphan girls and hoped that their delight upon receiving the goodies, wouldn’t cause too much jealousy amongst the other passengers. She was well aware of the conditions below deck and often wondered if she was being fair to Molly by leaving her there, though the child seemed content and never gave her more than a passing glance when she visited. Maura, wondering why this might be, reckoned that Molly had been a late baby, as Mrs. Filbey must be way past her childbearing years and was quick to speak of the child’s cleverness in counting up to five.
    They were all grateful for George Colmayne’s tuition. Even one or two of the men had joined his classes, though many wondered why. Could it have been the