Emigration-`Coffin Ships`

Most of the emigrant ships were old wooden sailing ships which took about 4 weeks to make the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. The ships supplied some basic food rations and a cook. The conditions of these ships were often appalling. Some ships were dangerously overcrowded, with not enough food and clean water to go around. These were called ` Coffin Ships` because many unfortunate people died of illness on them. Famine fever was not the only danger that faced the emigrants. The crossing itself was dangerous and some ships sank in the Atlantic with heavy loss of life.