Life aboard HMB Endeavour

How different or similar are the lives of sailors to our own? 

This page examines the everyday life of the officers and crew onboard the Endeavour as it sailed into unknown seas. It covers the ship and how it worked, the duties and living conditions of the crew and officers. It includes great background information to look at before or after a school visit to replica of HMB Endeavour at the museum or can be used in the classroom with the Virtual Endeavour tour.

The HMB Endeavour was originally a bulk coal-carrying ship (collier) named the Earl of Pembroke and was built in the industrial Port of Whitby, England. The hull was designed to 'take the ground', meaning it could be beached and would support its weight when the tide fell to allow loading and unloading or repairs below the waterline. Hard, durable oak was used for the frames, planks and deck beams. Pine was used for the decks and masts and the keel was made of elm. Below the waterline was a sacrificial skin of thin planks fastened with large headed nails covered with oak planks. Between these two layers of wood a paste of old rope, animal hair and tar in order to slow the damage of wood eating shipworms which attacked all ships during long ocean voyages.

When the ship was purchased by the British Admiralty and converted to HMB Endeavour some changes were required to turn the coal ship into a exploration vessel. Built at an initial cost of £2,800 a further £5,394 was spent on the hull, masts, yards, furniture, cannons, guns and stores. A new mess deck was added to house the crew, placed on the original beams of the cargo hold.

With the arrival of Banks and his men further changes were made to accommodate them and their stores, furniture and equipment. As a man of privilege and paying a fee of £10,000 to join the exploration, Banks and his men were accommodated in the Great Cabin, by rights the private area of the captain, for their study, work and eating area. The officers were then moved to much smaller cabins on the lower deck.

See an illustration of below decks 
 

Life at sea for ordinary sailors was difficult. Living conditions were cramped, the work was hard and at times tedious, disobedience was met with swift and harsh punishment and the risk of death from disease or misadventure was high. The sailors received a hot meal every day with meat four times a week, a pound of bread and a gallon of beer each day. Although the food was unappetising, these rations provided more than what most people had in England at the time.

Each day a sailor would receive:

• approximately 450 grams of Ship's biscuit. This was a bread supplement and was called 'hard tack' due to it being very coarse and hard. It was often infested with weevils and could be used years after it was baked. Hard tack came to mean food that was unappetising and almost too bad to eat. 
• a gallon of beer. This was much weaker than today's beer, and safer to drink than the water because the alcohol killed any harmful microorganisms that could make the sailors sick.

In addition, weekly rations included: 

• 2 kilograms of salt beef
• 1 kilogram of salt pork
• a litre of peas
• 1.5 litres of oatmeal and wheat
• 170 grams of butter
• 340 grams of cheese.

Endeavour carried large supplies of water, beer, wine, brandy and rum. The daily allowance of alcohol was one gallon of beer (over 3 litres) or one and a half pints (3 cups) of wine (less than a litre) watered down or half a pint (1 cup) of spirits watered down. When Endeavour reached Madeira just one month into her journey, Cook purchased 3000 gallons (13 650 litres) of local wine, as it was known to keep well. Officers were allowed to keep extra supplies of alcohol. 

Cook took on board fresh food and water at every port. Although this provided variety and a healthy addition to the rations, the men often grumbled preferring their usual fare. Fresh food traded in ports included breadfruit, bananas, taro, pandanus nuts, coconuts, fish, including stingrays, sea birds, turtles, shellfish (including oysters) and even kangaroo. While at sea sailors shot birds and caught rats and fish.

Sauerkraut 

Cook believed that the use of chou croute or sauerkraut, cabbage preserved in brine and rich in potassium, phosphorous and vitamins preserved by fermentation, preserved food. Scurvy, the result of lack of vitamin C, was common amongst sailors who did not have enough fruit and vegetables. Cabbage was one vegetable that purportedly helped prevent the disease, as did potable soup, a preparation of dried vegetables, beef stock and malt. Cook also used a fruit juice concentrate called rob (a bit like jam). Unfortunately, these foods were boiled to help preserve them for the voyage, eliminating most of the vitamin content.

A farm on board

Goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese were kept in pens at the stern on the upper deck. Live bullocks and sheep did not survive well and were killed quickly for fresh meat. Pigs fared better and bred during the voyage.

The goat on board Endeavour had previously sailed around the world with Samuel Wallis on the Dolphin. She provided fresh milk and cheese for the officers and gentlemen and for sailors when they fell ill. You can read more about this story in the book The Goat Who Sailed the World by Jackie French.

In addition to the fresh goat's milk and cheese, the officers and gentlemen were provided with freshly baked bread and pies, prepared by the one-handed cook, John Thompson. They were able to take on board their own special meat, fine wine and cheeses and supplemented their supplies when visiting ports.

Most stores were kept in wooden barrels or casks, including water, beer, spirits, salted beef and pork, wheat, oatmeal and sauerkraut in the hold. However, food could quickly spoil and be infested with weevils, maggots, cockroaches and rat droppings. Beer and water spoiled from the oily casks and slime and algae.

All meals were cooked on the huge iron stove called a fire hearth. Wood was used as fuel. The fire hearth sits on a stone hearth set on tin and sand to protect the deck. The cook, John Thompson, and his mates cooked a hot breakfast and midday dinner for 94 people most days for three years.

Most food was boiled in the large coppers and liquid was run out via taps. There was an open fire at the back for spit-roasting and seamen could apply to use it if they caught a fish or rat. Three-legged pots were stood in the embers. There was a small oven on the port (left) side for baking the officers and gentlemen's bread and pies. After the midday meal the fires were put out and the coppers were cleaned. A small open fire could be kept alight at the back to heat water for the captain, gentleman or surgeon.