The INDIAN OCEAN was a ship on 1080 tons which sailed from Liverpool on 8th July 1854 under the command of Captain John Pollock .

The vessel carried 420 Immigrants consisting of 224 married couples, 12 young men, 38 single women, 48 boys and 98 girls.  Most of the immigrants' were from the Lowlands of Scotland with some from Ireland. and England.

The Surgeon  /   Superintendant Dr Winston reported that during the passage of  90 days there were thirteen deaths and ten births on board!

All the immigrants were healthy when the vessel arrived at Portland on 7th October 1854.

A number of the immigrants were shipped to Belfast (Port Fairy) on the 100 ton schooner "Duke of Wellington' under the command of Captain Davis for a fare of one pound per head.

A letter of grievances and complaints was s14ned by nine of the passengers and sent to the paper alleging misconduct and ill treatment by the Surgeon and Captain.

Words were had about the weighing out of provisions on lst August while weighing out oatmeal.  On another occasion a quarrel between the Doctor and William Rutherford (a passenger) about sweeping the deck below and washing the curtains of the beds, which he refused to do inferring it was not his turn, he being at the pump at the time.  The Doctor who was worse of liquor shifted Rutherford from his berth in Poop to 'tween decks.

Another ,complaint was that for most of the voyage the passengers were only allowed little more than a gill of pease(sic) soup three times a week and the same amount of soup made with preserved meat, thus saving eight cans meat three times a week.

The Doctor who was often worse of liquor in the afternoons would turn passengers on deck in the coldest weather.  If they didn't go they were smoked out with pitch, the ladders were drawn up and a Constable placed on watch so that no-one got down.

One women who had given birth had her allowance of Porter stopped because the Doctor alleged that her husband had offended him.

Mrs Cassels who was lying dangerously ill, the hatches were Shut down and the Pitch Pot sent through the ship 'tween decks.  When her husband tried to open the hatch he was threatened to be put in irons by the Chief Mate.

During the last month of the voyage the passengers were only allowed one Lamp, sometimes two 'tween decks and one allowance of Lime Juice.

The Indian Ocean sailed from Portland Bay on 23rd October 1854 in ballast bound for Akyab.
 
 

Source: Portland Guardian Arrivals & Departures Victorian Ports by Marten Syme.