About 58,000,000 dead in a little over 4 decades.
I hope you like brimstone, America...
One of my ancestors came from Germany in 1738 on the ship The Winter Galley. That year is referred to as 'The Year of Destroying Angels' due to the sheer amount of death.
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:The_Ship_Winter_Galley
"For the current year, 1738, a special name was needed, the Year of the Destroying Angels.
However, this year the sea has held quite a different harvest, because by moderate reckoning, more than 1800 died on the 14 ships arrived till now. While there are still two missing, we have reasons to assume them lost for they have been at sea for more than 24 weeks."
...
"On the 4th of July last I sailed out of Dover in England and arrived here on this river on the 9th of September with crew and passengers in good health but on the way I had many sick people, yet, since not more than 18 died, we lost by far the least of all the ships arrived to-date. We were the third ship to arrive. I sailed in company with four of the skippers who together had 425 deaths, one had 140, one 115, one 90, and one 80. The two captains Stedman have not yet arrived and I do not doubt that I shall be cleared for departure before they arrive since I begin loading tomorrow. I have disposed of all my passengers except for 20 families."
As I read this I kept stopping to visualize what the writer conveyed. My god, it must have been horrible.
About 58,000,000 dead in a little over 4 decades.
I hope you like brimstone, America...