So that's what the sawdust is for!

"The following day the storm had subsided, and the sun shone brightly, so the passengers were allowed on deck. But there were very few to be seen, most of them had to remain in bed. The children and I were of the first to get out that morning. Oh my, what a relief to get out of the stuffy room. I had noticed some sacks of sawdust the evening before and now I saw what that was for. It was scattered all over the floor (for bedding, so to speak). The last day before we docked, this was all cleaned away."

Excerpt from Sigrid's account of her journey to America, written in 1919.