For The Tillage
Of The Land; And A Portion Of Tools And Implements Of
Agriculture, Proper For Their Use.
And whenever any man,
who may become a settler, can maintain, feed, and clothe,
such number of convicts as may be judged necessary by
the governor, for the time being, to assist him in
clearing and cultivating the land, the service of such
convicts shall be assigned to him.
We were joyfully surprised on the 20th of the month to see another sail enter
the harbour. She proved to be the Justinian transport, commanded by
Captain Maitland, and our rapture was doubled on finding that she was laden
entirely with provisions for our use. Full allowance, and general
congratulation, immediately took place. This ship had left Falmouth
on the preceding 20th of January, and completed her passage exactly in
five months*. She had staid at Madeira one day, and four at Sao Tiago,
from which last place she had steered directly for New South Wales,
neglecting Rio de Janeiro on her right, and the Cape of Good Hope on her left;
and notwithstanding the immense tract of ocean she had passed, brought
her crew without sickness into harbour. When the novelty and boldness
of such an attempt shall be recollected, too much praise, on the spirit
and activity of Mr. Maitland, cannot be bestowed.
[*Accident only prevented her from making it in eighteen days less,
for she was then in sight of the harbour's mouth, when an unpropitious gale
of wind blew her off. Otherwise she would have reached us one day sooner
than the 'Lady Juliana'. It is a curious circumstance, that these two ships
had sailed together from the river Thames, one bound to Port Jackson,
and the other bound to Jamaica. The Justinian carried her cargo to the last
mentioned place, landed it; and loaded afresh with sugars, which she returned
with, and delivered in London. She was then hired as a transport, reladen,
and sailed for New South Wales. Let it be remembered, that no material
accident had happened to either vessel. But what will not zeal
and diligence accomplish!]
Good fortune continued to befriend us. Before the end of the month,
three more transports, having on board two companies of the
New South Wales corps, arrived to add to our society. These ships also brought
out a large body of convicts, whose state and sufferings will be best
estimated by the following return.
Names of No. of people No. of persons who died No. landed sick
Ships embarked on the passage at Port Jackson
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Neptune 530 163 269
N.B. Of those landed sick, one hundred and twenty-four died
in the hospital at Sydney.
On our passage from England, which had lasted more than eight months
and with nearly an equal number of persons, only twenty-four had died,
and not thirty were landed sick. The difference can be accounted for,
only by comparing the manner in which each fleet was fitted out and conducted.
With us the provisions, served on board, were laid in by a contractor,
who sent a deputy to serve them out; and it became a part of duty for the
officers of the troops to inspect their quality, and to order that every one
received his just proportion. Whereas, in the fleet now arrived,
the distribution of provisions rested entirely with the masters of the
merchantmen, and the officers were expressly forbidden to interfere
in any shape farther about the convicts than to prevent their escape.
Seventeen pounds, in full of all expense, was the sum paid by the public
for the passage of each person. And this sum was certainly competent
to afford fair profit to the merchant who contracted. But there is reason
to believe, that some of those who were employed to act for him, violated
every principle of justice, and rioted on the spoils of misery, for want of
a controlling power to check their enormities. No doubt can be entertained,
that a humane and liberal government will interpose its authority, to prevent
the repetition of such flagitious conduct.
Although the convicts had landed from these ships with every mark of meagre
misery, yet it was soon seen, that a want of room, in which more conveniences
might have been stowed for their use, had not caused it. Several of the
masters of the transports immediately opened stores, and exposed large
quantities of goods to sale, which, though at most extortionate prices,
were eagerly bought up.
Such was the weakly state of the new corners, that for several weeks
little real benefit to the colony was derived from so great a nominal addition
to our number. However, as fast as they recovered, employment was immediately
assigned to them. The old hours of labour, which had been reduced
in our distress, were re-established, and the most vigorous measures adopted
to give prosperity to the settlement. New buildings were immediately planned,
and large tracts of ground, at Rose-hill, ordered to be cleared, and prepared
for cultivation. Some superintendents who had arrived in the fleet,
and were hired by government for the purpose of overlooking and directing
the convicts, were found extremely serviceable in accelerating the progress
of improvement.
July, 1790. This month was marked by nothing worth communication,
except a melancholy accident which befell a young gentleman of amiable
character (one of the midshipmen lately belonging to the 'Sirius')
and two marines. He was in a small boat, with three marines, in the harbour,
when a whale was seen near them. Sensible of their danger, they used
every effort to avoid the cause of it, by rowing in a contrary direction
from that which the fish seemed to take, but the monster suddenly arose
close to them, and nearly filled the boat with water. By exerting themselves,
they baled her out, and again steered from it. For some time it was not seen,
and they conceived themselves safe, when, rising immediately under the boat,
it lifted her to the height of many yards on its back, whence slipping off,
she dropped as from a precipice, and immediately filled and sunk.
The midshipman and one of the marines were sucked into the vortex which
the whale had made, and disappeared at once.
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