Hurrah For A Bellyfull, And News From
Our Friends!" Such Were Our Exhortations To The Boat's Crew.
A few minutes completed our wishes, and we found ourselves on board
the 'Lady Juliana' transport, with two hundred and twenty-five of our
countrywomen whom crime or misfortune had condemned to exile.
We learned
that they had been almost eleven months on their passage, having left Plymouth,
into which port they had put in July, 1789. We continued to ask a thousand
questions on a breath. Stimulated by curiosity, they inquired in turn;
but the right of being first answered, we thought, lay on our side.
"Letters, letters!" was the cry. They were produced, and torn open
in trembling agitation. News burst upon us like meridian splendor
on a blind man. We were overwhelmed with it: public, private, general,
and particular. Nor was it until some days had elapsed, that we were able
to methodise it, or reduce it into form. We now heard for the first time
of our sovereign's illness, and his happy restoration to health.
The French revolution of 1789, with all the attendant circumstances
of that wonderful and unexpected event, succeeded to amaze us*. Now, too,
the disaster which had befallen the 'Guardian', and the liberal and enlarged plan
on which she had been stored and fitted out by government for our use,
was promulged. It served also, in some measure, to account why we had not
sooner heard from England. For had not the 'Guardian' struck on an island
of ice, she would probably have reached us three months before, and in this
case have prevented the loss of the 'Sirius', although she had sailed
from England three months after the 'Lady Juliana'.
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