A Narrative Of The Expedition To Botany Bay By Watkin Tench























































































































 - 


The marines and convicts having been previously embarked in the River,
at Portsmouth, and Plymouth, the whole fleet destined for - Page 3
A Narrative Of The Expedition To Botany Bay By Watkin Tench - Page 3 of 90 - First - Home

Enter page number    Previous Next

Number of Words to Display Per Page: 250 500 1000

The Marines And Convicts Having Been Previously Embarked In The River, At Portsmouth, And Plymouth, The Whole Fleet Destined For The Expedition Rendezvoused At The Mother Bank, On The 16th Of March 1787, And Remained There Until The 13th Of May Following.

In this period, excepting a slight appearance of contagion in one of the transports, the ships were universally healthy, and the prisoners in high spirits.

Few complaints or lamentations were to be heard among them, and an ardent wish for the hour of departure seemed generally to prevail.

As the reputation, equally with the safety of the officers and soldiers appointed to guard the convicts, consisted in maintaining due subordination, an opportunity was taken, immediately on their being embarked, to convince them, in the most pointed terms, that any attempt on their side, either to contest the command, or to force their escape, should be punished with instant death; orders to this effect were given to the centinels in their presence; happily, however, for all parties, there occurred not any instance in which there was occasion to have recourse to so desperate a measure; the behavior of the convicts being in general humble, submissive, and regular: indeed I should feel myself wanting in justice to those unfortunate men, were I not to bear this public testimony of the sobriety and decency of their conduct.

Unpleasant as a state of inactivity and delay for many weeks appeared to us, it was not without its advantages; for by means of it we were enabled to establish necessary regulations among the convicts, and to adopt such a system of defence, as left us little to Apprehend for our own security, in case a spirit of madness and desperation had hurried them on to attempt our destruction.

Enter page number   Previous Next
Page 3 of 90
Words from 521 to 815 of 24415


Previous 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next

More links: First 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Last

Display Words Per Page: 250 500 1000

 
Africa (29)
Asia (27)
Europe (59)
North America (58)
Oceania (24)
South America (8)
 

List of Travel Books RSS Feeds

Africa Travel Books RSS Feed

Asia Travel Books RSS Feed

Europe Travel Books RSS Feed

North America Travel Books RSS Feed

Oceania Travel Books RSS Feed

South America Travel Books RSS Feed

Copyright © 2005 - 2022 Travel Books Online