1790 31 July Governor- days before the liquor takes effect. The town is built on them very low ground; but at some distance inland are very high mountains. There is but one remarkable building here, which is a church that has a cupola of a tollerable height, which is seen from sea before the land on which it stands. Batavia is surrounded with a wall, so that you must pass the gates, at which stands a guard, before you can get into the city. The Governor-General of India (sic) resides here; he has a council which is called Edile, and any person who meets one of the Council, although he is in his coach, is obliged to stop and rise from his seat and make his obedience ; and when they pass the Governor they must not only stop, but come out of their coach while he passes; and no coach whatever is allowed to pass his, let the business be ever so urgent. I have not time to give you so full an account of this place as I could wish, as the packet sails much sooner than I expected, and I am the only person left on board the Supply to get her ready for sea, as Mr. Ball is always on shore, and the master sick. We have got A transport a brigg of about three hundred tons, and I expect to go to sea in engaged. her in about a fortnight. The Supply sails before me. I expect to be at Port Jackson about the latter end of September, and shall most likely be in England in about twelve months from this time, and I shall go in the first vessel that sails after my arrival. You may suppose my anxiety to return to Port Jackson is very great, as we have heard of vessels leaving the Cape bound there. It was a very unfortunate thing for us the loss of the Guardian; he* was certainly very far to the southward, but his reasons, I suppose, are best known to himself. I have sent you a slight sketch of the harbour at Botany Bay and Port Jackson. I had them all compleat to send to you, but they were lost in the Sirius, together with a very valuable collection of birds, which cost me a great deal of trouble. Love and compliments, &c., &c., NEWTON FOwell. Loss of sketches,&c. Fleet. Mr. King sails to-morrow at daylight. THE REV. R. JOHNSON TO MR. THORNTON, † [Extract.] The Second THE Lady Juliana brought out from England two hundred and twenty-six women convicts, out of which she had only buried five, though they had been on board for about fifteen months. The case was much otherwise with the other three ships. *Lieut. Riou, commander of the vessel. The Rev. R. Johnson, first chaplain of the settlement, wrote a letter to Mr. Thornton, describing the condition of the convicts on board the vessels of the Second Fleet. Although not official, it has been considered worthy of a place in the records. The statements contained in it are confirmed by the despatches of Governor Phillip and the reports of the naval and military officers. The letter is undated, but it must have been written about July, 1790. The short calculation or account given me will account for what I am going to relate. condition of the convicts. thrown into the harbour, creatures. Have been on board these different ships. Was first on board the Surprize. Went down amongst the convicts, where I beheld a sight truly shocking to the feelings of humanity, a great number Shocking of them laying, some half and others nearly quite naked, without either bed or bedding, unable to turn or help themselves. Spoke to them as I passed along, but the smell was so offensive that I could scarcely bear it. I then went on board the Scarborough ; proposed to go down amongst them, but was disuaded from it by the captain. The Neptune was still more wretched and intolerable, and therefore never attempted it. Some of these unhappy people died after the ships came into the harbour, before they could be taken on shore-part of these had been thrown into the harbour, Bodies and their dead bodies cast upon the shore, and were seen laying naked upon the rocks. Took an occasion to represent this to his Excellency, in consequence of which immediate orders were sent on board that those who died on board should be carried to the opposite north shore and be buried. The landing of these people was truly affecting and shocking; great numbers were not able to Helpless walk, nor to move hand or foot; such were slung over the ship side in the same manner as they would sling a cask, a box, or anything of that nature. Upon their being brought up to the open air some fainted, some died upon deck, and others in the boat Dying on before they reached the shore. When come on shore many were not able to walk, to stand, or to stir themselves in the least, hence some were led by others. Some creeped upon their hands and knees, and some were carried upon the backs of others. The next thing to be considered was what was to be done with all these miserable objects. Besides the sick that were in the hospital previous to the arrival of the fleet, there were now landed not less than four hundred and eighty-six sick; but the hospital erected Nearly 500 here is not sufficient to hold above sixty or eighty at most; what then must be done with the rest? It was fortunate that a new hospital was brought out in the Justinian. set up with all speed; a great number of tents, in all ninety or a hundred, were pitched. In each of these tents there were about four sick people; here they lay in a most deplorable No clothing situation. At first they had nothing to lay upon but the damp ground, many scarcely a rag to cover them. Grass was got for them to lay upon, and a blanket given amongst four of them. Have been amongst them for hours, may say days together, going deck and in the boats. sick. This was A new hospital. for the sick. 1790 July. Trying scenes. Great misery. Serious disorders. from one tent to another, from one person to another, and you may imagine that what I here beheld was not a little affecting. The number landed sick were near five hundred, most at the hospital, and some few dispersed here and there throughout the camp. The misery I saw amongst them is unexpressible; many were not able to turn, or even to stir themselves, and in this situation were covered over almost with their own nastiness, their heads, bodies, cloths, blanket, all full of filth and lice. Scurvy was not the only nor the worst disease that prevailed amongst them (one man I visited this morning, I think, I may say safely had 10,000 lice upon his body and bed); some were exercised with violent fevers, and others with a no less violent purging and flux. The complaints they had to make were no less affecting to the ear than their outward condition was to the eye. The usage they met with on board, according to their own story, was truly shocking; sometimes for days, nay, for a considerable time together, they have been to the middle in water chained together, hand and leg, even the sick not exempted-nay, many died with the chains upon them. Promises, entreaties, were all in vain, and it was not till a very few days before they made the harbour that they were released out of irons. The greatest complaints by far were from those persons who had come in the Neptune. No wonder that they should be so afflicted; no wonder to hear them groaning complaints. and crying and making the most bitter lamentations. Endeav Cruel treatment on board. Bitter to each other. oured to comiserate them under their afflictions, pitied them, encouraged them to hope many of them would soon recover; that every indulgence, every attention would be paid to them; prayed with them, and gave some books amongst those of them that were able to read. You will, perhaps, be astonished when I tell you a little of the villainy of these wretched people. Some would complain they had no jackets, shirts, or trowsers, and begged that I would intercede for them. Some by this means have had two, three, four-nay, one man not less than six different slops given him, Conduct of which he would take an opportunity to sell to some others, and the prisoners then make the same complaints and entreaties. When any of them were near dying, and had something given them as bread or lillipie (flour and water boiled together), or any other necessaries, the person next to him or others would catch the bread, &c., out of his hand, and, with an oath, say that he was going to die, and therefore it would be of no service to him. No sooner would the breath be out of any of their bodies than others would watch The weakest them and strip them entirely naked. Instead of alleviating the distresses of each other, the weakest were sure to go to the wall. In the night-time, which at this time is very cold, and especially this would be felt in the tents, where they had nothing but grass to lay on and a blanket amongst four of them, he that was go to the wall. 1790 July. strongest of the four would take the whole blanket to himself and leave the rest quite naked. These three last ships have now been here about six weeks. In this time you may suppose there have been great alterations among the sick; a good many are so far recovered that they have got to work; a great number have died; have buried not less than eighty-six since they landed- Eighty-six eighty-four convicts, one child, and one soldier. DEVICE FOR SEAL. Court of St. James's, 4 August, 1790. burials. 4 Aug. WHEREAS there was this day read at the Board a report from the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council appointed for the consideration of all matters relating to trade and foreign plantations, dated the 3rd of this instant, humbly offering to his Majesty for his royal approbation the draught of a Great Seal to Great Seal. be made use of within the Government of New South Wales and the islands adjacent in the Pacific Ocean, viz. : : On one side:-Convicts landed at Botany Bay; their fetters Obverse. taken off and received by Industry sitting on a bale of goods with her attributes, the distaff, bee-hive, pick-axe, and spade, pointing to oxen ploughing, the rising habitations, and a church on a hill at a distance, with a fort for their defence. Motto: Sic fortis etruria crevit; with this inscription round the circumference: Sigillum Nov. Camb. Aust. On the reverse:-His Majesty's arms in a shield, with the sup- Reverse. porters; garter and imperial crown, with the motto; and round the circumference his Majesty's titles. approved. His Majesty, taking the said draught of a seal into considera- Seal tion, was pleased, with the advice of his Privy Council, to approve thereof. And his Majesty doth hereby order that his Chief Engraver of Seals do forthwith engrave the said seal, according to the said draught, and lay the same before his Majesty at this Board for his royal approbation. And that the Right Honourable Wm. Wyndham Grenville, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, do cause a warrant to be prepared for his Majesty's royal signature to the said engraver for that purpose. Sir, * GOVERNOR PHILLIP TO UNDER SECRETARY NEPEAN. Sydney, Aug. 6th, 1790. 6 Aug. discharged. Having answered the public letter, by the Justinian, I have only to inform you that all the transports are now discharged Transports from Government employ, except the Neptune, which ship will be discharged in four or five days. Juliana. The Lady Juliana arrived the 3rd of June, was discharged the The Lady 2nd of July, and sailed the 25th for China. * The seal was approved by the King-in-Council, 21st January, 1791. Post, p. 431. 1790 6 Aug. The The The Scarborough and the Neptune. The convicts landed. Number 7 Aug. Disposal of fish. Disputes. Reduced ration. The Justinian arrived the 20th of June, and sailed the 28th of July with provisions for Norfolk Island, after landing of which the master has orders to proceed to Canton, according to the contract made by the Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy with the East India Company. The Surprize arrived the 26th of June, and the convicts being landed, that ship received on board as much provisions as she could stow, with 37 male and 157 female convicts, and sailed for Norfolk Island the 1st of August. After landing the people and provisions the master is at liberty to proceed to China, according to the directions of the owners. The Scarborough and Neptune arrived the 28th of June; the Scarborough was discharged from Government employ the 27th of July, and is now ready to sail for China. All the convicts brought out in the Surprize, Scarborough, and Neptune were landed within nine days after those ships arrived, and the convicts, sent to Norfolk Island in the Surprize, were put on board that ship the day before she sailed, and were victualled for the passage by the Commissary. The number of sick have decreased considerably, the returns of this day being only 220. Deaths since the 27th of June, 89. By his Honour the Lieut.-Governor and Council. WHEREAS by our Order-in-Council, bearing date the 19th of July last, we judged it necessary to forbid the issuing any more salt provisions from the store during the time the birds should continue to be had in such abundance at Mt. Pitt. We do therefore by this order and proclamation direct that during the time and as long as the present scarcity of salt provisions shall continue, that whenever any fish is caught by the boats employed for that purpose, that it shall be served by the storekeeper and his assistant in as equal proportions as can conveniently be done without mangling the fish. And if any dispute shall arise between the storekeeper and the person or persons to be served, such dispute or complaint shall be referred to the decision of two officers (one of the naval and the other of the marine corps), who will attend for that purpose, and their determination shall be final. It is likewise unanimously resolved and ordered from the 7th inst. that the ration of provision is during the present scarcity to consist of two pounds of flour, one pint of rice, and half a pint of callivances [caravances] per week for each person, in addition to what birds or fish may be procured, this being the largest proportion that can possibly be issued until some supply arrives, or until |
