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
Surprise 252 42 121
Scarborough 256 68 96
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1038 273 486
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
