Volume I Part 3 (1/2)

September.] Preparations were now making for putting to sea; and on Sat.u.r.day the 1st of September, having appointed to sail on the Monday following, the governor, lieutenant-governor, and other officers, waited upon and took leave of the viceroy, who expressed himself in the handsomest terms at their departure.

During their stay in this port of refreshment, the convicts were each served daily with a pound of rice and a pound and an half of fresh meat (beef), together with a suitable proportion of vegetables. Great numbers of oranges were at different times distributed among them, and every possible care was taken to refresh and put them into a state of health and condition to resist the attacks of the scurvy, should it make its appearance in the long pa.s.sage over the ocean which was yet between them and New South Wales. The Reverend Mr. Johnson gave also his full share of attention to their welfare, performing divine service on board two of the transports every Sunday of their stay in port.

We were unluckily not in season for any other of the fruits of this country than oranges and bananas; but these were truly delicious, and amply compensated, both in quant.i.ty and quality, for the want of others.

Some few guavas, and a pine-apple or two, were purchased; but we were informed that their flavour then, and when in perfection, was not to be compared. Vegetables (which were brought from the opposite sh.o.r.e) were in great plenty. The beef was small and lean, and sold at about two-pence halfpenny _per_ pound: mutton was in proportion still smaller, and poultry dear, but not ill-tasted. The marketplace was contiguous to the palace.

On the evening of Sunday the 2nd of September, a Portuguese boat, just at the close of the day, after once or twice rowing round the _Sirius_, dropped a soldier of the island on board, who, it appeared from his own account, had been for five or six days absent from his duty, and dreading perhaps to return, or perhaps wis.h.i.+ng to change his situation, requested that he might be received on board, and permitted to sail to New Holland with Captain Phillip; who, however, not choosing to comply with his request, caused him to be immediately conveyed on sh.o.r.e in one of the s.h.i.+p's boats; but with great humanity permitted him to be landed wherever he thought he might chance to escape un.o.bserved, and have an opportunity of returning to his duty.

An officer was this day sent to signify Captain Phillip's intention of saluting the forts when he took his departure, which would be the following morning, and presuming that an equal number of guns would be fired in return. The viceroy answered, that no mark of attention or respect should on his part be omitted that might testify his esteem for Captain Phillip, and the high sense he entertained of the decorum observed by those under his command during their stay in that port.

The land-wind not blowing on Monday morning, all idea of sailing was given up for that day. In the afternoon the signal was made for unmooring, and for all boats to cease communication with the sh.o.r.e.

At day-break the following morning the harbour-master came on board the _Sirius_, and, a light land breeze favouring her departure, took charge of that s.h.i.+p over the bar; the _Supply_ and convoy getting under sail, and following her out of the bay. When the _Sirius_ arrived nearly abreast of the fort of Santa Cruz, it was saluted with twenty-one guns; a marked compliment paid by the viceroy to Captain Phillip, who immediately returned it with the like number of guns. Shortly after this the harbour-master left the s.h.i.+p, taking with him Mr. Morton, the master of the _Sirius_, who from ill health was obliged to return to England in the _Diana_, a whaler, which was lying here on our arrival. By this gentleman were sent the public and private letters of the fleet.

The land-breeze carrying us clear of the islands in the offing, the _Supply_ was sent to speak a s.h.i.+p that was perceived at some little distance ahead, and which proved to be a s.h.i.+p from Oporto. By her we learned that the viceroy was superseded in his government, and it was imagined that his successor was standing into the harbour in a royal yacht which we then saw under the land. Toward evening it fell calm, and the islands and high land were still in sight. The calm continued during the greatest part of the following day; but toward evening a light and favourable breeze sprung up, which enabled us to cross the tropic of Capricorn, and bend our course toward the Cape of Good Hope.

On the night of Friday the 7th we had heavy squalls of rain, thunder, and lightning. From that time until the 1lth the wind was rather unfavourable; but s.h.i.+fting to the northward on that day, it blew during the two following in strong gales, with squalls of heavy rain, attended with much sea.

These strong gales having, on Friday the 14th, terminated in a calm, Lieutenant Shortland, the day following, reported to the commanding officer, that there were eleven soldiers sick on board the _Alexander_ and five or six convicts on board the _Charlotte_. The calm continued until the 16th, when a favourable breeze sprung up; but those s.h.i.+ps of the fleet which could sail were prevented from making the most of the fair wind, by the _Lady Penrhyn_ transport and others, which were inattentive, and did not make sail in proper time.

On the 19th the wind was fresh, and frequently blew in squalls, attended with rain. In one of these squalls the _Charlotte_ suddenly hove-to, a convict having fallen overboard; the man, however, was drowned. Our weather was at this time extremely cold; and the wind, which had for some days been unfavourable, s.h.i.+fting on the 22nd, we again looked towards the Cape. At one o'clock the next morning it came on to blow very hard, accompanied with a great sea; we had nevertheless the satisfaction to observe that the convoy appeared to get on very well, though some of them rolled prodigiously. This gale continued with very little variation until the morning of the 28th, when it moderated for a few hours, and s.h.i.+fted round to the SE. It now again blew in fresh gales, attended with much rain and sea. But a calm succeeding all this violence shortly after, on Sunday morning the 30th the weather was sufficiently clear to admit of some alt.i.tudes being taken for the time-keeper, when our longitude was found to be 3 degrees 04 minutes.

October.] Thence to the 4th of October both wind and weather were very uncertain, the wind sometimes blowing in light airs, very little differing from a calm, with clear skies; at others, in fresh breezes, with rain. On the 4th, Captain Phillip was informed that thirty of the convicts on board of the _Charlotte_ were 111; some of them, as it was feared, dangerously. To render this information still more unpleasant, the wind was foul during the two succeeding days.

In the forenoon of Sat.u.r.day the 6th, four seamen of the _Alexander_ transport were sent on board the _Sirius_, under a charge of having entered into a conspiracy to release some of the prisoners while the s.h.i.+p should be at the Cape of Good Hope, and of having provided those people with instruments for breaking into the fore-hold of the s.h.i.+p (which had been done, and some provisions stolen thereout). The four seamen were ordered to remain in the _Sirius_, a like number of her people being sent in lieu of them on board the transport.

On Thursday the 11th, by an alt.i.tude of the sun taken that morning, the fleet was found to be in the longitude of 15 degrees 35 minutes E at which time there was an unfavourable change of the wind, and the sick on board the _Charlotte_ were not decreasing in number.

On the next day, as it was judged from the information given by the time-keeper that we were drawing nigh the land, the _Supply_ was sent forward to make it; but it was not seen until the following morning.

At noon on the 13th the _Supply_ was sent to instruct the sternmost s.h.i.+ps of the convoy in what direction they should keep to enter the bay; and about four in the afternoon, the harbour-master getting on board the _Sirius_, that s.h.i.+p was brought safely to an anchor in Table Bay, the convoy doing the same before dark; having crossed over from one Continent to the other, a distance of upwards of eleven hundred leagues, in the short s.p.a.ce of five weeks and four days, fortunately without separation, or any accident having happened to the fleet.

Immediately on our anchoring, an officer from the _Sirius_ was sent on sh.o.r.e to the governor, who politely promised us every a.s.sistance in his power; and at sun-rise the next morning the _Sirius_ saluted the garrison with thirteen guns, which were returned by an equal number from the fort.

From the great uncertainty of always getting readily on sh.o.r.e from the bay, and the refreshments found at the Cape of Good Hope being so necessary after, and so well adapted to the fatigues and disorders consequent on a long voyage, we found it a custom with most strangers on their arrival to take up their abode in the town, with some one or other of the inhabitants, who would for two rix-dollars (eight s.h.i.+llings of English money) or a ducatoon (six s.h.i.+llings English) per week, provide very good lodgings, and a table amply furnished with the best meats, vegetables, and fruits which could be procured at the Cape. This custom was, as far as the nature of our service would admit, complied with by several officers from the s.h.i.+ps; and, on the second day after our arrival, Captain Phillip, with the princ.i.p.al officers of the navy and settlement, proceeded to the government-house in the Company's garden, where they were introduced to Mr. Van de Graaf (the governor, for the Dutch East India Company, of this place and its dependencies) and by him politely received.

With a requisition made by Captain Phillip of a certain quant.i.ty of flour and corn, the governor expressed his apprehensions of being unable to comply, as the Cape had been very lately visited by that worst of scourges--a famine, which had been most severely felt by every family in the town, his own not excepted. This was a calamity which the settlement had never before experienced, and was to be ascribed rather to bad management of, than any failure in, the late crops. Measures were however taking to guard, as much as human precaution could guard, against such a misfortune in future; and magazines were erecting for the reception of grain on the public account, which had never been found necessary until fatal experience had suggested them. Captain Phillip's request was to be laid before the Council, without whose concurrence in such a business the governor could not act, and an answer was promised with all convenient dispatch. This answer, however, did not arrive until the 23rd, when Captain Phillip was informed that every article which he had demanded was ordered to be furnished.

November.] In the meantime the s.h.i.+ps of the fleet had struck their yards and topmasts (a precaution always necessary here to guard against the violence of the south-east wind, which had been often known to drive s.h.i.+ps out of the bay) and began filling their water. On board of the _Sirius_ and some of the transports, the carpenters were employed in fitting up stalls for the reception of the cattle that was to be taken hence as stock for the intended colony at New South Wales. These were not ready until the 8th of the next month, November, on which day, 1 bull, 1 bull-calf, 7 cows, 1 stallion, 3 mares, and 3 colts, together with as great a number of rams, ewes, goats, boars, and breeding sows, as room could be provided for, were embarked in the different s.h.i.+ps, the bulls and cows on board the _Sirius_, the horses on board the _Lady Penrhyn_; the remainder were put into the _Fishbourn_ store-s.h.i.+p and _Friends.h.i.+p_ transport.

Shortly after our arrival in the bay, a soldier belonging to the Swiss regiment of Muron, quartered here, swam off from his post and came on board one of the transports, requesting to be permitted to proceed in her to New South Wales; but, as an agreement had been mutually entered into between the Dutch and English commanders, that deserters in the service of, or subjects of either nation, should be given up, Captain Phillip sent him on sh.o.r.e, previously obtaining a promise of his pardon from the regiment.

On the 9th the watering of the fleet being completed, corn and hay for the stock, and flour, wine, and spirits for the settlement, being all on board, preparations were made for putting to sea, and on the 10th the signal was made to unmoor.

The convicts while in this port had been served, men and women, with one pound and an half of soft bread each _per diem_; a pound of fresh beef, or mutton, and three quarters of a pound for each child, together with a liberal allowance of vegetables.

While in this harbour, as at Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Johnson, the chaplain, preached on board two of the transports every Sunday; and we had the satisfaction to see the prisoners all wear the appearance of perfect health on their being about to quit this port, the last whereat any refreshment was to be expected before their arrival in New South Wales.

As it was earnestly wished to introduce the fruits of the Cape into the new settlement, Captain Phillip was ably a.s.sisted in his endeavours to procure the rarest and the best of every species, both in plant and seed, by Mr. Mason, the king's botanist, whom we were so fortunate as to meet with here, as well as by Colonel Gordon, the commander in chief of the troops at this place; a gentleman whose thirst for natural knowledge amply qualified him to be of service to us, not only in procuring a great variety of the best seeds and plants, but in pointing out the culture, the soil, and the proper time of introducing them into the ground.