a complete account of the settlement-第11章

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ass；　my　hopes　were　realized。　　My　next　door　neighbour；　a　brother…officer；　was　with　me；　but　we　could　not　speak。　　We　wrung　each　other　by　the　hand；　with　eyes　and　hearts　overflowing。

Finding　that　the　governor　intended　to　go　immediately　in　his　boat　down　the　harbour；　I　begged　to　be　of　his　party。

As　we　proceeded；　the　object　of　our　hopes　soon　appeared：　　a　large　ship；　with　English　colours　flying；　working　in；　between　the　heads　which　form　the　entrance　of　the　harbour。　　The　tumultuous　state　of　our　minds　represented　her　in　danger；　and　we　were　in　agony。　　Soon　after；　the　governor；　having　ascertained　what　she　was；　left　us；　and　stepped　into　a　fishing　boat　to　return　to　Sydney。　The　weather　was　wet　and　tempestuous　but　the　body　is　delicate　only　when　the　soul　is　at　ease。　　We　pushed　through　wind　and　rain；　the　anxiety　of　our　sensations　every　moment　redoubling。　　At　last　we　read　the　word　'London'　on　her　stern。　　〃Pull　away；　my　lads！　　She　is　from　Old　England！　　A　few　strokes　more；　and　we　shall　be　aboard！　　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'。

＇*These　words　bring　to　my　mind　an　anecdote；　which；　though　rather　out　of　place；　I　shall　offer　no　apology　for　introducing。　　Among　other　inquiries；　we　were　anxious　to　learn　whether　M。　de　la　Peyrouse；　with　the　two　ships　under　his　command；　bound　on　a　voyage　of　discovery；　had　arrived　in　France。　We　heard　with　concern；　that　no　accounts　of　them　had　been　received；　since　they　had　left　Botany　Bay；　in　March；　1788。　　I　remember　when　they　were　at　that　place；　one　day　conversing　with　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrouse；　about　the　best　method　of　treating　savage　people；　〃Sir〃　said　he；　〃I　have　sometimes　been　compelled　to　commit　hostilities　upon　them；　but　never　without　suffering　the　most　poignant　regret；　for；　independent　of　my　own　feelings　on　the　occasion；　his　Majesty's　（Louis　XVI）　last　words　to　me；　de　sa　propre　bouche；　when　I　took　leave　of　him　at　Versailles；　were：　　'It　is　my　express　injunction；　that　you　always　treat　the　Indian　nations　with　kindness　and　humanity。　Gratify　their　wishes；　and　never；　but　in　a　case　of　the　last　necessity；　when　self…defence　requires　it；　shed　human　blood。'　　Are　these　the　sentiments　of　a　tyrant；　of　a　sanguinary　and　perfidious　man？〃

A　general　thanksgiving　to　Almighty　God；　for　his　Majesty's　recovery；　and　happy　restoration　to　his　family　and　subjects；　was　ordered　to　be　offered　up　on　the　following　Wednesday；　when　all　public　labour　was　suspended；　and　every　person　in　the　settlement　attended　at　church；　where　a　sermon；　suited　to　an　occasion；　at　once　so　full　of　gratitude　and　solemnity；　was　preached　by　the　Reverend　Richard　Johnson；　chaplain　of　the　colony。

All　the　officers　were　afterwards　entertained　at　dinner　by　the　governor。　And　in　the　evening；　an　address　to　his　excellency；　expressive　of　congratulation　and　loyalty；　was　agreed　upon；　and　in　two　days　after　was　presented；　and　very　graciously　received。

The　following　invitation　to　the　non…commissioned　officers　and　private　soldiers　of　the　marine　battalion；　was　also　about　this　time　published。


In　consequence　of　the　assurance　that　was　given　to　the　non…commissioned　officers　and　men　belonging　to　the　battalion　of　marines；　on　their　embarking　for　the　service　of　this　country；　that　such　of　them　as　should　behave　well；　would　be　allowed　to　quit　the　service；　on　their　return　to　England；　or　be　discharged　abroad；　upon　the　relief　taking　place；　and　permitted　to　settle　in　the　country　His　Majesty　has　been　graciously　pleased　to　direct　the　following　encouragement　to　be　held　up　to　such　non…commissioned　officers　and　privates；　as　may　be　disposed　to　become　settlers　in　this　country；　or　in　any　of　the　islands　comprised　within　the　government　of　the　continent　of　New　South　Wales；　on　the　arrival　of　the　corps　raised　and　intended　for　the　service　of　this　colony；　and　for　their　relief；　viz：

To　every　non…commissioned　officer；　an　allotment　of　one　hundred　and　thirty　acres　of　land；　if　single；　and　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　acres；　if　married。　　To　every　private　soldier；　an　allotment　of　eighty　acres；　if　single；　and　of　one　hundred　acres　if　married；　and　also　an　allotment　of　ten　acres　for　every　child；　whether　of　a　non…commissioned　officer；　or　of　a　private　soldier。　These　allotments　will　be　free　of　all　fines；　taxes；　quit…rents；　and　other　acknowledgments；　for　the　space　of　ten　years；　but　after　the　expiration　of　that　period；　will　be　subject　to　an　annual　quit…rent　of　one　shilling　for　every　fifty　acres。

His　Majesty　has　likewise　been　farther　pleased　to　signify　his　royal　will　and　pleasure；　that　a　bounty　of　three　pounds　be　offered　to　each　non…commissioned　officer　and　soldier；　who　may　be　disposed　to　continue　in　this　country；　and　enlist　in　the　corps　appointed　for　the　service　of　New　South　Wales；　with　a　farther　assurance；　that　in　case　of　a　proper　demeanour　on　their　part；　they　shall；　after　a　farther　service　of　five　years；　be　entitled　to　double　the　former　portion　of　land；　provided　they　then　choose　to　become　settlers　in　the　country；　free　of　all　taxes；　fines；　and　quit…rents；　for　the　space　of　fifteen　years；　but　after　that　time；　to　be　subject　to　the　beforementioned　annual　quit…rent　of　one　shilling　for　every　fifty　acres。

And　as　a　farther　encouragement　to　those　men　who　may　be　desirous　to　become　settlers；　and　continue　in　the　country；　his　Majesty　has　been　likewise　pleased　to　direct；　that　every　man　shall；　on　being　discharged；　receive　out　of　the　public　store；　a　portion　of　clothing　and　provisions；　sufficient　for　his　support　for　one　year；　together　with　a　suitable　quantity　of　seeds；　grain；　etc。　for　the　tillage　of　the　land；　and　a　portion　of　tools　and　implements　of　agriculture；　proper　for　their　use。　　And　whenever　any　man；　who　may　become　a　settler；　can　maintain；　feed；　and　clothe；　such　number　of　convicts　as　may　be　judged　necessary　by　the　governor；　for　the　time　being；　to　assist　him　in　clearing　and　cultivating　the　land；　the　service　of　such　convicts　shall　be　assigned　to　him。


We　were　joyfully　surprised　on　the　20th　of　the　month　to　see　another　sail　enter　the　harbour。　　She　proved　to　be　the　Justinian　transport；　commanded　by　Captain　Maitland；　and　our　rapture　was　doubled　on　finding　that　she　was　laden　entirely　with　provisions　for　our　use。　　Full　allowance；　and　general　congratulation；　immediately　took　place。　　This　ship　had　left　Falmouth　on　the　preceding　20th　of　January；　and　completed　her　passage　exactly　in　five　months*。　　She　had　staid　at　Madeira　one　day；　and　four　at　Sao　Tiago；　from　which　last　place　she　had　steered　directly　for　New　South　Wales；　neglecting　Rio　de　Janeiro　on　her　right；　and　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　on　her　left；　and　notwithstanding　the　immense　tract　of　ocean　she　had　passed；　brought　her　crew　without　sickness　into　harbour。　　When　the　novelty　and　bol