17%'* to- them, and thereby defeat .-the intention of Govern*
M*cch:, tnent.
The return of the poft brought me an anfwer; and like*
wife an oidef )& the»! G^ntraftor for fupplyihg'fhe marines
and convicts daily with frefti beef .and vegetables^cwhile in
port. A fimilar order I.fotmd had been given long Before
tny arrival j but, by TameJftrange: miftake or ©thef^ had ' not
been complied with.j.? TheTalutary.riFeftdf this change of
diet, with the addition o f feme Wine and other .heGeffairies
ordered for the fick,. through the humanity of Lord Sydney,
manifefted hfelf fa &ddenfyjfthat in: therfpace; p f> fortnight,
on comparing my lift of'fiek with, that, o f a fur-geon
belonging to bneiof.the guardfhips,3 allowing, .fer_tbe; difpror
portiom; o f numbers, mine did notexceed His^f And jtetj-.rfot-
withftanding this, which is' a well known fad, therqport of a
moft malignant difeafe ftill prevailed: and fojhduftrioufly.was
the report promulgated and kept alive, by Tom,p eyiLminded
people, who either wifhed to throw ;an odium on the humane
promoters of the plan, or to give une;afinefs- to; the friends
and relations of thbfe; engaged in the expedition, that-fetters
-Train all quarters were pouring iii, upOn u s ,' cpmmiferating
©ur ftate. The newfpapers Were .'daily filled with.alarming
accounts
9
^count's-èfi;the fatality^that prevailed among us; and thé 1.787.
rumour1 became-'general,; -notwitHfianding' every ftep was March,
taken to ' remove the'fe-Tears,' by affurances (iwhich were
'ftriéUy tfuë) that the whole fleet was in as, good a ftate of
health, and’’as?Tew in i f would be found to be ill, at that
cold -fëafon' óf the year, as éven in the moft healthy fituation
bn fhore.- The .cleareft téftirtiony that there was more ma*
'4'igpity in the report than in the difeafe,! may-be deduced,
ffom’fché very inconftderable number that have died fince wc
left England-; which I may fafely venture tó fay is much
lefs than’ eyCr Was known m-fiqdohg(:axVQyagë. (the.numbers
being proportionate),’ éven though not labouring under the
difad vantages. We- Were fa'bjech ’ to, and1 the: crowded ftate we
were in.
During thé abfè&ge' of-Captain^FHillip, Lmeiitionéd to
Captain Hunter'*>£ the’ Sirius;, that I thought whitewashing
with »q^uiok lime' the spirts of the :fhips where thé cohvi&st
Wéte Confined; •‘ Would be .thé ! means.‘imf cbfreding and
préveiïimg." that, unwhofeferhe dampneft .which ufually ~ap*
pfeared 06. the beam’s and fixfe;s,.oft the fhip's, 'ahd‘ was bcea*!
«fiofféd b y <the breath of the people.! Captain Hunter agreed
With me on the propriety'of the ftep: and witfethat obligy 1 1 Hi c ing