Two Voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land

by Thomas Reid

As this appears to me matter of much concern to the mercantile and shipping interest, and as it involves much of the security and comfort of the convict service, I would willingly pursue its further discussion to an extent commensurate with its importance, but for the present must defer that subject, and pass to others of more immediate consideration. Another circumstance, however, regarding the behaviour of the military placed over the convicts to maintain order, and prevent any attempt at violence, is of such a nature that it cannot escape remark.

The relative situation of the guards and their prisoners, as to their opportunities of conversation, being placed in immediate contact with each other throughout the voyage, makes it extremely necessary to watch the slightest communication that may take place between them, or in which either of them may be concerned. The serious consequences, arising at first probably from some insignificant affair, might have been easily prevented, had a due discretion been employed in time; but from a neglect undeserving of exculpation, or in a false security, the evil may be allowed to proceed,—the mischief at length becomes very serious.

It has been customary, doubtless originating in mere indulgence, to give an allowance of spirits, most commonly rum, to the soldiers on duty in convict ships: by referring to the scheme given in a former chapter, this quantity will be found half a pint per diem to each man. In merchant ships there is no stipulation, it seems, for seamen to receive any such allowance: in this branch of service at least, although usually given for particular services of hardship or hazard performed, it is always in the Master’s power to withhold this favour at discretion, or, in the sailor’s phrase, “to stop his grog,” in case of neglect or disobedience.

Sobriety has at all times been strictly insisted on with soldiers; and it seems somewhat problematical to understand how a quantity of spirits, admitted only to be necessary under the severities of a campaign, can be deemed equally so, allowing it so to be, to a soldier on board a ship, surrounded with every accommodation, and furnished with a plentiful supply of food. It cannot be even imagined, without violating probability, that a man of previously sober habits can be as steady a guardian of propriety of conduct with half a pint of maddening spirits hurrying through his veins, and running away with his reason, as when full of cool determination, and awake in his sobriety to the duties assigned him. A sentinel is quite a different man when intoxicated or sober: the one will break his duty, and his officer’s head; and afterwards get sorry and repent of what he has done; but the other will do nothing unbecoming the character of his proper duty.

Were the evil to be limited to the soldiers, even reflection, or some of the repressing passions, might in some degree operate as an antidote against the consequences of intoxication: an apprehension of incurring the displeasure of their officer might also prevent an abuse of this indulgence. It is not, however, considered enough that this ill-directed allowance should be given to the soldiers on duty, in “the hour of honour stirring watch;” the women, forsooth, must be taken care of in the same way, and the effects may be easily foreseen.

The married females permitted to accompany their husbands on board of convict ships, and the women of choice, whom the laxity of public morals permits to take the name of wives, are indulged with spirits in half the proportion given to the men; and the children belonging to them are besides allowed one half the quantity of the women: so that the latter, who are careful to be store-keepers to their infants, (for the youngest baby is allowed the same as those children grown strong in years,) can easily appropriate to their individual use every day a quantity of spirits only one fourth less than what is permitted to be consumed by the men; and if she happen to have several children, the expenditure will be enormous.

Imagination can scarcely form such a picture as one of these females when indulged with this immoderate supply of spirits. In a word, one of these women gets drunk, dead drunk, and is harmless only until the first effects of the narcotic poison have subsided, and then—But in honour to the sex, and out of respect to delicacy which virtue only knows, I shall forbear a description. Scenes which I have been compelled to witness in this way might lead to a minuteness of delineation, to do them justice in all their exquisite loathsomeness, as neither the eye of the reader could bear to scan, nor would recital produce aught but disgust and distress.

Few mothers could avoid shuddering to see such a female lay her infant baby across her lap, and pour the liquid poison, (rum) into the poor thing’s vitals, continuing that diabolical nursing until the nerves of the unconscious and miserable child are incapable of sensation, and it drops senseless from the hands of its inhuman parent. The counterpart to such a monstrous picture, which also is unfortunately, like that, too often true, is that of the husband, who meantime mounts guard in his turn, having very probably just partaken of the deleterious draught with his spouse, with whom he has had, perhaps, quite sufficient bickering to set his bad passions at work, and in a disposition to be quarrelsome.

There is little of cordiality generally between a soldier and a sailor. The wife of the soldier under the stimulus of drink, is in the way of the sailor’s ready joke; willing or unwilling to understand or seem to hear it, the pride of this Lucretia takes fire, easily no doubt when in that situation; she announces herself the wife of a soldier, and a man—one who is able to take her part, and knows how to defend his wife:—with such sentiments and expressions, the husband becomes infuriated against the sailor, and quarrels are every now and then produced.

I wish I could stop here to avoid exposing the shameless want of reserve with these women towards the sailors. Those occurrences almost entirely are to be attributed to that unwise use of spirits. From this erroneous indulgence I am perfectly convinced that all the evils alluded to arise: the consequences, if placed fully before the authority that permits the custom, must excite those conclusions which will ensure its recall. I am unwilling to acknowledge it, but must however declare, that on every occasion wherein a misunderstanding has occurred on board the Neptune, during this voyage, its origin could be instantly traced to the mischief or jealous disposition of those troublesome, drunken frail ones.