One circumstance, which hitherto escaped my recollection, I shall here introduce as being in some measure connected with the preceding facts. The irregularities arising from a practice the soldiers had of conveying below the spirits they received as their ration, and there bartering them with one another, or with the women, became seriously great: many of the soldiers were observed to be orderly and sober; but in proportion as these were correct, the others and the women were the more drunken and dissolute,—the poisonous beverage having been in the former case not swallowed at all, and in the latter drunk beyond all moderation. An expedient was of necessity adopted, which was found somewhat beneficial in correction of the above improper behaviour. This was, that each soldier was obliged to come to the tub for his allowance of grog, there to remain until he drank it: by this means no unfair transfer of the spirits could take place.

With regard to the women and children, I would recommend a moderate supply of wine to be placed in charge with the Surgeon Superintendent, to be distributed at his discretion, according to their necessities or wants in sickness; this, I will venture to say, will in a great measure put a stop to the evils which now so deplorably exist.

I now revert to the more cheerful task of recording the advancement of the convicts in the paths of order, decency, and religious duty. No occasion was let slip to seize upon every moment when any circumstance presented itself conducive to the main object in view. I read to them regularly every Sunday, and on other suitable days, a sermon selected for the occasion, and adapted as much as possible to the state of existing circumstances; and afterwards generally read the same discourse to the guards and sailors upon deck, as I considered that the surest means of preventing them from making an ill use of such opportunities as they should chance to have of conversing with the prisoners, and therefore maintaining any improper communication. I have much reason to believe that the wholesome moral arguments of Dr. Blair, and other divines whose writings I made use of, carried a degree of lasting conviction to the minds of the prisoners, and that the good impressions were afterwards improved during the moments of reflection.

The boys, too, continued to advance considerably in the reading of the holy scriptures, and the happiest results might be presaged from their assiduity, and their observance of the strict discipline instituted in the school. I had also the heartfelt satisfaction to find that their behaviour, at such hours as they were not engaged in the school, was correct; that the persons whom I had appointed to watch over them reported favourably of them; and, above all, that the unfortunate cause which induced me to separate them from each other no longer existed,—in fact, every trace of it had disappeared. There was a silent submissiveness in their manner, which formed a pleasing contrast to that forwardness and unblushing confidence for which they were before remarkable; nor was an indecent expression, oath, or obscene song, ever heard amongst them.

Many of the convicts continued sickly, and afflicted with chronic diseases, which were often aggravated by the damp occasioned by the heavy working of the ship through high seas and boisterous weather. The greatest care was taken to stop the temporary leaks which thus appeared; and the stoves were kept in daily and constant use, to prevent any bad consequences arising from wet decks and damp bedding.

A certain number of the healthy prisoners were allowed to exercise a sufficient time every day upon deck, for the benefit of the fresh air; these were regularly succeeded by another division, usually one third of the whole; these afterwards by another, so that all enjoyed air and exercise a certain number of hours every day. This arrangement also produced a good deal of bustle amongst them, by removing from the prison to the deck, and relieving each other in a manner from the irksomeness of confinement; and formed a sort of substitute for employment during the day, by the temporary movements and changes it created among themselves. The convalescents were not limited to any particular number of hours upon deck, and whenever the weather would permit, they were allowed to remain as long as they liked.

The conduct of the convicts generally was such in every respect as to merit approbation. A muster of the different articles, books, &c. belonging to each mess was regularly observed; and on such occasions correctness and cleanliness were so observable as almost invariably to preclude censure; rarely was there any necessity of now withholding their allowance of wine, or inflicting any other punishment.

On approaching the Cape of Good Hope, I was agreeably surprised by a request, very respectfully made by the convicts, to take charge of a letter written by some of themselves, and signed by the entire number, addressed to Lord Sidmouth, and to forward it as soon as might be convenient. With this request I cheerfully complied; and as the letter may afford the reader as much pleasure as it has done myself, it is imparted freely, being copied from the original by one of the convicts, and presented to me at the same time. Its contents are as follow.

“On board the Neptune,

Cape of Good Hope, March 3, 1818.