NEW HOLLAND. 109 



this country, all thofe who had been by royal mercy re- 

 prieved from death, or who had been convidted of crimes 

 liable only to the piinifliment of tranfportation to our late co- 

 lonies. 



An- 2.£t was paifed for that purpofe in the fame year, and in 

 confequence a fleet was prepared to convey to this diftant country 

 as many conviits,. as at that time fell under the penalty of the 

 law. The Syrius frigate was fitted out to convoy the governor. 

 The gentleman felecSted for the arduous charge was captain Arthur Govern-or 

 Phillipy who had long ferved in our navy with great credit, and 

 for fome time was engaged in the fervice of Portugal^ during 

 part of which he with great good condu6l and humanity per- 

 formed a duty llmilar to that his country now committed to 

 him ; for he was employed once, if not oftener, in conveying the 

 criminals of that nation to its colonies of the Brazils. 



The governor failed from Spithead on May 13th, 1787. On 

 ^June 3d he and his fleet reached Teneriff\ on Augujl 5th an- 

 chored off Rio de Janeiro ; on O&ober 13th in I'able Bay, at the 

 cape of Good Hope, which he left on November 12th in the 

 Supply, reached Botany Bay on January 3d, 1788, having per- 

 formed, in a bad failer, a voyage of feventhoufand miles in fifty- 

 one days ; the Syrius and the whole convoy anchored fafely in the 

 bay on the 19th and 20t;h of the fam,^ month. 



It is a popular opinion that the expence of tranfportation of 

 the convidts amounted to three hundred pounds a man^ including 

 the provifion made for their cloathing and fupport for fome fmall 

 time after their landing. I was in hopes that two pamphlets, 

 publifhed by Debrett in 1791, 1792, under authority of govern- 

 ment, 



