1790-1- OF NEW SOUTH WALES* IO i 



two other tranfports, with whom fhe parted between the Cape of Good 

 Hope and Port Jackfon. 



They had the mortification to learn, that the prifoners in this fhip 

 were very unhealthy, upwards of one hundred being at that time on 

 the (ick lift on board; They had been very fickly alfo during the paf- 

 fage, and had buried forty-two of thefe unfortunate people. A port- 

 able hofpital had moft fortunately been received by the Jnftinian, and 

 there now appeared but too great a probability that they would foon 

 have patients enough- to fill it ;, for the fignai was flying at the South 

 head for the other tranfports, and they were expected to be in as un*- 

 healthy a ftate as that which had juft arrived. 



On the evening of the 28th the Neptune and Scarborough tranf- 

 ports anchored off Garden Ifland, and were warped into the Cove on 

 the following morning; Nor were they miftaken in their fears of the 

 ftate in which they might arrive, as by noon the following day, two 

 hundred fick had been landed from, the different tranfports. The 

 Weft fide afforded a fcene truly diftrerhng and miferable ; upwards 

 of thirty tents were pitched in front of the hofpital (the portable one 

 not being yet put up); all of which, as. well as the adjacent huts, 

 were filled with people, many of. whom were, labouring, under the 

 complicated difeafes of fcurvy and the dyfentery, and others in the 

 laft ftage of either of thofe terrible diforders, or yielding to the atr 

 tacks of an, infectious fever. 



The appearance of thofe who did not require medical affiftanee was 

 lean and . emaciated. Several of thefe miferable people died in the 

 Boats as they were rowing on fhore, or on the wharf as they were 

 lifted out of the boats; both the living and the dead exhibited 

 more horrid fpe&aeles than had ever been witneffed in that country.. 

 All this was to be. attributed to confinement, and of the word fpecies 5 

 confinement in a fmall fpace and in irons, not put on fingly, but 

 many of them chained together. On board the Scarborough a plan 

 had been formed to take the fhip, which would certainly have been 

 attempted, but for. a difcovery which was fortunately made by one of', 



the 



