VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES. c 
accounts of the fatality that prevailed among us; and the 1787. 
rumour became general, notwithftanding every ftep w^as March, 
taken to remove thefe fears, by aflurances (which v^^ere 
ftridly true) that the vt^hole fleet was in as good a ftate of 
health, and as few in it would be found to be ill, at that 
cold feafon of the year, as even in the moft healthy fituation 
on fhore. The cleareffc teftimony that there was more ma- 
lignity in the report than in the difeafe, may be deduced 
from the very inconfiderable number that have died fince we 
left England ; which I may fafely venture to fay is much 
lefs than ever was known in fo long a voyage (the numbers 
being proportionate), even though not labouring under the 
difadvantages we were fubjedl to, and the crowded ftate we 
were in. 
During the abfence of Captain Phillip, I mentioned to 
Captain Hunter of the Sirius, that I thought whitewafliing 
with quick lime the parts of the fhips where the convid:s 
were confined, would be the means of correcting and 
preventing that unwholefome dampnefs which ufually ap- 
peared on the beams and fides of the fhips, and was occa- 
fioned by the breath of the people. Captain Hunter agreed 
with me on the propriety of the ftep : and with that oblig- 
C ing 
