Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-26
THEMATE0F FTHE Hindu
By Captain RALPH DAVIS.
copyright, 1905, by the Author.l

CHAPTER w.
THE CONVICT SHIP.
An unpleasant surprise awaited me
ON my arrival ut Liverpool. The Hindu
had been thoroughly refitted for sea. but
was in the hands Of gang Of carpen.
ters and blacksmiths as she lay In her
berth.
whats the meaning Of all tbisi'
repeated Captain Clark as ! found him
overseeing the werkmen in the hold.
"Wcll, Ralph. TO be short about it.
we've got . government charter for
Botany Bay"
"What! The Hindu to 90 ont to Aus
tzalia with convicts!"
Exactly. Don't firc up about Il,
man, until you learn full particulars
Things are very dull just now in the
carrying trade, and il we hadn't made
this charter We might have been forced
to lie here for weeks. We didn't jump
at il, assure you. bat yet we look upon
Il as lucky stroke, and there are .
score Of crafts in port which would be
willing 10 pay us n premium.
but it will give the ship bad
name," protested.
"Not in this case. hope. though we
must take our chances. You see. the
government has been in the habit OF
charteripg any old tub which could be
got hold Of cheap. There's public ont
cry against sending out convict ships
which are so unseaworthy that top
sail breeze Is bound TO do for them.
There's also great ado about crowd.
ing the men as IL they were blacks from
the African coast. Certain papers and
public men have been raising great
row Un this subject while you've been
in drydock ut Dudley, and the upshot
Of the matter is that the government Is
going 20 try an experiment.
"At the loss Of our reputation. Why,
sir, craft which has ever made the
trip to Botany Bay goes to the boneyard
or into the coal trade on her return. AL
shippers seem TO look upon her with
distrust and disgust after that"
However, / came 70 look upon the
charter with more favor after bit
The price paid us was very high, and
we had the privilege Of fitting up ac-
commodations TO carry go passengers ~
| well. You will understand that am
now writing Of matter really belong.
ing to the last generation. 1t IL good
many years since the penal colony at
Botany Bay was abolished and since
England ceased TO send her convicts out
Of the country. The idea Of transporta-
tion was, first. TO remove bad men a.
far away as possible. aud. second, to
make convicts the nucleus Of new col
onies. After two or three years Of prop
er behavior convict got ticket Of
leave and could settle outside the camp.
II his record continued good for two or
three years more. he was discharged and
could settle anywhere IA Australia II
is matter Of history that tbrecfourths
Of the sheep growers and good share
Of the business men Of the big island
today can trace their ancestry back TO
the convict camp nc Botany Bay.
There were no steamers running to
Australia in those days Aside from
the regular packet ships. there were
craft fitted out to carry emigrants. o
thousand at time, but there was o
class Of people which preferred to 60 by
convict ship The fare was about half
what the packets charged, and yet high
or than by an emigrant craft, but only
few were taken. and the accommoda-
tions Were very good. The Hindu had
only u main hold, which had depth
Of about nine feet. Our contract called
for the carrying Of go riale convicts.
To keep these men secure the hold Of
the ship was converted into three cages,
as it were. each cage to hold 90 men.
The entrance to them was by way Of
the matches. The cages were Of iron, Of
course. and made Us strong IA in pris-
on. There were hunks for the prison.
ers. and portfolios gave them light and
ventilation. In the rear Of the thiid
cage was fitted up what is known as
brig" or dark cell. for the confinement
Of refractory prisoners. The remainder
of the hold was taken mp by storage
rooms, staterooms aud cabins
In the days Of which write q con.
vict ship sometimes carried out as
many as $50 men and women. The
law laid its hand heavily upon every
wrongdoer. Offenders who would not
get more than three months in Jail to-
day were then sent away for five or ten
years. The embezzler and the murderer
were treated alike until they arrived ut
the Bay. Then some little difference
was made in the favor Of the former.
though the place was hell on earth
for all, according to every mans testi-
mony. Where big batch was taken,
the government sent along from 8 to IL
marines and an officer to take entire
charge Of the prisoners. In our case the
contract only bound the government to
furnish doctor. We must ship hands
enough to guard the convicts and land
them safely at Botany Bay. and the
ship must provide it's own outfit Of fire.
arms
We went about these things in good
faith and with an eye as to what might
happen OH the voyage unless we were
fully prepared for trouble. There were
hundreds of men looking for an oppor-
tunity to work their passage out. We
bargained with seven very decent look
ing fellows to pay their way BY acting
as guards. The odd man had been q
sergeant Of infantry and was to com.
mand the guard. We bought dozen
muskets and plenty Of ammunition, and
one day, when almost ready to receive
the prisoners aboard, the captain said to
me:
Ralph, there's no knowing what
may happen to US with 60 desperate vii.
lains aboard. understand that all our
prisoners are long termers and over
half Of them are going for life. I am
going to arrange the main cabin 90 that
we can turn it into q fort II necessary. "
Presuming that you have never been
aboard Of sailing craft, ] make bold
to tell you that our quarters comprised
main cabin, dining room and three
staterooms. Forward Of it and reached
by the same entrance or companionway
were the quarters fitted up for the pas
sengers. The roof Of the cabin was ele-
yated about two feet above the deck and
was lighted in part by skylight in the
center. Each stateroom had small
window looking out on deck, and the