_Sail from England.—Account of our Voyage.—Arrive at Port
Jackson.—Write in my own behalf to Commissary Palmer.—That
Gentleman is pleased to notice my Application.—Land at Sydney,
and am carried before Governor King.—A curious Dialogue
between His Excellency and myself.—Ordered to Hawkesbury, as
Store-keeper’s Clerk._
Having entered the ship, we were all indiscriminately stripped,
(according to indispensable custom) and were saluted with several
buckets of salt-water, thrown over our heads by a boatswain’s-mate.
After undergoing this watery ordeal, we were compelled to put on a suit
of slop-clothing. Our own apparel, though good in kind, being thrown
overboard. We were then double-ironed, and put between-decks, where we
selected such births, for sleeping, _&c._, as each thought most eligible.
The next day, we received on board forty-six more prisoners, from the
Hulks at Woolwich, and the Canada fifty. The Nile also took on board
one hundred women, from the different gaols in Great Britain. The three
ships then sailed for Spithead, where, on our arrival, the Minorca and
Canada had their numbers augmented, from the Hulks at Portsmouth, to
one hundred men each. Every thing being now in readiness, we only waited
for the convoy to assemble, with which we were to proceed to a certain
latitude.
During this interval, I wrote the first intimation of my unhappy state,
to my dear and honoured grandfather, palliating the facts as much as
possible, and positively denying any criminal connexion between myself
and Bromley. This I did, in order to save those heart-rending pangs,
which I knew my venerable and virtuous benefactors would suffer, if
they had been acquainted with the dissolute life I had for some time
led. In a few days, I received a long and most affectionate letter
from my grandfather, in which he deplored the harshness of my destiny;
but far from aggravating my sufferings by reflections on my manifold
indiscretions, this good old man laboured only to press my resignation to
the dispensations of Providence, and to exhort me, by my future conduct,
to make atonement for the past. He added a great deal of good advice, as
to my behaviour in the degraded state to which I was reduced, concluding
with his blessing, and that of my grandmother, and a most pathetic and
tender farewell.—I had assured my grandfather in my letter, that no
extension of pecuniary aid could at all ameliorate my situation, as I
had a sufficient store of necessary comforts for my voyage: my motive
for this assurance, was, to prevent him from distressing himself still
further in his old age on an object so worthless as myself, by whose
expensive adoption and education, he and the partner of his griefs were
already reduced to a state bordering on indigence, aggravated by mental
anxiety and sorrow for me, the unworthy cause.
On the 21st of June, we sailed from Spithead, in company with about three
hundred sail of merchantmen, bound to various ports, under convoy of
a frigate and a sloop of war. The convoy parted from us soon after we
passed the Canary Islands, and our three ships proceeded in company. A
few days after we put to sea, I was noticed by Captain Leith, to whom I
had (as my grandfather advised me) offered the services of my pen, _&c._
The captain, in consequence, employed me during the voyage in writing his
Log, Journal, and other accompts, and extended to me all the indulgence
my situation would admit of. The latter end of August we arrived at Rio
de Janeiro, where we had every refreshment the place afforded, and, after
a continuance of thirty days, we resumed our voyage. Nothing worthy of
notice occurred therein; our little squadron kept company until we made
the Harbour of Port Jackson, which we did on the 14th of December, and
the same day came to an anchor in Sydney-cove.
Among my fellow-prisoners, was a young man named Calvert, with whom I
had become very intimate. In the course of our passage, this person had
shewn me an open letter of recommendation to John Palmer, Esq., then
Commissary of New South Wales, which was from a particular friend of the
latter gentleman, and pleaded strongly in favour of the bearer. A few
days before our arrival, it occurred to me, that a humble application in
my own behalf to Mr. Palmer might have the effect of obtaining for me
some little distinction, as I heard a most amiable character of him, and
conceived my services might not be unacceptable in his public department.
I therefore wrote a respectful letter, which I consigned to the care of
Captain Leith, who promised not only to deliver it himself, but to speak
in my favour, both to Mr. Palmer and his Excellency the governor.
The second day after our arrival, several gentlemen came on board,
to muster and inspect the prisoners: among the number was Mr. Palmer
himself, who, having received my letter, was pleased to tell me, in the
kindest manner, that he had mentioned me to the Governor, and that I
might accordingly expect a favourable appointment on my landing. The
majority of the prisoners were sent up the country, the day after the
muster, to various kinds of labour, but myself and a few others, were
detained on board until the 19th, on which day we landed at Sydney, and
were immediately conducted to Government-House, in order to be severally
examined and disposed of by Governor King. We were called in succession
for our audience; and, when it came to my turn, I entered the room with
a respectful bow to the gentlemen assembled; for there were seated at
a table, several officers of the colony, besides his Excellency. The
latter, however, I soon distinguished by his manner of addressing me, and
as the particulars of this interview may afford some entertainment to
those who were not acquainted with the eccentric character of Governor
King, I shall give the reader our conversation in dialogue, as near as my
memory will permit.
_Governor._ (Regarding me from head to foot, with a most inquisitive eye,
or rather four eyes, for he wore spectacles, and, with a manner, the very
reverse to encouraging) “Well, Mr. Vaux, what were you sent here for?”
_Vaux._ (Of course a little embarrassed at this unexpected question, so
abruptly put,) “Sir, I had the misfortune to be acquainted with a person
of bad character, who in my company committed”⸺
_Governor._ (Interrupting me impatiently) “But Mr. Vaux, come to the
point at once. I don’t want you to come round here, and then back
again, and round the other way, (drawing circles on the table with his
finger, and all the while staring at me, which indeed he continued to
do as long as I remained in the room, as if determined to put me out
of countenance); recollect, Mr. Vaux, you are not at the bar of the Old
Bailey now. Come to the point, Sir, come to the point. I ask you what you
were sent here for?”
_Vaux._ “Sir, I was charged with picking a gentleman’s pocket, but,
though your Excellency may doubt my assertion, I solemnly assure you, I
was innocent of that fact.”
_Governor._ (with a most satirical smile, and throwing himself back
in his chair) “O, I dare say, Mr. Vaux, very innocent no doubt. Quite
innocent, I dare say. So the long and the short of it is, you were sent
here for picking pockets.”
_Vaux._ “I confess, Sir, that was the charge.”
_Governor._ “What have you been brought up to, Mr. Vaux?”
_Vaux._ “Sir, I have been chiefly employed in the law; but I profess to
be a clerk in general.”
_Governor._ “Pray, Sir, what office were you in last?”
_Vaux._ “Sir, the last gentleman I served was Mr. Preston, in King’s
Bench Walk.”
_Governor._ (With a frown) “That I very much doubt, Sir; that I very much
doubt, Sir; that I very much doubt, Mr. Vaux.”
_Vaux._ “I am sorry your Excellency has so bad an opinion of me; I assure
you, Sir, it is the fact.”
_Governor._ “Well, Mr. Vaux, I shall send you to a place, where your
roguery will very soon be found out.”
_Vaux._ “I hope not, your Excellency; I trust you will have”⸺
_Governor._ (Interrupting) “Well, I hope so too, Mr. Vaux; I hope so too,
I hope so too, Sir; but mind—I only give you a caution; take care of
yourself.”
Then hastily scribbling a few words on a scrap of paper, he handed it
to me, and ordering a light-horseman to attend me, made a motion for
me to withdraw, which I was glad enough to do, in order to be relieved
from this embarrassing examination.—On going out, the horseman informed
me he had orders to see myself and baggage on board the Parramatta
passage-boat; the paper I had received proved to be an order to the
boatman to that effect, and on the reverse was a memorandum, purporting
that I was appointed clerk to Mr. Baker, Store-keeper at Hawkesbury.
Both these documents were signed P. G. K., as was his usual custom; but
the whole so unintelligibly written, that it cost me much pains and
some inquiry to decipher them.—I now took up my little box, and my bed,
and was conducted to the wharf, where I found the boat on the point of
departure. After a pleasant passage, we arrived at Parramatta, at which
place I rested the ensuing day, and, on Monday the 21st, continued my
journey by land to Hawkesbury, a distance of twenty-six miles. On this
occasion I joined a party of travellers, accompanied by a cart in which
I had deposited my luggage; these persons formed a sort of caravan,
and were all well-armed, the natives being at this time in a state of
warfare, and the roads thereby rendered dangerous. Late in the evening
we arrived at Hawkesbury, and being directed to Mr. Baker’s house, I
immediately presented myself and my credentials to that gentleman.