Two Voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's LandReid, Thomas
History
Two Voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land
Reid, Thomas
Exiles -- Australia -- New South Wales; Exiles -- Australia -- Tasmania
The conduct of the three secluded females is, generally speaking, marked
with sincere repentance, their manner being sorrowful and extremely
submissive. Their confinement is still continued, in order to keep them
in this state of mind, and to render the amendment already manifested
secure and permanent. They were admitted to-day into the prison, and had
the benefit of a religious discourse and exhortation from the Rev. Mr.
Reddall, at which Captain Brown attended. The little assembly was
remarkable for an appearance of cleanliness, and their demeanour showed
evident signs of advancement in religious and moral feeling. It is
barely justice to them to say, that in no part of the voyage had I
greater reason to approve of their conduct, than since the affair of
their three companions took place.
After sermon I spoke a few words, recommending to their strict attention
the subject of the sermon they had just heard, adding a very brief
admonition on their religious duties generally, to which they gave a
marked and silent hearing: that they carry these things constantly in
mind, is evident from the tenour of all their actions, almost every one
of them being seen occupied with some of the religious books given them;
nor is levity of manner in the slightest degree observable amongst them.
This day I had the pleasure of conferring the promised mark of
approbation, proposed some time since, as a reward to the one who should
first commit to memory the address with which the voyage was commenced.
It is peculiarly gratifying to say, that the successful candidate is
Sidney Williams, who, it may be recollected, was characterized in most
alarming colours for her conduct in Newgate. Now, however, let the
change in her behaviour be considered, and surely every one who loves to
see the erring sinner reclaimed, advancing first in the path to virtue
and excellence, must feel a sympathy in her misfortunes, and rejoice in
her extraordinary recovery from wickedness.
On Friday last this girl applied to me with modest confidence to repeat
the Address, requesting me to hear her in the attempt; which being
complied with, she recited it with ease and accuracy. I deferred to give
the promised reward till the present day; and after sermon I called
Sidney Williams forward by name (a circumstance quite unusual), and
having read aloud the inscription, which, according to promise, was in
my own hand-writing, I presented her with a large copy of the Bible,
accompanying it with expressions of warm approbation, and of
encouragement to further virtuous endeavours. The effect of this little
affair upon the other prisoners was, as it were, electric: they hastened
to give assurances of their desire for the like distinction, but at the
same time expressed no envy of Sidney Williams’s success.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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