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
About 3 P. M. two ladies and a gentleman came to inquire after a
misguided young creature, one of the convicts, the daughter of a man who
had lived in their family (I think they said) upwards of thirty years,
having always maintained an unspotted character. The girl, Eliza Nixon,
was sent for to them in the cabin, when the admonition of these good
ladies to the object of their humane attentions, was of that kind and
conciliatory description which ever finds a ready way to the heart. The
young culprit shed tears abundantly; an indication of repentant feeling
I had never before observed in her, though she had been many times
reproved for levity and flippant behaviour, and on such
occasions,—indeed not three hours before,—she bore rebuke without the
least emotion.
The purpose of their visit being accomplished, these ladies inquired
more particularly into the system employed for the government of the
convicts generally; which being explained, they expressed a wish to
visit them below, and were not a little gratified by seeing the
regularity every where prevailing; but their admiration was particularly
engaged in observing the children at school.—It is not indeed matter of
surprise that this novel institution should elicit the noblest feelings
of a generous and virtuous mind. To witness attentively the first
dawning and gradual expansion of the mind, is, in my opinion, more
deserving of the attention of philosophers who study the true interests
of humanity, as more important and conducive to the welfare of society,
than all the wordy lucubrations with which metaphysical writers have for
ages amused themselves and the world.
It is impossible not to admire the benevolent zeal that could induce
ladies of rank to undertake a journey of some length, and venture on the
water in a very boisterous day, for no other purpose than to awaken a
vitiated mind to a just and lively sense of its error. At the time these
visitors left the ship, both wind and tide happened unfortunately to be
contrary to their return, and the watermen were unable to make any
progress; their efforts were further frustrated by their boat getting
aground, which rendered the situation of the passengers alarming and
dangerous. In this state of things the active humanity of Captain Brown
was strongly displayed;—he immediately ordered his own boat to be
manned, and went off himself to extricate the amiable sufferers; which
he effected, and towed their boat up to Woolwich, though he was at the
time labouring under severe indisposition.
12th.—About 4 P. M. the Bank Solicitor came on board, and completed the
distribution of the donation to certain of the prisoners. This money had
been expected for some time, and several of the women had even made
purchase of various useful articles on the faith of its being paid them;
these debts they afterwards correctly discharged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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