Читать книгу Australian History For Dummies - Alex McDermott - Страница 59

The actual getting to NSW and the initial settling in was remarkably trouble-free, thanks in large part to the expedition’s leader, Captain Arthur Phillip, carefully overseeing preparations. The government responded seriously to his demands that this long voyage, bigger than any large-scale journey and relocation ever before attempted, should be fitted out properly. When the ships of what we now call the ‘First Fleet’ finally got underway in May 1787, no-one could say it was a slap-dash affair.

The ships were of good quality and sturdy. Fresh provisions were laid in during the weeks prior to the fleet’s departure. No callous disregard for convicts’ welfare was shown, with one observer going so far as to complain that the weekly rations were superior to what ordinary sailors would generally receive. The convicts themselves were selected on the basis of good health (and possibly youth). As many mechanics and farm hands as could be found were strategically selected by the government.

Largely due to these meticulous preparations, out of the 1,403 people who left Portsmouth, only 69 died (or deserted) in the course of the long voyage. Given that ships on long voyages at this time could often lose up to a quarter or even half of their crew, this was no mean feat. In January 1788, some 1,023 settlers disembarked, including 751 convicts and their children and 252 marines and their families.

Botany Bay, contrary to Banks’s suavely confident predictions (refer to the ‘Pushing for a settlement in NSW’ section, earlier in this chapter), was not suitable for settlement — the bay was too open and the land without good fresh water — and they soon relocated to Sydney Cove, in Port Jackson, where modern-day Sydney now stands.