Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Elizabeth woke to find a dress on the end of her cot and Thomas sitting on the chair watching her.
“Sorry Sir, I overslept. What is this?”
“Don’t worry Elizabeth, you haven’t overslept. I got that dress from one of the other soldier's wives, I thought you might like to change out of that one of yours.”
A new dress! Well not new really, but better than the rags I have on now.
“Thank you Sir, I appreciate it. Do you want me to go and get your breakfast Sir?”
As the Lieutenant’s servant, she was now allowed some freedom on the ship. She could go to and from the galley but that was all. Thomas insisted that at all other times and everywhere else she was only to accompany him. At all other times she remained in the cabin.
Life onboard the Pitt soon became routine for Elizabeth. Her days consisted of keeping Thomas company and very few other duties. For the first time in her life she did’t have to worry about whether she would eat at the next mealtime. For the first time in a long while she had three meals a day.
Since leaving Yarmouth Roads, Plymouth they had being sailing for a month. There were cases of smallpox amongst the convicts and she was grateful that she was no longer amongst them. They had not long ago left St Jago and had been becalmed for a couple of weeks. Deaths were a daily occurrence, but funnily enough none of these, this time were convicts. I guess there is something for being confined to the ship, we don’t get to bring back any of the stinking illnesses, like the others do.
As the Lieutenant’s servant, she was now allowed some freedom on the ship. She could go to and from the galley but that was all. Thomas insisted that at all other times and everywhere else she was only to accompany him. At all other times she remained in the cabin.
Life onboard the Pitt soon became routine for Elizabeth. Her days consisted of keeping Thomas company and very few other duties. For the first time in her life she did’t have to worry about whether she would eat at the next mealtime. For the first time in a long while she had three meals a day.
Since leaving Yarmouth Roads, Plymouth they had being sailing for a month. There were cases of smallpox amongst the convicts and she was grateful that she was no longer amongst them. They had not long ago left St Jago and had been becalmed for a couple of weeks. Deaths were a daily occurrence, but funnily enough none of these, this time were convicts. I guess there is something for being confined to the ship, we don’t get to bring back any of the stinking illnesses, like the others do.
Thomas said we were now low on water, so the Captain was going to head to a place called Rio de Janerio. We will be staying there again for a couple of weeks. It is hard to believe that it is now nearly November and we had been on the Pitt since July. I would like to get off this ship, but I don’t want to go to no prison. I wonder what the prisons in the new land will be like.
“Elizabeth, come up on deck with me, I need to walk off this inactivity,” Thomas was at the cabin door beckoning her to follow him.
“What’s wrong Sir, can I help?”
“Yes you can walk and talk with me, I have been cooped up listening to twaddle for over an hour now and I need distracting” he replied.
“Do you know it is nearly December Sir, how much longer before we get there, do you think?”
“What’s wrong Sir, can I help?”
“Yes you can walk and talk with me, I have been cooped up listening to twaddle for over an hour now and I need distracting” he replied.
“Do you know it is nearly December Sir, how much longer before we get there, do you think?”
“I am not sure Elizabeth. There isn’t very far to go, but the weather isn’t looking good, I think there are storms brewing, that the Captain is worried about.”
Over the next few weeks the weather did indeed turn bad. Gale force winds plagued the vessel, with many of the convicts now being affected with illnesses. But still they sailed on.
Later that day Elizabeth found herself at her little window again. I don’t think I want this time to end. How will I fare when we dock in the new colony. What will happen to me? I suppose I will be back in chains.
Later that day Elizabeth found herself at her little window again. I don’t think I want this time to end. How will I fare when we dock in the new colony. What will happen to me? I suppose I will be back in chains.
“Elizabeth, what are you looking at? You spend so much time at that porthole, I sometimes wondered if you will try squeezing through it to freedom.”
“Don’t be daft Sir, where would I go, I can’t even swim. Oh look, look, is that land in the distance.”
“Yes it is, we are coming into the Bass Strait and that is the little Island at the very south of the new land. It won’t be long now, a few weeks at the most. We will sail from here up the east coast and should be at Sydney Cove by mid February. We will soon be off this wretched boat and I will be back at my duties, thank heaven.”
But what of me? Elizabeth turned away from her precious fresh air, afraid that she would soon be denied it’s promise.
“Don’t be daft Sir, where would I go, I can’t even swim. Oh look, look, is that land in the distance.”
“Yes it is, we are coming into the Bass Strait and that is the little Island at the very south of the new land. It won’t be long now, a few weeks at the most. We will sail from here up the east coast and should be at Sydney Cove by mid February. We will soon be off this wretched boat and I will be back at my duties, thank heaven.”
But what of me? Elizabeth turned away from her precious fresh air, afraid that she would soon be denied it’s promise.
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