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Chapter 2

Until1776overathousandBritishpettyfelonswereshippedeachyeartoVirginiaandtheCarolinas,soldintoanindenturedservitudenobetterthanslavery.Britishjusticeofthetimewasgrimandunflinching;murder,arson,themysteriouscrimeof"impersonatingEgyptians"andlarcenytothetuneofmorethanashillingwerepunishedonthegallows.PettycrimemeanttransportationtotheAmericasforthetermofthefelon’snaturallife.

Butwhenin1776theAmericaswereclosed,Englandfoundherselfwitharapidlyincreasingconvictpopulationandnowheretoputit.Theprisonsfilledtooverflowing,andthesurpluswasjammedintorottinghulksmooredintheriverestuaries.Somethinghadtobedone,sosomethingwas.Withagreatdealofreluctancebecauseitmeanttheexpenditureofafewthousandpounds,CaptainArthurPhillipwasorderedtosetsailfortheGreatSouthLand.Theyearwas1787.Hisfleetofelevenshipsheldoveronethousandconvicts,plussailors,navalofficersandacontingentofmarines.Nogloriousodysseyinsearchoffreedom,this.AttheendofJanuary1788,eightmonthsaftersettingsailfromEngland,thefleetarrivedinBotanyBay.HisMadMajestyGeorgetheThirdhadfoundanewdumpinggroundforhisconvicts,thecolonyofNewSouthWales.