登陆注册
15282800000002

第2章

A Retrospect of the State of the Colony of Port Jackson,on the Date of my former Narrative,in July,1788.

Previous to commencing any farther account of the subject,which I am about to treat,such a retrospection of the circumstances and situation of the settlement,at the conclusion of my former Narrative,as shall lay its state before the reader,seems necessary,in order to connect the present with the past.

The departure of the first fleet of ships for Europe,on the 14th of July,1788,had been long impatiently expected;and had filled us with anxiety,to communicate to our friends an account of our situation;

describing the progress of improvement,and the probability of success,or failure,in our enterprise.That men should judge very oppositely on so doubtful and precarious an event,will hardly surprise.

Such relations could contain little besides the sanguineness of hope,and the enumeration of hardships and difficulties,which former accounts had not led us to expect.Since our disembarkation in the preceding January,the efforts of every one had been unremittingly exerted,to deposit the public stores in a state of shelter and security,and to erect habitations for ourselves.We were eager to escape from tents,where a fold of canvas,only,interposed to check the vertic beams of the sun in summer,and the chilling blasts of the south in winter.A markee pitched,in our finest season,on an English lawn;or a transient view of those gay camps,near the metropolis,which so many remember,naturally draws forth careless and unmeaning exclamations of rapture,which attach ideas of pleasure only,to this part of a soldier's life.But an encampment amidst the rocks and wilds of a new country,aggravated by the miseries of bad diet,and incessant toil,will find few admirers.

Nor were our exertions less unsuccessful than they were laborious.

Under wretched covers of thatch lay our provisions and stores,exposed to destruction from every flash of lightning,and every spark of fire.

A few of the convicts had got into huts;but almost all the officers,and the whole of the soldiery,were still in tents.

In such a situation,where knowledge of the mechanic arts afforded the surest recommendation to notice,it may be easily conceived,that attention to the parade duty of the troops,gradually diminished.

Now were to be seen officers and soldiers not "trailing the puissant pike"

but felling the ponderous gum-tree,or breaking the stubborn clod.

And though "the broad falchion did not in a ploughshare end"the possession of a spade,a wheelbarrow,or a dunghill,was more coveted than the most refulgent arms in which heroism ever dazzled.Those hours,which in other countries are devoted to martial acquirements,were here consumed in the labours of the sawpit,the forge and the quarry.

["The Swedish prisoners,taken at the battle of Pultowa,were transported by the Czar Peter to the most remote parts of Siberia,with a view to civilize the natives of the country,and teach them the arts the Swedes possessed.In this hopeless situation,all traces of discipline and subordination,between the different ranks,were quickly obliterated.The soldiers,who were husbandmen and artificers,found out their superiority,and assumed it:the officers became their servants."VOLTAIRE.]

Of the two ships of war,the 'Sirius'and 'Supply',the latter was incessantly employed in transporting troops,convicts,and stores,to Norfolk Island;

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 天道剑神

    天道剑神

    一个上古没落的护龙家族,一段曲折的故事,主角凭着奇遇获得上古青龙的帮助易经洗髓,并且获得了整个龙族宝库,有一天所有族人被害,是仇杀?还是?在寻找仇人的途中一步步修剑道,练剑心,御剑封魔、天地间修真证道,剑神仙游、谈笑中纵横三界
  • 鏖战全雄

    鏖战全雄

    作为一个男人,修为要不断的变强,当然了,见到美女一定要学会调戏!不然对不起自己的眼睛啊。——风流
  • 寻找失踪的亲人

    寻找失踪的亲人

    女大学生黄秀英的母亲数年前莫名失踪,黄秀英怀疑与建筑商史健有关,欲谋杀史健与母亲报仇,却被失踪了妹妹的丁明所阻挡,两人结成统一战线,欲深入虎穴,找出史健的犯罪证据将之绳之以法。史健之妻刘淑珍怀疑史健要和她离婚是黄秀英的原因,意欲将之毁容,一见黄的面却被惊吓中风。刘淑英受良心的折磨说出了一个天大的秘密,去挖尸体时却发现了二具尸体……故事情节曲折,跌宕起伏
  • 男神嫁给我

    男神嫁给我

    “男神,请您睡了我!”十八岁成人礼上,她把自己打包成礼物送上他的床。他送她四个字,“不知检点!”从此,她消失在他面前。再相遇,却是七年后,她顶着律政界第一佳人的身份归来。他把她逼至墙角,再不肯撒手,“那件事,我同意了!!”“哪件事??”“睡了……你!!”
  • 世界上唯一的神

    世界上唯一的神

    我是孙悟空我拥有神的力量转世在地球上我将会独霸整个世界世界唯我独尊
  • 独宠成瘾:驱魔小娇妻

    独宠成瘾:驱魔小娇妻

    她灵力散尽,父母双亡,二叔二婶对她各种欺压毒害,逃出魔窟后只一心避世的废材天师。他,众人眼中的铁血腹黑,不近女色的集团总裁。一场意外,将两个本无交集的人绑在了一起,燃起她重归天师行列的决心,伤她害她侮辱她的人,她将加倍奉还给他们。她的俏皮只献给他。“钟大叔,我的手好酸,停下好不好?”“箭在弦上还有不发的道理?”她甩笔起身,“妈蛋,老娘不干了!两万字检讨,遗书都不用辣么多,我不过就吃了顿饭而已。”“不干了?”他笑得邪魅,一把将她压在床上,“那咱们换种惩罚方式,看你还敢不敢随便接受其他男人的邀请……”不论身世怎样离奇,一波三折,他始终陪在她身边对她宠爱无度,一切的美好他都愿意双手给她奉上。
  • 我的离奇手表穿越

    我的离奇手表穿越

    一个手表,带来一个孩子的奇妙旅程,假想如果他进入了【美国队长】里孩子会怎样,如果他穿入【海贼王】会怎样,一切尽在【我的离奇穿越】
  • 锋杀

    锋杀

    天地为烘炉,万物为灵药,以身化火,怒而焚天。
  • 魔卡召唤之无限回廊

    魔卡召唤之无限回廊

    在这里~~~~~~没有无限的推理,只有暴力的拯救。在这里~~~~~~没有失败者,只有胜利者。活下去~~~~~~你将得到一切。新小说求龙套名,也有可能是主角哦,希望大家写在书评中。最后,请喜欢魔卡幻想的玩家支持一下,又想看数据的直接去魔卡官网哦
  • 继神者——神的黄昏

    继神者——神的黄昏

    神的宇宙因能量潮汐陷入混乱,生而为神者饱受折磨,唯有后天成神方能幸免于难,为了神域的未来,洛基来到了东方