THE SECOND PLBET. 67 If the tpoops> who had the advantage of free access to ^'^ the decks, and were not cheated out of their allowance of Health ' ^ ^ of the food, were '^ exceeding ill with the scurvy/' it is easy to aoidien. understand how much worse must have been the condition of the convicts^ who were kept in close confinement and deprived of a part of their ration. It may be presumed that the soldiers received the fresh meat that was ordered for them at the Cape — ^their officers would have seen to that — but it is doubtful whether much of that sort of food, if any, found its way into the mouths of the helpless convicts. But so loose was the system of transportation in the early powcw _- _ T-ii -i-i of the naval days that even when a naval agent had the sole charge agmte. of a ship he experienced much difficulty in carrying out his instructions. The Boddingtons, which was sent from Ireland in 1793, had a most successful voyage. Only one death occurred from her departure from Cork to her arrival at Sydney, and the convicts all landed in good health.* This result seems to have been entirely due to the exertions of Surgeon Kent, who was in charge in surgeon ■ Kentk the double capacity of superintendent and medical officer. He received elaborate instructions. He was ordered to ^^ enforce a compliance with the several stipulations made with the contractor," and to see that medicines and necessaries were provided by the contractor, and duly and properly administered during the voyage. So far as the supplies were concerned there was no room for complaint. The provisions were good, and everything contracted for was supplied in a very liberal manner ; but the health of the Health convicts was not even considered by those in command of the convicts vessel. Mr. Kent, who kept this important point steadily in view, received no assistance whatever from the master, who neglected the orders given, and told Mr. Kent very
- Her consort, the Sugar-oaae, did not lose a single convict. " In two
ships, oontaioing three hundred and three people, one person only had died, and amongst those landed in the oolony scarcely anj are sick. — Grose to Dondas, 12th October, 1793$ Histoneal Beoords, rol. ii, p. 69.
