Two voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land : with a description of the present condition of that interesting colony: including facts and observations relative to the state and management of convicts of both sexes. Also reflections on seduction and its general consequences / By Thomas Reid.

  • Reid, Thomas, 1791-1825.
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Two voyages to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land : with a description of the present condition of that interesting colony: including facts and observations relative to the state and management of convicts of both sexes. Also reflections on seduction and its general consequences / By Thomas Reid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    One cireumstance, which hitherto escaped my recol- lection, I shaJl here introduce as being in some measure connected with the preceding facts. The irregulari- ties arising from a practice the soldiers had of conveying below the spirits they received as their ration, and there bartering them with one another, or with the women, became seriously great: many of the soldiers were ob- served to be orderly and sober; but in proportion as these were correct, the others and the women were l^emore drunken and dissolute,—the poisonous beve- rage having been in the former case not swallowed at all, and in the latter drunk beyond all moderation. An expedient was of necessity adopted, which was found somewhat beneficial in correction of the above improper behaviour. This was, that each soldier was obliged to come to the tub for his allowance of grog, there to remain until he drank it: by this means no Ainfair transfer of the spirits could take place. With regard to the women and childrep, I would jrecommend a moderate supply of wine to be placed in charge with the Surgeon Superintendent, to be distri- buted at his discretion, according to their necessities or wants in sickness; this, I will venture to say, wilj in a great measure put a stop to the evils which now so deplorably exist. I now revert to the more cheerful task of recording the advancement of the convicts in the paths of order, decency, and religious duty. No occasion was let slip to seize upon every moment when any circumstance presented itself conducive to the main object in view. I read to them regularly every Sunday, and on other suitable ^B,ys, a sermon selected for the occasion, and