A Voyage to Botany Bay by George Barrington

THE ships having completed their watering, the signal was made for every person belonging to the fleet to repair on board their respective vessels, and the next morning the signal to get under weigh: with a pleasant breeze, we soon lost sight of the land. We steered to the south--west till we were in the meridian of St. Jago, when we shaped our course with an intention of coming to an anchor in Port-au-Praya bay; but when we opened the bay were taken aback, and a stiff breeze blowing direct in our teeth, it was thought that an attempt to gain the bay would be attended with some risk and much loss of time; it was therefore determined to give up the idea, and a signal was made for that purpose, we then shaped our course to the southward, and as we crossed the equinoctial line, the ceremony of shaving and ducking was punctually observed: at noon a hoarse voise hailed the ship, as from the sea, with "Ho! the ship, ho!" which was answered by one stationed for the purpose, with "Hallo! what ship's that?" "The Albemarle." "I don't recollect her passing this way before--I shall come on board and examine her." Upon which half a dozen most grotesque figures entered the ship, as if from the bosom of the deep; having previously slung a grating under each bow as a stage to ascend from: with great solemnity they proceeded to the quarter-deck: the principal personages were Neptune and Amphitrite, attended by their nymphs and neriads, personated by the oldest seaman in the ship, but so disfigured with red ochre, robes, and wigs made of ravelled spun yarn, that it was a difficult matter to recognize their persons. After receiving a double toll from the captain, it being the first time of the ship's crossing the line, consisting of half a gallon of liquor, and two pounds of sugar, they in turn questioned every person on deck. When any one said he had crossed before, and had not, his watery majesty, with great dignity, turning to one of his attendants, who held a large book, said, "Look if you have this gentleman down in my log-book?" which being answered in the negative, the rum and sugar was instantly demanded. When it came to my turn, my friend, the captain, desired them to put my quota down to him. Having finished with the quarter-deck, they proceeded to the examination of their own comrades, after having prepared for the ceremony of treating those who would not pay with a view of Neptune's cellar; for this purpose they made a tackle fast to the mainyard-arm, through which they rove a rope, with an iron crow made fast to the end for a seat. The only exhibition was on the person of the cook, who not being of the most conciliatory disposition, most of the ship's company owed him a grudge; and as he peremptorily refused to pay, although in his power, they placed him on the crow, and brought the yard-rope between his legs, making another fast round him, to prevent a possibility of his falling; they then swung him off, and running him close up to the yard, soused the poor devil from the height of near fifty feet into the water; this they performed thrice: when they took him on board he was so much exhausted that his life was thought in danger, which put an end to this part of the ceremony, and the other defaulters were let off with only a shaving, performed by Neptune and his assistants: the party was seated on a piece of board placed across a large tub; the razor part of an iron hoop, and the soap not the finest Windsor, but a composition of tar, tallow, and every filth they could collect: the disagreeableness of this operation, exclusive of the smart, the hand of the shaver not being of the lightest, occasions a struggle to get from under it, in which the board whereon he is seated gives way, and poor pilgarlick is unexpectedly emerged over head and ears in bilge water. Those destined for this operation are kept close prisoners, so that they are totally ignorant of what they are to go through, but when the ordeal is once passed, they think no more of it, but shake their ears, and assist on carrying on the joke. The forfeits made them all as merry as grigs, and the day closed with dancing and songs on the forecastle, and every body (the cook excepted) forgot their temporary mortifications, and joined in the evening's conviviality.

A most favourable breeze wafted us pleasantly along till we made Cape Frio: at midnight we were abreast of the cape, which is a small island, distant two or three miles from the main land. We had very little wind and variable weather between the Cape and Rio Janeiro, a distance of fifty or sixty miles. A spurt of wind from the sea carried us within the islands, when we came to an anchor off the harbour's mouth. The next morning the agent went on shore to wait on the victory, and in the afternoon we weighed and sailed into the harbour; as we passed the fort we saluted them with thirteen guns, which was returned by eleven (we not being a man of war) and came to an anchor abreast the town. The ships in general were remarkably healthy, and had hitherto buried but few of the convicts; in our passage from Teneriffe to this place we lost only four men and one woman, which is a very inconsiderable number, considering their confined state, change of climate, and unwholesomeness of living so long entirely on salt provisions. Fresh meat and vegetables were brought from the shore immediately on our coming to an anchor, and several country boats, with pines, bananas, oranges, and every species of tropical fruits, came alongside, of which the convicts had a certain proportion served them; the fruits being in such plenty, that the expence of distributing a few to each individual every morning was very inconsiderable.