My Dear Family and Friends

Nedanstående innehåll är skapat av Mimers Brunns besökare. Kommentera arbete

June 27, 1813
My Dear Family and Friends,

You can not imagine how immensely I miss you all. Not a second passes by, without thinking of you. Even sadder is the fact that the time I have been apart from you is nothing compared to the amount of time I will be away from now on.

I am right now on the “Second Fleet” on my way to Botany Bay in New South Wales, which is located approximately 15,000 miles from home. There are a few hundreds of us onboard, all prisoners having done the pity of committing a crime or breaking the law in another way. The captain and his men force us to work ten hours a day in rough canvas clothing. This is only one of many factors that contribute to the harsh conditions on this boat. We are forced to follow extremely strict rules, if we feel that our lives are precious. These rules include everything from cleaning the boat to turning the captain’s pillow. They treat all my fellow-prisoners and me inhumanly. I am so tired of this.

After having spent five horrible months on this awful ship, I have at least three months on the sea ahead of me, until we arrive in Australia. To tell you more about the boat; it is soaking wet, from the leeks in the keel and the waves tumbling over the sides, coming in to the dark rooms where I spend my days working and nights sleeping. An abominable odour that never seems to fade, and a lack of fresh air makes my lungs, throat and nose feel all stiffed up with dust.

I so truly regret the robbery I performed by Leister Square in London. If I had not stolen that golden watch from the antique boutique, I would not have ten atrocious years of transportation ahead of me. How could I do something so unlike my normal behaviour? What was the reason for my sudden stupidity?

To tell you more about my future life, I have been told by the captain of this journey, that I am to work for the government, constructing roads through the Blue Mountains in Australia, wearing a foot shackle. Furthermore, I have heard that if I behave properly and well during my first years of labour, I might receive a “Certificate of Freedom” or if I am really lucky and well-behaving a “Ticket of Leave”, which would let me come back home to London, my home and family. This is something I really wish for, I pray for it to happen at least once every day.

All I really want is to rewind the time, undo my crime, and come back home to the ones I love. I regret my actions, but have realised that in some ways this punishment will make me appreciate life a lot more in the future. Freedom has an enormous value, which I had not understood until now. I have to face the consequences and adapt to them.

I feel guilty, not only towards my country and its laws, but primarily towards you and God. You have done nothing but treated me right, and then I waste all my happiness for a meaningless golden watch. I beg you pardon, please forgive me for my sins.