day, was too inconsiderable to be noticed. Indeed, it was no
uncommon thing to see the country boats, as they passed the
ships, throw in a shower of oranges amongst the people.

We had not been ten days in this harbour, before we found the
convicts in every ship much more healthy than when we left
Spithead. Much pains had been taken by some (who, from whatever
cause, were averse to the expedition) to make the world believe
that we were, whilst lying at the Mother-Bank, so very sickly as
to bury eight or ten every day; and that a malignant disease
raged with great violence on board the transports: how far those
reports were true, will best appear by the returns which will no
doubt be sent to England from this place. Among such a number of
people confined in small ships, to have no sick on board, was not
to be expected; but the reports spread by some industrious
persons exceedingly exaggerated our numbers. I may, without a
probability of being much mistaken, venture to say, that there
are few country towns in the island of Great-Britain, which
contain 1500 inhabitants, (the number which the ships employed on
this service had on board) which have not frequently as many sick
as we had, at the time it was given out we buried such numbers
daily.

At this place we met with every thing that was civil and
polite; a day or two after our arrival, the whole of the officers
were introduced and paid their respects to the Vice-King, who
seemed desirous of making the place as convenient and pleasant as
possible, consistent with his instructions, relative to
foreigners, from the court of Portugal.