These
were carried for about a quarter of a mile, and then put down for a
rest, and the men went back to the camp. The boats were much lighter
than the gear, being made of only half-inch plank. One boat was
capsized bottom up, and the men took it on their shoulders, six on
each side, the tallest men being placed in the middle on account of
the shear of the boat, and it was carried about half a mile past the
gear. They then returned for the other boat, and in this way brought
everything to the bight close to the spot where the bathing house at
Warrnambool has since been erected. There they launched the boats,
and got out to sea, pulling against a strong westerly breeze.
The men were very weak, having had nothing to eat for four days but
some sow thistles and a musk duck, and the pull to Port Fairy was
hard and long. They landed about four o'clock in the afternoon, and
Captain Mills told them not to eat anything, saying he would give
them something better. At that time there was a liquor called "black
strap," brought out in the convict ships for the use of the
prisoners, and it was sold with the ships' surplus stores in Sydney
and Hobarton. Mills had some of it at Port Fairy. He now put a
kettle full of it on the fire, and when it was warmed gave each man a
half a pint to begin with. He then told them to go and get supper,
and afterwards he gave each of them another half pint.
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