THE VERY FIRST

[Vic Jefferies]

An old one of mine but I like to bring it out on Australia Day because I think it may offer a different perspective:

THE VERY FIRST

Paddy O’Rourke, or so goes the talk,
was the very first man to be sent
a world away to Botany Bay
for stealing a shilling to pay his rent.

‘Twas Judge McVeigh, or so they say,
sent poor Paddy across the sea
and neither old McVeigh nor Paddy
had any idea where that might be......


“Twelve years! Twelve years you shall serve and not a single moment less,
that I most earnestly hope and pray will curb your wickedness!
Now, you shall be the very first whom I send by Royal Decree,
to that place which I believe shall be known as...please excuse me.”
“Clerk! Where is that accursed place? What is that blasted name you say?”
“Oh yes - the place I send you now shall be known as Botany Bay.”

South by west, then south again, was the captain’s sailing orders,
south by west, then south again, towards the world’s farthest borders.
Then south by south and south again through a faintly charted ocean,
till there were amongst us those who in panic voiced the notion;
our captain was insane or else the sun had touched his mind
for as we sailed on southward, so we left all hope behind.

When at last the anchors dropped and the sails were safely furled,
they brought us forth from our foetid holds to see our lonely world.
Oh, the sight that there did greet us, nought but bush and burning sand,
beneath a sky stretched forever above an endless land
and as we gazed from those silent decks at our isolation,
who amongst us could suspect we were the lifeblood of a nation.

For every man who stood there and every mother’s daughter,
saw nothing more than a prison whose walls were bush and water.
Where we were we did not know nor if we’d live to leave again,
we only knew we had survived, albeit bound in chain.
Then in every heart there grew - as we stared at that awful scene -
a determination we would live to see our homelands green.

But now from where it is I sleep beneath these vast eternal skies
still I hear my companions weep and I hear their tortured cries;
I feel the sting of the lash; hear the rattle of rusting chain;
I see the nation that has grown from our misery and our pain.
To those of you who would judge us still - we who were less than slaves-
we would ask you to remember, Australia is built upon our graves.

(©) Vic Jefferies

[Heather]

Good one Vic. I am a very proud seventh generation Australian with five convict ancestors including one John Rogers who came out on the Neptune with the second fleet. A lot of our ancestors did it tough for us to enjoy the freedoms that we do now.

Heather

[Maureen K Clifford]

That they did Heather. This is a great yarn Vic - I believe??? that Kurnell near Cronulla was the first landing place for the first convicts but was deemed unsuitable and they then moved into the upper reaches of Port Jackson - vaguely remember seeing a cain to this effect when I lived at Cronulla a long time ago. I always though how beautiful it was there - but when you are chained and deported far from your own homeland I suspect one perhaps doesn't see that beauty.

Love these lines - you captured that feeling

For every man who stood there and every mother’s daughter,
saw nothing more than a prison whose walls were bush and water.

Cheers

Maureen

[william williams]

they were good people those convicts hand picked by the best judges in England

BW

[Neville Briggs]

Interesting narrative poem Vic.

I think we need to carefully consider the historical record. Some of the convict settlements such as Port Arthur were very harsh but the idea that the convicts generally suffered in a kind of Dante's holocaust is not true to all the evidence. Some of them became " ticket-of-leave " and prospered very well in the colony.

[Vic Jefferies]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and comment on my poem.
What I was hoping to convey was that at the time that many of the convicts were sentenced to be transported not very many would have had any idea where they were going, including I think perhaps even the judges who were sending them. It was only seventeen years since young Jimmy Cook had been here and reported back and for that seventeen years very few in England showed much interest in "New South Wales."
It was an amazing feat of seamanship by Captain Arthur Philip to even arrive at Botany Bay let alone to lead eleven ships and some fourteen hundred people (no one is really sure how many were on board the First Fleet as records have been lost) to what was an almost unknown continent.
While I am sure those on board were glad to eventually arrive after twelve thousand miles of sailing I think that perhaps what they found here upon their arrival would have been incredibly daunting. Here they were, with no chance of help or support of any kind, twelve thousand miles from home and facing the unknown! Hard to imagine and that is the main thrust of my poem.
Neville while some convicts did go on to prosper there is absolutely no doubt that many suffered unimaginable hardships and cruel treatment. Many, many died horrible deaths while being transported here on subsequent ships and the punishments handed out both here and at places like Norfolk Island, Moreton Bay, "Accursed Toongabbie" and in Tasmania are well recorded.
On another note some estimate that the Aboriginal population of that time was perhaps three hundred thousand. If they had organised a concerted attack to repel the "invaders" at the time the English may well have disappeared without trace and their disappearance may not have been discovered for years. Even when it was what was England to do? Hard to wage war twelve thousand miles from home!
I have always harboured the thought that the powers in England at that time didn't really care if the settlement succeeded or not. By any measure it was a very dangerous gamble: the trip with the distances and dangers involved; the accuracy of Cook's report (which in the case of Botany Bay as a good place to settle, was erroneous) the possibility of hostile attacks; an almost complete lack of knowledge of the country and people and the inability to send aid if required.
I think it comes down to the amazing ability of Arthur Philip as a leader and seaman and a great deal of luck!

[r.magnay]

...and so was born the modern Australian!...good onya Vic.

[Vic Jefferies]

And good on you to Ross. Been meaning to mention that I came across a copy of your very handsome book in a second hand bookshop sometime ago. Always regret that I was short of cash at the time and therefore didn't buy it but it certainly looked very impressive!
Always amazed at how little we as a nation know or understand about the settlement and establishment of modern Australia. We probably know more about the history of America than we do about our own country. Unfortunately our history has been and is now being hijacked by the politically correct and changed to suit their perceptions and ideals.

Vic Jefferies

[Neville Briggs]

That book sounds interesting. Could we have the title please.

[Vic Jefferies]

Sorry Neville, I don't recall the title of the book only that it was written by Ross.
We will have to ask him for some details.

Vic