The Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux, Edited by Noel McLachlan, William Heinemann Ltd.,
London, 1964. pp 216 – 218.
In fact, a person belonging
to the Earl Spencer, Indiaman, then on the point of
sailing for Ceylon and Bombay, did, in the month of January
1814, from motives of pure and disinterested compassion,
propose that I should conceal myself, with his assistance,
on board that ship, and promised me every support in his
power. I accepted with joy and gratitude this unexpected
offer, and, without any difficulty, got on board, and, as I
thought, effectually concealed, on the night of the Queen’s
birthday. I lay close and undiscovered for four days, and on
the fifth had the pleasure to hear that the ship would that
day finally sail, she having already dropped down the
harbour.
But, how often is the cup of
happiness dashed from the lips of mortals! On the 23rd
January, about ten o’clock in the forenoon, my friend came
to me in my place of concealment, and informed me that
upwards of thirty constables were come on board to search
the ship, for that so many prisoners were missing from their
respective employments, that the Governor would not suffer
the ship to depart until they were found……
Thus were my fond hopes of
liberty and happiness effectually destroyed….
The ship having now
been thoroughly ransacked, the search was given up, and the persons taken out
were brought ashore, attended by the constables. We were all immediately lodged
in gaol; and the next day, a report having been made to the Governor, His
Excellency was pleased to order each man to be punished with fifty lashes in the
public lumber yard…myself and three others were sentenced by the Governor to be
sent to the coal river for one year.