|
|
|
ˆWALKER, Elphinstone
*7 August 1809 |
|
Elphinstone Walker was christened 26 January 1781 in Colinton,
Midlothian, Scotland, son of Marion Miller and Robert Walker.
His brothers and sisters included Isobel, Marion, Margaret,
Robert, Thomas, Adam and James.(55)
In 1801 he was employed as surgeon on the convict ship
Atlas, Captain Richard Brooks, which departed
Ireland on 29 November 1801 and arrived in Port Jackson on 7th
July 1802.
Elphinstone Walker died in August 1804 at Bengal. In an
application for probate in 1812 by an attorney acting on
behalf of his father Robert Walker, Elphinstone Walker is
described as a surgeon belonging to the East Indian Merchant
Ship Euphrates. He was a bachelor and his estate was to
pass to his father. (54)
The Euphrates under Captain George Welstead, was
engaged in the south seas and returned to England early in
September 1803, departing in convoy for the Bengal on 27th
September 1803. She was the last of the convoy to depart.
Passengers who sailed on her included Lady Rodney and
children, two Miss Pauls (Governesses), Mr. Scott jun., of
Bengal and Mr. John Thomas Roberdeau of Portsea, writer for
the Bengal. Later a letter was published from a young man of
the Bengal Civil Establishment, a passenger on the
Euphrates, bestowing praise on the unremitted attention
and vigilance of the indefatigable officer Capt. Lock of the
Revoutionaire, in convoying the fleet. The fleet had
survived the storm and water spout which desolated Madeira on
10th October 1803 which Island they saw on the 11th.
Information was received that the Euphrates had,
in company with a Privateer taken on the coast of Africa, a
valuable prize laden with guns and gold dust. It was reported
that she had still not arrived at Bengal in July and August
1804. Another vessel the Admiral Aplin had sailed a
month earlier on 28th August 1803 and been captured by the
French privateer La Psyche on 9th January 1804 and
fears were held for the safety of the Euphrates.
She arrived finally at Madras on 20th February and from Madras
for Bengal on 16th March under convoy of His Majesty's sloop
Victor. She was reported to have arrived at Bengal
early in April 1804 and sustained some damage by getting
aground while going up the river. No mention can be found of
Elphinstone Walker, however another man Henry Kennedy of
Belfast died of bilious fever on the Euphrates in
August 1804. The Euphrates sailed in company with
the Earl Spencer, the Lord Melville, the
David Scott and the Britannia from
Fort St. George on 21st October 1804 and from St. Helena
31st December and departed St. Helena on 13th January,
arriving back in Plymouth on 10th March 1805.
|
|
ˆWALKER, Hugh (R.N.,) *25 January
1799 |
|
Hugh Walker was entered in the
Navy List of Medical Officers in 1814.
He was employed as surgeon superintendent on the
Guildford
which departed Portsmouth on 14 May 1820 and arrived in Port
Jackson on 30 September 1820. He returned to England on the
Guildford in October 1820. Surgeons
Robert Espie and
Thomas Reid also returned to England on the Guildford.
Hugh Walker was
also employed as surgeon superintendent on the
Minstrel
which departed Portsmouth 17 April 1825 and arrived on 22
August 1825.
On 26 May
1827 Hugh Walker embarked on the ill-fated voyage of the
Cumberland, Captain Carns, bound for England. The
Cumberland was subsequently taken by pirates off the
Falkland Islands and all on board including Walker were
reportedly barbarously murdered.(1)
|
|
ˆWATERS, William
|
|
Surprize 1790
|
|
ˆWATSON,
Alexander |
|
Alexander Watson was appointed Surgeon Superintendent on
the Norwood convict ship to Western Australia in January
1862
|
|
ˆWATSON, David
*31 December 1809 |
|
David Watson was entered in the
Navy List of Medical Officers in 1814.
He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict ship
Lord Lyndoch
in 1833 and the
Lloyds
in 1837.
|
|
ˆWATT, William Conborough
* 22 February 1819 |
|
There were two men by the name of William Watt who were
appointed Assistant Surgeons (1)William Watt appointed 21 July
1808 and (2)William Watt appointed 10 December 1811
William C.
Watt was born in Scotland, of Scottish parents, and was baptized,
on the 12th June 1795 in the parish of New Monkland, Larnark and
was educated in Scotland for the medical profession. He had one
brother, Thomas Watt, and an only sister Margaret. Thomas Watt was
an assistant surgeon in the Royal Navy and resided chiefly at
Deptford, Kent and upon his death was buried at Greenwich.
William C.
Watt resided in Scotland until 1811, when he came to England and
was appointed assistant surgeon in the Royal Navy, and was employed as
hospital mate at Haslar Hospital. In 1812, he was appointed
assistant surgeon to her majesty's ship Aboukir. He was on
the List of Medical Officers who had served at War. He was
employed as Assistant-surgeon on the Abourkir at the surrender of
Genoa in 1814.
In May 1817 after serving in several ships he
was appointed acting surgeon in the Raccoon, in which he
remained until December 1818, when, for the first time, he was put
on half pay. He returned to Scotland and resided there until
January 1821, when he returned to England and was appointed
surgeon of the Grasshoppper, in which he continued until
January 1824, and about February in the same year was appointed
surgeon of the Arachne, in which vessel he served in India.
When Surgeon of the Arachne was officially noticed for his
services while conducting the medical department, against Ava in
1824-25-26
On the return of that ship in October, 1826, he
was for the second time put upon half pay, and again went to
Scotland. On arriving in Glasgow he found the circumstances of his
family much altered for the worse, his mother had died in that
year and his father who died in March 1833 had become of irregular
habits and his sister Margaret was in circumstances and in society
very unsatisfactory.
He left Glasgow, taking his sister with him and
went to reside at the house or Richard Smith at Lasswade where he
placed his sister in the boarding school of the Misses Mutter. He
continued to reside there till the autumn of 1828 during which
time he took the degree of M.D. from the university of Glasgow. In
1828 he expressed a desire to obtain a private practice in
England, but as none offered he visited Falkirk in the county of
Stirling and endeavoured, but unsuccessfully, to make arrangements
for succeeding to a business there. In the autumn of 1828, having
obtained employment, he removed his sister from the school to the
family of R. Smith, and was appointed surgeon to the convict ship
Edward, which he held until October 1829. While on
this voyage the wife of R. Smith died and he removed his sister to
the house of a lady near London. In December 1829 he was appointed
surgeon of the
Roslin
Castle and before sailing made his will. He left in
the ship in December 1830 and in January 1831 was appointed to
Exmouth convict ship which was lying at Deptford; he took
his sister with him and placed her in the house of a lady there;
he also caused her piano forte to be removed from Scotland to her
then residence. He subsequently served on board the ship
Mary and was afterwards for a short time with a
marine detachment at Spike Island, off the coast of Cork when, in
April 1834 he was appointed surgeon to the Temeraire, and
to the ships in ordinary at Sheerness, which he held until the end
of September 1839, when he was for the last time placed on half
pay.
He was next appointed secretary to the medical
officers of the navy, who were then raising a fund amongst
themselves to present a testimonial to their chief, Sir William
Burnett. This required his presence in London, and he accordingly
removed with his sister and took lodgings at Pimlico, where he
resided until 1841 during which time he pressed his claim for
employment and promotion in the Navy.
Early in October 1841, he was appointed a
Deputy-Inspector of fleets and joined the Queen at
Portsmouth and sailed for the Mediterranean, and remained in that
ship until March 1843, when he was appointed Deputy-Inspector of
Hospitals and went to Malta. This position was previously held by
William Martin who had been shot and killed by a sentry on 23rd
March.(1) This appointment Watt held until his
death there in August 1848. He was joined by his sister at Malta,
where they resided until her death in 1846...Courts
of Chancery Brown v. Smith
 ....1844
 .....1848
Notice - Died, on the morning of the 20th August, at his
residence in Rinella Bay, Dr. William Conborough Watt, D.D.,
F.R.C.S., Deputy Inspector of her Majesty's Royal Naval
Hospital, Bighi. Dr. Watts had been upwards of thirty years in
her Majesty's service, and greatly distinguished himself by
his medical services during the Burmese war in 1825. He was
buried on the 22nd, in the tomb at
Bighi cemetery, which contains the remains of his sister,
deeply regretted by all who knew him. Admiral Harvey, and the
officers of the fleet in port at Malta, and all the dockyard
and victualling yard officers, followed the remains of the
deceased officer to the tomb....The Morning Post 1
September 1848
(1)The
Naval Career of Sir Thomas Spencer Wills
|
|
ˆWEATHERHEAD, George Hume
R. N., *4 July 1812 |
|
Gerorge
Hume Weatherhead, medical writer, was born in Berwickshire in 1789
or 1790.
He was entered in the
Navy List of Medical Officers in 1814. He graduated M.D. at Edinburgh University on 1 August
1816. He was admitted a licentiate of the College of Physicians on
27 March 1820 and died at The Cottage, Foot's Cray Park near
Bromley in Kent on 22 June 1853. (Dictionary of National
Biography)
George Weatherhead was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on
the convict ship
Adrian. He kept a Medical Journal from
31st March to 20 August 1830 during the voyage of the Adrian to New South Wales
The Beaulah Saline Spa (1832)by George Hume Weatherhead
A Pedestrian Tour through France and Italy (1834) by George
Hume Weatherhead
A New Synopsis of Nosology (1834)by George Hume Weatherhead
On the Cure of Gout and Rheumatism (1843) by George Hume
Weatherhead
On the List of Surgeons unfit for service in 1841
On List of Surgeons retired on commuted allowance 1850
George Hume Weatherhead can be found in the 1851 Census residing
at Vale of Health, Vale Lodge, Middlesex. with two servants
Mary Carer and Maria Cast. He is age 60 and unmarried. His
occupation is given as Physician Graduate, retired from practise.
|
|
ˆWEST, Major |
|
Major West was employed as Surgeon on the
Francis & Eliza
in 1815.
He lost most of his belongings including surgical instruments
when the vessel was plundered by the privateer Warrior
during the
voyage.
He later settled in New South Wales and was employed as
Assistant Surgeon at Sydney, Parramatta and Windsor.
In 1822 he resided at Windsor and requested that a clearing
party be assigned to his 700 acre grant at Prospect.
In February 1824 he held an inquest in St. Matthew's Church
yard at Windsor on the body of a woman by the name of Ryan who
it was thought had come to an untimely death by a blow from
her husband. Dr. Parmeter also took part in the inquest, however
they found no evidence of foul play and the body was
re-interred.
In the 1825 Muster at Windsor Major West employed as
housekeeper Sarah Keaton who was stated to have arrived on the
convict ship
Janus as a convict under sentence of 7 years
transportation. Their children Major Keaton born in 1821, John
Keaton born in 1824 and Joseph or Thomas Keaton born in 1822
resided with them at Windsor. (*Note - No prisoner can be
found in the convict indents by the name of Sarah Keaton or
Keeling. )
The New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages index records
Major West as marrying Sarah Keeling (Keaton) in 1825 at St.
Mary's Sydney.
In 1828 Major West resided at Parramatta and gave his age as
36. Living with him was his wife Sarah Jane age 23, and their
sons Major age 7, Joseph age 5 and John age 4 and daughter
Sarah Jane aged 2 (born 3 May 1826). Three servants were
assigned to them, two of whom lived at Prospect. (1828 Census)
The New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages index has two
entries for death of Major West in 1832.
In 1832 application was made to the Orphan school for Joseph
and John. They were admitted on 11th and 12th August 1832 with
the notation that their mother was in Sydney.
He is not the
Major West who died in 1863 age 54.
Two families of Wests arrived on the Westmoreland in
1821 including John West and family (several children
including Major West age 15) and Thomas West and family with
six children)
|
|
ˆWEST, William
*5 November 1814 |
|
William West was entered in the
Navy List of Medical Officers in 1814
William West was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the
convict ship
Burrell
to New South Wales in 1830, the Duchess of Northumberland
to Van Diemen's Land in1843 and the Equestrian
to Van Diemen's Land in 1844.
He was listed in the
Medical Register 1865 - Residence 178 Marylebone
road, London. Qualifications - Surgeon in the Navy 1814.
Member Royal College Surgeons Eng. 1815. M.D. University
Edinburgh 1821.
|
|
ˆWHITE, John
|
|
John White was a naval surgeon. He was
appointed chief surgeon to the First Fleet arriving
in 1788
and later serving as Surgeon-General to the new
colony of New South Wales during the first years of
its existence.
He was a keen amateur naturalist and took an intense
interest in the unique flora and fauna of his new
surroundings, keeping a
journal on the voyage out, which was published
in London in 1790, as Journal of a Voyage to New
South Wales with Sixty-five Plates of Nondescript
Animals, Birds, Lizards, Serpents, curious Cones of
Trees and other Natural Productions.
He sailed on the
Charlotte. Sir A.S. Hamond to Under
Secretary Nepean Chatham, 16th October 1786
Dear Sir, Mr. White, the surgeon of the
Irresistible, is a candidate for Botany Bay. He
is a young man of much credit in his profession, and
of that sort of disposition and temper that render
him a very proper person for such an establishment.
If no surgeon is yet appointed, and you will do me
the favour to recommend him to Lord Sydney, I shall
think myself much obliged to you, and shall consider
myself bound to Government for his good behaviour, I
am etc., A.S. Hamond. (HR
NSW p. 25)
Surgeon White's
Commission. ......... George the Third,
etc. to our trusty and well beloved John White
greeting: We do, by these presents, constitute
and appoint you to be Surgeon to the settlement
within our territory called New South Wales, You
are, therefore, carefully and diligently to
discharge the duty of surgeon by doing and
performing all and all manner of things thereunto
belonging ; and you are to observe and follow such
orders and directions from time to time as you shall
receive from our Governor of our said territory for
the time being, or any other your superior officer,
according to the rules and discipline of ward.
Given at our Court at St. James's the twenty fourth
day of October 1786, in the twenty sixth year of our
reign, By his Majesty' command, Sydney. (HR
NSW p. 25) In 1791 the following letter
written by John White was published in the
Belfast Newsletter. The letter was written
in Sydney and dated 17 April 1790. Details the
desperate plight of the colony at that time emerge
from his writings. He couldn't have foreseen it as
he lamented their dire situation, but worse was yet
to come as just three three months later the Second
Fleet sailed into Sydney Cove with over seven
hundred and fifty convicts many of whom were sick
and dying.... His Majesty's ship Sirius,
and Supply tender, sailed from hence the 6th March
last, with the Lieutenant governor, half the
marines, and about 200 convicts for Norfolk Island
and landed them safe the 16th. This division of our
numbers the Governor thought necessary, on account
of the low state of our provisions. The ship stood
off and on until the 19th before an opportunity of
landing the provisions and stores offered; then the
Sirius stood in as close as possible to hasten and
facilitate getting the things thought a heavy surf,
which continually rolls in on the beach, but by a
current, or some other unforeseen cause, she was
driven on a reef of hidden rocks and irrecoverably
list. The ship's bow is in a position which will
probably make her hold together until every thing is
got ashire, where all the officers and men are safe,
with a greater store of provisions than we have
here. Had the Sirius arrived safe, she was
immediately to be sent to China for some relief for
us, and on her dispatch our all depended; but, alas!
that hope is no more, and a new scene of distress
and misery opens to our view. When the Supply
arrived with the melancholy ridings, the Governor
called all the officers together to consult and
deliberate on what was left to be done in our
present distracted and deplorable situation. He laid
before us the state of the provision store, which
contained only four months flour, and three of pork,
at half allowance, which has been our portion for
some time past, every other species of provision
being long since expended. We there fore determined
on the necessity of reducing our half allowance of
those two articles to such a proportion as will
enable us to drag out a miserable existence for
seven months. Should we have no
arrivals in that time, the game will be up with us,
for all the grain of every kind which we have been
able to rise intwo years and three months, would not
support us three weeks, which is a very strong
instance of the ingratitude and extreme pvoerty of
the soil, and country at Large: though great
exertions have been made. Much cannot now be done;
limited in food, and reduced as the people are, who
have not had one ounce of fresh animal food since
first in the country; a country and place so
forbidden and so hateful, as only to merit
execrations and curses; for it has been a source of
expense to the mother country, and of evil and
misfortune to us, without there ever being the
smallest likelihood of its repaying or recompensing
either. From what we have already seen, we may
conclude that there is not a single article in the
whole country, that in the nature of things could
prove of the smallest use or advantage to the mother
country or the commercial world. In the name of
Heaven, what has the Ministry been about? Surely the
y have quite forgotten or neglected us, otherwise
they would have sent to see what become of us, and
to know how we were likely to succeed. However, they
must soon know from the heavy bills which will be
presented to them,, and the misfortunes and losses
which have already happened to us, how necessary it
becomes to relinquish a scheme that in the nature of
things can never answer. It would be wise by the
first steps to withdraw the settlement, at least
such as are living or remove them to some other
place. This is so much out of the world and tract of
commerce that it could never answer. How a business
of this kind (the expense of which must be great)
could first be thought of without sending to examine
the country as was Captain Thompson's errand to the
coast of Africa, is to every person here a matter of
great surprise. M. Perouse and Clanard, the French
circumnavigators we well as us, have been very much
surprised at Mr. Cook's description of Botany Bay.
The Supply tender sails tomorrow for Batavia, in
hopes the Dutch may be able to send in time to save
us. Should any accident happen to her, Lord have
mercy upon us! She is a small vessel to perform so
long and unexplored a voyage, but we rely much on
the abilities and active attention of Lieut. Ball,
who commands her. Lieut. King, Second of the Sirius
takes his passage in her to Batavia, and from thence
to the Cape of Good Hope (in his way to Europe)
where he has orders to charter a ship and send her
to us immediately, should no other ships have passed
that place in their way here. - Belfast Newsletter
14th January 1791.
|
|
ˆWHITEMARCH, (or Whitmarsh) John
R.N., *24 July 1809 |
|
John Whitmarsh was appointed Hospital Mate on 24 July 1806.
He was appointed Hospital Mate at Gibraltar in 1810.
He was appointed Surgeon Superintendent on the
Morley
in 1818. The Morley departed the Downs 30 July and arrived in Port Jackson
on 7 November 1818
John Whitemarch
returned to England in April 1819 on the
Shipley with seven
other naval surgeons(2)
He was on the 1834 Navy List of Officers serving abroad. He was employed
as Dispenser at Malta 8 November 1833
|
|
ˆWILLIAMS, George
|
|
George Williams was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the
Burrell
in 1832. The Burrell departed Woolwich 8th January 1832
and arrived in Port Jackson on 20 May 1832.
George Williams kept a medical Journal from 13 December 1831
to 16 June 1832.
|
|
ˆWILLIAMS, John G.
|
|
John G. Williams was employed as Surgeon
Superintendent on the Kinnear in 1848 (to VDL) and the Maria Somes
in 1850. The Maria Somes departed Portsmouth 6 May
1850 and arrived in Van Diemen's Land 9 August 1850.  |
|
ˆWILLIAMSON, Stephen |
|
Stephen Williamson was Surgeon Superintendent on the
Caledonia (VDL) in 1822
|
|
ˆWILSON, Andrew Douglas
*21 January 1824 |
|
Andrew Douglas Wilson (Willson) was appointed to
the position of Assistant Surgeon on 14 January 1814.
He was promoted to the position of Surgeon in the Royal Navy in 1824.
Others promoted at the same time included
Thomas Brownrigg and
Joseph Steret. (110). He was appointed to acting surgeon to the
Bellette in January 1824 (Morning Post 5 January 1824)
In 1828 he was Surgeon on the vessel Primrose which was used in
the suppression of the slave trade....
Andrew D. Wilson was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict ships
Princess Royal in
1829,
Lady Feversham
in 1830 and the
Asia
in 1832
|
|
ˆWILSON, James |
|
James Wilson was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the
convict ship Lady Ridley in 1821 to Van
Diemen's Land in 1821; the
Blenheim 1834
and
Lady Kennaway 1836
to NSW and the
Minerva in 1838 (VDL)
|
|
ˆWILSON, John
|
|
John Wilson (c) was employed as Surgeon Superintendent
on the Emma Eugenia in 1844 (VDL) |
|
ˆWILSON, Thomas Braidwood
R.N., * 17 August 1815 |
|
Thomas Braidwood Wilson was entered in the Navy List of
Medical Officers in 1814.
He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the following
convict ships:
Richmond 1822 (VDL)
Prince Regent 1824
Mangles 1826
Governor Ready 1829
John 1830 (VDL)
Moffatt 1834 (VDL)
Strathfieldsaye 1836
He was on the List of Surgeons of the
Royal Navy who were fit for service in 1841
Narrative of a Voyage Round the World by Thomas
Braidwood Wilson published in 1835
|
|
ˆWYLIE, Robert R.N., *4 June 1825 |
|
Robert Wylie was appointed to the
position of Assistant Surgeon on 8 November 1809
He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict ships
Henry Wellesley 1836
Emma Eugenia 1838
Barossa 1839
to NSW and the Lady Raffles to Van Diemen's Land.
He kept a medical journal on the voyage of the Lady Raffles
between 24th October 1840 to 25 March 1841.
|
|
ˆWYSE, David R.N., *23 October 1813 |
|
David Wyse was appointed Assistant Surgeon to the Defiance
in 1810 and to the vessel Gladiator in 1813.
He was entered in the
Navy List of Medical Officers in 1814.
He was on the list of Medical Officers of the Royal Navy in 1827
He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict
ship Surry in 1833 (to VDL).
He wrote in his journal of the voyage of the Surry - 'The
accommodation and fittings up in the Surry are of the very best
description, and the convicts came on board with every prospect of
comfort and convenience.....Cholera first made its appearance on
board on the 10th November in a soldier from Chatham. Between the
18th and 28th many many cases occurred. The weather was very
inclement. Blowing in strong gales with much rain and very cold.
The ship bore up off Dungeness and came to anchor in the Downes.
On the 27th November matters had come to a crises - two men died
on that day, after about 6 or 8 hours illness; both had been stout
healthy men previously. The day was excessively tempestuous and
rainy - almost every individual below being sick, I could not find
enough of sound people to look after the sick and had resolved to
apply to the Commanding Office in the Downes for assistance.
The following day the weather improved and some of the cases were
resolved and assistance was not sought. There was little illness
once the vessel put to sea.
David Wyse attributed the abovementioned illness to the poor
condition of the oatmeal provided. (See
The Correspondence of Michael Faraday)
David Wyse remarked that with so much illness he had opportunity
to try different modes of treatment......He described one of the
men who died - Anderson after severe spasms had assumed his
natural heat and was lying on his back with a large sinapism over
all the abdomen, and quite collected; he kept whinging and moaning
from the pain of the mustard, and I requested him to be quiet and
bear it like a man. After twenty minutes application I went to
remove it when he died as suddenly as if shot.
In 1835 David Wyse was employed on the ill-fated convict ship
George the Third which was wrecked on 12 April 1835 in the
D'Entrecasteaux Channel off the coast of Tasmania. He later gave
evidence at the enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the
disaster. His testimony appeared in the John Bull (London)
25 September 1835. Below is an extract of part of his evidence:
"On the Captain giving the order to put the helm hard up, the ship
rounded too, considerably, her head from the land; whilst she was
rounding, she struck violently, the rudder tearing away the wheel,
throwing the first officer from the wheel to the lee side of the
poop. The first officer called out loudly for me to come to the
leading chains. Soon after she struck again, and the rudder was
shifted. I ran immediately to the Captain on the poop, and said
'The rudder is gone, the ship may swing now into the deep water'.
'Impossible Doctor,' said he, 'she is full of water'.
The call at this time of 'Doctor, Doctor!' was most
astounding. I rushed from the poop to the main hatchway;
Lieutenant Minto accompanied me. The prisoners were screaming in a
most violent and agitated manner, "oh, let us out, let us out;
in the name of God, let us out". The poor fellows put their
hands through the grating, and seized me by the hand, "You
promised to stand by us Doctor, you promised to stand by us'. "And
so I will, ' I replied, ' I will now remain here with you'.
Two of the stanchions, forming the barricade round the main
hatchway, had been broken down. Three or four of the convicts were
putting their heads through the broken space. A considerable body
of the military formed a compact guard round the main hatch, with
their muskets levelled against their obtruded heads, as I
conceived, merely for intimidation. Two of the most deserving
convicts in the ship came through the opening to me, and clung to
my knees, entreating me to pass them. The poor fellows below kept
crying out that the water was already up to their knees. The
crushing of the bottom of the vessel on the rock at this time was
most dreadful. On retreating from the hatchway I called to
Corporal Bell, to allow these two men to come up with me; these
men's names are Bart and Nelson.
On coming up I made my way back to the poop; the men accompanied
me. The mainmast was tottering. No shots had been fired up to this
period. Soon after this the main mast fell. The Captain at this
time was forward, endeavouring to get the launch out; this might
be five minutes from the first concussion, and in a minute more
the foremast fell; I heard it suggested that a gun should be fired
as a signal of distress, but it was found impracticable. Major
Ryan exclaimed, 'I will cause some muskets to be fires;' I
head the report of two or three shots, but did not see from what
part of the ship; at this time Major Ryan was sitting in front of
the mizenmast; he seized me by the hand, exclaiming 'What can
we do now, Doctor?' I replied. 'In a few minutes we shall
be in eternity!' I left him and pulled off my surtout,
expecting everything would be floating in the water immediately
and thought the only chance of saving my life would be by
attaching myself to a spar. I saw the launch get clear of the
vessel, made a rush, and got on board just as she cleared the
wreck; the convicts, as I went forward, opened a passage for me;
the convicts were all on the larboard side the starboard being
entirely under water.
The Doctor then corroborated what the Captain had previously
reported. To questions asked, he answered - " it was not till
after the whole of the survivors were taken from the wreck that
Robert Hart, a convict, told me that one of the prisoners had been
shot. No person in authority from my time of joining the ship,
ever appeared the least the worse for liquor, up to the day of the
fatal accident. The conduct of the prisoners, from the first
striking of the ship was most meritorious. They were kept down
till the boat should have been launched; and even before the boat
was launce many were drowned. The moment the boat was launched the
guard was withdrawn. At the time of the ship striking, 60 men were
in bed labouring under the effects of scurvy of whom 10 only might
have helped themselves, which I attribute to the poorness of
provisions generally, but particularly to the withdrawing the meal
of oatmeal and substituting cocoa. "
"One great inducement to proceed up DeEntrecasteaux Channel was to
get to Hobart Town with the least possible delay, from the
dreadful and increasing sickness on board and total want of every
sort of nourishment. The mortality amongst the prisoners was
dreadful; we buried five men in one day; I attributed this, in a
great measure to the 'new system of provisioning' of which this
was the first attempt." Read more about the loss of the
George the Third below (this account states that Assistant
surgeon Gregor McGregor of the 50th regiment was saved):
|
David Wyse was
on the List of Surgeons of the Royal Navy who were fit for service
in 1841. He was appointed to Her Majesty's ship Samarang.
He appears on the Nominal List of the Officers and Men employed in
the Samarang during the Operations in China viz on the 7th
January 26th February and 12 March 1841 who were entitled to
receive Medals in commemoration of the success of Her Majesty's
Arms in the Country. Notice of the his death
appeared in the Quarterly Naval Obituaries in the London Age
9th April 1843. .
ˆ |
