Convict ships of the time were quite small, varying from 320 to 450 tons, about 100 feet long and 30 feet broad. They were crowded, not only with convicts and crew, but also provisions, stores, sheep, hogs, goats and poultry, not to mention rats, cockroaches and vermin. They were difficult to ventilate. The ships were usually provided and equipped by private firms, looking to make a profit. The contracts called for the ships to be sea worthy, properly manned and fitted out with the convict's quarters clean and ventilated. The contractors had to provide a surgeon. Prisoners were allowed on deck as much as possible. Rations, based on those in the navy were ample if properly distributed.
The prisoners were usually divided into 'messes' of six. Each week a mess typically would receive:
- 20 pound of bread
- 12 pound of flour
- 16 pound of beef
- 6 pound of pork
- 12 pints of pease
- 2 pound of rice
- 1 1/2 pound of butter
- 1 1/2 pound of suet
- 3 pound of raisin
- 6 pints of oatmeal
- sugar, vinegar and lime juice
- 3 to 4 gills of wine per day
- 3 quarts of water per day
On the 18th May 1829 the Governor Ready sailed from Sydney bound for Ireland. Between Murray and Halfway Islands, north-east of Cape York, she struck a detached reef and foundered. The 39 crew took to the ships boats: 19 in the longboat; 12 in the skiff and 8 in the jolly boat. After touching several uninhabited islands there were sighted by the brig Amity off Timor - a passage of 2,500 kilometers in 14 days.
On 31 May 1829 it was reported that they crew were rescued.
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