1-179 (Raw)

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Revd. Philip Connolly, catholic Priest, being duly sworn, states, I took my passage on board the Ship 'Janus'... about three weeks after I had been on board, I had reason to suspect some improper intercourse was going on between the female Convicts and the Sailors; my reasons for so doing were in consequence of some Conversation between the Surgeon and Captn.; the intercourse appeared to me to be general; I have reason to believe there were two or three Women often, indeed Constantly, in the Captain's Cabin; Lydia Elsden was one, Mary Long also was one; she endeavoured to get in of a night; they were in the sleeping Births and did not appear in the day; they were in the principal part of the day and principal part of the night. [9] I felt it my Duty to have some conversation with the Captain in the course of a Month after we sailed. I did so frequently nearly the whole Voyage; there was a time I ceased to do it, Convinced it was useless; these things were frequently talked over publicly in the Cabin. Captain Mowat seemed by his words to wish to prevent it, but not by his Actions. I have reason to believe as to the Sailors, each took their partner from the Prison-room. . . I believe Prostitution was carried on during the Voyage to a most Shameful extent.
The Captain knew of the Prostitution being carried on; he took means to prevent it, but not sufficient means: the Captain often went down to prevent it, but I am sure they would have carried it on in spite of him; the Sailors seemed determined to have the Women. The Hatches were removed as regularly as they were fastened; his, the Captain's, remonstrances had no effect, nor could it be expected they would, in consequence of his own example and Conduct, I mean bad example.
Mary Long, being duly Sworn, states, I was one of the female Convicts that came out in the Ship 'Janus'. . . When I have not been Confined in the Prison during the night, I have passed my time in the Captain's Cabin. I believe I am at this time in a pregnant Condition . . -When I was in the Captain's Cabin, it was Commonly known. When I went, I went publicly down night or day. I washed and mended for Captain Mowat. I constantly had occasion to go down for those purposes. Mary Hoare, Isabella Irvin used to wash for the Priests: Ellen Molloy cooked for them; they had frequent occasion to go into the Priests' Cabin...
Lydia Elsden, being duly Sworn, states, I was one of the Prisoners that Came out in the Ship 'Janus'. I wrote a Letter to Mr Bailey, whose Government Servant I am. I was particularly urgent with him to come down to Sydney to see one of the Officers of the Ship. I complained to him that I was pregnant by the Chief Mate of the Ship, John Hedges. I passed much of my time in his Cabin during the Voyage.. . The Surgeon knew of my going up and down, and the other Women too, and did not peremptorily order us to our Prison, but only to be more Circumspect, and not to do it openly, lest the Priests should know it, for that his living depended on his Character; this I have often heard, and every Person on board heard the same, and he said that he would have a Woman in his Cabin, if it was not for the Priests.
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