Dear Judith,
We've just arrived at Botany Bay on board the Lady Penrhyn.  It is hot and if we don't work, we don't get any food.  If we run away, we get shot at.  We have hard beds.  There are sheep, cows, pigs, dogs, ducks, cats and rats on board.

When we arrived there, Captain Arthur Phillip tried to speak to the Aboriginals, but they can't speak English.  The Bay was too small, so we have moved to Port Jackson.  Captain Arthur Phillip is claiming the land for England.  We are building houses.  It is hard with all the disease amongst the convicts.  I hope I see you again when I get my freedom Judith.

We only have a bucket to go to the toilet.  We have to work harder because some convicts ran away and got shot.  We are scared.  There are guards everywhere so it is hard to escape now.  There are 185 in my group.  There used to be 189.  4 escaped and were shot.

I have a disease.  It's spreading like mad through the camp.  We hope to get better.  There is no medicine for us.  I miss you and my new home.

Love
Eliza Brown
(alias Ellen)