To Michael Ridy,
I have been sick for three days and the soldiers don't care about us.  How would they like it?  I comitted an awful crime.  I shot 3 officers in London, stole 3 milk bottles, 2 loaves of bread and jam and mustard.  Our first stop was the Canary Islands.  We saw and fought Captain Kidd on the way.  He and all of his men swarmed over the side and stabbed or shot at us.

Two days ago, we arrived at Botany Bay, but then we moved up to Port Jackson.  My friend John Baylen escaped, but he was shot to death.  I got flogged 10 times.  Yes!  10 times!  The sailor in the Crow's Nest cut a sail, so he was thrown overboard by a marine.

from
Francis Bradley
(alias Daniel)