An emigrant's home letters/Letter Twenty-Seven
LETTER TWENTY-SEVEN.
Sydney,
September 15th, 1841.
My Dear Sister,
You will perceive by a newspaper of to-day's date, which I shall post with this, that hundreds of emigrants are at the present time starving in the streets of Sydney, so great has been the over-supply of labour here since my last. Of this deplorable fact I could send you other and stronger proof had I leisure to do so, but I write this away from home, not deeming it right to delay a moment in letting you know. A week ago there were eight vessels riding at anchor in the harbour, all crowded with emigrants! And though many of them have now been engaged to go into the interior, I am afraid great numbers will not be able to obtain employment. By the emigration regulations they are only allowed to remain on board their respective vessels ten days after their arrival in Port Jackson, and at the expiration of that time they are invariably turned adrift to provide for themselves in the way they best can. If they cannot get employment, and have no money, of course they must starve! I saw a case in the newspapers last week of a young woman who was turned out of one of these emigrant ships when the ten days were up, and was found by a policeman sitting on the Queen's Wharf, and taken to the watchhouse. The next morning she was brought before the magistrate, charged with being drunk; and though she stated that it was faintness, and that she was meditating suicide when the policeman came to her, yet she was sentenced, on the oath of the policeman, to sit one hour in the stocks! What encouragement for persons to come to Australia!
I must now conclude, hoping that you are all in the enjoyment of health. Our little Clara is getting quite well again. Clarinda and myself are quite well. The merchants of Sydney are all in a state of bankruptcy.
Yours affectionately,
H. PARKES.