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The convict ship Surprize, bound for Australia, was contracted
from Camden, Calvert and King, whose agent on board was Thomas Shapcote. It
undertook to transport, clothe and feed the convicts for a flat inclusive fee of
£17 7s 6d (about £17.38), whether they landed alive or not.
In this privatised hell, the starving prisoners lay chilled to the bone on
soaked bedding, unexercised, crusted with salt, shit and vomit, festering in
scurvy and boils. Thirty six out of 254 convicts died at sea. One convict,
Thomas Milburn, would later describe the voyage in a letter to his parents:
"When any of our comrades that were chained to us died, we kept it secret for as long as we could for the smell of the dead body, in order to get their allowance of provision, and many a time have I been glad to eat the poultice that was put on my leg for perfect hunger. I was chained to Humphrey Davies who died when we were about half way, and I lay beside his corpse about a week to get his allowance."