The Girl From Botany Bay Summary and Reviews

The Girl From Botany Bay
by Carolly Erickson

The Girl From Botany Bay
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Book Summary Information

Author: Carolly Erickson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-10-18
ISBN: 0471271403
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Wiley

Book Reviews of The Girl From Botany Bay

Book Review: A Book of Human Suffering
Summary: 5 Stars

I was aware that England used Australia as a place to send prisoners during the American Revolutionary War years and later, but I never realized how miserable the living conditions were and the human cargo that was shipped there arrived more dead than alive. Botany Bay actually was located on the southern shore of the island of Tasmania, but conditions were such that the prisoners were transferred to what is now Sydney harbor. Lawbreakers in England such as Mary Bryant were routinely sentenced to death by hanging. Mary was one of those whose life was spared and chosen to serve her sentence in Australia. After several punishing months at sea and living in filth on the ship in addition to becomming pregnant by a male passenger the group of convicts arrived at their destination. Living conditions for the prisoners encouraged everyone to plot their escape from this living hell hole. Mary, along with her husband, child, and other prisoners escaped and headed for the island of Timor. This is a story of sadistic guards who enjoyed abusing their authority by having violators whipped for escape attempts and other rule violations. Mary and her family were to be returned to England after being recaptured, but her husband and now two children both died before arriving. Mary expected to be resentenced to death, but James Boswell, a friend of King George, wrote asking for a pardon for Mary for all the trials and tribulations she had been through. His appeal was successful and Mary received a pardon along with a yearly annunity from James Boswell for her to live on. This is a book of human suffering while traveling on a ship in terrible weather in addition to the suffering while in captivity in Australia. The English weren't bashful in handing out death penalities to its citizens, and sentencing offenders to Australia to live in squalor if they survived the trip was a way of just getting these people out of their hair and the country. This is a sad chapter in the history of England.

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