his shirt and gagged for minutes, yelling at him for giving her something that tasted like kangaroo pee. Not that she’d know what that tasted like, he’d argued, and if the green weedy leaves could save them from scurvy, then wouldn’t they do well to get used to the taste? But all to no avail. Once Mary had made up her mind there was no budging it.
He shook his head at the memory and turned to her now, the affront at his warning still evident in her expression.
‘Of course I don’t think you’re stupid,’ his voice softened. ‘But I know it’s hard some days not to be tempted by easier ways to get by. Or what seems like easier ways. I just want you to stay safe. Now let’s get out of here. We’ve seen enough that’s gruesome today.’ Together they walked back to their work places, taking the moments to feel each other’s presence, to brush hands and to pass warm glances. Both were becoming easier in each other’s company and yet still not confident enough in the other’s feelings to voice their own.
***
As the months passed the new inhabitants of Sydney Cove began to seriously doubt their survival. The Governor sent letters back to England on the ships that were returning. They were in trouble in this new and strange land. The soil was poor, the fruit trees were not yielding, livestock and poultry failed to do well, sheep were often killed by dogs, cattle got lost in the bush and much of their seed turned out to be a host of weevils. Many of the convicts were falling ill with scurvy and as food was more and more severely rationed many risked the death penalty to steal food and kill livestock.
Some, more determined to find better ways, followed the lead of the natives, who they’d watched catching fish in the bay. Surely fish would taste better than the green and purple plants, the berries and leaves that the convicts found so sour and unsatisfying. Though William and Joe made some reasonable attempts at catching fish, they had to abandon the pointy sticks which the natives used to spear the darting silver creatures. Instead they stood patiently on the rocks at the end of the cove, waiting for a fish to be lured into a trap with a small piece of bread. If they dragged the trap through the water fast enough by the thin rope they’d attached to one end, they occasionally came up with a small fish.
‘And who do you expect that to feed,’ Mary scoffed one morning, seeing William return to camp. His small catch was laughed at by men who’d had more luck catching the occasional rat, crow, or kangaroo.
Mary dropped her shovel despondently and held up a wilted carrot from the garden. She’d struggled for months to grow a few vegetables and those that had not died were thin and pale. They’d had so little sustenance from what they’d grown that most of the workers were too weak and fed up to continue trying.
‘We’ll die here,’ she said sadly as William came close. ‘They want us to die. They’ve sent no one with any skills needed here. An’ any time we’ve had a few measly veggies in this plot someone steals ’em before we get to eat ’em.’
‘The common garden plots aren’t much of a success, I’d have to agree.’ William had to try hard on days like this to keep his own spirits up.
‘They knew we wouldn’t make it. Look how many have died already. Twenty eight as of yesterday, not counting the seven children. That hospital tent is always crowded and, oh Will, we can’t keep doing this.’ She grabbed at her stomach. ‘I’m so tired of this hungry feeling. It’s so long since my belly hasn’t groaned at me all day that I forget what it’s like to have it satisfied.’
‘Now, Mary, take heart. When were we not hungry? This isn’t a new feeling for us. We just have to live with it differently. We’ll make it. I know we will’.
‘Well, I’m tired of it all. I feel sick all the time and I’m too weak to keep working like this. We didn’t have to do this in England, did
He shook his head at the memory and turned to her now, the affront at his warning still evident in her expression.
‘Of course I don’t think you’re stupid,’ his voice softened. ‘But I know it’s hard some days not to be tempted by easier ways to get by. Or what seems like easier ways. I just want you to stay safe. Now let’s get out of here. We’ve seen enough that’s gruesome today.’ Together they walked back to their work places, taking the moments to feel each other’s presence, to brush hands and to pass warm glances. Both were becoming easier in each other’s company and yet still not confident enough in the other’s feelings to voice their own.
***
As the months passed the new inhabitants of Sydney Cove began to seriously doubt their survival. The Governor sent letters back to England on the ships that were returning. They were in trouble in this new and strange land. The soil was poor, the fruit trees were not yielding, livestock and poultry failed to do well, sheep were often killed by dogs, cattle got lost in the bush and much of their seed turned out to be a host of weevils. Many of the convicts were falling ill with scurvy and as food was more and more severely rationed many risked the death penalty to steal food and kill livestock.
Some, more determined to find better ways, followed the lead of the natives, who they’d watched catching fish in the bay. Surely fish would taste better than the green and purple plants, the berries and leaves that the convicts found so sour and unsatisfying. Though William and Joe made some reasonable attempts at catching fish, they had to abandon the pointy sticks which the natives used to spear the darting silver creatures. Instead they stood patiently on the rocks at the end of the cove, waiting for a fish to be lured into a trap with a small piece of bread. If they dragged the trap through the water fast enough by the thin rope they’d attached to one end, they occasionally came up with a small fish.
‘And who do you expect that to feed,’ Mary scoffed one morning, seeing William return to camp. His small catch was laughed at by men who’d had more luck catching the occasional rat, crow, or kangaroo.
Mary dropped her shovel despondently and held up a wilted carrot from the garden. She’d struggled for months to grow a few vegetables and those that had not died were thin and pale. They’d had so little sustenance from what they’d grown that most of the workers were too weak and fed up to continue trying.
‘We’ll die here,’ she said sadly as William came close. ‘They want us to die. They’ve sent no one with any skills needed here. An’ any time we’ve had a few measly veggies in this plot someone steals ’em before we get to eat ’em.’
‘The common garden plots aren’t much of a success, I’d have to agree.’ William had to try hard on days like this to keep his own spirits up.
‘They knew we wouldn’t make it. Look how many have died already. Twenty eight as of yesterday, not counting the seven children. That hospital tent is always crowded and, oh Will, we can’t keep doing this.’ She grabbed at her stomach. ‘I’m so tired of this hungry feeling. It’s so long since my belly hasn’t groaned at me all day that I forget what it’s like to have it satisfied.’
‘Now, Mary, take heart. When were we not hungry? This isn’t a new feeling for us. We just have to live with it differently. We’ll make it. I know we will’.
‘Well, I’m tired of it all. I feel sick all the time and I’m too weak to keep working like this. We didn’t have to do this in England, did
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