242
As that of Scany Abum (29) lately a prisoner bound the Hurth
Andrew Albert swour deposette -
I am Sergeant of Police in charge of the detachment of Police on board the Convict hulk on the 9th of July instant. Two hundred and twenty-three Convicts and forty were landed on Government Island for labor, at the close of the day they returned on board - five boat loads each of eighty prisoners and five prisoners on board the hulk. The Acting boatswain got stripped at about 5 o'clock. The last boat load containing eighty-eight prisoners and the five boatmen came alongside the port waist, the usual by the larger boat was towed as usual, with prisoners. A smaller boat in which was the Police Guard of five European constables and six Indian Constables and two lascars - at the time the boats arrived I was looking at them. I saw the prisoners commence getting up the side, and two or three of the prisoners exhibited eagerness to get on board which was usual and there was some crowding to the side of the boat, some of the prisoners fell backward against those behind.
Aff... prisoners on the off side of the boat, there was lunch and the boat capsized. The prisoners being cast...