Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (78 page)

             
Ferghal
had
barely
returned
to
his
mess
when
he
was
summoned
once
more
and
found
himself
part
of
the
boat
crew
detailed
to
begin
ferrying
the
male
convicts
remaining
in
the
hold
ashore.

***

             
"
Ah,
Mister
Heron,
"
the
Reverend
Mister
Bentley
greeted
him.
"
I
am
leaving
the
ship
temporarily
to
take
advantage
of
an
opportunity
to
study
the
native
fauna
and
to
work
among
the
convicts.
I
hope
too
to
be
able
to
perhaps
provide
some
education
for
the
children.
Captain
Blackwood
has
most
kindly
consented
to
your
assisting
me
in
having
my
possessions
conveyed
to
my
new
abode
ashore.
"

             
Surprised,
Harry
nodded,
"
Certainly
Mister
Bentley,
sir.
Shall
I
summon
some
hands
to
carry
your
chest
to
a
boat?
"

             
"
In
due
time
young
man,
in
due
time.
I
have
a
favour
to
ask
first.
"
The
clergyman
hesitated,
then
asked,
"
I
was
wondering
if
you
would
be
so
kind
as
to
make
sketches
of
any
specimens
I
may
find?
This
place
has
all
manner
of
strange
new
creatures
and
birds
which
I
will
need
to
have
illustrated
for
my
journals.
"

             
"
Of
course,
sir,
"
Harry
was
flattered,
"
How
would
you
wish
me
to
do
these
–
and
from
what
sort
of
specimen?
"

             
"
Bless
you,
my
boy,
I
shall
have
to
consider
that
carefully.
The
Captain
will
not
permit
your
attending
me
ashore
for
too
long
so
perhaps
some
may
have
to
be
those
I
have
shot
or
trapped.
Will
that
present
a
problem?
"

             
"
It
is
better
if
I
can
observe
them
living,
sir,
but
if
they
are
stuffed
or
fresh
killed
it
should
not
be
too
difficult.
"

             
"
Bless
you,
Harry,
"
the
Parson
smiled.
"
Your
work
on
the
birds
we
have
seen
so
far
has
been
remarkable
and
this
place
has
species
unknown
until
recently,
in
birds
and
animals,
to
Europe.
Your
assistance
in
illustrating
them
will
be
invaluable.
"

             
Harry
departed
some
minutes
later
to
find
some
hands
to
move
the
Parson
'
s
small
chest
of
belongings
ashore.
He
was
flattered
and
intrigued
by
the
request
and
wondering
what
he
might
find
himself
engaged
in
drawing
in
the
coming
weeks.

***

             
Casting
off
the
bow
painter,
Ferghal
recovered
the
trailing
end
quickly.
Coiling
the
line
down
he
stowed
it
carefully
so
that
it
would
be
ready
for
use
when
the
barge
arrived
at
it
'
s
destination.
He
settled
into
a
comfortable
position
on
the
bow
thwart
and
watched
as
the
Bullocks
eased
their
muskets
and
watched
their
charges,
the
huddled
women
convicts
filling
the
spaces
between
the
rowers.
Several
children
interspersed
them
and
each
clutched
a
small
bundle
of
their
meagre
possessions.
Since
their
rescue
from
the
sinking
Maid
of
Selsey
,
the
women
had
been
accommodated
in
the
space
usually
used
for
the
tending
of
the
sick
and
injured
on
the
ship,
right
at
the
fore
end
of
the
upper
gundeck
beneath
the
fo
'
c
'
s
'
le.
This
had,
in
turn,
meant
that
any
trip
to
the
'
heads
'
to
relieve
oneself
had
required
passing
through
the
temporary
'
prison
'
.

             
"
All
right
for
some,
"
muttered
the
nearest
Marine
to
his
companion,
indicating
a
long
house
fronted
by
a
veranda
stood
atop
a
promontory.
A
pair
of
elegantly
dressed
ladies
were
visible,
attended
by
several
officers
in
the
uniform
of
the
loathed
New
South
Wales
Corps.
Known
as
the
'
Rum
Corps
'
due
to
their
control
of
all
supplies
of
liquor,
these
officers
and
their
men
enriched
themselves
at
the
expense
of
the
convicts
they
supposedly
guarded.
The
party
lounged
in
the
shade
of
the
veranda
while
raggedly
dressed
men
closer
to
the
water
toiled
on
what
appeared
to
be
a
kitchen
garden.
Lieutenant
Rae
acknowledged
the
salute
of
one
of
the
distant
officers
by
raising
his
hat
in
acknowledgement
and
said
something
quietly
to
the
coxswain.
The
tiller
was
adjusted
briefly
and
the
boat
turned
into
the
main
harbour.
The
small
fort
sitting
atop
the
islet
in
the
centre
of
the
harbour
passed
abeam
and
the
boat
continued
inland
following
the
wide
sweep
of
the
river.