Hannah Abbott, an empathic girl, finds her way on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. On one of the convict ships of the First Fleet, the Charlotte lurches Hannah into a journey, where she finds an experience which she never would have dreamed of.

An Amazing Experience

 

Areebah Khan

My name is Hannah Abbott. I used to live in Manchester. But, then, it all changed. Mother and  Father started going to sea, and I was left at home. Then, a couple of weeks after this, Mother and Father got an unusual offer for being a ship's surgeon. I knew Father would say 'yes'. I had to leave everything behind; my piano, my French lessons, my nice nanny... and, most of all, my lovely house. I knew that my life was changed. With a sinking feeling, I left my home.

After a very rocky carriage ride, we arrived in London. It stank like a chamber pot! The sky was clogged up with thick black smoke. Beggars and thieves crowded the streets. I looked at them in dismay. I felt horrible, thinking about the terrible fate awaiting them. We arrived at the shoreline. Eleven ships lined the coast, paint peeling off. Only two ships remained in good condition, the chestnut-brown paintwork gleaming in the golden sunshine. I walked towards the handsome ships.

Father stopped me. "Our ship is that one, Hannah," he said, pointing towards one of the stinking ships. I gagged. Mother gave me a soft push, and I started walking towards, what I thought was my end.

For the next couple of weeks, Father, Mother and I lived in harsh conditions; from lying in the unbearable heat to lying on the thin, dirty, ragged mattress in the cold, wet night. Cries and moans clogged up the sky, making me want to go home even more. I shut my eyes tight as the punished convicts cried in pain as they were flogged. Red marks appeared on their pale, white skin. One day, I was so angry at Father for telling me off for wanting to talk to a convict, that I crept into the hull where the convicts stayed! The decaying stench and foul pests made me wrinkle up my nose. I came across a woman as pale as death. Then, I heard a soft sobbing. There, sitting among a nest of rats, was a frail little girl. "What's the matter," I asked in a soft, calm voice. The girl jumped, saw me and gave a soft hiccup. She told me that her mother was dead. I walked up to her and comforted her, despite the nasty rats. I accidentally fell asleep.

A shout and a glint of bright sunlight awoke me. I realised where I was, gave the little girl a hurried "goodbye" and rushed up to deck. The sun rose, and in the distance, I saw a dark silhouette. No, it could not be! "Land Ahoy!"

I was sick of the ocean, of the rocking water. But we had to sail onto Port Jackson! Apparently, Botany Bay was too inhospitable for a settlement, so we were sailing onto Port Jackson, a much better harbour, and it was! Fluffy, white clouds scattered against the periwinkle blue sky. The water was a pure, intense blue. The land flourished with every shade of green. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.