Not till now did he quite realize how great his escape had been.

The thought that he might have had to spend the rest of his life herding with such men as these, made him feel almost sick; and he thanked God more fervently, even, than he had done when the verdict was returned which restored him to his liberty, that he had been saved from such a fate.
A hundred and eighty convicts came on board.

They were in charge of ten warders, with loaded muskets, and an hour later a party of twenty marines, under the charge of an officer, also embarked.

They were on their way out to join a ship in Australian waters, and were to aid the warders in keeping the convicts in good order.
The wind being favourable, no time was lost after the marines had come on board.

The moorings were cast off and sails hoisted, and the Paramatta made her way against the tide to the mouth of the Medway; and there dropped her anchor to wait until the tide began to ebb, for the wind was so light that little would have been gained by an attempt to proceed at once.