They are treated mostly like dogs, and I have been on board ships where the rations was not what a decent dog would look at." "But I thought there was regular food, according to a scale," Reuben said.
"Ay, there's that," the sailor replied, "and the government officers see that the quantity's right; but, Lor' bless you! They don't trouble as to quality, and some of the owners buys up condemned stores, and such like; anything, thinks they, is good enough for a convict ship--biscuits as is dropping to pieces, salt junk as 'as been twenty years in cask, and which was mostly horse to begin with.

No wonder as they grumbles and growls.

A convict is a man, you see, though he be a convict; and it ain't in human nature to eat such muck as that, without growling." "What tonnage is the vessel ?" Reuben asked.
"'Leven hundred and fifty ton, and as fine and roomy a ship as there is in the trade, and well officered.

I have made three v'yages with the captain and first mate, and the second mate was with us on the last v'yage." "How many hands are there, altogether ?" "Twenty-five, counting you as one, and not a-counting the two stewards." "We are going to take some passengers, I see," Reuben said.

"I have been at work, putting up pegs and shelves for them." "Yes, there's eight or ten passengers, I hears," the sailor said.
"Passengers don't mostly like going by convict ships, but then the fares are lower than by other vessels, and that tempts a few.
Besides, the Paramatta is known to be a fast ship, and the skipper has a good name; so we shall have a better class of passengers, I expect, than usually voyages with convict ships; and besides the passengers there will be the officer of the convict guard, and a surgeon, so we shall be pretty full aft." "And what will my duties be, when we are at sea ?" "It just depends on the captain," the sailor said.