f the women. A worthy fellow-helper, Mrs. Pryor, was her
companion, on most of these journeys, frequently enduring exposure to
weather, rough seas, and accidents. On one occasion the two sisters of
mercy ran the risk of drowning, but were fortunately rescued by a
passing vessel. Very fortunate, indeed, was it, that a deliverer was at
hand, or the little boat, toiling up the river, contending against tide,
wind and weather, might have been lost. That voyage to Gravesend was
only one among many destined to work a revolution in female convict
life.

Alterations, which were not always improvements, began to take place in
the manner of receiving these women on board ship. The vessels were
moored at Woolwich, and group by group the miserable complement of
passengers arrived; in each case, however, controlled by male warders.
Sometimes, a turnkey would bring his party on the outside of a
stage-coach; another might bring a contingent in a smack, or coasting
vessel; while yet a third marched up a band of heavily-ironed women,
whose dialects told from which districts they came. Sometimes their
infants were left behind, and, in such a case, one of the ladies would
go to Whitehall to obtain the necessary order to enable the unfortunate
nursling to accompany its mother; but generally speaking, the children
accompanied and shared the parents' fortunes.

Cruelties were inseparable from the customs which prevailed. In 1822,
Mrs. Pryor discovered that prisoners from Lancaster Castle arrived, not
merely handcuffed, but with heavy irons on their legs, which had
occasioned considerable swelling, and in one instance serious
inflammation. _The Brothers_ sailed in 1823, with its freight of human
misery on board, and the suffering which resulted from the mode of
ironing, was so great, that Mrs. Fry took down the names id particulars,
in order to make representations to the Government. Twelve women
arrived on board the vessel, handcuffed; eleven others had iron hoops
round their legs and arms, and were chained to each other. The
complaints of these women were mournful; they were not allowed to get up
or down from the coach, without the whole party being dragged together;
some of them had children to carry, but they received no help, no
alleviation to their sufferings. One woman from Wales must have had a
bitter experience of irons. She came to the ship with a hoop around her
ankle, and when the sub-matron insisted on having it removed, the
op