Captain Thomas Gilbert started the voyage on 17 November 1789, bound for Botany Bay and China. In company with and ,
Neptune finally sailed from
England with about 502 convicts (424 male and 78 female) on 19 January 1790. At some point on the voyage Gilbert died and his replacement as master was Donald Trail; the surgeon was William Gray. She arrived at the
Cape of Good Hope on 13 April 1790, and spent sixteen days there, taking on provisions, and twelve male convicts from
HMS Guardian, which had been wrecked after striking an iceberg. heavy weather resulted in
Neptune and
Scarborough parting from
Surprize, with
Neptune arriving at Port Jackson on 28 June, 160 days out from England. During the voyage 147 male and 11 female convicts died, for a total death rate of 31%; 269 (53%) were sick when landed. The high death-rate and harsh treatment of the convicts prompted Governor Phillip to order an inquiry to find the persons responsible. About this time, Captain Trail is reported to have “absconded.”
Conditions and treatment on board Each male convict was chained and, according to one account, the shackles were the same as those used in the slave trade. Most of the male convicts were on the orlop deck and slept in four rows of cabins. Three large tubs were used as toilets. The female convicts were housed in an upper deck section and were not chained. The treatment of convicts aboard
Neptune was cruel. Convicts suspected of petty theft were flogged to death and most convicts remained chained below decks for the duration of the voyage.
Scurvy and other diseases were endemic and the food rations were pitiful.
Neptune had a death rate of 158 out of 502 or 31%, the second highest death rate among all convict voyages. Later, the lawyer who brought the charge was struck from the Rolls.
Notable arrivals Amongst the arrivals on this voyage was
D'Arcy Wentworth, a free assistant surgeon. He apparently fathered a child by his convict mistress, Catherine Crowley, conceived early on the voyage. The child
William Wentworth was born on
Norfolk Island and became a major figure.
John Macarthur, his wife Elizabeth, and their son
Edward Macarthur left England on
Neptune but transferred to
Scarborough after a quarrel with the captain. A photograph of Edward Macarthur exists, and is the only known photo of a passenger on
Neptune.
Sarah Cobcroft (née Smith), de facto wife of convict
John Cobcroft, also arrived aboard
Neptune. She was a midwife and later pioneer farmer of
Wilberforce, New South Wales.
Molly Morgan, born Mary Jones, was another convict who sailed to Australia on the
Neptune. ==Fate==