Mary now a convicted criminal, boards the convict ship 'Britania' for the arduous voyage to Sydney. On board she meets Polly, the boss of the female prisoners and Greville, sinister officer of the NSW Corp
The Britannia prepares to leave Ireland with a load of convicts bound for Sydney. Joining them, Lieutenant Greville is traveling to take up a commission in the NSW Corp. His guarded about his reasons, other than it suited him Mary meets the rest of the convicts on board and is immediately chastised by Polly, the self appointed leader of the female prisoners As the vessel proceeds to Sydney Greville takes an interest in Mary. He offers her a chance to sleep in relative luxury but earns the respect of Polly and the others when she refuses his advances and is badly beaten The ship arrives in Rio and word spreads among the convicts that an attempt is to be made to capture the ship. The captain locks the ship down and reduces water rations. The prisoner's health plummets as conditions worsen. Adding to the misery are the punishments for the most minor infractions being handed out reach nightmare levels. The ship now close to Sydney is in an appalling condition. 15 male and one female prisoner have died either as a result of punishment or conditions. The Captain frantically begins to clean the vessel in hopes the Transport commission will consider his actions justified. As word passes among the convicts of their imminent arrival, Mary declares "I am going back (to Ireland) just like the wild geese"—glen_chapman <chapman_glen@yahoo.com>
Mary is onboard a convict transport ship on route to Australia and Polly, a streetwise convict in charge, makes Mary life harder. Ensign Grenville gives Mary a chance to escape the prison below, but he is furious when she turns down his offer. This leads him to what revenge which backfires when Mary cuts a soldier in self-defence. Worse is to come though when there is talk of a mutiny.