for the term of his natural life-第1章
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
DEDICATION
TO
SIR CHARLES GAVAN DUFFY
My Dear Sir Charles； I take leave to dedicate this work to you； not merely because your nineteen years of political and literary life in Australia render it very fitting that any work written by a resident in the colonies； and having to do with the history of past colonial days； should bear your name upon its dedicatory page； but because the publication of my book is due to your advice and encouragement。
The convict of fiction has been hitherto shown only at the beginning or at the end of his career。 Either his exile has been the mysterious end to his misdeeds； or he has appeared upon the scene to claim interest by reason of an equally unintelligible love of crime acquired during his experience in a penal settlement。 Charles Reade has drawn the interior of a house of correction in England； and Victor Hugo has shown how a French convict fares after the fulfilment of his sentence。 But no writerso far as I am awarehas attempted to depict the dismal condition of a felon during his term of transportation。
I have endeavoured in 〃His Natural Life〃 to set forth the working and the results of an English system of transportation carefully considered and carried out under official supervision； and to illustrate in the manner best calculated； as I think； to attract general attention； the inexpediency of again allowing offenders against the law to be herded together in places remote from the wholesome influence of public opinion； and to be submitted to a discipline which must necessarily depend for its just administration upon the personal character and temper of their gaolers。
Your critical faculty will doubtless find； in the construction and artistic working of this book； many faults。 I do not think； however； that you will discover any exaggerations。 Some of the events narrated are doubtless tragic and terrible； but I hold it needful to my purpose to record them； for they are events which have actually occurred； and which； if the blunders which produced them be repeated； must infallibly occur again。 It is true that the British Government have ceased to deport the criminals of England； but the method of punishment； of which that deportation was a part； is still in existence。 Port Blair is a Port Arthur filled with Indian…men instead of Englishmen； and； within the last year； France has established； at New Caledonia； a penal settlement which will； in the natural course of things； repeat in its annals the history of Macquarie Harbour and of Norfolk Island。
With this brief preface I beg you to accept this work。 I would that its merits were equal either to your kindness or to my regard。
I am； My dear Sir Charles； Faithfully yours； MARCUS CLARKE
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY； MELBOURNE
CONTENTS
DEDICATION PROLOGUE
BOOK I。THE SEA。 1827。
I。 THE PRISON SHIP II。 SARAH PURFOY III。 THE MONOTONY BREAKS IV。 THE HOSPITAL V。 THE BARRACOON VI。 THE FATE OF THE 〃HYDASPES〃 VII。 TYPHUS FEVER VIII。 A DANGEROUS CRISIS IX。 WOMAN'S WEAPONS X。 EIGHT BELLS XI。 DISCOVERIES AND CONFESSIONS XII。 A NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH
BOOK II。MACQUARIE HARBOUR。 1833。
I。 THE TOPOGRAPHY OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND II。 THE SOLITARY OF 〃HELL'S GATES〃 III。 A SOCIAL EVENING IV。 THE BOLTER V。 SYLVIA VI。 A LEAP IN THE DARK VII。 THE LAST OF MACQUARIE HARBOUR VIII。 THE POWER OF THE WILDERNESS IX。 THE SEIZURE OF THE 〃OSPREY〃 X。 JOHN REX'S REVENGE XI。 LEFT AT 〃HELL'S GATES〃 XII。 〃MR。〃 DAWES XIII。 WHAT THE SEAWEED SUGGESTED XIV。 A WONDERFUL DAY'S WORK XV。 THE CORACLE XVI。 THE WRITING ON THE SAND XVII。 AT SEA
BOOK III。PORT ARTHUR。 1838。
I。 A LABOURER IN THE VINEYARD II。 SARAH PURFOY'S REQUEST III。 THE STORY OF TWO BIRDS OF PREY IV。 〃THE NOTORIOUS DAWES〃 V。 MAURICE FRERE'S GOOD ANGEL VI。 MR。 MEEKIN ADMINISTERS CONSOLATION VII。 RUFUS DAWES'S IDYLL VIII。 AN ESCAPE IX。 JOHN REX'S LETTER HOME X。 WHAT BECAME OF THE MUTINEERS OF THE 〃OSPREY〃 XI。 A RELIC OF MACQUARIE HARBOUR XII。 AT PORT ARTHUR XIII。 THE COMMANDANT'S BUTLER XIV。 MR。 NORTH'S INDISPOSITION XV。 ONE HUNDRED LASHES XVI。 KICKING AGAINST THE PRICKS XVII。 CAPTAIN AND MRS。 FRERE XVIII。 IN THE HOSPITAL XIX。 THE CONSOLATIONS OF RELIGION XX。 A NATURAL PENITENTIARY XXI。 A VISIT OF INSPECTION XXII。 GATHERING IN THE THREADS XXIII RUNNING THE GAUNTLET XXIV。 IN THE NIGHT XXV。 THE FLIGHT XXVI。 THE WORK OF THE SEA XXVII。 THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
BOOK IV。NORFOLK ISLAND。 1846。
I。 EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV。 JAMES NORTH II。 THE LOST HEIR III。 EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV。 JAMES NORTH IV。 EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV。 JAMES NORTH V。 MR。 RICHARD DEVINE SURPRISED VI。 IN WHICH THE CHAPLAIN IS TAKEN ILL VII。 BREAKING A MAN'S SPIRIT VIII。 EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV。 JAMES NORTH IX。 THE LONGEST STRAW X。 A MEETING XI。 EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV。 JAMES NORTH XII。 THE STRANGE BEHAVIOUR OF MR。 NORTH XIII。 MR。 NORTH SPEAKS XIV。 GETTING READY FOR SEA XV。 THE DISCOVERY XVI。 FIFTEEN HOURS XVII。 THE REDEMPTION XVIII。 THE CYCLONE
EPILOGUE
APPENDIX
HIS NATURAL LIFE。
PROLOGUE。
On the evening of May 3； 1827； the garden of a large red…brick bow…windowed mansion called North End House； which； enclosed in spacious grounds； stands on the eastern height of Hampstead Heath； between Finchley Road and the Chestnut Avenue； was the scene of a domestic tragedy。
Three persons were the actors in it。 One was an old man； whose white hair and wrinkled face gave token that he was at least sixty years of age。 He stood erect with his back to the wall； which separates the garden from the Heath； in the attitude of one surprised into sudden passion； and held uplifted the heavy ebony cane upon which he was ordinarily accustomed to lean。 He was confronted by a man of two…and…twenty； unusually tall and athletic of figure； dresses in rough seafaring clothes； and who held in his arms； protecting her； a lady of middle age。 The face of the young man wore an expression of horror…stricken astonishment； and the slight frame of the grey…haired woman was convulsed with sobs。
These three people were Sir Richard Devine； his wife； and his only son Richard； who had returned from abroad that morning。
〃So； madam；〃 said Sir Richard； in the high…strung accents which in crises of great mental agony are common to the most self…restrained of us； 〃you have been for twenty years a living lie！ For twenty years you have cheated and mocked me。 For twenty yearsin company with a scoundrel whose name is a byword for all that is profligate and baseyou have laughed at me for a credulous and hood…winked fool； and now； because I dared to raise my hand to that reckless boy； you confess your shame； and glory in the confession！〃
〃Mother； dear mother！〃 cried the young man； in a paroxysm of grief； 〃say that you did not mean those words； you said them but in anger！ See； I am calm now； and he may strike me if he will。〃
Lady Devine shuddered； creeping close； as though to hide herself in the broad bosom of her son。
The old man continued： 〃I married you； Ellinor Wade； for your beauty； you married me for my fortune。 I was a plebeian； a ship's carpenter； you were well born； your father was a man of fashion； a gambler； the friend of rakes and prodigals。 I was rich。 I had been knighted。 I was in favour at Court。 He wanted money； and he sold you。 I paid the price he asked； but there was nothing of your cousin； my Lord Bellasis and Wotton； in the bond。〃
〃Spare me； sir； spare me！〃 said Lady Ellinor faintly。
〃Spare you！ Ay； you have spared me； have you not？ Look ye；〃 he cried； in sudden fury； 〃I am not to be fooled so easily。 Your family are proud。 Colonel Wade has other daughters。 Your lover； my Lord Bellasis； even now； thinks to retrieve his broken fortunes by marriage。 You have confessed your shame。 To…morrow your father； your sisters； all the world； shall know the story you have told me！〃
〃By Heaven； s
