for the term of his natural life-第106章

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ivilege　of　having　a　pannikin　of　hot　water　when　the　gangs　came　in　from　field　labour　in　the　evening　has　been　withdrawn。　　The　shepherds；　hut…keepers；　and　all　other　prisoners；　whether　at　the　stations　of　Longridge　or　the　Cascades　（where　the　English　convicts　are　stationed）　are　forbidden　to　keep　a　parrot　or　any　other　bird。　　The　plaiting　of　　straw　hats　during　the　prisoners'　leisure　hours　is　also　prohibited。　　At　the　settlement　where　the　〃old　hands〃　are　located　railed　boundaries　have　been　erected；　beyond　which　no　prisoner　must　pass　unless　to　work。　　Two　days　ago　Job　Dodd；　a　negro；　let　his　jacket　fall　over　the　boundary　rails；　crossed　them　to　recover　it；　and　was　severely　flogged。　　The　floggings　are　hideously　frequent。　On　flogging　mornings　I　have　seen　the　ground　where　the　men　stood　at　the　triangles　saturated　with　blood；　as　if　a　bucket　of　blood　had　been　spilled　on　it；　covering　a　space　three　feet　in　diameter；　and　running　out　in　various　directions；　in　little　streams　two　or　three　feet　long。　At　the　same　time；　let　me　say；　with　that　strict　justice　I　force　myself　to　mete　out　to　those　whom　I　dislike；　that　the　island　is　in　a　condition　of　abject　submission。　　There　is　not　much　chance　of　mutiny。　　The　men　go　to　their　work　without　a　murmur；　and　slink　to　their　dormitories　like　whipped　hounds　to　kennel。　　The　gaols　and　solitary　（！）　cells　are　crowded　with　prisoners；　and　each　day　sees　fresh　sentences　for　fresh　crimes。　It　is　crime　here　to　do　anything　but　live。

The　method　by　which　Captain　Frere　has　brought　about　this　repose　of　desolation　is　characteristic　of　him。　　He　sets　every　man　as　a　spy　upon　his　neighbour；　awes　the　more　daring　into　obedience　by　the　display　of　a　ruffianism　more　outrageous　than　their　own；　and；　raising　the　worst　scoundrels　in　the　place　to　office；　compels　them　to　find　〃cases〃　for　punishment。　Perfidy　is　rewarded。　　It　has　been　made　part　of　a　convict…policeman's　duty　to　search　a　fellow…prisoner　anywhere　and　at　any　time。　　This　searching　is　often　conducted　in　a　wantonly　rough　and　disgusting　manner；　and　if　resistance　be　offered；　the　man　resisting　can　be　knowcked　down　by　a　blow　from　the　searcher's　bludgeon。　　Inquisitorial　vigilance　and　indiscriminating　harshness　prevail　everywhere；　and　the　lives　of　hundreds　of　prisoners　are　reduced　to　a　continual　agony　of　terror　and　self…loathing。

〃It　is　impossible；　Captain　Frere；〃　said　I　one　day；　during　the　initiation　of　this　system；　〃to　think　that　these　villains　whom　you　have　made　constables　will　do　their　duty。〃

He　replied；　〃They　must　do　their　duty。　　If　they　are　indulgent　to　the　prisoners；　they　know　I　shall　flog　'em。　　If　they　do　what　I　tell　'em；　they'll　make　themselves　so　hated　that　they'd　have　their　own　father　up　to　the　triangles　to　save　themselves　being　sent　back　to　the　ranks。〃

〃You　treat　them　then　like　slave…keepers　of　a　wild　beast　den。　　　They　must　flog　the　animals　to　avoid　being　flogged　themselves。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　he；　with　his　coarse　laugh；　〃and　having　once　flogged　'em；　they'd　do　anything　rather　than　be　put　in　the　cage；　don't　you　see！〃

It　is　horrible　to　think　of　this　sort　of　logic　being　used　by　a　man　who　has　a　wife；　and　friends　and　enemies。　　It　is　the　logic　that　the　Keeper　of　the　Tormented　would　use；　I　should　think。　　I　am　sick　unto　death　of　the　place。　　It　makes　me　an　unbeliever　in　the　social　charities。　It　takes　out　of　penal　science　anything　it　may　possess　of　nobility　or　worth。　It　is　cruel；　debasing；　inhuman。



August　26th。Saw　Rufus　Dawes　again　to…day。　　His　usual　bearing　is　ostentatiously　rough　and　brutal。　　He　has　sunk　to　a　depth　of　self…abasement　in　which　he　takes　a　delight　in　his　degradation。　　This　condition　is　one　familiar　to　me。

He　is　working　in　the　chain…gang　to　which　Hankey　was　made　sub…overseer。　Blind　Mooney；　an　ophthalmic　prisoner；　who　was　removed　from　the　gang　to　hospital；　told　me　that　there　was　a　plot　to　murder　Hankey；　but　that　Dawes；　to　whom　he　had　shown　some　kindness；　had　prevented　it。　　I　saw　Hankey　and　told　him　of　this；　asking　him　if　he　had　been　aware　of　the　plot。　He　said　〃No；〃　falling　into　a　great　tremble。　　〃Major　Pratt　promised　me　a　removal；〃　said　he。　　〃I　expected　it　would　come　to　this。〃　I　asked　him　why　Dawes　defended　him；　and　after　some　trouble　he　told　me；　exacting　from　me　a　promise　that　I　would　not　acquaint　the　Commandant。　It　seems　that　one　morning　last　week；　Hankey　had　gone　up　to　Captain　Frere's　house　with　a　return　from　Troke；　and　coming　back　through　the　garden　had　plucked　a　flower。　　Dawes　had　asked　him　for　this　flower；　offering　two　days'　rations　for　it。　　Hankey；　who　is　not　a　bad…hearted　man；　gave　him　the　sprig。　　〃There　were　tears　in　his　eyes　as　he　took　it；〃　said　he。

There　must　be　some　way　to　get　at　this　man's　heart；　bad　as　he　seems　to　be。



August　28th。Hankey　was　murdered　yesterday。　　He　applied　to　be　removed　from　the　gaol…gang；　but　Frere　refused。　　〃I　never　let　my　men　'funk'；〃　he　said。　〃If　they've　threatened　to　murder　you；　I'll　keep　you　there　another　month　in　spite　of　'em。〃

Someone　who　overheard　this　reported　it　to　the　gang；　and　　they　set　upon　the　unfortunate　gaoler　yesterday；　and　beat　his　brains　out　with　their　shovels。　Troke　says　that　the　wretch　who　was　foremost　cried；　〃There's　for　you；　and　if　your　master　don't　take　care；　he'll　get　served　the　same　one　of　these　days！〃　The　gang　were　employed　at　building　a　reef　in　the　sea；　and　were　working　up　to　their　armpits　in　water。　　Hankey　fell　into　the　surf；　and　never　moved　after　the　first　blow。　　I　saw　the　gang；　and　Dawes　said

〃It　was　Frere's　fault；　he　should　have　let　the　man　go！〃

〃I　am　surprised　you　did　not　interfere；〃　said　I。

〃I　did　all　I　could；〃　was　the　man's　answer。　　〃What's　a　life　more　or　less；　here？〃

This　occurrence　has　spread　consternation　among　the　overseers；　and　they　have　addressed　a　〃round　robin〃　to　the　Commandant；　praying　to　be　relieved　from　their　positions。

The　way　Frere　has　dealt　with　this　petition　is　characteristic　of　him；　and　fills　me　at　once　with　admiration　and　disgust。　　He　came　down　with　it　in　his　hand　to　the　gaol…gang；　walked　into　the　yard；　shut　the　gate；　and　said；　〃I've　just　got　this　from　my　overseers。　　They　say　they're　afraid　you'll　murder　them　as　you　murdered　Hankey。　　Now；　if　you　want　to　murder；　murder　me。　　Here　I　am。　　Step　out；　one　of　you。〃　All　this；　said　in　a　tone　of　the　most　galling　contempt；　did　not　move　them。　　I　saw　a　dozen　pairs　of　eyes　flash　hatred；　but　the　bull…dog　courage　of　the　man　overawed　them　here；　as；　I　am　told；　it　had　done　in　Sydney。　　It　would　have　been　easy　to　kill　him　then　and　there；　and　his　death；　I　am　told；　is　sworn　among　them；　but　no　one　raised　a　finger。　　The　only　man　who　moved　was　Rufus　Dawes；　and　he　checked　himself　instantly。　　Frere；　with　a　recklessness　of　which　I　did　not　think　him　capable；　stepped　up　to　this　terror　of　the　prison；　and　ran　his　hands　lightly　down　his　sides；　as　is　the　custom　with　constables　when　〃searching〃　a　man。　　Daweswho　is　of　a　fierce　temperturned　crimson　at　this　and；　I　thought；　would　have　struck　him；　but　he　did　not。　Frere　thenstill　unarmed　and　aloneproceeded　to　the　man；　saying；　〃Do　you　think　of　bolting　again；　Dawes？　　Have　you　made　any　more　boats？〃

〃You　Devil！〃　said　the　chained　man；　in　a　voice　pregnant　with　such　weight　of　unborn　murder；　that　the　gang　winced。　　〃You'll　find　me　one；〃　said　Frere；　with　a　laugh；　and；　turning　to　me；　continued；　in　the　same　jesting　tone；　〃There's　a　penitent　for　you；　Mr。　Northtry　your　hand　on　him。〃

　I　was　speechless　at　his　audacity；　and　must　have　shown　my　disgust　　in　my　face；　for　he　coloured　slightly；　and　as　we　were　leaving　the　yard；　　he　endeavoured　to　excuse　himself；　by　saying　that　it　was　no　use　preaching　　to　stones；　and　such　doubly…dyed　villains　as　this　Dawes　were　past　hope。　　〃I　know　the　ruffian　of　old；〃　said　he。　　〃He　came　out　in　the　ship　　from　England　with　me；　and　tried　to　raise　a　mutiny　on　board。　　He　was　the　man　　who　nearly　murdered　my　wife。　　He　has　never　been　out　of　ironsexcept　then　　and　when　he　escapedfor　the　last　eighteen　years；　and　as　he's　three　　life　sentences；　he's　like　to　die　in　'em。〃

A　monstrous　wretch　and　criminal；　evidently；　and　yet　I　feel　a　strange　sympathy　with　this　outcast。




CHAPTER　V。

MR。　RICHARD　DEVINE　SURPRISED。



The　town　house　of　Mr。　Richard　Devine　was　in　Clarges　Street。　　Not　that　the　very　modest　mansion　there　situated　was　the　only　establishment　of　which　Richard　Devine　was　master。　　Mr。　John