LOTS FOR THEIR LIVES

Evening Star, Issue 18157, 23 December 1922, Page 10

LOTS FOR THEIR LIVES

DREADFUL CONVICT STORY, HOW, THEY FACED FAMINE. Tn the Sydney ‘ Sim ’ Eric Jeffrey tells a grim story of Australia in convict days. One evening, almost exactly one hundred years ago, two boats were beached l in a small cove in Macquarie Harbor, on tiro west coast of Van Diemen’s Land, and as ■the darknsa of night fell eight figures furtively made their way down the narrow bush track that led from the coal mino near by to the water; Their costumes were all alike —-a drab grey decorated with the mark of the broad arrow, and 1 their faces, hardened l by exposure and brutalised l by ill-treatment, displayed a complexity of emotions in which fear, bone, misery, and determination were strangely blended. As they reached tho beach they split into two parties, each of which boarded a boat and pushed off into the darkness. The names of the men were Pearce, Travers, Greenbill, Cornelius, Dalton, Brown, Matthews, and Bodnam, and this action of theirs was the beginning of one of the most tragic: and terrible episodes in the history of Australia.

It. is all like a chapter out of 'Marcus Clark’s ‘Bor the Term of His Natural Life,’ and, indeed, there is little doubt that it suggested! tho incident of the adventures of Matthew Cnbbett and his follow-escapees. DESPERATE PLIGHT. Silontlv they made their way down Iho harbor until they were beyond the risk of detection by the .sentries and of immediate recapture. "Their venture was a desperate one • their plans for tho future nebulous. Their ono thought was to escape ; once more to reach, a region inhabited; by free men. When they got there it would bo time to make further plans. Each man carried only about 14oz of provisions. Thus before many days were past they wore obliged to land to hunt for food, and never wore the prospects of finding it slenderer. The rocky, ironbound coast, lashed, with the fury of constant galea and drenched with rain practically all the year round, supported only rank," inedible "scrub. Very few animals ventured into this desolation of dreariness, and the fugitives bad no means of capturing any that did. Bor over a week they struggled inwards, living on the tops of tea-tree which they made into a harsh decoction, by boiling in tin, cans. _ Then, ascending a hill, tlioy behkl from its summit the hateful waters of Port Macquarie. They were still in the danger zone, and were now starving! It was Greenhill who first made the suggestion. They had built their camp fire for tho evening, when he pointed out that there was nothing left but to kill one of tho party so that the otliers could continue to exist on his body. He proposed that they should draw lots to decide who was to bo the victim. Cornelius, Brown, and Dolton would not hear of Hie proposal, and withdrew to a second fire which they lit some distance off. Later in the nhrfit they secretly abandoned their companions and decided to give themselves up to the authorities. All three shortly afterwards perished l miserably from their privations. BED ON WILD BERRIES. The other five for three days longer kept themselves alive on wild berries and the kangaroo-skin coats they wore. Then, as Bodnam was the weakest, they decided that he should die. So while Mar-thews and Pearce collected wood and made a fire on the banks of the Gordon —most beautiful of rivers—Greenhill and Jones acted as executioners. All partook of tho gruesome feast that followed, so that in the event of their deed bing discovered all should be equally involved in it. Hero they rested for a couple of days until they gained strength . frojn their temporary accession of food. Then they swam the river, dragging Travers, who could not swim, across on a pole. A day or two later famine again stared them in the face. Matthews was weak and ill, and escape seemed hopeless. A sudden death, ho thought, was much to bo preferred to slow and certain starvation. So he readily agreed that his body should furnish the next meal for his companions. Travel’s and Pearce held him and Greenhill swung tho axe. . . , In the next four days they travelled only six miles through the awful country. Hunger again gnawed at their vitals. Then Travers began to fail. By this time repetition and dire need had stilled in their minds any feelings of repulsion that might have arisen on their first descent to cannibalism. So now tho proposed) sacrifice was not consulted. Again Greenhill was the murderer. Now only lie and Pearce wore left. For tom’' days they dined off Travers, and then, perhaps, tho moat terrible period of all ensued. In both men the desire for life was strong. Each watched tire other narrowly, awaiting a favorable moment for an attack. Sleep was impossible for either, as this would give the other the needed opportunity.

THE LAST MAN. Crrconh.il! proved' the weaker. In desperation he stole off to a secluded spot, and in fancied security fell into tJio sleep of exhaustion. "With gloating eyes Pearce tracked him down. A blow of the axe provided him with food for four more days. Refreshed, but still very weak, ho struggled on. Now ho was approaching the centro of the island, whore conditions were much less rigorous. Three days after lie had eaten the last of his latest victim lie reached the banks of the Derwent, and there found soma fragments of opossums and other animals at a spot where natives had very recently held a feast. Those he devoured greedily, and there ho was found by a party of bushrangers. They hailed him aa a worthy recruit to tlioir band, and for a lime his privations were, at an end.

For a time only, 'however. For the party ere long was surrounded by troopers and captured. Pearce was sentenced to death for his escape, but was reprieved and) sent back to Macquarie Harbor. Ho merely said that his previous companions had died in their attempt to escape, but "gave no hint of the manner of their deaths. Ho was put to work in a gang that held a prisoner named Cox. This man thought that Pearce, from his previous experience, would be a valuable man to accompany him im the dash for liberty that ho intended shortly to make. For a long time Pearce held out against Ills persuasions. Then one day ho yielded, aa ho feared to receive a flogging for the Joss of a shirt that another convict had stolen from him. Cox had a knife and some fish-hooks, hut they could procure no food) to take with them. On this journey they kept close to the coast, reaching Port Dalrymple, but after spending Jour days there they were forced to take to tho bush to escape the pursuing soldiers. Soon they wore starving. Then, Pearce bethought him of the methods adopted ini a similar situation during his former attempt to escape, and' ho slow the sleeping Cox. For a couple of days lie lived on him. Then a great weariness of life came over him.. He felt he could struggle no more ; so he deliberately returned to tho settlement and surrendered himself. On being brought before the commandant, he made a full confession of his crimes. Ho was condemned to death for the murder of Cox, and shortly afterwards hanged. But as his body swung from the gallows there were few of his former follows that did not envy him his release.