THE SKETCHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 63

THE SKETCHER.

THE CONVICT DAYS OF BOTANY BAY. (By W. H. S. Arßrsr.T, LL.D., in Chambers's Journal.) After fitful attempts by Spanish. Portuguese, and Dutch navigators to explore the unknown South Seas, Captain James Cook commenced, in 1768, his famous voyage in the Endeavour, under the auspices oi the Royal '{Society, and at the cost of the Government. Having accomplished the special object of observing the transit of Venus over the sun's disc, it was determined to trace the eastern coastline of the great southern continent, only the western side having as yet been explored. New Zealand was first sighted, and its coastline traced ; and then, in November 1769, some 1300 miles of the Australian coast, including Botany Bay, were marked on the chaiit. This bay is an inlet about 10 miles south of the present cit^-of Sydney, and was so named by Sir Josaph Banks and Dr SoJander, two of the scientific men who accompanied Captain Cook, because of the profusion of wild plants and flowers. The name, however, has acquired a sinister and painful meaning because so long associated with the worst forms of convict life. It seems to have struck the popular imagination, and continued to be used for many years to denote • any penal settlement in Australia, or transportation in general. Cook made two subsequent voyages and further discoveries ; but not until 1786, or seven years after his murder by the natives of Hawaii, was any scheme formulated for establishing a penal settlement. The chief inducement was that English felons might be sent to the other side of the world, whence there would be no possibility of their return, and where they could be cheaply kept and speedily forgotten. Before that time, in 1776, tie English legislature, making a virtue of necessity, concluded that transportation to the American colonies — '-.vhich had just effected their independence — had been productive of serious inconvenience, "%y depriving the kingdom of many subjects whose labour might have proved useful to the community." At act was therefore passed instituting hard labour at home for convicts, instead of transportation to some place abroad. Penitentiaries were established ; and it was hoped that by sobriety, cleanliness, a regular course of labour, solitary confinement during the intervals of work, and due religious teaching, offenders might be inured to haibits of industry, guarded from pernicious associates, and 'become reformed. Just at this time, however, attention was being directed to the discoveries in the southern hemisphere. Though the penitentiary scheme was not abandoned — for it was strongly advocated by Jeremy Bentham and others — yet it was only earned out partially — but at enormous cost — at Millbank, Tothill Fjelds, and elsewhere. The vast territories of Australia offered what seemed to be an unlimited field for convict colonisation. Public opinion generally preferred the establishment of penal settlements at a distance ; the favourite theory was that the best mode of dealing with offenders was to remove them far from .'the scenes of offence and of temptation, and to cut them off by a wide and deep gulf from former connections. In the result they became far worse than they were before. Thomas Carlyle, in his peculiar phraseology, expressed 'the sentimsnt of the time in his "Latter Day Pamphlets" written in 1850, denouncing what he called "A Universal Slugga.rd-and-Scoun-drel-Protection Society, *' and the "Devil's Regiments of the Line." For them he would only "clear the way to the gallows, unless they could be "swept pretty rapidly into some Norfolk Island, into some special Convict Colony, or remote Domestic Moorland.'' It must be added, however, as in the case of the American and West Indian plantations, that, besides actual cr.minals, political agitators were also transported to Australia irom time to time, as a convenient method of disposing of and silencing them. Captain Arthur Phillip, afterwards adm.ral, was appointed the first governor oi about one-halt of the new continent and < the proposed convict settlement, with absolute authority, untrammelled by a council. He was in every way fitted for the novel and difficult iask. He sailed in command of six .transport ships, containing 850 convicts and 208 marines, and attended by three store vessels and two frigates. After a ted:ous voyage of 35 weeks,' the little_fleet reached Botany Bay on January 18, I CBB. Phillip at once pronounced the spot unsuited to the purpose, because of its flat shore and shallow waters, its exposed situation, the absence of springs, the unpromising character of the soil, and the impossibilit}- of making secure and healthy provision for those under his charge. Tli'c ground on the south side is for .the mo*t part s.vampy, or a light grey sand, requiring to be tinned over and exposed to the action of the atmosphere for two or three years before it fceeomes fertile. The land on the north side resembles ithe English moors, and is covered with brushwood. It retains many of its old features, although the growth of Sydney ha c affected the whole district. So late as 1835 there were but few settlers on the shores of Botany Bay, descendants of the early soldiers and marines who were sent out in charge of convicts. What Phillip did by way of exploration, and especially in selecting as the site for the future city of Sydnev — named after the then Home Secretary — 'the spacious bay vi Port Jackson, .belongs to another chapter of Australian history. It was fitting that the great harbour on which Melbourne now stands should afterwards be called Port Phillip, after bim. Strange to say, Captain Cook did not explore the magnificent Port Jackson, probably becai . it was landlocked by lofty promonto 1 ;- .nd headlands. He could have had no r that just 'beyond was a glorious h?. °ur extending 14 miles inland, sufficiently Wge for all the navies of the world to ride securely at anchor. Capiiua, Pjtijj'ff ait cjjee despatched a yes-

sel to examine Norfolk Island, in the Pacific Ocean, 1100 miles east-north-east of Sydney. After several voyages, a small penal colony was established on this little islet, which is seven miles in length and four in breadth. Th's became in 1820 the chief receptacle for social wreckage, especially for reconvicted prisoners ; but ithe penal settlement here was abandoned in 1855 as a dismal failure. Norfolk Island will always be classed with Macquarte Harbour and Port Arthur as places where military tyranny, rampant officialism, and dense ignorance of the rudiments of true penology inflicted untold evils, and made the last state of 'the miserable convicts far worse than the first. By the middle of July, 1708, all the prisoners and troops were landed in Port Jackson. Huts were erected and the pro-" visions stored. In an address to the convicts, Phillip said that he would do all in his power to help those who led orderly lives and who showed a disposition to amend ; but, he held out no hope of mercy to any who continued in evil courses or who transgressed the regulatoins laid down. Serious difficulties arose when the stores were exhausted and fresh supplies did not arrive. Red taps had asserted itself throughout the enterpris2. Farming experiments failed from lack of knowledge and experience, and much precious seed was wasted. Repeated outbreiks occurred, but were put down firmly aEd sometimes severely. Yet more than ones the posit. on became cnUcal. Two years after his arrival, Phillip wrote • "Experience has taught me how difficult it is to make men industrious who have passed their lives in habits of vice and indolence. In some cases it has been found impossible. Neither kindness nor severity has had 'any efiect. There are many who dread punishment less than they fear labour." The wisdom and the beneficent influence of Phillip's rule appear t>y force of contrast with some incompetent and coiiupc governors on h.s enforced retirement in 1792 through ill-health. Military martinets, with no knowledge of human nature, and devoid of administrative ability, but with an overweening sense of their_ ow n importance, aggravated by their folly the unfortunate cmd'iions that prevailed m such a community. One of the woist — even exceeding Captain William Bligh. who=e conduct excited the mutiny on the Bounty in April, 178S — w as Sir Ralph Darling, governor from 1826 to 1831. He is described as "a man of precedents of the title ied-tipe school ; neat, exact, punctual, industrious, arbitiary, spiteful, and commonplace." Matters culinma.ted when two soldiers charged w ith larceny had spiked iron colKrs placed round then necks. c ococ 0 that they could not he down, and attached to their wrists and ankles were nervy clnms so short that they could not stand erect. One of the men was so inconsiderate as to die under the treatment, and in spite of attempts to hush up the mattei there was a great outcry, the news of which reached England, got into the papeis, and was discussed in Parliament, so that it was deemed expedient to allow Darlnig to resign. Yet the convicts did not fare any bettei Ample evidence is furnished by wliat took place before parliamentary committees in 1812, 1822. 1832, 1837, 1838. and 1847, and from the reports of special commissioners sent out to investigate. A few extracts will indicate the facts established and the conclusions reached after a number of competent witnesses had been examined. "The community was composed of the very dregs of society, of men proved by experience to be unfit to he at large in any society, and who were sent from British jails and turned loose to mix with one another in the desert ; together with a few taskmatteis who were to set them to work in the open wilderness, and with the military who were to keep them from revolt. The consequences of this strange assemblage were vice, frightful disease, hunger, and dre idful mortality among the settlers. The convicts were decimated by pestilence on tke voyage^ and agaia de&cimated

Iby fam.no on their :ru\al; and u'unuv's good," had made ample forlunsthe mos-t h.doou- a nelly v,i- ;aa- in a ic\\" vcai*. Some?, it was said, hud ti-ed tow aids i lie unfoitunate natives" kti ,;e incomes derived from shops and farm^. 'L he charu'ter and condition oi tiu lem tie publicheii-e-, and ships. They rode in carcnnvirN i*- dcuibod in the piuliamerhuy nages and kept up gieat establishment". 1 ']iw'ts in teiiu- that cannot be quoted; j T] VJ irdiniry aligned convict — the meie but the statemtni. 1 - ie-led upon indisputable hewer ol wood and dr iwer of water — was. testimony. "The punishments inflicted, however, liable to hai-h und capricious even for trivial oilence% aie severe, even treatment foi pctt\ or imaginary offences to exee--ive crueltj."' 'Ihe condition of i xiie pc:-on to whom he was- a-signed might the com ict» in the chain-gang-- is one of prove to be kind .Mid indulgent: or he gu>at ])i nation and unhappiuess- This de- j might be hard and exacting, umea^onable •-enptinn of punishment belongs to a bai- ! a!l d arbmarv, not discerning good conduct baious age, and ineich tt;)»ds to increase fi\ m h<>4 ; or an lgnoiant, i ul^ui 1 despot, the desperation of the charactei of an orlen- j v , ], o treated his servants, like slave", cuismg der "Tiansportation is not a single p ric ] abusing toi no sufHnent c»use The punishment, but rathei a scries oi puni'h- I master, though not lmesud by "iw wich nunt- embracing ever\ degiee of human uncontr died p >wei over the assigned con"ufFciiu o '." "It is not onl\ merhcicnt in vicl. p- gie.'t authority, which might producing the moial legenei-ation of an b e aOll&c cl in numerous a. a} b that pieduoed offender, but it demoralises, those whom ac- ' rediess. Complaint made of alleged incidental circumstances, more than a really su b irdmation. though unsubstantiated, wi« vicious liatuie, have seduced into came. ' t rufhcient to induce a paid m igistrr.to, armi d "The qualities of inefficiency for good and ' v . lth the tiemendous powers of Kimmar, efficiency for evil are inheicnt in the sys- jm ..-diction, to order a c flogging, or tern, which is not susceptible of <..r!y &a(is- . solitaiy confinement, or both. peihap« confactory improvement."' /11l the above are signment to the horrors of chain-gang?, or parliamentary statements. j retransportation to the lowest depths, of If some governors, armed with resolute wretchedness on Norfolk Inland, whc-io poweis, acted harshly ur.d abitianly, it ' Dante's inscription over the portal of the was only to be expected that their conduct j Inferno would have been hteraliv true: would be imitated by .suboidma.tes, who "All hope abandon, ye that enter here.'" were allowed, tor example, to hiie convict If Hogging is ever efficacious in checking labour for personal gain, and to pay for ; enme. the convict colonies ought to ha\e it mainly in vile and adulterated spirits, j been *he mo<t orderly and virtuous places bought fiom the Government at 5s cr 6s ' on tarth, for the cat-o'-nine-tails was in peril gallon and retailed at truck prices rang- j petual ujc. In 1835 there were 2964 ftoging up to 137 or £8 The le&ults were ! gjngs in New South Wale?, and above what might have been anticipated: rob- ' 103,000 la"he" were inflicted, chiefly for bery. violence, and minder were of daily aUeged insolence, insubordination, and ncoccurrence. Brutal attacks on the natives gleet of work. In Van Dieman's Land the provoked retaliation in kind Risings number ot Ja«hes was 50,000 The "cat" i among the convicts were put down by the was a much more foimidable instrument ! bullet and the halter. Flogging* for lesser than the one in the army or the na\y. offences were frequent and severe, often Police suiveillance was a mere form. Conending in death. This was the beginning victs came and went pretty much at will of the terrible chapter thac form* so dark after working hours Sydney and other ma blot on early Australian histoiy. | ;ng towns were hotbeds of vice. Masters The infant colony had a long and severe as a rule made no attempt to improve their straggle for existence. It was at fust a| convict servants; indeed, many were unpenal settlement and nothing more There | fitted to do so. being themselves men of were but two "classes On the one hind ! low character, or "emancipists." as old th"re were criminal bondsmen who had '< convicts who had been pardoned or had cornforfeited their independence and weie pleted their teim were called, doomed to labour for the Slate without ' The assignment system was emphatically wage«. and on the other liund weie oih'ci tls ' condemned by the be«t governors and other to. guard them and see that the allotted officials in the colony. If one of the men tasks were performed. Ihe convicts weie proved incorrigible after lepeated lashes or subjected to ng.d d.sciphne, ruled as with imprisonment on biead and wat*r, he was a rod of iron, ted on the coarsest food, and ; returned to the authorities and set to woik left to the mercy of overseers who were , in chain-gangs on the roads or on the puboften capricious and tyrannical. Shiploads I lie woik". Even then escapes were freof social wreckage continued to arnve [ quent, and thus recruits were gained for the yeaily. Between 1788 and 1791 the number ! bushranger*-, who became a scourge ond a vvas neaily 400*0; and down to the year ! terror to the colony. Their charnctexs are 1856 the total number transported was ' delineated and their atrocious deads de«96,558. The aggregating of such chaiac- | enbed in such books as Rolf Boldrewood's ters tended to their demoraiisa'ion TII3 "Kobbery Under Anns, in Marcus Clarke's bulk ot convict labour remained in the "Stories* of Australia in the Early Days." hunds of locil authorities-. The pokes mi- in Haddon Chambers's "Captain Swift," hi tiated by Governor Macqm>rie between 1809 John Lang's "Clever Criminals," in Geoice and 1821, of erecting huge pulblic buildings E. Boxall's "Story of the Australian Bushin Sidney, was severely criticised, yet it ! rangers." and in ' James Bonwick's "Bn.-h-c?.nnot be denied that some of the* great ; rangers." Much valuable information is works then undertaken proved of mcalcul- ' also given in "A Narrative of a Vi4t to able service to the young colony. 'Ihe de- the Australian Colonies" by JaniF- Backvelopmenc of its vast rcsouices and its e::ily house, a member of the Souetv of Fuend". advance in wealth and pio*per:ty were in a _ who spent the years 1832 to 1853 in a great mei^ure due to the magnificent road,", ;' voluntary mission. The modern ideal of bridges, and other facilities ot cemmum- a bushranger is that of a bold highwayman cr.tion which weie commenced at that time ' of the Dick Tnrpin or Claude Duvnl 'ivpe. by convict labour. Without it the difficulty , Thp reahtv was a desperado, armed with of clearing the district on which the city of j pistols, riding a sto'en horse, robbing Sydney now stancs would have pioved* al- houses, rifling" pa«enger=. And often com-mo-t insurmountable. | mittmo- minder as if 'in wanton sport and With the growing public sentiment 111 ( from sheer brutality. Thpir deeds of vio-f-ivout' of an amelioration of the criminal ' lenee and cruelty excited pdmirati-ni among laws, by^iniposing the extieme peiia ty only the convicts who had served Ilieir terms tor nun der, theie was a lap d mciease in Whrn they were tiacked and Capture-, the number transposed to AuHKiha. The then fate was commiserated, if attempt* it enoiinous expense of the com ict estabhr-h- res-.ue proved futile. ments th. Ie rendered some changes mevit- An awful and a harrov ing picture of ihe able, and a plan of '•assignment" was mtru- convert system is cbawn in the paces of 11 duced; in other word", convicts weie fieely r .pulnr no^ el entitled. "For the Term of lent to an} peitons %,ho would icheve the H's Natural Life." by Marcus Clarke Alauthonties of the bmden^ome diarge. In j though a work of fiction, its statements are jo\s6, out of a convict population of 40.158, verified, in the mam, by official document", those assigned numbued 20,201 In eider Indeed, it is scarcely pos-ible to exaggerate to encourage free settlers, special mdure- j the horrors that pi-availed, or the ciuelty. ments 10 emigrate had been offered to per- ' lust, injustice, and brutality. The hero of M>n" hiving pi lvate means It was felt by , the tale, a man wionsfulK- conthe home Ta'hui.tic" that Ihe introduction victed of murder, is tian&pnro: p respectable cL.ss of people was essen- I ted in life. and actually endures tial to the futi.re wel'-bcmg of the com- 20 years- of revolting punishnr-nt. which is muiiity. Laige li.'.cts of land wire thtiefois minutely de^cr'bed. wiJi the t'lni'sm and made over, either as a gifi or at a nom.nal ' savagery and co*ruptir>n engendeied by th" pii'-'e. To meet the difficulty about Jaboiir. ' system. The miserable wretches, after mtiho method of as'ignmenl rapidly de\ eloped ting in the Encli^h hulks for a year 01 two, j on the wide aieas of grazing land that were crowded by hundreds, ill-fed ard lilfoimed the sheep stitions in the interior. J clad, with no attempt at cl.isgifloafion. on As the colony gicu licher t md 11101 c boaid shij). 111 which — if they smvived the populous numerous entei^i'ses were «et on 1 ri>k" of f.imine. pestilence, mutiny, flre. foot, in which convict Irboui was tu"ied to ' ard s-hip'i ictk — the\ weie ronve^ ed dining account There vr." abandiince of woik in the great e 1 ])\rr of a veur to a life of a'terthe growing towns foi hiljcur. | na+e slaveiv and leliell.on Hanclicraftsinen. cleiks, and book-keepers ! Between 1787 and 1796 the average ith,' Iwere in demand, leidmg to keen competi- tabtv duimg the vov.'ge was ] in 10 : while tion for the best hands among the new in 1799 the horrible hi *ke out drafts that continually arnved. The«e found ! on one vessel, and rut of 300 on beard or.epleis H nt, congenial, and piofitable occupa- third penslud. The life i" desciibed a« betion Many clever and expeit rogues at- I ing tint of a floating hell Innumerable tinned ease and affluence; while tli' 3 dull, ! ;md uD"p?akab'.o atiTicilies were coium tted the unlettered, and the unskilful, who nnv |by convict" on one unothfi . in definive of have come out in the same "hips, and \\hose ' cniel attempts at repicssion. or becau-e of offences may have been venial in compan- , these, and with the avowed purpose of .son. were doomed to perpetual toil of the' eseanm:; fiom their tortme by death hardest description. To the foimer trans- j "Mere severity,"' and. if that d d not port i. 1 lion was no punishment, but often the' secure the end, ""fill more severity." was reverse. Relatives and unconvicted accom- : the only recognised wav den mcr Wiih plices at Home weie able to bring out j criminal", many of whom Irere ieall\ the money obtained by o'd nefanous transac- ; creation of unwise laws ,iim meieiless prison tions There were also not a few case" in' regulations. Horrible cnu Itie" were perwhieh assignments were obtained of newly- J petrated upon the convict," by offi-ei-, as arrived friends. j; s proved by the pailiinicntarv lppoifs Much evil was produced by the employ- , This brut ihtv. of enmse. increased the ment of convicts m positions o f trust in the savagery of the victim* Government offices or as .schoolmaster". It I Failing all other attempts at subjugation — was manifest that no salutary diead was! permanent leform ition was seldom "attempproduced on offenders. Transportation wag ted or thought of — the mo-t hardened no longer exile to an unknown and inhc<- offender were kept closely within stockades pitable land, but to one flowing with milk 1 and heavily ironed These plan's became and honey, where numerous friends and I cesspools of iniquity. To quote i ihe woids associates had already gone. It wa« stated lof one who knew them well: "The aeirt of by the ordinary of Newgate that the gene- ' a man who went to them was ta'r 4 n frnm l'ahtv of those transported viewed it as a' liini, and he was given thit of a i>east party of pleasure: "I have heaid them, I The convicts heided togethci and became when the sentence has been jiasscd by the ' more hardened, degraded, vicious, «v d biurecorder. return thanks for it, and seem talised. Reckless despair posse' sed them, oveiioyed at their sentence " Glowing dcs- j and death on the gallows -n--,s welcc/ied a" crij^tions came back to England of the a relief. Murders, weie not infrequent, wealth which any clever fellow might easily J avowedly in the hopo of a .speedy tual and amass, and stories freely circulated of men 1 execution, as the only way of fH..pe fr. m who, haviag "left their country for their unendurable hoirors. Ardibishou Ulla-

l borne, then Kov.iii C«iho!;c pi^cjn chap-* Lun in the colony, befor- a paihamentarv comr-iitt^e iv"pejting one large pcrty of men thus sentenced. 'A 5A 5 - I mentioned the namc^ of tho^e who nue to die, one after another iu-opp»d on then knees .md thanked God tint tluv * ere t? bo deLvered fiom that hoi. blc pla ' 3 ; whili- the others remained standing miue aui: weeping. It wa" the moLl lwiible sceae [ have e\er witne -ed " Dm ing the yt v 1854 '14 "uch e\ecutio'i < - to>)k place in Nev South Wales, out of a population under 70.000. In the ■=ame y< ,-i t!;nc «eie only 34 executions in England <v.d Wale-, with a population of 14.'j00,000 Tho number would Iw.e been necul. 90CO n die yjic proportion had been jna.ntupcd ."■ in New South Wale'i''.e mote renntible ot Australia a soc.etv b" -in -o early as 1332 to piotest again; ilio t: .ur-p^i t ihon f-\,-tem. Apart fiom the cvi >■> c. v-"d by new air'val", a nujner."i> l«tly lv.d an^en. consisting of "emancin ar.d.t.cke-t-of-Unvr men, who threTte'icd to ' - .i „mp the lopectab'e and untainted members of the commaiiity. As yea's pi"scd on the prevalence of cr.me ard the low tt^ne of mor.i'ity created deeper disgust The Me Chief- ui^t'ce A"Beckett pointer! out the light roaxi to refoim when he said that cunijiials shruld h? cor.''dcred a^ much objects of pity a^ of .ndignatun. Judge B; rton. m 1835. when chaiging the grand ]iuv of S\d.iey. made m emphatic protest, ard declared that transportation mu^t rome to un end ■ "While it existed the colonies could never ris-e to their pioper position", and coVid not claim free inf^uution 5 . In a wo:d. /ustialu' suffered in it" whole moral a c pc;l " This bold and forcibla language commanded attention, and awakened rc^po.is ye echne" vi England from Archbishop W na< --elv and others. Honourable mention should al"o be made of the Roman Catholic Bi c hop Wilson in arou-ing public attention, so that at length outiaged humanity, both at Home and in the co'onies, indignantly demanded of the Government an abindonmenfc of a system under which the worst evls and crimes were found to exist. The moral and the e^onoirc 1 c-'ils weie pointed out. \Yith ie._; id t) th« hittei. the cost between I^B7 n id 183' was officially stated at eight nrJko:; pounJ* : Lit* it was really more, oinn* to the cc<'.fi>t > J method of a<> count- At the lat. v r <.lai_\ and for some yeais previously, it averaged a quarter of a million annually, while the results were wholly incommensurate with the outlay. Between 1855 and 1840 a powerful part} was forine-i in New South Wales, pledged nut an end to transportation. A feeling of host'litv to the system was also growing in England Another "committee of the Hou"e of Commons made a searching m\estigdtion m 1857, and its report compelled J ,he ( .'nverr.ment to eire wav, as it was impossible to lgnoie the protests of the colonie"i« when bncked u^ by, such overwhelming evidence and such an authoritative judein-ent. Orders were is.s-ied in 1840 to stay the departure of any mow convicts ; but the "t-fam was merely diverged to Van D ; emen's Land — or Tasmania, as it is now cal'ed — uh'ch, havinc been used since 1803 a> ' piM I s<- ttlement for refractory convicts. « , ,-• no ■» converted into oiu vastcolo'i. * p'l-ni, Durn goQ veris (14 300 convict- i --erp tran^piifed thirher "ran Gieat Brtc"i With th ; '-. howevir. TV pi- -mt jviii'L-- do'.s not v>r<ipo"e to deal. be", or.d ' >-- cord 114 t hat tho colony was iedv(\6 to bankivnt >v. r--, rl th it all the evils and hoi' v <n - de*cnb d a- in-Ciulinj; 11 Xew Sinth W.'le- and o-i Norhlk I^' "id were repeated in la-maiiM until the people n.ia'lv refused to alh w „ny more ccnvicN iO land, as Cnpe Coloi v had d-"ip in 1849, umW threat of a rev.ii The formation of a new i e('l.Mi.iH hi Noith Au"ti 111. 1 w■" < enntujip'a'"' 1 1 • bu 1 ti'o "rojeet. th^u^h wazml*- st,])]i >r.'cd I. -Ti(i!ad"tinc then Under ~ceieta"v of Sra 1 ? for tli" Colon-e". Ind t> I1 0 rbnrd-fied. After a Mio'lar attempt vi Wcsicin Av.stralir. an .1 d wa" pa""cd ii> 1F53 < - iib-Mut-ing shortir "cr>tence" of penal fei\iti'de afc Home iVr transportation abrcrd With w. c er ard more hiinane treitment. k i> cr'i ifvmg to l--i;ov (hit ir"l- wliuh were onca to be ts'i i. 1 p verv little town of New South Wale-, h ivp lieen ;n; n not a fey, in-■-t.ince.s coiAPitrd i.ito factories anil stores. T!">° c nvi^t ti." *■ mi- hz •.-nd in hue dis- ,])-•>" pvd 'mm ihr> oommunity. -liihoutrh 1 • iv ,1 - ~-r • ■• " -"nc". to lrnnsp"rtation were not d'emecl polite ir co'orn-il "o- < p - ! ■-. ''-• 'in 'lit jr'nnce eveu cibiiuelv 1 if.' ira, r, 0-. and thus o >en up unplea^Tt clirfiit '"■>•• "i f.im'lv hi'tor-c. AN UNKNOWN PFOPLE AT OUR DOORS. (J. M'-'Li \v. m Gorrl Word 5 - v It i>- citrus t) reflect tlrt even in th<= c e dr.- t'u.e 1- n iifcd to go beyond t^e ]?iiti-h I"le- t.i find an unknown people. !>.-i?i-, week ai.no t \u\ir 1- cu-1 upon local habits and ri"tc.iv<. th <t have remained lua-'cn from th? cere; >l i, iz.\ The truth is tin n th)se pi iLt- v. inch dt. niu maintain "hen ancient' v ays U \ pirpo^e-, of show o' to at'-i ict thi visitor, th" p#Dple are M;v > bout d:vu'Lrri^ ;ny old belief 1 - or pirct'ce- they inn <-til iet-,in Thi- 1.- t.«pecially so wth ie,"id to the Gael, wi" cheii^he* what th> ;).i; t his handed down to him m the dtvpe-t seci.>c>. His miiiJ is woT'derfiillv -et upon what hi" fa-hfii_ d'd. but he nv>ke- ro di^plnv. Ask lIITI about a >iip"M tition or bel.ef, and the answei i.- a patent eva-ion With respect to the lii^h Gael, W. 13. Yeats and oti'ei wnUi^ h.ive ciun nuineioHS pi oof- thit jiopiil v icha'- ot his chaiacter aie far n.-ti ay, olid Mi^s Fiona J.lacleod has done a similar .service for the Gael of the VUvcm Ri^hlaiul- Botli v, riteis have, indeed, "-tiouglx t.nctured tlieir writing;-* with their own individualities, and th-rr \ l'-'on is re^tn^ted ; but dc spite tin- they ate. after a. manner, iea''stic in a remarkable derive Some of Mi c s .Macleod'- mt>-t intimate wilting i« con tamed in a seni'-autobiogr iphical chaptei

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entitled "Iona" in "The Divine Adventure " Throughout most of that revelation of early influences we are in touch with the actual, but an actual which is known "to few, for the island Gael— sometimes even the Gael of the quiet mainland places— is a mystery to us as great as the mysteries on which, he ever broods. The outstanding fact in all thai we know •©f the Gael of the West is that he is a man of glowing spirituality. His poetic 'mind, filled with strange and wondrous fancies— his high ecstacy— is one of the most curious phenomena of modern life. {For what has been the history of the Gael, and what his present circumstances? Defeat has been his portion. From the fruitful East he has been slowly forced to a home among the grim outposts that look over the western seas ; in many cases he !has been driven still farther west into a new land, from which his heart goes back to the old dim cheerless cottages and bright sheilings. ' In the mainland glens, the lot of the Gae' is often bittei- ; on the islands, it is miserable. Till within a few years a g 00 — sv en now in soms cases — the condition of the island communities was*deplorable in the extzeme. The people lived m liovels ; sometimes the cattle lived with them in the same room. Better houses and the suuervision of scinitaiv inspectors liave not yet worked a cure : disease is seldom absent, inteimairii'ge has weakened the people, consumption is incrcas'ng. But for all" this — and the picture cannot be! painted too daikly — the Gael has retained many of those fine, unhfting qualities of mind which have attracted poetic students to Celtic things. ... I The evidence of the pagan origin of many of the beliefs and superstitions of the Gael are wonderfully numerous. Remnants of sun, moon, and fire worship are to be met with on all hands. For luck, everything and every person must, to begin with, turn sun-wise. There is a i>hrase which says, "sun-wise turn for everything," and j the custom is still persistent. Tfle writer has found it even among the Scandinavian communities of the East Coast ; ths boatmen there after launching their boats al.ways turn them sun -wise. The moon, too, was held in high regard, and, on the appearance of the new moon, the Gael made obeisance to it, the women curtseying and the\_nen bowing low in a peculiar fashion and raising thpir bonnets. 2VIr Carmichael gives the following eluaunt which was repeated by the Barra people on these occasions. (Here I should say that I quote in all oases Mr Carmichael's unrhymed translations. In "Carmina Gadelica" febe Gaelic is, of course, given, and is rich in assonance and alliteration) : — in name of the Holy Spirit of grace, In name of the Father of the City of Peace, In name of Jesus who took death for us, ph! in name of the Three who shield us in every need, Hi well thou 'found us to-night, _ times better mayest thou leave us without harm, Thou bright white moon of the seasons, Bright white moon of the seasons. It was balieved that beasts should be killed during the waxing of the moon ; at other t times the flesh would shrink. The influence of the moon extended to the trees. enough, astrology is practically unknown in tne Highlands. Most suggestive of pagan times, with their barbaric '■rites, is the ceremony which was performed on Beltane Day (May 1). On that day household fires were extinguished, and what is called the need fire lit upon a knoll. The need fire w-as divided into two, and people and cattle rushed through it. . Thus were they purified and protected from mishap. Prom the need fire, kindling for the house fires was obtained. The mingling of paganism and Christianity is very curiously revealed in the proceedings of the 15th of 'August, the feast day of Mary the Great. Then, after eating a specially prepared bannock, the family of the islander sung the psean of Mary Mother, walking sun-wise round a fire the while — the father leading, the mother next, and the children following according to age. This over, the man put the embers of the fire, with some bits of old iron, into a pot which he carried sun-wise round the outside of his house, sometimes indeed round his steading, fields, and cattle, followed as before by his famliy singing the praises of Mary.