for the term of his natural life-第18章

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　the　rock　on　which　he　had　stretched　himself。

This　solitary　man　was　Rufus　Dawes。




CHAPTER　III。

A　SOCIAL　EVENING。



In　the　house　of　Major　Vickers；　Commandant　of　Macquarie　Harbour；　there　was；　on　this　evening　of　December　3rd；　unusual　gaiety。

Lieutenant　Maurice　Frere；　late　in　command　at　Maria　Island；　had　unexpectedly　come　down　with　news　from　head…quarters。　　The　Ladybird；　Government　schooner；　visited　the　settlement　on　ordinary　occasions　twice　a　year；　and　such　visits　were　looked　forward　to　with　no　little　eagerness　by　the　settlers。　To　the　convicts　the　arrival　of　the　Ladybird　meant　arrival　of　new　faces；　intelligence　of　old　comrades；　news　of　how　the　world；　from　which　they　were　exiled；　was　progressing。　　When　the　Ladybird　arrived；　the　chained　and　toil…worn　felons　felt　that　they　were　yet　human；　that　the　universe　was　not　bounded　by　the　gloomy　forests　which　surrounded　their　prison；　but　that　there　was　a　world　beyond；　where　men；　like　themselves；　smoked；　and　drank；　and　laughed；　and　rested；　and　were　Free。　When　the　Ladybird　arrived；　they　heard　such　news　as　interested　themthat　is　to　say；　not　mere　foolish　accounts　of　wars　or　ship　arrivals；　or　city　gossip；　but　matters　appertaining　to　their　own　worldhow　Tom　was　with　the　road　gangs；　Dick　on　a　ticket…of…leave；　Harry　taken　to　the　bush；　and　Jack　hung　at　the　Hobart　Town　Gaol。　　Such　items　of　intelligence　were　the　only　news　they　cared　to　hear；　and　the　new…comers　were　well　posted　up　in　such　matters。　To　the　convicts　the　Ladybird　was　town　talk；　theatre；　stock　quotations；　and　latest　telegrams。　　She　was　their　newspaper　and　post…office；　the　one　excitement　of　their　dreary　existence；　the　one　link　between　their　own　misery　and　the　happiness　of　their　fellow…creatures。　To　the　Commandant　and　the　〃free　men〃　this　messenger　from　the　outer　life　was　scarcely　less　welcome。　　There　was　not　a　man　on　the　island　who　did　not　feel　his　heart　grow　heavier　when　her　white　sails　disappeared　behind　the　shoulder　of　the　hill。

On　the　present　occasion　business　of　more　than　ordinary　importance　had　procured　for　Major　Vickers　this　pleasurable　excitement。　It　had　been　resolved　by　Governor　Arthur　that　the　convict　establishment　should　be　broken　up。　　A　succession　of　murders　and　attempted　escapes　had　called　public　attention　to　the　place；　and　its　distance　from　Hobart　Town　rendered　it　inconvenient　and　expensive。　　Arthur　had　fixed　upon　Tasman's　Peninsulathe　earring　of　which　we　have　spokenas　a　future　convict　dep魌；　and　naming　it　Port　Arthur；　in　honour　of　himself；　had　sent　down　Lieutenant　Maurice　Frere　with　instructions　for　Vickers　to　convey　the　prisoners　of　Macquarie　Harbour　thither。

In　order　to　understand　the　magnitude　and　meaning　of　such　an　order　as　that　with　which　Lieutenant　Frere　was　entrusted；　we　must　glance　at　the　social　condition　of　the　penal　colony　at　this　period　of　its　history。

Nine　years　before；　Colonel　Arthur；　late　Governor　of　Honduras；　had　arrived　at　a　most　critical　moment。　　The　former　Governor；　Colonel　Sorrell；　was　a　man　of　genial　temperament；　but　little　strength　of　character。　　He　was；　moreover；　profligate　in　his　private　life；　and；　encouraged　by　his　example；　his　officers　violated　all　rules　of　social　decency。　　It　was　common　for　an　officer　to　openly　keep　a　female　convict　as　his　mistress。　　Not　only　would　compliance　purchase　comforts；　but　strange　stories　were　afloat　concerning　the　persecution　of　women　who　dared　to　choose　their　own　lovers。　　To　put　down　this　profligacy　was　the　first　care　of　Arthur；　and　in　enforcing　a　severe　attention　to　etiquette　and　outward　respectability；　he　perhaps　erred　on　the　side　of　virtue。　Honest；　brave；　and　high…minded；　he　was　also　penurious　and　cold；　and　the　ostentatious　good　humour　of　the　colonists　dashed　itself　in　vain　against　his　polite　indifference。　　In　opposition　to　this　official　society　created　by　Governor　Arthur　was　that　of　the　free　settlers　and　the　ticket…of…leave　men。　　The　latter　were　more　numerous　than　one　would　be　apt　to　suppose。　　On　the　2nd　November；　1829；　thirty…eight　free　pardons　and　fifty…six　conditional　pardons　appeared　on　the　books；　and　the　number　of　persons　holding　tickets…of…leave；　on　the　26th　of　September　the　same　year；　was　seven　hundred　and　forty…five。

Of　the　social　condition　of　these　people　at　this　time　it　is　impossible　to　speak　without　astonishment。　　According　to　the　recorded　testimony　of　many　respectable　persons…Government　officials；　military　officers；　and　free　settlers…the　profligacy　of　the　settlers　was　notorious。　Drunkenness　was　a　prevailing　vice。　　Even　children　were　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　intoxicated。　　On　Sundays；　men　and　women　might　be　observed　standing　round　the　public…house　doors；　waiting　for　the　expiration　of　the　hours　of　public　worship；　in　order　to　continue　their　carousing。　As　for　the　condition　of　the　prisoner　population；　that；　indeed；　is　indescribable。　　Notwithstanding　the　severe　punishment　for　sly　grog…selling；　it　was　carried　on　to　a　large　extent。　　Men　and　women　were　found　intoxicated　together；　and　a　bottle　of　brandy　was　considered　to　be　cheaply　bought　at　the　price　of　twenty　lashes。　　In　the　factorya　prison　for　femalesthe　vilest　abuses　were　committed；　while　the　infamies　current；　as　matters　of　course；　in　chain　gangs　and　penal　settlements；　were　of　too　horrible　a　nature　to　be　more　than　hinted　at　here。　All　that　the　vilest　and　most　bestial　of　human　creatures　could　invent　and　practise；　was　in　this　unhappy　country　invented　and　practised　without　restraint　and　without　shame。

Seven　classes　of　criminals　were　established　in　1826；　when　the　new　barracks　for　prisoners　at　Hobart　Town　were　finished。　　The　first　class　were　allowed　to　sleep　out　of　barracks；　and　to　work　for　themselves　on　Saturday；　the　second　had　only　the　last…named　indulgence；　the　third　were　only　allowed　Saturday　afternoon；　the　fourth　and　fifth　were　〃refractory　and　disorderly　charactersto　work　in　irons；〃　the　sixth　were　〃men　of　the　most　degraded　and　incorrigible　characterto　be　worked　in　irons；　and　kept　entirely　separate　from　the　other　prisoners；〃　while　the　seventh　were　the　refuse　of　this　refusethe　murderers；　bandits；　and　villains；　whom　neither　chain　nor　lash　could　tame。　　They　were　regarded　as　socially　dead；　and　shipped　to　Hell's　Gates；　or　Maria　Island。　　Hells　Gates　was　the　most　dreaded　of　all　these　houses　of　bondage。　　The　discipline　at　the　place　was　so　severe；　and　the　life　so　terrible；　that　prisoners　would　risk　all　to　escape　from　it。　　In　one　year；　of　eighty…five　deaths　there；　only　thirty　were　from　natural　causes；　of　the　remaining　dead；　twenty…seven　were　drowned；　eight　killed　accidentally；　three　shot　by　the　soldiers；　and　twelve　murdered　by　their　comrades。　　In　1822；　one　hundred　and　sixty…nine　men　out　of　one　hundred　and　eighty…two　were　punished　to　the　extent　of　two　thousand　lashes。　　During　the　ten　years　of　its　existence；　one　hundred　and　twelve　men　escaped；　out　of　whom　sixty…two　only　were　found…dead。　　The　prisoners　killed　themselves　to　avoid　living　any　longer；　and　if　so　fortunate　as　to　penetrate　the　desert　of　scrub；　heath；　and　swamp；　which　lay　between　their　prison　and　the　settled　districts；　preferred　death　to　recapture。　Successfully　to　transport　the　remnant　of　this　desperate　band　of　doubly…convicted　felons　to　Arthur's　new　prison；　was　the　mission　of　Maurice　Frere。

He　was　sitting　by　the　empty　fire…place；　with　one　leg　carelessly　thrown　over　the　other；　entertaining　the　company　with　his　usual　indifferent　air。　The　six　years　that　had　passed　since　his　departure　from　England　had　given　him　a　sturdier　frame　and　a　fuller　face。　　His　hair　was　coarser；　his　face　redder；　and　his　eye　more　hard；　but　in　demeanour　he　was　little　changed。　Sobered　he　might　be；　and　his　voice　had　acquired　that　decisive；　insured　tone　which　a　voice　exercised　only　in　accents　of　command　invariably　acquires；　but　his　bad　qualities　were　as　prominent　as　ever。　His　five　years'　residence　at　Maria　Island　had　increased　that　brutality　of　thought；　and　overbearing　confidence　in　his　own　importance；　for　which　he　had　been　always　remarkable；　but　it　had　also　given　him　an　assured　air　of　authority；　which　covered　the　more　unpleasant　features　of　his　character。　　He　was　detested　by　the　prisonersas　he　said；　〃it　was　a　word　and　a　blow　with　him〃but；　among　his　superiors；　he　passed　for　an　officer；　honest　and　painstaking；　though　somewhat　bluff　and　severe。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Vickers；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　a　cup　of　tea　from　the　hands　of　that　lady；　〃I　suppose　you　won't　be　sorry　to　get　away　from　this　place；　eh？　Trouble　you　for　the　toast；　Vickers！〃

〃No　indeed；〃　says　poor　Mrs。　Vickers；　with　the　old　girlishness　shadowed　by　six　years；　〃I　shall　be　only　too　glad。　　A　dreadful　place！　John's　duties；　however；　are　imperative。　　But　the　wind！　　My　dear　Mr。　Frere；　you've　no　idea　of　it；　I　wanted　to　send　Sylvia　to　Hobart　Town；　but　John　would　not　let　her　go。〃

〃By　the　way；　how　is　Miss　Sylvia？〃　asked　Frere；　with　the　patronising　air　which　men　of　his　stamp　adopt　when　they　speak　of　children。

〃Not　very　well；　I'm　sorry　to　say；〃　returned　Vickers。　　〃You　see；　it's　lonely　for　her　here。　　There　are　no　children　of　her　own　age；　with　the　exception　of　the　pilot's　little　girl；　and　she　cannot　associate　with　her。　　But　I　did　not　like　to　leave　her　behind；　and　endeavoured　to　teach　her　myself。〃

〃Hum！　　There　was　a…ha…governess；　or　something；　was　there　not？〃　said　Frere；　staring　into　his　tea…cup。　　〃That　maid；　you　knowwhat　was　her　name？〃

〃Miss　Purfoy；〃　said　Mrs。　Vickers；　a　little　gravely。　　〃Yes；　poor　thing！　A　sad　story；　Mr。　Frere。〃

Frere's　eye　twinkled。

〃Indeed！　　I　left；　you　know；　shortly　after　the　trial　of　the　mutineers；　and　never　heard　the　full　particulars。〃　He　spoke　carelessly；　but　he　awaited　the　reply　with　keen　curiosity。

〃A　sad　story！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Vickers。　　〃She　was　the　wife　of　that　wretched　man；　Rex；　and　came　out　as　my　maid　in　order　to　be　near　him。　　She　would　never　tell　me　her　history；　poor　thing；　though　all　through　the　dreadful　accusations　made　by　that　horrid　doctorI　always　disliked　that　manI　begged　her　almost　on　my　knees。　　You　know　how　she　nursed　Sylvia　and　poor　John。　Really　a　most　superior　creature。　　I　think　she　must　have　been　a　governess。〃

Mr。　Frere　raised　his　eyebrows　abruptly；　as　though　he　would　say；　Governess！　　　Of　course。　　Happy　suggestion。　　Wonder　it　never　occurred　to　me　before。　　〃However；　her　conduct　was　most　exemplaryreally　most　exemplaryand　during　the　six　months　we　were　in　Hobart　Town　she　taught　little　Sylvia　a　great　deal。　　Of　course　she　could　not　help　her　wretched　husband；　you　know。　　Could　she？〃

〃Certainly　not！〃　said　Frere　heartily。　　〃I　heard　something　about　him　too。　Got　into　some　scrape；　did　he　not？　　Half　a　cup；　please。〃

〃Miss　Purfoy；　or　Mrs。　Rex；　as　she　really　was；　though　I　don't　suppose　Rex　is　her　real　name　eithersugar　and　milk；　I　think　you　saidcame　into　a　little　legacy　from　an　old　aunt　in　England。〃　　Mr。　Frere　gave　a　little　bluff　nod；　meaning　thereby；　Old　aunt！　　　Exactly。　　Just　what　might　have　been　expected。　　〃And　left　my　service。　　She　took　a　little　cottage　on　the　New　Town　road；　and　Rex　was　assigned　to　her　as　her　servant。〃

〃I　see。　　The　old　dodge！〃　says　Frere；　flushing　a　little。　　〃Well？〃

〃Well；　the　wretched　man　tried　to　escape；　and　she　helped　him。　He　was　to　get　to　Launceston；　and　so　on　board　a　vessel　to　Sydney；　but　they　took　the　unhappy　creature；　and　he　was　sent　down　here。　She　was　only　fined；　but　it　ruined　her。〃

〃Ruined　her？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　only　a　few　people　knew　of　her　relationship　to　Re