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344 more to the purpose, but that would have been too much like telling the truth; it is needless to add that beneath this geologist's auspices was found neither copper nor gold.

Nevertheless, a convict's autobiography was not always entirely untrue, though his manner of relating it might be absurd. We met with one man who commenced the history of his misfortunes by saying that "he had been always much addicted to the sharpening of a knife," and that, having been engaged in this favourite pursuit and in a quarrel with his wife at the same time, she had called in the police, and had sworn that he had tried to cut her throat. In consequence of this asseveration on her part, and of the belief accorded to her assertions, he had been condemned to transportation for a lengthened period.

That this love of improving his cutlery could be the sole cause of the condition that he was then in appeared to us very improbable, but we had afterwards reason to think that there might be some grains of truth in the tale. In compliance with his request that his wife should be told how anxious he was to treat her kindly, if she would consent to join him with their child, and of his hopes that they might "turn over a new leaf" and live happily together, we wrote to our own friends upon the subject, and through their means the woman's whereabouts was discovered, but the tidings were discouraging; the woman showed no disposition to return to her husband; her character was very bad, and, to quote the account sent to us, "the general impression amongst her neighbours was that her misconduct had excited him to commit the crime for which he had been punished." It was sad to