Page:Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies.djvu/90

54 inmates whitewashed them, and kept them clean. On conversing with the men of this gang respecting the hope of remission of sentence on good conduct, one man, with tears in his eyes, said, he had been there 10 years: he seemed cast down almost below hope. We assured them of the pleasure it gave the Lieutenant Governor, to remit their sentence, when they gained a character to warrant his doing so, and encouraged them to seek for a change of heart, by repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, as a foundation for such a character. On being asked, one man said, that their ration of provision was not sufficient for them at such hard work; and though their general appearance was healthy, yet when they were engaged in heaving timber, and rolling it down to the water, and other fatiguing labour, it might often fail in appeasing the cravings of exhausted nature.

The timber they cut was chiefly Huon Pine. No beasts of burden were allowed at Macquarie Harbour. In order to get the felled timber to the water, a way had to be cleared, and to be formed with logs and branches; over this, straight trunks of trees were laid in the manner of the slips or skids, used in launching ships. Upon these the timber was rolled by the prisoners, sometimes to a great distance. These roads were termed Pine-roads.—If any of the men proved unruly at the out-stations, the constable lit a fire, the smoke of which was observed by the sentinel at the settlement, from whence assistance was promptly sent. Except sometimes as a punishment, the men were not in irons, for if they had been, they could not have performed their work. The boat which put us ashore at Philips Creek, was ordered to push off as soon as it had landed us, and to remain off until we were ready to return, lest any of the prisoners should seize it, and attempt their escape; circumstances of this sort having occurred. At a short distance from Philips Creek, is Philips Island, the soil of which is peaty loam: it had for some years been cultivated with potatoes. Here seven men were employed under a constable. The constable being a prisoner, who had conducted himself so as to gain confidence. A steep path led from the shore, and passing the huts, extended