Page:Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies.djvu/92

56 the south, and 52° when cloudy with the wind from the north. Frost and great heat were of rare occurrence. Rain was said to have fallen on five days out of seven, during ten months in the year, from the formation of the settlement in 1822.

The prisoners had no allowance of spirits at this station; but rewards for little extra services were sometimes given them by the officers, in this pernicious article; the allowance of which to the latter and to the military generally, was a great evil, and the source of much misconduct.

Several of the prisoners who returned to Hobart Town in the Tamar, had been first transported to Bermuda; but in consequence of a mutiny in which they were implicated, they were subsequently sent to V. D. Land. They preferred Bermuda, because they had there an allowance of fresh meat and rum, and some money for present use, as well as a sum reserved till the expiration of their sentence.

During our stay at Macquarie Harbour, we received great kindness and attention from the Commandant, who afforded us all the information we desired respecting the discipline of the Settlement, and gave us free access to the prisoners, both for ascertaining their feelings, and for the purpose of imparting religious instruction. The other officers also were kindly attentive. On the 21st of the 6th month, we left them with feelings of gratitude, not soon to be effaced, and sailed to Wellington Head, near the entrance of the harbour; having in the jail several prisoners returning from the settlement; they were not under strict guard, as the vessel was proceeding in the direction in which they desired to go, and had no stock of provisions on board to tempt them to try to carry her off.

The wind proving unfavourable, we were detained eighteen days at Wellington Head; in the course of which we visited the Pilot Station, and adjacent parts of the coast; and daily had religious opportunities in the jail, with the crew of the vessel, the military, and the prisoners. The jail was now so much occupied with timber as to render it difficult to crowd into it, and it was also dirty and dark; and the only