Star.
London, England, 1830-09-03 00:00:00

TREATMENT OF TRANSPORTED FELONS.

The following letter was received last Saturday, by a gentleman who
frequently visited the unhappy writer when a convict in Newgate. It
has been seen by several judicial authorities, who think its publication
might tend to the prevention of crime. This unfortunate youth is a
member of a highly respectable family, and received a good education,
but becoming entangled in the snares of a dashing Cypnan, he was in-
duced to rob his employers to supply her extravagance, who, when he
refused any longer to do so gave information against hint, and then
sneered at and abandoned him in his misfortunes
Hunter's River, New South Wales,
July 3, 1829.
Dear Sir.--After a lapse of many months of misery and wretchedness,
I take up my pen to write to you. I doubt not you are much surprised
that I have not embraced an earlier opportunity, but, believe me, such
has been,and yet is, my unhappy state, I could not do so ; and, by this
post, letters will also be conveyed to my parents and my late respected
friends, whom it has for so long a period disappointed. How niany un-
happy hours, weeks, nay months, of anxiety, have I caused to my aged
parents, as well as to my brothers and sisters, since my deviation from
the path of rectitude, which, instead of comfort, has produced the
greatest grief! Would to lion that the degradation to which I am
doomed for many years to suffer could alleviate their distress. I am
guilty, and I alone ought to suffer; but GOD'a will be done.
My dear Sir, could you see in my present situation guilty as I am,
you would be induced to pity me; and, irksome as it is, I have to con-
tinue in it for eight years, supposing that I continue with one master,
or a year in addition for every succeeding one. How little do the good
people of England know of this colony !—how happy were the hopes of
Mr. R. and other kind friends, by whose exertions my forfeited life was
spared, and through which the gray hairs of my parents were spared
from infamy ! I am surrounded by the 0. wild bush," and an associate
with the profane, so that my heart becomes like the adamantine rock,
and I am sometimes almost induced to arraign the wisdom of the Ruler
of Events for prolonging my existence ; but GOD is not mocked ; that
which 1 have sown I also reap. I am now a slave to the caprice of
others. 1 live and sleep like a slave. I put up with the most galling
insults like a slave, otherwise I must be tied up and severely flogged.
But why do I write thus ? I have been a slave to sin, and my guilty
passions have reigned triumphaot. Flogging, which is the favourite
punishment here, is before our eyes, or to be sent to a gaol gang or
pearl settlement. there to be hard worked and half starved; but why do
I write thus, and deviate from the point I Intended to aim at ?
1 beg to inform you that, after a tine, but tedious voyage of four
months and 12 days, we entered Port Jackson' with the wind N. by W.
During the passage I was most kindly treated by all, but especially by
the surgeon, who, on our arrival, gave me a certificate of good con-
duct, couched in Ilighly-tlattering terms ; he also wrote to the Secretary
in my behalf ; but the chief mate neglected to deliver the letter, and I
was assigned to my present master. Thus, by the neglect of one man,
are all my present miseries heaped upon me. After a short sojourn in
the barracks, 1, with niany others, was ordered to repair to our teepee.
the masters. Mine was 130 miles from Sydney, from whence we took
shipping to Newcastle, 25 miles distant from my present situation.
Prisoners who are assigned are seldom allowed to go out of the bar
racks; but through the kindness of Mr. I was a few hours
in the town, which, for an infant colony, is large and well built.
Among outer buildings there is a church, an hospital, and barracks,

both for the military and convicts. On one Sunday we were marched
to church, but my mind was so distracted that I could not pay much
attention to what 1 heard. The prisoners' rations are bad in the ex-
treme, and very insufficient for support. Men work from the rising to
the setting of the sun ; only one hour being allowed for repast. We
sleep in large rooms, which, owing to the number of convicts, are in.
fested with vermin; but after six months' good conduct, they are al-
lowed to sleep out of barracks. Flogging, the tresd-mill, &c
are the punishments for sleeping out of barracks, for drun.
kenness, and uncleanliness of the person on a Sunday. With
regard to character, it is of no consequence what a convict
was in England ; or, after he is assigned, what his conduct
was during his passage. I am sure, did any person transported
for life know the punishment which awaits him, he would
shudder. Lite, did 1 say ? Oh, dreadful sound, only to be un-
derstood by a " lifer," as we are called. If any inquires the term of
our sentence, and we reply " for life !" he shakes his heart, or gives ut-
terance to some expression of condolence. There is not one in 50 who
ever get their ticket of leave. Our overseer has been 15 years in the
country, and is not yet free. Masters are so haughty and cruel that men
are driven to despair, and cast away all hopes of liberty. Should a con-
vict obtain a ticket, he is bound to work in a particular district until he
gets emancipation.
Men transported for 14 years must serve one master six years, or
two masters eight years, and seven years' men must serve one master
four, or two the whole term. We live in miserable huts, and a bag of
I straw and a blanket is our bedding. The great objects which men
I have in view is to kill time, to get plenty to eat, and to avoid
punishment.
The climate is very hot, and in summer intolerably so, but moderate
in winter. In some parts of the colony rain has not fallen for two years,
but the night dews are very heavy. lam become a settler's labourer,
and use the axe and the hoe, and, excepting in the morning, a pair of
canvass trousers comprises my dress. The kangaroo, emu, opossum,
&c. are the inhabitants of these wilds; and the crane, swan, pelican,
cockatoo, Ste. are in abundance. The aborigines, or native blacks, are
the most miserable and degraded beings that can be imagined. They
wander about from place to place ; and as a proof what has been the
'morals of the whites, they have taught them nothing but blasphemy.—
Although Government distribute blankets to cover the females, they ge-
nerally go quite naked. • • • •
'1 he female cons icts, who behave well, appear very comfortable; but
those in the factory are hardly treated. As a proof of it, they lately
broke out by main force, and paraded the streets of Paramatta, crying
out "We are half-starved " lam sorry to say that the conduct of
females is very depraved, and generally revolting to delicacy and
* decency." • • • • •
The writer then gives an account of his varied employment when
house-servant to his employer, before he was sent into the bush," and
then proceeds—the curse of an offended (lon hangs over me—l am
miserable in mind, and wearied in body—but familiarized to hard work.
Oh ! that 1 had never come to this country ; but it is the just, although
severe punishment of my guilt. I did once hope for a mitigation, but
that hope is almost extinct. In this country, humanity seldom shows
itself. Men that become free, grow arbitrary and cruel, and the pri-
soner becomes selfish and desperate • • • I long to
hear from my parents and friends, and then I think I shall say farewell
for ever ! Please to remember me to Mr. Wontner, Mrs. Colonel
Roberts, Mr. Kelly, and all those who exerted themselves to save my
justly-forfeited life. GOD bless you ! I shall never see England more.
Farewell

LAW REPORTS.

CONSISTORY COURT, SEPT. 2.
JONES ♦. JONES.

This was a suit by the husband against the wife, for the restitution
of conjugal rights. A monition had been issued in the first session of
Easter Term, and the officer had been to serve process on Mrs. Jolty%
the Court having first pronounced that the marriage was valid. He (the
officer,) however, had been to her residence, and although he was con-
fident she was living there on the occasion in question, she caused her-
self to be denied. She was then served by ways and means ; hut not-
withstanding these measures, she had never paid the slightest attention
to the process, and the husband now prayed that she might be pro-
nounced in contempt.
The Court pronounced Mrs. Jones in contempt, on the other party
showing that the proceedings bad been regular.