Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-05-29

hard and asks his questions from 1t. II the
poor man should tell a filsehood, woe be to
his after life. Up TO 1888, the convicts were
hired out to settlers on their arrivals; but
their conduct was SO bad, that now every
man, whether a gentleman or otherwise, Is
compelled to work six months upon the CO.
vefnmeni works, which is for fifteen hours
per day, clrrying stones or timber, telling
wood, pushing heavy farrows, working on
new roads, cleaning the bottom OF the docks
and harbor, up to the arm-piLs in the tide
When they push down their spades, the wa
ter covers their face; in using the plcEaNe,
they are wet 10 the head. They are mostly
all fast TO a long chain, TO prevent their
drowning; they dive and clear away for ma
sons to build the new quays, sc. Their
food; TO! lbs. maize meal per week; ! lbs.
of salt beef, mostly unfit for use, or a. lbs.
ofsalt FORK 8 OF. of soap; q OF. Of salt
No wages; no tobacco, nor any other com
fort. Clothes-grey cloth cap, broad arrow
stamped on it grey trousers, short jacket,
half yellow, half grey; stockings grey, white
rings; shirt grey canvass no kerchief or
neckcioth clothes all too small.
After six months of this life, the authori-
ties think the ]conyicts sufficiently drilled for
consignment, On a certain day-advertised
in the Government Gazette-the settlers, far
mers, and master mechanics, come to the
barrlck for Government servants, as they are
called these c~onvicts are all marched out IL
a long line of row the purchasers walk
along the line of white slaves, and pick out
such as suit them; the purchaser bids the
convict walk, run, hold up his leg, arm, &C.,
hits his chest or back to prove if he is asth-
matte or short in his breath if he is sound
in wind and limb, he bids him stand on one
side until he picks from the rest when he
has enough he goes to an Office, where he
pays Government Gl for his slops, the yell
low dress, (they call them canaries) half
tanned shoes, cap, three shirts, a little wool
pad, or bed, a small rug horse-cloth. This
is the convict's outfit. lie then hast to walk
to the home Of his new employer, that is, ty-
rant.
There is a set Of laws made for the convict
population, that mean anything, or nothing.
Two magistrates can order a man fifty Iashes
of the double or Government cat; you can't
speak, you are a convict; presumption is
against you you must be fogged. The
scourger comes, ties you up, and his bloody
lash s]catters the flesh your mother kissed 50
often tears away the blood that your father
reared with so much care; if not, the chain
eng is your fate you are doomed, your
uCCio lOduCu WIN NdlIAtlllR itdNO iOIiS, u
work on the hot burning dusty roads until
your flesh is scorched like copper, and your
hair yellow as jaundice; your eyes sore and
running from the hot winds of climate; your
poor bleeding wrist carrying your chain; some
times, oh! horrible you are doomed to a
penal settlement for life; gathering of all hui
man woes, black despair; a land of horror ;
a second hell, where nought but sadness
dwells.
Here the lecturer stripped and turned up
his sleeves to show the manner of furnishing
with the lash he exhibited four scourges
the first, the small military cat; the second
the naval cat the third, the thief's or double
cat and, lastly, the dreadful scourge of Nor
folk %Island.] Out Of a large district of con,
victs, amounting to 10000, %, 600 had beer
convicted and logged, their flesh scattered
their blood spilled, their spirit broken, thei
strength reduced, their life shortened, thei
death miserable. Sad is the c|onvict's fune
ral-his grave is desolate Units misery non,
to pray, none to pay natures last tribute L
humanity but the wild sea-bird, which sing.
the requiem of the murdered exile. His IN
chained spirit has led-escaped from the de
graded body that finds the solitary sea-wash
ed sepulchre Of the drunkard's child on tn.
distant strands of Tasmania.
The convict is dead in law he can hol,
no property; you might snatch the bread on
Of his teeth. No person need pay him an,
wages, though he has a ticket of leave. Col
Brenton states: &" have seen him at worI
when the thermometer stood lis in the sun
being about twice the heat of our summe
day the sun burns ulcers on the back 0
, their necks. The gangs in the country, lock
ed up IN square boxes, movable, like viii,
Il I-,At- -1,-t- 80. - III -
!, inches for every man. At sydney the.
sleep in hulks, twelve in one large bench, al
a mass Of filth. Their countenances are de
moniac, and shocking to behold. Sometime
in the hulks, there are cells so small that the
cannot lie on their backs,