The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-04-15
]. HOLCOMB, Editor & Publisher.

mat you injured halr OF my head" Wi
this noble expression upon his lips he died
and oh! mournful exit for one so young; OF
whose talents might have entitled him to IL
thanks Of posterity, and one who might hay
been the honor ofhis age, had not his patrio
s. ic feelings driven him aside from the path
strict rectitude.
IL But death at that time would have been ia
ct more pleasing to me than the arbitrary man
date which l was unwillingly forced to obey
| was ordered back to prison, from the inter
N vention of my friends, who had presented
% petition in my behalf, signed by some of tn
% most respectable citizens of my native city
% and some even Of the royal party. When
was remanded back to prison, cursed my
Il friends for their Kindness and swore eterna
# vengeance to my liberators. 1t is true, that
+ it was unj just to make such return for theil
f benevolent solicitude in my welfare; but it
was not without a cause; for expected and
, dreaded the worst of all punishments, namely,
Punishment; and after being kept in sus-
pensc a short time, | realized the consumma-
ton of my worst anticipations. 1t was on the
third morning Of my second confinement in
The prison, that gentleman officer read to me,
through the grated window of my dungeon,
the order of my cxilement to Van DieHeans
Land. An effort to describe my feelings,
when | heard the unwelcomc bidding, would
be an effort to portray the sensations of an
accursed spirit, l felt all the woe of one shut
out from the intercourse of human society
forever. A thousand startling ghosts, like
visions of the future, rushed hurriedly a.
across my bewildered brain; and the three
score years and ten, the common allotment of
the age OF man, which by me was to
be passed upon a lono and desolate
island, beaten by the angry surf of the briny
deep, and peoplcd only by felons,-thc rcpu-
dated nursery Of mankind, seemed like a long
and lasting eternity, The consideration that
| was to pass the remainder of my days in the
habitation Of crime and wretchcdness; to live
, out life in the company of human fends,w
enough to make me sickcn at the thought of
life. But was not long left to bemoan my
fate, or repine at its arbitrary decree. The
order soon came for my shipment to the
place Of destination, and crammed in the hold
Of government vessel, with scores of my
countrymen, who were equally unfortunate
shores without the parting farewell of single
pecting never more to return.
The details of my voyage | shall not pre-
tend to give; suffice it to say, that after
tude Of winds, and several death-lille Gains,
our culprit-barge, with its rebellious freight
age, was moored at the wharf of the crmi-
nails work house, on the celebrated island
in question. Shortly after our arrival, we
were taken from the ship, and escorted to the
hotel in which we were destined to take lodg-
ing for life. The keeper turned the key up
on their massive doors, and left us for the
night three in cell. Perhaps it will not be
amiss to give a short description of the prison
and its inmates; the island soldicry, &c.
The island is some hundred miles in extent, |
and only part of it is fit for cultivation. 1t |
is bounded on all sides by rugged and rocky !
shores, that seem to bid defiance to chance !
and time, together with the tumultuous waves
that are ever dashing against its pebly strand
The greater portion of it still remains dense |
wilderness, as llobarttown and the surround |
ing vicinity is all that is inhabited; and from
the manners and appearance of the inhabi-
tants, any one would suppose that Van Die
mans land is the slop-bowl of all civilized |
creation, Botany Bay and Siberia, notwith-
standing. They are an amalgamated mixture
Of different races, many Of which have been
sentenced there for term of years, and at
The expiration Of their sentence, have located
themselves permanently upon the island
There are doubtless some respectable people
who live there, but the great majority ofthem I
seem to be devoid of intellect, shame Or pride,
a1d in fact, any thing essential to form a re-
fined and intelligent community. But enough
of the inhabitants.
The prison in which was confined stood /
upon swelling bluff, on the edge OF the .
beach, some ten or fifteen feet high. Ii was
built of solid stone mason work, and is three .
a. Il L.,
through which what little light that enters the
prisoners cells must pass. The main build
ing, or prison, is environed on every side by
an i'm, sable wall, strongly constructed, to
prevent the escape Of the inmates. On the
wall the sentry are stationed who keep good
look out, day and night. The interior Of the
prison is divided off into cells of rather small
dimens o Is, for the accommodation of three
occupants at once, in which are placed two or
three benches these Of necessity must an
swer the purpose Of chairs, sofas, &c. For
sleeping arrangements, we were even more
poorly provided for one bunk, composed of
the coarseSt materials, and in reality unfit for
the swine to repose upon, served us as a bed
This was all the furniture that decorated our
only apartment, and we were not allowed the
comfort Of fire, or the least convenience Of I
life. The genial beams Of the sun, Or artificial .
h ,at, designed for mans benefit, never warm
ed or cheered the cold and drcary cell of
the poor Canadian exile, while stranger
from his native soil. In the rear of the pris-
on are situated the barracks for the accommo-
dation of the soldiers, that are stationed there
to quell any disturbance. They really seem
to be the lords of the soil, as l suppose they
think they are, for they strut around, gaudily
dressed up in their military uniform, and all
the howery enigma of the followers of Brit
on's red lion. They tyrancaly and haugh-
tily dominocr over the unhappy convicts, and
proudly boast of their bravery and valorous
deeds. But if l were their marshall, and
wanted to bring them into the field to the best
advantage, to have them make an exhibition
of their most STARTLING fpats of DrOWcss in the