The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-11-01

N1Qo.
1t was not long before we were fairly in
The Channel and the pilot got into his boat
and left us.
perfectly smooth, and the ship glided
through the water with delightful Gid
ness; so that felt ought to be doing some
thing towards learning my duties while |
was able. and confde to MacNab that
should like to hold an inspection Of the con
victs, who were all gathered on the main |
deck in charge of their warders and the
marines, who mounted sentry over them |
with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets.
found that had made an official appli-
caticn in the right quarter by accident, for
MacNab Immediately said:
eat what time? at once?
And when [ replied in the affirmative,
gave certain sharp, short orders, the re-
suit Of which was that In less than ten
minutes warder came up to me, touched
his cap, and reported:
Cali ready sir.''
And following him, | found the convlcts
drawn up in lines barefooted My lnspec-
ton of them was mere form, 1or, OF
course, they were sent on board sound ana
clean, but l made certain suggestions with
regard 10 the sanitary arrangements be-
tween decks, where their hammocks were
slung, and these were promptly attended to
where practicable. When had done
MacNab challenged me to game OF chess.
and fortunately we proved to be very evenly
matched. He was quite right IN relying SO
much upon it as resource; how we should
have got through the weeks without it |
cannot imagine; we played at least SIX
hours daily out of the twenty four.
When we got into the broad swell OF the
Atlantic | had weeks sea sickness, during
which MacNab had the best of me at chess,
and after | was well | began to have some
trouble with the convicts. What schemers
they were! Their one great object was to
get glass Of grog or wine, which could
only be done by my order, and they regu-
larly studied the complaints for which
prescribed such medical comforts, and eth
err simulated or managed to produce them
artifcally.
Greenhorn as l was, they imposed upon
me rarely at first, and just as was getting
up to their lodges we passed the Equator,
and there was a good deal of real sickness.
which gave them the advantage again. As
time went on became familiarized with the
rogues, and learned to look upon them as
fellow men who had gone wrong rather
than as wild beasts. | talked to them free
ly, learned many of their historical least
their own versions of them-and took con
siderable interest in some OF the narrators.
Most of them were ignorant, debated crea-
lures, either born and bred to prey on their
ellowcreatures, or recruited from the most
neglected ranks of society; but there were
one or two exceptions-notably, man
who passed under the name OF Williams,
who was gifted with rare abilities, and had
the manners and address of gentleman.
| Ills face would have afforded an interesting
study to physiognomist, the upper part
| being highly intellectual, the lower part be
tokening unbounded sensibility. His crime
was forgery of bank notes. This man new
err condescended to try and trick me, as the
others did, neither did he sulk like some of
the better class convicts, nor protest his in
nocence, which was the almost universal
custom. He was civil, somewhat subdued
in manner, and glad of my conversation.
| He had yielded TO the temptation CT trying
to make his fortune in toe great n hurry,
had failed and was content to pay the pen
atty, he said. Though ..lifer." he by no
means despaired of his future. He was in
formed that with good conduct he would
soon be free man within the limits OF the
colony, and had perfect confidence In his
ability to earn comfortable livelihood II
he had that chance. And what did the
country matter Life could be made as en-
joyable in one place as another He would
not 60 back to England to be cut by all his
relations and former friends if he could.
Piausibly as Williams always talked,
mistrusted him. | noticed that he had es
tablished a considerable influence over the
other convicts, and constantly surprised
him speaking earnestly in corners TO groups
of five or six of them. On my appearance
these conferences broke up, and IN spite Of
all affectation of Indifference | was certain
on more than one occasion that anxiety
was felt least | should have caught some
word in passing. And knew, wlthou. be
ing able to prove it, that sacred signs wer,
exchanged between Williams and at least
score whom l could have pointed out. habit
ually.
Another convict who evidently had som
: power with his fellows was Lloyd, Welsl
sailor who had stabbed another in q GUAR
rel and narrowly escaped the gallows
, / But ii was natural enough that an exper
fenced sailor should obtain the hearing 0
landsmen during voyage of such length
and never suspected him of striving to in
fiuence the others with any sinister design
as certainly did Williams.
But soon had no time for idle speeula
, lion and suspicion: the sickness. a fever
attended by symptoms which were unfamil
lar to me. increased. Soon there were
score of convicts. several seamen, and on
of the marines down with it.
A man died. was sown up in his ham
mock, and launched from the gangwa
with shot at his feet. MacNab reading tn
service over him. During the ceremon
!, one of those phenomena which make sailor
supers,itious occurred. As the bod
touched the water the wind sank. and
half an hour there was q perfect cain
: In many minds q calm at sea is associate
!. with all that is perfectly beautiful; in min
= it is . horrid nightmare.
/. For = week we lay on the broad, smoot
IS sheet of glass, without speck in sight
b break the monotony. Glass; Molten 81
n yer rather. for the heat was SO fearful that
sometimes imagined that it would seeth
:. | The SIM seemed like mass of Whife-h