Mohave County miner., 1888-11-17
PARADISE OF HORRORS.

PARADISE OF HORRORS.
Ths Convict Days Of the Beautiful
Island OF Tasmania
A,ahsash One of the Esrth's Most FsvossA
0pots, Its Gohabiisats i'rcferrSd Desth
- Living Port Arthur and It's
Charming surrounsiings.
The Island OF Van Dieman's Land, ~ 70
was originally called, or Tasmania, a. Il 10
now termed, was frst discovered by tho
navigator Tasman, who lanqesi on the PEN
insuls which still hears his name in tho
year l642 Thin tsuipsula Is joined TO the
tnain Land ~ as ssshaSs called Eagle Hswk
Neck, and here is snswn on The hard rock
the Impression Of o boot md round hole
sids ky eide, supposed 70 have bccu made
by the discoveries LEFT foot and right
wUoden Leg respectively.
Thst no footprints appear leading from
the shore inland is accounted for by saying
that Tasman was 30 overcome by the beau.
ty Of the scene before him that he fell back
ward, says . correspondent OF the San
Frapciseo Chrontcle. Tho scenery Of the
peninsula is certainly very fine. In sew
erai places are found tcssellatcd pavcments
a. regular - though constructed by fsonan
Duiioers, These are tne bases OF basaitas
LolumDs wnicn have now disappeared under
the influence Of wave and storm.
At the necK In the DAD days when Tas-
mania was used by the British as q convict
settlement, was placed strong guard of
constables, who were further assisted IN
their work Of keeping his Mayesty's prison
ers secure by numbers Of large and fcro-
cious dogs, who were kenneled at various
suitable spots, often on stages erected In
the water.
When any prisoner attempts TO escape BY
this neck, tine only way 10 tho main land,
the dogs barked loudly and alarmed tho
constables on guard, who put out In boats
manned by convicts OF known good char
scter, and cut on the prisoners retreat
Besioes the dogs on the stages erected in the
water, others were chained at the narrow
est part OF the isthmus La such o way a.
just to meet, thus rendering 1t impossible
for one TO pass without being torn to pieces.
Sentries, too, were always at hand with
loaded guns.
To render escape by swimming impossi-
BILE, the sharks, which haunted the waters,
were well fed daily 50 as TO keep them to
the spot. A terrible description, chiefly
drawn from official reports, diaries OF chap
iains notebooks and other Official data, 10
given OF the life of the convicts In the old
days of Marcus Clarke's weird and horri-
bic, but powerfully-wrfttcn story: I'm the
Term OF His Natural Life.n
Port Arthur was the central convict sta
ton on Tasman's Peninsula, and was o
place Of great natural beauty. Eucalyptus
trees have been found In the bush there Of
height OF three hundred feet aud all the
animals that live on the island are TO be
foand In abundance. On the western side
of the island is another old convict station,
called Macquaric Harbor. This was most
dreadful spot Tho entrance TO the harbor
ment itself He'll Upon. zartik and well do
these illomenod names seem to have been
deserved.
II Is related that the torturcs and priva-
tions Of convicts were so intolerable tnat
many Of them committed murder In order
that they might be executed, and thus no
leased from their misery.
Unlike the neighborhood OF Port Arthur
the country around Macquarie Harbor wa
utterly devoid Of all sustenancc for men,
and bodies OF desperate convicts sometimes
banded together TO escape, and when want
of food prevented their proceeding further
cast lots which Of them should be KILLED,
and sustained life little while longer on
the Aesh OF their murdered comrade.
Ono Pearce escaped from Aacquarie Har-
Dor and got as far as Hobart Town, but
was there arrested and sent back. He and
. man named Cox worked together In the
same gang Cox often begged Pierce 70
run away with him from the settlement,
put for long time Pearcc refused. At
last Cox managed to procure knife, some
an axe and some burnt rag for
tinder and he and Pearce made their escape
together.
For some days they strayed through the
forest and on the fifth day arrived ut
Kings river. In the woods near this river
they stayed for some days in order 10 avoid
the pursuit OF the soldiers who were search.
ing for them, and during all this time they
were cntireiy without food. Pearce at last
to take Lis comrades life and
killed Cox with blow Of the axe while he
lay asleep.
The soldiers having gone OF in another
Pearce lived for few days in the
hut abandoned by them upon the flesh OF his
companion; but unable TO bear
his own life, he returned TO the settlement
and signalcd for the pilot, who took him
back TO Macquarie Harbor, where he con-
fesscd his crime to the commandant and
sig1ifed his willingness TO die.
In ls72 there were still few hundred
convicts left In Port Arthur, the penal set
Element on Tasman's Peninsula. This pen
Insula Ii covered with dense scrub and
gigantic gum trees, and formerly there were
several thousand convicts there. Commu-
nication was kept up all over the peninsula
by semsphofes, or posts with movable arms
worthy convict, who had O code OF signals.
Port Arthur and It's sneighborhood are very
pretty, and now that conyIcts are no longer
vent out there IL is rapidly becoming q IA
rorite holiday resort and o fashionable
place, and numbers of honest, en-
,rgetic settlers are clearing away the brush
md forming honesteads. The name OF
Port Arthur, linked with dreadful associa-
,ions as 1t was. has wisely been changed to
hat Of Carnarvon, and under the new re-
yime the once hated spot now furnishes a
,omc for scores OF happy families. The old
dungeons and prison building are fast fall
ng into decay and soon all but few traces,
interesting 90 antiquarians, OF the former
,sc Of the place will be obiiterated.
-
8tsel Lace FOR summer.
You would never guess TO look at a girl
nowadays, says the New York Mod and
TrDrcss, what IL IL that she Is wearing