Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-03-13
Letter from Tasmania or Van Diemen's
Land.

Letter from Tasmania OF Van Diemen
Land.
Nr. Editor:
A writer of romance once became ex
hausted for a subject upon which TO inter
est his readers, and so concluded to TAX,
voyage around the world to replenisl
his exhausted Imagination. During the
journey he touched at Tasmania and Aus.
traiia from whcn he returned through
Persia and Arabia 10 England. His friends
naturally expected an interesting story
from his pen. hut >till he remained silent.
AT last when some one requested him to
write simple stor, of his travels. he re-
piled that he WAS waiting for his imagna-
tlon 10 cool down 20 a reasonable temper
ature, before he was willing to altem t
anything for publication. During the
cooling process of hi. heated brain he be-
came insane, from which he never recover
ed and finally died unalic There was,
however, found among his manuscript a
glowing description of his travels in Ta>-
mania, the beauty Of its scenery the fer
tility OF its soil, its mild and genial cli-
mstt and the hospitality Of the people
The book is now extinct, or nearly 80.
England's convict depot had very few
charms for the better class that were
deslrous of fiudlng home in her colonies.
nd fl.,
found no favor among people emigraiing
to Australia; hence they gave Tasmania a
wide birth and left il almost wholly to be
pr"pled ~ those from the Jail. of Eng
land. whom the courts had condemned for
petty ofcnses to be transported to these
colonies. Whatever effect the long and
tedious voyage of Is, 900 miles from their
native land may have produced upon the
minds OF the first settlers of this land. il
any way other feelings than q desire 70 re-
form and mskc their exile home an exam
pie Of thrift and enterprise to succeeding
generations II Is natural 10 suppose
when they found themselves once in 8
tions OF almost every climate, that they
turned their attention TO other pursuits
and started upon anew course of life.
adapting themselves to their new homes.
with a frm purpose of reformed men.
They were away from their old associates.
removed from the haunts of immoral ten
depcies. which often make bad men, when
In reality there is at first little or no in
clination TO do wrong, when step by step.
led on by others, they are arrested, brought
10 trial. condemned to be transported
for life The next fye months they are
on shipboard. disgust for their own
folly arises within them at the dawn of
each succeeding day. They look back
upon their past life with feeling Of con-
form continues TO grow stronger as the
voyage wears away. Month after month
passes and they are still on the ocean,
bound TO their exile home. the re-
suit of one false step. The advice of one
bad companion has taken them from a once
happy home and placed them in crushed
and fallen position. At length the voyage
ends and with longing eye they behold the
hills of their future home. They land and
for a time they are in destitute circum-
stapces but al length they begin to thrive :
them to renew their efforts, and after
few years they become prosperous. enter
prsing people, with no stain of their form
er crimes attached to them, as very like
ly they have changed their name with thelr
habits, although this is not always the
case. Many have become wealthy, their
families ave Joined them no question Is
asked about what their origin is, so long
as their present life is an upright one. In
many cases in one decade from the land
4 ing, they are surrounded by all the com
/ forts of life, doing prosperous business
their former life forgotten. They are in ,
new country, embarked upon new life OF
honorable toll, against which no scornfu
finger of disapproval can point. Thei
families are educated and they are living
honest and respectable lives; the CALLING
chains no longer fetter nor impede thel
progress Had these people remained IL
their native land, many of them woul'
have spent their lives in prison, Will
their children would have grown up in ig
norance and vice.
There is not colony in any part of tn
globe where there can be found q NOR
honest, enterprising class Of people tha
there are here; there is not on earth NOR
bospitable people than one will meet in tn
city OF Hobart Town, (Tasmania.) tn
sun in its benehcent course around III
world does not shine upon more educi
ted, refined, genial class of people tina
those of Tasmania. Removed as they Al
from the centre of civilization. their chi
dren have not learned many of the vices c
, the more civilized parts Of the world, an
consequently are free from many corrup
ing and immoral tendencies, which tt
more enlightened portions of the worl
are sometimes unfortunately afflicted will
Readers of this letter. remember that II eve
you come to Tasmania, do not mentio
the name of convict or allude in any wa
to England's convict colony; If you do g
your hat in hand, ready for run whic
1 YOU are certain to be obliged to enjoy.
Everything that you see is marked wit
s intelligence. Add to that one of the mo-
E genial climates that any land is favo
: ed with and a prolific soil where refn
5 ment and intelligence are the predomin
: ting features of the population, and ~
: will be able to form some idea Of whs
this part of the world is like. The graz
fields nearly ripe for harvest at this seasf