Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-11-01


was innocent. He never asked this
of any man again. And the lovely
harbor with the vernal shores said no
more to his singing soul than to that
of the most hardened felOn in the ship.
The exiles were landed and marched
to Hyde Park barracks, 200 strong. 1t
was quite early in the forenoon, yet
the heat Of the ground struck through
| their shoes, and the hot land smell
scorched their nostrils, as the ungainly
| detachment proceeded along the
| streets, all rowing eyes and lurching
sea legs. Suddenly the air filed with
q Jingle as of inharmonious bells, and
| around a corner came team of twen-
ty men in gray and yellow patchwork
yoked to wagon filed with stone and
gravel. They had their chains to drag
as well. and these made the mournful
music wherever they went. One OF the
soldiers in charge of the newly landed
draft CHANGED to catch Toms eye fash
| ing misery and defiance. Don't you
trouble your head about them," cried
he. It'll be your own fault. young
fellow, If ever you come to that
There's none on you need"
Tom said nothing, but convict near
him called out: II believe you, general!
We've come out here to enjoy our
selves. and that's what we mean to
do"
"And will, too" said the soldier.
'There's plenty of us chaps would
change shoes with you if we could" ne
added below his breath. Assigned
servants is more in demand than ever,
| and q good 'un gets wages just the
same as free man. You'll all be snap.
ped up before you've been in barracks
day. No, this amt them. This Is
the 'orspltal. Them's the barracks,
around the corner to the left"
A high wall inclosed the somber pile,
| which looked the more sinister against
| that sky of unfathomable blue. I'M
| moderate sunshine and the tantalizing
proximity of the governors pleasure
grounds put a point to the ominous
contrast, and there were misgivings
among those bold spirits that had look
ed forward to New South Wales as
| land of exclusive cakes and ale.
"If they're going to shut us up IN
there" said one to another, I'VE might
as well have stayed where we was IN
blessed old Noogit!"
81 tell you they won't keep you above
a day." resumed the soldier. "And
you'll never see the place again unless
you plays the fool and gets turned into
gov'ment. Them as does that comes
back, of course, and has bad time OF
It too. Hear that! Hear that"
Over the wall as the newcomers
marched down one side of 1t there
came from the other a series Of shrill
screams, and ere they reached the gate
II was flung open and out marched
four men carrying a fifth, screaming
still, shoulder high between them. The
white face was turned to the sky, the
naked trunk writhing in agony, and
the blood was running out Of the mans
boots as though he had been wading
ankle deep in it, while his leg irons
hung clanking from his legs.
"Ahap' said the soldier. That's
Tom fool who's got turned into gov
ment, you see! They're carrying i'm
across to the 'orspital, cause the cats
been scratching of i'm"
"The cat" cried Tom, who was
trembling all over.
cay, my lad the one with nine
tails. TITS the commonest breed out
| herew
| Tom never knew how his legs carried
him through the barrack gates, and
when the draft were drawn up within
and formally addressed there by the
deputy governor he caught but little
Of the harangue. He felt deadly sick;
his heart ached like tooth. and for
hours to come those piercing screams
pursued his tingling ears. However,
he supposed the punishment must have
been timed expressly as a salutary
warning for the newcomers. Devoutly
he hoped so, but he soon knew better.
Next morning there were two hog
gings, and one again the morning aft
! er. 1t was, in fact, daily detail at
the Hyde Park barracks, which were,
on the other hand, the headquarters OF
several hundreds of the most desper-
ate. felons in New South Wales. Tom
and his draft were only to remain
there until assigned into private serv-
| ice. but the rest had all been turned
! into government" as unmanageabie by
their masters and were in barracks for
repunishment. Their days were spent
! in road gangs or in other organized la
Dor about the town, and not q few OF
their nights in depredatiOns winked at
! by the barrack officers.
For the corruption Of the place was
as fragrant as the discipline was harsh.
The very first night, when Tom was
driven from his hammock by the fetid
heat of the .overcrowded dormitory, he
witnessed an instructive incident from
| the window. 1t was the return OF such
a depredator and the division OF his
spoil with the officer on duty. Tom
soon learned that burglaries and high
way robberies were nightly occur
rences in Sydney, and as often the
work of convicts under nominal lock
and key as that of the assigned serv-
ants who infested the streets after
| dark.
Meanwhile he was himself assigned
to a resident in urgent quest OF "spe-
cial," or gentleman convict" as sucn
! as Tom were termed. The applicant
! was a genial graybeard, with phiio-