The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1843-04-21 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

PUNISHMENTS OP TRANSPORTATION•—A. letter from a private soldier contains the following :—" If they (the convicts) misconduct themselves in the least before they get their tickets, their masters can take them to any magistrate for the least petty misdemeanour, and get them from 50 to 150 lashes, besides returning them to government; and if they are found guilty again, they are sent to an ironed gang for one, two, or three years, where I really think their condition is worse than any African slave's ever was. They are set to work at quarries, pulling and hewing stones, from daybreak till sunset, with heavy irons rivetted on their legs, and a soldier placed over them ; and if they refuse to do anything he orders them ; or give him the slightest insolence or even a sour look, the sentry can take them before the officer in command and get them flogged, from 50 to 200, according to the degree of the offence. If a convict makes the least attempt to escape, or comes within ten paces of the sentry, without his permission, he must fire at him, or stand the consequence of a court-martial. Now, there is another class of double-convicted felons—that is, those who, after being in this ironed gang, are again found guilty of robbery. They are then sentenced to severs or fourteen years, or life, to a penal settlement, where they slave from morning till night, and no recompense for their labour. Directly after our regiment came to Sydney, I was sent on duty to Sockatoo Island, where all the worst characters are sent to. It is an island out in the centre of the straits, between New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land. There are upwards of 300 prisoners on the island, and 42 soldiers to guard them. They are divided in eight watches, and do duty the same as on board of a ship. I arrived there on the 10th of July with the detachment, and every thing went on very well till the 18th of September, when it was reported that the prisoners intended to make a rush in the evening. We were immediately under arms, and every thing got ready to receive them, but I expect that the prisoners saw we were aware of their intentions, for they did not attempt anything that night; but we were kept up all night and the following, but nothing occurring, it was thought to be only a false alarm, and the third night, we that were of the watch went to bed. I had fallen asleep (being tired with my two nights' watch), and dreaming of home and auld lang syne,' when I was awoke by hearing a shot, and a call for the guard to turn out. We instantly sprang up, seized our pieces, and went out, when the first thing we saw was the prison door open, and about half the prisoners out, rushing towards us, with pickaxes and crowbars, and two pieces they had taken from the sentries after having murdered them. We immediately formed and fired at them a volley, which was very wrong, as we ought to have commenced file-firing, as before we could load again they were upon us, and we were obliged to come to the charge. In the meantime some of the prisoners had got to the powder magazine, right behind us, and exploded it, killing seven of our men, arid wounding a great many more ; but, thank God, I escaped in the confusion. The prisoners rushed down to the wharf, slipped the cable of the rationboat lying there, but not more than 43 could get into it before we were upon them, and they were obliged to put to sea. We immediately charged the main body that was left, and they very soon gave in. In a few days a detachment of 50 came to relieve us, and we were sent up the country after those that had escaped. We went through the bush in the direction of Port Philip, for 200 miles. till at last we got intelligence that they were encamped with some native blacks, near Towrang. We instantly started off, and about twelve o'clock at night we found them. We immediately surrounded them, and took them all prisoners to Woolloornowlloo gaol, where they were tried, and 27 hung in less than six days afler they were taken. We then marched to headquarters, where we were welcomed like so many warriors returned from the fight."