Page 462 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

CHAPTER XX. ‘A NATURAL

PENITENTIARY.’

The ‘employment’ at Port Arthur consisted chiefly of ag-
‘riculture, ship-building, and tanning. Dawes, who was in
the chain-gang, was put to chain-gang labour; that is to say,
bringing down logs from the forest, or ‘lumbering’ timber
on the wharf. This work was not light. An ingenious calcu-
lator had discovered that the pressure of the log upon the
shoulder was wont to average 125 lbs. Members of the chain-
gang were dressed in yellow, and—by way of encouraging
the others— had the word ‘Felon’ stamped upon conspicu-
ous parts of their raiment.
This was the sort of life Rufus Dawes led. In the summer-
time he rose at half-past five in the morning, and worked
until six in the evening, getting three-quarters of an hour
for breakfast, and one hour for dinner. Once a week he had
a clean shirt, and once a fortnight clean socks. If he felt sick,
he was permitted to ‘report his case to the medical officer”.
If he wanted to write a letter he could ask permission of the
Commandant, and send the letter, open, through that Al-
mighty Officer, who could stop it if he thought necessary.
If he felt himself aggrieved by any order, he was ‘to obey
it instantly, but might complain afterwards, if he thought
fit, to the Commandant”. In making any complaint against

1