Page 588 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

Aborigines of New Holland, West Indian blacks, Greeks,
Caffres, and Malays, soldiers for desertion, idiots, madmen,
pig-stealers, and pick-pockets. The dreadful place seems set
apart for all that is hideous and vile in our common nature.
In its recklessness, its insubordination, its filth, and its de-
spair, it realizes to my mind the popular notion of Hell.
May 21st.—Entered to-day officially upon my duties as
Religious Instructor at the Settlement.
An occurrence took place this morning which shows
the dangerous condition of the Ring. I accompanied Mr.
Pounce to the Lumber Yard, and, on our entry, we observed
a man in the crowd round the cook-house deliberately
smoking. The Chief Constable of the Island—my old friend
Troke, of Port Arthur— seeing that this exhibition attract-
ed Pounce’s notice, pointed out the man to an assistant. The
assistant, Jacob Gimblett, advanced and desired the pris-
oner to surrender the pipe. The man plunged his hands into
his pockets, and, with a gesture of the most profound con-
tempt, walked away to that part of the mess-shed where the
‘Ring’ congregate.
‘Take the scoundrel to gaol!’ cried Troke.
No one moved, but the man at the gate that leads through
the carpenter’s shop into the barracks, called to us to come
out, saying that the prisoners would never suffer the man to
be taken. Pounce, however, with more determination than
I gave him credit for, kept his ground, and insisted that so
flagrant a breach of discipline should not be suffered to
pass unnoticed. Thus urged, Mr. Troke pushed through the
crowd, and made for the spot whither the man had with-