Had it not been for a stray
kangaroo, which fortune now and then threw in our way, we should have
been utter strangers to the taste of fresh food.
Thus situated, the scurvy began its usual ravages, and extended its
baneful influence, more or less, through all descriptions of persons.
Unfortunately the esculent vegetable productions of the country are
neither plentiful, nor tend very effectually to remove this disease.
And, the ground we had turned up and planted with garden seeds, either
from the nature of the soil, or, which is more probable, the lateness
of the season, yielded but a scanty and insufficient supply of what we
stood so greatly in need of.
During the period I am describing, few enormous offences were
perpetrated by the convicts. A petty theft was now and then heard
of, and a spirit of refractory sullenness broke out at times in some
individuals: one execution only, however, took place. The sufferer, who
was a very young man, was convicted of a burglary, and met his fate with
a hardiness and insensibility, which the grossest ignorance, and most
deplorable want of feeling, alone could supply.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100