James Backhouse

“ The motion of the vessel was too great to allow a person to walk, or even to stand without hold, and we were unable from this cause combined with sickness, to wash or shave.
Some Black and Wandering Albatrosses were continually soaring around us; and a flock of the beautiful Petrels, called Cape Pigeons, kept close to our stern, generally on the wing, but often swimming, or running on the water after anything cast from the ship. The wind howls, and the sea rages in vain to these birds. They keep on the wing in the fiercest tempests, and swim with ease on the most boisterous waves. ”

“ The wind proving unfavourable, we were detained eighteen days at Wellington Head; in the course of which we visited the Pilot Station, and adjacent parts of the coast; and daily had religious opportunities in the jail, with the crew of the vessel, the military, and the prisoners. The jail was now so much occupied with timber as to render it difficult to crowd into it, and it was also dirty and dark; and the only lamp we had, gave barely sufficient light to read by; but the comforting sense of our Heavenly Father's love, which often attended our minds, made up for all privations. ”

“ About 1828, a part of the Colony, was declared to be under martial law, as regarded the Aborigines, and about two years after, a military expedition was undertaken, with the intention of driving all those in the south-east part of the island, to Tasmans Peninsula. This project, which a better knowledge of the country and the people, proved a most absurd one, happily ended in no greater evil than the expenditure of a considerable sum of money, and the sojourn of a large proportion of the male, white inhabitants, for a few weeks, in "the bush," with little or no loss of life on either side. ”

“ At this place, the large garden, with a fine crop of vegetables, the well fenced fields, with luxuriant herbage of rye-grass and white-clover, and the beautiful cattle and horses, and almost every other object but the Gum-trees, resemble England. ”

“ The ashes of the dead were collected in a piece of Kangaroo-skin, and every morning, before sunrise, till they were consumed, a portion of them was smeared over the faces of the survivors, and a death song sung, with great emotion, tears clearing away lines among the ashes. ”

“ Sometimes the top of a broken billow struck against the ship's side, and covered half the vessel with spray. Now and then a shower fell, but often the sun shone brightly on the agitated scene, illuminating the spray from the tops of the broken, dark blue waves, with the colours of the rainbow, and sometimes shewing light of emerald green through the unbroken water. ”

“ In the afternoon, the wind and tide serving, we proceeded up the Tamar, which is devious in its course, and opens out into many pretty bays. The shores present traces of basalt. The adjacent country is hilly, and wooded down to the water, except in places where the land has been cleared; on which corn and grass are verdant. Some of the habitations of the settlers look comfortable. ”

“ The ascent of some of the hills was as steep as a horse could climb, and in some places, little but bare rocks. Some whitening, human bones lay by the side of one of the paths through this dreadful country, in a situation likely for a person exhausted by fatigue, to sink down and die.—Sometimes, we had to lay hold of the manes of the horses, to retain our seats, sometimes to leap over logs, in awkward situations, and sometimes it was impracticable to ride. ”

“ After sunset, we discovered some Black-wood trees, and soon a few blades of grass; these were cheering as indications of the margin of the forest; and shortly after, to our great satisfaction, we emerged upon Three-brook Plain. The Myrtle forest was excessively dark, and the road through it so miry, that we had to use sticks to support ourselves, while feeling with our feet for roots to step upon; but patience and perseverance brought us safely to the Hampshire Hills by bed time. Some dogs that accompanied us, killed a Kangaroo and a Wombat, both of which supplied us with food. ”

“ Veronica formosa—a myrtle-like bush with lovely, blue blossoms, and Clematis blanda, with a profusion of fragrant, white flowers, an inch across.—When out this evening, Jumbo turned up her heel, and with a laugh, asked what that was, pointing to a leech as large as a black snail, that was biting her: she plucked it off and threw it away. One of the men pointed to the ground, and said in broken English, "Two more crackne here," i. e. rest, remain, or are here. ”

“ The master agrees with the Government to comply with certain terms in regard to the food, clothing, and labour of the assigned servant; and the servant may complain to a magistrate if his master fail to do justly in these respects. But the prisoner is liable, on the complaint of his master, to be flogged or sent to work in chains, for insubordination and other offences; and his insubordination may often be little more than irritation of temper, excited by an unreasonable master.
The convict, like a slave, may happen to be the servant of a kind or of a hard-hearted master ”

“ But though a few were to be found at this settlement who had turned to the Lord, and were bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, and most conducted themselves pretty well under the discipline exercised over them, there was still great depravity existing: many were so far under the dominion of the devil, as to be led captive by him at his will. The effect of the corruption of human nature, increased by indulgence in sin, produced a description of character liable to fall into temptation whenever it came in the way, and far from being always restrained by the fear of punishment. ”

“ Among the hills, and on the tops of some of them are level tracts, which bear the name of marshes or plains, but the latter term is often used in Tasmania to signify lands clear of trees, even where the surface is far from level.
When a place is first occupied by a settler, a hut of the simplest kind is formed, often like a mere roof resting on the ground; and when other needful things have been effected, one of upright logs is built, and covered with shingles. ”

“ For a similar reason, he has refrained from observations on some modifications of the Penal Discipline, of New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, which are of recent date.
In the course of the Narrative, the term Savages is sometimes used in reference to the Aborigines of the countries visited; but it is only intended, by this term, to designate human beings, living on the wild produce of the earth, and destitute of any traces of civilization; and by no means, to convey the idea, that these people are more cruel than the rest of the human race, or of inferior intellect. ”

“ They, in answer, remarked the distant sound of my voice, and inquired if I were behind the tree!—When the road through this forest was forming, a man who had only about 200 yards to go, from one company of the work-people to another, lost himself: he called, and was repeatedly answered; but getting further astray, his voice became more indistinct, till it ceased to be heard, and he perished. The largest trees do not always carry up their width in proportion to their height, but many that are mere spars, are 200 feet high. ”

“ A man was sent into the chains on each side, with the sounding lead. The pilot went to the bows, and nothing was now to be heard through the roar of the wind and waves, but his voice calling to the helmsman, the helmsman's answer, and the voices of the men in the chains, counting off the fathoms as the water became shallower. The vessel was cast alternately from one side to the other, to prevent her sticking on the sand, in which case the billows would have run over her, and have driven her upon a sand-bank a mile from the shore, on which they were breaking with fury. ”

“ When I ceased, he prolonged the voice of supplication, ascribing glory, honour, and praise to Him that liveth for ever and ever, who in the riches of his mercy had called him out of darkness into his marvellous light, and translated him from the kingdom of Satan, into the kingdom of his own dear Son. In the course of conversation, this monument of divine goodness, desired that I would tell audacious sinners of the mercy that God had shown to him; and assure them that he found such comfort and pleasure in righteousness, as he never could have thought of whilst he remained in sin. ”

“ On a rocky bank adjoining, there were other ferns, with creeping roots, that threw up their bright green fronds at short distances from each other, decorating the ledges on which they grew. In the deepest recesses of this shade I could enjoy the novel scene—ferns above, below, around—without fear of molestation; no dangerous beasts of prey inhabiting this interesting island. The annexed etching will give the reader some idea of a tree-fern, many species of which exceed in beauty the stately palms of warmer climates. ”

“ In the evening, a number of the Aborigines joined us, when we were seated around some charcoal embers, contained in an old iron pot, by which the Commandant's hut is warmed, and which might endanger the lives of the inhabitants, were it not for the free admission of air through the crevices of the weatherboard walls. An elderly woman, named Boatswain, by the sealers, to whom she had long been in bondage, informed us, by means of signs, and a few words in broken English, of the manner in which these men flogged the women who did not pluck Mutton-birds, or do other work to their satisfaction. ”

“ We beat up between Maria Island and the main land. The coast of the latter was steep and woody. Some parts of Maria Island are lofty: the northern end is 3,000 feet high, and steep: the island is divided into two portions by a low sandy neck. Black-fish, Gannets, and Mutton-birds were seen; and in the evening, we were cheered by lights on the coast, at the house of a settler, and at a whaling station, in Spring Bay. The last proved of great service in directing the course of the cutter, which dropped anchor at midnight, the wind having failed. ”

“ Early in the morning, five Pelicans and some Cape Barren Geese, were upon the beach of Preservation, not far from two huts belonging to James Munro, an old sealer, who, with a native black woman named Jumbo, is the only permanent resident on the Island. We went on shore and paid them a visit, and had an interview also with three other sealers, and three female Aborigines, casually here, on their way to the coast of New Holland, where, on a number of small islands, they still obtain Fur Seals. ”

“ We reached Port Arthur, which is greatly improved since we were here before, though much still requires to be done before it can be fully effective for the purpose of a Penal Settlement. A good penitentiary, and a place of worship are much wanted. The Penitentiary in use consists only of bark huts, surrounded with a high, stockade fence. One hut is appropriated to educated prisoners, who are now, in many instances, sent here on their arrival in the Colony, being considered as having abused their advantages more than the uneducated. ”

“ The heart of the Shark being taken out of the body, and put into a bucket of salt water, continued to beat for several minutes.
During the night of the 6th, we passed to the south of V. D. Land. The sea again assumed its dark blue colour. Three large Grampuses came close to the vessel: they made a snorting noise, but did not eject water like the larger species of the whale tribe. A breeze on the morning of the 7th carried us to the south of the Mew Stone—a large conical rock a few miles from the shore. The mountains on the south coast are rugged, and some of them peaked. ”

“ The morning being wet, we concluded to return to the Hampshire Hills, and having to pass over the burnt ground on which the charred stems of the fern were standing, we were blackened by them in a high degree; but afterwards, on coming among wet scrub, we were as effectually washed. We then passed 41⁄2 hours in traversing a dreary Myrtle-forest, making frequent use of the compass, and sometimes losing sight of each other, by the intervention of tree-ferns. We were much impeded by roots of trees projecting above the grassless surface of the earth, and by fallen and decaying timber. ”

“ Though able to understand little more than the general object for which we were assembled, and having scarcely any ideas of a Deity, or a future state, the Aborigines behaved with great reverence and attention.—It was affecting and humiliating to be cut off from communication with them on these subjects, by the want of a knowledge of their language; but there was a comfort in knowing, that "where there is no law, there is no transgression;" and that "sin is not imputed where there is no law;" and that they will be judged only according to the measure of light, they have received. ”

“ Notwithstanding it was summer, and large patches of ground were white with the blossoms of Diplarhoena Moroea—an Iris-like plant, common in the colony, the Barn Bluff and other mountains adjacent, were covered with fresh snow, and the tops of the potatoes at Chilton were touched with frost. The land here is high, with marshy flats and grassy forest. The trees of the open ground are chiefly Stringy-bark 20 to 30 feet in circumference, and 70 to 100 feet high. The country of the Hampshire and Surrey Hills, has proved unfavourable for sheep, but seems adapted for horned cattle. ”

“ Having finished the soup, she sat in silence: Jumbo was asked, if she knew the woman. She replied, Yes, she is my country woman. Jumbo was then inquired of, why she did not talk to her. She replied, She wont speak to me. W. J. Darling ordered the two women into the cabin, and desired Jumbo to ask Jackey—for this was the name that the sealers had given this woman—if she would go to Flinders Island, and live with her own people there. No, was her answer. He then requested, she might be informed, that if she wished to go, he had power to take her, and that the sealers should not hurt her. ”