252, Voyage of the Novara. 



penal settlement (the climate being possibly too healthy), 

 there are, nevertheless, both at Tahiti and Nukahiwa, 

 a few men, rather politically discontented than downright 

 dangerous, whom a merciful interpretation of French mar- 

 tial law has exempted from banishment to Cayenne, (that 

 name of terror ! *) and whom we might almost say that a 

 beneficent destiny has transported to the shores of the South 

 Sea. One of these political offenders, named Longomasino, 

 has to thank the visit of the Austrian frigate to Papeete for his 

 restoration to liberty. He had been a journalist at Toulouse 



* We had an opportunity while at Papeete of obtaining some particulars of this 

 renowned French penal settlement fi-om the mouth of a person whom no one will be 

 likely to accuse of exaggeration. M. de la Richerie, who, while we were at Papeete, 

 filled the position of Imperial commissary, and is the present Governor of Tahiti, was 

 for four years (1854 — 57) director of the penal settlement at Cayenne. During the 

 period of his authority the entire population consisted of from 5000 to 6000 prisoners, 

 1500 garrison, 200 free settlers, and from 16,000 to 18,000 negroes. The expense 

 of keeping on foot this small colony was not less than from £160,000 to £200,000. 

 The mortality among all classes, free as well as prisoners, was perfectly appalling, 

 averaging from 23 to 33 per cent. ! ! Of 6000 prisoners, 2000 died in one year ; 

 out of 36 medical men, 18 died in the discharge of their duties. The number of 

 fever-stricken in the hospital was never less than from 500 to 600 ! ! The director 

 once entered an apartment in which above 250 of the unfortunate political criminals 

 lay on their sick beds. He inquired of the physician in attendance how long they 

 were likely to live ? Possibly a year, was the reply. " Depechez-vous donc,^' said 

 the director, as he turned from the unhappy wretches, who had no resource except 

 the hospital, and, sick in mind and body, longed earnestly for the day which should 

 see their wretched couches vacated for the calm tranquillity of death. M. de la 

 Richerie was of opinion that no political convict lives more than four or five years in 

 Cayenne, and that even the free settler cannot withstand the deadly influence of the 

 climate above ten years. But the government founded on the 2nd December gives 

 itself little concern. The utility of the system of deportation has been fully under- 

 stood, and is unsparingly carried out. The time seems to be at hand when all 

 Frenchmen who venture to challenge the Napoleonic ideas, will be banished their 

 native country, nay, exiled from Europe. 



