48 THE EARLY HISTORY OF MARTA ISLAND, 



In 1841 Lord Stanley's Probation System came into 

 force and the station was again occupied under the new 

 scheme for dealing with the convict population. The 

 stttlement was extended, and in 1845 there were about six 

 hundred prisoners on the island, these being divided into 

 four classes. The main buildings' at Dai'lington, in which 

 the convicts were housed, consisted of six large rooms con- 

 taining 66 men each, 20 huts of various sizes, capable of 

 holding from 3 to 24 men each and about 100 senarate 

 apartments '30) The position at the settlement at this 

 time does not appear toi have been at all satisfactory. (3i) 



Among the people exiled to the isle were several of 

 the Maori chiefs who had been concerned in the New Zea- 

 land rebellion. At a later date some were allowed to re- 

 turn to their native land, but one at least died on the is- 

 land, for in the neglected cem.etery of the old station may 

 be seen a stone stating that — 



Here lie the remains of 



HOHEPA TE UMUROA 



a native of Wanganui, New Zealand, 



who died July 9th, 1847. 



There are several other interesting epitaphs in this old 

 graveyard, which is situated on the north-western point of 

 the island. The spot is unfortunately much neglected and 

 many of the graves are overgrown with boobialla. At the 

 present rate of progress it will not be many years, before all 

 trace is lost, except perhaps for a few of the larger tomb- 

 stones, of the records of those who died and were buried at 

 the settlement of Darlington in the early days of its his- 

 torv. 



" On October 29th, 1849, the brig Swift, 360 tons, G 

 guns, commanded by Captain Aldham, arrived at Hobart 

 from London. She had on board several of the Irish State 

 prisoners. Among the number was Smith O'Brien, and 

 as he refused to accept a ticket-of-leave, G-overnor Denison, 

 who had visited Darlington in January (32)^ decided to 

 send him to Maria Island. Here O'Brien apparently tried 

 every means of making a martyr of himself, and his friends 

 devised a plan for his escape. A priest communicated the 

 details to O'Brien (^•^), and he was ready when the schooner 

 Victoria anchored oflf the coast and sent a boat ashore. Be- 

 fore O'Brien could reach tJie boat, however, a constable 

 appeared and an-ested the boat's crew at the point of his 



(30) Boyd to Hampton, 31st Dec, 1845. 



(31) Syme.— Nine Years in V.D.L., p. 270. 



(32) Denison. — Varieties of Vice-Resal Life, p. 104. 



(33) Denison. — Varieties of Vice-Eesal Life, p. 144. 



