CHAP. II.] MADEIRA TO THE COAST OF BRAZIL. 103 



nando Noronha is a penal settlement, belonging to Brazil. 

 There were then on the island the nsual number of about 1400 

 convicts. To hold them in check there are 200 soldiers, a gov- 

 ernor, who holds the rank of a major in the army, and one or 

 two other officials, with their families. Beyond these there are 

 no inhabitants on the island, with the exception of the wives of 

 some of the convicts, and a few women. 



The usual terms of penal servitude range from five to four- 

 teen years. The prisoners in this establishment are chiefly of 

 a low grade, and most of them are convicted of heavy crimes — 

 crimes of all kinds, except, so far as we could learn, political 

 offenses. In Brazil the crime of murder is nominally punished 

 with death, but the sentence is usually, if not always, commuted 

 to one of transportation for life. A large number of the Fer- 

 nando N^oronha convicts are under these mitigated sentences. 

 The convicts enjoy a considerable amount of liberty, and their 

 life does not seem by any means one of great rigor. They are 

 allowed to build a hut, and to cultivate a little piece of garden- 

 ground on their own account, and to sell the produce. Their 

 time and labor, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., belong to Government ; 

 and during that time they cultivate, in gangs on Government 

 land, principally a small black bean, on wliich, as it seems, they 

 themselves chiefly subsist ; and maize, which is exported about 

 monthly to Brazil, in a little Government steamer, which like- 

 wise brings supplies to the island. The convicts receive from 

 Government each about six shillings a month, and have to keep 

 themselves in food. Those who are expert fishers are allowed 

 to ply their craft along the shore, a single man to a catamaran, 

 and a certain proportion of the take goes to the Government 

 officials. There is no boat on the island, even in the hands of 

 the authorities. 



We were all extremely anxious to work up this island thor- 

 oughly. From its remarkable jjosition nearly under the equa- 

 tor, 190 miles from the nearest land, ^participating, to some ex- 



