PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 297 



murderers, whilst the thieves are the worst ; men fre- 

 quently commit murder in a fit of jealousy, but do not 

 make a business of murder, whereas the thief thieves as a 

 matter of business, and " once a thief always a thief.'' 



A convict may also become a " self-supporter," that is 

 he is allowed to earn his own living as a petty shop- 

 keeper, smith, &c. ; of this class there are now 3,300. 

 In addition to these privileges convicts are allowed to 

 marry, if they can prove that they are unmarried ; appli- 

 cation is made to the womens' jail for any unmarried 

 women who may be willing, and the man makes his 

 choice. There are frequent small crimes, such as thefts, 

 and these are dealt with by the several divisional police 

 magistrates, but should the offence be a serious one, such 

 as when a convict tired of his life attacks an officer, the 

 case is tried in a more formal manner, and hanging is 

 generally the result. 



The labour of the convicts is not wholly lost, for they 

 are employed in wood cutting, tea and coffee planting, 

 vegetable growing, &c. The cost of the establishment 

 amounts to 13 lakhs per annum; receipts from sale of 

 wood, cocoa-nuts, &c., are about 4 lakhs, so that the net 

 cost is ^90,000 per annum. After 20 years servitude, 

 good conduct men are allowed to return to their native 

 country, and pardons are also granted for special deeds of 

 gallantry, as w^hen the women from the jail in the early 

 hours of November 2, 1890, rescued the only survivor 

 of the wreck of the " Enterprise." 



The Europeans connected with the convict establish- 

 ment as well as others, seem to enjoy life in these out-of- 

 the-way parts, where at times the mails arrive but once in 

 three weeks ; one man I know told me he never meant 

 to go home again, and I believe the late Governor came 

 home with much regret. Life, excepting as regards the 

 chmate, is much as it is at home; tennis, boating, 

 shooting, riding, are taken part in, ice is made, and special 



