94 REPORT — 1844. 



to about 120 souls, besides about 250 convicts. In 1810 it was deemed inexpedient 

 to retain the settlement on these terms ; the returns from it were few and uncertain; 

 it did not feed even its own population ; the communication vras uncertain and ex- 

 pensive ; its morals became depraved ; and Van Diemen's Land just then began to 

 be settled, and not labouring under the same defects, the free settlers were offered 

 land there, which they were compelled to accept. The convicts were removed, and 

 the island was for fifteen years abandoned. It vvas re-occupied in 1825 as a penal 

 settlement, without free settlers, and with increased severity of discipline and other 

 management. The establishment was at first small, but rapidly increased. The con- 

 vict population in 1826 was 84, in 1838 it had increased to 1447 ■ but a large number 

 was in the subsequent years sent to Sydney on indulgence, which reduced them to 

 1220 : in 1840 they were augmented by fresh arrivals to 1872, but a diminution again 

 took place, and on the 31st of December last the numbers were 1295. Tables had 

 been carefully provided showing the country, religion and original sentences of all 

 the prisoners who had arrived at Norfolk Island from 1825 to 1843 inclusive. The 

 number of English were 2142; Irish, 1287; Scotch, 147; foreign, 10: total, 3592. 

 Of those transported for life 815 were Protestants, 276 Roman Catholics, and 7 Jews. 

 Yorkshire appears to have contributed to this penal settlement 124 convicts. An act 

 of the New South Wales Council in 1839 facilitated the removal of nearly all the well- 

 conducted, who had served over the periods required by it, to Sydney. That act fixed 

 certain periods, (one, three and five years, for men under sentence for seven years, 

 fourteen years and life respectively,) when application might be made to obtain for 

 them the commutations prescribed by it. It in fact altogether changed the prospects of 

 the whole body and greatly improved their condition. The real horrors of Norfolk 

 Island terminated with the passing of this act. Before it men sent there had little 

 or no prospect before them, except what was contingent on a capricious recommen- 

 dation, which they too frequently sought to obtain by treachery, hypocrisy or other 

 unworthy service, or despairing of attaining it they became reckless, violent, muti- 

 nous and insubordinate. This has been much changed. With good conduct on 

 the island every one has been certain of recommendation at the allotted period of his 

 service. Up to September 1843 there had been 1200 men thus forwarded to Sydney 

 from the beginning of 1839. Of this number 530 have become free by the expiration 

 of their sentence or by pardons; 670 are prisoners in New South Wales ; and 36 have 

 been reconvicted of crime. The number of reconvictions appears remarkably small, 

 considering the description of the men, their going penniless from this island, the suspi- 

 cion with which they are regarded in Sydney, and the associates to whom they return. 

 The author then proceeded to show that in the years in which he had charge of this 

 convict station, having introduced a more lenient system of treatment to the convicts, 

 the number of reconvictions was far below the average, being only 1^ per cent, in four 

 years, or iper cent, per annum. Previously, in 1839, the convicts underwent the great- 

 est severity ; the number of lashes inflicted, by sentence, for offences was 1 1 ,420. If the 

 example of severity could deter from crime at all, these men had themselves both 

 witnessed and experienced it in this extreme. Yet in this instance, as in so many 

 others, it signally failed. His (Capt. M'Conochie's) object was to eflect the reformation 

 of the men under his charge. This idea had scarcely ever before been suggested to 

 them, but they all sympathized with it, and carried it as a rule of conduct with them. 

 The paper next treated of those prisoners who had been sent from Norfolk Island to 

 Sydney for trial, charged with serious offences : the next section treated of men who 

 had absconded, with interesting details regarding each of these successful enterprises, 

 which were attended with great daring, hazard, recklessness, suffering and peril. The 

 author then gave statistical notices of men who have died on the island from natural 

 causes. Those prisoners who had been sent from Sydney, where they had become sea- 

 soned to tlie climate, and had enjoyed full rations of food, appeared to have been less 

 subject to disease than those who were sent to Norfolk Island direct from England. Of 

 the former, in a population of 8059, there had been 2429 cases of sickness since 1837, 

 or 1 in 3^, with 109 deaths, or 1 in 74 ; of the latter there were 1622 cases among 24 1 7 

 arrivals, or 1 in li, with SO deaths, or 1 in 30j. The author attributes this excess 

 of sickness and death among those sent direct from England, to their rations of salt 

 meat and maize not being adequate to support the constitution under the change of 

 climate, with labour, after a long sea-voyage. The diseases with which they are most 



