THE PASTORAL AGE IN 

 AUSTRALASIA 



CHAPTER I 



PROLOGUE 



Far away in the South Seas, a hundred years ago, more 

 or less, the humane British Government was engaged 

 in making a social experiment that had an issue un- 

 dreamt of by its benevolent originators. It sent out 

 to the newly discovered wilds of New South Wales 

 successive contingents of its convicted felons, not only 

 from the natural desire of getting rid of its worst citizens, 

 but also with the hope of reforming criminals who 

 could, by no possible chance, be reformed in England. 

 The design succeeded beyond the hopes of its promoters, 

 but far less through the measures taken by them with 

 that end in view, than as an indirect result of unforeseen 

 occurrences. While its representatives at the Anti- 

 podes, the rulers of the new British colony, were planting 

 out so many of its " exiles " on farms near the settle- 

 ment or employing the more skilled among them in 

 works of public utility, an altogether new development 

 was initiated by private individuals, which was to 

 ensure by other means the results aimed at, and at the 

 same time bring about incalculable results of a totally 

 different nature. 



For the first half-century of its history the new 

 province was divided into two parts — a part that was 



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