O V O L A U. 7 L 



of many instances of the exercise of arbitrary authority over their 

 vassals. 



One day, while at the observatory, I was greatly surprised at seeing 

 one whom I took to be a Feejee man enter my tent, a circumstance so 

 inconsistent with the respect to our prescribed limit, of which I have 

 spoken. His colour, however, struck me as lighter than that of any 

 native I had yet seen. He was a short wrinkled old man, but appeared 

 to possess great vigour and activity. He had a beard that reached to 

 his middle, and but little hair, of a reddish gray colour, on his head. 

 He gave me no time for inquiry, but at once addressed me in broad 

 Irish, with a rich Milesian brogue. In a few minutes he made me 

 acquainted with his story, which, by his own account, was as follows. 



His name was Paddy Connel, but the natives called him Berry ; 

 he was born in the county of Clare in Ireland ; had run away 

 from school when he was a little fellow, and after wanderino- about 

 as a vagabond, was pressed into the army in the first Irish rebellion. 

 At the time the French landed in Ireland, the regiment to which he 

 was attached marched at once against the enemy, and soon arrived 

 on the field of battle, where they were brought to the charge. The 

 first thing he knew or heard, the drums struck up a White Boys' 

 tune, and his whole regiment went over and joined the French, with 

 the exception of the officers, who had to fly. They were then 

 marched against the British, and were soon defeated by Lord Corn- 

 wallis; it was a hard fight, and Paddy found himself among the 

 slain. When he thought the battle was over, and night came on, he 

 crawled off and reached home. He was then taken up and tried for 

 his life, but was acquitted ; he was, however, remanded to prison, and 

 busied himself in effecting the escape of some of his comrades. On 

 this being discovered, he was confined in the Black Hole, and soon 

 after sent to Cork, to be put on board a convict-ship bound to 

 New South Wales. When he arrived there, his name was not found 

 on the books of the prisoners, consequently he had been transported 

 by mistake, and was, therefore, set at liberty. He then worked about 

 for several years, and collected a small sum of money, but unfortu- 

 nately fell into bad company, got drunk, and lost it all. Just about 

 this time Captain Sartori, of the ship General Wellesley, arrived at 

 Sydney. Having lost a great part of his crew by sickness and 

 desertion, he desired to procure hands for his ship, which was still 

 at Sandalwood Bay, and obtained thirty-five men, one of whom was 

 Paddy Connel. At the time they were ready to depart, a French pri- 



