26 
Account of 
adjourn to Grunnet, or, as it was generally called, “The 
small island.” To this place, situated about half a mile 
from Sarah’s Island, the worst characters, to the number 
of thirty to forty, were sent. It was just large enough 
to admit on its summit of a single building, divided into 
two rooms, with a cook-house at one end. 
“ The small island” has been the scene of many a mur¬ 
der. One unfortunate individual was thrown down into a 
cavern or fissure in the rock, and there deliberately killed 
by a lame wretch with his crutch. Another had his head 
cut to pieces with an axe during the silent hours of 
repose. A third, a constable named George Rex, was 
deprived of his life by having his head held under water 
until he was drowned. In all these cases the perpetrators 
of the horrible deeds were discovered, and paid on the 
scaffold the forfeit of their crimes. For the last-named 
murder not less than ten men suffered. Numerous other 
attempts were made, although not attended with loss of 
life. The latter cases were in general disposed of sum¬ 
marily by the Commandant, instead of committing the 
offenders, who would otherwise be sent to Hobart 
Town to be tried,—the very object for which they had, 
unaccountably as it may appear, attempted the dreadful 
act. 
What is now advanced was verified by many of the 
men themselves. We recollect one case, that of a con¬ 
vict of the name of Trennam. This man, or rather lad, 
had been brought out free from England by a respectable 
individual as a servant; but soon, for some offence, was 
transported to Macquarie Harbour. He stabbed a man 
on the small island ; who, however, recovered. In one 
of the Chaplain’s visits to Trennam in gaol, he asked 
him what had urged him to commit so criminal a deed : 
he replied, that he was tired of his life. Why not drown 
himself, for which he had plenty of opportunities, instead 
i 
