Macquarie Harbour . 
201 
useless measure; but then it must be to a penal settlement of 
their own where they could have no intercourse with the 
men. The indifference with which the women receive sen¬ 
tence to the factory or female house of correction, shews how 
little they care for such a punishment. Through the women 
coming in, or others going out to assigned service, they have 
always the means of communicating with their friends out¬ 
side ; and even if they cannot manage to smuggle a few 
comforts , they can lay plans for their conduct when released. 
At a penal settlement their seclusion would be complete. It 
should be situated on an island to prevent the possibility of 
escape ; the officers, superior and subordinate, should be 
married men ; the women could be employed in spinning or 
carding wool, making shirts and clothing for the convicts 
generally ; in fact, there could be no difficulty in finding em¬ 
ployment for them ; even a little hoeing and digging would do 
them no harm. Under such circumstances perhaps a penal 
settlement for females would be found of essential benefit.* 
The prisoners at Macquarie Harbour consisted at first of 
the worst description of convicts tried in the colony ; some 
were sent from New South Wales. After a time, men who 
came free to, or were born in the colony, if sentenced to trans¬ 
portation, were sent to the same place. In 1824, Maria Island 
was established, partly for convicts of the latter description. 
The fate of these men deserves some remark, because they 
were punished much more severely for the crimes they com¬ 
mitted than the men sent from England. This observation 
at first sight may appear strange, but it can be explained by 
stating, that when a convict tried for a transportable offence 
in England was sent out to these colonies, he was assigned 
to a master, was well clothed, had a good ration allowed 
him, and perhaps many comforts were within his reach ; 
* Some years have elapsed since the above was written ; the plan now 
I believe in contemplation of placing women in an establishment away 
from towns will, in a great measure, meet my observations, 
VOL. II, NO. VIII. R 
