Macquarie Harbour . 
20 ;} 
mamlant, who was a justice of the peace; witnesses duly 
heard pro and con, and if guilty, to receive either corporal 
punishment, or to work for a certain period in irons, or close 
confinement on bread and water. The latter, with some of 
the most reprobate was considered no punishment at all, for 
many openly declared that they would rather be confined on 
bread and water for a whole week, than work a single day on 
full ration. Corporal punishment was at one time almost 
the only method adopted, and was in some cases carried to 
a great extent. I have heard of a man receiving one hundred 
lashes, and for an insolent word, perhaps extorted from him 
by the smarting of his back, be tried on the spot, and his 
punishment repeated. Such severity (1 had almost said 
cruelty) never took place while I was at the settlement. The 
greatest number of lashes then allowed to be awarded by a 
single magistrate, was one hundred ; but seldom was that full 
quantum ordered, except to runaways, who seldom escaped 
feeling the full force of the law. 
A school was established by the chaplain, the Reverend 
Mr. Schofield, for the prisoners ; it was well attended, con¬ 
sidering it was quite optional with the men whether they 
would go or not. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were 
taught, and it was sometimes amusing, and not uninteresting, 
to observe a stripling teaching an old grey head his ABC. 
The teachers were taken from amongst prisoners of good 
character, who volunteered their services. The settlement 
schoolmaster attended, whilst the chaplain and another officer 
alternately took the superintendence. The establishment w as 
attended with a great deal of benefit, and many of the 
scholars derived the double advantage of receiving instruc¬ 
tion, and at the same time passing their leisure hours away 
from the society of their more vicious companions. 
The men sent to Macquarie Harbour were, we have already 
observed, the very worst amongst the convicts. That crimes 
of the deepest die should have been committed, and that 
