Excursion to Port Arthur . 
293 
inches deep : it was closed and caulked both above and 
below,—consequently, rendered air-tight. A couple of 
light spars were lashed across either end, and, at their 
extremities, pieces of wood like enlarged bricks were 
secured : every precaution had been taken to guard the 
two fugitives against the possibility of upsetting. U nhap¬ 
pily, however, there was no like longitudinal preventer; 
and the washing ashore of two corpses, together with 
the crazy fabric, gave but too clear an indication of 
the manner in which they had met their doom. We 
also saw several coracles, the frame-work of wattJo 
boughs, the covering (to serve for planking) of cotton 
shirts. To what desperate expedients will not men resort 
for liberty ! 
From Impression Bay we proceeded to Salt-water 
Creek, about five miles oft*. This is a remarkably fine 
locality, with extensive penitentiaries accommodating 
about 400 convicts, with barracks for a sergeant and 13 
soldiers of the 96th. It is a perfect station, comprising 
all the requisite officers, and has been established upwards 
of ten months. Roads have been formed, piers con¬ 
structed, land broken up and cleared ; upwards of 50 
acres being luxuriantly cropped with cabbages, potatoes, 
turnips, &c. The soil is extremely fertile, and of very 
considerable extent; and as spade is the only husbandry 
employed, the land is certain of being well worked and 
pulverised. Many, who are friendly to the introduction 
of convicts, inveigh loudly against the Probation System. 
—It requires a fair trial. 
The probation gangs are opening up many invaluable 
locations, and creating settlements of infinite importance. 
Until they were placed up6n it, Tasman’s Peninsula was 
either unknown, despised, or deemed too densely wooded 
for any individual to adventure upon. There are now 
four flourishing stations thereon; roads are forming to 
connect them with each other, piers are constructing for 
