er
own sex, and more than invested with the vices of man.

The transportation of women has been a great social evil to the
colonies. At first it seemed unavoidable: it was afterwards deemed
highly expedient, for reasons it is not necessary to describe. Yet it is
not too much to attribute the chief vexations of domestic life to their
character and conduct. It would have been better for the nation, for the
male convicts, and for the women themselves, had they been detained at
home, or banished to countries where they would have avoided the double
degradation of moral and social infamy.[274] Such were the views of many
most enlightened men. The extreme difficulty of finding them employment
as servants, and their perpetual relapses, have induced the government
usually to encourage, at first concubinage, and, in more scrupulous
times--marriage: in some instances with great success. It is the last
expedient in the administration of penal laws; when it fails, the case
is considered hopeless.

The number of females transported, until within twelve years, were about
1 to 10 men; since then, they have been about 1 to 7. The penalty has
been inflicted for the lighter crimes; and in many instances the Irish
courts must have been influenced rather by a vague notion of humanity
than of punishing offenders. Such are often young creatures: not a few
could be scarcely considered depraved.

The accumulation on the hands of the government has been usually very
great, and curious expedients have been devised to dispose of the
burden. The factory at Parramatta, in former times, was a mart of women.
Thither the laboring man went in search of a wife, and often, after a
general survey, selected one on the spot. These marriages were not
always a failure, but far the greater number ended in intemperance and
prostitution.

To overcome the reluctance of the settlers to employ them, Sir George
Murray, when secretary for the colonies, directed the governor to compel
the settlers to receive one woman with three or four men (1829). The
effect of this stipulation was probably never considered. The condition
of the better disposed has been one of great hazard and temptation. The
last state of female degradation was often their inevitable lot. They
were surrendered to solicitations and even violence: a convict constable
conducted them to the houses of their master; they lodged on the road,
wherever they could obtain shelter; convict servants were usu