FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   >>  
ate. The selection of such as seemed most eligible was at length made, after careful examination of the phrenological developments and police history of each; and it was not easy to find one without a catalogue of offences, filling a whole page of police-office annals. Still there were redeeming circumstances, corroborated by physical developments, sufficient to guide me in the selection of a party from amongst these prisoners. With them, I mixed one or two faithful Irishmen, on whom I knew I could depend, and two or three of my old followers on former journeys, who had become free. This party of convicts, so organized, with such strong inducements to behave well, and so few temptations to lead them astray, may be supposed to have afforded a favourable opportunity for studying the convict character. It may be asked by some, how such a party could have been made to yield submissive obedience for so long a period as a year, away from all other authority, than mere moral controul. This was chiefly because these men were placed in a position where it was so very clearly for their own interest to conduct themselves properly. Accordingly, the greater number, as on all former expeditions, gave the highest satisfaction, submitting cheerfully to privations, enduring hardships, and encountering dangers, apparently willing and resolved to do anything to escape from the degraded condition of a convict. But still there were a few, amounting in all to six, who, even in such a party, animated by such hopes, could not divest themselves of their true character, nor even disguise it for a time, as an expedient for the achievement of their liberty. These men were known amongst the rest as the "flash mob." They spoke the secret language of thieves; were ever intent on robbing the stores, with false keys (called by them SCREWS). They held it to be wrong to exert themselves at any work, if it could be avoided; and would not be seen to endeavour to please, by willing cooperation. They kept themselves out of sight as much as possible; neglected their arms; shot away their ammunition contrary to orders; and ate in secret, whatever they did kill, or whatever fish they caught. Professing to be men of "the Fancy," they made converts of two promising men, who, at first, were highly thought of, and although one of them was finally reclaimed, a hero of the prize ring, it was too obvious that the men, who glory in breaking the laws, and all of whose
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   >>  



Top keywords:

developments

 

selection

 

convict

 

character

 
secret
 

police

 

encountering

 

hardships

 
language
 

intent


enduring
 
robbing
 

thieves

 

expedient

 

escape

 

disguise

 

divest

 

degraded

 

animated

 

achievement


condition
 

liberty

 

amounting

 

apparently

 

resolved

 

dangers

 
endeavour
 
promising
 

converts

 
highly

thought

 

Professing

 
orders
 

caught

 

finally

 
breaking
 
obvious
 

reclaimed

 

contrary

 

ammunition


avoided

 

called

 

SCREWS

 
neglected
 

privations

 
cooperation
 

stores

 

faithful

 

Irishmen

 
prisoners