f escapes,
and knew that a man alone on that barren coast was face to face with
starvation or recapture. Glancing up at the sun, he wondered indeed,
how it was that he had been free so long. Then the coal sheds caught his
eye, and he understood that they were untenanted. This astonished him,
and he began to tremble with vague apprehension. Entering, he looked
around, expecting every moment to see some lurking constable, or armed
soldier. Suddenly his glance fell upon the food rations which lay in the
corner where the departing convicts had flung them the night before.
At such a moment, this discovery seemed like a direct revelation from
Heaven. He would not have been surprised had they disappeared. Had he
lived in another age, he would have looked round for the angel who had
brought them.

By and by, having eaten of this miraculous provender, the poor creature
began--reckoning by his convict experience--to understand what had taken
place. The coal workings were abandoned; the new Commandant had probably
other work for his beasts of burden to execute, and an absconder would
be safe here for a few hours at least. But he must not stay. For him
there was no rest. If he thought to escape, it behoved him to commence
his journey at once. As he contemplated the meat and bread, something
like a ray of hope entered his gloomy soul. Here was provision for his
needs. The food before him represented the rations of six men. Was it
not possible to cross the desert that lay between him and freedom on
such fare? The very supposition made his heart beat faster. It surely
was possible. He must husband his resources; walk much and eat little;
spread out the food for one day into the food for three. Here was six
men's food for one day, or one man's food for six days. He would live on
a third of this, and he would have rations for eighteen days. Eighteen
days! What could he not do in eighteen days? He could walk thirty miles
a day--forty miles a day--that would be six hundred miles and more. Yet
stay; he must not be too sanguine; the road was difficult; the scrub was
in places impenetrable. He would have to make detours, and turn upon
his tracks, to waste precious time. He would be moderate, and say twenty
miles a day. Twenty miles a day was very easy walking. Taking a piece
of stick from the ground, he made the calculation in the sand. Eighteen
days, and twenty miles a day--three hundred and sixty miles. More than
enough to take him to free