I saw
Hankey and told him of this, asking him if he had been aware of the
plot. He said "No," falling into a great tremble. "Major Pratt promised
me a removal," said he. "I expected it would come to this." I asked him
why Dawes defended him; and after some trouble he told me, exacting from
me a promise that I would not acquaint the Commandant. It seems that one
morning last week, Hankey had gone up to Captain Frere's house with
a return from Troke, and coming back through the garden had plucked a
flower. Dawes had asked him for this flower, offering two days' rations
for it. Hankey, who is not a bad-hearted man, gave him the sprig. "There
were tears in his eyes as he took it," said he.

There must be some way to get at this man's heart, bad as he seems to
be.

August 28th.--Hankey was murdered yesterday. He applied to be removed
from the gaol-gang, but Frere refused. "I never let my men 'funk'," he
said. "If they've threatened to murder you, I'll keep you there another
month in spite of 'em."

Someone who overheard this reported it to the gang, and they set upon
the unfortunate gaoler yesterday, and beat his brains out with their
shovels. Troke says that the wretch who was foremost cried, "There's for
you; and if your master don't take care, he'll get served the same one
of these days!" The gang were employed at building a reef in the sea,
and were working up to their armpits in water. Hankey fell into the
surf, and never moved after the first blow. I saw the gang, and Dawes
said--

"It was Frere's fault; he should have let the man go!"

"I am surprised you did not interfere," said I. "I did all I could," was
the man's answer. "What's a life more or less, here?"

This occurrence has spread consternation among the overseers, and they
have addressed a "round robin" to the Commandant, praying to be relieved
from their positions.

The way Frere has dealt with this petition is characteristic of him, and
fills me at once with admiration and disgust. He came down with it in
his hand to the gaol-gang, walked into the yard, shut the gate, and
said, "I've just got this from my overseers. They say they're afraid
you'll murder them as you murdered Hankey. Now, if you want to murder,
murder me. Here I am. Step out, one of you." All this, said in a tone
of the most galling contempt, did not move them. I saw a dozen pairs
of eyes flash hatred, but the bull-dog courage of the man overawed them
here, as, I am told, it had d