NORFOLK ISLAND
Life at Norfolk Island—Trial of the mutineers—A fresh
conspiracy—Execution of thirteen mutineers
NEXT day I assumed my duties, and proceeded at once to take depositions
against the prisoners charged with the late mutiny. As is usually the
case on such occasions, many of the convicts concerned turned King’s
evidence, and the most willing of all these informers was a desperate
and cowardly villain named K——, who was at one time a captain in our
navy, and after various crimes was at last transported for forgery. He
had been many years a convict, and was always foremost in every crime
which promised him a chance of escape, yet when detected always turned
King’s evidence; but still he was trusted by his companions on account
of an extraordinary influence he had over them, and on this occasion
chiefly because he was the only one of them who understood navigation,
and could steer to a place of safety in the event of success in
capturing the island and gaining the shipping. Of course he took the
lead, and under his instructions the whole plan was for months secretly
and most ably arranged; consequently his evidence, and that of many
others whom he named, and who willingly came forward to save themselves,
confirmed without doubt the guilt of all the leading conspirators, so
that in a few days the depositions taken by me were complete against
about fifty of the most daring characters. For six weeks all went
peacefully, all the prisoners concerned being kept heavily ironed in
gaol, awaiting the result.
In the meantime we continued making ourselves comfortable, daily
visiting and exploring various parts of the island, and each day made us
more happy in our lot. The island is evidently of volcanic origin, and
abounds in valleys in every direction, and in each of these there is a
stream of most pure crystal water. Lemons and citrons of the very best
kinds grow everywhere, and are so common in every part of the island
that many are allowed to drop from the trees and rot. Guavas and Cape
gooseberries are equally common, and at one time oranges were in
abundance; but my predecessor had all the trees destroyed, as affording
too great a luxury to the prisoners! By convict labour excellent roads
have been made everywhere. The climate is the best in the world, with
always a bracing air, never too hot nor too cold. There were many
hundreds of cattle and some thousands of Government sheep on the island,
so that all the free population had a ration of fresh meat daily, and
the officers were allowed to buy as much more as they wished, and flour
also, at the commissariat, at a nominal price, never exceeding twopence
the pound. All the officers had also gardens and convict servants to
work them. All had likewise as many pigs and poultry as they chose to
rear. My garden at Orange Vale was a splendid one, abounding with
everything one could desire. We made about four hundred pounds of the
best coffee annually, and many hundreds of pounds of arrowroot. My pigs
and poultry were kept near Government House, together with dozens of
turkeys, geese, guinea-fowls, and ducks. All our stock was fed from the
refuse of the prisoners’ breakfasts and from damaged corn, so that we
incurred no expense by keeping such numbers. We made the best bacon that
was ever known, and in large quantities, but could not succeed in making
hams. When the convict servants failed in this, our medical men tried to
secure success, but never succeeded; there was something in the air
which caused them to decay. We had tradesmen and mechanics of every
kind, and were allowed to have our boots and clothing of every
description made for us. The woods of the island were very beautiful,
and supplied material for handsome furniture of every kind.
All these advantages I had as commandant without any limits, but no
officer could get anything done without a written requisition to me. The
public dairy was near my house, and every officer, soldier, and free
person on the island got a daily allowance of milk and butter. With all
these advantages we lived most comfortably and almost for nothing.
The troops behaved remarkably well. We had only six court-martials
during the whole period of my command. All the soldiers had gardens near
their barracks, in which they grew all sorts of vegetables; they were
also allowed to keep fowls. This not only kept them in excellent health,
but gave them employment, and they were always at hand and ready for any
emergency which might arise.
At last a ship was reported in sight, and proved to be his Majesty’s
ship _Alligator_, Captain Lambert, with Judge Burton and a military jury
on board, for the trial of the mutineers. They were at once landed, the
judge and some of the officers taking their quarters with me, the others
with the officers of the garrison. Our carpenters were then set to work
to prepare a spare room in the prisoners’ barracks as a temporary
court-house. This being soon completed, the trials commenced next day,
and were continued day after day for a fortnight. Fifty of the leading
conspirators were found guilty: more than half the number were sentenced
to death, the others to transportation in irons for life. During the
whole of this time the frigate was moored off the settlement, within
easy range, in case of any fresh disturbance. Two days after the trials,
Judge Burton spoke to me officially, and said he had the power of
ordering some of the worst of the prisoners who were sentenced to death
to be executed at once, before the frigate left, but that he would
prefer not doing so till the Governor and Council saw the proceedings,
provided I felt sure I could be answerable for their safe custody in the
absence of the frigate. My answer was that I felt no fear about their
safe custody, and had no hesitation in taking the responsibility; he
then said, “We had better put all this in writing. I shall at once write
to you on the subject, and let me have your answer as soon as possible.”
He did so, and in an hour had my answer. Judge Burton and the military
jury sailed next day.
They had not been gone twenty hours before I received positive
information through my police that another general mutiny was brewing,
with the intention in the first instance to attack the gaol and release
all the condemned prisoners. This was startling, but I decided to wait
for further proofs. Next morning I had the names of about fifty of the
new conspirators brought to me, and as most of them were well-known to
be desperate characters, I gave instant orders for their arrest. They
were heavily ironed, and confined in different parts of the gaol, and,
as I fully expected, two or three of them offered to give me evidence. I
had them brought before me and examined, and each satisfied me that
efforts were being made for a general rising to rescue the condemned,
and that it was checked just in time, before more serious consequences
could follow. I now told the informers that they must be sent back
amongst the others, so as to deceive them, and make them feel sure that
they had made no disclosures as to the guilt of their comrades, and that
when all was over they would not be forgotten. Had I not done this,
these men would have been marked afterwards by every convict on the
island as informers, and would have been sure of vengeance in some way,
sooner or later.
After these precautions all was peace for two months; then the
Government brig _Governor Phillip_ was reported. Our usual armed boat
was sent off, and brought back as passengers the Rev. Mr. Styles, the
Rev. Father McEncroe, and the hangman, and dispatches for me ordering
the execution of thirteen of the most guilty of the mutineers. All the
others were commuted to hard labour for life. It was left to my
discretion to carry out these most distressing executions at such time
and in such manner as I deemed safe, taking care that all prisoners on
the island should be present, and that the condemned should have the
presence and benefit of their respective clergymen for at least three
days before the execution. I issued written orders proclaiming my
warrant and authority for the execution, naming the unfortunates who
were doomed to die, fixing two mornings for carrying out the sentences,
and ordering one half of the convicts to be marched from their barracks
and formed into close columns in front of the gaol, on the walls of
which the gallows was erected, while the other half of the convicts
could see from the barracks all that was going on. This was the order
for the first day, when seven of the culprits suffered, and the
remainder were disposed of in the same way the next morning. Before the
execution I addressed the convicts, and said that if they attempted to
move or to show any sign of resistance the officer in the stockade had
my positive order to open fire on them at once. These preparations being
all completed, the seven men were brought forward, dressed in white and
attended by their clergy. They were composed and silent, and in a few
seconds all was over. Not a word, not a murmur, escaped from the
assembled mass. The following morning the same arrangements were made
for the other half of the convicts to witness the execution of the
remaining culprits, and all passed over as before. From that time order
reigned on the island during the whole of my government, from March,
1834, to April, 1839.
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