. In former times, persons of this description have
been very much connected with the public press; and the enlightened
people of New South Wales have sometimes, it may be feared, been blindly
led by an unprincipled convict, when they imagined that they were wisely
judging for themselves. The reformation of these _specials_ is said to
be more hopeless than that of other prisoners; and very commonly they
are confirmed drunkards. Strange materials these from which to form
instructors for youth, trustworthy agents of private property, or
leaders of public opinion! However, by the progress of emigration, the
influence of these men is now superseded; besides which, they have been
gradually removed from the government offices, and those that now arrive
are employed in hard labour.

[Illustration: CONVEYING CATTLE OVER THE MURRAY, NEAR LAKE ALEXANDRIA.]

CHAPTER XIII.

EMANCIPISTS AND FREE POPULATION.

Respecting the next class of which the population consists in our
penal colonies,--that of emancipists, or persons formerly in bondage as
convicts, they appear to be pretty nearly what might be expected of a
body of men under such circumstances. Although there are many honourable
exceptions to the general rule, yet it would seem to be a general rule
that roguery and industry are usually connected among them; and that
where an emancipist is less inclined to be dishonest, he is more
inclined to be idle and improvident; while it often occurs that both
faults are found together in one person. Of course, it would be vain to
hope that _all_ convicts, or even the majority, perhaps, should become
completely reformed; but it is sickening to the heart that has any
christian feeling, to find descriptions like the following, given by one
amply qualified to judge, of the deplorable moral and social state of
many of those unhappy men after their time of service has expired. "The
newly-arrived convict" (Mr. MacArthur states) "sees examples immediately
before him of men, formerly in the same condition with himself,
wallowing in licentiousness, and possessed of wealth, amassed generally
by dishonest means, which they continue, in many instances, still to
augment, by keeping grog-shops and gambling-houses, by receiving stolen
goods, and by other nefarious practices. This is the general conduct of
the class of emancipated convicts who acquire property, as well as of
some unprincipled adventurers in the class of free emigrants. There are