ad　but　little　acquaintance　with　him。　The　advent　of　Mr。　Richard　Devinea　coarse　person　of　unlimited　means　had　therefore　chief　influence　upon　that　sinister　circle　of　male　and　female　rogues　who　form　the　〃half…world〃。　　They　began　to　inquire　concerning　his　antecedents；　and；　failing　satisfactory　information；　to　invent　lies　concerning　him。　　It　was　generally　believed　that　he　was　a　black　sheep；　a　man　whose　family　kept　him　out　of　the　way；　but　who　was；　in　a　pecuniary　sense；　〃good〃　for　a　considerable　sum。
  Thus　taken　upon　trust；　Mr。　Richard　Devine　mixed　in　the　very　best　of　bad　society；　and　had　no　lack　of　agreeable　friends　to　help　him　to　spend　money。　　So　admirably　did　he　spend　it；　that　Francis　Wade　became　at　last　alarmed　at　the　frequent　drafts；　and　urged　his　nephew　to　bring　his　affairs　to　a　final　settlement。　　Richard　Devinein　Paris；　Hamburg；　or　London；　or　elsewherecould　never　be　got　to　attack　business；　and　Mr。　Francis　Wade　grew　more　and　more　anxious。　　The　poor　gentleman　positively　became　ill　through　the　anxiety　consequent　upon　his　nephew's　dissipations。　　〃I　wish；　my　dear　Richard；　that　you　would　let　me　know　what　to　do；〃　he　wrote。　　〃I　wish；　my　dear　uncle；　that　you　would　do　what　you　think　best；〃　was　his　nephew's　reply。
  〃Will　you　let　Purkiss　and　Quaid　look　into　the　business？〃　said　the　badgered　Francis。
  〃I　hate　lawyers；〃　said　Richard。　　〃Do　what　you　think　right。〃
  Mr。　Wade　began　to　repent　of　his　too　easy　taking　of　matters　in　the　beginning。　Not　that　he　had　a　suspicion　of　Rex；　but　that　he　had　remembered　that　Dick　was　always　a　loose　fish。　　The　even　current　of　the　dilettante's　life　became　disturbed。　　He　grew　pale　and　hollow…eyed。　　His　digestion　was　impaired。　He　ceased　to　take　the　interest　in　china　which　the　importance　of　that　article　demanded。　　In　a　word；　he　grew　despondent　as　to　his　fitness　for　his　mission　in　life。　　Lady　Ellinor　saw　a　change　in　her　brother。　　He　became　morose；　peevish；　excitable。　　She　went　privately　to　the　family　doctor；　who　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃There　is　no　danger；〃　said　he；　〃if　he　is　kept　quiet；　keep　him　quiet；　and　he　will　live　for　years；　but　his　father　died　of　heart　disease；　you　know。〃　Lady　Ellinor；　upon　this；　wrote　a　long　letter　to　Mr。　Richard；　who　was　at　Paris；　repeated　the　doctor's　opinions；　and　begged　him　to　come　over　at　once。　　Mr。　Richard　replied　that　some　horse…racing　matter　of　great　importance　occupied　his　attention；　but　that　he　would　be　at　his　rooms　in　Clarges　Street　（he　had　long　ago　established　a　town　house）　on　the　14th；　and　would　〃go　into　matters〃。　〃I　have　lost　a　good　deal　of　money　lately；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　Mr。　Richard；　〃and　the　present　will　be　a　good　opportunity　to　make　a　final　settlement。〃　The　fact　was　that　John　Rex；　now　three　years　in　undisturbed　possession；　considered　that　the　moment　had　arrived　for　the　execution　of　his　grand　coup　the　carrying　off　at　one　swoop　of　the　whole　of　the　fortune　he　had　gambled　for。
  CHAPTER　III。
  EXTRACTED　FROM　THE　DIARY　OF　THE　REV。　JAMES　NORTH。
  May　12thlanded　to…day　at　Norfolk　Island；　and　have　been　introduced　to　my　new　abode；　situated　some　eleven　hundred　miles　from　Sydney。　A　solitary　rock　in　the　tropical　ocean；　the　island　seems；　indeed；　a　fit　place　of　　banishment。　　It　is　about　seven　miles　long　and　four　broad。　The　most　remarkable　natural　object　is；　of　course；　the　Norfolk　Island　pine；　which　rears　its　stately　head　a　hundred　feet　above　the　surrounding　forest。　The　appearance　of　the　place　is　very　wild　and　beautiful；　bringing　to　my　mind　the　description　of　the　romantic　islands　of　the　Pacific；　which　old　geographers　dwell　upon　so　fondly。　　Lemon；　lime；　and　guava　trees　abound；　also　oranges；　grapes；　figs；　bananas；　peaches；　pomegranates；　and　pine…apples。　The　climate　just　now　is　hot　and　muggy。　　The　approach　to　Kingstown　as　the　barracks　and　huts　are　calledis　properly　difficult。　　A　long　low　reef　probably　originally　a　portion　of　the　barren　rocks　of　Nepean　and　Philip　Islands；　which　rise　east　and　west　of　the　settlementfronts　the　bay　and　obstructs　the　entrance　of　vessels。　　We　were　landed　in　boats　through　an　opening　in　this　reef；　and　our　vessel　stands　on　and　off　within　signalling　distance。　The　surf　washes　almost　against　the　walls　of　the　military　roadway　that　leads　to　the　barracks。　　The　social　aspect　of　the　place　fills　me　with　horror。　There　seems　neither　discipline　nor　order。　　On　our　way　to　the　Commandant's　house　we　passed　a　low　dilapidated　building　where　men　were　grinding　maize；　and　at　the　sight　of　us　they　commenced　whistling；　hooting；　and　shouting；　using　the　most　disgusting　language。　　Three　warders　were　near；　but　no　attempt　was　made　to　check　this　unseemly　exhibition。　　May　14th。I　sit　down　to　write　with　as　much　reluctance　as　though　I　were　about　to　relate　my　experience　of　a　journey　through　a　sewer。　　First　to　the　prisoners'　barracks；　which　stand　on　an　area　of　about　three　acres；　surrounded　by　a　lofty　wall。　A　road　runs　between　this　wall　and　the　sea。　　The　barracks　are　three　storeys　high；　and　hold　seven　hundred　and　ninety　men　（let　me　remark　here　that　there　are　more　than　two　thousand　men　on　the　island）。　　There　are　twenty…two　wards　in　this　place。　　Each　ward　runs　the　depth　of　the　building；　viz。；　eighteen　feet；　and　in　consequence　is　simply　a　funnel　for　hot　or　cold　air　to　blow　through。　　When　the　ward　is　filled；　the　men's　heads　lie　under　the　windows。　　The　largest　ward　contains　a　hundred　men；　the　smallest　fifteen。　They　sleep　in　hammocks；　slung　close　to　each　other　as　on　board　ship；　in　two　lines；　with　a　passage　down　the　centre。　　There　is　a　wardsman　to　each　ward。　　He　is　selected　by　the　prisoners；　and　is　generally　a　man　of　the　worst　character。　　He　is　supposed　to　keep　order；　but　of　course　he　never　attempts　to　do　so；　indeed；　as　he　is　locked　up　in　the　ward　every　night　from　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　until　sunrise；　without　light；　it　is　possible　that　he　might　get　maltreated　did　he　make　himself　obnoxious。
  The　barracks　look　upon　the　Barrack　Square；　which　is　filled　with　lounging　prisoners。　　The　windows　of　the　hospital…ward　also　look　upon　Barrack　Square；　and　the　prisoners　are　in　constant　communication　with　the　patients。　The　hospital　is　a　low　stone　building；　capable　of　containing　about　twenty　men；　and　faces　the　beach。　　I　placed　my　hands　on　the　wall；　and　found　it　damp。　An　ulcerous　prisoner　said　the　dampness　was　owing　to　the　heavy　surf　constantly　rolling　so　close　beneath　the　building。　　There　are　two　gaols；　the　old　and　the　new。　　The　old　gaol　stands　near　the　sea；　close　to　the　landing…place。　　Outside　it；　at　the　door；　is　the　Gallows。　　I　touched　it　as　I　passed　in。　　This　engine　is　the　first　thing　which　greets　the　eyes　of　a　newly…arrived　prisoner。　　The　new　gaol　is　barely　completed；　is　of　pentagonal　shape；　and　has　eighteen　radiating　cells　of　a　pattern　approved　by　some　wiseacre　in　England；　who　thinks　that　to　prevent　a　man　from　seeing　his　fellowmen　is　not　the　way　to　drive　him　mad。　　In　the　old　gaol　are　twenty…four　prisoners；　all　heavily　ironed；　awaiting　trial　by　the　visiting　Commission；　from　Hobart　Town。　　Some　of　these　poor　ruffians；　having　committed　their　offences　just　after　the　last　sitting　of　the　Commission；　have　already　been　in　gaol　upwards　of　eleven　months！
  At　six　o'clock　we　saw　the　men　mustered。　　I　read　prayers　before　the　muster；　and　was　surprised　to　find　that　some　of　the　prisoners　attended；　while　some　strolled　about　the　yard；　whistling；　singing；　and　joking。　The　muster　is　a　farce。　　The　prisoners　are　not　mustered　outside　and　then　marched　to　their　wards；　but　they　rush　into　the　barracks　indiscriminately；　and　place　themselves　dressed　or　undressed　in　their　hammocks。　A　convict　sub…overseer　then　calls　out　the　names；　and　somebody　replies。　If　an　answer　is　returned　to　each　name；　all　is　considered　right。　　The　lights　are　taken　away；　and　save　for　a　few　minutes　at　eight　o'clock；　when　the　good…conduct　men　are　let　in；　the　ruffians　are　left　to　their　own　devices　until　morning。　　Knowing　what　I　know　of　the　customs　of　the　convicts；　my　heart　sickens　when　I　in　imagination　put　myself　in　the　place　of　a　newly…transported　man；　plunged　from　six　at　night　until　daybreak　into　that　foetid　den　of　worse　than　wild　beasts。
  May　15th。There　is　a　place　enclosed　between　high　walls　adjoining　the　convict　barracks；　called　the　Lumber　Yard。　　This　is　where　the　prisoners　mess。　　It　is　roofed　on　two　sides；　and　contains　tables　and　benches。　　Six　hundred　men　can　mess　here　perhaps；　but　as　seven　hundred　are　always　driven　into　it；　it　follows　that　the　weakest　men　are　compelled　to　sit　on　the　ground。　　A　more　disorderly　sight　than　this　yard　at　meal　times　I　never　beheld。　　The　cook…houses　are　adjoining　it；　and　the　men　bake　their　meal…bread　there。　　Outside　the　cook…house　door　the　firewood　is　piled；　and　fires　are　made　in　all　directions　on　the　ground；　round　which　sit　the　prisoners；　frying　their　rations　of　fresh　pork；　baking　their　hominy　cakes；　chatting；　and　even　smoking。
  The　Lumber　Yard　is　a　sort　of　Alsatia；　to　which　the　hunted　prisoner　retires。　I　don't　think　the　boldest　constable　on　the　island　would　venture　into　that　place　to　pick　out　a　man　from　the　seven　hundred。　　If　he　did　go　in　I　don't　think　he　would　come　out　again　alive。
  May　16th。A　sub…overseer；　a　man　named　Hankey；　has　been　talking　to　me。　He　says　that　there　are　some　forty　of　the　oldest　and　worst　prisoners　who　form　what　he　calls　the　〃Ring〃；　and　that　the　members　of　this　〃Ring〃　are　bound　by　oath　to　support　each　o