IRISH LOVE OF EMIGRATION.

163

land, may be summed up in one sentence, the facilities we possess of disposing of our convicts.

The Irish nation since the famine have become as migratory as the Northern hordes that overran the Roman Empire. They go down to their emigrant ships in crowds. An Irishman, with a five pound note in his pocket, a black-thorn stick in his hand, and his luggage in a pocket-handkerchief, will go off to America, hopping. Emigration with an Englishman is a far more serious affair. He must have his outfit, or his box of clothes. "You had better buy that trunk," said a friend to an Irishman, about to emigrate.

"What for?" said Pat.

"To keep your clothes in."

"Is it to go naked! I'd like that."

Pat could think of no clothes but those on his back.

By this love of emigration, in which consists the cure of many of our social ills, the reconvictions among Irish intermediate convicts have been reduced to at least one-half.

CHAPTER XII.

BERMUDA.

WE were in the habit of sending some of our

Irish convicts to Bermuda. The last batch which were sent there, consisted of 100 men. I remember it well. I had a service on board the Norman Morrison, that carried them out, as she lay at anchor in Cork Harbour. It was in 1856. The prisoners were in great spirits at the change. The news of a ship was always welcome to them.

"Any news of a ship, sir ?"

"No."

SENDING PRISONERS TO BERMUDA. 165

"Bad news, sir-better luck next time."

Good-bye, sir," said one of the prisoners

who went in the Norman Morrison.

think I shall see your face again."

"Why not, man?”

"I don't

"Well, I don't know, sir, but I don't think I shall."

The poor fellow, who was not very strong, died in Bermuda.

We are to distinguish between sending prisoners to Bermuda or Gibraltar, and transporting them. A prisoner sent to these depôts was brought back after he had served a term of years, and discharged at home. A transported convict is supposed to remain abroad, for the Government makes no arrangement to bring him back; but leaves him to be absorbed by the colonial population of Australia or Van Diemen's Land; but the Islands of Bermuda have no capabilities of absorbing discharged convicts.

The Bermudas, a group of small islands,

in the North Atlantic, lie 32° 15' N. Lat.; and 64° 50′ W. Long. These islands are called after Juan Bermudes, a Spaniard, who landed there in 1522. They are sometimes— but less frequently-called the Sommers' Islands, from Sir George Sommers, or Summers, who was wrecked upon their coral reefs in 1609, when on his voyage to Virginia. Here he and his party constructed two small vessels of cedar-a timber with which the islands abound-in which they continued their voyage from the Bermudas to Virginia.

It is stated, that, with the exception of a bolt in one of the keels, the vessels did not contain " an ounce of iron.”

As the islands abounded at this time in large black hogs, Sir George was sent back by Lord Delaware, the Governor of Virginia, for a supply, but he died on his arrival, and his crew, with the exception of three men, against his orders, returned to England instead of to Virginia. A quarrel arose among the three men that remained, for the

sovereignty, which had nearly terminated fatally, when they found a piece of ambergris, weighing about eighty pounds; and as this was of no value on uninhabited islands, they left the Bermudas in an open boat, for either Virginia or Newfoundland, I cannot say which.

The number of small islan is included under the name Bermuda, or Bermudas, is very great; but there are only five large ones; St. George's Island, Long Island, St. David's Island, Ireland Island, Somerset Island. There are two principal towns, each of which has its mayor and other civic officers. There is a dockyard on Ireland Island, upon which Government has expended large sums of money.

The area of the islands is about twenty square miles. The white population, according to the census of 1832, was 4181; the slaves, 4149; and the free blacks, 1068. Since the abolition of slavery, these islands have become a great convict depôt. The convicts are employed in constructing a breakwater, and in perfecting the fortifications.