Proceeding further the overseer pulled another fellow up--"And what was your occupation at home, and how came you to be sent out here?" "I was a schoolmaster, and was sent out for embezzlement," he answered. "A fine fellow to teach scholars how to rob people. Here, constable, take and brand him," and he shared the same fate. A third fellow, in answer to a similar question, said, "I used to drive my carriage and four at home, sir." "Then you will drive a wheelbarrow and one out here!" He was branded, too. They looked first-class with a pick and shovel, and at making a damper--they had no more idea of this than a kangaroo. Some of them frequently said that they were well off in England, and yet they were the greatest villains under the sun. If a man were possessed of any little thing out of the common they tried all sorts of plans to get it from him, and if unsuccessful by fair means, they would steal it from him. Every man had to do his own washing, and these "specials" would rub away at their duck pants with a piece of soap about the size of a halfpenny. The soap was something like the sugar they got for their "hominy"--it was visible, and that was all. The Police Magistrate came along once and heard one of the party pass a remark which he did not like, so he said, "Jack, if I could find a man to give you 50 lashes, you would get it." Up sprang a short fellow, named Ned ----, and exclaimed, "I will give it to him for you; if you'll promise me he won't have the satisfaction of flogging me afterwards." "I promise you he will not have that privilege," said the P.M. "Well, then," said Ned, "I'm in office." He got Jack on the "three-legged mare," as they used to call it, and started flogging. Jack sang out, "You're not hitting me properly." "I'm doing my best to please you," he said, "so you must take it as it comes." He gave him another lash and said, "There, does that please you?" "No," exclaimed Jack. "My G----," he said, "it seems you're hard to please, but you will have to take it as well as I can give it to you." This Jack was a well-educated man, and a frightful rogue into the bargain; for if he got a man drunk he would pick his pocket and then take him to the lock-up afterwards. The chief constable said to him one day, "Jack, the men tell me that you rob them." "Well, sir, I might as well have the money as them; for they only kill themselves with drink and put the Government to more expense." As soon as this man got free, he went home to his friends. Old Major ---- was hard on these "specials;" if they did the least thing it meant "50," and he would sing out to the flogger, "Tip it into him," and afterwards they were sent to a road party.