There was another cowardly thing done in the iron gang. A poor fellow named Freeham was met by a member of the stone-breaking party, who raised a hammer and struck him in the jaw, breaking it. This wretch got 12 months added to his former sentence, but was afterwards sent to Sydney on a charge of murder on his own word, for killing a man at Ballengarra, situated some miles up the river; but as there was no evidence except his own, he was sent back to Port Macquarie for 12 months--though he said that he would rather be hanged than serve another 12 months in such a place of slavery and trials; for out of about 50 or 60 men, 14 or 15 of them would be brought before the court every week and punished, and they were all poor, harmless men. The charge against them was usually neglect or disobedience. Fancy poor wretches, with chains hanging about them being charged with neglect of work, or even disobedience. Walking about in chains was hard enough work without carrying hand-carts full of earth, and who could bring themselves to obey flash "specials?" One poor wretch got a month in the cells on bread and water for having a piece of writing paper in his pocket, and another unfortunate fellow was sentenced to "100 lashes" for having a letter in his pocket which he was endeavouring to send to a friend. Still these officials went to Church, offered up prayer (?) and aped religion. Tom ---- was sentenced to two months on bread and water for running away; but although Tom bolted he only went a little way and brought himself to an anchor on a farm, which he never left. He used to go into a hollow tree in the day time, and, opossum-like, come out at night and eat the corn. Half-an-acre of this grain disappeared in a fortnight, and then he gave himself up, as there was no more corn to eat. This man had great storage capacity, as one Sunday morning I saw him eat eight men's allowance for a ration of corn bread whilst going a distance of about 200 yards. He was transported for taking a man-o'-war boat, in company with five others, and was a 7-year man. But he was a fearful glutton, for his allowance of food was no more satisfaction to him than a straw is to a bottle. I remember one day, returning from work, he saw a woman lying drunk on the road, and he picked her up, lifted her on to his shoulder, and ran away into the bush with her. The Police Magistrate who was in the vicinity, noticing what was taking place, sang out, "Put that woman down!" "If I do," said Tom, "the d---- police will have her" and he took no further notice, but continued on his journey, and there was not a sign of him till the next day. Then he was arrested and locked up by the police, and received 14 days on bread and water for his trouble. When he came out he bore a half-starved appearance--the bread and water did not suit him.