"'Go to the storekeeper, then,' the benevolent Collins would say, 'and get a suit of slops and your week's rations, and then go to the overseer and attend to your work. I give you my pardon, but remember that I expect you will keep your promise to me.' "I never heard of any governor or commandant acting in this manner, nor did I ever witness such leniency from any governor." Of the marines it has already been said they behaved fairly well. Some of them were punished--six, as a matter of fact, were hanged for thieving from the public stores, a crime then of the greatest magnitude--but the crimes committed were by individuals, and offences were very severely punished in those days, even in England. Read what Colonel Cooper King says as to the life of a marine:-- "Some of the marine regimental records are interesting as showing the inner life of the sea, or even land, soldier a hundred years ago. In the tailor's shop in 1755, for example, the idea of an eight hours' working day was not evidently a burning question, for the men worked from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m., with one hour for meals. Again, punishments were severe, as the sentences passed on three deserters in 1766 show; for, while one was shot, the other two were to receive 1000 and 500 lashes respectively. In 1755 two 'private men absent from exercise' were 'to be tyed neck and heels on the Hoe half an hour'; while thirteen years later a sergeant, for taking 'coals and two poles' from the dockyard, was sentenced to 500 lashes, and to be 'drummed out with a halter round his neck,' after, of course, being reduced to the ranks."[E] [Footnote E: _The Story of the British Army_, by Lieutenant-Colonel C. Cooper-King, F.G.S. (Methuen & Co., 1897.)] Before taking leave of the marines the story of what happened when the _Sirius_ was lost at Norfolk Island should be told. Lieutenant King, of the _Sirius_, had been sent to colonize the island by Governor Phillip, and was acting as governor of it, but when the _Sirius_ went ashore Major Ross thought proper to establish martial law, [Sidenote: 1789-1790] and so (the quotation is from King's journal)--