which he accepted, and sailed once more for that quarter of the globe where he founded his new colony, struggled with great difficulties, which he overcame, and after remaining there eight years, was enjoying the flourishing state his exertions had produced, when he died suddenly, after a few days’ confinement from a slight cold, on the 24th March, 1810.

“His person was remarkably handsome, and his manners extremely prepossessing, while to a cultivated understanding and an early fondness for the belles lettres he joined the most social disposition.

“He had the goodwill, the good wishes, and the good word of everyone in the settlement.  His conduct was exemplary, and his disposition most humane; his treatment of runaway convicts was conciliatory, and even kind.  He would go into the forests, among the natives, to allow these poor creatures, the runaways, an opportunity of returning to their former condition; and, half dead with cold and hunger, they would come and drop on their knees before him, imploring pardon for their behaviour.

    “‘Well,’ he would say to them, ’now that you have lived in the
    bush, do you think the change you made was for the better?  Are you
    sorry for what you have done?’

    “‘Yes, sir.’

    “‘And will you promise me never to go away again?’

    “‘Never, sir.’

“‘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.)]