May 12th--landed to-day at Norfolk Island, and have been introduced tomy new abode, situated some eleven hundred miles from Sydney. A solitaryrock in the tropical ocean, the island seems, indeed, a fit placeof banishment. It is about seven miles long and four broad. The mostremarkable natural object is, of course, the Norfolk Island pine, whichrears its stately head a hundred feet above the surrounding forest. Theappearance of the place is very wild and beautiful, bringing to mymind the description of the romantic islands of the Pacific, which oldgeographers dwell upon so fondly. Lemon, lime, and guava trees abound,also oranges, grapes, figs, bananas, peaches, pomegranates, andpine-apples. The climate just now is hot and muggy. The approach toKingstown--as the barracks and huts are called--is properly difficult.A long low reef--probably originally a portion of the barren rocksof Nepean and Philip Islands, which rise east and west of thesettlement--fronts the bay and obstructs the entrance of vessels. Wewere landed in boats through an opening in this reef, and our vesselstands on and off within signalling distance. The surf washes almostagainst the walls of the military roadway that leads to the barracks.The social aspect of the place fills me with horror. There seems neitherdiscipline nor order. On our way to the Commandant's house we passed alow dilapidated building where men were grinding maize, and at the sightof us they commenced whistling, hooting, and shouting, using the mostdisgusting language. Three warders were near, but no attempt was made tocheck this unseemly exhibition.
For the Term of His Natural Life Page 64