and wrath, will show whether their reception of him was feigned or real; whether their hearts remained in the gall of bitterness, or whether they were renewed by the power of his word and Spirit.

Thirty-three schools were in active operation during the voyage. All the prisoners have been landed able to read; a few, indeed, still imperfectly, but the great body of the men read the Sacred Scriptures with ease and comfort. The period during which the prisoners were on board the Theresa was devoted to their instruction, chiefly in Christianity as developed in the Holy Scriptures, and in training them to think-to govern their feelings and affections to control their temper and their tongue-to form their principles, manners, and habitsand to direct their conduct. Twice every day, namely, morning and evening; three times on Tuesdays and Fridays, and three times on the Lord's day, we assembled for scriptural instruction, and the social worship of God. Our whole voyage has been a voyage of spiritual exercises and spiritual enjoyment. The people have been ruled by Christianity, kind treatment, the consistent and uniform exaction of obedience to lawful authority, the requirement of an habitual observance of established regulations, and the punctual and cheerful performance of all personal and social duties. With all our exercises and proceedings was united fervent and unceasing prayer; and in our social worship, praise occupied its proper place. One man, afflicted with partial and depraved insanity, and two boys who appeared to have defied Parkhurst, caused me, on repeated occasions, some uneasiness; but with these exceptions, the people conducted themselves with amazing propriety. Of course we had no punishments deserving notice. As to flogging, that mode of correction has long been discarded from my system of government. Two hundred and twenty sets of irons had been put on board the Theresa, with the view of facilitating the control of the convicts, but not in one single instance had I occasion to order the use of irons; none were brought on deck, nor removed from the hold, and on no occasion was a prisoner placed

under the care of a sentry. In these particulars the Theresa stands pre-eminent in my experience. In several respects she surpassed the Earl Grey; in others the Earl Grey excels; owing chiefly (so far as human instrumentality seems concerned) to there being found amongst the prisoners of the latter vessel, two or three more intelligent, pious, and influential men, than appeared on board the Theresa. The prisoners in the Theresa, although a greater proportion of them had been taught to read and write, than those previously committed to my care, were, at the period of embarkation, the least instructed, speaking of them as a body; yet, at the period of debarkation, they were on the whole the most fully instructed and improved. Considering that more than half of our voyage was accomplished in mid-winter, during short days, the progress of the people in the business of their education was quite extraordinary. And from the time we entered on the borders of the Southern Ocean, (which was nearly thirty degrees west of the Cape of Good Hope,) we experienced a succession of gales and squalls, with wet weather, and a high sea running, and frequently breaking over us; keeping the ship in a most uncomfortable and wretched state both above and below decks. During this period, we were compelled to assemble for church' in the prison.

Trinity Sunday, May 18th, was a fearful day, both as it respected the weather and the state of the ship. At church we endeavoured to unite in praying the Litany, the prisoners contrived to secure themselves by sitting compactly together; I could, by continued effort, hang on with my hands, whilst I read the service, the lessons, and the sermon. The sea all the while beating over us, and torrents of water pouring down the hatchways, contributed to add seriousness and solemnity to our devotions. Repeatedly did we find ourselves placed in corresponding circumstances during the voyage.

"You are aware that I never went to sea so amply provided with Bibles, Testaments, Prayer-books, Homilies, and other suitable books and tracts for the use of the people on board, and for distribution in the colonies.

For this most liberal supply, in addition to the Government allowance, we were indebted to the Committees of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, the Religious Tract and Book Society, the Prayer-book and Homily Society, and to the munificence of several ladies, noblemen, and gentlemen, residing in Brighton, London, and other places, who are interested in the reformation and salvation of our unhappy convicts. There was therefore no lack of suitable and profitable reading, for the people on board, during the voyage. At its termination, after the prisoners had passed through an examination before a Board of Examiners, corresponding with that noticed in 'England's Exiles,' the Bibles and other books were distributed as prizes, and each prisoner was landed in possession of a clean or new copy of the Sacred Scriptures, besides one or more useful volumes; and nearly the whole were provided with a Prayer-book. Such of the men as seemed most advanced in Christian knowledge and experience, were, at the suggestion of some of our Christian benefactors, supplied with more than one copy of the Scriptures, with a view to encourage and aid them in their earnest desires to be useful to the souls of prisoners in the colony, who might come within their influence. The Bibles, Testaments, and other religious books, which were not required for distribution amongst the prisoners on board the Theresa, were disposed of in Tasmania and New South Wales, chiefly for the use of prisoners in the Female Factories, and in the Colonial Hospital of the former colony; excepting a small boxful, forwarded through the office of Captain Moriarty, R.N., Port-officer at Hobart, to the Commandant at Norfolk Island, for the benefit of the convicts at that penal settlement. It ought also to be stated, that the troops composing the guard, consisting of a detachment of the Eleventh Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Scott, accompanied by Dr. Grey, M.D., assistantsurgeon, had access, under proper regulations, to our Bibles and other books during the passage, and afforded very gratifying evidence of having derived spiritual

benefit from their perusal, as well as from the instructions imparted to the prisoners, to which many of the soldiers gave a most listening and devout attention, when the due performance of their required duties permitted. A considerable number of non-commissioned officers and men were, at their earnest request, provided with copies of the Scriptures and Prayer-book, and with other religious works, for their use after debarkation. Here I must express my admiration of the spirit and conduct of the guard, who strictly adhered to their official instructions, and attended to their proper duties; and never in one instance attempted to interfere with me in the performance of my duty, during the whole period they were on board the Theresa. With the prisoners they never came in contact; but had abundant opportunities of admiring their quiet and orderly behaviour, their diligent and zealous application to their books, their prompt and uniform obedience, and observance of my regulations, and the amazing progress they made in the acquisition of useful knowledge.

"In conclusion, I observe, that notwithstanding the storminess of the weather, and the extreme wetness of the ship during a considerable portion of the voyage, very little disease prevailed on board, through God's blessing on the means employed for the preservation of health; and death appeared not amongst us: 329 persons we embarked in England, and 329 we landed at Hobart, Tasmania.

"To God, as is most due, be ascribed all glory, praise, and thanksgiving!

(Signed)

"COLIN ARrott BrownING."