reprehend irregular and inconsistent fits of kindness and familiarity, quickly, and, perhaps, captiously, succeeded by harshness and hauteur—a line of conduct invariably productive of unpleasant consequences, both to the servant and to the master. It is, I conceive, in a great measure, from the habits of discipline acquired in that excellent school—a man-of-war—that old sailors, in general, manage to keep their servants in pretty good order,—obtaining, at the same time, a just quantity of labour, without requiring much extrinsic aid.
The Government hold out every possible inducement to the moral reformation of the prisoners, by conferring indulgences on those whose conduct is even moderately correct. After a certain period of probation, they are either partially, or altogether restored to freedom, under certain limitations. A prisoner for seven years, who serves one master, four years; a prisoner for fourteen years, who serves six, and a prisoner for life, who serves eight years, is entitled to a ticket of leave—i. e., the power of selecting his employer, and working entirely for his own benefit. A settler, who studies his own interest, ought to give every facility to his servants in obtaining this boon. This is generally the case; but I regret to say, that instances occasionally occur, where the settler, just as his servant is on the point of obtaining his ticket—especially if he be useful—manages to catch him in some scrape, that it may be withheld;—conduct as disgraceful as it is injudicious. A considerate master will, and does overlook any slight fault more readily, as the period of his servant's comparative freedom draws near;—he being aware, selfishly speaking, that such conduct must ultimately tend to his own advantage. In Van Dieman's Land (I am not certain if it be also the case in New South Wales), there is a regulation, which tends to check the above-mentioned infirmity of human nature; i. e., whenever a settler is deprived of the services of a prisoner, by his having obtained a ticket of leave, another servant, of the same description, is forthwith assigned to him.
Tickets of leave are held on a very precarious tenure, as
