RECENT issues of "The Brisbane

or baskets slung over their backs.

their hands, and put them into bags

of fish. They caught the fish with

water where the Victoria Bridge now

wading about in the shallow pools of

were in the habit—at low tide—of

year 1825, the soldiers when off duty

ment in Brisbane, that is, after the

ing the years of the convict settle-

had it from an ex-convict that dur-

river from Queensport to Pinkenba. I

casion at low tide he waded across the

service at Brisbane that on one oc-

a gentleman then engaged in the pilot

nitude. Many years ago I was told by

the river has been one of great mag-

realised that the work of improving

toria Bridge and Queensport it can be

between the present site of the Vic-

the Brisbane River at various spots

one considers that less than a cen-

their fine steamers to Brisbane. When

have decided to extend the service of

fact that the P. and O. Coy.

certain amount of pride to the

Courier" have referred with a

Line 4.3.0 It was my experience, more than

Line 4.3.1 half a century ago, to make the

Line 4.3.2 acquaintance of an old man—a time-

Line 4.3.3 expired convict—who was one of the

Line 4.3.4 first contingent of prisoners in 1825

Line 4.3.5 to quit Redcliffe and ascend the

Line 4.3.6 Brisbane River in a cutter. This man

Line 4.3.7 was well educated, as was evidenced by

Line 4.3.8 the fragments of old manuscripts

Line 4.3.9 which he had written and placed at

Line 4.3.10 my disposal for perusal. He exacted

Line 4.3.11 from me a promise that I would not

Line 4.3.12 divulge the contents of his notes so

Line 4.3.13 far as they related to the convict sys-

Line 4.3.14 tem, but their perusal conveyed par-

Line 4.3.15 ticulars of some dreadful incidents in

Line 4.3.16 the administration of the penal affairs

Line 4.3.17 of the settlement. The writer of those

Line 4.3.18 notes was an ardent lover of Nature,

Line 4.3.19 and the beauties of the scenery along

Line 4.3.20 the banks of the river probably ap-

Line 4.3.21 pealed to him in a manner that was

Line 4.3.22 lost upon his fellow prisoners. He

Line 4.3.23 drew vivid pictures of the scenes of

Line 4.3.24 enchanting beauty which unfolded

Line 4.3.25 themselves as each successive reach of

Line 4.3.26 the river came into view. To use his

Line 4.3.27 own words: "It looked as though

Line 4.3.28 some race of men had been here be-

Line 4.3.29 fore us, and planted this veritable

Line 4.3.30 garden of Eden." The convicts were

Line 4.3.31 being conveyed to a prison from which

Line 4.3.32 possibly the majority would be re-

Line 4.3.33 leased only by death, and yet the gate-

Line 4.3.34 way to that prison lay between river

Line 4.3.35 banks lined with foliage whose beauty

Line 4.3.36 it were almost impossible to describe.

Line 4.3.37 Skirting the water's edge for miles on

Line 4.3.38 each side of the river was dense vine-

Line 4.3.39 clad jungle, festooned with the blue

Line 4.3.40 and the purple convolvulus, while on

Line 4.3.41 the tidal brink grew the beautiful salt-

Line 4.3.42 water lily—its flower white as

Line 4.3.43 alabaster, its glorious perfume filling

Line 4.3.44 the air with fragrance. Kingfishers—

Line 4.3.45 some scarlet breasted, others white,

Line 4.3.46 all with backs of azure blue—darted

Line 4.3.47 hither and thither, while anon the

Line 4.3.48 solitude was disturbed by the raucous