Withrespecttothestateoftheconvicts，Ihadstillfeweropportunitiesofjudgingthanonotherpoints。Thefirstquestionis，whethertheirconditionisatalloneofpunishment：noonewillmaintainthatitisaverysevereone。This，however，Isuppose，isoflittleconsequenceaslongasitcontinuestobeanobjectofdreadtocriminalsathome。Thecorporealwantsoftheconvictsaretolerablywellsupplied：theirprospectoffuturelibertyandcomfortisnotdistant，and，aftergoodconduct，certain。A“ticketofleave。”which，aslongasamankeepsclearofsuspicionaswellasofcrime，makeshimfreewithinacertaindistrict，isgivenupongoodconduct，afteryearsproportionaltothelengthofthesentence；yetwithallthis，andoverlookingthepreviousimprisonmentandwretchedpassageout，Ibelievetheyearsofassignmentarepassedawaywithdiscontentandunhappiness。Asanintelligentmanremarkedtome，theconvictsknownopleasurebeyondsensuality，andinthistheyarenotgratified。TheenormousbribewhichGovernmentpossessesinofferingfreepardons，togetherwiththedeephorrorofthesecludedpenalsettlements，destroysconfidencebetweentheconvicts，andsopreventscrime。Astoasenseofshame，suchafeelingdoesnotappeartobeknown，andofthisIwitnessedsomeverysingularproofs。Thoughitisacuriousfact，Iwasuniversallytoldthatthecharacteroftheconvictpopulationisoneofarrantcowardice：notunfrequentlysomebecomedesperate，andquiteindifferentastolife，yetaplanrequiringcoolorcontinuedcourageisseldomputintoexecution。
Theworstfeatureinthewholecaseis，thatalthoughthereexistswhatmaybecalledalegalreform，andcomparativelylittleiscommittedwhichthelawcantouch，yetthatanymoralreformshouldtakeplaceappearstobequiteoutofthequestion。Iwasassuredbywell-informedpeople，thatamanwhoshouldtrytoimprove，couldnotwhilelivingwithotherassignedservants；——hislifewouldbeoneofintolerablemiseryandpersecution。
Normustthecontaminationoftheconvict-shipsandprisons，bothhereandinEngland，beforgotten。Onthewhole，asaplaceofpunishment，theobjectisscarcelygained；asarealsystemofreformithasfailed，asperhapswouldeveryotherplan；butasameansofmakingmenoutwardlyhonest，——ofconvertingvagabonds，mostuselessinonehemisphere，intoactivecitizensofanother，andthusgivingbirthtoanewandsplendidcountry——agrandcentreofcivilization——ithassucceededtoadegreeperhapsunparalleledinhistory。
30th——TheBeaglesailedforHobartTowninVanDiemen’sLand。Onthe5thofFebruary，afterasixdays’passage，ofwhichthefirstpartwasfine，andthelatterverycoldandsqually，weenteredthemouthofStormBay：theweatherjustifiedthisawfulname。Thebayshouldratherbecalledanestuary，foritreceivesatitsheadthewatersoftheDerwent。
Nearthemouth，therearesomeextensivebasalticplatforms；buthigherupthelandbecomesmountainous，andiscoveredbyalightwood。Thelowerpartsofthehillswhichskirtthebayarecleared；andthebrightyellowfieldsofcorn，anddarkgreenonesofpotatoes，appearveryluxuriant。