no purpose we assured our host that we had already caten more than would do us good: he filled our plates with the mutton and sauce, and made us get through it as well as we could: although any one of the dishes of which we had before partaken, was sufficient for the dinner of a moderate man. However, this was not all; for a large dish of waffels, as they are here called, that is to say, a sort of pancakes, made of wheat-flour, flat, and roasted in a mould, which forms a number of squares on the top, succeeded the mutton. They were not more than half an inch thick, and about the size of an octavo book. The Stiftsamptman* said he would be satisfied if each of us would eat two of them, and with these moderate terms we were forced to comply. For bread, Norway biscuit and loaves made of rye were served up; for our drink, we had nothing but claret, of which we were all compelled to empty the bottle that stood by us, and this, too, out of tumblers, rather than wine-glasses. It is not the custom in this country to sit after dinner over the wine; but we had, instead of it, to drink just as much coffee as the Stiftsamptman thought proper to give us. The coffee was certainly extremely good, and we trusted it would terminate the feast! But all was not yet over; for a huge bowl of rum-punch was brought in, and handed round in large glasses pretty freely, and to every glass a toast was given. If at any time we flagged in drinking, "Baron Banks" was always the signal for emptying our glasses, in order that we might have them filled with bumpers, to drink to his health; a task that no Englishman ought to hesitate about complying with most gladly, though assuredly, if any exception might be made to such a rule, it would be in an instance like the present. We were threatened with still another bowl, after we should have drained this; and accordingly another actually came, which we were with difficulty allowed to refuse to empty entirely; nor could this be done but by ordering our people to get the boat ready for our departure, when having concluded this extraordinary feast by three cups of tea each, we took our

The Governor.

+ On afterwards relating the anecdote of the Stiftsampt

leave, and reached Reikevig about ten o'clock; but did not for some time recover the effects of this most invo luntary intemperance*.

ACCOUNT OF A RUNAWAY CONVICT,

AT

NORFOLK ISLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES.
BY MR. TURNBULL.

ONE of the prisoners, belonging to the out-gangs, being sent into camp on Saturday, to draw the weekly allowance of provisions for his mess, fell unfortunately into the company of a party of convicts, who were playing at cards for their allowance, a thing very frequent amongst them. With as little resolution as his superiors in similar situations, after being awhile a looker-on, he at length suffered himself to be persuaded to take a hand; and, in the event, lost not only his own portion, but that of the whole mess. Being a man of a timid nature, his misfortune overcame his reason, and conceiving his situation amongst his messmates insupportable, he formed and executed the extravagant resolution of absconding into the glens.

Every possible enquiry was now made after him; it was known that he had drawn the allowance of his mess, and almost in the same moment discovered that he had lost it at play; search upon search, however, was made to no purpose. However, as it was impossible that he could subsist without occasionally marauding, it was believed that he must shortly be taken in his predatory excursions. These expectations, however, were in vain, for the fellow managed his business

man's dinner to Count Tramp, he assured me that he had partaken of a similar one himself, when he first went over to the island, at which time soup was served upon the table made from the boiling down of a whole bullock.

* Indeed we were something in the same predicament as the guest of the Kamtschatdale, of whom Kracheninnikow further relates, 'Il vomit pendant son repas jusqu'a dix fois; aussi apres un festin de cette nature, loin de pouvoir manger pendant deux ou trois jours, il ne sauroit meme regarder aucun aliment, sans que le cœur ne lui souleve.'

with such dexterity, keeping closely within his retreat during the day, and marauding for his subsistence during the night, that, in despite of the narrow compass of the island, he eluded all search. His nocturnal depredations were solely confined to the supply of his necessities: Indian corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and melons. He seldom visited the same place a second time, but, shifting from place to place, always contrived to make his escape almost before the theft was discovered, or the depredator suspected. In vain was a reward offered for his apprehension, and year after year every possible search instituted; at times it was considered that he was dead, till the revival of the old trade proved that the dexterous and invisible thief still existed.

In the pursuit of him, his pursuers have often been so near him, that he has not unfrequently heard their wishes that they might be so fortunate as to fall in with him. The reward being promised in spirits, a temptation to which many would have sacrificed their brother, excited almost the whole island to join in the pursuit ; and even those, whose respectability set them above any pecuniary compensation, were animated with a desire of hunting in so extraordinary a chase. These circumstances concurred to aggravate the terrors of the unhappy fugitive, as from his repeated depredations he indulged uo hope of pardon.

Nothing of this kind, however, was intended; it was humanely thought that he had already sustained sufficient punishment for his original crime; and that his subsequent depredations, being solely confined to necessary food, were venial, and rendered him an object rather of pity than of criminal infliction. Of these resolutions, however, he knew nothing, and therefore his terror continued.

Chance, however, at length accomplished what had baffled every fixed design. One morning, about break of day, a man going to his labour observed a fellow hastily crossing the road: he was instantly struck with the idea, that this must be the man who was the object of such general pursuit. Animated with this belief he exerted his utmost efforts to seize him, and, after a vigorous opposition on the part of the poor fugitive,

finally succeeded in his design. It was to no purpose to assure the affrighted wretch that his life was safe, and that his apprehension was sought only to relieve him from a state of existence, more suited to a beast than to a human creature.

The news of this apprehension flew through the island, and every one was more curious than another to gain a sight of this phenomenon, who, for upwards of five years, had so effectually secluded himself from all human society. Upon being brought into the camp, and the presence of the governor, never did condemned malefactor feel more acutely: he appeared to imagine that the moment of his execution approached, and, trembling in every joint, seemed to turn his eyes in search of the executioner. His person was such as may well be conceived from his long seclusion from human society; his beard had never been shaved since the moment of his first disappearance; he was clothed in some rags, which he had picked up in his nocturnal peregrinations; and even his own language was, at first, unutterable and unintelligible by him.

After some previous questions, as to what had induced him to form such a resolution, and by what means he had so long subsisted, the governor gave him his pardon, and restored him to society, of which he afterwards became a very useful member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EASTERN CARAVANSERAIS.

"CARAVANSERAIS, or khauns, are most commonly large square buildings of stone and brick, appropriated, at convenient distances on each road through the Ottoman empire, to the service of travellers: they are frequently the gratuitous offering of the well-disposed; and sometimes a proof of paternal regard on the part of a patriotic sultan. They are generally rendered so far commodious, that round the inside of the quadrangle, a story of chambers is built, where the traveller may repose without danger of those accidents from the horses and other beasts of burthen, to which they are exposed below. The centre of this quadrangle on the

ground floor, which is open and not covered by a roof, contains the goods, and, when not completely filled by them, the horses, &c.; but it often occurs that some of the animals are brought upon the elevated bank which is continued on three sides (or on the four sides, allowing a space for the door) of this quadrangle, and destined for the travellers themselves previously to their chambers. It is upon this elevated bank of earth that the meals are dressed, the pack-saddles, &c. deposited, and where the immediate attendants of the caravan remain as guards to the property. It is here also that all accompanying passengers must be contented to eat and sleep whenever the chambers above their heads are occupied, or where, as it sometimes occurs, no such chambers have been constructed. Fountains of water are often in the centre of the caravanserai; never at any great distance: and these establishments, though rude and unequal to the comforts of an inn or a post-house, yet bear with them the stamp of civilization.

It is usual for the caravan bashee, and his myrmidons, to be on the alert before daylight, and no time is lost in loading the horses; when the whole proceed during four or five hours, then halting near a fountain, or rivulet, for about an hour; the route is renewed till near sunset, or until some favourable spot is met with, which arrests its progress for the night. So many delays, however, take place, by stopping to shift or secure the merchandize upon the saddles, to mend the miserable tackle with which it is fastened, and to wait for the conductor's business in the villages upon or near the road, that the greatest extent of ground passed in one day seldom exceeds thirty, and is more generally under twenty-five miles.

At convenient distances through all Asia Minor, and indeed wherever I have halted through the Turkish dominions, the erection of fountains, as well as caravanserais, denotes the attention which has been paid to the necessities of Mussulmen. Many of the former are built with elegance, and ornamented with inscriptions in gilded letters, allusive to the founder, as well as to the principal article of the Mahomedan faith. An iron bowl, suspended by a chain, is always ready to assist the thirsty, and a flowing stream near it to sup