The History of Tasmania , Volume II

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22849

Title

The History of Tasmania , Volume II

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

John West's Volume II of The History of Tasmania offers a sobering account of the island's early colonial era, focusing on the tragic decline of the Aboriginal population and the harsh realities of the convict transportation system. Through detailed historical analysis, the text explores themes of conflict, displacement, and the moral complexities of penal governance in 19th-century Australia.

Summary up to 500 words

John West's *The History of Tasmania, Volume II* chronicles two devastating chapters in the island's colonial history: the systematic destruction of Aboriginal society and the grim realities of the convict transportation system. The volume begins by documenting the arrival of Europeans, noting how initial curiosity from explorers like Cook and Labillardière quickly devolved into hostility. West details the systematic dispossession of Aboriginal peoples, their forced removal to Flinders' Island, and their rapid extinction caused by introduced diseases, cultural disruption, and direct persecution. The narrative highlights the cruelty of bushrangers, the failure of attempts to 'civilize' the natives, and the eventual legislative bans that forbade Aboriginal presence in the colony. West emphasizes that while some observers initially viewed the natives as mild, the inevitable results of colonization led to their tragic demise. The second major section examines the transportation of convicts to the colony. West analyzes the evolution of penal systems, contrasting the brutal lash-based discipline of early governors with the controversial 'mark system' of Captain Maconochie and later probation schemes. The text provides a critical look at the lives of prisoners, the corruption of overseers, and the suffering of families separated by assignment. West contrasts the official justifications for transportation with the grim reality of overcrowded ships, harsh labor conditions, and the system's failure to rehabilitate the majority of offenders. He critiques the incompetence of many settlers and overseers, who often drove prisoners to further crimes through cruelty and neglect, while acknowledging that some masters did successfully reform offenders through patient training. The volume concludes by reflecting on the inevitable social changes brought by colonization, the moral complexities of the penal administration, and the loss of the island's original inhabitants, framing Tasmania's history as a type of the broader Australasian world.

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Categories

• History