Question

analyze primary sources: australian settlers
life as a convict settler was not easy. along with leaving family and loved ones behind, the transported settlers endured harsh living conditions both during and after their journey across the globe. some convicts who could read and write told of their experiences in letters home. those who were not literate told of their experiences in songs. analyze the excerpts below to learn more about life as a convict settler in australia.
document 1: mark jeffrey on his arrival in australia
mark jeffrey was a british citizen who was convicted of burglary and sent to australia in 1850. he spent the rest of his life as a prisoner and often spoke out about injustice in the prison system. note that van diemen’s land was an early name for the island of tasmania.
we arrived at hobart town in 1850, when sir william denison was governor. from our anchorage i gazed upon the savage grandeur of van diemen’s land with bitter disappointment. it seemed hard to be banished forever from the busy hum and gaieties of the old world; to be so utterly estranged removed from cherished scenes and associations. . . .
“here is a pretty place to send a man to!” i exclaimed. “i would rather be dead than be compelled forced to live in a savage country like this!”
— from a burglar’s life; or, the stunning adventures of the great english burglar, mark jeffrey: a thrilling history of the dark days of conviction in australia, 1893
document 2: the convict experience in song
oh when we sailed from england, we landed at the bay.
we had rotten straw for bedding; we dared not to say nay.
our cots were fenced with fire (we slumber while we can)
to drive away the wolves and tigers upon van diemen’s land.
— from the folk song “van diemen’s land,” c. 1820

1. interpret why is jeffrey so disappointed upon his arrival in van diemen’s land?
2. make inferences in the folk song, why are the cots “fenced with fire”?
3. compare and contrast how do both jeffrey’s account and the folk song portray the convict experience?
4. draw conclusions based on both excerpts, what conclusions can you draw about life as a convict settler?

Explanation:

1. Jeffrey was banished from familiar English life to a "savage" land, losing cherished scenes/associations.
2. Fires around cots protected convicts from wild animals (wolves/tigers) in Van Diemen’s Land.
3. Both highlight harsh, isolating convict life: Jeffrey’s personal despair; the song’s physical dangers.
4. Convict settlers faced emotional estrangement, harsh living conditions, and constant threats.

Answer:

1. He was banished from the familiar, bustling life of England to a "savage" land, feeling utterly estranged from cherished scenes and associations.
2. To drive away wild animals like wolves and tigers in Van Diemen’s Land.
3. Both portray the convict experience as harsh and isolating: Jeffrey emphasizes emotional despair from banishment, while the song focuses on physical dangers and harsh living conditions.
4. Convict settlers endured emotional estrangement from their homeland, harsh living conditions, and constant threats to their safety.