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y separately published work icon True Stories of the Penal Days series - author  
Issue Details: First known date: 1897-1898... 1897-1898 True Stories of the Penal Days
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Includes

The Finger of Fate James J. Wright , 1897 single work short story historical fiction
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , September vol. 32 no. 388 1897; (p. 622-626) April 1824 and three convicts attempt to escape from the infamous Macquarie Harbour penal station in Van Diemen's Land. Striking down the cruel overseer of their timber gang they escape into the scrub then capture a boat from the pursuing military and head for open sea. They are wrecked on cliffs, one drowns and another is injured. The third, Hyde, strikes out on his own but remorse drives him to return for his mate - who has disappeared. Hyde is rescued by a US whaler ... The arrival of a mother and daughter of his fellow passenger and goes to cedar groves in the Illawarra to find her father - who is his former convict friend. Prosperity follows for all. (PB)
The Muster Master's Prophecy James J. Wright , 1897 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , October vol. 32 no. 389 1897; (p. 668-672) In June, a chain gang's attempted escape from Port Arthur takes advantage of heavy fog. A gravel escapes; they force a signalman to give an all clear semaphore; one kills his enemy from Hobart days - the muster master. At Eagle Hawk Neck they swim across an ocean passage where one has his leg bitten off by a shark - and is killed at his own request to avoid recapture. They shelter in a hut where they kill and rob an officer and capture his men before escaping into the bush. Their bids on Tasmania's settlers continue for six months and involve more killings until they are captured and killed at Christmas 1837. (PB)
The Ghost of Deadman's Isle James J. Wright , 1897 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , November vol. 32 no. 390 1897; (p. 744-748) An Englishman's determined attempts to secure the escape of a gentlemanly prisoner from Port Arthur is achieved with the help of a Tasmanian merchant/smuggler and his men and ship, and a sexton responsible for burials in the convict settlements cemetery. Two attempts are necessary, both are discovered with loss of life for many - but the prisoner and his friend escape only to be revealed as husband and wife. (PB)
The Stormy Petrel James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story adventure
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , January vol. 33 no. 392 1898; (p. 72-76) An escaped convict discovers a stranded and abandoned ship full of whale oil after a storm. With the help of some assigned convicts and some escapees he refloats the ship and renames her the Stormy Petrel. Need for provisions drive them to Hobart but their sale of the oil for cash prompts recognition from another ship. They murder the captain and mate and flee the harbour under fire. Further attempts at Maria Island and at the naval supply station at George Town on the Tamar River. A storm wrecks the boat on the cliffs of King's Island and drowns the crew at last, a capture crew-member telling their tale. (PB)
The Pine Gang's Christmas Day James J. Wright , 1897 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , December vol. 33 no. 391 1897; (p. 9-13) A convict gang of pine getters on the huon River mutiny from overwork and the cruelty of Lieutenant Hinchcliffe. No. 386 kills a soldier and escapes, followed by several others. 386, son of a Dublin merchant, had been mistreated because Hinchcliffe was jealous of the woman who had followed 386 from Dublin. 386 murders Hinchcliffe, goes to Hobart and spends a night in the hostelry run by the woman and her father - neither recognising the other. He is mad, the next day killed another officer and dies while being hunted in the mountains. A free pardon arrives too late. (PB)
The Dream of McNamara James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , March vol. 33 no. 394 1898; (p. 198-202) The pursuit of bushrangers by a mixed party of soldiers and settlers - including McNamara. Bushranger Whitehead is killed early but bushranger Howe cuts off his head as arranged so the soldiers could not claim the reward. The bushrangers escape and the hunt continues with a night-time raid, the death of an officer, pursuit across a boggy swamp and the final capture of McNamara's own assigned servant who had been in league with Howe. The man kills McNamara who had been warned of his treachery in a dream. (PB)
The Paymaster's Chest James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , April vol. 33 no. 395 1898; (p. 274-278) SEt in Ross, the tale of an army lieutenant pressed for money who - unable to secure his rich sweetheart's promise to marry - arranges to have her father's house robbed. The father is shot in the attempt which fails. The lieutenant becomes engaged to the orphaned girl but still needs money so arranges with the same friends to hold up the paymaster. The robbery goes wrong, a wounded man confesses the officer's art, and he suicides rather than face disgrace. (PB)
The Oath of the Forty James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , May vol. 33 no. 396 1898; (p. 322-326) Strongly historically based. The cruelty and torturous treatment of convicts detailed. A mutiny among a lime-pit convict gang is cruelly put down by the new commandant Price who is a tyrant. The convict rebellion led by James Westbrook failed and the leaders sentenced to death by hanging. Westbrook escaped with the help of a soldier and evades arrest, making several attempts to kill Price. A rebellion including some of the soldiers is mooted but Westbrook and his helpers are captured in a small boat battle at sea and later hanged. (PB)
The Sequel to a Cyclone James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , August vol. 33 no. 399 1898; (p. 508-512) A convict gang working in the pine forest when a 'twister' strikes free themselves to survive. Three escape and determine to build a raftto reach New Zealand. One is killed in an attempt to get proviision; the other two kill a sergeant attempting to recapture them, and despite Colt Price's hopes they launch their raft but die on the journey, one stabbed, the other suicided ... (PB)
The Feast of Death James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , September vol. 33 no. 400 1898; (p. 591-595) The death of a convict under punishment at the rings through a medical officer's drunkenness opens a tale of attempted rescue of a handsome forger by the captain of a US ship in the harbour. Coly Price discovers the plot involving his chief constable and returns death with death ... (PB)
Captain Cogdon James J. Wright , single work short story

Continued from The Feast of Death. Colt Price lets First Mate Cogdon sail the US boat Delaware away without charges to rid the island of her plots and her arms. An attempt on the commandant's life and the non-departure of the Delaware prompt Price to try to attack her. Meanwhile he received news of Cogdon and some convict plotters on the island. An officer's wife and two young ladies are caught up in the cross-fire; but Price chases Cogden and his men to the sea. Cogden is killed in the chase and the crew handed over to a British man-of-war. The Delaware incident helped in the dismantling of Norfolk Island soon after. (PB)
The Fateful Vow James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , November vol. 33 no. 402 1898; (p. 726-730) Colt Price is recalled to Van Diemen's Land and the break-up of the prison mooted. This prompts 'The Forty' who had vowed to kill Price to renew their attempts. Gunshots, strychnine, hut-keeper's plots; betrayal and murder precede the hanging of the ringleader. Seven years later in Victoria at Point Gellibrand where many of the original Norfolk Island convicts were breaking stones - again under Price's command - he was finally battered to death and a near uprising of the convicts quickly put down - hangings followed, etc. Reaction of Victorians to the influx of Norfolk Island convicts interesting. (PB)
y separately published work icon Fifty Years Ago: An Australian Tale Charles De Boos , Sydney : Gordon and Gotch , 1867 Z854697 1867 single work novel

Book One - The Oath; Book Two - The First Black Hand; Book Three and Four - The Third Black Hand. The story opens on a NSW squatter's run where the family of George Maxwell, with the exception of his son George and the partly deranged Jamie dedicate themselves to revenge and follow the warriors into the bush. Descriptions of Aboriginal life are given. An Aboriginal girl becomes their ally and is the occasion for comments on the treatment of women by whites and blacks. Over the next three years, George and Jamie take their promised revenge on the warriors and their tribe, involving a sub-plot with a miller, his daughter, her lover and an ex-convict; another with Black Harry, the sawyer - a negro - his partner, Ironbark Jack near the Coal River; and with a gang of escaped convicts camped at Sugarloaf Mountain near the Hawkesbury. Themes vengeance and forgiveness. (PB)
16
Macquarie and the Star-gazer James J. Wright , 1898 single work short story historical fiction
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , December vol. 33 no. 403 1898; (p. 772-776)
17
The Jeweller's Assistant James J. Wright , 1899 single work short story historical fiction
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , 1 January vol. 34 no. 404 1899; (p. 27-31)
18
Doughboy Hollow James J. Wright , 1899 single work short story historical fiction
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , 1 February vol. 34 no. 405 1899; (p. 102-106)
19
The Manager of Moolara James J. Wright , 1899 single work short story historical fiction
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , 1 March vol. 34 no. 406 1899; (p. 152-155)
20
The Lieutenant's Widow James J. Wright , 1899 single work short story
— Appears in: The Australian Journal , 1 April vol. 34 no. 407 1899; (p. 215-218)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

      1897-1898 .
      Note/s:
      • Serialised in 20 monthly instalments in The Australian Journal, from September 1897 to November 1898.
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()
Last amended 6 Jun 2011 14:01:46
Subjects:
  • 1820s
Settings:
  • c
    Australia,
    c
  • Tasmania,
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