Introduction
In a July 1852 issue of Charles Dickens’s ‘Household Words’, readers heard the true story of an innocent man sentenced to transportation. Even though the guilty party had now confessed, the life sentence stood, and on day two of his four-month voyage to Australia the nightmare had already taken a turn for the worse.
A TIN pint pot was delivered to every prisoner at the commencement of the voyage, which served to receive his cocoa, as well as his pea-soup. I had not been at sea a couple of days when I found that mine had been changed. But, as they were scarcely distinguishable one from the other, I gave the new-comer a thorough cleaning, and adopted it in lieu of my own.
The very next day, however, a man sidled up to my mess, and suddenly clapping his hand upon the pot, exclaimed, “Halloa! what are you a-doing with my tin pot?”
“How do you know it is yours?” I inquired.
“There’s my mark at the side,” he replied “and there should be a round O at the bottom.” I turned it up; and, seeing the mark of identity referred to, felt bound to surrender it. The pot was received with an appearance of indignation, and I was advised “not to try that game on again.”
Although the convict was not named, and other names in the account are fictitious, the story was a true one. The speaker was solicitor William Henry Barber, transported for life in a party of 226 on HMS Agincourt (1817), which left London on July 6th, 1844, and arrived at Van Dieman’s Land, now Tasmania, on November 9th. See Convict Records of Australia. Barber had been found guilty of forging wills, though his alleged accomplice, surgeon Joshua Fletcher (who was also transported) testified that Barber had no idea what was going on. Barber’s narrative was taken down by journalist William Moy Thomas (1828–1910), who worked on ‘Household Words’ from 1851 to 1858. The story had a happy ending: Barber was pardoned and allowed to come home, and even restored as an attorney in 1855.
Précis
In 1852, Charles Dickens’s magazine ‘Household Words’ recorded the experienced of a man transported to Australia. The unhappy convict recalled how everyone aboard ship was given a tin pot for his rations, and how on just the second day his own had been claimed by another prisoner, who could even point to his scratched marks of ownership. (57 / 60 words)
In 1852, Charles Dickens’s magazine ‘Household Words’ recorded the experienced of a man transported to Australia. The unhappy convict recalled how everyone aboard ship was given a tin pot for his rations, and how on just the second day his own had been claimed by another prisoner, who could even point to his scratched marks of ownership.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, despite, if, must, not, otherwise, ought, whereas.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
