Some of them pine away and die; others appear happy.

Generally, however, when a fresh prisoner comes among them, great discontent prevails; they enquire eagerly about their friends and families; and what they hear in reply recalls vividly to their minds their wild roving life, their corrobories, the delights of their homes; and of these, too, they are sometimes compelled to think when a blue streak of smoke stealing over the uplands, catches their restless eye, as it wanders instinctively forth in that direction from their island prison.

They will often gaze on these mementos of their former free life, until their eyes grow dim with tears and their breasts swell with those feelings which, however debased they may appear, they share in common with us all.

On these occasions they naturally turn with loathing to their food.

Those who suffer most are the oldest; for they have ties to which the younger are strangers.
The rapidity with which the young ones grow up and improve in appearance, in consequence of their regular food and the care taken of them, is astonishing.