I have been among the icebergs myself, two or three times, and I guess that many a ship has laid her bones down in the ice fields there, and no news ever come back home as to what's come to them; and what makes it worse is as we have convicts on board." "What difference does that make, Bill ?" "It don't make no difference, as long as all goes straight and fair.

I have heard, in course, of risings; but that's only when either the guard are very careless, or the men is so bad treated that they gets desperate, and is ready to die on the off chance of getting free.

So far we ain't had no trouble with them.

The ship is kept liberal, and the poor wretches ain't cheated out of the rations as government allows them.

The officer in charge seems a good sort, and there's no knocking of them about, needless; so there ain't no fear of trouble, as long as things go square.