This is chapter 16 of The Penal Preserve, you may want to go back to Chapter 15 or start at the beginning.
16
The Vacationers, however, were not incapable of outrages of their own. I have described some of the cruelties perpetrated by the Penists, and now it is my duty as chronicler of these events to reverse the shield, and show the darker features of Vacationer character.1 The Vacationers had a tradition among themselves that the Penists had usurped their land, driven them into the forests, stolen their food, ravished their wives and daughters and murdered and butchered their fellow-countrymen; and whilst brooding over these complicated ills in the dense parts of the forest, they were wont to goad each other on to acts of bloodshed and revenge.2
The following true and complete list of atrocities committed by the Vacationers was kept by Ross and occurred over a span of an unknown number of years, but presumably not after Jane began her friendly mission of conciliation. First, I will note that I am presenting here the list in the form it was drawn up by Ross, and thus it includes many Martian names that will be entirely irrelevant to you. Second, I should note that it quickly became the custom among the Penists to inhabit the many cabins and beach houses of the Vacationers spread around the island, and to call them their own.
Official List of Atrocities Committed by the Vacationers
Mr Mazetti’s hut robbed.3
Mr Howell’s dwelling hut burned.4
Mr Jones’ hut threatened.5
John Rayner speared in several places, dreadfully beaten.6
Mr Lord’s hut attacked; of two men in it, one dangerously speared, the other dreadfully beaten. The Vacationers plundered the hut and retired.7
Captain Clark attacked, but escaped.8
A man chased by Vacationers, but escaped.9
Mr Dawson severely beaten, nearly losing his life.10
The reader of a better era may fancy this description shaded; but the writer in preparing this work has explored many a volume, and shudders at the memory of his toils: I would not assign them to my worst enemy.11 What is clear is that the Vacationers were not acting out of a spirit of retaliation or even of defense, but rather from a wanton and savage spirit, inherent in them. They were always ready for mischief when they thought it could be perpetrated with impunity, and they never hesitated to complain of the crimes of the Penists.12 But I suppose before we pass judgment on them, consigning them to the halls of savagery, we ought to remember that the Vacationers and the Penists exhibited the Martians as their nature made them, unwrought by long association with the Aliens.13
Chapter 17 tomorrow, same time, same place.
Footnotes
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The cruelties perpetrated by the Whites on this unhappy race have been described. It is now the duty of the chronicler to reverse the shield, and show the darker features of the Tasmanian character. James Bonwick, The Last of the Tasmanians; or, the Black War of Van Diemen’s Land 1870 ↩
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They have a tradition amongst them that white men have usurped their territory, have driven them into the forests, have killed their game and thus robbed them of their chief subsistence, have ravished their wives and daughters, have murdered and butchered their fellow-countrymen; and are wont whilst brooding over these complicated ills in the dense part of the forest to goad each other on to acts of bloodshed and revenge for the injuries done to their ancestors and the persecutions offered to themselves through their white enemies. George Augustus Robinson, 23 November 1829 ↩
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Mr Mazetti’s hut robbed. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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12th. Mr. Howell’s dwelling hut burned. Mrs Howell and her children narrowly escaping the flames. Twenty of Mr Espie’s sheep killed and maimed. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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11th. Captain Wood’s hut, at Poole’s Marsh robbed. Mr Jone’s hut, Side Line Marsh, threatened. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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April 1st. John Rayner speared in several places, and dreadfully beaten by natives, at Spring Bay. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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May 18th. Mr Lord’s hut, at Eastern Marshes, attacked; of two men in it, one was dangerously speared, the other dreadfully beaten. The natives plundered the hut and retired. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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September 8th. Captain Clark’s shepherd attacked, but escaped. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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A man, employed by government at the lime kilns, near Bothwell, chased by natives but escaped. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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23rd. Mr Dawson’s servant, Hughes, severely beaten by natives, nearly losing his life. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 2, 1852 ↩
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The reader of a better era may fancy this description shaded; but the writer, in preparing this work has explored many a volume, and shudders at the memory of his toils: he would not assign them to his worst enemy. John West, The History of Tasmania Volume 1, 1852 ↩
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The opinion of the Committee is most decided, that these acts of violence on the part of the natives, are generally to be regarded, not as retaliating for any wrong which they conceived themselves collectively or individually to have endured, but as proceeding from a wanton and a savage spirit, inherent in them, and impelling them to mischief and cruelty. Report of the Aborigines Committee 10 March 1830 ↩
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It should be remembered, that they exhibit man as nature has made him: unwrought upon by civilization—unpolished by the influence of the arts and sciences—unformed, unmoulded as to the mind, into any thing like shape. Henry Melville, Editor, The Van Diemen’s Land Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1831; being the Third After Leap Year ↩