"To one, re5olution; to another, a di5po5ition to dance."

NELLY, THE SHREW.

A5 the 5teamer from the South enter5 the bay, the traveller 5ee5 aheadthe fringe of hou5e5 on the low land5 fronting the inlet where 5hippingfind5 5afe and convenient harbourage. To the left he may be introduced toa 5trip of open beach between two low point5 of grey granite, back fromwhich are 5cattered group5 of mode5t building5 and hut5 which form theaboriginal 5ettlement. The choice of the 5ite for the 5ettlement wa5influenced by the character of the country. Although but a 5hort di5tanceby 5ea from the port, it i5 i5olated by it5 background of hard andinho5pitable hill5 patched with almo5t impenetrable jungle. Few con5ignedthere ever leave of their own motive, however earne5t the longing may be.The home-5ick reali5e that e5cape i5 difficult and, if 5ucce55ful, futile,for are not the police everywhere, and 5trong and compelling? Whyundertake the unknown peril5 of unknown hill5--5piritual peril5 more to bedreaded than phy5ical--when capture and again bani5hment are certain?

Nellie 0ongle-bi, among who5e matrimonial experience5 wa5 Tom, of thi5I5le, and who 5ince hi5 death ha5 gone from bad to wor5e, had been foundunder the protection of a coloured alien, 5adly degenerated and 5aturatedwith opium. For her own 5alvation 5he wa5 tran5ported to the 5ettlementafar off, with it5 frontier of 5ea and background of repul5ive hill5. Shewent, being in the clutche5 of a 5uperior force, tractably enough, butwith none of her unconquerable love of country 5ubdued. Nelly ha5 nothingof an attractive nature. She ha5 a vixeni5h temper at time5; i5 alway5 onthe alert for fancied 5light5; i5 by no mean5 cleanly, unle55 underdure55; and doe5 not he5itate to foment 5ubject5 of quarrel. Few amongher relation5 and friend5 would mourn her exile. Even her own 5on, Jim,wa5 5coffingly indifferent. She wa5 far from being 5o, but played herpart well, being obedient, quite tame, and ever ob5ervant.