G'day agian Dan,

Michael Emory's suggestion of "The Fatal Shore is a mighty read ... in more senses than one. It helps to read a few more broad histories as well - Hughes runs close to persuading that everywhere in early Australia was like an antipodean Gulag and that is a little too simple.

That may well have been what the authorities had in mind, but the Australian larrikin streak developed early and what came to a head at Eureka Lead was no local phenomenon.

A lot of (sometimes well-off) free settlers fought against the Military attitusde of the government. I recommend that you look at the song called The Commissioner in the Penguin Australian Song Book ... when it arrives. Robert Lowe was no convict ... or Chartist ... but he gave Governor Gipps hell - then went back to Britain to deal more of the same to the House of Lords!

The mock obituary, quoted in the notes, is almost worth the piddling price of the book.

Regards,

Bob Bolton