That's a good one Q, though the testimony seems just a little confused as recorded. But it seems that Clarkson committed his crime (murder) on Mauritius, and was transported (remarkably quickly) to Sydney, where he was given considerable freedom. For some reason, he ran away, but was taken in Hobart, Tasmania (sounds like out of the frying pan..). Put on board a ship back to Sydney, where he might have been liable to the death penalty, some accomplices on board the ship faked his suicide, and he was later smuggled onto a ship leaving for Valparaiso. The accomplices were convicted, and fined £50 and £10, equivalent to perhaps £10000 and £2000 today, which however they seem to have found no difficulty in paying.

Interesting points- the freedom accorded to the prisoner, both in New South Wales and as a returning escapee. The wealth of the accomplices, second a mate and a boatswain- presumably they had been bribed, but if so by whom? The captain quoted his speed in "knots per hour", which I have always been told is a pleonasm.