Social history of an entertaining sort. Australia was here long before the whites arrived. According to their narrative, it was founded as a penal colony, and the residents were all felons, but they and their descendants turned out to be an interesting mob, who didn't always follow all the rules in quite the way that the authorities hoped.
Some of their villainy, however, was low grade, like the practical women who wore trousers, and the people who went swimming. A few of the swimmers wore decorous clothing, but "the rest of us reefed off our clothing, in our hurry sending buttons in all directions, and plunged into the pleasant water", said Miles Franklin.
nother villain was Moondyne Joe, who was probably the only convict ever given a pardon for being excellent at escaping, and then there was Diver Fitzgerald, rewarded by the governor for stealing (as ordered), a ship's bell at night.
We need to mention
the Sabbath breakers, the convicts and debtors who "ran", and Lola
Montez, described as "a very simple-mannered, well-behaved, cigar-loving
young person...".
Where to get it
An ebook in full colour for Kindle; $4 and
A print-on-demand paperback. $25
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