25. At least one escapee resorted to cannibalism
Alexander Pearce was sentenced in Ireland for transportation, after being found guilty of stealing six pairs of shoes. In 1822 he escaped, with seven companions, from the penal colony on Van Diemen’s Land. The group was soon starving, and two weeks into the escape they killed one of their party, selected by lot, to feed the remainder. Gradually the party was reduced to two, Pearce and another escapee, and Pearce succeeded in distracting his partner sufficiently to allow him to be killed. Pearce remained on the run for another three months, joining a group of sheep thieves and another of bushrangers, before he was finally captured.
Though he confessed his cannibalism his captors did not believe his story, and he was returned to the penal colony. Within a year he escaped again, this time in the company of one fellow prisoner. He was recaptured ten days later, with parts of his former partner in his pockets. He again confessed, and he was tried for the murder and cannibalism and hanged in Hobart in July, 1824. Though most of the convicts who arrived in Australia found new opportunities, others simply found new victims for their crimes, as well as new ways of committing them.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Matra, James Mario”. Alan Frost, Australian Dictionary of Biography. 2005. Online
“The First Fleet: the real story”. Alan Frost. 2012
“Redcoats to Cams: A History of Australian Infantry 1788-2001”. Ian Kuring. 2004
“Castle Hill Rebellion”. Article, National Museum of Australia. Online
“Newcastle – The Making of an Australian City”. James Cairns Docherty. 1983
“Bligh: Master Mariner”. Rob Mundle. 2010
“The Remote Garrison: The British Army in Australia 1788-1870”. Peter Stanley. 1986
“Catholics in Australia”. Article, Church in Australia History. Online
“The Unfortunate Irish Exiled to Australia”. Matthew Calfe, Irish Central. July 10, 2015. Online