A Merciless Place

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Since Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore, the fate of British convicts has captivated the public imagination. However, their broader story is even more dramatic, encompassing forgotten men and women dispersed throughout the British Empire, influenced by the American Revolution and the African slave trade. Emma Christopher unveils this lesser-known narrative of poverty, punishment, and transportation. The tale begins with the American War of Independence, which halted the shipment of British convicts across the Atlantic. This disruption led two entrepreneurs to form military units of criminals to fight for the crown. These felon soldiers were sent to West Africa's slave-trading posts as the war concluded, but the endeavor quickly turned disastrous. Christopher details a saga filled with piracy, treachery, mutiny, starvation, and even murder. To resolve the chaos, the British government sought a new destination as distant as possible: Australia. Christopher vividly portrays the harsh realities faced by Britain's convicts, victims of London's violent underworld and severe punishments. Equally compelling are the Fante people of West Africa, who experienced significant changes in their roles as intermediaries in the slave trade, alongside the aboriginal Australians adapting to the transformation of their land. This work is a remarkable historical narrative that sheds light on these intertwined lives.