French Canadian Rebels as Australian Convicts

New softcover, book is clean and tight.After the 1838 Lower Canada rebellion, 58 French Canadians were convicted of treason, sentenced to death, and later transported to life at hard labour in New South Wales. From the day they left Quebec, until the last man returned home in 1848 their activities were closely observed in journals, diaries and newspapers, and it seems they were viewed with wariness and fascination and treated with leniency. Some became servants and tradesman for their French-speaking superintendent; others were only lightly employed; and with a sympathetic handling of their petitions by the Governor, political efforts locally and in Britain and Canada, and sheer luck, they only served two years before parole was granted and they were pardoned.