For the Term of His Natural Life
Marcus Clarke
76 chapters · 18 h 21 min · English
Read by Landii, Arfuhrm, Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014), Jesse Noar, Magdalena, Tony Ashworth and others
Historical Fiction
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For the Term of his Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 (as His Natural Life), appearing as a novel in 1874. It is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. Described as a "ripping yarn", and at times relying on seemingly implausible coincidences, the story follows the fortunes of Rufus Dawes, a young man transported for a murder which he did not commit. The harsh and inhumane treatment meted out to the convicts, some of whom were transported for relatively minor crimes, is clearly conveyed. The conditions experienced by the convicts are graphically described. The novel was based on research by the author as well as a visit to the penal settlement of Port Arthur, Tasmania. (summary from Wikipedia)
Chapters
1 Dedication and Prologue 25 min 2 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 01 - The Prison Ship 17 min 3 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 02 - Sarah Purfoy 16 min 4 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 03 - The Monotony Breaks 6 min 5 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 04 - The Hospital 9 min 6 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 05 - The Barracoon 14 min 7 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 06: The Fate Of The "Hydaspes" 23 min 8 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 07: Typhus Fever 18 min 9 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 08 - A Dangerous Crisis 16 min 10 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 09: Woman's Weapons 11 min 11 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 10: Eight Bells 16 min 12 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 11: Discoveries And Confessions 11 min 13 Book 01: The Sea. 1827. Chapter 12: A Newspaper Paragraph 1 min 14 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 01 - The Topography Of Van Diemen's Land 7 min 15 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 02: The Solitary Of "Hell's Gates" 8 min 16 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 03 - A Social Evening 22 min 17 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 04 - The Bolter 7 min 18 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 05 - Sylvia 7 min 19 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 06 - A Leap In The Dark 17 min 20 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 07: The Last Of Macquarie Harbour 11 min 21 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 08: The Power Of The Wilderness 14 min 22 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 09: The Seizure Of The "Osprey" 12 min 23 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 10: John Rex's Revenge 15 min 24 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 11: Left At "Hells Gates" 29 min 25 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 12: "Mr." Dawes 19 min 26 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 13: What The Seaweed Suggested 9 min 27 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 14: A Wonderful Day's Work 18 min 28 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 15: The Coracle 15 min 29 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 16: The Writing On The Sand 11 min 30 Book 02: Macquarie Harbour. 1833. Chapter 17 - At Sea 13 min 31 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 01 - A Labourer In The Vineyard 28 min 32 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 02: Sarah Purfoy's Request 23 min 33 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 03: The Story Of Two Birds Of Prey 22 min 34 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 04: "The Notorious Dawes" 18 min 35 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 05: Maurice Frere's Good Angel 14 min 36 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 06: Mr. Meekin Administers Consolation 16 min 37 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 07: Rufus Dawes's Idyll 11 min 38 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 08: An Escape 8 min 39 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 09: John Rex's Letter Home 20 min 40 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 10: What Became Of The Mutineers Of The "Osprey" 30 min 41 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 11: A Relic Of Macquarie Harbour 7 min 42 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 12: At Port Arthur 14 min 43 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 13: The Commandant's Butler 11 min 44 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 14: Mr North's Indisposition 19 min 45 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 15: One Hundred Lashes 14 min 46 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 16: Kicking Against The Pricks 11 min 47 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 17: Captain And Mrs. Frere 10 min 48 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 18: In The Hospital 7 min 49 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 19: The Consolations Of Religion 8 min 50 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 20: A Natural Penitentiary 7 min 51 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 21 - A Visit Of Inspection 19 min 52 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 22: A Gathering In The Threads 25 min 53 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 23: Running The Gauntlet 12 min 54 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 24: In The Night 15 min 55 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 25: The Flight 10 min 56 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 26: The Work Of The Sea 26 min 57 Book 03: Port Arthur. 1838. Chapter 27: The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death 16 min 58 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 01: Extracted From The Diary Of The Rev. James North 27 min 59 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 02: The Lost Heir 25 min 60 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 03: Extracted From The Diary Of The Rev. James North 19 min 61 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 04: Extracted From The Diary Of The Rev. James North 11 min 62 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 05: Mr. Richard Devine Surprised 10 min 63 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 06: In Which the Chaplain Is Taken Ill 14 min 64 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 07: Breaking A Man's Spirit 10 min 65 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 08: Extracted From The Diary Of The Rev. James North 10 min 66 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 09: The Longest Straw 11 min 67 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 10: A Meeting 16 min 68 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 11: Extracted From The Diary Of The Rev. James North 8 min 69 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 12: The Strange Behaviour Of Mr. North 13 min 70 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 13: Mr. North Speaks 14 min 71 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 14: Getting Ready For Sea 23 min 72 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 15: The Discovery 16 min 73 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 16: Fifteen Hours 8 min 74 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 17: The Redemption 12 min 75 Book 04: Norfolk Island. 1846. Chapter 18: The Cyclone 13 min 76 Epilogue 1 min
