Explore "Broad Arrow" by Caroline Leakey on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
WE have seen the signal hoisted on Mulgrave Battery--the signal that spread a universal dissatisfaction through every free breast in Hobart Town. As floated from the flagstaff that announcement that another ship-load of sin was about to disgorge itself on Tasmanian shores, a token also appeared to the captives on the transport. Yet no--though seen by all, two only of the prisoners accepted it as a token. To these two was it sent; to the others it was only a natural circumstance.
The convicts were assembled on the decks--every eye strained itself landward, every heart beat alternate throbs of hope, fear--fear, hope. The sun shone gloriously down, when very high in the clear air a pure white speck was seen floating on a long bright ray. It came nearer and nearer, slowly descending, until, poising over the vessel and gently fluttering its spotless wing, a silver-winged dove attracted the gaze of all, and a deep hush of admiration fell on the hardest heart there. Radiant in the sunlight, it seemed to rest a moment; then, gradually ascending, a cloud, that had almost suddenly appeared, received the wondrous creature out of their sight.