Nineteenth-Century Travel Writing
Henry Savery (1791-1842) was a sugar-refiner, editor, insurance broker, convict and author. Savery was trading in forged cheques, and following his arrest, jumped from the ship that was taking him to America. He was sentenced to death, however this was commuted in 1825 to transportation for life. However, as an educated convict he was favoured and was granted a ticket of leave in 1832. The preface to this text highlighted that the object of The Hermit in Van Diemen's Land was to provide information on the manners and society of the colony of Van Diemen's Land, attempting to instruct and improve its readers by providing "a mirror wherein good qualities are exhibited". There are only six original copies of this work known.