Settlers and Convicts; or, Recollections of Sixteen Years’ Labour in the Australian Backwoods

Settlers and Convicts; or, Recollections of Sixteen Years’ Labour in the Australian Backwoods is a fictionalized autobiography by Alexander Harris, published in 1847. The work is considered a historical classic due to its detailed and realistic portrayal of pioneer life in Australia.1

Harris, born in London in 1805, moved to Australia at age 21 and experienced a strenuous life working up to 18 hours a day in the Australian back country. By 1842, his declining health prompted his return to England. He later worked as a missionary and schoolteacher in Canada. Harris's unbiased observations and characterizations of the pioneer experience make Settlers and Convicts a significant literary achievement.1