Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux. Written by himself.

A restless boy from modest beginnings, James Hardy Vaux darts from schoolroom to apprenticeships, from London taverns to the decks of a Royal Navy frigate, never staying put long enough to settle. His talent for charm quickly turns to deceit as he swindles employers, embezzles funds, and slips into a series of petty crimes that land him in court, prison, and eventually the notorious Bastille. After a bewildering trial that ends in acquittal, a chance encounter with fellow thieves steers him toward a life of fraud, culminating in a conviction that sends him half a world away on a transport bound for Botany Bay.

In the harsh new colony, Vaux finds a brief reprieve, securing a clerkship under Governor King and earning a place in the burgeoning settlement’s administration. Yet the lure of easy profit follows him, and he soon becomes entangled in schemes that threaten the very supplies meant to sustain the fledgling community. As his duplicity comes to light, his fortunes tumble, hinting at a hard‑won reckoning that lies ahead.