five in the morning
It could be noticed that the chaplain had sometimes to keep a tight grip of the goblet containing the wine . That night Hugh Ritson lodged at the doctor 's quarters . He did not lie , but , as on the night before , he walked the long hours through , steadfastly resisting every temptation to sleep . At five in the morning he heard the great bell at the gate ring for two minutes , and , shortly afterward , the tramp , tramp , tramp of many feet under his window . The convicts , to the number of fifteen hundred , were drawn up on the parade-ground . They looked chill in the cold light of early morning ; their gray jackets lay loose on their spare shoulders ; their hands hung inertly at their sides , and they walked with the oscillating motion of men whose feet were sore in their heavy boots . The civil guard was drawn up , the chief warder whistled , and then the men fell out into gangs of twenty-five each , attended by an assistant warder .