The Chest that stays in the alcove belonged to James Deas, who was a surgeon aboard the convict ship Neptune. The ship was carrying 282 exiles to Van Diemans land, who refused to take the convicts, so they were to be landed in Cape Town instead. James Deas died there of yellow fever on 29th September 1849 age 37. The convicts were not allowed to land in South Africa either, and the ship was re-routed back to Tasmania.

The Picture shows his hat, and a pack of Dartmouth gunpower. These items along with some clothes, are kept in the chest. Various medical books, encyclopaedias and a Latin Bible, also belong in the chest.
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