AVE you heard much about it? Know where it is? To some, Tasmania sounds almost as mythical as C.S. Lewis' Narnia. Most view it as a remote, mystical place inhabited by a vicious, but happily rare, four-legged devil and memories of convicts, including Irish political prisoners sent to this faraway place to protect the Empire.

This traveller found it fascinating, especially explored independently driving from one end to the other and circling its shore ? that despite my lifetime's only automobile accident, a truly dramatic one on the last day, soaring out over a cliff, after being waved on to a pass by a trucker.

What he must have been able to see, but this driver could not, was an unmarked, sharp, 90-degree curve just ahead in a remote wilderness area. Happily, a marshy bog below broke the fall as the car sailed out into space, hesitated and slowly descended as though in suspended animation after breaking off roadside barriers like so many toothpicks.

I've written about it here before and if it taught one valuable lesson, it was: don't trust directions from anyone ahead of you. A policeman who came out to the scene said 90 cars had gone over that same curve. Wouldn't that seem an appropriate time to erect a warning sign? But there are so many zillion curves here, it probably seems superfluous to locals.

It had been one of those spur-of-the-moment adventures where seizing the moment was a real travel bonus. Our flight had arrived in Melbourne unexpectedly early, and after collecting luggage, we'd noticed a Tasmania-bound flight was leaving for Hobart with space available.

Not due at Melbourne's Regent Hotel (now a Sofitel, Sydney's Regent has become Four Seasons) for almost a week, it had been our intention to investigate the possibility of visiting Tasmania if possible, once we had arrived in Australia. Back from Spain and Portugal only a week earlier, this was supposed to be a restful, low-key experience.

In our usual, loosely-planned adventure style, we ended up renting a car after the hour-long flight and driving out of town that first night, staying in a cottage that could easily sleep a large family.

only 150 miles south of Australia's continent, Tasmania definitely is not a small island. Covering more than 26,000 square miles, much of it is mountainous with a good road system . . . however, it's one that seems to average a staggering number of sharp, unexpected curves and winding roads. Probably no other place we've ever visited world-wide has more curves per mountain mile.

It's also possible to reach there by sea, crossing often-turbulent Bass Strait by overnight passenger ship. We opted to arrive in Hobart, then fly back to Melbourne out of Devonport without retracing the same route.

In many ways, it reminds this traveller of Scotland's Isle of Arran just off that country's southwest coast. That quite remarkable island is also a microcosm of its mother country, and touring it gives one a feel for much of what all Scotland has to offer.

Some unique travellers have proceeded your arrival in Tasmania. Aborigines were on hand when Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman arrived in 1642. He was followed by Lt. William Bligh of infamy who took possession of the island for Britain in 1777. We all know Bligh had a habit of planting trees, carrying breadfruit to the Caribbean. Here it was an apple tree, predecessor of today's apple orchards found in level areas.

Sir Edmund Hillary was a visitor of a totally different type. The island so noted for its unexplored wilderness regions and challenging peaks was a place for him to sharpen skills that helped him reach Everest's summit.

Scenic as this unique island jewel appears today, it's as though some awful black cloud cast an evil spell over its early history. First the Aborigines were quite literally exterminated . . . either killed or deported. It's said by 1876 there were no pure-blooded Aborigines remaining.

In 1830 it became a Pacific version of the feared Devil's Island. England had begun deporting convicts to mainland Australia in the late 18th century. Those considered "unmanageable" were eventually shipped on to Tasmania where Port Arthur provided an Alcatraz-like fortress.

But they weren't the only prisoners, as explained on interesting plaques at the well-marked sites that remain. Many political prisoners, especially Irish ones, were sent here where isolation kept them from any outside contacts.

Some were definitely not common thieves. Names like O'Brien, an Irish revolutionary from a titled and wealthy family, was even allowed his own cottage and you can still visit it today. He was a leading spokesman for a group anxious to get England out of Ireland.

In his former quarters you'll learn about other political prisoners . . . Thomas Meagher later became acting Governor of US Montana Territory . . . doctor and journalist Kevan O'Doherty was later a member of Ireland's Parliament, as was John Martin . . . radical intellectual John Mitchel eventually went to the US and fought in the Civil War. You'll not only learn about their life in prison, but what they ate, how they worked and were treated.

For those with very limited time, it's worth planning a day trip to Port Arthur, even if you've no time to visit the rest of this scenic island. Set on a long peninsula very narrow at its origin, the prison site offered a natural geographic barrier preventing escape. Many called it "that isthmus between earth and hell."

As if that wasn't deterrent enough, savage guard dogs stood guard chained from shore to shore, with the area also patrolled by mounted soldiers. None ever escaped through that route and those who tried a water route faced challenging currents and it's recorded most drowned.

There is something so haunting about Port Arthur that no visitor will ever forget the site. Much still remains from this infamous prison, despite early efforts to erase its memory.

closing in 1877, it was briefly renamed Carnarvon and some of the buildings became residences of locals. There were two disastrous fires, but convict-built stone buildings were so sturdy, many still managed to survive. It will take a day to explore it all adequately.

Although tours are available (as well as an evening ghostly one), this visitor got more from the experience of exploring its vast grounds at my own pace. There is much to see . . . remains of the huge penitentiary, assorted cottages, officers' quarters, guardhouse, hospital and church. Being this close to the mainland is also reminiscent of South Africa's Robben Island where prisoners could see across the water to Cape Town, but with no hope of reaching there.

Some 160,663 prisoners were transported to Australia from England as prisoners, some young as eight years old, some for major offences, others for stealing a loaf of bead to feed a starving family. More than 67,000 landed in Tasmania. Probably most haunting of all is a museum in what the prison called the Lunatic Asylum. Some prisoners had mental problems when they arrived, many others were driven insane by horrendous conditions.

Here you see the leg irons, punishment chains, iron bed, and learn about the convict railroad which ran on wooden rails with convict runners chained like horses. Old convict uniforms are on display along with military firearms and assorted methods of torture, such as 100 lashes.

You'll hear about William Hunt, who dressed in kangaroo skin to escape, heading for Eaglehawk Neck where the Peninsula connects to the mainland, but declared himself to avoid being shot as meat for dogs.

Today prison grounds resemble a botanical garden with gorgeous trees and wild English daisies growing like a carpet of snow. There's the scent of eucalyptus and it's hard to visualise the former horror of the place.

will find Australians' attitude towards their convict ancestors interesting, often surprising. So interesting, in fact, that out of curiosity I bought a booklet entitled

Written by a well-known genealogist, it recalls: "In 1947 an Australian newspaper noted a distinct lack of interest in genealogy on the part of certain Australians who suspect that the history of that ancestor who was reputed to have come to this country on the First Fleet might not bear too much investigation. Most people feel that the possession of a convict as an ancestor may be damaging to their own reputation."

Today, it's a totally different attitude. "Many would either be delighted to find convicts hanging from the family tree or disappointed to discover that their ancestors were indeed of respectable stock," writes the author.

Researching that book, one learns many were "scalawags or scoundrels" or "petty thieves". But "some were framed, innocent victims or transported here for seven years for such offences as stealing a loaf of bread when starving".

On landing in Australia, some went into balls and chains building roads and bridges chained together. They apparently did good work since many things they built still stand. Others with lesser offences were assigned to locals as servants or workers. Especially troublesome ones faced imprisonment on dreaded Norfolk Island or Van Diemen's Land, which was later renamed Tasmania after its discoverer. At its peak of operation, the penal colony at Port Arthur was very self-sufficient. There was a timber operation, ship-building, stone-cutting, iron works, even facilities for making clothing and shoes.

Travellers with time can also visit the Isle of the Dead via twice-daily boat trips. It's estimated nearly 2,000 convicts are buried here, mostly in communal pits.

4 The scenic side of Tasmania