Question

Which parts of this excerpt from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens indicate sarcasm?

Answer 1

shipping off Oliver Twist, in some small trading vessel bound to a good unhealthy port.

....probability being, that the skipper would flog him to death, in a playful mood, some day after dinner, or would knock his brains out with an iron bar; both pastimes being, as is pretty generally known, very favourite and common recreations among gentleman of that class.