28 SEA-STOCK SCARCE. \April, 



cases of concentrated sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol), gal- 

 vanic batteries, balloon gear, mm mult is aliis, which 

 would probably involve more queries than I would care 

 to answer. At every step these were really obstructions, 

 and some were subjects not to be ill-treated with impunity, 

 even thus far out of Scotland. In the midst of all these 

 duties, involving almost a restowage of the ship, watering, 

 coaling, etc., we began to discover that our private stock 

 of animals and other requisites, involving the comfort of 

 both inner and outer man, had been most peculiarly over- 

 looked. The natives, too, had discovered our weakness, 

 from a certain furor displayed by one or two leading 

 purchasers, and did not even, while thus patriotically and 

 philanthropically engaged, fail in forming just estimates 

 of the contents of our purses, probably understanding 

 from previous visitors that men-of-war's men are fair 

 game. 



Independent of any such feeling, and setting aside any 

 presumption that stock here is cheap and easy to be pro- 

 cured, I would strongly advise my brother officers not to 

 trust to any such fallacy beyond eggs, milk, and butter. 

 Animals, ducks, fowls, etc., are not fit to kill, do not live, 

 and turn out eventually very dear bargains. But this 

 applies in most minor ports. It is only the practised 

 stockman who will supply objects fit to eat, or which 

 will endure the caging on board ships. 



Our rambles exhibited to us, or rather to myself, no 

 improvement since my visit to the Orkneys in 1821, a 

 private individual, and most warmly and hospitably enter- 

 tained by some good friends at Kirkwall, whose names 

 have escaped my memory, but their kindness has not 



