476 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



plislied ever so much more in the same time, besides running 

 far less risk, if he had had the great advantage of steam-power. 

 Even if he had had smart weatherly vessels, instead of his 

 dull- sailing ones, it would have made a great difference. The 

 expression " wore ships " is of constant occurrence ; often he is 

 unable to maintain his ground and is driven to leeward, perhaps 

 with situations of peril. Again and again, when close-hauled, 

 instead of keeping a straight course and passing quickly to 

 windward of a berg, prudence compels him to bear away and 

 lose much gromid and valuable time by having to pass it in 

 the "doldrums," and amongst the loose ice to leeward. It 

 was no small matter to have Dr. (now Sir Joseph) Hooker 

 attached to the expedition ; his accounts of the botany of 

 various islands visited are extremely interesting. 



In view of the present depression, I can see no way in which 

 we could prudently attempt exploration, except by combinmg it 

 with steam-whaling. Scotch steam-whalers have won a good 

 name for themselves ; but the fishery at home is at present in 

 a bad way, and very few whales have been captured of late. 

 This, then, ought to be a favourable time to arrange to have one 

 or two good moderate-sized steam-whalers brought out. Two 

 would be better than one ; for, with the feeling of emulation 

 and mutual support, much better results might be expected from 

 them when amongst ice, either in whaluig or exploring work, 

 than from one unsupported vessel. Still, much has been and 

 may be done by one good vessel ; and it is worthy of note that 

 the most appalhng danger that befell Boss's two ships arose 

 from the fact of there bemg two in company, as it was occasioned 

 by one of them running into the other. If two captains could 

 be found who by push and industry have got to be owners of the 

 ships they command, they would be the best men to arrange 

 with, our object being to get hold of men who will come to stay. 

 As inducements for them to come out with their ships, it might 

 be necessary to charter them to bring goods and passengers ; or 

 it might suffice to offer full freights at current rates. In neither 

 case does it necessarily follow that there would be any expense 

 to the colony before their arrival here. After that they might 

 be paid entirely by results ; a moderate bounty, say, for tliree 

 years, on all bone and oil, could be given at very little real cost 

 to the colony, because the bone and oil bring so much money to 

 the place. Indeed, if their whaling is successful here, they will 

 benefit the place in various ways from the very first. The great 

 point, however, should be to get them to cast in their lot with 

 us as colonists, in the hope that having them here to set an 

 example, and show our people how money is to be made, their 

 ships may form the nucleus of a steam whaling fleet belonging to 

 the colony. To stimulate the captams and crews in the work of 

 exploration, so much might be given for each degree of latitude 



