15 



of collecting: and let me here state, that for 

 several years I paid more than two hundred 

 per annum chiefly for shells, &c. to gentlemen 

 holding the first situations * under Government. 

 The finest lot of a peculiar species ever brought 

 to this country, was gathered by two bovs in 

 Western Port. A whaler off the coast sent a 

 boat on shore to search for fresh provisions, as 

 birds, animals, &c. whilst the crew were shoot- 

 ing, the boat grounded among stones and weeds, 

 and during the time before she floated, the bovs 

 left in charge of her, employed themselves in ga- 

 thering the shells entangled in the weeds and 

 about the stones. On their return home they 



♦ One ofthe finest collections of shells I ever bought, -was 

 from a Lieut. Governor of St. Helena, who was a connoisseur. 

 He assured me that he obtained them from South Sea ships and 

 Dutch, Danish, and Portuguese, Indiamen, whose commanders,, 

 wanting refreshments, found it their interest to present him 

 •with any tine shells they might possess. 



