168 A SUNDAY ON BOARD THE ELIZA. 



to one of the whalers on the ground, and whether 

 Araerican or English we were unable to snrraise. 

 We have never to this time been able to discover to 

 whom it l)elonged, though it certainly had not be- 

 longed to any one of the whale-ships we had been 

 in company with, as we saw them all afterward. 



The Lady Emma, a few days since, put into Open 

 Bay, where three of her men deserted. In the vici- 

 nity of this bay there is a settlement containing eight 

 Mauriis. This is the only settlement on the coast, 

 from Jacob's Eiver to Cook's Straits — Milford Haven 

 being no exception to the rule, as no white or civil- 

 ized natives exist in its whereabouts. Some of the 

 wild natives have been seen here. During a former 

 voyage, part of the crew of the barque Eunimede, 

 whilst cutting wood, were driven to the beach by 

 these savages. 



The next day, being Sunday and so stormy that 

 we could not enjoy ourselves ashore, a number of us 

 spent it aboard the Eliza. We were the more easil}'' 

 induced to do this from the fact of her having a 

 French cook, who left the Alexander at Stewart's 

 Island and joined the Eliza. He was discharged from 

 the Alexander, and the oil belonging to him was 

 rolled ashore. Here he professed to be very happy ; 

 and, as he was thoroughly master of his business, he 

 was much esteemed by those whom he catered for. 

 I was much surprised at the palatable, and even 

 luxurious, taste of the salt-beef, after having been 

 manipulated by him, compared to that which had 

 undergone the same operation by the hands of our own 

 cook. Although I may have been prejudiced, or the 

 superiority of the viands had rendered my appetite 



