BLIND BEGGARS. 193 



claims to the attention of purchasers of oysters, 

 oranges, nuts, &c. Besides these notorieties, in every 

 street there was an unusual number of blind beggars. 

 I for a time kept handing a small sum to each of 

 these mendicants ; but soon gave up charity, as I 

 found that it was deleterious to the state of my exche- 

 quer ; money being worth twenty-five cents advance on 

 the dollar here, and therefore a commodity not very 

 liberally forked over by our captain. On stating my 

 suspicions that some of these people were impostors, 

 I was assured to the contrary ; my informant saying 

 that the climate was hurtful to the eyes — a film, some- 

 what resembling the cataract, covering and destroying 

 the sight — a disease easily remedied by the knife of a 

 skilful optician. The government supplies an asj'lum 

 for these unfortunates, but many of them prefer 

 strolling about the streets, to confinement in such 

 an institution. Many of them are attended by dogs, 

 who lead them about with precision. 



Soon after I went ashore I came in contact with a 

 young American, who had been located in the city 

 for several years. Of course, our being from the 

 same State, betrayed us in a review of the place of 

 our birth, into a friendly intimacy. I asked him his 

 opinion of Hobartowu, and shall never forget his 

 answer; it was, that "lewdness filled the streets, 

 licentiousness the houses, and profanity the air," 

 Although not prepared to endorse his sentiments in 

 toto, I must confess that he was not very wide of the 

 mark ; and, whilst I have him in remembrance, I 

 may as well review the opportunities ofl:ered by this 

 part of Australia to induce young men to emigrate 

 to its shores. The state of society, makes those en- 

 17 N 



