SURFEIT OF FRESH MEAT. 197 



of danger, when the storm king in his wrath is 

 sweeping over the surface of the ocean, but goes 

 ak)ft unfaltering, although surrounded by the ele- 

 mental war. 



The Hobartown market is abundantly furnished 

 with most excellent meat — the beef I never saw sur- 

 passed, and the mutton is excellent. The principal 

 part of the beeves consumed here are brought from 

 Port Phillip in small craft known as "bullockers," 

 and, despite their uncomfortable passage across the 

 straits, land in excellent condition. We had plenty 

 of such provender whilst we lay here — the cook, or 

 steward, having orders to get abundant supplies each 

 morning, except Sundays — and we did it justice. 

 Although a seaman sighs for fresh meat, after a long 

 cruise, Avhen he has enjoyed it for several days his 

 appetite becomes surfeited, and he gladly hunts up 

 salt junk, and partakes of it with a relish. The 

 consumption for the first and second days is treble 

 that of the succeeding three. A vessel, several years 

 ago, touched at a port on the western coast of South 

 America, for a reason not assigned. There was 

 no fresh meat furnished to the crew, in lieu of it 

 poultry was substituted, which, for a short time, was 

 partakeji of with relish ; but one day the captain was 

 surprised at seeing his men come aft and complain 

 of their chicken diet, asserting that they had had too 

 much of it, and could not work upon it. Salt junk 

 was served out in its place, and the difficulty settled. 

 This is not an isolated case of the kind ; I have read 

 elsewhere, I think in one of J. Fennimore Cooper's 

 works, that the Scotch garrisons originally stationed 

 on the various outposts of Great Britain, on the lakes, 

 17* 



