330 HORSES AND VEHICLES. 



prejudicial to the breed of the animal, or Great Bri- 

 tain, in her forethought, vetoes their importation, for 

 the purpose of securing a market for the surplus 

 stock of her Australian colonies, is a point which, in 

 the absence of any authority, I am unable to decide. 



The vehicles are of English construction, and are 

 moderately light; the rattan body, which is so con- 

 ducive to ventilation and comfort in warm weather, 

 being in general use. Their harness, too, is of Euro- 

 pean manufacture — made light, to conform with the 

 oppressiveness of the climate. 



And now that we have pretty thoroughly reviewed 

 the town and its purlieus, we will return to our 

 proper element, and give an account of what trans- 

 pired in the harbor during our stay. First we will 

 notice the whaUng barque. Belle of Warren, which 

 came in to post letters ; of the boat's crew who went 

 ashore for this purpose, one did not return, having 

 taken leg bail for security. I saw him ashore several 

 times afterward, and he was wandering about without 

 a discharge and without a home, looking destitute 

 and woebegone. The Belle remained but a few days ; 

 meantime the whaleship Martha made her appear- 

 ance, for the purpose of landing her third mate, who 

 goes to the hospital to be treated for a pulmonary affec- 

 tion. The Martha reports that the portion of the 

 whaling fleet which went to the northward humpback- 

 ing, were as unsuccessful as ourselves ; seeing nothing, 

 and, consequent!}", doing nothing. This goes to 

 strengthen our theory of the absence of whale feed 

 on the coast during the preceding season. The 

 Martha made as short a stay as the Belle — both 

 vessels having, like us, seen sperm whales near the 



