13 



the fishermen and said, "Tell the gentleman how it is 

 done," and he said, " We leave all that to the women." 



It will be seen from the numbers which I have given, 

 that our mackerel fishery gives employment to about 3,000 

 men and boys, who, between the month of February when 

 the season begins and June when it ends, usually catch 

 about 4,000 tons of fish, which will give six millions of 

 individuals. As soon as our mackerel season is over the 

 pilchard season begins, and when it ends, our fleet sails 

 for the Irish fishery, the Plymouth fishery, or the East coast 

 of England fisheries ; for they can go anywhere. One 

 once reached Australia safely, but now, in these days 

 when 14 foot punts cross the Atlantic, that is no great 

 feat. 



Still, in 1854, when the Mystery, of 36 foot keel and 

 about 1 5 tons burden made her voyage, no boat of her size 

 had ever attempted to deal with the Atlantic Ocean since 

 the Caravel, which was the smallest of the little fleet of 

 Columbus, had done so 350 years before, and she was 

 in company with large vessels, and therefore the voyage 

 of the Mystery remains noteworthy. This solitary boat 

 sailed from Mount's Bay on the i8th November, 1854, and 

 reached Melbourne on the I4th March, 1855, after a 

 voyage of 117 days. She had a crew of seven men and 

 carried her nets. I have recovered the log which was kept 

 on board of her,* and, judging from it, a more dreary 

 voyage than hers was never made. Beyond sighting a few 

 ships and a few albatrosses, and being feted at Table Bay, 

 nothing seems to have occurred of more importance than 

 " the broaching of the second barrel of pork," until they were 

 nearing Australia, and then, for a short time, things got 

 exciting, and they met with weather which made them ride 

 * Kindly lent to me by Mrs. Boase,the widow of the seaman who kept it. 



