NORFOLK ISLAND. 5 



whose principnl and almost only food is the l)ark of trees. 

 At 2 P.M. we reached the anchorage in Cascade Bay, a 

 charming spot adorned with picturesque clusters of trees, 

 above which soar, giant-like, magnificent specimens of the 

 famous Norfolk Island pine. As soon as we anchored, the 

 Commodore invited me to accompany him ashore. George 

 Adams, who was with us, pointed out the best spot for 

 landing, about a mile from the ship. The sea was fortu- 

 nately cahn, and we were able without difliculty to clamber 

 up the rocks which edged the shore. 



We now saw Mr. Eossiter coming to meet us with several 

 horses. This gentleman is both the schoolmaster of the 

 settlement and the agent of the Governor of New South 

 Wales for .superintending the affairs of Norfolk Island. 

 The horses thus obligingly placed at our disposal were the 

 pick of the island, but as very a company of nags as ever 

 looked forward with confidence to being speedily relieved 

 from their troubles by the knacker. Our gear was in 

 perfect harmony with our steeds. The saddles were all 

 rotten, the girths and stirrup-straps mended in various 

 places with string of all possible kinds ; no trifle this for 

 one whose avoirdupois endowments requue a stout hunter 

 or hack, with appointments to match. So equipped and so 

 horsed, it was not without ludicrous difficulty Ave worked 

 up a hill from which we had to descend into the town. 

 No wonder that the natives thus mounted frequently lose 

 their lives when indulging in horsemanship. The distance 

 we had to pass over was about three miles, upon a road 



