AMERICAN WHALERS. 131 



public, and the Government at home, had been 

 drawn to the wrongs and sufferings of the Abori- 

 gines of Australia ; and that a desire of preserving 

 them from deterioration and ultimate destruction, 

 had been evinced. Protectors had been sent out 

 for the purpose of attending especially to their 

 interests, so that it was evident that what was wanted 

 was not good will towards them. It was easy, how- 

 ever, to perceive that the system was a bad one, and 

 to foretell its failure. The most prominent feature 

 in the plan adopted, was the gathering together of 

 the natives in the neighbourhood of settlers without 

 previously providing them with any means of sub- 

 sistence, so that they were in a manner compelled 

 to have recourse to depredations. 



To shew to what extent whaling is carried on in 

 these seas by foreigners, I may mention that dur- 

 ing our stay at Swan River, I at one time counted 

 as many as thirteen American whalers at anchor. 

 It was to be regretted that this departmentof industry 

 had been abandoned by the colonists, who however 

 derived considerable advantage from the barter 

 trade they carried on with the whale ships. 



At Perth we found our old shipmate Miago, and 

 were sorry to observe that he was as great a savage 

 as ever. He had got into considerable disgrace 

 among his fellows on account of his having performed 

 one of these feats of which he was so continually 

 boasting on the North-west coast, namely, carrying 

 away a woman. He was hiding about, in momentary 

 fear of being speared by those whom he had injured. 



K 2 



