FISHING IN SYDNEY HAEBOUK. 365 



many hooks, and much wear and tear to the skin of my 

 hands, during the process of hauling some monster to the 

 surface of the water, where we gaffed him, we changed our 

 ground to more calm and sheltered places within the harbour, 

 and anchoring in some lonely bay, baited our light tackle for 

 bream, mackerel, flat-heads, leather -jackets, and other small 

 varieties of the finny tribe. During the best season of the 

 year, which was about April, we usually returned with our 

 boat half full of fish. It will hardly be credited that, with 

 all this facility for fishing, and great plenty in the harbour 

 and adjacent coast, fish were generally dear in Sydney. 



A sportsman has little or no. chance of any enjoyment 

 in the neighbourhood of this city, as there is literally no 

 shooting or hunting of any kind ; indeed, he must go a long 

 distance up the country before he is likely to meet with any, 

 and that is confined chiefly to snipe and wild-fowl. Should 

 he visit the almost tropical settlement of Moreton Bay, he 

 will meet with a much greater variety of game than on any 

 other known part of New Holland, amongst which the real 

 wild turkey, as well as the bustard, figure conspicuously. 

 Other game-birds of the gallinaceous species are also found, 

 and an enormous quantity and variety of wild-fowl frequent 

 the Brisbane Water and its vicinity. 



I was so exceedingly comfortable in the state of dreamy 

 repose which the climate, situation I had chosen, and every 

 thing around me united to produce, that had not other 

 anxieties weighed upon my mind, I should scarcely have 

 known how to tear myself from the charming retreat I had 

 selected. Surrounded by fruit and flowers in fragrant and 

 delicious profusion, and floating on the placid and picturesque 

 waters of the harbour, I visited its most beautiful recesses, 

 and caught an ample supply of fish for my table. But, during 

 the short period that I intended to remain in Sydney, I 

 had other objects in view than mere amusement, and as it 



