194 OUR HERITAGE THE SEA 



with either the Manaar pearlery or that extraordinary 

 one around the island of Margarita on the Spanish 

 Main, there is no doubt that a vast number of beau- 

 tiful pearls are here obtained, and owing to the 

 immense appreciation in the value of pearls that has 

 taken place of late years, there must be some very 

 pretty fortunes to be made. There was a time, too, 

 when Australia's bold seamen engaged in the whale 

 fishery to a considerable extent; but that was long 

 ago, and to-day I doubt whether anything in that 

 direction is being done at all, either from Australia 

 or the beautiful fruitful island of Tasmania, whose 

 chief port, Hobart Town, was once the principal 

 rendezvous of Australasian whaling ships. 



I am glad that I have saved some superlatives for 

 the last and best of our possessions in the south, the 

 lovely colony of New Zealand. Because of all places 

 in the world that I have been privileged to visit, this 

 wonderland lies nearest my heart, for many reasons. 

 But here I only deal with one of its phases of attrac- 

 tion; it is undoubtedly the sea -fisherman's paradise. 

 If I were asked the question, which is so often put 

 by one sailor to another, " Which is the best port you 

 have ever been in for fishing?" I should unhesitatingly 

 answer, " Auckland." Of course, such a question has 

 a special meaning for a sailor, because, as a rule, he 

 is confined to his ship, and if he cannot fish success- 

 fully over her rail he has no other opportunity. Now, 

 in Auckland, whether the ship lies at the wharf or 

 is anchored in the harbour does not matter, fish can 

 always be caught. Of course, fish are not everywhere 

 alike plentiful, because, for instance, in some portions 

 of the beautiful bay fish are so thick that, on the 



