THE KING OF TRISTAN D'ACUNHA. 405 



of the business, or costing a farthing to obtain them. 

 Fish would be an article worth attending to, as they 

 are, when salted and dried, very fine, and such as I 

 have seen at the Isle of France for S.6 the 110 Ib. 

 That, however, and the seal-skins, may remain in the 

 background, making use of them when occasion may 

 require to fill a small vessel with an assorted cargo of 

 oil, skins, fish, &c., for the Eio market, if it be thought 

 proper. Oil was worth 50 cents when you were there, 

 and that is more than it is worth in America, and a 

 much nearer market. Empty pipes are plenty at 

 Eio, and cheap, and put in proper order, might be 

 stowed in the hold, and filled from the cistern by 

 means of butts or half-butts, and carried on board 

 with great ease and safety, and the casks always 

 fresh furnished, if the oil sold at Rio. Even if the 

 oil sold at Eio for 30 cents per gallon, it would be 

 worth pursuing ; for the cistern only once filled, 

 could, with very little aid from men and a few asses, 

 be always kept full, and the small craft may make 

 what speed she pleases to take it away, besides the 

 means of being so readily furnished with casks, and 

 the vicinity of the market to the cistern. Elephant 

 skins, I have seen in an English paper, sell well in 

 London ; why, then, may not Eio furnish a market 

 for them also, when well salted and dried, seeing so 

 many English merchants and agents are constantly 

 buying up everything which will answer as remit- 

 tances, &c. ; and surely, being a Eoman Catholic 

 VOL. i. 2 D 



