NEW CALEDONIA. 337 



else have been made by soldiers and convicts. It is a dear 

 place ; beef costs tenpence a pound, and of mutton there is 

 none, though there are a few sheep in the island. 



The situation of Port-de-Erance is very picturesque ; it 

 stands on the edge of a beautiful lull, with a gradual slope 

 to tlie water. The bay, seen from the top of it, looks 

 nearly round, and they say tliere is water enough for a 

 large ship or man-of-war in any part of it. The anchorage 

 is very good, in a mud jjottom. The Governor told me 

 that sliips would hold their ground in a hiu-ricane. The 

 hills around seemed covered with coarse grass, with a few 

 trees here and there. The land does not appear to be 

 much cultivated in the environs of the town ; occasionally 

 you may meet with small bits of ground used for vegetable 

 gardens. The soil is red, being a ferruginous clay. In the 

 Governor's garden, however, it is blackish, and has been all 

 brought there, which is no doubt the reason the produce is 

 better than elsewhere. There is good brick earth to be 

 found near the town, as I heard, but as yet they do not 

 appear to have made use of it, all buildings being of wood, 

 except barracks and buildings belonging to Government. 

 A great deal in the way of supplies, &c., comes from 

 Australia at present, it being cheaper than procuring them 

 from the mother country. 



About five miles and a half from the town is the model 

 farm of Yahove or Yahoue belonging to the Government. 

 The Governor took us out one day in his omnibus drawn l)y 

 a pair of good Australian horses, driven by M. Boutan, the 



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