APPENDIX. 479 



In 1801, six thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven were returned; 

 and although between those periods all the males have been killed as 

 soon as they became fit, yet there is a surplus over the calculation of 

 six hundred and thirty-three. 



Captain MacArthur is so convinced of the practicability of supply- 

 ing this country with any quantity of fine wool it may require, that 

 he is earnestly solicitous to prosecute this, as it appears to him, im- 

 portant object ; and on his return to New South Wales, to devote his 

 whole attention to accelerate its complete attainment. All the risk 

 attendant on the undertaking he will cheerfully bear — he will require 

 no pecuniary aid — and all the encouragement he humbly solicits, is 

 the protection of government, permission to occupy a sufficient tract 

 of unoccupied lands to feed his flocks, and the indulgence of selecting 

 from amongst the convicts, such men for shepherds, as may, from 

 their previous occupations, know something of the business. 



(Signed) John MacArthur. 



London, 26th July, 1803. 



XXIV. 



U. S. Flag-Ship Vincennes, 

 New Zealand, Bay of Islands, April 5th, 1840. 



My dear Sir, 



I need not tell you how much I feel interested in your cruise. 

 From the interest you took in the outfit of our expedition, I am sure 

 you well know the interest it excites, and how much this feeling is 

 heightened by a knowledge on my part of what you have undertaken, 

 and have to go through. This prompts me to a desire to be useful to 

 you if possible, and to give you my experience of the last season 

 among the ice, whither you are bound. 



Your cruise will be an arduous one, no matter how you may be 

 enlightened on your course ; but you have so much knowledge of the 

 ice, and the manner of treating it, that it appears almost presumptuous 

 in me to sit down to give you any hints relative to it. But, believing 

 as I do, that the ice of the Antarctic is of a totally different character 

 from that of the Arctic, I venture to offer you a few hints that may 

 be useful to you in your undertaking ; and although my instructions 

 are binding upon me relative to discoveries, I am, nevertheless aware 

 that I am acting as my government would order, if they could have 



