494 
CURRENTS AND WHALING. 
summer, or from March to November. On both the east and we t 
coasts of New Holland, as well as on that of New Zealand, they are 
abundant from September to March, in the bays, where they resort to 
calve. This, however, they no longer do without molestation, as the 
shores are now occupied by extensive establishments for taking them, 
well provided with boats. On the signal from the look-out, the boats 
are launched, and soon in hot pursuit of the game, which, when killed, 
is towed into the bay and dragged on shore, where it is cut up and 
“ tryed out.” 
There are few places which surpass these localities for the commis¬ 
sion of all kinds of vice; and in saying this, I have reference as well 
to those of South and West Australia, as to those of New Zealand, 
although the latter are the most noted for their enormities. Some 
merchants, it is said, in Sydney, advance the capital, and share the 
profits with those who undertake the business. The latter generally 
engage in their service a large number of natives and some of the 
lowest whites, whom they allow to indulge in every sort of vice, so 
long as they can make use of them. Quarrels often take place between 
the parties engaged in the same business, and the rivalry not unfre- 
quently leads to sharp conflicts and bloodshed. 
I am surprised that the British authorities have not taken cogni¬ 
zance of the outrageous acts that are constantly taking place within 
the limits where they claim authority. One of these acts was made 
known to me after my arrival at the Bay of Islands, and I regretted 
the impossibility of repairing to the spot to demand redress. The 
following is the statement of the master, officers, and crew. 
“ While the whale-ship Adeline, Thomas Brown, master, was lying 
at Kapiti, New Zealand, on the 12th of December, 1839, for the pur¬ 
pose of refitting with wood and water, at about 2 p. m., as the third 
officer and five of the crew were employed in towing off a raft of 
water; being about one mile from the ship, they were boarded by a 
whale-boat, having a crew of eight Europeans and one New Zealander, 
under one James Harrison as headsman, armed with pistols and knives, 
(being a part of the persons employed by Raymond and Young,) who 
forcibly took possession of the boat and cut off the raft, threatening 
instant death to any one who should make resistance. Having thus 
captured the boat, they at once made sail, and ran for their establish¬ 
ment, on the shore, about six miles distant. The captain, on perceiving 
the piratical act, at once followed with two boats, but did not succeed 
in overtaking them until they reached the shore and had hauled the 
captured boat up on the beach. While on his way he was pursued 
by another boat, which kept firing at him. The captured boat was 
