494 CURRENTS AND WHALING. 



summer, or from March to November. On both the east and wc4 

 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 

 oihcer 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 

 eaptured boat up on the beach. While on his way he was pursued 

 by another boat, which kept firing at him. The captured boat was 



