Jan.] FATE OF CAPTAIN JOHNSON. 363 



On the whole, I think that Auckland's Island is one of the finest 

 places for a small settlement that can be found on any island in the 

 southern hemisphere above the latitude of thirty-five. Every valu- 

 able animal would thrive here, such as bullocks, horses, sheep, goats, 

 hogs, foxes, rabbits, geese, ducks, and poultry of all kinds ; all of which 

 would increase and multiply as fast as in any other part of the world. 

 Grain, fruits, and vegetables of all kinds (excepting the tropical fruits) 

 could be made to flourish here with very little labour. No island on 

 the globe, of equal dimensions, can boast so many excellent harbours, 

 safe, and easy of access ; and at the head of each is a beautiful valley, 

 extending inland, admirably calculated for the site of a village. The 

 whole island is well watered, and would form a delightful retreat to a 

 few amiable families, who wish for " a dear little isle of their own." 



The climate is mild, temperate, and salubrious. I have been told by 

 men of the first respectability and talents, who had visited this island 

 in the month of July, the dead of winter in this latitude, corresponding 

 to our January, that the weather was mild as respects cold, as the mer- 

 cury was never lower than 38° in the valleys, and the trees at the 

 same time retained their verdure as if it was midsummer. I have no 

 doubt but the foliage of many of the trees remains until they are pushed 

 off in the following spring by a new crop of buds and leaves. At the 

 time we were here the mercury in the thermometer seldom rose higher 

 than 78°, although it answered to our July. The weather is generally 

 good at all seasons of the year; although there are occasional high 

 winds, attended with heavy rains. These storms, however, seldom last 

 more than twenty -four hours. 



In the year 1823, Captain Robert Johnson, in the schooner Henry, 

 of New- York, took from this island, and the surrounding islets, about 

 thirteen thousand of as good fur-seal skins as ever were brought to the 

 New- York market. He was then in the employment of Messrs. 

 Byers, Rogers, M'lntyre, and Nixon ; who fitted him out on his second 

 voyage, in the Henry, in the most complete and liberal manner, in the 

 year 1824. From this voyage he never returned. He was last seen 

 at the south cape of New-Zealand, in the following year, having lost 

 three men, who were drowned at Chatham Islands. Captain Johnson 

 and the remainder of his crew were then all in good health, and had 

 seventeen hundred prime fur-sealskins on board the Henry. My in- 

 formants further stated, that the Henry left New-Zealand on a cruise 

 to the south and east, in search of new lands, between the sixtieth and 

 sixty-fifth degrees of south latitude ; and as he has never been heard 

 of since leaving New-Zealand, it is very probable that he made dis- 

 covery of some new island near the parallel of 60, on which the Henry 

 was shipwrecked. I have no doubt, that if a vessel should cruise in 

 that direction, she would fall in with islands abounding with fur-seal ; 

 and possibly find Captain Johnson, or part of his crew, yet alive. For 

 the sake of humanity, I hope that the experiment will yet be tried. 



Although the Auckland Isles once abounded with numerous herds of 

 fur and hair-seal, the American and English seamen engaged in this 

 business have made such clean work of it as scarcely to leave a breed ; 

 at all events, there was not one fur-seal to be found on the 4th of Jan» 



