SCANTY SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS. 353 



a horse, or a sheep. At one or two miles distant, 

 however, were some lagoons, still partly covered 

 with water from the last rainy season, on which grew 

 a rank grass, which, though by no means of inviting 

 or nourishing appearance, sufficed to feed the few 

 oxen, buffaloes, and Timor ponies belonging to the 

 place. Added to these, two or three goats, a few 

 fowls and pigs, completed the list of their present 

 live stock. A buffalo was killed every day during 

 our stay, and we got a small supply of yams and 

 sweet potatoes for the ship's company j but when 

 there is no vessel in the harbour, a buffalo a day 

 would be more than they could consume, and as the 

 meat would not keep till the next, it is not thought 

 advisable to slaughter thera. As the gardens, also, 

 are not equal to a constant supply of vegetables, 

 they live during the greater part of the year pretty 

 much as they would on board ship, on salt provisions, 

 biscuit and rum, varied by an occasional kangaroo 

 or a dish of fish. In the latter the harbour abounds, 

 but there are commonly too many men sick to enable 

 the remainder to form a party large enough to haul 

 the seine. 



Captain M 'Arthur informed me, that for the first 

 four years the party was healthy, but that last rainy 

 season had been remarkably heavy and protracted-, 

 to which he attributed their present sickness. This 

 rainy season commenced in October 1842, and lasted 

 till April 1843, instead of, as usual, beginning late 

 in November and ending early in March. 



vol. i. 2 A 



