70 
THE WHALER’S GARDEN. 
their boats away to look out, at an early hour. In 
fact, during the season, I was informed, that it was 
not unusual to send them to their posts before the 
break of day, and especially so, if other vessels were 
in company, or there was any competition. After 
breakfast I landed with the Captain, to get up and 
inspect the horses ; poor animals they had not gone 
far and were doubtless glad at not being required 
to march away to-day. I was only sorry that the 
country did not abound more in grass. Plenty of 
water left by the rains was procurable, in the ledges 
of the granite rocks, but the vegetation was scanty, 
the soil being very sandy, and covered principally 
with small shrubs, heathy plants, &c. 
Leaving the horses to enjoy their respite from 
labour, I accompanied the Captain to see a garden 
made by the sailors, in which peas and potatoes had 
already been planted, and appeared to be growing 
well. A rich piece of land had been selected on a 
slope, bordering upon a salt water creek, which here 
wound through the level country towards the sea. 
The water in this creek, was brackish in the upper 
part, but seaward it was quite salt, it had a bar 
mouth of sand, which was quite dry. Unfortunately, 
the Captain had no garden seeds but the peas and 
potatoes, so that their labours were confined to cul- 
tivating these ; otherwise during the many months 
spent by them in bay whaling, they might have 
abundantly supplied themselves with a variety of 
vegetables, at once an agreeable and wholesome 
