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diff --git a/old/60696-8.txt b/old/60696-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3dedaaf..0000000 --- a/old/60696-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16859 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Boy Travellers in Australasia, by Thomas W. Knox - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Boy Travellers in Australasia - Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to the Sandwich, - Marquesas, Society, Samoan, and Feejee Islands - -Author: Thomas W. Knox - -Release Date: November 15, 2019 [EBook #60696] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN AUSTRALASIA *** - - - - -Produced by Annie R. McGuire - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: Book Cover] - - - - -[Illustration: MAP TO ACCOMPANY THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN AUSTRALASIA.] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN - -AUSTRALASIA - -ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY TO -THE SANDWICH, MARQUESAS, SOCIETY, SAMOAN, AND FEEJEE ISLANDS, AND -THROUGH THE COLONIES OF NEW ZEALAND, NEW SOUTH WALES -QUEENSLAND, VICTORIA, TASMANIA, AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA - -BY - -THOMAS W. KNOX - -AUTHOR OF "THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN THE FAR EAST" "IN SOUTH AMERICA" -"IN RUSSIA" AND "ON THE CONGO" "THE YOUNG NIMRODS" -"THE VOYAGE OF THE 'VIVIAN'" ETC. - -Illustrated - -NEW YORK -HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE -1889 - - - - -By THOMAS W. KNOX. - - * * * * * - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN THE FAR EAST. Five Volumes. Copiously Illustrated. -8vo, Cloth, $3.00 each. The volumes sold separately. Each volume -complete in itself. - - I. ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY TO JAPAN AND CHINA. - II. ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY TO SIAM AND JAVA. With - Descriptions of Cochin-China, Cambodia, Sumatra, and the - Malay Archipelago. - III. ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY TO CEYLON AND INDIA. With - Descriptions of Borneo, the Philippine Islands, and Burmah. - IV. ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY TO EGYPT AND PALESTINE. - V. ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY THROUGH AFRICA. - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN SOUTH AMERICA. Adventures of Two Youths in a -Journey through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentine -Republic, and Chili; with Descriptions of Patagonia and Tierra del -Fuego, and Voyages upon the Amazon and La Plata Rivers. Copiously -Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, $3.00. - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE. Adventures of Two Youths in a -Journey in European and Asiatic Russia, with Accounts of a Tour across -Siberia, Voyages on the Amoor, Volga, and other Rivers, a Visit to -Central Asia, Travels Among the Exiles, and a Historical Sketch of the -Empire from its Foundation to the Present Time. Copiously Illustrated. -8vo, Cloth, $3.00. - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS ON THE CONGO. Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey -with Henry M. Stanley "Through the Dark Continent." Copiously -Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, $3.00. - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN AUSTRALASIA. Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey -to the Sandwich, Marquesas, Society, Samoan, and Feejee Islands, and -through the Colonies of New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, -Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. Copiously Illustrated. 8vo, -Cloth, $3.00. - -THE VOYAGE OF THE "VIVIAN" TO THE NORTH POLE AND BEYOND. Adventures of -Two Youths in the Open Polar Sea. Copiously Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, -$2.50. - -HUNTING ADVENTURES ON LAND AND SEA. Two Volumes. Copiously Illustrated. -8vo, Cloth, $2.50 each. The volumes sold separately. Each volume -complete in itself. - - I. THE YOUNG NIMRODS IN NORTH AMERICA. - II. THE YOUNG NIMRODS AROUND THE WORLD. - - * * * * * - -PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. - -_Any of the above volumes sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of -the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price._ - - * * * * * - -Copyright, 1888, by HARPER & BROTHERS.--_All rights reserved._ - - - - -PREFACE. - - -The first settlement in Australia was made in 1788; consequently the -inhabitants of the great southern continent are this year celebrating -their centennial. Three millions of people settled in five great -colonies, possessing all the characteristics of an advanced -civilization, with the unity developed by a common language and a common -allegiance, and the rivalry that springs from the independence of each -colony by itself, are uniting in the centennial celebration, and -contrasting the Australia of to-day with that of one hundred years ago. - -Previous to the discovery of gold in Australia, in 1851, Americans had -but little knowledge of that far-away land. The opening of the -auriferous fields attracted the attention of the whole civilized world -to the antipodes, and many Americans joined the multitude that went -thither in search of wealth. Since that time our relations with -Australia have, year by year, grown more intimate. Railways across our -continent and steamship lines over the broad Pacific have brought Sydney -and Melbourne in juxtaposition to New York and San Francisco, and in -this centennial Australian year we may almost regard the British -colonies under the Southern Cross as our next-door neighbors. - -The writer of this volume is not aware that any illustrated book -descriptive of Australia and its neighboring colonies, New Zealand and -Tasmania, by an American author, or from an American press, has ever yet -appeared. Believing such a book desirable, he sent those youthful -veterans of travel, Frank Bassett and Fred Bronson, over the route -indicated on the title-page, with instructions to make careful note of -what they saw and learned. Under the guidance of their mentor and our -old friend Doctor Bronson they carried out their instructions to the -letter, and the results of their observations will be found in the -following pages. Trusting that the book will meet the favor that has -been accorded to previous volumes of the "Boy Traveller" series, they -offer their present work as their contribution to the Australian -centennial, and hope that the boys and girls of their native land will -find pleasure and profit in its perusal. - -The method followed in the preparation of previous volumes of the series -has been observed in the present book as far as it was possible to do -so. The author's personal knowledge of the countries and people of -Australasia has been supplemented by information drawn from many -sources--from books, newspapers, maps, and other publications, and from -numerous Australian gentlemen whom he has known or with whom he has been -in correspondence. During the progress of the work he has kept a -watchful eye on the current news from the antipodes, and sought to bring -the account of the condition of the railways, telegraphs, and other -constantly changing enterprises down to the latest dates. - -Many of the books consulted in the preparation of "The Boy Travellers In -Australasia" are named in the text, but circumstances made it -inconvenient to refer to all. Among the volumes used are the following: -Wallace's "Australasia," Forrest's "Explorations in Australia," -Warburton's "Journey Across the Western Interior of Australia," -Alexander's "Bush-fighting in the Maori War," Smyth's "Aborigines of -Victoria," Bodham-Whetham's "Pearls of the Pacific," Murray's "Forty -Years of Mission Work in Polynesia," Cumming's "At Home in Fiji," -Markham's "Cruise of the _Rosario_," Palmer's "Kidnapping in the South -Seas," Buller's "Forty Years in New Zealand," "Australian Pictures," -Harcus's "South Australia," Eden's "Australia's Heroes," Trollope's -"Australia and New Zealand," and Nordhoff's "Northern California, -Oregon, and the Sandwich Islands." - -The publishers have kindly allowed the use of illustrations that have -appeared in HARPER'S MAGAZINE and other of their publications, and these -illustrations have admirably supplemented those that were specially -prepared for the book. The maps on the front and rear covers were -specially drawn from the best authorities, and are intended to embody -the most recent explorations and the latest developments of the railway -systems of the Australian colonies. - - T. W. K. - NEW YORK, _July_, 1888. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO HONOLULU.--SIGHTS ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN.--A - PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR.--NEARING THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.--THE - MOLOKAI CHANNEL.--SURF-BEATEN SHORES OF OAHU.--ARRIVAL AT - HONOLULU.--A PICTURESQUE PORT.--DISCOVERY AND HISTORY OF THE - SANDWICH ISLANDS.--CAPTAIN COOK: HIS TRAGIC DEATH.--HOW THE - PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CIVILIZED.--WORK OF THE MISSIONARIES.--SCHOOLS - AND CHURCHES.--PRESENT CONDITION OF THE POPULATION.--OLD - CUSTOMS.--SIGHTS AND SCENES IN HONOLULU.--TARO AND POI.--A - NATIVE DINNER.--THE COSTUMES OF THE ISLANDERS.--PECULIARITIES - OF THE CLIMATE.--THE HULA-HULA AND OTHER DANCES. Page 1 - - CHAPTER II. - - IN AND AROUND HONOLULU.--PUBLIC BUILDINGS.--THE THEATRE.--ROAD - TO THE PALI.--A MAGNIFICENT VIEW.--VILLAS NEAR THE CITY.--GIRLS - ON HORSEBACK.--TARO-FIELDS.--THE WATER SUPPLY.--MOUNTAIN-PASS.-- - HAWAIIAN COW-BOYS.--HILO AND THE VOYAGE THITHER.--APOCRYPHAL - STORIES ABOUT THE RAIN.--SURF-SWIMMING.--THE GREAT VOLCANO OF - KILAUEA.--OVER THE LAVA-FIELDS.--DIFFICULT ROADS.--THE VOLCANO - HOUSE.--A DISTURBED NIGHT.--BURNING LAKES.--SIGHT-SEEING UNDER - DIFFICULTIES.--TERRIFYING SCENES.--KILAUEA AND MAUNA LOA.--THE - GREATEST VOLCANO IN THE WORLD.--HISTORIC ERUPTIONS.--CRATER OF - HALEAKALA.--SUGAR CULTURE IN HAWAII: ITS EXTENT AND INCREASE.-- - OTHER INDUSTRIES.--RETURNING BY SCHOONER TO HONOLULU.--LEPER - ISLAND OF MOLOKAI.--A DAY AMONG THE LEPERS. 24 - - CHAPTER III. - - SUDDEN CHANGE OF PLANS.--THE YACHT "PERA."--DEPARTURE FROM - HONOLULU.--VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS.--NOOKAHEEVA BAY.-- - HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MARQUESAS.--WHAT OUR FRIENDS SAW - THERE.--TATTOOING AND HOW IT IS PERFORMED.--THE DAUGHTER OF A - CHIEF.--NATIVES AND THEIR PECULIARITIES.--COTTON AND OTHER - PLANTATIONS.--PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE ISLANDS.--VISITING A - PLANTATION AND A NATIVE VILLAGE.--MISSIONARIES AND THEIR - WORK.--THE TABU.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--PITCAIRN ISLAND AND THE - MUTINEERS OF THE "BOUNTY."--WONDERS OF EASTER ISLAND.--GIGANTIC - MONUMENTS OF AN UNKNOWN RACE. 47 - - CHAPTER IV. - - FROM THE MARQUESAS TO THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.--THE GREAT BARRIER - REEF.--THE CORAL INSECT AND HIS WORK.--ATOLLS AND THEIR - PECULIARITIES.--ORIGIN OF THE POLYNESIAN PEOPLE.--ARRIVAL AT - PAPÉITI.--ON SHORE IN TAHITI.--A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS.-- - WORK OF THE MISSIONARIES.--THE FRENCH OCCUPATION.--VICTIMS FOR - SACRIFICE.--OLD-TIME CUSTOMS.--PRODUCTS OF THE SOCIETY - ISLANDS.--BECHE-DE-MER FISHING.--VISIT TO THE REEF.--CURIOUS - THINGS SEEN THERE.--ADVENTURES WITH SHARKS, STINGAREES, AND - OTHER MONSTERS.--GIGANTIC CLAMS.--VISITING THE MARKET.--EATING - LIVE FISHES.--A NATIVE FEAST.--EXCURSION TO POINT VENUS. 74 - - CHAPTER V. - - FROM THE SOCIETY TO THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.--BEFORE THE - TRADE-WINDS.--NOTES ABOUT THE MISSIONARIES.--OPPOSITION OF - TRADERS TO MISSIONARIES.--HOW POLYNESIA WAS CHRISTIANIZED.--THE - WORK OF THE MISSIONS.--REV. JOHN WILLIAMS.--ROMANTIC STORY OF - THE HERVEY GROUP.--THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.--THE WESLEYAN - AND OTHER MISSIONS.--DEATH OF MR. WILLIAMS.--SANDAL-WOOD - TRADERS.--POLYNESIAN SLAVERY.--LABOR-VESSELS AND THE - LABOR-TRADE.--HOW NATIVES WERE KIDNAPPED.--"THE MISSIONARY - TRICK."--THE MUTINY ON THE "CARL."--CAPTURE OF THE "DAPHNE."-- - HOW LABOR IS OBTAINED AT PRESENT. 99 - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.--APIA.--ITS POSITION AND PECULIARITIES.-- - BEACH-COMBERS.--HISTORY AND ADVENTURES OF SOME OF THEM.-- - CHARLEY SAVAGE.--SAMOAN POLITICS.--ATTEMPT TO POISON - MISSIONARIES.--FRENCH CONVENT AND SCHOOLS.--COMMERCE WITH - SAMOA.--VISITING A NATIVE VILLAGE.--GAMES OF THE YOUNG - PEOPLE.--YOUTHS THROWING SPEARS.--MISSION COLLEGE AT MALUA.-- - HOW THE STUDENTS LIVE.--PANGO-PANGO.--ADMIRAL WILKES'S - DESCRIPTION.--ATTENDING A SAMOAN PICNIC.--DIFFERENCES OF - TASTE.--MASSACRE BAY.--LA PÉROUSE.--HOW HIS FATE WAS - DISCOVERED.--THE SWORD-HILT AT TUCOPIA.--LOSS OF THE - "BOUSSOLE" AND "ASTROLABE."--VANIKORO ISLAND. 122 - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE FEEJEE ISLANDS: THEIR EXTENT AND POPULATION.--TERRIBLE - FATALITY OF THE MEASLES.--ROTUMAH AND ITS PEOPLE.--KANDAVU - AND SUVA.--VITI LEVU.--SIGHTS OF THE CAPITAL.--PRODUCTIONS - AND COMMERCE OF FEEJEE.--GROWTH OF THE SUGAR TRADE.--THE LABOR - QUESTION.--OBSERVATIONS AMONG THE NATIVES.--FEEJEEAN - HAIR-DRESSING.--NATIVE PECULIARITIES.--CANNIBALISM: ITS EXTENT - AND SUPPRESSION.--HOW THE CHIEFS WERE SUPPLIED.--A WHOLE TRIBE - OF PEOPLE EATEN.--LEVUKA.--INTERVIEWS WITH MERCHANTS AND - PLANTERS.--THE BOLOLO FESTIVAL.--ANCIENT CUSTOMS. 147 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - ATTENDING A NATIVE CHURCH.--A FEEJEEAN PREACHER.--DINNER WITH A - FEEJEEAN FAMILY.--THE SEASONS IN FEEJEE.--A TROPICAL SHOWER.--A - HURRICANE.--A PLANTER'S ADVENTURES.--SCENES OF DEVASTATION.-- - THE CLIMATE OF THE FEEJEE ISLANDS.--WRECKED ON A REEF.--ESCAPING - FROM THE JAWS OF CANNIBALS.--A WALKING ART GALLERY.--A TATTOOED - WHITE MAN.--RETURNING TO SUVA.--THE FRIENDLY, OR TONGA, - ISLANDS.--TONGATABOO.--THE KING OF THE TONGAS: HOW HE LIVES.--A - REMARKABLE CAVERN AND A LOVE STORY ABOUT IT.--FROM FEEJEE TO - NEW ZEALAND.--HAURAKI GULF.--AUCKLAND.--A FINE SEAPORT AND ITS - COMMERCE.--HOW NEW ZEALAND WAS COLONIZED.--THE MAORIS.--CURIOUS - FACTS ABOUT A CURIOUS PEOPLE.--MISSIONARIES IN NEW ZEALAND.-- - HOW THE MAORIS MAKE WAR. 173 - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE SUBURBS OF AUCKLAND.--EXTINCT VOLCANOES.--MAORI - FORTIFICATIONS.--A KAURI FOREST.--KAURI LUMBER AND GUM.--HOW - THE GUM IS FORMED AND FOUND.--TREES OF NEW ZEALAND AND THEIR - VALUE.--FERNS AND THEIR VARIETY.--A PAKKHA MAORI: HIS - REMINISCENCES.--CURIOUS NATIVE CUSTOMS.--BUYING HEADS.--SALE - OF A LIVING MAN'S HEAD.--THE LAW OF MURU.--NEW ZEALAND - BIRDS.--THE GIGANTIC MOA, OR DINORNIS.--NATIVE WEDDINGS.-- - KAWAU ISLAND.--SHARK-FISHING.--OYSTERS.--VISITING THE THAMES - GOLD-FIELDS.--SIGHTS AND SCENES.--GOLD-MINING IN NEW - ZEALAND.--POPULATION OF THE COLONY.--ENCOURAGEMENT TO - IMMIGRATION.--JOURNEY TO THE HOT LAKES.--CLIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND. 198 - - CHAPTER X. - - THE HOT LAKE DISTRICT: ITS EXTENT AND PECULIARITIES.-- - MEDICINAL SPRINGS.--ANALYSIS OF THE WATERS.--FRED'S NARROW - ESCAPE.--SCALDED TO DEATH IN A HOT POOL.--LAKE ROTOMAHANA.-- - THE WHITE TERRACES: HOW THEY ARE FORMED.--THE PINK TERRACES.-- - BOILING LAKES.--NATURE'S BATH-TUBS.--PETRIFIED BIRDS.--A - TABOOED MOUNTAIN.--THE TABU ON DUCKS.--NATIVE - DEMORALIZATION.--WAIROA.--DESTRUCTION OF THE TERRACES.-- - TERRIBLE ERUPTION, WITH LOSS OR LIFE.--A VILLAGE THROWN INTO A - LAKE.--TAURANGA AND THE GATE PAH.--MAORI FORTIFICATIONS.-- - SHORT HISTORY OF THE MAORI WAR: ITS CAUSES AND RESULTS.--FROM - TAURANGA TO NAPIER.--A PASTORAL COUNTRY.--ATTRACTIONS OF - NAPIER.--OVERLAND TO WELLINGTON.--FARMING AND HERDING - SCENES.--A CURIOUS ARTICLE OF COMMERCE. 222 - - CHAPTER XI. - - ADVANTAGES OF WELLINGTON AS THE CAPITAL.--ITS INDUSTRIES AND - PROSPERITY.--A CITY OF EARTHQUAKES.--ITS PUBLIC BUILDINGS.-- - THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT: HOW THE COLONY IS RULED.--THE - COLONIAL PARLIAMENT.--MAORIS AS OFFICE-HOLDERS.--A WALK IN THE - BOTANICAL GARDENS.--DIVISION OF THE ISLANDS INTO COUNTIES AND - DISTRICTS.--NO CONNECTION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.--RELATIVE - STRENGTH OF RELIGIOUS BODIES.--EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.--THE - COLONIAL DEBT: ITS ENORMOUS FIGURES.--OVERLAND TO NEW - PLYMOUTH.--ALONG THE SEA-SHORE.--MAKING IRON FROM SEA-SAND.-- - RIDING THROUGH THE BUSH.--NELSON AND PICTON.--THE WAIRAU - MASSACRE.--TO PORT LYTTELTON AND CHRISTCHURCH.--AN ENGLISH MODEL - COLONY.--THE CANTERBURY DISTRICT.--THE "SERVANT-GIRL" QUESTION. 246 - - CHAPTER XII. - - CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CANTERBURY DISTRICT.--VISIT TO A - SHEEP-STATION.--HOW THE SHEEP-BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.--THE - AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.--IRRIGATION IN NEW ZEALAND.--SHEEP LOST - IN SNOW-STORMS.--THE SHEEP-RAISER'S ENEMIES.--DESTRUCTION - CAUSED BY PARROTS.--THE RABBIT PEST.--HOW RABBITS ARE - EXTERMINATED.--VISIT TO A WHEAT-FARM.--WHEAT STATISTICS.-- - IMPROVED MACHINERY.--THE SPARROW PEST.--TROUBLESOME EXOTICS.-- - WATERCRESS, DAISIES, AND SWEETBRIER.--AN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.-- - MOUNT COOK: FIRST ASCENT.--PERILOUS CLIMBING.--GLACIERS AND - LAKES.--THE SOUTHERN ALPS.--DUNEDIN.--OTAGO GOLD-FIELDS.-- - INVERCARGILL.--LAKE WAKATIPU.--MINING AT QUEENSTOWN. 268 - - CHAPTER XIII. - - FROM NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA.--ARRIVAL AT SYDNEY.--HOW THE - CITY WAS FOUNDED.--ITS APPEARANCE TO-DAY.--THE PRINCIPAL - STREETS, PARKS, AND SUBURBS.--PUBLIC BUILDINGS.--SHOOTING - SYDNEY DUCKS.--THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.--HOW AUSTRALIA WAS - COLONIZED.--LIFE AND TREATMENT OF CONVICTS IN AUSTRALIA.--THE - END OF TRANSPORTATION.--POPULAR ERRORS OF INVOLUNTARY - EMIGRANTS.--THE PAPER COMPASS.--TICKET-OF-LEAVE MEN.-- - EMANCIPISTS AND THEIR STATUS.--SYDNEY HARBOR.--STEAM LINES TO - ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD.--CIRCULAR QUAY.--DRY-DOCKS.--EXCURSIONS - TO PARAMATTA AND BOTANY BAY.--HOSPITALITIES OF SYDNEY. 293 - - CHAPTER XIV. - - FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE.--POLITICAL DIVISIONS OF AUSTRALIA.-- - ORDER IN WHICH THE COLONIES WERE FOUNDED.--EXPLORATIONS AND - THEIR EXTENT.--DOCTOR BASS AND CAPTAIN FLINDERS.--ABSENCE OF - WATER IN THE INTERIOR OF AUSTRALIA.--A COUNTRY OF STRANGE - CHARACTERISTICS.--NATURE'S REVERSES.--HOW THE COLONIES ARE - GOVERNED.--RELIGION AND EDUCATION.--JEALOUSY OF THE COLONIES - TOWARDS EACH OTHER.--NEWCASTLE AND ITS COAL.--RAILWAY - TRAVELLING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.--TENTERFIELD AND STANTHORPE.-- - COBB'S COACHES.--AUSTRALIAN SCENERY.--THE EUCALYPTUS, OR - GUM-TREE, THE TALLEST TREES IN THE WORLD.--SILVER STEMS AND - MALLKE SCRUB.--BRISBANE.--RELICS OF THE CONVICT SYSTEM.--QUEEN - STREET AND THE BOTANICAL GARDENS. 317 - - CHAPTER XV. - - LEAVING BRISBANE.--THE REGIONS AROUND THE CITY.--QUEENSLAND - SCRUB AND FOREST LAND.--FRUITS AND GARDEN PRODUCE.--TROUBLES - OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.--IPSWICH AND ITS COAL-MINES.-- - WINE-MAKING IN AUSTRALIA.--CHARACTER OF AUSTRALIAN WINES.-- - THE LABOR QUESTION.--POLYNESIAN AND CHINESE LABORERS.-- - POPULATION OF QUEENSLAND.--NATIVES AND ABORIGINES.-- - PECULIARITIES OF THE BLACK RACE.--CATTLE TRACKERS AND THEIR - ABILITIES.--HOW THE ABORIGINALS LIVE: THEIR HOMES, WEAPONS, - AND MODE OF LIFE.--AUSTRALIAN MYTHS AND SUPERSTITIONS.-- - CURIOUS THEORIES OF RESURRECTION.--SMOKE AND FIRE SIGNALS.-- - HOW A WANDERING WHITE MAN SAVED HIS LIFE.--RELIGIOUS IDEAS.-- - HOW THE EEL MADE THE FROG LAUGH.--THE BUN-YIP AND HIS - WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES. 388 - - CHAPTER XVI. - - RIDING THROUGH THE BUSH.--AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY.--ARRIVAL AT - THE STATION.--THE BUILDINGS AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.--A SNAKE - IN FRED'S BED.--SNAKES IN AUSTRALIA.--UNDERWOOD'S REMEDY FOR - SNAKE-BITES, AND WHAT CAME OF IT.--CENTIPEDES AND SCORPIONS.--A - VENOMOUS SPIDER.--NOCTURNAL NOISES AT A CATTLE-STATION.--HORSES - AND THEIR TRAITS.--BUCK-JUMPING AND ROUGH-RIDING.--HOW A "NEW - CHUM" CATCHES A HORSE.--ENDURANCE OF HORSES.--AMONG THE HERDS - OF CATTLE.--RIDE TO A CATTLE-CAMP.--DAILY LIFE OF THE - STOCK-MEN.--CASTE IN AUSTRALIA.--SQUATTERS AND FREE - SELECTORS.--HORRIBLE ACCIDENTS IN THE BUSH.--A MAN EATEN ALIVE - BY ANTS.--BURNED TO DEATH UNDER A FALLEN TREE.--CHASING AN - EMU.--ROUSING A FLOCK OF WILD TURKEYS. 359 - - CHAPTER XVII. - - CATTLE AND SHEEP RAISING IN QUEENSLAND.--GRASS THAT KILLS - SHEEP.--PROFITS OF RAISING CATTLE.--RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE - TWO ENTERPRISES.--INCREASE OF FLOCKS AND HERDS.--STATISTICS.-- - LIVE-STOCK IN QUEENSLAND.--VISITING A SHEEP-STATION.--DUTIES OF - A GOOD SHEPHERD.--INSANE TENDENCIES OF SHEPHERDS.--MONOTONY OF - THEIR LIVES.--DISAGREEABLE WORK FOR NOVICES.--SHEEP-SHEARING, - AND HOW IT IS PERFORMED.--PACKING AND SHIPPING WOOL.--AMUSING - STORY OF A STOLEN HORSE.--THE MINER WHO HID HIS GOLD IN A - HORSE-COLLAR.--BUSH-RANGERS AND THEIR PERFORMANCES.--"STICKING - UP."--"OLIVER, THE TERROR OF THE NORTH."--HELD BY A WOODEN - LEG.--TRICK OF A DISHONEST GENIUS.--PEARL-FISHING IN AUSTRALIAN - WATERS: HOW THE BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.--ALLIGATORS.--THE - "CARDWELL PET."--SUNDOWNERS. 382 - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - THE PLAGUE OF FLIES IN AUSTRALIA.--OTHER CREEPING AND FLYING - THINGS.--LAUGHING-JACKASSES, BOWER-BIRDS, LYRE-BIRDS, PARROTS, - ETC.--TRICKS OF THE LYRE-BIRD.--ORIGIN OF THE BOWER-BIRD'S - NAME.--BLACK SWANS AND WILD-DUCKS.--SNIPE, QUAIL, AND OTHER - BIRDS.--AUSTRALIAN RIVERS AND THEIR PECULIARITIES.--RETURN TO - THE COAST.--GYMPIE AND THE GOLD-MINES OF QUEENSLAND.--AN - AUSTRALIAN GOLD RUSH.--DOWN THE COAST TO SYDNEY.--THE GREAT - BARRIER REEF: ITS EXTENT AND PECULIARITIES.--SPORT IN NORTHERN - QUEENSLAND.--GOING UP-COUNTRY IN NEW SOUTH WALES.--A KANGAROO - HUNT.--DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HUNT AND A DRIVE.--AUSTRALIAN - MARSUPIALS.--SHOOTING WILD HORSES.--KILLING AN "OLD MAN" - KANGAROO.--DINGOES.--STORIES OF KANGAROO HUNTS. 407 - - CHAPTER XIX. - - A NATIVE ENCAMPMENT AND A CORROBOREE.--RIDING ACROSS-COUNTRY.-- - AMONG THE BLACKS.--NATIVE DANCES.--A WEIRD SCENE.--ABORIGINAL - MUSIC.--STORIES ABOUT CORROBOREES.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--HOW THE - BLACK MEN OBTAIN THEIR WIVES.--TESTING THE STOICISM OF - YOUTHS.--AN ALARM AT NIGHT.--RETURN TO SYDNEY.--A - BRICKFIELDER.--HOT WINDS FROM THE DESERT.--HOW A PICNIC WAS - BROKEN UP.--OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.--RAILWAYS IN NEW SOUTH - WALES.--SALUBRITY OF THE MOUNTAIN CLIMATE.--GOULBURN.-- - THEATRICAL GOSSIP.--FIRST THEATRE IN AUSTRALIA.--A CONVICT'S - PROLOGUE.--THE DRAMA UNDER DISADVANTAGES.--THE RIVERINA.-- - ALBURY AND THE VICTORIAN FRONTIER.--PROTECTION AND - FREE-TRADE.--FISHING IN THE MURRAY RIVER.--AUSTRALIAN - FISHES.--FROM ALBURY TO MELBOURNE. 429 - - CHAPTER XX. - - THE FOUNDING OF MELBOURNE.--BATMAN AND FAWKNER.--GROWTH OF - MELBOURNE, CHICAGO, AND SAN FRANCISCO COMPARED.--SIGHTS AND - SCENES IN THE AUSTRALIAN METROPOLIS.--COLLINS STREET, BOURKE - STREET, AND OTHER THOROUGHFARES.--A GENERAL DESCRIPTION.--THE - YARRA RIVER.--BOTANICAL GARDENS.--DINING AT A SUBURBAN - RESIDENCE.--THE SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE.--HOW ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS - BECAME ONE MILLION IN FIFTY YEARS.--SANDRIDGE (PORT - MELBOURNE).--SCENES IN THE HARBOR.--REMINISCENCES OF THE GOLD - RUSH OF 1851.--BUSH-RANGERS AND THEIR PERFORMANCES.--PLUNDERING - A SHIP IN PORT.--HOBSON'S BAY AND PORT PHILLIP BAY.-- - WILLIAMSTOWN AND ST. KILDA.--SHARK FENCES.--QUEENSCLIFF.-- - CURIOUS ROCKS ON THE COAST.--GEELONG.--MELBOURNE NEWSPAPERS. 452 - - CHAPTER XXI. - - THE RACE FOR THE MELBOURNE CUP.--POPULARITY OF HORSE-RACING IN - AUSTRALIA.--CRICKET AND OTHER SPORTS.--SUMMER RETREATS AMONG - THE MOUNTAINS OVERLOOKING MELBOURNE.--"A SOUTHERLY BURSTER:" - ITS PECULIARITIES.--RAPID FALL OF THE THERMOMETER.--FLOODING - THE STREETS OF MELBOURNE.--CHILDREN DROWNED IN THE GUTTERS.-- - BALLARAT AND THE GOLD-MINES.--HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD - IN AUSTRALIA.--THE RUSH TO BALLARAT AND BENDIGO.--SANDHURST: - ITS PRESENT APPEARANCE.--REMARKABLE YIELD OF THE BALLARAT - MINES.--"THE WELCOME NUGGET."--WESTERN DISTRICT OF VICTORIA.-- - LAKE SCENERY.--AUSTRALIA'S POTATO-FIELD.--GIPPSLAND.--FROM - MELBOURNE TO TASMANIA.--LAUNCESTON.--A CHAPTER OF TASMANIAN - HISTORY.--MEMORIES OF CONVICT DAYS.--CORRA LINN AND OTHER - SHOW-PLACES. 474 - - CHAPTER XXII. - - EXCURSION TO DELORAINE.--THE CHUDLEIGH CAVES.--FROM LAUNCESTON - TO HOBART.--ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS.--THE OLD WAGON-ROAD BUILT BY - CONVICTS.--DEATH OF THE LAST TASMANIAN.--HOW THE ABORIGINES - WERE DESTROYED.--A WONDERFUL TIN-MINE.--HOBART: ITS CLIMATE AND - ATTRACTIONS.--LOVELINESS OF TASMANIAN LADIES.--PORT ARTHUR.-- - DOGS AT THE NECK.--FROM HOBART TO ADELAIDE.--ARRIVAL IN SOUTH - AUSTRALIA.--ADELAIDE: ITS PRINCIPAL FEATURES.--A RIVER THAT IS - NOT A RIVER.--CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS.--POPULATION OF THE CAPITAL - AND COLONY.--EXTENSIVE WHEAT-FARMS.--PRODUCTS OF SOUTH - AUSTRALIA.--FRUIT-GROWING.--GLENELG.--THE HISTORIC GUM-TREE.-- - PARKS AND GARDENS.--OVERLAND TO PORT DARWIN.--HOW THE TELEGRAPH - WAS BUILT.--EXPLORATIONS OF STURT AND STUART.--CAMELS IN - AUSTRALIA.--A SIDE-SADDLE CAMEL.--AN AFFECTING INCIDENT.--THE - OVERLAND RAILWAY. 497 - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.--THE BLUE MOUNTAINS FIRST TRAVERSED.-- - DISCOVERY OF THE LACHLAN, MACQUARIE, MURRUMBIDGEE, AND MURRAY - RIVERS.--EXPLORATIONS OF STURT, MITCHELL, CUNNINGHAM, HUME, - AND OTHERS.--EYRE'S JOURNEY ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST.-- - SUFFERINGS AND PERILS.--BURKE AND WILLS: HOW THEY PERISHED IN - THE WILDERNESS.--MONUMENT TO THEIR MEMORY.--COLONEL WARBURTON - AND HIS CAMEL-TRAIN.--STRAPPED TO A CAMEL'S BACK.--PRESENT - KNOWLEDGE OF THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT.--ABORIGINALS OF SOUTH - AUSTRALIA.--THROWING THE BOOMERANG.--A REMARKABLE EXHIBITION.-- - ORIGIN OF THE BOOMERANG.--DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS: A PUZZLE FOR - THE NATURALISTS.--VISITING A COPPER-MINE.--MINERAL RESOURCES - OF THE COLONY.--WESTERN AUSTRALIA.--ALBANY, ON KING GEORGE - SOUND.--DESCRIPTION OF THE COLONY.--CURIOUS POISON-PLANTS.-- - FAREWELL TO AUSTRALIA.--THE END. 518 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - Mount Kosciusko, the Highest Peak in Australia _Frontispiece._ - Map of Australasia _Front Cover._ - Map of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania _Back Cover._ - Royal School, Honolulu 1 - The Physalia 2 - The Island of Oahu 3 - General View of Honolulu 4 - In the Harbor of Honolulu 5 - Queen's Hospital, Honolulu 6 - Kealakeakua Bay, where Captain Cook was Killed 7 - Mrs. Thurston, one of the Missionaries of 1820 8 - Kawaiaho Church--First Native Church in Honolulu 9 - Bethel Church 10 - Native School-house in Honolulu 10 - The Court-house in Honolulu 11 - Native Gentleman of Honolulu 12 - Hawaiian Poi-dealer 13 - The Hawaiian Archipelago 14 - Hawaiians at a Feast 15 - Native Hay Peddler 16 - Dress of Hawaiian Women 18 - Ancient Idols of Hawaii 19 - Grass House, Hawaiian Islands 20 - Government Buildings, Honolulu 21 - Hawaiian Dancing-girls 22 - Map of the Sandwich Isles 23 - Lahaina, Island of Maui 25 - Women on Horseback, Honolulu 26 - A Mountain Valley 27 - Hawaiian Temple 28 - Mountain Scene in the Sandwich Islands 29 - Hilo 31 - Surf-bathing at Hilo 32 - The Volcano House 33 - View of one of the Burning Lakes 35 - View on a Lava Field 37 - Hawaiian Warriors a Century ago 38 - Chain of Extinct Volcanoes, Island of Kauai 39 - Map of the Haleakala Crater 41 - Kamehameha I., First King of the Sandwich Islands 42 - Water-fall on Island of Kauai 43 - Implements of Domestic Life 44 - Hawaiian Pipe 45 - Looking Seaward 48 - The Owner of the Yacht 49 - "Good-by!" 49 - At Home on the "Pera" 50 - Below Deck in the Tropics 51 - On the Coast of the Marquesas 53 - A View in Nookaheeva 55 - Gattanewa's Portrait 56 - Tattoo Marks on a Chief of the Marquesas 57 - The Chief's Daughter 59 - A European's Residence in the Marquesas 61 - A Marquesan Village 63 - Catholic Missionary 64 - In a Gale near the Marquesas 65 - Commodore Porter's Fleet in Nookaheeva Bay 66 - Easter Island House and Children 67 - Lava Rock Image, Easter Island 68 - Easter Island Man 69 - Easter Island Woman 70 - Stone Tablet of Character Writing 71 - Stone Platform for Images 72 - Coast Scenery, Tahiti 74 - Specimen of Coral 75 - The Coral Worm 76 - On the Shore of the Lagoon 77 - A Cabin in the Suburbs 78 - The Coast in a Storm 79 - A French Bishop 81 - View in an Orange-grove 82 - Native Bamboo House, Tahiti 83 - Natives of the Society Islands Fishing 84 - A Sea-urchin 85 - The Bottom of the Lagoon 86 - Sea-anemone and Hermit-crab 87 - Hermit-crab and Sea-shell 88 - View among the Coral Branches 89 - A Fish inside a Sea-slug 90 - Coralline 91 - Octopus, or Devil-fish 92 - Stingaree, or Sea-devil 92 - Garden of a Suburban Residence 93 - Gathering Oranges for the Feast 95 - Tamarind-tree at Point Venus 97 - A Grove of Cocoanut-trees 98 - Running before the Trade-winds 99 - Dr. Coan, Missionary to Hawaii 100 - No Respect for Missionaries 101 - Trading Station in the Pacific 103 - John Wesley, the Founder of Methodism 104 - Mission Church and Station 105 - Mission Park Monument 106 - Mission Ship on her Voyage 107 - Landing on an Atoll of the Hervey Group 109 - Cocoa Palms in the Hervey Islands 111 - Native Houses and Canoe 113 - Missionary Station on Aneityum Island 115 - Tanna Islander on a Queensland Plantation 116 - Group of Islanders on a Feejeean Plantation 117 - Firing down the Hatchway 118 - The "Rosario" chasing a Man-stealing Schooner 119 - A Witness for the Defence 120 - Indian Girl House-servant in Feejee 121 - Samoan double Canoe 122 - Coral Architects in Samoan Waters 123 - A Beach-comber 124 - Growth of Coral on a Mountain slowly Subsiding 125 - Ass's Ears, Florida Island 126 - A House in the Tonga Islands 127 - Native Teacher, Upolu, Samoan Islands 129 - Map of the South Sea Islands 131 - Crabs eating Cocoanuts 132 - A Plantation in the South Sea Islands 133 - A Fair Wind 134 - Bread-fruit 135 - War Canoe of the Olden Time 137 - Canoes drawn on Shore 138 - Captain James Cook 139 - An American Resident 140 - Cave near the Picnic Ground 141 - Massacre Bay 143 - A Village in Vanikoro 144 - Hat Island, west of Vanikoro 145 - Louis XVI. and La Pérouse 146 - A Native of Feejee 147 - A Royal Attendant 148 - Ancient Feejee Temple 149 - A Polynesian Idol 151 - A Coast Scene in Kandavu 152 - A Planter's Residence 153 - A New Arrival 154 - Going to Feejee 155 - Scene on a Cotton Plantation 156 - Sugar-cane Mill 157 - Feejeean Head-dress 158 - An Accomplished Liar 159 - Fork of a Cannibal King 160 - Tanoa, former King of Feejee 161 - A Cannibal Dance 162 - Skull found at the Banquet Ground 162 - View in a Valley of the Interior of the Island 163 - Avenue of Palms 165 - A Part of Levuka 166 - Fred's Fly 167 - Frank's Mosquito 167 - One Variety of Sea-worm 169 - Going for Balola 170 - Ancient Feejeean War-dance 171 - Moonlight on the Waters 172 - Mission Church in the Feejee Islands 174 - Going to Church.--River Scene 175 - Feejeean Head 176 - Feejeean Weapons 176 - Telling the Story 177 - Formation of Clouds before a Feejeean Hurricane 178 - After the Storm 179 - Coast Scene in a Calm 179 - Lost in the Hurricane 180 - Mota, or Sugar-loaf Island 181 - Two-tree Island 181 - A Young Student 182 - Stone Monument, Tongataboo 183 - A Volcano in the Pacific 184 - An Island Cavern 185 - Islands on the Coast 186 - Auckland in 1840 187 - View of Auckland from Mount Eden 189 - Mission Station at Tangiteroria, New Zealand 190 - Early Days in New Zealand 191 - In a State of Decadence 193 - A Kainga Maori (Native) Village 195 - Carved New Zealand Chest 196 - Maori War Clubs 197 - Lake in the Crater of an Extinct Volcano 198 - Sawing a Kauri Pine 199 - Stock-farm in the Suburbs 200 - A Water-oak 201 - A Pakeha Maori 202 - A Pakeha Maori's Home 203 - View of a Part of Auckland and its Harbor 204 - Maori Tattooing 205 - Inland Scenery 206 - Captain Cook's Gift to the Maoris 207 - Skeleton of the Extinct Moa (Dinornis) 209 - Dressing Flax 210 - Family of Deer on Kawau Island 212 - Prospecting for Gold 213 - Stamp-mill at Grahamstown 214 - "Struck a Pocket" 215 - Gold-mining on the Sea-shore 217 - A Miner's Camp in the Mountains 218 - Visiting a Mine 219 - Inland Scenery 221 - Among the Hot Springs 223 - The Baths at Rotomahana 224 - Hotel Life at the Hot Lakes 225 - A Mud Crater 227 - The White Terraces, seen from above 229 - The Pink Terraces, seen from below 231 - Lake Tarawera, in the Hot Lake District 233 - The Tabu Removed 234 - Maori Village of Wairoa, in the Hot Lake District 235 - A Maori Prophet in the King Country 236 - British Soldiers attacking a Maori Pah 237 - Outworks of a Maori Pah 239 - In the Harbor 240 - In Napier for his Health 241 - Scene on a Sheep Farm.--Off to the Pasture 243 - Farm Scenes in the Open Country 244 - On the Coast near Wellington 246 - Just down from the Interior 247 - Mountain and Lake in New Zealand 249 - Just arrived from England 250 - A Promenader 251 - An Afternoon Call 252 - Sewing-class in an Industrial School 253 - Residence of the Governor, Wellington 255 - Down the Slope 257 - Logging in "the Bush" 258 - Settlers' Cabins in the Open Country 259 - Mount Egmont and Ranges 261 - Home Scene at Christchurch 263 - Harvest-time in Canterbury 264 - Maid-servant off Duty 266 - Gardening in the Park 267 - Under the Shears 268 - A Sheep-shearing Shed in New Zealand 269 - A Flock of Sheep among the Hills 271 - Sheep and Herder killed in a Snow-storm 273 - Reducing the Rabbit Population 274 - Parrots 277 - A New Zealand Pest 277 - A Steam Threshing-machine 278 - English Sparrows at Home 280 - Class in the Industrial School 282 - A Perilous Night-watch 283 - The Summit of Mount Cook 285 - Attempt to climb the Eastern Spur 286 - River issuing from a Glacier 287 - Hydraulic Mining 288 - A Squatter's Home 289 - A Mountain Water-fall 290 - Shotover Gorge Bridge 291 - On the Shore of the Lake 292 - Bound for Sydney 293 - Entrance to Port Jackson 294 - General View of Sydney Harbor 295 - Statue of Captain Cook, Sydney 297 - George III. 298 - Avenue in the Botanical Gardens 299 - Candidates for Transportation 301 - Sydney and its Harbor 303 - The Town-hall, Sydney 305 - Sentenced to Hard Labor 307 - View of Sydney from Pyrmont, Darling Harbor 309 - Home of an Emancipist 310 - A Ticket-of-leave Man 311 - Just arrived in Port 312 - Ship-yard Scene 313 - On the Paramatta River 314 - Irrigating an Orange-grove 315 - Interior of a Coal-breaker 317 - Gold-fields of Mount Alexander, Australia 319 - Clearing in an Australian Forest 321 - A Waterless Region 322 - Australian Lyre-birds 323 - A Member of the Legislature 325 - Infant Class in an Industrial School 327 - Completing the Railway 329 - A Fallen Giant 330 - Silver-stem Eucalypti 332 - From Tenterfield to Stanthorpe 333 - A Balcony 335 - Palm-trees in the Botanical Gardens 336 - "No more Tricks at the Wheel" 337 - A Relic of Old Colonial Times 338 - Among the Foot-hills 340 - Picking Figs 341 - A Clearing in the Scrub 342 - Suburban Residence on the River's Bank 343 - Gathering the Grapes 344 - Cellars for Storing Wine 346 - Chinese Laborers in a Vineyard 347 - Aboriginal Australian 348 - West Coast Australians 349 - Civilized Aborigines 351 - Aboriginal Method of making Fire 352 - Australian Warriors watching a Boat 353 - Battle between Hostile Tribes of Australians 354 - Aboriginal Australians and their Huts 355 - Aboriginal Children playing in the Water 357 - The Haunt of the Bun-yip 358 - The Team 359 - Pets at the Station 360 - The Tiger Snake 361 - Camping-out on a Cattle-run 363 - The Poisonous Spider (magnified) 364 - The Prosperous Squatter 365 - "I'm waiting for You" 366 - Performance of a Bucker 366 - The Milking yard 367 - Coming in from Pasture 368 - An Australian Stock-rider 369 - An Unsteady Seat 370 - A New Chum's First Ride 371 - A Stampede 372 - A Free Selector at Home 373 - Arrival of the Weekly Mail 374 - "Cutting Out" 375 - Mustering Cattle 377 - Branding a Calf 378 - Died alone in "the Bush" 379 - The Emu 380 - The Pride of the Station 382 - The Squatter's Pet 383 - Cattle going to Water 384 - A Home in the Bush 385 - Herd of Mixed Cattle on a Station 387 - A Shepherd's Dog 388 - Ewes and Lambs 389 - Mother of a Family 390 - Sheep-shearing in Australia 391 - Sheds and Chicken-yard of a Station 393 - Sheep-washing on the Modern Plan 395 - The Rush for the Gold-mines 397 - Bush-ranger out of Luck 398 - Bush-rangers at Work 399 - Leading Citizens of Somerset 401 - Pearl Oyster 402 - Australian Pearls (full size) 402 - Big Ben and his Friends 404 - Waiting for Sunset 405 - Evening Scene at an Up-country Station 406 - An Australian Pest 407 - The Sand-flea (natural size and magnified) 408 - The Australian Bower-bird 409 - Wallace's Standard-wing Birds-of-paradise, male and female 411 - Head of the Valley Quail 412 - A Quail Family 413 - Out Prospecting 414 - Quartz mill in the Gold-mines 415 - Australian Gold-hunters 416 - A Gold-miner's Home 417 - A Chinese Discussion 418 - Wrecked on the Reef 420 - The Manatee, or Dugong 421 - Evening at Home on the North Coast 422 - Dingoes, or Australian Wild Dogs 423 - Australian Wild Horses 424 - A Kangaroo Battue, or Drive 425 - Red Kangaroo 426 - Short eared Kangaroo 426 - Kangaroos in Captivity 428 - A Corroboree 431 - Something for Breakfast 432 - Near the Camp 433 - An Australian Courtship 434 - The Night Alarm 435 - Reception of a Brickfielder 437 - A Brickfielder putting in its Work 438 - Building a Railway on the Plains 439 - Zigzag Railway in the Blue Mountains 441 - The Blue Mountains 442 - On the Head-waters of the Murray River 443 - Gallery of a Theatre during a Performance 445 - Scene in the Riverina 447 - Steamboat on the Murray River 449 - Fish-hatching Boxes on a small Stream 450 - Immigrant's Camp in the Foot-hills of the Range 451 - The Founding of Melbourne, August, 1835 453 - Public Library, Melbourne 454 - Melbourne Post-office 455 - Government House, Melbourne 456 - Collins Street in 1870 457 - Public Offices and Treasury Gardens 458 - Town-hall, Melbourne 459 - View from South Melbourne, 1868 460 - Part of Melbourne in 1838 461 - A Suburban Residence 463 - Harbor Scene in the Moonlight 465 - Boarding-house of 1851 466 - A Good Location for Business 467 - Loading a Ship from a Lighter 468 - The Artillery Rocks, near Lorne, on the Coast of Victoria 471 - Waiting to see the Editor 472 - Distributing Papers to Newsboys 473 - The Race for the Melbourne Cup 475 - Head of a Winner 476 - A Cricket-match 477 - Summer Retreat in the Mountains 479 - Caught in a "Burster" on the Australian Coast 481 - Seeking Shelter 482 - Pioneer Gold-hunters 483 - Map of the Gold-fields of Victoria Twenty Years ago 484 - Edward Hargreaves, the Gold Discoverer 485 - The Rush to Ballarat 486 - Lake Scenery 487 - A Gippsland Settler 489 - The Peach Harvest 491 - A Cottage in the Suburbs of Launceston 492 - An Old Settler 493 - At Bay in the Bush 494 - A Camp in the Bush 495 - Entrance to Cave 497 - Near Deloraine 498 - Australia at the Feet of Tasmania 500 - Old Convict Church, Port Arthur, Tasmania 501 - One of the Watch dogs 502 - "Land, ho!" 502 - On the Pier 503 - Post-office and Town hall, Adelaide 505 - Adelaide in 1837 507 - Reaping Brigade at Work 509 - Proclamation Tree at Glenelg, near Adelaide 510 - Victoria Regia House, Botanic Garden, Adelaide 511 - Exploring Expedition on the March 513 - Camp Scene on the Desert Plains of South Australia 515 - Government House and Grounds, Adelaide 517 - Ready for the Start 519 - Explorers in Camp 520 - Monument to Burke and Wills, Melbourne 521 - Colonel Warburton strapped to his Camel 523 - Desert Scenery 525 - The Way of Civilization 526 - A Boomerang 526 - A War-dance of Australian Blacks 527 - Americans who use the Boomerang 529 - Platypus, or Duck-billed Mole 530 - Home of the Duck-bill 531 - One of the Miners 532 - View of Perth, Capital of Western Australia 533 - Forest Scene in the South-west 535 - A Kid-gloved Colonist 536 - In the Pasture Lands 537 - Rocks at the Cape 538 - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS - -IN - -AUSTRALASIA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO HONOLULU.--SIGHTS ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN.--A -PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR.--NEARING THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.--THE MOLOKAI -CHANNEL.--SURF-BEATEN SHORES OF OAHU.--ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU.--A -PICTURESQUE PORT.--DISCOVERY AND HISTORY OF THE SANDWICH -ISLANDS.--CAPTAIN COOK.--HIS TRAGIC DEATH.--HOW THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN -CIVILIZED.--WORK OF THE MISSIONARIES.--SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.--PRESENT -CONDITION OF THE POPULATION.--OLD CUSTOMS.--SIGHTS AND SCENES IN -HONOLULU.--TARO AND POI.--A NATIVE DINNER.--THE COSTUMES OF THE -ISLANDERS.--PECULIARITIES OF THE CLIMATE.--THE HULA-HULA AND OTHER -DANCES. - - -"Land, ho!" from the mast-head. - -"Where away?" from the bridge. - -"Dead ahead, sir!" was the reply; but it was almost drowned by the buzz -of excitement which the announcement produced. The passengers, who had -been strolling about the decks or listlessly lounging in their chairs, -rushed hastily forward, in their eagerness to catch a glimpse of the -land which had been reported "dead ahead." - -This happened on board the steamship _Alameda_, early one pleasant -afternoon as she was nearing the Sandwich Islands on a voyage from San -Francisco. There were three passengers who did not join in the scramble -towards the bow of the ship, but remained quietly seated in their -chairs. They had been through the experience of sighting land from a -steamer at sea too many times to regard it as a novelty. - -They were our old friends, Doctor Bronson and his nephews, Frank Bassett -and Fred Bronson, whose experiences and adventures in various parts of -the world are familiar to many American youths. Not content with what -they had seen in Asia, Africa, and Europe, they were now bound on a -voyage to the antipodes with the intention of adding another volume to -the series in which their wanderings are recorded.[1] - -[1] "The Boy Travellers in the Far East" (five volumes), and "The Boy -Travellers in South America," "The Boy Travellers in the Russian -Empire," and "The Boy Travellers on the Congo" (three volumes). See -complete list at the end of this book. - -[Illustration: ROYAL SCHOOL, HONOLULU.] - -It was on the eighth day of a voyage over the lovely azure waters of the -broad Pacific that the _Alameda_ neared the land, and many of her -passengers half regretted that they were about to separate. The weather -had been delightful, the breezes were light, the sky was nearly always -clear, and the temperature high enough to make thick clothing -uncomfortably warm, and an awning over the deck desirable. Since the -second day out from San Francisco not a sail had been seen, as the -sailing-ships take another track in order to obtain stronger and more -favoring winds. Four or five whales had shown themselves, and a few -schools of porpoises played around the vessel from time to time as -though they wished to make the acquaintance of the strange monster. - -[Illustration: THE PHYSALIA.] - -Flying-fish were numerous, and so were those curious denizens of the -deep popularly known as "Portuguese men-of-war." One of the latter was -caught by means of a bucket; a verdant passenger who admired its -beautiful colors took it in his hand for a careful examination, but on -feeling a stinging sensation he dropped it immediately. Doctor Bronson -consoled him with the information that the scientific name of the -Portuguese man-of-war is _Physalis pelagica_, and its power of stinging -enables it to benumb its prey. It consists principally of an air-sac -which floats it upon the water, and has long tentacles hanging down at -various lengths. These tentacles are armed with stings; they paralyze -any small fish that comes within their reach, and then act as fingers to -sweep up the prize. It is a favorite trick of sailors to induce a novice -to pick up a captured physalia, so that they may enjoy his haste in -dropping it. - -[Illustration: THE ISLAND OF OAHU.] - -As the _Alameda_ continued her course the outline of the land grew more -and more distinct, revealing the rugged volcanic cliffs of Oahu, and -reminding the passengers of the burning mountains for which the Sandwich -Islands are famous. The course of the vessel lay through the Molokai -Channel, leaving Molokai Island on the left, and hugging closely against -the surf-beaten shores of Oahu, on which the capital, Honolulu, is -situated. Near the water there were occasional groves of cocoanut-trees; -but on the whole the shore was less tropical in appearance than our -young friends had expected to find it. - -[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF HONOLULU.] - -Every eye was straining to catch a view of Honolulu; but when its -position was pointed out most of the passengers were unable to discover -any marked indications of the presence of a town. After a time the -steamer made a sharp turn to the starboard, and passed through the -narrow channel which leads into the pretty harbor of Honolulu. Then the -town appeared rather suddenly in view; its houses surrounded by groves -of palms and tamarind-trees, interspersed with other tropical growths -in rich profusion. The harbor is a deep basin in a coral reef, and so -perfectly landlocked that it is ordinarily as smooth as a mill-pond, and -is safe in all winds that blow. There is good anchorage for ships, and -when the _Alameda_ entered there was a fleet of sufficient size in the -port to give it a very prosperous appearance. Numerous small boats were -darting about, and almost before the engines were stopped the little -craft swarmed in great force about the steamer. - -[Illustration: IN THE HARBOR OF HONOLULU.] - -Back of Honolulu rises a series of volcanic mountains three or four -thousand feet high, and from the town itself to the foot of these -mountains the ground rises in a gentle slope, so that the view from the -harbor is an excellent one. Doctor Bronson called the attention of the -youths to a valley opening through the mountains, and to the contrast -between the cliffs and slopes, and the bright waters immediately around -them. All agreed that the place was very prettily situated, and the -view was a great relief after the monotonous voyage from San Francisco. - -As soon as possible the party left the steamer and proceeded to the -hotel, and, without waiting to see the rooms assigned to them, started -out for a sight-seeing stroll. They desired to make the most of their -time, as they expected to continue their journey in a week or ten days -at farthest. The _Alameda_ was to return to San Francisco as soon as she -could land her cargo and receive another; the regular mail steamer for -Australia would touch at Honolulu at the time indicated, and it was by -this steamer they were to proceed southward. - -[Illustration: QUEEN'S HOSPITAL, HONOLULU.] - -As they walked along the streets, accompanied by a guide whom they had -engaged at the hotel, Doctor Bronson gave the youths a brief history of -the Sandwich Islands, which Fred afterwards committed to paper lest it -might escape his memory. Substantially it was as follows: - -"The famous navigator Captain Cook has the credit of discovering these -islands in 1778, but they were known to the Spaniards more than a -century before that time. The death of Captain Cook served to bring the -islands into prominence; he named them after Lord Sandwich, who was then -First Lord of the Admiralty, but they are known here as the Hawaiian -Islands, Hawaii being the largest of the group." - -"That is the island where Captain Cook was killed, is it not?" inquired -one of the youths. - -[Illustration: KEALAKEAKUA BAY, WHERE CAPTAIN COOK WAS KILLED.] - -"Yes," was the reply. "It was at Kealakeakua Bay, in sight of the great -volcano of Mauna Loa. The famous navigator did not get along well with -the natives, who, like nearly all savages, were addicted to thieving. -One of his boats having been stolen, he determined to seize the King and -hold him a prisoner until the boat was returned. For this purpose he -landed with a lieutenant and nine men; the natives suspected his -intentions, and a fight ensued, which resulted in his death." - -"And they devoured him, it is said," Frank remarked. - -"As to that," replied the Doctor, "there has been much dispute. Captain -King, the successor of Cook, and historian of the expedition after the -latter's death, positively declares that the body of Cook was eaten, -along with the bodies of the sailors and marines who were killed at the -same time. On the other hand, the islanders declare with equal -positiveness that cannibalism did not exist here at that time; and -though great indignities might have been perpetrated, the horrible -accusation is untrue. At this distance of time it is impossible to say -what happened, and we will dismiss the subject. But it is generally -conceded that the great navigator owed his death to his severity in -dealing with the natives, and his imprudence in venturing on shore with -the small force which accompanied him. - -"But we'll leave the famous captain at rest," continued the Doctor, -"while we give our attention to more modern things. Great changes have -taken place in the hundred years or so that have elapsed since Captain -Cook's death. Then the people were savages and idolaters; now they are -civilized and Christianized, and may be considered a harmless and kindly -disposed race. Education is universal among them, hardly a native of -Hawaii being unable to read and write. Every child is obliged to attend -the public schools, and there is a special school-tax of two dollars on -every voter, in addition to a general tax for educational purposes. -Schools are in every part of the islands where there is any population, -and the teachers are paid out of the taxes I have mentioned." - -"I suppose the missionaries are to be credited with the spread of -education here, are they not?" one of the youths asked. - -[Illustration: MRS. THURSTON, ONE OF THE MISSIONARIES OF 1820.] - -"Yes," was the reply; "and there have been no more earnest and energetic -missionaries anywhere in the world than those that came to the Hawaiian -Islands. The first missionaries arrived here in 1820, and for -thirty-three years the mission enterprise was supported by contributions -in the United States and elsewhere. In that time the donations of -Christian people in the United States for the conversion of the -inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands amounted to more than nine hundred -thousand dollars." - -"What was done at the end of that time?" Fred asked. - -"In 1853 the missionaries reported that the people of the Hawaiian -Islands had been converted to Christianity, and that idolatry no longer -existed among them. Then it was voted by the American Board of Missions -that 'the Sandwich Islands, having been Christianized, shall no longer -receive aid from this Board.' From that time the churches have been -practically self-supporting, though they have received some aid from -America. At present the Hawaiian Islands have a missionary society of -their own which is sending missionaries and teachers into other islands -of the Pacific; and they have a printing-office, where Bibles are -printed in several Polynesian languages--just as Bibles were formerly -printed in New York for the use of the Sandwich Islanders." - -[Illustration: KAWAIAHO CHURCH--FIRST NATIVE CHURCH IN HONOLULU.] - -Here the guide interrupted them to point out Kawaiaho church, which he -said was the first native church in Honolulu, a substantial and -well-built edifice that reminded the strangers of many churches they had -seen in the New England States. In reply to Frank's remark to this -effect Doctor Bronson said that the most of the early missionaries came -from Boston and its vicinity, and it was therefore to be expected that -the churches would be of the New England pattern. - -[Illustration: BETHEL CHURCH.] - -Fred asked if the church they were passing was the first ever built in -the islands. The guide explained that it was the first _native_ church, -but not the first American one. That honor belongs to the Seamen's (or -Bethel) church, which was sent from Boston in a whale-ship around Cape -Horn; it was brought in pieces, and set up soon after the ship arrived -here. Honolulu has been for a long time a great resort for whalemen, and -about 1846 special attention was paid to their needs by the -establishment of a Bethel church and society. - -The most famous man in connection with this branch of the missionary -enterprise was Rev. Mr. Damon, who obtained the reputation of an earnest -friend of the seamen, and was generally called "Father Damon," in -consequence of his paternal care and his kindness towards all who came -within his influence. He established a Seamen's Home in connection with -the church, and it has been of great use in keeping the sailors away -from the evil influences that are found in most ocean ports. - -[Illustration: NATIVE SCHOOL-HOUSE IN HONOLULU.] - -"Go where you will on these islands," said the Doctor, "you will find -churches everywhere, and not far from each church there is a native -school-house where the children are taught to read and write. On Sunday -the churches are filled with worshippers, and there is no more devout -people anywhere than on these islands. There are now more churches than -are needed by the population, for the reason, not that there is any -decline in religious zeal, but because of the decrease in the number of -inhabitants. At the time of Captain Cook's discovery the islands were -estimated to have a population of not far from two hundred thousand. -Small-pox, measles, and other diseases have made terrible havoc, and at -present the native population is little if any above fifty thousand. It -has been declining with more or less rapidity ever since the beginning -of the century, and the last census showed a considerable falling off -since the one that preceded it. - -[Illustration: THE COURT-HOUSE IN HONOLULU.] - -"Not only are the islanders diminishing in numbers," he continued, "but -the people of to-day are said to be smaller in stature than those of a -century ago. The missionaries and other old residents say that when they -first came here they used to meet great numbers of natives of high -stature and majestic figures, belonging generally to the old families of -chiefs and nobles. Occasionally at this time you may see them, but not -often." - -[Illustration: NATIVE GENTLEMAN OF HONOLULU.] - -"I suppose the chiefs and nobles were of a different race," Frank -remarked, "otherwise they would all be of the same general height." - -"That was formerly supposed to be the case," was the reply, "and even -now the theory is sustained by many people. But I believe the general -opinion is that all were of the same race, and the superior development -of the chiefs and nobles was due to their easier life and better food, -which could hardly fail to have an effect through many generations." - -One of the youths asked if the people received the missionaries kindly, -and showed a desire to be instructed and civilized. - -"In a general way they did," was the reply, "though that was by no means -always the case. Some of the chiefs looked suspiciously upon the coming -of the strangers, fearing, and not without reason, that their power -would be diminished as their subjects became enlightened. The King was -favorable to the work of the missionaries, and consequently the -hostility of the chiefs could not be exercised with severity. Before the -advent of the missionaries the Hawaiians had no written language. The -missionaries reduced the language to writing, prepared school-books, a -dictionary, a hymn-book, and a translation of a part of the Scriptures, -all in the native tongue, and they trained the native teachers who were -needed for the management of the schools then and afterwards -established. - -"In this way the missionaries gave the Hawaiian people the benefits of -civilization, and year by year saw the old superstitions and customs -disappearing. Some of them still remain, but not many; just as in New -England you may to this day find people who believe in witchcraft, and -all over the United States persons who have implicit faith in -supernatural things. The Hawaiians are by no means perfect in their -morals and beliefs, and you can find iniquity in Honolulu, just as you -may find it in Boston or Philadelphia. Murder and theft were very common -a hundred years ago; now the former crime is quite as rare as in the -United States, and as for the latter, it is even more so. Nearly all the -stealing in the islands is done by Chinese or other foreigners, and not -by the natives." - -Our friends passed near the court-house, which bore a marked resemblance -to an American town-hall in a prosperous town, and stood at the edge of -a well-kept garden. The Doctor remarked that court-houses and jails were -some of the adjuncts of all civilized lands, and therefore they were -needed in Hawaii as well as elsewhere. "But I am told," he continued, -"that the majority of the inmates of the jail at Honolulu are of other -races than the Hawaiian, and that Americans and English form a good -proportion." - -[Illustration: HAWAIIAN POI DEALER.] - -A little way beyond the court-house our friends met a man carrying two -covered baskets slung at the ends of a short pole which rested on his -shoulder. Frank turned to the guide and asked what the man was carrying. - -"He's a poi peddler," was the reply, "and I wonder you have not met one -before, as there are many of them. He peddles poi, and the people buy it -to eat." - -He then explained that poi is the national dish of the islands, and is -made from the taro-root, which is the Sandwich Island form of the -potato. He pointed out a taro-garden, and said that there were many such -gardens in and around Honolulu, as the natives did not consider a home -complete without one. - -The taro-root is baked in an underground oven, and then mashed very -fine, so that it would be like flour if the moisture were expelled. -After it has been thoroughly mashed it is mixed with water, and in this -condition is ready for eating. It has an agreeable taste when fresh, and -most foreigners like it upon the first trial. For native use it is -allowed to ferment; when fermented it suggests sour paste to the -uneducated palate, and is nauseating to the novice. Natives greatly -prefer it in this form, and a good many foreigners cultivate their taste -until they too would rather have their poi sour than fresh. - -[Illustration] - -Soon after the islands were settled by foreigners an ingenious Yankee -saw a chance for making money by importing machinery for making poi, in -place of the old form of hand-crushing. Now there are factories in -various parts of the island where poi is made in large quantities, -chiefly for the use of planters and other large consumers. It forms -quite an article of export to other islands where Polynesian labor is -employed, and especially to the guano islands, where nothing can be -cultivated. A former king of Hawaii established a poi factory at -Honolulu, and by so doing became very unpopular with his subjects, just -as has been the case with other kings who have introduced labor-saving -machinery into their dominions. - -At dinner that evening Frank and Fred asked for poi and were promptly -supplied. It was explained to them that the native way of eating it was -to insert the forefinger in the dish, twirl it around until it was well -coated with the sticky substance, and then draw the finger through the -mouth. Both the youths concluded that they would allow the natives to -monopolize that form of eating, which was hardly to be reconciled with -civilized customs. They contented themselves with spoons, which answered -their purpose completely. - -[Illustration: HAWAIIANS AT A FEAST.] - -Poi, fish, and pork are the principal articles of food among the -Hawaiians; but at a feast several articles are added that do not come -into the daily bill of fare. The guide took Frank and Fred to a native -_luau_, or festival, and pointed out the following dishes: poi, fish and -pork, as already mentioned; baked ti-root, which bore a striking -resemblance to molasses-cake, of which New Englanders are fond, and the -resemblance included both appearance and taste; raw shrimps and limu, -which is a sea-moss smelling and tasting very disagreeably to the -novice; kuulaau, which is an agreeable compound of cocoanut and -taro-root; paalolo, a combination of cocoanut and sweet-potato, of a -sweetish taste; and two or three additional mixtures of the same sort. -Then there were cuttle-fish raw and cooked, roasted dog, and a small -quantity of pickled salmon, liberally dosed with red pepper. Fred -suggested that as the salmon was imported, and therefore expensive, the -red pepper was freely added in order that the article would be sparingly -eaten. - -[Illustration: NATIVE HAY PEDDLER.] - -The guide, who was a native, explained that the feast was for the -purpose of enabling the giver to build a new house, and each guest was -expected to pay fifty cents for his entertainment. He pointed out a -calabash bowl lying on the ground as the receptacle of the money, as it -was a matter of etiquette for the master not to receive the cash -directly from the hands of his guests. The affair had been arranged some -time beforehand, and the price of the feast was mentioned in the -invitation. Everybody was in new clothes, it being one of the Hawaiian -customs that every garment worn at a feast must be quite new, and a -native would rather be absent from the entertainment than violate this -point of etiquette. Five or six men who served as stewards were dressed -exactly alike, each of them wearing a green shirt and red trousers, made -for the occasion. In addition to this, they had green wreaths on their -heads, and most of the persons present had their heads decked with -flowers or leaves. - -The diners sat on the ground, and as they took their places their -portions of roast pig, neatly wrapped in ti-leaves, were distributed to -them. They were expected to be satisfied with their allowance, and -etiquette forbade their asking for more of this article, though they -could help themselves freely to anything else. When the feast was over -each one carried away whatever of his roast pork was unconsumed. The -guide said it would be very impolite to leave any portion of it, and -even the bones were carried away. The feeding was not done in a hurry; a -native feast lasts for several hours, the guests pausing two or three -times to get up a fresh touch of appetite, and occasionally walking -about, singing, dancing, talking, or laughing, in order to increase the -capacity of their stomachs. - -Our young friends tasted some of the dishes, and each dropped a -half-dollar in the calabash bowl that was designated as the receptacle -of the contributions of the guests. They carried away their portions of -roast pig, and gave the packages to some urchins whom they encountered a -short distance from the scene of the feast. The latter immediately sat -down to enjoy the toothsome delicacy, and no doubt imagined themselves -to be for the time the most favored beings in the land. Their appearance -indicated that roast pig did not often enter into their bill of fare, -and the rapidity with which they attacked the contents of the packages -showed that they had not dined. - -Frank thought it must have been a great change for the people of the -islands when they abandoned their old custom of going without clothing -and adopted the dress of civilization. When it is remembered that a -hundred years ago the islanders were naked savages, the remark of the -youth is not to be wondered at. The missionaries say that in the early -days the attempts of the natives to adopt European dress were decidedly -ludicrous; they could not understand the necessity of three or more -garments, but thought a single one sufficient to begin with. A hat, a -shirt, and a pair of trousers were considered enough for three, and some -of them used to argue that these garments were altogether too numerous -for one individual, when there were so many others without anything. - -[Illustration: DRESS OF HAWAIIAN WOMEN.] - -Fred made a sketch of a group of women, and afterwards procured several -photographs showing how the feminine natives of the islands are -ordinarily clad. On the back of the sketch he wrote as follows: - -"The dress of the women can hardly be called picturesque, but after -being seen a few times its oddity is not as apparent as at first. Most -of the women go bareheaded, or with wreaths of leaves and flowers in -their hair. Their dress hangs from the shoulders without being gathered -in at the waist, and quite closely resembles the morning wrapper of -civilized lands, though it is not so ornamental. Black, dark, and pink -are the usual colors of the dress, but on festive occasions something -gayer can be frequently seen. You would be surprised to see the grace -and dignity with which the older women carry themselves, and I think -much of it is due to the loosely flowing dress." - -The climate is so mild that heavy clothing is not needed. The heat is of -course greater in the lowlands than among the mountains, whose highest -peaks are covered with snow for a considerable part of the year. -Honolulu is said to be the hottest place in the kingdom, and thin -clothing, but not the thinnest, is worn there the entire year. White is -worn a great deal, but it is so easily soiled that a good many prefer to -wear garments of blue serge, or blue or gray flannel. Flannel is -desirable for the winter months, but the islands are so near the equator -that the difference between winter and summer is not very great. - -In December and January the temperature sometimes falls to 62° -Fahrenheit in the early morning, but by noon, or 2 P.M., it generally -reaches 75° or 76°, and remains between that point and 70° until -midnight. In July the highest point reached is 86°, and on a few -occasions 87°. The extreme range of the thermometer is not more than 26° -or 28°, which makes it a very comfortable climate to live in. It is said -to be an excellent one for persons suffering from pulmonary complaints, -though it is somewhat debilitating for healthy men and women accustomed -to the rigorous climate of the northern States of America. - -Residents of the islands say there are regions among the mountains where -the nights are invariably cool enough for a fire all the year round, -while the days are never hot. Even in Honolulu the air is not as sultry -as that of New York or Philadelphia in July and August, and the greatest -heat experienced is almost always tempered by a breeze. There is more -rain in winter than in summer, but there is no really dry season. It is -a circumstance that strikes the stranger curiously that there is much -more rain on the windward side of the islands than on the leeward; -sometimes the former will have a great deal of rain, while the latter -gets little or hardly any. The trade-wind controls the rainfall, and by -ascertaining where it strikes a new-comer may have much or little rain -accordingly as he selects his place of residence. - -[Illustration: ANCIENT IDOLS OF HAWAII.] - -The guide told the youths that they could sit on the veranda of the -hotel at Honolulu and see the rain fall every day, but without getting a -drop within the limits of the city. "You may be here all day in the -sunshine," said he; "but if you are going to the windward side of the -island you must take your rubber overcoats. The showers that you see -from the hotels are from the clouds that have been blown over the -mountains, and as soon as you cross the range you will be in the midst -of them." - -Doctor Bronson said that the decrease in the population of the islands -had been, by some people, attributed to the adoption of clothing by the -natives. "It is argued," said he, "that the people are very careless, -and have not learned the sanitary laws which govern the use of clothing. -A native thinks nothing of lying down with his wet clothes upon him when -he has been soaked by a rain or dipped in the surf; it is hard to make -him understand that such a practice is dangerous, and many of the -inhabitants have died of the severe colds contracted in this way." - -[Illustration: GRASS HOUSE, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.] - -In the outskirts of the city our friends came to a house which the guide -said was a good specimen of the native dwelling, and they obtained -permission to enter and examine it. It had a door, but no windows; was a -single story in height, and its sides were made of upright sticks -interwoven with palm-leaves, while the roof was thatched with grass. The -floor was of solid earth covered with mats, and at one end there was a -sort of platform raised a foot higher than the rest. This platform was -the sleeping-place of the inmates, and was elevated in order to insure -its freedom from dampness in case of a heavy rain. In front of the house -was a bench, where one might sit in the shade during the afternoon, and -where no doubt the owner idled away a considerable part of his time. The -islanders are not fond of hard work, and in fact they have no occasion -to labor as industriously as do the inhabitants of more rigorous -regions. - -[Illustration: GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, HONOLULU.] - -Around Honolulu the expense of living is greater than it is away from -the port, owing to the increased price of the products of the fields. In -the country it may be said that a man who works two days in the week can -support his family comfortably, especially if he is near the sea-coast, -whence he can obtain a supply of fish at any time he chooses to go for -them. Fishing, taro-planting, and making poi are his chief occupations, -and to these he generally adds mat-weaving, which is neither difficult -nor laborious. His wants are few and easily supplied, and it is no -wonder that the islander displays an unwillingness to wear himself out -in constant toil. The conditions of life do not require him to do so, -and he lacks the ambition to accumulate a fortune solely for the sake of -accumulating it. - -[Illustration: HAWAIIAN DANCING-GIRLS.] - -After dinner the guide proposed that the strangers should witness a -_hula-hula_, or native dance. It was quite unlike the dancing of -European countries, consisting principally of more or less active -movements of the limbs while the body of the dancer swayed from side to -side. The dancers were girls dressed in short frocks like those worn by -American school-girls; they had wreaths in their hair and around their -ankles, and their dresses were loosely gathered in at the waist, where -they were held by cords. The music was supplied by two men who struck -their hands upon large calabashes and sang or chanted a low monotonous -air. A very little of the dance satisfied the curiosity of the visitors, -and they returned to the hotel at an early hour. - -The Hawaiians have another dance, which can be seen at their festivals; -it is performed by men and women, usually elderly people, and is -accompanied by singing, in which all may join. Then there are dances -for the younger people, but they are not generally practised, owing to -the opposition of the missionaries, and possibly to the unwillingness of -the people to indulge in active exercise unless they are paid for it. -All the dances have descended from the days before the advent of the -foreigners, and therefore have an interest for any one who desires to -learn whatever he can about the history of the islanders. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -IN AND AROUND HONOLULU.--PUBLIC BUILDINGS.--THE THEATRE.--ROAD TO THE -PALI.--A MAGNIFICENT VIEW.--VILLAS NEAR THE CITY.--GIRLS ON -HORSE-BACK.--TARO-FIELDS.--THE WATER SUPPLY.--MOUNTAIN-PASS.--HAWAIIAN -COW-BOYS.--HILO AND THE VOYAGE THITHER.--APOCHRYPHAL STORIES ABOUT THE -RAIN.--SURF-SWIMMING.--THE GREAT VOLCANO OF KILAUEA.--OVER THE -LAVA-FIELDS.--DIFFICULT ROADS.--THE VOLCANO HOUSE.--A DISTURBED -NIGHT.--BURNING LAKES.--SIGHT-SEEING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.--TERRIFYING -SCENES.--KILAUEA AND MAUNA LOA.--THE GREATEST VOLCANO IN THE -WORLD.--HISTORIC ERUPTIONS.--CRATER OF HALEAKALA.--SUGAR CULTURE IN -HAWAII, ITS EXTENT AND INCREASE.--OTHER INDUSTRIES.--RETURNING BY -SCHOONER TO HONOLULU.--LEPER ISLAND OF MOLOKAI.--A DAY AMONG THE LEPERS. - - -The next day was devoted to excursions in the immediate vicinity of -Honolulu, a carriage-drive through the principal streets of the town, a -visit to the palace and other Government buildings, and two or three -calls to present letters of introduction. The visit to the palace -included an introduction to the King, Kalakaua, who received his -visitors politely and devoted a short time to their entertainment. The -conversation referred mainly to the United States, and barely touched -upon matters connected with the islands. - -In their drive about the city Frank and Fred found that Honolulu is a -well-built town with narrow streets. The houses are mostly of wood, -dropped down rather carelessly in many places, with little attempt at -uniformity, and not much decoration. The amount of tropical verdure, -which almost concealed many of the villas and detached residences in the -side streets and outskirts of the place, recalled Ceylon and other -regions near the equator which they had visited in their former travels. -Frank thought he could readily imagine himself in the suburbs of -Colombo, while Fred was inclined to close his eyes for a moment and -think he had been transported on the enchanted carpet of the Arabian -Nights to Batavia or Buitenzorg, in Java. In many of the court-yards -fountains were playing, the drops of water sparkling in the bright -sunshine, and adding materially to the beauty of the scene. - -[Illustration: LAHAINA, ISLAND OF MAUI.] - -There are some fine residences in Honolulu, but none that would be -considered of much consequence in a wealthy capital of Europe. The best -buildings are the public ones, and in the list we must include the -Hawaiian hotel, as it was built by the Government at an expense that was -considered a heavy one for the country to bear. Near the hotel is the -theatre, which is also a Government affair, and brings very little -revenue to its owners. It is in use occasionally whenever a strolling -company on a voyage between Australia and America happens along and -gives a few performances. Honolulu is hardly able to support a theatre -through the entire year, as the portion of the population able and -willing to patronize it is very small. - -[Illustration: WOMEN ON HORSE-BACK, HONOLULU.] - -Frank and Fred were amused at the equestrian performances of the -natives, and particularly at the dash and energy with which the laughing -girls pushed their horses at full speed. They rode "man-fashion," -bestriding the horse instead of sitting on a side-saddle, and few of -them seemed contented with any but the most rapid pace. The horses of -the Hawaiian Islands are small but strong, and capable of great -endurance; in fact, if they were otherwise it is evident they would not -live long, when the habits of the natives are remembered. In travelling -in the Hawaiian Islands it is necessary to carry your saddle, as -carriage-roads are not numerous, and a good many places that one wishes -to visit cannot be reached by wheeled vehicles. Of course it is possible -to hire saddles when hiring horses, but this is by no means universally -the case. - -The afternoon drive was extended to the Pali, a mountain-pass six miles -out of the town, and one of the chief attractions to visitors who can -only make a brief stay at Honolulu. Outside of the business portion of -the place our friends entered upon a straight and very dusty road, which -for the first two miles and more led among the villas belonging to the -merchants and other well-to-do people who make Honolulu their home. Each -villa stands in a garden by itself, and the houses are often rendered -invisible by the masses of foliage that surround them, and the creeping -and climbing plants that rise to their very tops. The road steadily -rises, and consequently the occupants of the houses have fine views of -the bay and town; while the mountains rise behind them to form a -background. Fred was so charmed with the beauty of the scene that he -wished to sketch some of the villas, but the recollection of their -limited time prevented his carrying the desire into execution. - -Beyond this region of villas the carriage entered the foot-hills, where -the road wound with a steep grade among taro-fields, in which men were -at work up to their knees in water tending the plants which yield to the -Hawaiian the staff of life. The water which irrigates the taro-fields is -brought by innumerable streams from the sides of the mountains, to which -it is supplied by the clouds borne by the trade-winds. Honolulu receives -its water from the mountains, and there is certainly an abundance of it. - -[Illustration: A MOUNTAIN VALLEY.] - -Beyond the taro-fields there is good grazing for cattle and sheep, of -which there are numerous herds and flocks. Frank called attention to a -water-fall some distance away, which made a pretty contrast with the -dark sides of the mountain, and was evidently nearly, if not quite, two -hundred feet in height. At one of the turns of the road the carriage -came in contact with a cart which was descending the slope too swiftly -for safety; the damage was trifling, but for a few moments things wore a -serious aspect, as there was a good chance of being tossed over the side -of the almost precipitous slope. - -There were not many travellers along the road, the most picturesque -being groups of girls on horseback and the herders who were driving -cattle to market or for a change of pasture. The girls were generally in -bright-colored robes, which were gathered in at the waist with brighter -sashes that streamed behind them as they dashed along the road. Most of -them wore straw hats on their heads, and generally the hats were adorned -with flowers in wreaths and festoons, which were most liberally -bestowed. Now and then Frank's attention was drawn to a pretty face -which surmounted a neck adorned with a string of blossoms of gaudy -colors; the necklace formed an admirable setting for the complexion, but -sometimes the blossoms were not chosen with due regard to the contrast -of colors. - -[Illustration: HAWAIIAN TEMPLE. - -(_From a Russian Engraving about 1790._)] - -The Hawaiian cow-boys, or cattle-drivers, were not unlike their American -prototypes, as they wore broad-brimmed hats and bright-colored scarfs; -they were mounted on tough little horses, and sat in saddles of the -American cow-boy pattern, the pommel rising high, and the stirrups made -of wood. Then there were strings of pack-mules and horses coming down -from the points in the mountains inaccessible to wheeled vehicles, and -now and then our friends met a Chinese gardener taking the produce of -his little patch to market on the back of a pack animal, and in some -instances on a wheelbarrow. A few groups of men and women on foot were -encountered, but the number was so small that Frank and Fred concluded -that the Hawaiians were a home-loving people, and did not wander about -much. - -Near the Pali the road passed through thickets of how-trees, which -resembled the growths of manzanita on the slopes of the California -foot-hills. These thickets are so dense that it is impossible for man or -horse to pass through them; in fact they are impenetrable to any but the -smallest animals. Frank thought he would like to cut a cane as a -souvenir, but refrained from doing so when reminded by Fred that he -could probably buy all the canes he wanted in Honolulu. - -[Illustration: MOUNTAIN SCENE IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.] - -Suddenly from the other side of the narrow pass a wonderful panorama was -presented. Around on each side were the rugged cliffs of the mountain -range, while in front they looked from a height of eight or nine hundred -feet above the sea-level upon a picture which included every variety of -scenery. In the distance was the blue Pacific washing the sandy shores -and curving reefs of coral, and between the ocean and the point where -our friends were standing were grassed and wooded foot-hills, and long -stretches of lowlands dotted with coffee and sugar plantations, -taro-fields, and other evidences of careful cultivation, together with -villages and clusters of huts that marked the dwelling-places of the men -engaged in this tropical agriculture. - -"We could almost say that we had the colors of the rainbow in this bit -of landscape," said Fred, afterwards, while describing the scene. "The -blue sky and sea were tinged with purple, the distant mountains varied -in shades of blue and gray, the foot-hills and plains gave us every -verdant tinge that you can name, from the bright green of the mountain -grass to the dark foliage of the vegetation that surrounded the -villages; and as for yellow, you had it in every variety, from the -reddish tint of the sinuous roads to the bright and almost white belt of -sand that separated land from sea. We recalled several similar views in -different parts of the world, but could give none of them preference -over this. It was the view from the Baidar Gate in the Crimea, combined -with Wockwalla near Point de Galle, and a bit of the scene from the -Righi Culm in Switzerland." - -Whoever goes to the Hawaiian Islands will consider his visit incomplete -unless he includes the island of Hawaii and the great volcano of Kilauea -in his tour. Doctor Bronson desired that the party should proceed -thither at the earliest moment, and found on inquiry that a steamer was -to leave for Hilo on the second morning after their arrival at Honolulu. - -"Prepare for wet weather," said his informant, "as it rains all the time -at Hilo. They say they have seventeen feet of rain there annually, and -sometimes there are days and days together when it rains without letting -up a minute. Gum-coats and water-proofs are in order, and the more you -have of them the better." - -Continuing, the narrator said that a Hilo man once made an experiment by -knocking out the heads of an oil-cask, and it rained in at the bung-hole -faster than the water could run out at the ends! Frank asked for the -documents in the case--the affidavits before the justice of the peace, -and the certificate of the resident clergyman--but they were not -forthcoming. Another story was that the fishes frequently swam up into -the air a distance of three or four hundred yards before discovering -they were not in the bay, the showers being so dense that it was -impossible for them to distinguish the one from the other. Fred declared -himself skeptical on this subject, as the showers consisted of fresh -water, while the bay was salt, and a salt-water fish does not usually -show a willingness to swim up a fresh water stream except in the -spawning season. - -[Illustration: HILO.] - -The run to Hilo was made in about forty hours, the steamer making -several stops on the way. It rained "cats and dogs" when the party -landed, but as all the baggage had been wrapped in water-proof -coverings, nothing was damaged. Arrangements were speedily made for -departure on the following morning without regard to the weather: horses -and guides were engaged, the best animals being selected for the saddles -and others for packing purposes, and a substantial lunch was made ready -for the mid-day meal. Doctor Bronson insisted that the horses should all -be freshly shod before starting, and an extra supply of shoes and nails -carried along. The road goes over the lava-beds for nearly the whole -distance, and if a horse loses a shoe he will go lame in a very few -minutes, so rough and cutting is the lava. - -[Illustration: SURF-BATHING AT HILO.] - -Fortunately the morning was fine, and the bay of Hilo presented a pretty -appearance. Groves of palm and other tropical trees lined the shore, the -surf broke in regular pulsations upon the curving stretch of beach, and -was made animate by dozens of men and boys at play in the waves. For the -first time our friends saw some of the sport in the water for which the -islanders are famous, though less so at present than in the days that -are gone. Fred thus described it: - -"Each man had a surf-board, which was a thick plank twelve or fifteen -feet long and perhaps thirty inches wide, and said to be made from the -trunk of a bread-fruit tree. There were five or six of the natives to -whom we had promised half a dollar each for the performance. They pushed -out with their planks to the first line of breakers and managed to dip -under it and swim along by the help of the under-tow. They passed the -second line in the same way, and finally got beyond the entire stretch -of surf into comparatively smooth water. - -"Then they tossed up and down for a while, waiting for their chance. -What they wanted was an unusually high swell, and they tried to find a -place in front of it so that it would sweep them towards the shore just -where it broke into a comber. They tried several times but failed, and -we began to get out of patience. - -"At last they got what they had waited for, while some were kneeling on -their planks and others lying extended with their faces downward, and -just ahead of the great comber they swept on at a speed of little, if -any, less than forty miles an hour. There they were just ahead of the -breaker, and apparently sliding downhill; one of them was swamped by it, -but he dived and came up behind the wave and made ready for the next. -The others kept on, and were flung high and dry by the surf, and as soon -as they could rise from their planks they ran towards us to receive -their pay. One of the fellows stood erect on his plank while in the -surf, just as the Nubians at the first cataract of the Nile stand up -while descending through the foaming water." - -[Illustration: THE VOLCANO HOUSE.] - -Meanwhile the guides were busy getting the cavalcade in readiness, and a -little before eight o'clock the party was under way for the great -volcano. From Hilo to the Volcano House is a distance of thirty miles. -The horses go for the most of the time at a walk, and though the ride -has been accomplished in six hours, it is better to allow not less than -ten for it, and "take things easily." This will give time for a rest of -an hour for lunch at the Half-way House--the lunch being the one which -we have already prepared. - -Frank wanted to try the effect of a gallop, but to guard against -accidents Doctor Bronson suggested that gallops would be out of order -for the day. The path over the lava is full of holes, and very rough and -broken in many places. The natives trot and gallop along the road, but -the novice should refrain from so doing. At a walking pace there is -little discomfort and practically no danger, and parties of ladies and -children can make the journey without excessive fatigue. "Chi va piano -va sano," as the Italians say. - -The youths found the ride from Hilo to the volcano full of interest. -They amused themselves by comparing the lava-fields with those of the -volcanoes they had visited in other parts of the world, and they studied -the ferns, of which there were many varieties, the largest of them -having stalks three or four feet in diameter and a height of fifteen or -twenty feet. Other ferns were very small, and between the small and -large there were all shades of colors and all possible sizes. One of the -guides showed that the ferns were not altogether ornamental plants, as -he plucked from one of them a woolly substance he called _pulu_, and -said it was used for stuffing beds and pillows. Many tons of pulu are -exported every year to America and other countries. - -At the Half-way House everybody was hungry, and the lunch was speedily -disposed of. A little after six o'clock in the evening the Volcano House -was reached, and here the party spent the night. A good supper was -prepared and eaten, and the incidents of the day and plans of the morrow -were discussed; then the youths joined Doctor Bronson, at the suggestion -of the latter, in a sulphur vapor-bath of Nature's own preparation, and -after it all retired to sleep. The accommodations were limited, but -everybody was weary enough to be willing to put up with the most -primitive style of lodging, provided nothing better could be obtained. - -Here is what Frank wrote concerning the visit of our friends to the -crater of the volcano: - -"We took a hearty breakfast and left the house about half-past eight -o'clock in the morning, to make acquaintance with the crater. We put on -our strongest shoes but did not encumber ourselves with heavy clothing, -as the guide said we should not need it. The house is quite near the -crater, almost on its edge, and so we didn't have far to go to begin -sight-seeing; in fact, we had begun it on the previous evening, and all -through the night, as the light of the volcano was almost constantly in -our eyes. Two or three times during the night we saw the lava spurting -up like a fountain above the edge of one of the small craters, and -altogether the scene was an exciting one. - -"It is fully three miles from one side of the crater of Kilauea to the -other; but you do not walk in a straight course across it, for the -simple reason that you can't. The crater is a great pit varying from -eight hundred to fifteen hundred feet in depth; its floor consists of -lava, ashes, and broken rocks, the lava predominating. It is rough and -uneven, and in several places there are small craters sending up jets of -flame, smoke, and steam, and there are numerous cracks from which smoke -and steam issue constantly. In many places the lava lies in great rolls -and ridges that are not easy to walk over, and some of them are quite -impassable. Consequently the path winds about a good deal, and you may -be said to walk two miles to get ahead one. - -"The floor of the crater is hardly the same from week to week, and if I -should make a map of it, and describe the place very carefully, you -might not know it if you come here a year from now. In many places it is -so hot that you cannot walk on it. Lava cools very slowly, and the -thicker the bed of it the longer the time it requires for cooling. - -"The Hawaiians say that the volcano is under the control of the Goddess -Pele; she is a capricious deity, and you never know for any great length -of time beforehand what she will do. Whenever the mood strikes her she -orders an eruption, and straightway the fires are lighted, the mountain -trembles, and the earth all around is violently shaken. Flames burst -forth from the crater and shoot high in air, and sometimes the floor of -the whole area is lifted and tossed like the waves of the sea. Kilauea -may be said to be constantly active, as the fires never cease; but there -are periods of great activity followed by seasons of comparative quiet. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF ONE OF THE BURNING LAKES.] - -"Over the floor of the great crater we picked our way for nearly three -miles to the Burning Lakes; and what do you suppose these lakes are? - -"Their name describes them, as they are literally burning lakes--lakes -of fire so hot that if you should be foolish enough to try to bathe in -them, or so unfortunate as to fall into their waves, you would be burned -up in less than a minute. We had to climb up a steep bank of lava to get -in sight of them, and then what a spectacle was presented! - -"There were two little lakes or ponds, five or six hundred feet in -diameter, and separated by a narrow embankment which the guide said was -occasionally overflowed, and either covered entirely or broken down for -a while. These lakes are on the top of a hill formed by the cooling of -the lava, and at the time we saw them their surface was perhaps one -hundred feet below the point where we stood on the outer edge or rim. -The wind blew from us over the lakes, and carried away the greater part -of the smoke and the fumes of sulphur; but in spite of the favoring -breeze we were almost choked by the noxious gases that rose from the -burning lava, and the numerous crevices in the solid banks where we -stood. - -"I said the bank was formed by the cooling of the lava; I should rather -say by its hardening, as it was far from cool. It was so hot that it -burned our feet through the soles of our thick shoes, and we stood first -on one foot and then on the other, as turkeys are said to stand on a hot -plate. Fred sat down to rest, but he stood up again in less than half a -minute, as it was like sitting on a hot stove. We had brought a canteen -of water which the guide placed on the ground near us; when I went to -pick it up for a drink, the air and exertion having made me very -thirsty, it was so hot that I burned my fingers in trying to hold it. -The water in the canteen was like a cup of tea as good housewives like -to pour it steaming from the kettle. - -"Our faces were blistering with the heat that rose from the surface of -the lakes, and then we scorched our hands in trying to protect our -faces. We were blinded and suffocated; we coughed and spluttered, and -found it difficult to speak, and in a little while concluded we had had -quite enough of the lakes. We used our eyes rapidly, as there was a -great deal to look at, and the whole scene was such as does not often -come into one's opportunities. - -"The molten lava seethed, bubbled, boiled, and rolled below us, its -surface covered with a grayish and thin crust, out of which rose -irregular circles and patches of fire that seemed to sweep and follow -one another from the circumference to the centre of the lake. Every -minute or so the lava in the centre of the lake bulged up and broke into -an enormous bubble or wave which sometimes rose twenty or thirty feet -into the air, and then broke and scattered just as you see a bubble -breaking in a kettle of boiling paste or oatmeal porridge. I know the -comparison is a homely one, but I can't think of anything that will -better describe what we saw. - -"The bank of the lake down near where the lava came against it was red -hot, and so you may imagine if you can a mass of liquid fire rolling and -surging against a solid one. One of the lakes was much more agitated -than the other, and the liquid lava seemed to break upon its sides very -much like a sea upon a rocky shore. Owing to the half-plastic condition -of the lava, it could not break into surf and spray like the waves of -the ocean, but it made a dull roar, something like that of the Pacific -on the beach near San Francisco just after the subsidence of a storm. - -[Illustration: VIEW ON A LAVA FIELD.] - -"The surface of the lava changes its height from time to time. The guide -said it occasionally rose until it overflowed the sides of the basin -enclosing the lakes, and formed streams that spread out over the level -area of the great crater. Sometimes it sank so that it was fully four -hundred feet from the edge of the rim down to the lava; but whether it -was high or low, there was never a time when it was wholly inactive. - -"The guide called our attention to cones which had formed on the rim of -the lake; they were caused by the cooling of the lava around vent-holes, -and as successive jets of lava were thrown up and cooled they had -formed cones fifteen or twenty feet high, and some of them as much as -thirty feet. When the height became so great that the lava sought an -outlet elsewhere, it generally left a hole in the top of the cone. We -looked down some of these holes and saw the seething mass of lava -threatening each moment to rise and destroy the very frail foundation -where we were standing. The guide said there was little real danger, as -the lava had receded since the cones were formed. I observed that the -crust where we stood was not more than a foot or so in thickness; and as -the lava is very brittle, the spot was certainly not a safe one. -Besides, the fumes that rose from the vent-holes were absolutely -stifling; and though the sight was a fascinating one, it was impossible -to remain there long, owing to the difficulty of breathing. - -[Illustration: HAWAIIAN WARRIORS OF A CENTURY AGO.] - -"We have visited volcanoes in other parts of the world, but none that -equalled this, and never have we seen anything to compare with the -Burning Lakes of Kilauea. What a magnificent sight it must be to see an -eruption of Kilauea or Mauna Loa--especially the latter, as it is much -the larger of the two. Just now it is quiet, but when it does break out -it is, I believe, the greatest volcano in the world. Let me give you a -few figures: - -"Mauna Loa has had eight great eruptions in forty years, an average of -one eruption every five years. It is 13,700 feet high, and in several of -its eruptions it has sent streams of lava fifty miles in length to the -sea. The flow of these streams is slow, usually requiring eight or ten -days, and sometimes longer, to cover the distance from the mountain to -the sea. In one eruption it was estimated that 38,000,000,000 cubic feet -of lava were poured out, and in another 17,000,000,000. Kilauea is -properly a spur of Mauna Loa, and less than 4000 feet high, but -nevertheless it is the largest constantly active volcano in the world. - -[Illustration: CHAIN OF EXTINCT VOLCANOES, ISLAND OF KAUAI.] - -"When the lava from Mauna Loa reaches the sea there is an immense cloud -of steam rising from the point where the molten mass enters the water; -the ocean is heated for miles around, and fishes by millions perish from -the heat. The ground all over the island is devastated, earthquakes are -frequent, and altogether Hawaii must be an unpleasant place of residence -at that time. - -"We got back to the hotel about five o'clock in the afternoon, -thoroughly tired out with the day's excursion, which had given us so -many curious and terrible sights. It has been an experience which we -shall long remember." - -Our friends wanted to visit the great crater of Haleakala, on the island -of Maui, in order to be able to compare an extinct volcano with a live -one, but time did not permit. They talked with a gentleman who had been -there, and that, said Fred, was the next best thing to seeing with their -own eyes. Here is the substance of what they learned concerning -Haleakala: - -"You have a ride of about twelve miles to reach the summit, and you -ought to go up so as to sleep at the top and get the view at sunrise. -There is no house there, but of this there is no need, as there are -several caves in the lava--they are really broken lava-bubbles, which -are each large enough to shelter half a dozen persons comfortably. Of -course you must have a guide and must carry plenty of blankets, or you -will suffer from the cold. Water and wood can be found near the top of -the mountain. - -"The crater of Haleakala is thirty miles in circumference, or ten miles -across, and it is two thousand feet from the edge of the rim that -surrounds it to the floor of the crater; over this floor are spread ten -or twelve smaller craters and cones, some of them large enough to be -good-sized mountains by themselves, as they are nearly, if not quite, a -thousand feet high. - -"You can descend into the great crater if you wish, and there is a path -by which you can traverse it; but it is very necessary that you should -not turn from the path, as the lava is so sharp that it would endanger -your horse's feet to go even a few yards over it. Stick to the route, -and implicitly obey your guide." - -Fred obtained a map of Haleakala, which we give on the following page. -It shows the shape of the crater and the openings at either end, where -the lava is supposed to have made an outlet for itself; these openings -are called Koolau Gap and Kaupo Gap, the former being something more -than two miles across, and the latter a trifle less. - -Before leaving Hilo, Doctor Bronson arranged for a schooner to meet the -party at a point on the Puna coast, which was easily reached in a day's -ride from the crater of Kilauea. Before sunset they had paid the guide -for the hire of the horses and his own wages, and the evening saw them -dashing through the waters on the way to Honolulu. The trade-wind bore -them swiftly along; Hawaii is to windward of Oahu, and while it takes a -schooner or other sailing-vessel four or five days to beat from Honolulu -to Hilo, the return journey can be made in from twenty-four to thirty -hours. The second morning from Puna saw the schooner anchored in the -harbor of the capital, and our friends had the satisfaction of -breakfasting at the spacious and comfortable Hawaiian hotel. - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE HALEAKALA CRATER.] - -Through the courtesy of a gentleman engaged in the sugar culture, our -friends made a visit to a sugar plantation, the culture of the -saccharine product being the principal industry of the Hawaiian Islands. -We have not space for an account of all they saw and heard, but will -give a summary from Fred's note-book. - -"Sugar is grown on all the four large islands of the group, but the -principal seat of the industry is on Maui, which seems peculiarly -favorable to it. We were told that the yield was sometimes between five -and six tons to the acre, four tons was not an unusual amount, and it -would be considered a poor plantation that did not give two or two and a -half tons. The volcanic soil seems to be just what the sugar-cane loves; -the seasons are such that planting can be done in many places at any -time of the year, and there is not the least danger of frost, as in the -sugar area of the United States. - -"The common custom is to raise two crops, and then let the ground lie -idle for two seasons; so that taking a series of years together, -allowance must be made for the idle time in estimating the yield of -sugar. In some localities, especially those where the ground is -artificially irrigated, this plan is not always followed, as it does -not appear to be necessary. To show the growth of the industry, let me -say that the export of sugar in 1860 was 1,414,271 pounds, while in -1871, eleven years later, it was 21,760,773 pounds. Last year it was in -the neighborhood of fifty million pounds. - -[Illustration: KAMEHAMEHA I., FIRST KING OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.] - -"In the early years of the sugar culture the work was performed by the -natives, but in course of time it grew to such an extent that the local -supply of labor was not sufficient. A great number of Chinese and -Portuguese were introduced, and laborers have been brought from other -islands of the Pacific Ocean, so that the population of the country is -now a mixed one. By the census of 1878 the population was 57,986; 44,088 -of these were natives, 5916 Chinese, 4561 whites, and 3420 half-castes. -In 1882 the population was estimated at 66,895, including 12,804 -Chinese. In the two years ending March 31, 1884, there was an -immigration of 6166 Portuguese from the Azores Islands. Among the whites -the Americans are most numerous, but the Germans are steadily increasing -in numbers, a large part of the sugar interest and the commerce -dependent upon it being in their hands. The commercial king of the -islands is Claus Spreckels, who is of German origin, and practically -controls the sugar culture. He owns a steamship line between Honolulu -and San Francisco, and the local steamers plying to the various islands -are mostly in his hands. - -"Rice and coffee are also products of the islands, but they occupy a low -position when compared to that of sugar. Hides, tallow, wool, and salt -are also exported, but the quantity is not great. The value of the -exports of the islands is from eight to ten million dollars annually, -and the imports amount to about two millions less than the exports. The -principal imports are textile fabrics, clothing, implements, machinery, -and provisions." - -So much for the commercial condition of the kingdom of Hawaii. Let us -now turn to other matters. - -[Illustration: WATER-FALL ON ISLAND OF KAUAI.] - -Our friends took a day, or rather two nights and a day, for a visit to -the famous Leper Hospital on Molokai Island. Leaving Honolulu late one -evening, they were landed the next morning on Molokai for their strange -excursion. We will let Frank tell the story of the visit. - -"The leper settlement is on a plain, which is surrounded by mountains on -three sides and the sea on the fourth. The mountains are so rugged as to -be impassable except at a few points, which are always carefully -guarded. The sea-front is also watched, so that escape from the -settlement is practically impossible. - -[Illustration: IMPLEMENTS OF DOMESTIC LIFE. - -_a_, Calabash for poi.--_b_, Calabash for fish.--_c_, Water-bottle.--_d, -d_, Poi mallets.--_e_, Poi trough.--_f_, Native bracelet--_g_, -Fiddle.--_h_, Flute.--_i, i_, Drums.] - -"Any person in the Hawaiian kingdom suspected of leprosy is arrested by -the authorities, and if a medical examination shows that he is afflicted -with the disease he is sent to Molokai. The sentence is perpetual, -leprosy being considered incurable except in its earliest stages. A man -sent to Molokai is considered dead. His wife may obtain a decree of -divorce and marry again if she likes, and his estate is handed over to -the courts and administered upon as though he had ceased to exist. Great -care is exercised to prevent the banishment of any one about whose case -there is any doubt. There is a hospital near Honolulu where all doubtful -cases are sent, and the physician in charge keeps them there until the -certainty of the presence or absence of the disease is settled beyond -question. - -[Illustration: HAWAIIAN PIPE.] - -"The doctor who accompanied us through the settlement assured us that -leprosy is neither epidemic nor contagious in the ordinary sense of the -latter word. It can only be communicated by an abraded surface coming in -contact with a leprous sore; and he said that the practice among the -natives of many persons smoking the same pipe had done much to spread -the disease. He shook hands freely with the victims of leprosy during -our visit, and did not take the trouble to wear gloves, even when the -hands of the others were covered with sores. - -"He told us that the disease first showed itself by a slight swelling -under the eyes and in the lobes of the ears; then the fingers contracted -like birds' claws, the face swelled into ridges that were smooth and -shiny, and later these ridges broke into festering sores. Sometimes -these symptoms on the face do not appear, the attacks being principally -on the hands and feet. The fingers and toes wither and decay; they seem -to dry up and shrink, as we saw several persons whose finger-nails were -on their knuckles, the fingers having shrunk away and disappeared. - -"It is a curious circumstance that the victims of leprosy rarely suffer -pain. The decay of the extremities is gradual, and the shiny ridges on -the face may be pinched with the fingers or punctured with a pin without -giving any sensation. Among the nine hundred and odd persons in the -leper settlement we saw very few sad faces. The people were enjoying -themselves very much as they would in Honolulu--talking and laughing, -walking or lounging about, or riding horses, and in one place they were -playing a game that evoked a good deal of shouting and hilarity. Many -were at work in the fields and gardens, or making salt along the shore. -There is a leper governor for the settlement, and the usual number of -subordinates that such a place requires. There is a store where goods -are sold at cost, and many of the lepers receive money from their -friends and spend it at the store. The Government provides the lepers -with clothes and lodging, and gives them sufficient food for their -subsistence. Those who can work are encouraged to do so, and all that -they produce is bought by the Board of Health and paid for out of the -store. - -"Then they have two churches--one Catholic and the other Protestant. The -latter has a native pastor, and the former a white priest, who has -volunteered to seclude himself among these unfortunate people for their -religious good. There are three white men and eight Chinese who have -been sent here as lepers. It has been charged that the Chinese brought -leprosy to the islands, but the doctor says this is not so, the disease -having existed here before the Chinese came; and besides, it is quite -unlike the malady of that name in China. There it principally attacks -the skin, while the Hawaiian form belongs to the blood. - -"The location of the settlement is an excellent one, as it is on the -windward side of the island, and constantly swept by the pure breezes -from the ocean. For those who are unable to move about there are large -and well-kept hospitals, where the patients are waited upon by other -lepers that have not reached the disabled stage. Access and escape are -alike difficult, and everything seems to have been done to make life as -comfortable as possible to the unfortunate victims who are sent here." - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -SUDDEN CHANGE OF PLANS.--THE YACHT _PERA_.--DEPARTURE FROM -HONOLULU.--VOYAGE TO THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS.--NOOKAHEEVA BAY.--HISTORICAL -ACCOUNT OF THE MARQUESAS.--WHAT OUR FRIENDS SAW THERE.--TATTOOING AND -HOW IT IS PERFORMED.--THE DAUGHTER OF A CHIEF.--NATIVES AND THEIR -PECULIARITIES.--COTTON AND OTHER PLANTATIONS.--PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE -ISLANDS.--VISITING A PLANTATION AND A NATIVE VILLAGE.--MISSIONARIES AND -THEIR WORK.--THE TABU.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--PITCAIRN ISLAND AND THE -MUTINEERS OF THE _BOUNTY_.--WONDERS OF EASTER ISLAND.--GIGANTIC -MONUMENTS OF AN UNKNOWN RACE. - - -Those who have followed the Boy Travellers in their journeys in other -parts of the world will remember that their plans were often changed by -circumstances which could not be foreseen. At Honolulu one of these -change took place, and this is how it happened: - -When the _Alameda_ entered the harbor on her arrival from San Francisco -our friends observed at anchor a trim-looking yacht displaying the -English flag. They were too busy with the novelties of the place to give -her any attention, and her presence was soon forgotten. - -On the morning of their return from Molokai Doctor Bronson encountered -in the breakfast-room of the hotel an old friend, Doctor Macalister, of -Cambridge, England. Their greetings were cordial, and all the more so as -neither had the least idea that the other was in the Hawaiian Islands or -anywhere else in the Pacific Ocean. In almost the same breath each -exclaimed, - -"What are you doing here?" - -Doctor Bronson explained briefly how he came to Honolulu, and where he -was going, to which Doctor Macalister responded, - -"I came here on the yacht _Pera_; she belongs to Colonel Bush, formerly -of her Britannic Majesty's army, but for several years in the service of -the Turkish Government. I am the colonel's guest, and we came here by -way of India, China, and Japan. We leave to-morrow for the South -Pacific, where we are to cruise about for several months, visiting the -most interesting of the island groups. We go first to the Marquesas -Islands, and then--" - -[Illustration: LOOKING SEAWARD.] - -Just at this moment Colonel Bush entered the breakfast-room, and was -introduced to Doctor Bronson. A moment later Frank and Fred arrived, -presentations followed, and before the morning meal was over the -American contingent was fairly well acquainted with the English one. - -Conversation developed the fact that two gentlemen who had arrived on -the _Pera_ had left by the mail-steamer for San Francisco, having -received letters at Honolulu which compelled their immediate return to -England. Consequently the _Pera_'s party was reduced to Colonel Bush and -Doctor Macalister. - -[Illustration: THE OWNER OF THE YACHT.] - -The party arranged to meet at dinner. Colonel Bush and Doctor Macalister -went to the _Pera_, while Doctor Bronson and the youths proceeded to -make farewell calls, as the steamer on which they were to continue their -journey was due on the morrow, and they wished to be ready for her. - -Exactly how it came about we are unable to say, but it is evident that -Colonel Bush desired further acquaintance with Doctor Bronson and his -nephews, and that Doctor Macalister had heartily approved the colonel's -desire. At all events, when the three gentlemen were together after -dinner, Frank and Fred having left the table, the colonel invited Doctor -Bronson, with his nephews, to accompany him in his voyage to the South -Seas. - -"There is plenty of room on the yacht," said he, "and provisions are -abundant. The _Pera_ is almost identical with the _Sunbeam_, the famous -yacht of Sir Thomas Brassey, of which you have read. She relies upon her -sails when there is any wind, and has auxiliary steam-power to propel -her when needed. The north-east trade-winds will carry us down to the -equatorial belt of calms, and then we'll steam through it to the -south-east trades, which will carry us straight to the Marquesas. From -the Marquesas we'll go to the Society Islands, then to Samoa, and then -to Feejee. There you can if you like take the mail-steamer to New -Zealand and Australia, or continue with the _Pera_ wherever she goes. -Beyond Feejee I have not formed my plans very definitely, as they will -depend somewhat upon the letters I receive there, and upon the state of -things in the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, and other of the groups -to the west of Feejee." - -The heartiness of the invitation, the opportunity the voyage would give -for seeing groups of islands not on the regular track of travel, and the -fact that he was not pressed for time, settled the question with Doctor -Bronson, and he accepted at once. He excused himself shortly afterwards -to inform the youths of the change in their plans. - -Of course they were delighted at the opportunity of making an -acquaintance with the islands that were included in the _Pera_'s -proposed voyage, and earnestly congratulated themselves on their -good-fortune. - -[Illustration: "GOOD-BY!"] - -The baggage of the party was sent on board in the forenoon of the next -day; the travellers followed it, and a little before two o'clock in the -afternoon the _Pera_ steamed out of Honolulu and headed southward. When -she had made a good offing her engines were stopped, the fires were put -out, and the yacht proceeded at a splendid pace with the strong -trade-wind on her port beam. Her course was directed to the south-east, -so as to enable her to cross the equator about longitude 140° west, and -take advantage of the south-east trades in making the Marquesas. - -[Illustration: AT HOME ON THE "PERA."] - -Frank undertook a journal of the voyage; but like most works of the -kind, it abounded in repetitions, and our space will not permit -extensive quotations. One day was so much like another that the young -gentleman admitted that his narrative would make very tiresome reading, -and he doubted if any one would care to peruse it. Suffice it to say the -time passed agreeably, as there was a good library on board, and each -member of the party tried to do his share towards entertaining the rest. -Stories of sea and land, "of moving accidents by flood and field," and -discussions upon scientific, social, and all other imaginable topics, -served to beguile the hours and shorten the distance between the -Hawaiian and the Marquesas groups. - -[Illustration: BELOW DECK IN THE TROPICS.] - -The north-east trades carried the _Pera_ almost to the equator, then -came a period of calm in a torrid temperature that drove everybody to -the shelter of the double awning over the deck, and made them sigh for -cooler latitudes. Heavy clothing was at a discount, and the lightest -garments were found more than sufficient. Social rules were suspended, -and pajamas were worn altogether, except at dinner-time, when light -suits of linen took their place. Dinner was served on deck beneath the -awning, and the ice-machine was kept in constant action to supply ice -for the use of the sweltering travellers. Happily this state of affairs -did not last long; as soon as the _Pera_ entered the calm belt the -funnel was hoisted, fires were started, the equator was crossed -triumphantly, and the yacht in due time caught the south-east trades, -and was once more turned into a sailing-craft. - -As they left the equator behind them the north star disappeared below -the horizon, and the Southern Cross, that magnificent constellation of -the antarctic heavens, came into view. Frank regretted that they could -not look at it with a powerful telescope, when he learned from the -captain of the _Pera_ that there is a brilliant cluster of stars in the -centre of the Cross, invisible to the unassisted eye, and only revealed -by a strong glass. Farther south their attention was absorbed by the -Magellan clouds, two nebulæ of stars so densely packed together and so -far away that they resemble light fleecy clouds more than anything else. - -[Illustration: ON THE COAST OF THE MARQUESAS.] - -In a direct line it is about two thousand miles from Honolulu to the -outermost of the Marquesas group. The log of the _Pera_ showed a run of -2180 miles, and on the morning of the sixteenth day of the voyage the -lookout gave the welcome announcement that land was in sight. Colonel -Bush had given directions for the yacht to proceed direct to Nookaheeva -Bay, the best harbor in the Marquesas group, and consequently the -travellers contented themselves with distant views of the outer islands -that lay in their course. The islands are evidently of volcanic origin, -as they present high peaks rising two or three thousand feet, and in -some places their sides are almost precipitous. With a glass, or even -with the unaided eye, it was easy to perceive that the sides of the -mountains and the valleys enclosed between them were thickly clothed -with tropical trees and undergrowth, that extended down close to the -water's edge. - -Frank made the following historical note concerning the islands: - -"They were discovered in 1595 by a Spanish navigator, Mendaña de Neyra, -who named them Las Marquesas de Mendoza, in honor of the Marquis de -Mendoza, Viceroy of Peru. They are sometimes known as the Mendaña -Archipelago, in honor of their discoverer; and they are also called the -Washington Islands, having been so named by Captain Ingraham of the -American ship _Hope_, who visited them in 1791. They are generally -divided into two groups, the Northern and Southern, and the Island of -Nookaheeva, where we are going, is in the Northern group. Altogether -there are thirteen of the islands, with an area of less than five -hundred square miles and a population of about ten thousand. - -"Properly the name Marquesas belongs to the Southern group only, as they -alone were visited by Mendaña; the Northern group was not known until -the American captain discovered it, and therefore we shall insist that -they are the Washington Islands." - -For the description of what they saw at Nookaheeva we will rely upon -Fred's account. - -[Illustration: A VIEW IN NOOKAHEEVA.] - -"As we neared the island," said the youth in his journal, "we got up -steam and went proudly into the harbor, which has a very good anchorage. -The French flag was flying from a tall staff at the end of the bay, and -you must know that the islands are under a French protectorate, and have -been so since 1841. Hardly was our anchor down before the yacht was -surrounded by a dozen boats, or canoes; one of them contained a -Frenchman in a greatly faded uniform, who said he was the captain of the -port. I very much doubt if he ever held the rank of captain anywhere -else. - -"However, he represented the authority of the French Government and -treated us politely. Evidently the port was not often visited by -pleasure craft like our own, as he seemed somewhat surprised when told -that we had nothing to sell, and did not wish to buy anything except -fresh provisions. We bought some yams, bread-fruit, bananas, and other -fruits and vegetables, together with two or three pigs that the natives -brought alongside in their boats. The captain of the port promised to -send us a man who would supply us with fresh beef, and then went on -shore, whither we followed as soon as we had lunched. - -"Both in the boats and on the land we had a good opportunity to study -the natives, who are said to be the finest type of Polynesians. They -belong to the Malay race, and are distinguished for their graceful and -symmetrical figures; the men are tall and well proportioned, with skins -of a dark copper color, while the women are considerably lighter in -complexion, partly in consequence of their being less exposed to the -sun, and partly because of certain pigments which they apply to their -faces and arms. - -"Tattooing is in fashion here; it prevails among both sexes, though more -among the men than the women. It takes a long time to perform it -thoroughly. A resident Frenchman with whom we talked on the subject said -that the operation began at the age of nineteen or twenty, and was -rarely finished until the subject was approaching his fortieth year. It -is performed with an instrument shaped like a comb, or rather like a -small chisel with its end fashioned into teeth. The figure is drawn upon -the skin, and then the artist dips the comb into an ink made of burnt -cocoanut-shell and water, until the blunt ends of the teeth have taken -up some of the coloring matter. Then the comb is placed on the proper -spot, and with a mallet is driven through the skin, eliciting a howl -from the subject, unless he is of stoical mood. - -"Only a few square inches can be operated on at a time. The flesh swells -and becomes very sore, and the performance cannot be repeated until the -swelling subsides and the patient has gathered strength and recovered -from the fever into which he is generally thrown. We are told that the -custom is far less prevalent than when the islands were first -discovered, and it will probably die out in another generation or two. - -[Illustration: GATTANEWA'S PORTRAIT.] - -"The marks made by tattooing are permanent, and no application has ever -been found that will remove them. We have seen several men whose entire -bodies were tattooed, others whose arms and faces had alone been wrought -upon, and others again who had kept their faces free from marks but had -their bodies covered. One old fellow consented to stand for his -photograph in consideration of being rewarded with a hatchet and some -fish-hooks, which we willingly gave him. We added a pocket-knife, which -he received with a grunt of satisfaction, but without deigning to say -'Thank you,' or anything like its equivalent. He said his name was -Gattanewa, and that he was grandson of a former chief of that name. - -"The faces of the women are not tattooed, except that now and then they -have a black line on the upper lip, which is quite suggestive of a -budding mustache. One pretty woman was pointed out to us who was said to -be the daughter of a chief; her hands and arms were tattooed, the -tattooing on the arms extending nearly to the elbow. At a little -distance she seemed to have on a pair of embroidered gloves, and this -fact suggested an idea. Why could not the ladies of civilized lands have -their hands tattooed in imitation of gloves, and thus save themselves -the trouble and expense of donning a new pair so often? An ingenious -artist could do it nicely, and he might even tattoo the buttons in their -places, so that the gloves could have no possible chance of slipping off -or getting out of shape. - -[Illustration: TATTOO MARKS ON A CHIEF OF THE MARQUESAS.] - -"There was a chief of one of the interior tribes who presented an -excellent specimen of the work of the Polynesian artist on a living -canvas. Circles, squares, and all sorts of curious figures had been -delineated on his skin, and then punctured in with the tattoo -instrument; and the artist certainly possessed a correct eye, as all the -drawing was mathematically exact. The chief allowed Frank to make a -sketch of him, as the photograph did not bring out all the lines with -distinctness; of course he was rewarded for his condescension, and as he -received twice as much as he had expected, we had any number of -candidates offering themselves when it was known how liberally we paid -for services. - -"Doctor Bronson says the custom prevails in many of the islands of -Polynesia, though not in all, but is fast dying out through the -influence of Christianity and civilization. Tattooing has been practised -in almost all parts of the world and in all ages. According to the -Bible, it must have existed in the time of Moses, for we find it to be -one of the practices prohibited to the Jews. Read what is said in -Leviticus, xix. 28: 'Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for -the dead, nor print any marks upon you.' It prevailed among the ancient -Thracians, and the ancient Britons practised it. It still exists among -sailors, and has probably descended through them from the time when it -was common in Great Britain, though they may have adopted it from the -barbarous countries to which their occupation carries them. - -"Frank says these people are like a French salad, as they are dressed -with oil; they use cocoanut-oil for polishing their skins and anointing -their hair, and it is applied with great liberality. One of the presents -we gave to the chief who stood for his picture was a flat bottle like a -pocket-flask; he said through the interpreter that it was just the thing -for carrying oil, and he will no doubt use it for that purpose until it -goes the way of all bottles and is broken. The effect on the skin is -less disagreeable than you might suppose, as it makes it shine like a -piece of mahogany, and brings out the tattoo marks just as varnishing a -picture brings out its strong points more clearly than before. - -"Turmeric and other coloring substances are used with the oil. Turmeric -gives a reddish tinge to the natural brown, and when it is applied to -the skin of a pretty woman the effect is like that of the tint of an -American belle who has spent a summer at the sea-side or on a yachting -cruise, and has not been careful of her complexion. Here is a hint for -the ladies who pretend to go to the sea-side or the mountains in summer, -but are really obliged to remain at home: Make a cosmetic of -cocoanut-butter and turmeric, and apply it in place of cold-cream night -and morning. In this way you can get up a 'sea-side tan' at a trifling -expense. - -"Before civilization came here the natives wore very little clothing, -and even at the present time they do not spend much money on their -wardrobes. The native cloth, tappa, is made by pounding the inner bark -of a species of mulberry-tree with a mallet after soaking it in water. -Tappa enough for an entire dress can be made in a day, and when it is -done it will last five or six weeks. For a head-dress it is made of a -more open texture than for garments to cover the body. The women wrap -three or four yards of it around the waist to form a skirt or petticoat, -and then cover their shoulders with a mantle of the same material. -European cotton goods have partially replaced tappa, and the old -industry is dying out. It is a pity, too, as tappa is prettier than -cotton cloth, and the natives look better in it than in more civilized -material. - -[Illustration: THE CHIEF'S DAUGHTER.] - -"In another way civilization has destroyed the picturesqueness of the -Marquesas Islands. The natives formerly wore necklaces made of hogs' and -whales' teeth, and the men bored their ears, in which they inserted -ornaments of bone or teeth. These snow-white necklaces on the skins of -the Marquesas women had a very pretty effect, much prettier than that of -the cheap jewellery they wear nowadays, and which comes from French or -English manufactories. The chief's daughter whom I mentioned had one of -these necklaces, but she wore it more as the mark of her rank than -because she admired it. Above the necklace she had a double string of -common beads. She had a funny sort of ear-ornament that we tried in vain -to buy, as it was one of the insignia to indicate her rank in life. - -"When the French took possession of the islands they started to make an -extensive colony. They sent a fleet of four ships of war with five -hundred troops, and hoisted the French flag with a great deal of -ceremony. Fortifications were built, and there were some conflicts with -the natives; but of course the islanders, with their rude and primitive -weapons, were speedily conquered. The French built docks and jetties in -addition to their fortifications, but they have been of little practical -use. We found that the most of the jetties had rotted away, and in place -of the former garrison of five hundred men there are now about sixty -soldiers and a few policemen. - -"The Governor treated us very kindly, and at our first call upon him he -invited us to dine with him, where we met his amiable wife and the -officers of his staff. Colonel Bush invited them to dine on the yacht. -As the cabin is limited, we had the Governor and his wife on one day and -the officers on another, and I am sure they all enjoyed our visit. -Strangers come here so rarely that our advent made an agreeable break in -the monotony of their lives. - -"There are some fifty foreigners living here, and they include several -nationalities--English, American, Irish, Scotch, French, German, -Portuguese, Spanish, and Peruvian. Some of them are engaged in business, -but there is not a great deal of it, as the colony has not been -successful. Cotton is the principal article of cultivation, and there is -a small trade in beche-de-mer, the famous sea-cucumber of which the -Chinese are fond. It brings a high price in the markets of Canton and -Shanghai, sometimes selling as high as five hundred dollars a ton. One -of the Englishmen, who has a store in the little settlement, said that -several of the cotton plantations had been abandoned, owing to the -difficulty of getting laborers for them. The natives are disinclined to -work, and laborers from other islands cannot be had in sufficient -numbers. Several hundred Chinese have been imported, and also some -laborers from the Gilbert and Loyalty Islands. The Chinese make very -good colonists, and many of them have plantations of their own, which -they manage very successfully. - -"The same gentleman showed us a fungus that comes from the valleys -between the mountains; it looks very much like a scrap of dried leather, -and would not be considered worth much to one who did not know about it. -It brings a good price in China, where it is used for making soup. We -tried some of it at dinner one day, and found it not at all disagreeable -to the taste; in fact it was so good that our steward bought nearly a -barrel of it for future use. - -"There is a road around the head of the bay which was built by the -French soon after their arrival, but has been neglected and is not in -good repair. Our host took us on a ride along this road, from which the -view is delightful. In front is the deep blue water of the bay, while -behind us the mountains rose very precipitously, and seemed to shut us -out altogether from the rest of the island. The bay is nearly in the -shape of a horseshoe, ending in two high headlands, and to follow its -shores requires a walk or ride of about nine miles. The entrance is less -than half a mile wide, and is guarded by two small islands, each about -five hundred feet high. - -"Cowper says: - - "'Mountains interpos'd - Make enemies of nations who had else, - Like kindred drops, been mingled into one.' - -"There is nowhere in the world a better illustration of the truth of -this assertion than in the Marquesas. In each island the mountains rise -in ridges like the sections of a starfish; some of these ridges are -quite impassable, and all of them very difficult to traverse. The result -has been that there was formerly very little intercourse between the -tribes occupying the different valleys, and until the French came here -there was hardly a time when two or more tribes were not at war. Even at -present they are not entirely at peace, and though the most of them have -abandoned cannibalism, it is occasionally practised. - -"Our host told us that in many of the valleys there are old men who -have never been outside the limits of the mountain walls that enclose -their homes, and others whose journeys have been wholly confined to -short excursions on the water a few miles from shore. The ordinary mode -of communication is by water, and in many cases it is the only one -possible. - -[Illustration: A EUROPEAN'S RESIDENCE IN THE MARQUESAS.] - -"The gentleman invited us to go to one of the valleys where he has a -plantation; we made the excursion in a large sail-boat manned by six or -eight natives, but built after an English model and commanded by an -English sailor. Starting early one morning, we made the run in about -four hours, spent an afternoon and night in the valley, and returned the -next day. All these valleys in the Marquesas have a wealth of tropical -trees and smaller plants which is not surpassed anywhere else in the -world. The cocoa and several other varieties of the palm-tree abound -here, and they have the bread-fruit, the banana and taro plants, the -sugar-cane, and, as before mentioned, the cotton-plant. - -[Illustration: A MARQUESAN VILLAGE.] - -"Close by the landing-place we came to a village of a dozen or twenty -huts built of the yellow bamboo and thatched with palmetto-leaves, which -the sun had bleached to a whiteness that reminded us of a newly shingled -roof in temperate zones. Our guide called our attention to the platform -of stones on which each house stood, and said it was a protection -against dampness. The rain falls frequently and very heavily, and it is -the abundant moisture that makes the vegetation so luxuriant. On the -mountain ridges, in whatever direction you look, there are streams -tumbling down, and the steep cliffs are whitened by numerous cascades. -The moisture nourishes a great variety of creeping plants, and in many -places they completely cover the precipitous cliffs and give them the -appearance of green water-falls. - -"The natives in one respect resemble the Irish peasantry, their chief -wealth being in pigs. These animals were introduced by the Spaniards, -who were for a long time venerated as gods in consequence of this -inestimable gift to these simple-minded people. Before the visit of the -Spaniards the islands had absolutely no four-footed animals; hence it is -easy to see how Mendaña and his companions were regarded as more than -human. - -"Now they have some horses and horned cattle, but not many; they have -dogs and cats, and unfortunately they have rats, which were brought here -in foreign ships, and have multiplied so fast that they have become a -great pest. There are only a few varieties of birds on the islands; most -of them have beautiful plumage, but none can be properly called -song-birds. - -"Near the village is a well-built church of stone; it is in charge of a -Catholic priest, and we were told that there is an average of one church -to every two hundred inhabitants all over the islands. The first -missionaries to the Marquesas came in the London Mission ship _Duff_ -near the end of the last century, but after a short residence they -became disheartened and abandoned the effort to convert and civilize the -people. Several attempts were made in the first quarter of the present -century, but with a similar result. In 1833 some American missionaries -tried the experiment, and in 1834 the London Mission Society sent a -fresh party of missionaries, but all to little purpose. - -[Illustration: CATHOLIC MISSIONARY.] - -"In 1853 an English missionary named Bicknell and four Hawaiian -teachers, accompanied by their wives, went to the Marquesas at the -request of a Marquesan chief, who had gone to the Sandwich Islands in a -whale-ship to present the invitation. The French priests opposed the -coming of these missionaries, but the chiefs refused to give them up, -and so the teachers remained, but they made little progress in -converting the natives to Christianity. - -"The Catholic mission supports quite a number of priests and a bishop at -the Marquesas. The mission has had very poor success in securing -adherents to its faith, but it has done much good in the way of showing -the natives the result of industry. Around each mission station there is -a well-cultivated garden, and some of the finest cotton-fields on the -islands may be found there. I have never seen anywhere a prettier -cotton-field than at the mission we visited. - -"There is a convent at Nookaheeva, where the French Sisters are -educating about sixty Marquesan girls, whose ages vary from four to -sixteen years. There is a similar school for boys, which is under the -charge of the mission; and the bishop hopes that these boys and girls -will be of service in educating and converting their people to the -religion and civilization of the foreigner. But from all we can learn it -will be a long time before his hopes are realized. The Queen is a devout -Catholic, while the King is a nominal one, and each missionary has a -small flock of followers; but the great majority are as much heathen as -ever, and cling firmly to their old superstitions. - -"One of the curious customs of the South Sea Islands is the _tabu_, and -it prevails much more strongly at the Marquesas at the present time -than anywhere else. The word is Polynesian, and singularly resembles in -sound and meaning the _to ebah_ of the ancient Hebrews. It has a good -and a bad meaning, or rather it may apply to a sacred thing or to a -wicked one. A cemetery, being consecrated ground, would be tabu, or -sacred, and to fight there would be tabu, or wicked. Our English word -'tabooed' (forbidden) comes from the Polynesian one. - -[Illustration: IN A GALE NEAR THE MARQUESAS.] - -"It would take too long to describe all the operations of tabu as it -formerly prevailed through Polynesia and still exists in some of the -islands, and especially in the Marquesas. There were two kinds of tabu, -one of them permanent, the other temporary. The permanent tabu was a -sort of traditional or social rule, and applied to everybody. All -grounds and buildings dedicated to any idol or god were tabu, and -therefore became places of refuge to men fleeing from an enemy, exactly -like the Cities of Refuge mentioned in the Bible. It was tabu to touch -the person of a chief or any article belonging to him, or eat anything -he had touched. In the Tonga Islands it was tabu to speak the name of -father or mother or of father-in-law or mother-in-law, to touch them, or -to eat in their presence except with the back turned, when they were -constructively supposed to be absent. - -[Illustration: COMMODORE PORTER'S FLEET IN NOOKAHEEVA BAY.] - -"In the Feejee Islands it was tabu for brother and sister and -first-cousins to speak together or eat from the same dish. Husband and -wife could not eat from the same dish, and a father could not speak to -his son if the latter was more than fifteen years old! - -"The tabu was a very convenient police system, as any exposed property -could be made safe by being tabooed. The chiefs and priests could tabu -anything they chose; when a feast was about to come off the chief would -previously tabu certain articles of food, and thus insure an abundance -on the day of the festival. Violation of certain kinds of tabu was -punished with death; other and smaller violations had various penalties -affixed, and they generally included sacrifices or presents to the gods, -or the payment of fines to the chiefs. - -"Well, here in the Marquesas, among other prohibitions, it was tabu for -a woman to enter a canoe or boat. Men had a monopoly of all paddling and -sailing, and the only sea-voyage a woman could make was by swimming. I -have read about women in the South Seas swimming out to ships anchored a -long distance from shore, and never understood till now how it was. It -is no wonder that sailors used to mistake these Marquesan nymphs for -mermaids as they dashed through the waves with their long black hair -trailing behind them in the water." - -Fred's account of what they saw in the Marquesas pauses abruptly at this -point. Perhaps he was interrupted by just such a scene as he describes -in the last sentence, but he could hardly fall into the old error of the -sailors. The women of the Marquesas are fine swimmers, but no better, -perhaps, than those of the Feejee, Samoan, and other tropical or -semi-tropical groups. - -The _Pera_ remained several days at the Marquesas, and then proceeded to -Tahiti, in the Society group. Before they left Nookaheeva one of the -officers of the Governor's staff pointed out the hill where Commodore -Porter hoisted the American flag when he anchored with his prizes in the -bay during the war of 1812. "That was a long time ago," said the -officer; "but the incident is vividly preserved in the traditions of the -people. And it was that incident that greatly aided the French in -getting their foothold here." - -"How was that?" Frank inquired. - -"At the time of Commodore Porter's visit," replied the officer, "the -Nookaheevans were at war with a neighboring tribe. The hostile tribe -made an incursion one night and destroyed about two hundred bread-fruit -trees close to Porter's camp; the next day they sent a messenger to tell -him he was a coward, and they would come soon and attack his camp. - -"Porter thereupon concluded to teach them a lesson, and so he sent a -small detachment under Lieutenant Downs to aid the Nookaheevans to -punish their enemies. - -"This was accomplished, and the hostile tribe was completely subdued. As -soon as he had completed the repairs to his ships Porter sailed away, -but he was long revered in Nookaheeva. When the French came here, thirty -years afterwards, the natives thought the performance of Porter would be -repeated, and the Frenchmen would aid the Nookaheevans to defeat their -enemies. They were received with open arms, and the natives were not -undeceived until the French had completed their forts and were fully -able to defend themselves." - -Continuing his reference to the natives, Frank's informant said that -great numbers of them were at one time kidnapped and carried away by -labor-vessels, of which more will be said in a later chapter. In 1863 -small-pox was introduced by foreign ships, and killed nearly one-half of -the population. Altogether the people of the Marquesas have no special -occasion to be grateful to the white man. - -During the _Pera_'s voyage to Tahiti our young friends devoted their -time to a study of that part of the Pacific Ocean and the islands it -contained. Fred called their attention to Pitcairn Island, which has -been long famous as the home of the mutineers of the _Bounty_; both the -youths regretted that they were not to pass in its vicinity, but -consoled themselves by reading an account of a visit to it, and a -description of the inhabitants.[2] - -[2] "The Young Nimrods Around the World," chapter xv. Published by -Harper & Brothers. - -[Illustration: EASTER ISLAND HOUSE AND CHILDREN.] - -One day while they were busy with their studies of the Pacific, Doctor -Bronson called their attention to Easter Island, which he pronounced one -of the most remarkable islands in the great ocean. - -Frank eagerly asked why it was so, and the Doctor kindly explained as -follows: - -[Illustration: LAVA ROCK IMAGE, EASTER ISLAND.] - -"It is remarkable," said he, "on account of the mysterious origin and -history of its former inhabitants, and the sculptured rocks and stone -images which they have left scattered in great numbers over the island. -It has been known since 1722, when the navigator Roggewein discovered it -on Easter Sunday of that year, and named it Easter Island in -commemoration of the discovery. Some authorities say it was discovered -in 1686 by Davis, an English buccaneer, and it was known as Davis Land -until Roggewein's visit. Captain Cook visited it about 1772, and it is -said he found twenty thousand inhabitants there. The island is about -thirty miles in circumference, and is situated in latitude 27° 10' -south, and 109° 26' west longitude. It has a remarkable isolation, being -two thousand miles from the coast of Chili, and one thousand five -hundred from any other inhabited island except Pitcairn, and that, as -you know, is a small island, about two miles long and not more than a -mile broad in its widest part. - -[Illustration: EASTER ISLAND MAN.] - -"Easter Island is called Rapa Nui by the natives of Tahiti, and is of -unmistakably volcanic origin. There is a large extinct crater on each -end of the island, and numerous small ones between, the ground being -thickly covered with black volcanic rock and obsidian in the western -portion. The largest of these volcanoes is named Rauo Kao; it is over -one thousand three hundred feet high, enclosing a fresh-water lake -nearly three miles in circumference, the surface of which is partially -covered with vegetable matter, over which a man may walk in places. The -second one in size is extremely interesting on account of its being the -place where the stone images were made from lava rock, a great number of -which still remain, some unfinished and attached to the precipitous -cliffs. An enormous number of these images is scattered all over the -island, while there are ninety-three inside and one hundred and -fifty-five immediately outside of the crater. They are in solid pieces, -varying from five to seventy feet in height; some of the figures lying -prostrate are twenty-seven feet long, and measure eight feet across the -breast." - -[Illustration: EASTER ISLAND WOMAN.] - -"Very much like the great statues at Thebes and Karnak in Egypt," said -Fred. - -"Yes," replied the Doctor, "and one of these statues measures twenty -feet from the shoulder to the crown of the head. The sculpture is -extremely rude, and as works of art the Easter Island statues bear no -comparison to the Egyptian ones. The human body is represented -terminating at the hips, the head is flat, the top of the forehead cut -level so as to support a crown which was cut from red tufa found in one -of the smaller craters. They were transported to villages near the sea, -and placed upon stone platforms constructed in various heights and -different lengths, facing the water. One of these platforms supported -thirteen immense images, and all of those examined contained human -bones, showing it to be a place of burial. Of these platforms one -hundred and thirteen have been counted. On a precipice overlooking the -sea is a village of ancient stone huts, where, it is said, the natives -lived only during a portion of the year. Near by are also sculptured -rocks, covered with curious and extremely interesting carvings. - -[Illustration: STONE TABLET OF CHARACTER WRITING.] - -"The platforms are from two to three hundred feet long, and about thirty -feet high, built of hewn stones five or six feet long, and accurately -joined without cement. The platforms are at intervals all around the -coast, and some of the headlands were levelled off to form similar -resting-places for the images. - -[Illustration: STONE PLATFORM FOR IMAGES.] - -"All of the principal images have the top of the head cut flat and -crowned with a circular mass of red lava hewn perfectly round; some of -these crowns are sixty-six inches in diameter, and fifty-two inches -thick, and were brought eight miles from the spot where they were -quarried. About thirty crowns are lying in the quarries, and some of -them are fully ten feet in diameter, and of proportionate height." - -Frank asked if the present inhabitants had any tradition concerning -these statues. - -"None whatever," was the reply. "At present there are less than two -hundred people living there; they seem to be the degenerate remains of -a race something like the Maoris of New Zealand, and they speak a -language similar to those people. Although undoubtedly a cannibal -race--in fact, one old man speaks with enthusiasm when asked regarding -the custom--they are at present quiet and enlightened, but retain many -superstitious ideas which they have received by transmission. They -venerate a small sea-bird, the egg of which is sacred to them, and their -season of feast begins in August, when the first eggs of these birds are -taken from two barren rocks near the cliffs. Men and youths swim to -these rocks, and the one who first secures an egg is held in high -esteem; he lords it over the others for twelve months, his food being -furnished for him, and he is not permitted to bathe for three months. A -recent visitor says the people are so dirty that you could suppose every -man, woman, and child had performed the successful feat the last -feast-time. The last king was Kai Makor, who died about 1864, when -Peruvian ships visited Rapa Nui, and a number of the natives were seized -and taken to work the guano on the Chincha Islands, where the greater -number died. A few were finally sent back, and they brought with them -small-pox, which caused great havoc and nearly depopulated the island. -Water is scarce, but the climate is equable, and one of the most -delightful in the world, the thermometer seldom registering higher than -75° to 80° during the warmest season. - -"An image and some other curiosities were brought away in 1886 by the -United States steamer _Mohican_, which visited the island in that year. -They are now in the Naval Museum at Washington, and it is hoped that -some one will be able to decipher the hieroglyphics, which thus far have -remained without an interpreter." - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -FROM THE MARQUESAS TO THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.--THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.--THE -CORAL INSECT AND HIS WORK.--ATOLLS AND THEIR PECULIARITIES.--ORIGIN OF -THE POLYNESIAN PEOPLE.--ARRIVAL AT PAPÉITI.--ON SHORE IN TAHITI.--A -BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS.--WORK OF THE MISSIONARIES.--THE FRENCH -OCCUPATION.--VICTIMS FOR SACRIFICE.--OLD-TIME CUSTOMS.--PRODUCTS OF THE -SOCIETY ISLANDS.--BECHE-DE-MER FISHING.--VISIT TO THE REEF.--CURIOUS -THINGS SEEN THERE.--ADVENTURES WITH SHARKS, STINGAREES, AND OTHER -MONSTERS.--GIGANTIC CLAMS.--VISITING THE MARKET.--EATING LIVE FISHES.--A -NATIVE FEAST.--EXCURSION TO POINT VENUS. - - -[Illustration: COAST SCENERY, TAHITI.] - -When well clear of the Marquesas the _Pera_ turned her prow to the -south-west, in the direction of Tahiti, which lay about nine hundred -miles away. The strong trade-wind bore her swiftly on her course, and on -the fourth day of the voyage the lofty peaks of Otaheite's isle rose -into view. The summits of the mountains seemed to pierce the sky, so -sharp and steep were they, and almost to their very tops they were -covered with verdure. Luxuriant forests were everywhere visible, and the -shore was fringed with a dense growth of palms that seemed to rise from -the water itself. - -The central peak of Tahiti has an elevation of something more than seven -thousand feet, and from this peak there is a series of ridges radiating -towards the sea like the spokes of a wheel. Many of these ridges are so -steep on their sides that they cannot be ascended, and so narrow that -there is not room for an ordinary path. A man standing on one of these -ridges could with his right hand throw a stone into one valley, and with -his left a stone into another, whose inhabitants could communicate only -by descending to the coast, or to the lowland which borders it. The -valleys are luxuriant, and even the ridges are covered with vines and -bushes. - -As the youths, with their glasses, eagerly scanned the coast they were -approaching, one of them called out that he could see a strip of calm -water close to the shore. - -"We are coming to the great barrier-reef of coral," said Doctor Bronson, -"and the calm water that you see is between the reef and the shore. - -[Illustration: SPECIMEN OF CORAL.] - -"Tahiti is one of the best examples of an island surrounded by a coral -reef," the Doctor continued. "It extends quite around the island, -sometimes only a few yards from it, and sometimes four or five miles -distant. There are occasional openings through the reef, some wide and -deep enough to permit the passage of large ships, and others practicable -only for small boats. Inside the reef the water is calm, and a vessel -once within it has a secure harbor." - -The boys could see the surf breaking on the reef with great violence, -and throwing spray high into the air. Outside was the ever-restless sea; -inside lay the placid lagoon, which reflected the sunlight as in a -mirror. - -"Just think of it," said Frank; "that great reef, which resists the -waves of the ocean, and could destroy the largest ship that floats, is -built up by a tiny worm which we could crush between our fingers with -the greatest ease. The patience of the honey-bee is nothing compared to -that of the coral insect." - -Fred asked what was the depth of water near the reef, both inside and -outside. - -Doctor Bronson answered that it varied greatly, the inner lagoon being -sometimes only a few feet, or perhaps inches, in depth, and sometimes -two, three, or five hundred feet. Outside there is generally a great -depth of water, sometimes so much that the sounding-lead fails to find -bottom at a distance of only a few yards. "This constitutes," he added, -"one of the dangers of navigation, as a ship may be close upon a reef -without being aware of it until too late. - -[Illustration: THE CORAL WORM.] - -"The coral insect," he continued, "does not work at a greater depth than -two hundred feet, and he ceases operations when he reaches the surface. -When these reefs are more than two hundred feet deep it is supposed that -the bottom has slowly receded and carried the reef with it; as the -recession went on, the coral insect continued his work of building. It -reminds me of what happens sometimes to a railway in a swampy region; -the embankment for the track sinks from time to time, and a new one is -built above it. After a while sufficient earth has been thrown in to -make a solid foundation, and then the sinking ceases. - -"The atoll is another curious form of the work of the coral insect," -said the Doctor, continuing. "It is circular or oval in shape, the -island forming a rim that encloses a lake or lagoon. There is always an -opening from the sea to the lagoon, and it is generally on the leeward -side. Sometimes there are two, or even three or more openings, but this -is unusual; the island rises only a few feet above the water, and is the -work of the coral insect upon what was once the crater of a volcano; at -least that is the general belief. - -"The atoll is not a desirable place for residence, as the ocean during -severe storms is liable to break across the narrow strip of land and -sweep away whatever may be standing there. Many atolls are uninhabited, -and none of them has a large population; cocoa-palms, bread-fruit, and -other tropical trees are generally found on the inhabited atolls, and -partially or wholly supply the natives with food. In some instances the -people support themselves by fishing either in the lagoon or in the -ocean outside. The lagoon forms a fairly good harbor for ships and -canoes, but sometimes the water in it is too deep for anchoring." - -As the minutes rolled on, the outlines of the mountains and ridges, the -valleys and forests, grew more and more distinct. Frank and Fred -strained their eyes to discover an opening in the reef, but for some -time their earnest gaze was unrewarded. At length, however, Frank saw a -spot where the long line of spray appeared to be broken; gradually it -enlarged, and revealed a passage into the great encircling moat of -Tahiti. It was the entrance to the harbor of Papéiti, the capital of the -French possessions in this part of the Pacific. - -[Illustration: ON THE SHORE OF THE LAGOON.] - -The yacht glided safely through the channel and anchored in front of -Papéiti, or Papaete, as some writers have it. Two French war-ships were -lying there, and several schooners and other sailing-craft engaged in -trade among the islands. Then there were some half-dozen ships and barks -from various parts of the world, bringing cargoes of miscellaneous goods -for the Tahitian market and carrying away the produce of the islands. -Frank looked in vain for an ocean-going merchant steamer, and found, on -inquiry, that the Society Islands are not visited by any of the -steamships engaged in the navigation of the Pacific. - -The Society Islands are a group, consisting of two clusters about -seventy miles apart. Some geographers apply the name to the -north-western cluster only, while the other is known as the Tahiti or -Georgian group. The latter is the larger and more populous, and is a -French colony, while the former is independent. The Spaniards claim to -have discovered Tahiti in 1606, and it was visited in 1767 by Captain -Wallis, who named it King George's Island. Two years later Captain Cook -discovered the north-western cluster, called the whole group the Society -Islands in honor of the Royal Geographical Society, and restored to -Tahiti its native name. - -"Why is Tahiti sometimes called Otaheite, and why is Hawaii, in the -Sandwich Islands, sometimes called Owyhee?" Fred inquired. - -[Illustration: A CABIN IN THE SUBURBS.] - -"Thereby hangs a tale," replied the Doctor, "or rather a great deal of -conjecture. Some ethnographers think the islands of Polynesia were -peopled from the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, while others think -they were peopled from Japan. Advocates of either theory have a great -number of arguments in its support. We haven't time to go over the list; -and even if we did we should not be able to settle the question. The -theory that the inhabitants of the Sandwich and Society islands came -originally from Japan is supported by the use in their languages of the -prefix O (signifying "honorable") exactly as it is used in Japan. As the -Japanese say O-yama (honorable mountain), so the Hawaiians say O-wyhee, -and the Tahitians O-taheite. - -"Many Japanese sports, such as archery, wrestling, boxing, -spear-throwing, and slinging stones, were in vogue in some of the -islands at the time of their discovery; they are rapidly passing away as -the people become civilized, and in another generation or two will -hardly be heard of. In their language they are nearer like the Malay -than the Japanese; that they are of Malay origin is very clearly proven, -but exactly how they came here it is not likely we shall ever know." - -While this conversation was going on the yacht was visited by a -custom-house official, who took the declaration of the captain as to her -nationality and name, and her object in visiting Tahiti, and then -returned to shore. Our friends followed him, and in a very short time -were pressing their feet against the solid earth of Papéiti. For an -account of what they saw we will again refer to Fred's journal. - -"You cannot see much of Papéiti from anywhere," said Fred, "because of -the great numbers of trees that grow in and around the place. Here they -are: bread-fruit, hibiscus, cocoa-palms, and half a dozen other -varieties, so that nearly every house is hid from view until you are -close upon it. The row of shops and cafés near the water is an exception -to the rule; they are like the same kind of establishments everywhere in -a French colony, and reveal the nationality of the place at a glance. - -[Illustration: THE COAST IN A STORM.] - -"There are mountains in every direction excepting towards the sea, and -through a gorge at the back of the town a particularly fine mountain is -visible. Most of the houses are only one story in height, especially in -the outskirts, where the well-to-do residents have their villas. In the -town there are a few two or three storied buildings, belonging to the -foreign merchants or used for Government purposes; but these are -exceptions to the general aversion to stair-ways. Land is so cheap here -that everybody ought to have plenty of room. - -"The names of the streets make us think of Paris. The principal one is -the Rue de Rivoli, and there we find the hotels, shops, and cafés, or -rather the most of them. On the Rue do Commerce are the warehouses, -where goods and provisions are stored; and the Rue de Pologne, which is -the widest and best shaded of all, is mainly given up to the Chinese -for shops and tea-houses. The Chinaman has taken root here, and -flourishes; every year the Chinese hold upon business increases, and -some of the French residents advocate the expulsion of the Mongolians, -through fear that they will soon have a monopoly of the commerce of the -islands. - -"In the resident part of the town nearly every house stands in its own -garden, and the most of these gardens are prettily laid out. There are -good roads in and around the place, and we have had some charming -drives, sometimes in carriages, which we hired at one of the hotels, and -sometimes by invitation of the residents. We have had a most hospitable -reception, and everybody from the Governor down has tried to make us -enjoy our visit. - -"The English consul invited us to dine at his country residence, and -afterwards treated us to a moonlight excursion on the water. It was very -pretty, as the lagoon was as calm as a mirror, and there were many boats -out at the same time. The natives seem to be a careless, fun-loving -people. Wherever there is a group of them there is always more or less -laughter going on, and they seem to be constantly playing harmless -little jokes on one another. The evenings here are delightful, and it is -the custom to go out after dinner. The favorite resort is the lawn near -the Government-house; a band from one of the ships-of-war plays there -every evening, and always has a large audience. The natives are very -fond of music, and when it is lively they fall to dancing on the green -turf. - -"The population of the two clusters that form the Society group is said -to be a little less than twenty thousand, three-fourths of them -belonging to the Tahitian cluster and one-fourth to the north-western. -The native population of this island is about eight thousand. There are -about one thousand Chinese on the islands, eight hundred French, two -hundred and fifty British subjects, and one hundred and fifty Americans, -and perhaps one hundred of other nationalities. - -"They tell us that we can drive in a carriage all the way around Tahiti, -a distance of one hundred and sixty miles, and that we can hardly go a -mile of this distance without coming to a stream of clear water rolling -or rippling down from the mountains. Most of these streams are simply -rivulets or brooks, but some of them are rivers too large and deep to be -forded. Some of these rivers have been bridged, but where this has not -been done they must be crossed by ferry-boats. Villages are scattered at -intervals of a few miles, and any one who undertakes the journey can be -comfortably lodged every night, especially if he sends a courier in -advance to arrange matters for him. Colonel Bush had an idea of making -the journey, but concluded it would be tiresome long before the circuit -was completed, and so the scheme was abandoned. - -"One of the early missionaries brought some orange-trees here, and they -were found admirably adapted to the soil and climate of Tahiti. You see -orange-groves or orange-trees everywhere, and we have never found finer -oranges in any part of the world. It is a curious fact that the best -trees are those which have grown from seed scattered carelessly about -without any thought of planting; in nearly every case they are finer and -more productive than those which have been carefully cultivated and -transplanted. - -"The French have a _jardin d'essai_, or Experimental Garden, where trees -and plants from all parts of the world are cultivated with a view to -finding those best adapted to Tahiti. As a result of this garden and -other importations, the Tahitians now have mangoes, limes, shaddocks, -citrons, guavas, custard-apples, tamarinds, peaches, figs, grapes, -pineapples, watermelons, cucumbers, cabbages, and other fruits and -vegetables of whose existence the people were entirely ignorant a -hundred years ago. - -"The French Government has a garrison of about four hundred soldiers in -Tahiti, with a large staff of officials of various kinds--naval, -military, and civil. The Governor is a personage of great local -importance, as he has very liberal powers and can do pretty much as he -likes. We found him a very pleasant gentleman. He invited all our party -to a reception at the Government-house, and the officers of his staff -showed us many attentions. - -[Illustration: A FRENCH BISHOP.] - -"The French took possession of Tahiti in 1842; they had been waiting for -an opportunity, and it came in that year. Three Catholic missionaries -had been expelled by Queen Pomare at the instigation, so the French say, -of the English missionaries. A French fleet came to Papéiti and -threatened to bombard the town unless her Majesty should pay immediately -a large indemnity, and consent to the return of the expelled -missionaries. The Queen was quite unable to raise the money, and the -French took possession and established their protectorate. - -"The protectorate continued till 1880, when the King, Pomare V., was -persuaded to cede the nominal sovereignty in consideration of a life -pension of twelve thousand dollars annually. The annexation of Tahiti as -a French colony was formally proclaimed in Papéiti March 24th, 1881. - -[Illustration: VIEW IN AN ORANGE GROVE.] - -"The first missionaries that came here were sent by the London Mission -Society in 1797; but they made little progress in the conversion of the -natives, and after a time were driven away in consequence of -inter-tribal wars among the people. In 1812 the King invited them to -return; they did so, and in the following year a church was established. - -"The King was converted to Christianity, together with several of his -priests and subordinate chiefs, and from that time on the work of the -missionaries progressed rapidly. Long before the French took possession -the entire population were nominally Christians, and had burned their -idols and destroyed their heathen temples. There is no evidence that -they ever practised cannibalism, but they were cruel in war. Prisoners -were slaughtered in cold blood, or offered as sacrifices to the gods; -human sacrifices were common, and there were certain tribes and families -from whom, in times of peace, the victims for sacrifice were taken. - -"In olden times these tribes and families were selected, and it is said -there was a third of the population whose lives might be taken at any -moment. When a victim was called for, resistance was useless, as the -whole population, even including a man's nearest neighbors, united to -carry him to the _marae_, or altar of sacrifice. - -[Illustration: NATIVE BAMBOO HOUSE, TAHITI.] - -"In the early days of Christianity the victims for sacrifice were taken -from among the converts, and sometimes the heathen tribes combined to -hunt down the Christians in order to offer them to the gods. It was the -story over again of the persecution of the early Christians in Rome and -elsewhere in Europe. - -"When the French took possession of the islands they oppressed the -English missionaries in various ways, and had it not been for the -persistence of the natives in adhering to the men who converted them, -the representatives of the London Mission would have been driven out -altogether. The trouble was finally compromised by allowing the English -missionaries to remain under certain restrictions, and establishing a -French Protestant mission to work in harmony with the French Catholic -one. - -"The great bulk of the people are Protestants, as they adhere to the -faith to which they were originally converted. The Society Islands as a -whole now contain three English missionaries, sixteen native ordained -ministers, and more than two hundred other preachers and teachers. There -are four thousand three hundred church members, fifty schools, and more -than two thousand scholars attending them. The French do not make much -interference except on the island of Tahiti, where only one English -missionary is allowed to reside. He is not, however, recognized as a -missionary to the natives, but as pastor of the Bethel Church at -Papéiti." - -"That will do for statistics on that subject," said Frank. "While you -have been looking up these points in the history of the islands I've -been finding out what they produce." - -"I was getting around to that," replied Fred; "but if you've found it -out I'm glad. What is it?" - -[Illustration: NATIVES OF THE SOCIETY ISLANDS FISHING.] - -"From all I can learn," said Frank, "the colony isn't a very prosperous -one for the French. The exports amount to about a million dollars -annually, and the imports to seven hundred thousand dollars; there are -no import duties except on fire-arms and spirits, but I am told it is -proposed to place a duty on nearly everything consumed here, so as to -make the colony self-supporting. - -"The people have quite abandoned the manufacture of _tappa_, or native -cloth, and dress entirely in goods of European make. They have learned -how to distil intoxicating liquor from the orange, and this delicious -fruit threatens to be a curse to them instead of a blessing. They have -given up tattooing, which was never practised to so great an extent as -in the Marquesas; there would be no use for tattooing now, as they have -all taken to wearing clothes just as in the Sandwich Islands. - -"As to the products of the islands," continued Frank, "they consist -principally of cocoanut-oil and coppra (the dried substance of the -cocoanut, from which oil is extracted after its arrival in Europe), -arrow-root, cotton, sugar, and mother-of-pearl shells. The cotton -cultivation has not been profitable; and as to the trade in sugar, it -has not been anywhere nearly so successful as in the Sandwich Islands." - -[Illustration: A SEA-URCHIN.] - -"You have omitted one thing from your list of products," said Doctor -Bronson, as Frank paused. "You have made no mention of beche-de-mer." - -"That's so," was the reply; "but the fact is, I wanted to learn more -about it than I know now." - -"I thought so," said the Doctor, smiling, "and so I've arranged that we -will go to the reef to-morrow morning to see how beche-de-mer is taken. -We must make an early start, so as to be there at daylight." - -Further talk about the Society Islands was indefinitely postponed, and -the party adjourned to bed. All were up in ample season on the morrow -for the excursion to the reef. - -The best time for visiting the reef is at low tide. The tides in the -Society Islands differ from those in most parts of the world, by never -varying from one day to another throughout the year. At noon and at -midnight is the height of the flood, and at six o'clock morning and -evening is the lowest of the ebb. Ordinarily the rise is about two feet; -periodically twice a year there comes a tidal-wave that breaks over the -reef with great violence, and sweeps across the lagoon to the shore. - -Frank and Fred sought an explanation of this tidal peculiarity, but were -unable to obtain a satisfactory one. A resident of Papéiti said the -tides were so certain in their movements that many people were able to -tell the time of day very nearly by a glance at the reef. - -[Illustration: THE BOTTOM OF THE LAGOON.] - -To the student of marine life a coral reef is full of interest, and that -of Tahiti is one of the finest in the world. Here are some of the -curious things that were described by our friends: - -"We saw," said Frank, "some enormous starfish with fifteen arms covered -with sharp spines of a gray and orange color. These spines were on the -top of the arms; the bottom had an array of yellow feelers like fingers, -with suckers at the ends. The boatmen cautioned us not to touch these -creatures, but their caution was not needed, as we all kept our hands at -a respectful distance. - -[Illustration: SEA-ANEMONE AND HERMIT CRAB.] - -"There were thousands and thousands of sea-urchins, some of them with -spikes as large as your fingers and stiff as a nail, down to little -fellows the size of a pigeon's egg, and armed with long needles like the -quills of a porcupine. It is no joke to step on one of these things when -you are bathing in the sea and have your feet unprotected. Somebody has -likened them to thistles, and says they more or less resemble hedgehogs -and porcupines. Urchin, according to the dictionary, means hedgehog, and -therefore the name is not inappropriate. - -"There are sea-anemones as large as a cheese, and of all the colors you -can imagine. An amusing thing about them was that a lot of little -fishes, not more than two inches long, were playing hide and seek, -swimming around among the spines of these huge polyps. The water is very -clear, and as you look over the side of the boat into the garden of -coral with its great variety of colors, and its numerous inhabitants, -finny, shelly, and otherwise, it is like a glimpse of fairy-land. - -"It made our flesh creep just a little to see the water-snakes coiling -around the branches of coral, and gliding about all unconscious of being -gazed at. Then there are gold-fish, blue-fish (not the blue-fish of -America, but a little fellow of the brightest sky-blue you ever saw), -fish of a pale green, and so on through all the scale of colors. As they -swam among the corals they reminded us of butterflies in a garden." - -[Illustration: HERMIT-CRAB AND SEA-SHELL.] - -Fred saw a shell travelling along in a most unexpected way, which he -could not understand until he ascertained that it was occupied by a -hermit-crab. Then there were large crabs in their own shells, and also -lobsters, which kept a sharp eye out for danger, and retired to places -of security when the boat approached. - -The youths had hoped to be able to walk on the reef, but the surf was so -high that it was unsafe to venture there. Besides, the walking, even -when the reef is comparatively dry, is not of the best, as the surface -is rough, and there are many holes in the coral in which the novice may -get a dangerous fall. - -Many fishing-boats were about, as the time of low tide is the best for -fishing, and the water furnishes an important part of the food of the -people. Several fishermen, nearly naked, and armed with spears, were in -the foaming waters at the outer edge of the reef, waiting, with their -weapons poised, ready to strike anything that came within their reach. A -dozen or more large fish were taken in this way while our friends were -looking on; not once did the spearmen miss hitting their mark, and Frank -and Fred both wanted to applaud them for their accuracy of aim. - -Inside the lagoon other fishermen were pursuing their prey in boats, the -spearmen standing ready in the bow to embrace every opportunity of -striking. Men and women were fishing after the ordinary manner of -civilization, and with civilized hooks and lines. Formerly they used -hooks of pearl-shell and bone, and also hooks of the roots of the -ironwood-tree. But in these modern days the ordinary hooks of commerce -are almost the only ones ever seen in Tahiti. - -Then there were net-fishers in great number, and with many varieties of -net. Seines, purse-nets, casting-nets, dip-nets, all were there, and all -handled with the dexterity which is only attained by long practice. - -[Illustration: VIEW AMONG THE CORAL BRANCHES.] - -The guide explained that some of the fishes which were excellent eating -at one time of the year were poisonous at another. The poisonous -condition is caused by their crunching the coral at the time it is said -to be in blossom, and by eating sea-centipedes, which resemble a yard -or two of black string with the smallest imaginable legs. All the -land-crabs of Tahiti are edible, but several sea-crabs are not; and -there is one variety so poisonous that it is only eaten when the eater -wishes to commit suicide. - -Beautiful shells are brought up from the depths of the waters, but they -must be touched with great care, as the spines of many of them are -poisonous. One of them, scientifically known as _Conus textilis_, a -beautiful shell of cone-like shape, has been known to cause death in a -few hours, the symptoms being much like those produced by the bite of a -rattlesnake. Some of the jelly-fishes of England and America have the -same poisonous character, but in a much smaller degree. - -The guide hailed a boat which was filled with sea-slugs, sea-cucumbers, -tripang, or beche-de-mer, as this article of commerce is variously -known, and the youths had an opportunity of examining the curious marine -product. They were cautioned not to touch them, as these apparently -helpless creatures, which resembled sausages or bags of India-rubber -filled with sea-water, were not as harmless as they appeared. The guide -said they ejected this water when touched; and if it fell on a wound or -scratch, or into the eye, it caused intense pain, and sometimes resulted -in temporary or even permanent blindness. - -The sea-slugs were of all colors--black, red, gray, and two or three -varieties of green. The most dangerous is an olive-green one marked with -orange spots, and hence called the leopard. When it is disturbed it -throws up long filaments like threads or strings, which adhere very -tenaciously; and wherever they touch the skin they raise a burning -blister. - -Most of the sea-slugs are caught in still water by divers, who use forks -with long prongs, with which they secure their prey. There is one -variety, the red one, which is taken in the surf, but all the others -prefer quiet nooks. When a canoe has been filled with these -repulsive-looking objects it proceeds to the drying establishment on -shore. There the creatures are thrown into a kettle of boiling water -sufficiently long to kill them; then they are cleaned, and stewed for -half an hour, and then placed on racks of sticks for smoking and drying. - -The smoking must be kept up for three days, and longer if the weather is -damp, and then the leathery substance is ready for packing in palm-leaf -baskets for transportation to China. Great care must be taken to have it -thoroughly dried, as the least remaining moisture will spoil it during -its long voyage in the hold of a ship. - -[Illustration: A FISH INSIDE A SEA-SLUG.] - -Sometimes fishes are found inside the sea-slug, and it seems to be well -established that they live altogether in this contracted sea-water tank. -When taken out and placed in clear salt-water they soon die, in spite of -every precaution. - -While looking over the side of the boat Fred saw a large clam, and -immediately coveted it. The guide engaged a diver who was near by, and -for a small reward the man went below for the prize. - -The clam was lying with his mouth open, and evidently enjoying his -morning bath of sea-water. The diver inserted a sharply pointed stick -into the flesh of the mollusk, and the shell closed upon it instantly. -Then he severed the filaments which attached the clam to the rock, and -with one hand below the shell and another holding the stick, made his -way to the surface. - -[Illustration: CORALINE.] - -"Most of the diving for clams is done by the women," said the guide, -while Fred was gazing at the huge shell, nearly two feet long, which lay -before him. "Many a woman, and many a man too," continued the guide, -"has been nipped by the shell and drowned there, totally unable to -escape. In all parts of the South Pacific you will hear horrible stories -of death in this way. These clams grow to a great size, as you see; half -a shell often serves as a bath-tub for a child, and in the Catholic -churches of Polynesia it is used for holy water. - -"Some years ago a native in the Paumotan Islands was diving for -pearl-oysters, and while feeling around for them accidentally thrust his -hand inside a gaping clam-shell, which closed on him instantly. The -shell was in a hole in the coral, so that he could not reach the back to -detach it; the only thing he could do was to sever his fingers with the -knife in his free hand. He thus saved himself from being drowned, but -was maimed for life." - -The guide called the attention of the youths to some large eels which -were coiled up in the coral. He said they were very voracious, and many -natives had been deprived of fingers by these uncanny creatures. They -sometimes reach a length of eight or ten feet, and one poor fellow had -the whole calf of a leg bitten off by one of them. - -Then there are a great many cuttle-fish, and sometimes the girls and -women are caught and overpowered by them. The danger from these -creatures is so well known that the natives rarely go out alone to dive -for them or for clams. Some of the cuttle-fish measure six feet across; -they lie in holes in the coral, and throw out their long arms to grasp -anything that comes in their reach. They cling around the body of a -diver or wrap themselves about his head, and unless speedily relieved by -his companions his death is inevitable. - -"Are there any more dangers among the reefs?" said Frank, when all these -had been recounted. - -"Yes," was the reply; "there are great numbers of sharks, some of them -harmless and others dangerous. The worst is a white shark, thirty feet -long, and he is so bold that he has been known to attack canoes, either -by overturning them and throwing their occupants into the water, or by -seizing an arm or leg which happened to be out-stretched, and dragging -its owner overboard. - -[Illustration: OCTOPUS, OR DEVIL-FISH.] - -"There is a smaller shark, six or eight feet long, which lives in caves -in the coral, and comes out in search of food. Its flesh is good to eat, -and one of these sharks is quite a prize. In some of the groups of -islands the fishermen dive into the shark caverns while the monster is -asleep, and pass a noose around his tail; then the man rises instantly -to the surface, and his companions haul up the ugly creature tail first, -stunning him with a club or hammer as he comes over the side of the -boat." - -"But suppose," said one of the youths, "that after the diver has entered -the cave the shark should change his position and get across the -door-way." - -"In that case," replied the guide, "his only mode of escape will be to -tickle the shark so as to induce him to move aside. He can only do this -when its tail is towards him; if he has turned the other way the man's -fate is practically sealed." - -Fred concluded that he would never indulge in diving for sharks as a -means of livelihood, and Frank fully agreed with him. - -[Illustration: STINGAREE, OR SEA-DEVIL.] - -Then the guide told them of the stingaree, or sting-ray, which is not -unknown in American waters, but grows to a much greater size here than -on the coast of the United States. Its tail has a sharp, barbed point, -which generally breaks off when struck into the flesh; the point is -serrated on both sides, the teeth pointing backward, and so it works its -way inward like the quill of a porcupine. Other dangers of the water -were described; but it is time to return from the reef, and so we will -leave them there. - -On their return to Papéiti our friends visited the market, going first -to the section where fish were offered for sale. Here is Frank's note -upon what they saw there: - -"There were fishes of all sizes and kinds: bonito, rockfish, eels, -clams, oysters, mussels, turtle, salmon from the rivers, prawns, crabs, -and a great many varieties of finny and scaly things that have no name -in English. The natives are fond of raw fish, and we saw them swallowing -little fishes whole and slices of big ones just as we would dispose of a -basket of strawberries. One of the first persons we saw in the market -was a pretty girl of eighteen or twenty who was crunching live shrimps, -or letting them wriggle down her throat as readily as she would swallow -so many sugar-plums. - -"Some European residents have acquired the taste for raw fish, and they -say it is delicious. We have not ventured upon it, though we take clams -and oysters raw according to the practice of our own country. The -tropical bivalves are not so good as those of temperate regions, and I -believe this is the general testimony of travellers. - -"The market is well supplied with chickens, turkeys, pigeons, and -ducks, which are nearly always sold alive, as the heat of the climate -prevents their being kept more than a few hours after slaughtering. Pigs -are sold alive, and they are carried about suspended by their hind-legs -from a pole. It is painful to hear them squeal, and there ought to be a -Tahitian branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -to put a stop to this barbarity. - -[Illustration: GARDEN OF A SUBURBAN RESIDENCE.] - -"Most of the market-people were natives, but I observed a good many -Chinese there, especially in the section devoted to vegetables and -fruits. These people take very naturally to vegetable gardens, and their -patient industry is well rewarded by the fertile soil of Tahiti." - -[Illustration: GATHERING ORANGES FOR THE FEAST.] - -On reaching the hotel, our friends found an invitation to a feast which -one of the merchants was to give the next day at his country residence, -in native style. They immediately sent acceptances, and were ready at -the time appointed for the carriage which was provided by their -thoughtful host. - -"When we reached the house," said Fred, "each of us was provided with a -new bathing-dress and towels, and proceeded to the river close by, where -numbers of guests were already enjoying a bath in the clear water. The -party straggled back in twos and threes; and as fast as we returned -every one of us was crowned with a wreath of flowers after the Tahitian -custom. There was a great deal of fun and laughter about this part of -the entertainment, but everybody enjoyed it, and entered heartily into -the sport of the occasion. The guests included all our party from the -yacht, the officers from the ships of war, every stranger of consequence -in Papéiti, and pretty nearly every respectable resident. - -"By the time everybody had returned from the bath and received his crown -the feast was announced, and we went in procession to the dining-hall. -This proved to be a temporary building, made of a slight framework of -bamboos and banana-trees, covered with a thatch of palm-leaves and -decorated with festoons of leaves and vines. - -"The building was erected over a fine piece of lawn, and the table was -spread on the grass. Instead of a table as we understand it, fresh -banana-leaves were spread on the grass, and on these the good things of -the feast were laid. On the grass at the edge of this novel table-cloth -mats made of cocoa fibre were spread, and on these mats we sat down -native fashion. It was rather awkward getting down to the floor, but of -course the awkwardness added to the fun of the occasion. - -"The substantial part of the feast consisted of turkeys, chickens, and -young pigs, roasted and served cold, and then there were all kinds of -fin and shell fish, both raw and cooked. All the fruits of the island -were there, and all the vegetables, including yams, sweet-potatoes, -cucumbers, and the like. European wines took the place of the native -drink, _kava_, which is rapidly going out of use. - -"Instead of plates, each of us had a pile of bread-fruit leaves which -served as plates, and in front of each guest there were four half -cocoanut-shells. One was full of drinking-water, the second full of -milk, the third contained chopped cocoanut, and the fourth sea-water. -The sea-water was emptied into the chopped cocoanut to form a sauce like -the Chinese _soy_, into which the various articles of food were dipped -before being conveyed to the mouth, and then the shell was filled with -fresh water, and used as a finger-glass. - -"We enjoyed the feast very much, though all of us confessed afterwards -to a back-ache, from the novelty of our positions. After the feast there -was dancing in the spacious parlor of our host, and the festivities were -kept up until late in the evening." - -[Illustration: TAMARIND-TREE AT POINT VENUS.] - -An excursion was made the next day to Point Venus, which has a historic -interest, as it is the promontory where Captain Cook made the -astronomical observations by which he determined the correct position of -the Society Islands. The name of the place commemorates his observation -of the transit of Venus which he and his scientific party made here in -1769. - -It was a delightful ride along the Broom-road, as it is called, shaded -by palm and bread-fruit trees, and through groves of oranges, citrons, -guavas, bananas, and other tropical productions. Our friends inspected -the light-house which is maintained here to direct the mariner -approaching Papéiti, and Frank made a sketch of the tamarind-tree -planted by Captain Cook near the spot where he made the famous -observations. - -[Illustration: A GROVE OF COCOANUT TREES.] - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -FROM THE SOCIETY TO THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.--BEFORE THE TRADE-WINDS.--NOTES -ABOUT THE MISSIONARIES.--OPPOSITION OF TRADERS TO MISSIONARIES.--HOW -POLYNESIA WAS CHRISTIANIZED.--THE WORK OF THE MISSIONS.--REV. JOHN -WILLIAMS.--ROMANTIC STORY OF THE HERVEY GROUP.--THE LONDON MISSIONARY -SOCIETY.--THE WESLEYAN AND OTHER MISSIONS.--DEATH OF MR. -WILLIAMS.--SANDAL-WOOD TRADERS.--POLYNESIAN SLAVERY.--LABOR-VESSELS AND -THE LABOR-TRADE.--HOW NATIVES WERE KIDNAPPED.--"THE MISSIONARY -TRICK."--THE MUTINY ON THE _CARL_.--CAPTURE OF THE _DAPHNE_.--HOW LABOR -IS OBTAINED AT PRESENT. - - -[Illustration: RUNNING BEFORE THE TRADE-WINDS.] - -The Society Islands are between latitude 16° and 18° south, and -longitude 148° and 155° west; the Samoan Islands, the next destination -of the _Pera_, lie in latitude 13° to 15° south, and longitude 169° to -173° west. Consequently the course of the yacht was a little north of -west, and gave the party a pleasant run before the north-east -trade-wind, the crew having hardly anything to do from the time the -last peak of the Society Islands disappeared until the mountains of -Samoa came into view. All the world over, there is no more delightful -sailing than in the trade-winds. A ship bowls along for ten, twenty, or -perhaps thirty days, without squaring a yard or changing a brace, and -all the time she carries every stitch of her canvas, and the water -beneath her bows is a bank of foam. - -[Illustration: DR. COAN, MISSIONARY TO HAWAII.] - -During the voyage our young friends busied themselves as usual in -learning something about the regions whither they were bound, as well as -perfecting their information about what they were leaving behind. The -conversation turned one day upon the work of the missionaries in the -South Pacific in redeeming the inhabitants of the islands from their -former condition of barbarism. - -"The missionaries have not received half the credit they deserve," said -Doctor Bronson, in reply to a question which Fred propounded. "It is the -fashion among certain men who have had commercial relations with these -islands to deride the missionaries and throw ridicule on their work, and -sometimes travellers fall into the same way of talking. There are idlers -and useless men and women among the missionaries, just as there are in -every occupation in life, but this circumstance does not justify the -denunciation that has been heaped upon the entire body." - -Frank asked why it was that so many men engaged in commerce were opposed -to the missionaries. - -"Principally for the reason," was the reply, "that the missionaries -defend the natives against the dishonesty of certain classes of traders, -and thus reduce their profits. There are honest men and dishonest ones -engaged in commerce in Polynesia, just as there are elsewhere. When you -hear a Polynesian merchant denouncing the missionaries in vehement -terms, you may fairly conclude that the missionaries have stood in his -way when he was endeavoring to defraud the natives. He is a man not to -be trusted, at least that is a fair inference, though in this as in -everything else he may be an exception. - -[Illustration: NO RESPECT FOR MISSIONARIES.] - -"Let me give you an illustration of this," continued the Doctor. "Some -years ago I heard a retired sea-captain in New York denouncing the -missionaries, and declaring that they had ruined the trade of the South -Pacific. It was at a dinner-party, and before the end of the evening the -old captain became quite communicative about the ways of commerce with -Polynesia and the Malay Archipelago. Among other things he told how they -traded with the natives in his younger days. 'We used,' said he, 'to -take our old-fashioned balance scales on shore with our fifty-six pound -and smaller weights with handles to them. We set up the scales, and then -the natives brought forward some bags whose exact weight they knew. -These bags were used for testing our weights, to see that they were -correct. Of course they were all right; the testing and setting up the -scales took the best part of the afternoon, and then we knocked off for -the day. - -"We left the scales on shore where they had been set up, but took the -weights back to the ship "for safety." They were hollow, and the handles -were screwed in; during the night we unscrewed the handles, filled the -hollow space with lead, and then screwed the handles back again so -neatly that nobody would ever discover anything. In this way we managed -to get the cargo to average 160 to 170 pounds a picul (133 pounds); and -in those days a supercargo or captain who couldn't make a cargo come up -to at least 150 pounds a picul wasn't wanted another voyage by the -owners. Trade went on that way until the missionaries found out all -about this and other tricks, and told the natives. They never would have -suspected anything if it hadn't been for the missionaries.' - -"This man," continued the Doctor, "was no worse than many others in the -same line of business; and if all stories are true, he was no worse than -many of our forefathers, who made money by their dealings with the -savages in the early days of American colonization. The belief that it -is no sin to cheat the infidel and heathen is not by any means confined -to the followers of Mohammed. It is easy to understand why he was -opposed to the missionary labors in the South Seas, as they certainly -tended, in his estimation, to the ruin of commerce." - -One of the youths asked if this opposition to the Christianizing of the -heathen was prevalent among the large mercantile houses, as well as -among the small and independent traders. - -"It is impossible to answer this question with plain yes or no," was the -reply; "but it is safe to say that a very large section of the -commercial community of every nation is unfavorable or, at all events, -indifferent to missionary enterprises. Even national power is sometimes -invoked in the interest of commerce, without regard to the effect upon -the heathen. British artillery forced the Chinese to open their markets -to the opium of India, and the power of British, French, German, and -other arms on the coast of Africa, for purposes of trade, is well known. -Even America is not without sin in this respect; American diplomacy, -backed by American ships of war, opened the ports of Japan, and the -history of our dealings with our own Indians reveals many instances of -bloodshed or oppression in the interests of post-traders and other -speculators. - -[Illustration: TRADING STATION IN THE PACIFIC.] - -"Until its failure a few years ago, the German house of Godefroy & Sons -was by far the largest firm or association doing business in the -Pacific. It had large fleets of ships, it had branch houses in many -parts of the world; in numerous islands of the Pacific its agents were -established, and it owned lands and buildings of immense value. In the -harbor of Apia, Samoa, they had a ship-yard, where they not only -repaired old ships but built new ones, and they owned several excellent -harbors in other parts of Polynesia. There was not a single group of -islands of any consequence where they were not established, and they had -a great influence with the German Government. - -"Now, do you suppose this great house was friendly to the -missionaries--the men who came here and opened the way for commerce? Not -a bit of it. Here is an extract from their general orders to their -agents everywhere: - - "'Never assist missionaries by word or deed, but, wheresoever you - may find them, use your best influence to obstruct and exclude - them.'[3] - -[3] New Zealand Blue-book, 1874, evidence of Mr. Sterndale, late employé -of Godefroy & Sons. - -"The effect of these instructions is illustrated in the experience of -the American missionary ship _Morning Star_, several years ago, in a -visit to the Kingsmill group of islands, near the equator. A pilot came -out to meet the ship, and made her anchor three miles from shore to wait -the permission of the King before any one could land. When the King -learned that it was a missionary ship, he sent word that he would supply -any needed provisions, but on no account could any one come on shore. -The traders had told him that if any missionaries were allowed to land -they would bewitch him and his people, and he had determined to protect -himself from harm. - -"Numerous instances of the demoralizing effects of commerce, when -controlled by bad men, can be given. The missionaries were the first to -occupy Polynesia, when traders could not venture there; some of these -good men lost their lives, but the work of taming the savages went on -until commerce could follow in their footsteps. You might naturally -expect that commerce would be grateful, but such is far from being the -case." - -Then the conversation turned upon the history of missionary efforts in -the South Pacific from the opening enterprise of the London Mission near -the end of the last century. Frank and Fred made copious notes on the -subject from the books within their reach, and the information supplied -by the Doctor, and from these notes they subsequently condensed the -following interesting story: - -[Illustration: JOHN WESLEY, THE FOUNDER OF METHODISM.] - -The London Missionary Society was formed in 1795 by zealous men of -different denominations; the call for the first meeting was signed by -eighteen Independent clergymen, seven Presbyterian, three Wesleyan -(Methodist), and three Episcopal, and the assemblage was held September -22d of that year. The islands of the Pacific were then attracting -attention in consequence of the mutiny of the _Bounty_ and the death of -Captain Cook, and they were selected as the first field of operations. - -Many young men offered themselves as missionaries, and of all the number -of applicants twenty-nine were selected. The first delegation landed on -Tahiti March 4, 1797, and formed the first mission of the Society. From -that beginning the South Seas have been gradually covered with missions, -and the Society has pushed its work into other fields which we need not -consider here. It still adheres to its original plan of avoiding -denominational differences of doctrine and Church government, and -zealously pursues its work. Nearly all the denominations of Protestants -have since organized separate missions of their own, both in Great -Britain and America, for spreading the Gospel in the South Seas. In our -account of the Sandwich and Society islands the work of the missionaries -has been described; we have seen how whole populations have renounced -heathenism and its practices, have been provided with written languages, -and with schools and churches, and have been changed from savages to -civilized men and women. And all this is due to the work of the -missionary, who labored for the good of his fellow-man. - -[Illustration: MISSION CHURCH AND STATION.] - -More than three hundred islands of the Pacific have abandoned their -heathenism, and nearly half a million of Polynesian savages have been -virtually Christianized. Their communicants who have been gathered into -the churches number fully sixty thousand, not including the inhabitants -of the Sandwich Islands, who are now supporting missions of their own. - -One reason of the success of the mission work is the common-sense that -prevailed at the outset in dividing the field among the different -denominations, so that the minds of the natives should not be confused -as to the character of the teachings they were receiving. - -This was done through a friendly agreement between the London Missionary -Society and the Wesleyan Mission, the former having exclusive charge of -the work in the Samoan Islands, and the Wesleyans taking possession of -the Feejee and Tonga groups. Other groups were disposed of in the same -way as time went on, and the arrangement was found entirely -satisfactory. Catholic missions have been established in some of the -islands where the Protestant missions were already settled; they have -made poor progress, as the natives showed an unwillingness to abandon -the faith they had adopted for another. - -[Illustration: MISSION PARK MONUMENT.] - -The American Board of Foreign Missions was organized in Mission Park, -Williamstown, Massachusetts, in the early part of this century, and the -organization is commemorated by an appropriate monument. It has -evangelized the Hawaiian Islands, and carried on work in the Marquesas, -Gilbert, Marshall, and Caroline islands. Since 1873 most of the active -labor has been performed by the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, which -owns a mission vessel, the _Morning Star_. - -[Illustration: MISSION SHIP ON HER VOYAGE.] - -The London Missionary Society has missions in the Society, Tuamotu, -Hervey or Cook, Austral, Samoa, Tokelau, Ellice, Gilbert, and Loyalty -groups, on Niue and several other isolated islands, and in New Guinea. -It owns two vessels, the _John Williams_ and the _Ellengowan_. - -The Australian Wesleyan Conference supports missions in Tonga, Feejee, -Samoa, Rotumah, and New Britain; the Presbyterian churches of Australia -have a mission in the New Hebrides, and possess a mission vessel, called -the _Dayspring_. - -The Melanesian Episcopal Mission is maintained in the Banks', Santa -Cruz, and Solomon islands, and has a mission vessel, called the -_Southern Cross_. The Catholics have missions on all the islands -controlled by the French, and on most of the others, but they did not -make their appearance until long after the work had been well under way -in the hands of the Protestant organizations. - -A considerable proportion of the early missionaries were murdered by the -natives, whose good they sought, and others died of disease, privation, -and the effects of the climate. But the ranks were steadily filled up, -and the work went on; the native converts and teachers were fully as -zealous as the white men who had taught them the new religion, and much -of the work of instruction was performed by them. Whenever native -teachers were murdered by the savages among whom they had taken their -residences, others volunteered to fill their places. The following -incident is recorded in the history of mission work in Polynesia: - -In 1822 the mission ship of the Rev. John Williams anchored off an -island which proved to be Mangaia of the Hervey group. Three Tahitian -teachers, two of them accompanied by their wives, volunteered to land -and establish a mission. No sooner were they on shore than they were -attacked and plundered of everything they possessed, and they only -escaped with their lives by swimming back through the surf to the ship. - -A few months later the mission ship went there again, and two unmarried -teachers, Davida and Tiere, sprang into the sea and swam to the shore, -carrying nothing but the clothing they wore and a portion of the New -Testament in Tahitian, which was wrapped in cloth and tied on their -heads. A great crowd assembled at the landing, and as they stepped on -shore several warriors levelled spears at them. The King took the -swimmers under his protection, treated them kindly, took them to the -temple, and pronounced them tabu, or sacred, so that the natives should -not harm them. - -Within two years Tiere died, but the work of conversion went on so well -that one day the King and his chiefs determined to give up idolatry. -They carried the thirteen idols which they had hitherto worshipped to -the house of Davida, and announced that for the future they would -worship the God of the white man. These thirteen idols are now preserved -in the museum of the London Missionary Society. - -[Illustration: LANDING ON AN ATOLL OF THE HERVEY GROUP.] - -In 1821 Mr. Williams decided to send a mission from Raiatea to the -Hervey Isles, of which very little was known beyond the bare existence -of such a group, and that it was inhabited by fierce cannibals. Several -native converts from Raiatea were landed on the island of Aitutaki; they -were well received by the chief and his people, but Mr. Williams had -great fears for their safety, owing to the bad character of the cannibal -inhabitants. - -In the following year, when the mission ship went there again, great was -the joy of Mr. Williams to learn that all the inhabitants had abandoned -idolatry, burned their temples, and decided to be Christians; they had -built a large church, kept the Sabbath religiously, and on the day -following the arrival of the mission ship two thousand of them assembled -on the beach in solemn prayer, which was led by the delighted -missionary. After the service they brought their idols and carried them -on board the mission ship, so that the people of the other islands might -see for themselves that they had discarded altogether the worship of the -worthless images. - -The story of the conversion of the inhabitants of the island of -Raratonga, of the Hervey group, sounds like romance. So little was known -of this island that Mr. Williams had great trouble in finding it, as its -latitude and longitude had not been established. Among the converts on -another island were six natives of Raratonga; one of these men told Mr. -Williams that if he would sail to a given point on the island of -Aitutaki, he could take bearings that would carry him where he wished -to go. So, taking the six Raratongans on board, he steered for the point -indicated, and by following the directions of the man the island they -sought was reached. - -The young King came on board, and agreed to take the six natives ashore, -and also a Tahitian teacher, who had volunteered to remain. The King, -Matea, a handsome fellow six feet high, and with every inch of his skin -elaborately tattooed, was one of the first converts. Within a year the -whole population had become Christian, and there was not a house on the -island where the family did not assemble morning and evening for divine -worship. Mr. Williams and another missionary went there with their -families in 1827, and were met at the shore by several thousands of -natives, who shook hands with them so vigorously that their arms ached -for hours afterwards. A few days after their arrival the people came in -procession, bringing fourteen enormous idols, for which they had no -further use, the smallest of them being fifteen feet high. - -A new church was erected capable of containing three thousand people; -some of the idols were used as pillars of this building, and the rest -were burned. The railing of the pulpit stairs of this church was made of -spears which the chiefs contributed, and all the heathen temples, and -even their foundations, were completely broken up. - -The Hervey Islands are now a centre of missionary work in the South -Pacific. The islanders have a theological college, which has sent out -nearly two hundred trained teachers and preachers of their own, and -about half this number are scattered among the isles of the Pacific -where the inhabitants have not yet renounced heathenism or their -cannibal practices. In 1881 four of these missionaries, with their wives -and children, twelve persons in all, were murdered by the natives of New -Guinea, and several others narrowly escaped with their lives. - -Shortly after settling in the Hervey Islands Mr. Williams determined to -carry the Gospel to the Navigator's, or Samoan group. Having no ship, he -built a boat, sixty feet long and eighteen feet wide, with the aid of -the Raratonga natives. He wanted a blacksmith's bellows to shape the -iron-work, and in order to make it he killed three of his four goats to -obtain their skins. In a single night his bellows was devoured by the -rats, the only quadrupeds indigenous to the islands, and he then -invented a pump by which air could be forced. - -His boat took fifteen weeks for its construction. Its sails were of -native matting, the cordage was of the bark of the hibiscus, the oakum -for calking the seams was made from banana stumps and cocoanut husks, -and the sheaves were of iron-wood. To obtain planks, trees were split -with wedges, and then cut up with hatchets. One anchor was of stone, and -another of iron-wood, and the provisions consisted of pigs, cocoanuts, -bananas, and other tropical products. In this vessel he sailed during -the next four years to many islands of the Pacific, distributing -teachers among them, and doing everything in his power for the good of -the people. In 1834 he visited England, and returned in the missionary -ship _Camden_, which had been purchased by the London Missionary -Society. - -[Illustration: COCOA PALMS IN THE HERVEY ISLANDS.] - -Mr. Williams continued his work until 1839, when he, with a companion -missionary, James Harris, was murdered by the natives of the New -Hebrides Islands, whither he had gone to plant a mission. The stories of -the conversion of the people of the Tonga, Samoan, and Feejee groups is -only scarcely less romantic than what has just been narrated of the -Hervey Isles. In all these islands, as well as in the Sandwich and -Society groups, it is probable that the proportion of the inhabitants -who observe the Sabbath, attend divine service, and gather in their -families for morning and evening worship, is greater than among the -people of Great Britain or the United States. - -In their inter-tribal wars, which sometimes occur in these days, though -far less frequently than before the advent of the missionaries, all -parties abstain from fighting on Sunday, and men may safely circulate -from one hostile camp to another. - -And all this has been accomplished through the self-abnegation of the -men who obeyed the divine injunction, "Go ye into all the world and -preach the Gospel to every creature." Volumes could be written, as -volumes have been written, but even then the whole story of the work and -sufferings of the missionaries in the South Seas would remain untold. - -Referring to the opposition of the traders to the missionaries, Doctor -Bronson said that the death of Mr. Williams was due to the conduct of -the seamen, though it was not directly instigated by them. - -"One of the products of the Pacific Islands," said the Doctor, "is -sandal-wood, which brings a high price in the Chinese market, and so -much has it been sought in the last fifty or sixty years that on many of -the islands it has entirely disappeared. The sandal-wood traders -committed many outrages on the islands that they visited, and these -outrages naturally led to reprisals. - -"When Mr. Williams and his friend landed on Erromanga, in the New -Hebrides, a party of warriors rushed upon them from a thicket where they -had been lying concealed. In an instant the missionaries were clubbed, -and their bodies were afterwards roasted and eaten by the savages whom -the devoted men sought to reclaim. Investigation showed that a -sandal-wood ship had visited the island a few weeks before, and her crew -had killed several of the natives who opposed the plunder of their -plantations and the destruction of their trees. Of course the natives -were ready to revenge themselves on the first foreign ship that came -there, and this happened to be the one carrying the missionaries. - -"In 1871," continued the Doctor, "the death of Bishop Patteson occurred -on the island of Nukapu in much the same way. The bishop was widely -known and esteemed for his devotion to missionary work in Polynesia, and -was greatly beloved by the natives on all the islands he had visited. -Shortly before his visit to Nukapu a labor-vessel had been there, and -carried off many of the natives against their will. While the natives -were thirsting for revenge the bishop arrived, and, not knowing him, -they put him to death, as the natives of Erromanga had killed Mr. -Williams more than thirty years before." - -"Please tell us something about the labor-vessels and the labor-trade," -said Frank. "I have read about them, and we heard them mentioned in -Tahiti and Honolulu, and would like to know more about them." - -"It is quite a long story," was the reply, "but I'll try to give it to -you briefly. You remember that in the Hawaiian and Society islands it -was necessary to import foreign labor for the plantations, the natives -being too indolent, or not sufficiently numerous, for the wants of the -planters. Well, the same state of affairs prevailed, and still prevails, -in the Samoa, Feejee, Tonga, and other groups, where cotton and sugar -plantations have been established, and also in Queensland, in Australia. - -[Illustration: NATIVE HOUSES AND CANOE.] - -"Well, the demand naturally led to an effort to supply the want. -Labor-vessels went among the islands and groups farther to the west, -especially among the Solomon and New Hebrides islands, to hire men to -work on the plantations where they were needed. - -"Nearly all of these vessels were English, either from the ports of -Australia or hailing from Feejee, Samoa, or Tahiti. Occasionally an -American captain went into the labor traffic, and there was now and then -a French or German vessel engaged in it. - -"The theory of the business was that men were hired on regular contracts -to work for a period of years (from three to five years) on designated -plantations, for certain stipulated wages, and at the end of the -contract they were to be returned to their homes free of expense to -themselves. Every man was to understand perfectly what was required of -him, and nobody was to be taken except of his own free-will. - -"This was the theory and the practice at the outset, but very soon the -practice became far otherwise. Some men were hired on the above plan, -more were hired from their chiefs without being consulted as to their -own willingness in the matter, and a still greater number were kidnapped -and sold into slavery." - -"Sold into slavery?" - -"Yes, exactly that. They were decoyed on board the labor-ships, and when -a sufficient number were there they were bound hand and foot, flung into -the hold, and the ship sailed away with them. They were delivered over -to the planters at so much a head, and very few of them ever found their -way back again to their homes." - -"Why, that's just like what we used to read about the African -slave-trade," said Fred, who had been listening with open-eyed -astonishment. - -"Quite so," the Doctor answered. "It was the revival of the African -slave-trade, and was carried on under the British flag. And many of the -men were taken into slavery on British soil as they were turned over to -the planters of Queensland, a British colony. - -"The matter became so notorious that the attention of the British -Government was called to it, and measures were taken to put an end to -the outrages. Ships of war were sent to the South Pacific to suppress -the illegal trade, and stringent laws were passed to prevent further -outrages. At present every labor-vessel must be licensed for her -business, and carry an official who superintends the making of -contracts, and makes sure that every laborer signs the agreement with -his own free-will, and with a full understanding of the terms of the -document. Care is taken with regard to the food and treatment of the men -while on shipboard, and also when at work on the plantations." - -Frank asked what were the means resorted to to obtain men before the -Government took these precautions. - -[Illustration: MISSIONARY STATION ON ANEITYUM ISLAND.] - -"As to that," was the reply, "the tricks and devices were various. The -usual plan was for a ship to anchor near an island, and of course she -was soon surrounded by the natives in their canoes, ready to barter -cocoanuts and other produce for what the white men had to sell. The -men were enticed on board, and when a sufficient number was on the deck -a signal was given by the captain, and the sailors would knock the -victims down as rapidly as possible. Some escaped by jumping overboard, -but the rest were secured, and the ship then proceeded to another island -to repeat the process until her cargo was complete. Then, with her hold -packed like that of an African slave-ship fifty years ago, she steered -for Feejee or for Queensland, and the captain and crew made a handsome -profit for their work. - -[Illustration: TANNA ISLANDER ON A QUEENSLAND PLANTATION.] - -"After a time the natives became too wary to be enticed on board in the -ordinary way, and then other plans were tried. The _Southern Cross_, the -mission ship used by Bishop Patteson, was painted white, and the natives -were familiar with its appearance. Accordingly the slavers adopted the -following plan to obtain their living cargoes: - -"About the time the bishop was making his rounds a white vessel appeared -and anchored near an island. A boat put off for the shore, and in its -stern sat a black-coated individual with a white neck-tie, green -glasses, a book under his arm which would readily pass for a Bible, and -an umbrella over his head. The cry went around that the bishop had come, -and the natives flocked to the beach to welcome him. - -"Instead of the bishop it was a strange missionary, who spoke enough of -the language to make himself understood. He told them that the bishop -had had a fall the day before and broke his leg, and therefore could not -come on shore. He must hurry away to Sydney to see a doctor, and could -only stay a little while at the island, but he wanted to see his friends -on board, and would like some yams and fruit. - -"In the course of an hour or so fifty or more canoes are flying over the -water laden with presents for the good bishop. The fruit is passed on -board, the men follow and are admitted two or three at a time, to -descend into the bishop's cabin. - -[Illustration: GROUP OF ISLANDERS ON A FEEJEEAN PLANTATION.] - -"At the foot of the cabin-stairs they are met by half a dozen sailors, -who put pistols to their heads, threaten to kill them if they make the -least outcry, tie their hands, and pass them along into the hold -through a hole which has been cut from the cabin for that purpose. -When a batch has been thus disposed of another is allowed to descend, -and in a little while the hold is full; fifty or more natives have been -made prisoners, and meantime the strange missionary has returned from -shore, the canoes are cut adrift or sunk by dropping pieces of iron into -them, and the pretended missionary ship sails away with a cargo of -slaves for the Queensland or Feejee market." - -"And was this really done by Englishmen?" one of the youths asked. - -"Yes, not only once, but several times," the Doctor answered; "and of -the men thus stolen from their homes very few ever found their way back -again. If you wish more information on this point, read 'Kidnapping in -the South Seas,' by Captain Palmer, and 'The Cruise of the _Rosario_,' -by Captain Markham, both of the Royal Navy. These gentlemen were sent to -cruise in Polynesian waters to suppress the slave-trade; and though they -made several captures, they did not find themselves supported by the -colonial courts. 'In two glaring instances,' says Captain Markham, 'when -slavers were seized and sent to Sydney for adjudication they were -acquitted, and their captors were themselves condemned in heavy damages -for detention and injury done to those vessels.' - -[Illustration: FIRING DOWN THE HATCHWAY.] - -"A notorious case," continued the Doctor, "was that of the slaver -_Carl_, which has figured prominently in the newspapers and official -documents. This vessel left Melbourne in June, 1871, for a cruise among -the South Sea Islands, with the object of procuring laborers. Dr. James -Patrick Murray was on board as a passenger and part owner of the vessel, -which was commanded by Joseph Armstrong. They tried to obtain laborers -at the New Hebrides Islands by legitimate methods but failed, and then -they resorted unsuccessfully to the 'missionary trick.' - -"After this the party captured the natives by upsetting or destroying -their canoes. According to Dr. Murray's account, given on the trial of -Armstrong and one of the crew, the captain and crew used to smash the -canoes by dropping pig-iron or stones into them, and the passengers in -their own boat picked the natives out of the water, sometimes stunning -them with clubs or slung-shot if they were troublesome. - -[Illustration: THE "ROSARIO" CHASING A MAN-STEALING SCHOONER.] - -"In this way they collected about eighty natives, keeping them in the -hold at night, and allowing them to come on deck during the day. One -night there was a disturbance in the hold, and the natives tore down the -bunks, or sleeping-places, and with the materials thus obtained they -attacked the main hatchway. - -"An attempt was made to pacify them but it failed, and then the crew -began firing down the hatchway. The firing lasted about eight hours, -being kept up during the night, one of the men occasionally throwing -lights into the hold in order to enable the others to direct their aim. -At daylight all appeared to be quiet, and so the hatches were opened and -those who were alive were invited to come up. About five came up without -help; there were eight or nine seriously wounded, sixteen badly wounded, -and about fifty dead. The dead and the sixteen badly wounded were -immediately thrown overboard; the ship was out of sight of land at the -time, and therefore it was impossible that any of the wounded could have -reached the shore. - -"The blood was removed from the hold, all traces of the affair were -effaced, and when the _Carl_ was overhauled by the _Rosario_ shortly -afterwards there was nothing suspicious in her appearance, and she was -allowed to proceed on her voyage. - -[Illustration: A WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE.] - -"The captain and one of the crew were condemned to death, but the -sentence was afterwards commuted to imprisonment. Murray was allowed to -be one of the witnesses for the prosecution, and so escaped punishment. -Others of the party on board said Murray was the ringleader in the whole -business, and that he sang 'Marching through Georgia' while firing at -the poor natives in the hold. They further said that he selected those -who were the least wounded when the remainder were thrown overboard, and -he used to read prayers to the crew and then give the order to go and -smash the canoes of the natives."[4] - -[4] This account is abridged from "The Cruise of the _Rosario_," by -Captain A. H. Markham, R.N. - -"And all this happened in 1871," said Frank, "and was done by Englishmen -and under the English flag!" - -"Yes," replied the Doctor; "and until the outrages became so notorious -that the attention of the civilized world was drawn towards them, many -official Englishmen in the British colonies were very lukewarm on the -subject, and evidently did not wish to impede the progress of the cotton -and sugar industries by interfering with the business of procuring -laborers. Let me give an instance of this: - -"Captain Palmer, the predecessor of Captain Markham in command of the -_Rosario_, seized the schooner _Daphne_, of forty-eight tons burden, -fitted up exactly like an African slaver, and with one hundred natives -on board. They were entirely naked, had not even mats to sleep on, and -the hold of the schooner resembled a pigpen more than anything else. - -"The _Daphne_ had a license to carry fifty native 'passengers,' but it -made no mention of Feejee, where she was seized, and whither she had -taken her cargo for sale. The natives were landed at Levuka, Feejee, and -placed under the care of the British consul, and the _Daphne_ was sent -to Sydney for adjudication. The Chief-justice of New South Wales, Sir -Alfred Stephen, decided in the _Daphne_'s favor in the following words, -which I will read from Captain Palmer's Book, 'Kidnapping in the South -Seas:' - - "'.... It will not be enough to show that artifice has been used, - or even falsehood told, to induce the natives to enter into the - agreements or contracts mentioned, if they really did enter into - the contracts. - - "'The morality of the proceeding cannot be taken into consideration - in determining the question raised here. The captor will have - substantially to prove that the natives were going to be passed - into a state of real slavery by those who had taken them on board - the _Daphne_, or were to be put into a state really amounting to - slavery, and in violation of the agreement and against their will.' - -"The _Daphne_ was released, and Captain Palmer was compelled to pay the -expenses of the trial, amounting to nearly $900. This money was -afterwards refunded to him by Her Majesty's Government, which approved -his action in seizing the schooner and placed his name on the list for -promotion." - -"How do the colonies obtain their laborers at present?" Fred asked. - -[Illustration: INDIAN GIRL HOUSE-SERVANT IN FEEJEE.] - -"They get them from the islands in legitimate ways, as I before told -you, and they also import Chinese and Indian coolies. The supply of -Polynesian labor is not equal to the demand, and in the last few years, -especially in Feejee, there has been a large importation of coolies from -India. We will learn something about them when we visit the Feejee -Islands." - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.--APIA.--ITS POSITION AND -PECULIARITIES.--BEACH-COMBERS.--HISTORY AND ADVENTURES OF SOME OF -THEM.--CHARLEY SAVAGE.--SAMOAN POLITICS.--ATTEMPT TO POISON -MISSIONARIES.--FRENCH CONVENT AND SCHOOLS.--COMMERCE WITH -SAMOA.--VISITING A NATIVE VILLAGE.--GAMES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE.--YOUTHS -THROWING SPEARS.--MISSION COLLEGE AT MALUA.--HOW THE STUDENTS -LIVE.--PANGO-PANGO.--ADMIRAL WILKES'S DESCRIPTION.--ATTENDING A SAMOAN -PICNIC.--DIFFERENCES OF TASTE.--MASSACRE BAY.--LA PÉROUSE.--HOW HIS FATE -WAS DISCOVERED.--THE SWORD-HILT AT TUCOPIA.--LOSS OF THE _BOUSSOLE_ AND -_ASTROLABE_.--VANIKORO ISLAND. - - -The _Pera_ reached the Samoan Islands without mishap, and anchored in -the harbor of Apia. The Samoan group is also known on charts and maps as -the Navigator's Islands; the former name is the native one, while the -latter was bestowed by Bougainville in 1768, who called the group -_Archipel des Navigateurs_, in consequence of the skill displayed by the -natives in managing their canoes. There are nine inhabited islands in -the group, with an area of about 1125 square miles and a population of -something less than forty thousand. - -[Illustration: SAMOAN DOUBLE CANOE.] - -In general effect our friends found the scenery of Samoa not unlike that -of Tahiti, though the detail was materially different. The harbor of -Apia is an excellent one, affording secure anchorage and safety from all -winds; the captain of the yacht told Frank that there was a finer harbor -at Pango-Pango, in another island, but Apia was the most important -commercially. The trading company that succeeded the German house of -Godefroy & Sons, after the latter's failure, has a large establishment -at Apia, and controls a great part of the business of the islands. The -ship-yard of the company was pointed out, and it needed only a glance to -show that it was extensive and well equipped. - -[Illustration: CORAL ARCHITECTS IN SAMOAN WATERS.] - -Apia consists of a long and rather straggling village, stretched along -the shore of a crescent-shaped bay; like most of these South Sea island -ports, it is concealed by the cocoa palms and other trees peculiar to -the tropics, and many of the houses are so well covered by the verdure -that the visitor cannot make out their position until he is close upon -them. - -Back of the town, which contains two or three hundred stores and -residences, the horizon is filled with richly green hills, which rise -one upon the other to a height of nearly five thousand feet. Streams -come trickling down from these hills, and there is one water-fall -visible from the harbor large enough to make a well-defined stipple of -white against the rich green of the mountains that surround it. Frank -and Fred immediately suggested a walk to the water-fall, but their -enthusiasm was checked by Doctor Bronson, who thought there would be -enough in Apia to amuse them at least for that day. - -Hardly was the anchor fixed in the mud before a boat was lowered and the -_Pera_'s party went on shore. Doctor Bronson and the youths proceeded to -the American consulate, while Colonel Bush and Doctor Macalister went to -call upon the representative of their country. After the official -formalities were over they strolled about the town, and in a short time -Frank and Fred had familiarized themselves with a considerable amount of -the history of Samoa, as we have ascertained by a perusal of their -journals. - -[Illustration: A BEACH-COMBER.] - -"Apia isn't much of a place," said Frank, "but what it lacks in numbers -it makes up in variety. Among the residents there are Americans, -Englishmen, Germans, French, and several other nationalities, the -Germans being most numerous and controlling the best of the trade. Then -there is a fair sprinkling of men whose nationality is open to question, -and whom any respectable country would not be anxious to claim. Samoa -is at present the favorite resort of the beach-comber; perhaps you don't -know what a beach-comber is. - -"All through the islands of the Pacific there are men whose history is -shrouded in obscurity, and who are unwilling to tell the truth about -themselves, for the simple reason that the truth would be inconvenient. -They are deserters from ships, runaways from home--perhaps in -consequence of crimes for which the law would like to lay hands on -them--outcasts from decent society or society of any kind, and not at -all particular as to how they make a living. They were more numerous -fifty years ago than at present, but there is still a sufficient number -of them for all practical wants of the country. In the days when England -sent its criminal classes to Australia, the South Sea Islands were -filled with escaped convicts and ticket-of-leave men; but that source of -supply no longer abounds, and thereby hangs a tale which may as well be -told here as anywhere else. - -[Illustration: GROWTH OF CORAL ON A MOUNTAIN SLOWLY SUBSIDING.] - -"The first white settlers of the Feejee Islands was a band of -twenty-seven convicts, who escaped from imprisonment in New South Wales, -in 1804, on a small schooner which they had captured. They landed in -Feejee with a few muskets, and in their encounters with the natives -their weapons made them all-powerful. The natives regarded the muskets -as something supernatural, and if the white men had conducted themselves -with intelligence they could have obtained mastery over the whole -population with very little trouble. The natives were ready to -acknowledge them as rulers, and did in fact exalt several of them to the -position of chiefs. But the fellows quarrelled with the natives and -among themselves, and when Commodore Wilkes touched at the Feejees, in -1840, only two of them were alive. - -"These wandering or stationary vagabonds are the men who are called -beach-combers in the parlance of the South Pacific. They are not fond of -law and order, and whenever an island group goes under the control of -any European power the beach-combers are very likely to leave and take -up their abode on islands where the natives are still independent. When -the French occupied Tahiti many beach-combers there fled to Feejee, and -when Feejee became an English colony they departed for Samoa. Samoa is -still under the rule of its own kings, or rather under their misrule, -but the probabilities are that it will soon be in the hands of the -Germans. When this happens you may expect an emigration of beach-combers -to the islands, if any remain, where there will be no legal restraints. - -[Illustration: ASS'S EARS, FLORIDA ISLAND.] - -"The stories of many of these fellows is full of the most startling -incidents, even after making a very liberal deduction for what their -imaginations have added to the facts as they occurred. One of them tells -how, when he landed in Feejee, he was condemned to be baked and served -up at a feast; the oven was being heated for his reception when the -chief concluded to keep his prize a while longer until he could be -fattened. The man was released, but he ate sparingly of the food that -was given him, and at the same time ingratiated himself with the -natives, particularly with the chief, by showing him how to make war -successfully upon his enemies. The result was he was saved from baking, -became a man of importance, had fifty wives, and a goodly number of -slaves. - -"Another beach-comber named Charley Savage became a man of great -importance, and received the honors that were given to the most exalted -chiefs. He assisted his tribe in making war, and was nearly always -successful. One day, however, his fortune deserted him, as he was killed -in a fight, and his body fell into the hands of his enemies. They cooked -and devoured him, and made his bones into sail needles, which were -distributed among the people in token of the event, and as a remembrance -of the victory in which he was slain. - -"It must not be supposed from this reference to cannibalism that the -Samoans practised it. They seem never to have been addicted to devouring -their enemies or anybody else, and in other respects were superior to -their neighbors. - -[Illustration: A HOUSE IN THE TONGA ISLANDS.] - -"Like nearly all these island groups, Samoa has been, from time -immemorial, the scene of almost constant warfare between the tribes -inhabiting the different islands. There are generally two or three -claimants to the throne of Samoa, and the foreign consuls are kept -pretty busy adjusting difficulties growing out of the local wars, and -involving the destruction of foreign property. On two occasions the -protectorate of the islands has been offered to the United States, but -it has been declined with thanks. It has also been offered to England, -but thus far has not been accepted, and the indications, at the time of -this writing, are that Samoa will be a German colony before many -months.[5] - -[5] Since the above was written Samoa has virtually passed into the -hands of the Germans. The former King was deposed, taken on board a -German war-ship, and carried into exile in New Guinea. A new king was -placed on the throne, and is maintained there by a German garrison -stationed at Apia. - -"The Samoans have been divided into two great factions, and it has never -been possible for them to come to an agreement that could be kept for -any length of time. Their quarrels have been aided by the scoundrelly -white men just mentioned, and our consul says that if all these bad -fellows could be driven out there might be a chance for peace. - -"It was these beach-combers that in the early days of the labors of the -missionaries greatly hindered their work, and in several instances -directly caused their deaths. As an illustration I may mention the death -of the first three English missionaries who went to the Tonga Islands. -There was an escaped English convict living there who persuaded the King -that these men were wizards, and that an epidemic which was then raging -had been caused by them. The King accordingly murdered the good men at -the bidding of the scoundrel. - -"When the first missionaries settled in Pango-Pango, in Samoa, some -twelve or fifteen of these beach-combers were living there. These -rascals were so bitterly opposed to the missionaries that they tried to -drive them away, and failing in this laid a plot to poison them. The -story is thus told by Rev. Mr. Murray in his book, 'Forty Years of -Mission Work in Polynesia:' - - "'The plot was wellnigh carried into execution. The opportunity was - to be embraced when the teakettle was on the fire. Cooking and - boiling of water are carried on in open sheds on the islands. The - time fixed upon for carrying the plan into effect was _service_ - afternoon. The lad who attended to the boiling of the water was - accustomed to fill the kettle and put it upon the fire before going - to the service. Hence there was afforded the opportunity which our - enemies sought. We had all gone to the service, and there was no - human eye to watch their movements. The appointed afternoon - happened to be windy, and while the man who had undertaken to carry - the plot into effect was in the act of doing the deed, another, who - had been smitten with remorse, struck his arm and scattered the - poison; they had no means of obtaining more, and so the attempt - failed. The man who was instrumental in saving our lives remained - on the island several years acting as pilot to vessels entering - Pango-Pango harbor, and in 1841 he left in our missionary brig - _Camden_. It was not from himself that we learned our obligations - but from another white man who lived on the island at the time of - the plot, and knew of it though he had no hand in it. The - occurrence led to the breaking up and scattering of the party of - would-be murderers, as they feared the arrival of a man-of-war, and - they could no longer trust one another.' - -"The Samoans are a handsome people," continued Frank in his journal, "of -a deep bronze or copper color, and graceful figures. Some of them have -adopted foreign garments; but a good proportion adhere to the native -dress, which consists of fine mats or thick handsome tappa, made from -the fibre of the mulberry or bread-fruit tree. Their tappa is thicker -than that of the Marquesas, but unfortunately the manufacture of it is -diminishing year by year, and in a little while no more will be made. -Foreign calicoes are taking its place, just as in Tahiti and the -Marquesas. Of course the foreigners wish a market for the goods they -have to sell, and therefore they encourage the wearing of garments or -materials of European make. - -"The most lightly clad Samoans were those that came out in boats when we -lay at anchor and wanted to dive for money. They are excellent swimmers -and divers, and when a piece of silver is thrown into the water they are -after it instantly, and catch it before it reaches the bottom. The best -of the divers was a girl who appeared to be about fifteen years old; -when she caught a coin she held it between her teeth till she rose to -the surface, and after taking breath for half a minute or so was ready -for another dive. The performance was exactly like what we saw at -Singapore, Malta, and other ports, where there are always plenty of -natives ready to dive for the coins that passengers throw over for them. -The water is perfectly clear, and though it is fully a hundred feet -deep, every object on the bottom can be seen. - -[Illustration: NATIVE TEACHER, UPOLU, SAMOAN ISLANDS.] - -"In our stroll about Apia we passed the convent where four French -Sisters and as many Samoan ones have charge of the education of some -sixty or more native girls, many of them the daughters of chiefs or -belonging to the high caste families. As we passed the convent the girls -were singing very sweetly, and we paused to listen; it was easy to -imagine that we were passing a school in Rouen or Dijon, so much was the -singing like what one hears in France. The French Sisters are said to -be very much devoted to their work, and as the Samoans are fond of music -they readily receive instruction in singing. The girls are taught in all -the branches customary in schools of this sort in other parts of the -world; sewing and other home duties are not neglected, and when the -pupils leave the school they are in a position to do a great deal of -good among their less accomplished sisters. - -"There is a similar school for boys, under the charge of French priests, -and there are Protestant schools in every village. The Catholics have -made greater progress here than in any other of the island groups; they -have between three and four thousand adherents, and among their converts -are some of the most influential men of the islands. The representatives -of the London Missionary Society claim about twenty-five thousand -followers, and the Methodists something more than five thousand, the -latter having come into the field much later than did the London -society. Nearly all the adult population can read and write, and there -is scarcely a child ten years old that cannot read its own language. - -"There are groves of cocoanut-trees everywhere, and we were not -surprised to learn that the principal product of the islands is from the -cocoa-tree. Ten thousand tons of copra are shipped every year to the -markets of Europe, where the oil is extracted, and there is besides a -large production of cocoanut-oil in Samoa, which some have estimated as -high as two thousand tons. The Germans have extensive cotton -plantations, and there are smaller plantations belonging to English and -American companies and individuals; coffee and sugar are cultivated, but -the culture of these articles has not thus far been very extensive. - -[Illustration] - -"As at Tahiti and in the other islands, it has been necessary to import -laborers from elsewhere to work the plantations, as the Samoans are not -fond of exerting themselves any more than are those of the Society -group. Thus far most of the laborers have been imported by the Germans, -and they come from all the islands where the German vessels trade. The -Polynesian Land Company and the American Land Company have also made -some importations of the same sort, but up to the present time they have -not equalled the Germans. - -"While walking in the outskirts of the town we were thirsty, and asked -the native boy who accompanied us where we could find some water to -drink. He immediately suggested cocoanut-milk, and on our acquiescing he -hailed a boy who was lounging under a cocoanut-tree close by, and said -something to him in Samoan. - -"Immediately the second boy took a small piece of rope which had been -twisted out of cocoa fibre, and prepared to ascend one of the trees. By -means of this rope and his hands and feet he went up about as quickly as -we could have ascended a staircase of the same height, and threw down -several nuts, with which we quenched our thirst. Any one who has been in -the tropics knows how refreshing is the milk of the green cocoanut when -he is weary and thirsty. - -[Illustration: CRABS EATING COCOANUTS.] - -"We saw some crabs feeding on cocoanuts, which are about the last thing -in the world you would suppose a crab could eat. Perhaps you'll laugh -and be incredulous, but they really do eat cocoanuts, and get the meat -out without any assistance. Cocoanuts are their principal food, but they -do not refuse other fruits, such as figs, candle-nuts, and nutmegs. This -is the way they do it: - -"The crab climbs a tree and pushes down a ripe cocoanut, which is easily -detached, and he shows a great deal of sagacity in selecting only the -ripe nuts. Then he comes down to the ground and tears the husk from the -nut, and he always begins at the end where the eye-holes are. If the -tree is a sloping one, and there are rocks underneath, he climbs up -again, carrying the nut with him, and drops it on a rock, where it will -be broken. If the situation is not favorable for this performance, he -digs into the eye-holes until he makes an entrance sufficiently large to -admit his pincers, with which he withdraws the meat. - -[Illustration: A PLANTATION IN THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.] - -"These land-crabs are excellent eating, though they are rather too oily -for a delicate stomach. They live in large holes, which they dig -themselves and line with the fibre torn from the cocoanut shell. They -grow to a great size, and sometimes a single crab will yield a quart of -oil. They are distinctively land-crabs, and the natives say they only -use the sea to bathe in. We asked our guide if all crabs in Samoa are -good to eat, and he answered that all land-crabs were, but the sea ones -were doubtful, some of them being poisonous at certain seasons of the -year. - -[Illustration: A FAIR WIND.] - -"We went into some of the native houses, and found them neat and clean. -The roofs of the houses are very high, and supported on low posts; Fred -said there was a great deal of roof and very little wall, and this -exactly describes a Samoan house. The roof is thatched with palm-leaves, -and when well and properly laid will exclude the heaviest rains. The -houses have no doors, mats being suspended at the entrance; the result -is, the dogs and chickens may walk in when they choose, though in many -houses the chickens are not allowed to enter. - -"It is the custom to place screens of plaited palm-leaves around the -houses at night, but they are always removed at daylight. In the -interior of the houses screens of cloth are suspended from the roof to -divide the space into rooms where the inmates sleep. The couches are -piles of fine mats of cocoa fibre, and the pillows are simply sticks of -bamboo or other wood, on which the neck, not the head, is rested. It is -about as uncomfortable as the Japanese pillow, which it closely -resembles, and is no doubt the cause of the early-rising habits of the -natives. - -"All the cooking is done out-of-doors, and there is very little inside -the houses that can be called furniture. In one house we found a group -of young people playing a game which was something like our game of -forfeits. They sat in a circle and spun a cocoanut around on its sharp -end; when it fell the person towards whom the three black eyes pointed -was adjudged the loser. When they are to decide which of them is to do -anything, leaving the others free, the lottery of the cocoanut is used -to determine the matter. - -"Warfare being more prevalent here in later years than in the Society -group, we found the games of the young men much more vigorous than at -Tahiti. We saw a party of boys playing at _totoga_, or reed-throwing; -they had reeds five or six feet long, with points of hard wood, and the -skill of the game consisted in making the reeds skim as far as possible -along the grass. - -"In another spot some young men were throwing spears at the stumps of -trees, and in this game the skill consisted in a youth's ability to -force out the spear of some one else while fixing his own in the stump. -They have several games in which spears and clubs are used, and -sometimes they are accompanied by a good deal of risk. Spears are thrown -so as to hit the ground and then glide upward to the mark, and sometimes -a man stands up armed with only a club and allows half a dozen others to -throw their spears at him in rapid succession. By a dexterous handling -of his club he turns the spears aside, but it is evident that the -slightest mistake may have serious consequences. - -"When we came back to the landing-place we thought we would take a ride -in a native boat instead of calling away the boat of the yacht. So we -hired an outrigger canoe, and were quickly paddled to the side of the -_Pera_. These boats are not by any means new to us, as we have seen them -in Ceylon, the Malay Archipelago, and other parts of the world. The -Samoans handle them with a great deal of skill, and I do not wonder that -Bougainville recognized their ability by calling this group the -'Navigator's Islands.' - -[Illustration: BREAD-FRUIT.] - -"I forgot to say," added Frank, "that we saw several cases of -elephantiasis, which the natives call _fé-fé_, and is said to be quite -common in all the islands of the group. The arms and legs of the victims -are swollen to a great size, but, happily for them, the disease is not -attended with pain. The cause of _fé-fé_ is as unknown as is that of -goitre in Switzerland." - -Apia is on the north side of Upolu Island, which is the most important -and the most populous of the group. It has an area of about three -hundred and thirty-five square miles, and a population of not far from -fifteen thousand, or more than one-third the entire number of -inhabitants of Samoa. In the middle of the island is a chain of broken -hills sloping towards the sea, and these hills up to their very tops are -green with verdure. The harbor of Apia is sheltered by a natural -breakwater; but, though the principal seat of commerce, it is not -considered as fine as that of Pango-Pango, on Tutuila Island, whither -our friends proceeded when their inspection of Upolu was completed. - -The day after their arrival at Apia they made an excursion to Malua, -about twelve miles distant, to see the college of the London Mission, -which is located at that point. Of this journey Fred wrote as follows: - -"We hired a boat with six strong natives to row it, but they didn't have -much to do, as the wind favored us both ways, and the greater part of -the distance we were under sail. The journey seemed a very short one, as -we were busy studying the scenery, which is very pretty and changed -every few minutes as the valleys opened to our gaze and revealed their -wonderful richness of tropical productions. We kept a sharp watch for -the college buildings, but didn't see them until we were quite close to -the village. - -"The fact is the college is not a huge edifice such as you find in -Europe or America, but a collection of fifty or sixty one-story -cottages, which are built around a large square, with a hall or -class-room at one side. In another respect it is unlike a college in -civilized countries, as each student is generally accompanied by his -wife and family; we were told that married men were preferred to single -ones, as the wife and children could be educated at the same time that -the student pursued his studies, and they are useful afterwards in -instructing the women and children in the places to which they are -assigned. - -"Every cottage has a garden attached to it, which the student is -required to cultivate sufficiently to support his family. Any surplus -stock he raises is sold and placed to his credit, and nearly all the -students feed and clothe their families out of the proceeds of the -garden. The college was founded in 1844 by Doctor G. A. Turner; it has -educated more than two thousand teachers and preachers, and in -consequence of the system I have just mentioned is almost self -supporting. There are several thousand cocoanut, bread-fruit, and other -life-supporting trees on the grounds, while the gardens are devoted to -taro, yams, bananas, and similar plants. Here, as elsewhere in the South -Pacific, the banana-plant is very productive, and requires comparatively -little labor to take care of it. - -"The rules of the institution are very strict, and any student who -repeatedly disobeys them is requested to make way for some one who will -not. The bell rings at daylight for morning prayers, after which the -students go to work in their gardens or at their trades, or fish in the -lagoon in front of the settlement. At eight o'clock the bell rings again -for bath and breakfast, and at nine it summons the classes for -recitation and instruction, which continue until four in the afternoon. -Then more work till sunset, when the bell calls to family prayer. After -this the students study by themselves till nine o'clock, when the bell -tells them to extinguish their lights and go to bed. - -[Illustration: WAR CANOE OF THE OLDEN TIME.] - -"The majority of the students are Samoans; the rest are from all the -islands of the South Pacific, whence they have been sent by the local -missionaries. They study arithmetic, geography, and of course learn to -read and write, and besides these ordinary branches of education they -devote considerable time to the Scriptures and to theology. - -"Every Saturday evening there is a prayer-meeting, at which the students -make short exhortations. On Sunday there are three services--morning, -afternoon, and evening; and there are Sunday-schools for the children -and Bible classes for the older folks. On the first Sunday of each month -there is a communion-service, after the manner of churches in England -and other civilized lands. We have not seen anywhere in the Pacific a -finer assemblage of native men and women than the class at this college; -they had bright, intelligent faces, and we were told that they were all -so anxious to progress in their studies that they rarely infringed any -of the rules of the institution, the one most frequently violated being -that which required them to stop studying at nine o'clock and go to bed. - -[Illustration: CANOES DRAWN ON SHORE.] - -"It was getting quite dark when we returned to Apia and found our old -quarters on the yacht. They wanted us to stay all night at the mission -school; but there were so many of us that we thought it best to come -back to Apia lest we might incommode our hosts by thrusting such a large -number of visitors on them at once. You may be sure we slept soundly in -our cabins, as we were all thoroughly tired out with the long but very -interesting excursion." - -After a few days at Apia the yacht proceeded to Pango-Pango, in Tutuila -Island, a distance of about eighty miles. Under her steam-power she made -the journey in a single day; had she relied on her sails it would have -been far different, as Tutuila lies dead to windward of Upolu, and -there are several currents which add their force to make a passage -difficult. Sailing vessels are often five or six days making this trip, -which can be covered in a few hours by steam. - -Our young friends thought they had never seen anywhere a more beautiful -harbor than this; Frank sat down to describe it, and after writing a few -lines said he would abandon the attempt, and fall back upon the account -of Admiral Wilkes, who visited it in 1839. Accordingly he copied the -following from the history of the famous expedition: - - "The harbor of Pango-Pango is one of the most singular in all the - Polynesian isles. It is the last point at which one would look for - a shelter; the coast near it is peculiarly rugged, and has no - appearance of indentations, and the entrance being narrow, is not - easily observed. Its shape has been compared to a variety of - articles; that which it most nearly resembles is a retort. It is - surrounded on all sides by inaccessible mural precipices, from - eight hundred to one thousand feet in height. The lower part of - these rocks is bare, but they are clothed above with luxuriant - vegetation. So impassable did the rocky barrier appear in all but - two places, that the harbor was likened to the valley of 'Rasselas - 'changed to a lake. The harbor is of easy access, and its entrance, - which is about a third of a mile in width, is marked by the Tower - Rock and the Devil's Point." - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN JAMES COOK.] - -"He might have added," said Frank, "that there is a coral reef on each -side of the entrance, with the surf breaking heavily over it, or at any -rate it was doing so at the time we entered. Pango-Pango is a splendid -harbor, and could hold a great many ships. Its principal disadvantage is -that the prevailing trade-wind blows directly into it, so that while a -sailing-ship can get in without much trouble she has a hard time to get -out unless she has a steam tow-boat to help her." - -Doctor Bronson told the youths that at one time the King of Samoa -proposed to present the harbor of Pango-Pango, and an area of land -surrounding it, to the United States Government for a coaling and naval -station; but as the acceptance of the proposal would involve political -relations that might be troublesome in future, the offer was practically -declined. The commerce of Pango-Pango is not as important as that of -Apia, for the very simple reason that the island of Tutuila contains -only four thousand inhabitants, and their productive energies are not -great. Copra and cocoanut-oil are the principal articles of export; -there are some small plantations devoted to cotton, sugar, or coffee, -but the lack of native laborers and the high cost of imported ones has -kept these industries in a backward state. - -[Illustration: AN AMERICAN RESIDENT.] - -The first European vessel to enter this harbor was the _Elizabeth_, an -English whaler, commanded by Captain Cuthbert. He gave it the name of -Cuthbert Harbor, but the appellation never adhered to it. Pango-Pango is -its native name, and will probably be maintained long after Cuthbert is -quite forgotten. - -The settlement at Pango-Pango was so much like the one at Apia that we -will not risk wearying the reader with a description. Suffice it to say -the yacht remained two or three days there, and then proceeded on her -voyage in the direction of the Feejee Islands. - -Before their departure they were invited to attend a Fa-Samoa party, and -the invitation was promptly accepted. Frank asked what a Fa-Samoa party -was. - -"You might put it in French," said the American consul, by whom the -invitation was given, "and say _a la Samoa_, or, to come to plain -English, you may render it 'Samoan fashion.' 'Fa-Samoa,' 'Fa-Feejee,' or -'Fa-Tonga,' mean after the manner of Samoa, Feejee, or Tonga. It is a -convenient feature of the language, and I can assure you the party will -be an enjoyable one." - -"The consul was right," said Frank, in telling their experience, "as the -party was a jolly one. It reminded us of the dinner at Tahiti after the -native style, but was more like a picnic than anything else we have at -home. In fact it was a good deal of a picnic, as each person who was -invited contributed something to the supply of eatables for the table, -so that those who did not fancy the native dishes need not go hungry. - -[Illustration: CAVE NEAR THE PICNIC GROUND.] - -"The picnic ground was just outside the town, on a pretty bit of lawn -shaded by grand old bread-fruit and cocoanut trees, and in the midst of -a grove of bananas, which extended on three sides of the lawn and served -as a sort of hedge. Banana-leaves were spread thickly on the grass, and -on this lowly table the edible things were spread, and what do you -suppose we had to eat? - -"We had sucking-pigs roasted very much as they are roasted at home, or -folded in taro-leaves and baked in hot ashes; the steam from the green -leaves cooks them thoroughly, so that the joints fall apart at the -merest touch of the knife, or a slight strain of the fingers. They gave -us pigeons cooked the same way, and I remark, by-the-way, that there are -pigeons in the Samoan Islands, and it is one of the native pastimes to -catch them. We had several kinds of scale-fish, some cooked and others -raw, and we had crawfish and prawns and Samoan oysters; but I'm bound to -say I didn't think much of the oysters when I remembered those of my -native land. They give us a salad made of the young and tender shoots of -the cocoa-tree, and very nice it was, and everywhere we turned there -were bananas, oranges, pineapples, and other tropical fruits. - -"The dishes that most attracted our attention were the puddings made of -bananas, bread-fruit, taro, and similar things. The consul told us that -each of the ingredients was beaten fine and baked separately, and then -they were all worked in together and covered with the thick cream from a -ripe cocoanut. Cocoanut-cream is wonderfully rich; when taken by itself -it is apt to cloy the stomach and disturb digestion, but used as a sauce -for the puddings it is delicious; but you must touch it sparingly, as it -is full of oil. - -"We sat on the ground to partake of the feast, and had a back-ache -afterwards, just as we did in Tahiti. For drink we each had a freshly -opened cocoanut-shell, and we took the cocoa-milk as we would take tea -or any other beverage in civilized lands. There were some cakes made of -putrid bread-fruit, but we did not touch them any more than we did the -equally vile-smelling Limburger cheese which one of our entertainers had -brought along. The bread-fruit is in season for about half the year; the -natives store the fruit in pits lined with banana-leaves, and thus -stored the stuff ferments, and soon smells so badly that any person with -a sensitive nose cannot bear to come within odoriferous distance. When -walking where there are any of these bread-fruit pits we always try to -keep to windward. - -"Taste and habit are everything. The Germans are nauseated by putrid -bread-fruit, while the Samoans are equally intolerant of Limburger. They -are horrified when told how long game is kept in England and America -before being cooked and eaten, and the merest taste of Worcestershire -sauce would spoil their appetites for a whole day at least." - -[Illustration: MASSACRE BAY.] - -The course of the yacht carried her near Massacre Bay, and Fred -naturally inquired why the spot was so called. - -"It was so named," replied Doctor Bronson, "because of the massacre of -several of the crew, together with the captain, of the _Astrolabe_, one -of the ships of La Pérouse, the ill-fated navigator whose death was so -long a mystery." - -"What were the circumstances of the affair?" was the inquiry which -followed this explanation. - -"The ships of La Pérouse, the _Boussole_ (compass) and _Astrolabe_ -(quadrant), were off the island, and Captain De Lange, who commanded the -_Astrolabe_, sent four boats on shore to procure water. They carried -sixty soldiers and sailors, and were commanded by De Lange in person. -The boats made their way through the reef, and reached the beach without -opposition. While the work of watering was going on the natives appeared -friendly enough, until suddenly they gave a loud shout, and attacked the -Frenchmen with stones and clubs. Captain De Lange was killed, and with -him eleven of his men. The rest escaped to the ships, leaving one of -their boats aground. La Pérouse endeavored to get inside the reef to -punish the natives, but after several days he gave up the attempt and -proceeded to Botany Bay, whence he sent an account of the affair to his -government." - -"And that was the last heard of him for a long time?" - -"Yes; he sailed from Botany Bay with the _Boussole_ and _Astrolabe_ in -March, 1788, and for thirty-eight years nothing was known of him or his -ships, or what became of them." - -"Did the French Government try to find out anything about their fate?" - -"Oh, certainly. They sent an expedition to the South Seas, but it -returned without the least information. Then they sent a circular to -ambassadors, consuls, and other officials, at the courts of all the -powers of the world, and to scientific societies and commercial -associations, asking them in the name of humanity to search for any -trace of the missing expedition, and offering to reward any one who -rendered assistance to survivors, or gave any information about the fate -of La Pérouse and his companions." - -"And it took thirty-eight years to get the desired information?" - -[Illustration: A VILLAGE IN VANIKORO.] - -"Yes. All inquiries of navigators and others came to nothing, and -gradually the fate of La Pérouse was considered a problem impossible of -solution. On the 13th of May, 1826, an English trading-ship from -Calcutta, the _St. Patrick_, Captain Peter Dillon, touched at the island -of Tucopia, in latitude 12° 21' south, longitude 168° 33' east. Find its -position on the map, and then I'll tell what Captain Dillon discovered -there." - -Frank and Fred eagerly scanned the map, and by following the lines of -latitude and longitude they speedily located Tucopia. It is between the -Solomon and New Hebrides groups, and lies nearly due north-west from the -Feejees, and a little north of west from Samoa. - -"Captain Dillon," continued the Doctor, "found there a Frenchman named -Martin Buchert, whom he had known at the Feejees thirteen years before, -and also a Lascar sailor who had landed at Tucopia with Buchert. The -meeting of Dillon and Buchert was an interesting one; and so much was -Dillon absorbed with it, that he did not at first notice a silver -sword-hilt which the Lascar wore suspended by a string around his neck. -While he was talking with Buchert, the Lascar sold the sword-hilt to the -ship's armorer for a few fish-hooks. The natives that swarmed around the -ship had many articles of European manufacture, and questions concerning -them led to a remark about the sword-hilt, which was speedily obtained -again from the armorer. - -"Captain Dillon learned that the things were brought from an island -called Vanikoro, about two days' sail to leeward of Tucopia, and that -the natives there had many articles of European manufacture, which were -obtained from two ships that had been wrecked there long before. - -[Illustration: HAT ISLAND, WEST OF VANIKORO.] - -"Captain Dillon thought of La Pérouse, and of the reward which the -French Government offered. Then he bought all the European articles -which the natives of Tucopia possessed, and as soon as this was done he -made sail for Vanikoro. - -"When his ship was under way he carefully examined the sword-hilt with a -magnifying-glass. There was a monogram so badly worn that the letters -were indistinct, but he finally made it out 'J. F. G. P.'--the initials -of the name Jean François Galaup de la Pérouse. - -"He had found the hilt of the great navigator's sword!" - -"And what did he find at Vanikoro?" said one of the youths, eagerly. - -"Owing to contrary winds," the Doctor replied, "he was unable to visit -the island at that time, and returned to Calcutta without doing so. He -reported his discovery, and exhibited the sword-hilt and other relics; -the East India Company fitted out a ship and placed it under his -command, and he proceeded to Vanikoro, where he obtained a great many -relics, including anchors, cannon, chains, and other heavy things, and -learned from the natives the story of the wreck of the _Boussole_ and -_Astrolabe_." - -"What was it?" - -[Illustration: LOUIS XVI. AND LA PÉROUSE.] - -"The ships went ashore in a severe gale. On one of them every one of the -crew was drowned in the surf or killed by the natives. On the other, -supposed to be the one commanded by La Pérouse in person, friendly terms -were established with the people, and the crew were unharmed. They built -a small vessel from the wreck of the larger one, and a part of them -sailed away. They were never heard of afterwards; those who remained on -the island died one after another, and it is supposed that the last -survivor perished only a few months before the sword-hilt was found at -Tucopia." - -"And what became of Captain Dillon?" - -"The French Government kept its promise. It created him a chevalier of -the Legion of Honor, gave him a life pension of four thousand francs, -and appointed him consul to Tahiti, where he remained until the -establishment of the protectorate over the Society Islands. Then he -returned to England, and lived on his pension until his death in 1846." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE FEEJEE ISLANDS: THEIR EXTENT AND POPULATION.--TERRIBLE FATALITY OF -THE MEASLES.--ROTUMAH AND ITS PEOPLE.--KANDAVU AND SUVA.--VITI -LEVU.--SIGHTS OF THE CAPITAL.--PRODUCTIONS AND COMMERCE OF -FEEJEE.--GROWTH OF THE SUGAR TRADE.--THE LABOR QUESTION.--OBSERVATIONS -AMONG THE NATIVES.--FEEJEEAN HAIR-DRESSING.--NATIVE -PECULIARITIES.--CANNIBALISM, ITS EXTENT AND SUPPRESSION.--HOW THE CHIEFS -WERE SUPPLIED.--A WHOLE TRIBE OF PEOPLE EATEN.--LEVUKA.--INTERVIEWS WITH -MERCHANTS AND PLANTERS.--THE BOLOLO FESTIVAL.--ANCIENT CUSTOMS. - - -[Illustration: A NATIVE OF FEEJEE.] - -During the voyage to the Feejees Frank and Fred informed themselves -concerning that famous group of islands, which formerly had a dark -reputation for being the scene of the grossest forms of cannibalism. -What they learned was substantially as follows: - -"There is really no such group of islands as 'The Feejees;' the word -Feejee comes from Viti, or Vee-tee--Viti Levu being the largest island -of the group, which consists of something more than two hundred islands -and islets. The number is variously placed at from two hundred to two -hundred and fifty, and of these about one hundred and forty are -inhabited. Viti Levu measures about ninety-seven miles from east to -west and sixty-four from north to south, and its area is computed at -4112 square miles. Vanua-Levu, with an area of nearly 2500 miles, is the -next largest, and then come Taviuni and Kandavu, the former of 217 -square miles, and the latter of 124. None of the other islands have -areas equalling one hundred square miles, and it would be tedious to -name them all. - -"Altogether the Feejee group has an area estimated at 7400 square miles, -or about 400 square miles less than that of the State of Massachusetts. -Its population is estimated at--" - -Fred was about to write 200,000, taking the figures from a book before -him, when he was interrupted by Doctor Bronson. - -"Wait a moment," said the Doctor, "and I'll tell you something on that -subject. - -[Illustration: A ROYAL ATTENDANT.] - -"Twenty or twenty-five years ago," he continued, "the population was -estimated at fully that figure, and some authorities put it as high as -250,000. Of course there has never been a careful census, and in the -interior of the larger islands it is not easy to get even a close -approximation of the number of inhabitants. Since the occupation of the -islands by the whites the population has followed the general law of all -Polynesia, and diminished with more or less steadiness. - -"In 1874 it was estimated that it had been reduced to 180,000, and in -the following year fully one-third of this number died from the scourge -of measles." - -"Measles!" exclaimed Frank and Fred, in astonishment. "I didn't know," -Frank added, "that this disease was a deadly one." - -"It is not usually so considered in civilized lands," the Doctor -answered, "nor would it have been so here but for the ignorance of the -people, and their persistence in doing exactly what they should not have -done. - -"In the latter part of 1874 Thakombau, King of Feejee, and his sons went -to Sydney in an English man-of-war, to pay their respects to the -Governor of New South Wales. At Sydney the two youngest boys took -measles, but the disease showed itself in such a mild form that nothing -was thought of it. On the return voyage in January the King had a slight -attack, but it was considered of no consequence, and on his arrival at -Levuka he went ashore at once. - -"His relatives and subjects came to pay their respects, and according to -custom smelt of his hands or his face, and thus took in the poison of -the disease. A few days after his arrival there was a meeting of chiefs -and other high dignitaries from all the tribes of the group, and the -same ceremonies were gone through. In this way the disease was spread -through the group, and when it developed it caused the death of nearly -every chief who had attended the ceremonial. - -[Illustration: ANCIENT FEEJEE TEMPLE.] - -"All through the Feejees people died by the thousand; in some instances -whole villages were struck down, and there were not enough well people -to care for the sick or bury the dead. Medical directions were published -and sent abroad as soon as possible, but the superstitious people had -been told by some of the beach-combers and other scoundrels infesting -the islands that the disease had been imported in order to kill them off -and get their lands, and that the medicines of the white men were -intended to spread rather than check it. The medical directions were -ignored; some tribes who had become Christian renounced the new religion -and drove out their teachers. In one instance where a teacher died of -measles his Christian disciples concluded that it was best to follow the -old custom and bury his wife and children with him, in order to -propitiate the demon of the scourge." - -"Why was the disease so fatal here when it is not so in our own -country?" one of the youths inquired. - -"You are aware, I presume," the Doctor answered, "that care should be -exercised in measles against taking cold, and thus driving the disease -to the lungs. These people are continually bathing, and it was the most -natural thing in the world for them to rush to the cooling streams as -soon as the fever came on them. In this way thousands doomed themselves -to death, and besides, there came an unusual rainfall that converted -great areas of country into swamps, and rendered it impossible for the -people to keep dry even if they had tried to do so. - -"As an illustration of the effect of bathing, I may mention the case of -the native police at Levuka. A hundred and fifty men were seized with -measles, and the officer in charge, an Englishman, immediately -established a hospital and ordered those who were least affected to care -for the rest. They were forbidden to bathe or allow any one else to do -so; all the patients recovered except ten, and of these every man was -found to have disobeyed orders and indulged in a bath in the tempting -sea which was close by. - -"An English resident says that whole villages were swept away by the -scourge, the dead were buried in their own houses, and to this day many -of the platforms on which the Feejeean houses are built are simply -family tombs. The coast towns suffered more than those of the interior, -probably in consequence of their being in more swampy ground, and thus -more affected by the dampness. The measles were afterwards carried to -other groups, where the effect was severe, but not so fatal in -proportion to the population as in the Feejees." - -With this explanation Frank put down the number of native inhabitants -of the Feejees at 120,000; afterwards he obtained at Suva the figures of -the census of 1884, which were as follows: European residents, 3513; -native Feejeeans, 115,635; Polynesian laborers, 5634; Asiatics, about -5000; and Rotumah men, about 2600. - -[Illustration: A POLYNESIAN IDOL.] - -"What is a Rotumah man?" said Fred, when the above figures were obtained -and read aloud by Frank. - -"Rotumah," said the Doctor, "is a small island lying in mid-ocean about -four hundred miles north of Feejee, and recently made a British -possession. The natives are a kindly race; the women are prettier than -most other Polynesians, and the men strong and of good size. They make -excellent sailors, and you find them in ships all over the South -Pacific, and even in other parts of the world. A gentleman who visited -Rotumah told me it was no uncommon thing to find natives who had been in -New York, London, Liverpool, or Hamburg, and they could discuss the -relative merits of sailing and steam vessels with an intelligence not -always found among white sailors. - -"Though living in an island where nature is kindly and the wants of man -are few, the Rotumah men are not unwilling to work; they are -consequently sought as laborers in the Samoan, Tahitian, and other -groups, and especially in Feejee. So many men have been taken from the -island that the supply has been practically exhausted, and the planters -are compelled to look elsewhere. Some of the laborers were kidnapped in -the manner described in our discussion of the labor-trade, but the most -of those who emigrated were fairly and honestly obtained." - -The outlying islets of the Feejee group were first sighted by our -friends on the yacht, and in due time the peaks of the larger islands -came into view. The Feejeean Archipelago is situated between the -fifteenth and twenty-second parallels of south latitude, and the -meridians of 177° west and 175° east longitude, and scattered over an -area of ocean some two hundred miles from north to south, and three -hundred from east to west. Its exact extent is not known, as there has -been no complete survey of the islands; one is now in progress under the -direction of the colonial government, but it will take some time for its -completion. Surveying in Feejee is slow and difficult work, owing to the -dense tropical vegetation that is found everywhere. - -[Illustration: A COAST SCENE IN KANDAVU.] - -The first island of importance which was sighted by our friends was -Kandavu, the fourth largest of the group and containing something like -10,000 inhabitants. As they expected to see it later, they did not stop -there, and the youths contented themselves by studying its well-wooded -slopes and fertile valleys, and the towering head of Mount Washington -3000 feet high on its western side. The captain told them that Kandavu -was the stopping-place of the mail-steamers on their way between San -Francisco and Australia, as it was more convenient and less dangerous -for them than either Suva or Levuka. He added that it abounded in fine -timber, and was a favorite resort for whalers in search of supplies and -water. - -Steam was made as soon as Kandavu was sighted, and in a few hours the -_Pera_ was at anchor in the harbor of Suva, the capital of the British -colony of Feejee. It was selected in 1880 by a commission appointed to -secure a site for a future capital, the former one, Levuka, having been -found disadvantageous in some respects. Levuka is more centrally -situated in the archipelago than Suva, but its harbor is not so easy of -access, and a ship approaching or leaving it has more dangerous -navigation. Levuka is on the small island of Ovolau, while Suva is on -the south side of Viti Levu, which is, as before stated, the largest and -most populous of the group. - -[Illustration: A PLANTER'S RESIDENCE.] - -On shore our friends found a prosperous-looking place, when its age was -taken into consideration, and Frank said it reminded him of a town in -California or Colorado. There were half a dozen hotels, several -churches, which represented the Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, -and Methodist faiths, a great number of shops and stores, and many -well-built warehouses, cottages, and other dwellings. They went to the -principal hotel before proceeding to call upon their consuls or make any -acquaintances, and the proprietor immediately offered to show them the -sights of Suva. - -[Illustration: A NEW ARRIVAL.] - -He pointed out the Governor's residence, the jail, hospital, -custom-house, and lunatic asylum, together with other public edifices. -Doctor Bronson suggested that there was every indication of a fixed -community when so young a place could boast of a jail and a lunatic -asylum, not to speak of the custom-house and the hospital. - -"We needed a jail here before anything else," was the reply to his -remark. "All the riffraff of the South Seas seemed to be collected in -Feejee before the annexation, and there was nothing but the powerful arm -of law, with jails and other paraphernalia, that could preserve order." - -"They had been gathering here for a long time, I presume," said the -Doctor, "and were most numerous just before the annexation." - -"There had been a fair sprinkling of beach-combers and idlers," was the -reply, "ever since the islands were first occupied by white men. After -them came men who wished to engage in planting cotton, sugar, and other -things for which the islands were supposed to be favorable; there were -some adventurers among them; but, on the whole, they were a good class -of citizens, as they were nearly all of birth and education, and most of -them brought some capital with which to go into business. - -"But in the latter part of the sixties we were inundated with a -different lot of adventurers. A few came with the design of planting -cotton, or engaging in some other honest employment, but the great -majority were penniless fellows, with no fondness for decent -occupations. Many of them had left the Australian colonies to avoid -arrest for swindling or other crimes, and there was a fair share of men -for whom the prisons yawned for offences of the most serious character. -Down to that time San Francisco had been the haven to which these -fellows emigrated, but it was easier to go to Feejee than to America, -and therefore Feejee got the benefit." - -"I think I heard something about it at the time," the Doctor remarked. - -[Illustration: GOING TO FEEJEE.] - -"Quite likely," responded his informant. "About 1870-71 Feejee was a -word of contempt in Australia. 'Gone to Feejee' had the same meaning in -Sydney and Melbourne that 'Gone to Texas' had in the United States forty -or fifty years ago; but now, under colonial rule, it is an orderly land, -and life and property are as safe as in Australia or California." - -In the conversation that followed Frank and Fred learned that the late -King Thakombau, who died in 1883, offered the sovereignty of the islands -to the Queen of England under certain conditions, but the offer was -declined. Another offer was made in March, 1874, which was also -declined; but in October of the same year a deed of cession gave the -sovereignty of the islands to Great Britain. A charter was shortly after -issued, making Feejee a colony of Great Britain, and the first governor, -Sir Arthur Gordon, arrived in June, 1875, and assumed authority. - -The colony has been, on the whole, a prosperous one, though there have -been periods of depression. Year by year the capabilities of the islands -are becoming better known, and it would seem that there is every known -kind of productive soil in Feejee. Its swamps will produce rice in -abundance, and the other lands are adapted to sugar, cotton, coffee, -sweet-potatoes, yams, and all other tropical productions, while in many -localities pease, beans, cabbages, apples, and other fruits and -vegetables of the temperate zones are successfully grown. - -Frank asked about the cocoanut and bread-fruit trees, and was told that -the former was indigenous, and the latter had been grown there so long -that it was practically so. The cocoanut-tree was an important article -of cultivation, and thousands of acres have been planted with it. For a -long time the chief article of export was copra, but latterly it has -been exceeded by sugar. In 1875 the export of copra was 3871 tons; in -1884 it was 6682 tons, or nearly double the amount of nine years before. -As the young trees come into bearing the exportation of copra will be -greatly increased. - -[Illustration: SCENE ON A COTTON PLANTATION.] - -"The growth of the sugar-trade," said his informant, "has been very -rapid, as you will see by the figures. In 1875 the export of sugar was -96 tons, and in 1876 it was 265 tons; in 1884 it was nearly 9000 tons; -and in 1885, 10,586 tons. Molasses shows about the same increase as its -first-cousin, sugar, though the product of later years is not as -valuable as some that preceded it, owing to the diminished price of the -article. - -"Cotton has not been a profitable crop on the whole," he continued, "and -the production has fallen off from 386 tons in 1879 to 150 tons in -1884, and only 45 tons in 1885. Many cotton-bushes have been destroyed -to make place for the cultivation of sugar; coffee has been little, if -any, more profitable than cotton, and many of the coffee plantations are -now devoted to bananas, which are an important article of export. In -1875 less than $500 worth of fruit was sent from the islands, while the -exports for the last three years have exceeded $100,000 worth annually. - -"The other exports are beche-de-mer, tobacco, cocoa-fibre, -tortoise-shell, wool, hides, and pearl-shell, but none of them amount to -a great deal. The industries of the colony are somewhat hampered by -restrictions upon the importation of foreign labor; in consequence of -former abuses the Government is very severe, and some of us think -needlessly so." - -Frank asked in what particular he thought the authorities ought to be -more lenient. - -[Illustration: SUGAR-CANE MILL.] - -"The laborers are engaged for three years," was the reply, "and under -the old regulations a laborer could be re-engaged for another period of -three years if he was willing to do so. At present the employers are -compelled to return him to his home, even though he is desirous of -remaining here for another term. This is the rule as to imported labor; -if a planter hires Feejeeans to work for him he is obliged to make his -engagements from month to month. The probability is that coolie labor -from India will in time drive out Polynesian labor." - -"Why so?" Fred asked. - -"Because of the lower relative price of it. Polynesians must be fed, -clothed, and cared for by the employer, and consequently it is not easy -to calculate exactly the cost of this kind of labor. The coolies feed -and care for themselves, and besides they are better and more steady -laborers. A Polynesian laborer costs about eighty dollars a year, a -Feejeean one eighty-five dollars, and a coolie from India or China -ninety-five to one hundred dollars. But, all things considered, the -Asiatic is preferable to the Polynesian." - -There was further conversation relative to the labor-trade, which has -already been discussed in this book, and so we will not repeat it. Our -friends then took a stroll along the Victoria Parade, a wide and -handsome avenue nearly a mile in length. Frank and Fred were interested -in everything they saw, and particularly with the passing kaleidoscope -of Englishmen, Germans, Americans, and other white nationalities, -together with Chinese, Indian coolies, Feejeeans, Rotumah men, and -natives of half the islands of the Pacific. Of course the Feejeeans were -more numerous than any other race or kind of people that passed before -their eyes. - -"The Feejeeans," said Frank, in his account of their visit to Suva, "are -considerably darker than the Samoans or Tahitians; Doctor Bronson says -they belong to the race of Papuans rather than to the Malays, though -possessing characteristics of both. They are superior to the Papuans in -physique and in their degree of civilization, but they have the frizzly -hair and beard and the dark skin which indicates their Papuan origin. -Then, too, they use the bow and arrow for weapons, and make pottery, -neither of which is characteristic of the true Polynesian. - -[Illustration: FEEJEEAN HEAD-DRESS.] - -"What struck us as odd about them was their immense heads of hair, some -of them being fully three feet in diameter. Hair-dressing seems to be -one of the fine arts in Feejee, and the barber is a most important -personage, though less so to-day than formerly. And how do you suppose -they managed to get such enormous mops on their heads? - -"Well, the naturally frizzly hair is 'improved' by the barber. Each -particular hair is seized and pulled with tweezers until it stands out -straight, helped of course by the other hairs which have been served the -same way. The hair-dressing of a Feejeean dandy takes the greater part -of the time, and when he wishes to appear in specially fine style he -must be for a whole day at least in the hands of his barber. When the -hair has been stretched out to the proper degree, it is wrapped with -fine tappa or imported muslin, and in this condition presents a very -curious appearance. - -"The office of barber to the King was such a sacred one that the royal -barbers were tabu, or forbidden to do anything else. They could not even -feed, dress, or undress themselves, or do anything whatever with the -hands which were to be used solely on the royal coiffure. And yet there -were plenty of men who coveted this honorable occupation in spite of its -manifest inconveniences. - -"They are a polite people--at least we are told so, and certainly have -seen nothing to lead us to think otherwise. The hotel-keeper says the -Feejeean boys make excellent table servants, and the native policemen -along the streets seem fully equal to any we have ever seen outside of a -European or American city. Like all Polynesians, the Feejeeans are very -ceremonious, and great sticklers for etiquette. The chiefs and nobles -are surrounded with ceremony, and one needs to be as careful in -approaching them as in approaching the Queen of England or the Emperor -of Russia. - -"Here in Suva most of the people have adopted European dress, or a -modification of the native one, but back in the mountains they adhere to -their primitive garments. These are strips of cloth around the waist, -and owing to this enormous array of hair I have just told about they -sleep on a pillow consisting of a stick like a thick lath, with legs -four or five inches long. It is like taking a section of a two-inch -plank a foot long and four inches wide, and resting one's neck on the -edge. A Feejeean pillow is by no means an inconvenient weapon in a -fight, and 'very handy to have in the house.' - -[Illustration: AN ACCOMPLISHED LIAR.] - -"It is said the Feejeeans look upon lying as an accomplishment, and I -have been told that one of the worst stumbling-blocks in the way to -their conversion to Christianity was to have them understand that it was -wrong to tell deliberate falsehoods. They have improved a great deal -under missionary teachings, and there is still plenty of opportunity for -more improvement in the same direction. When angry, they are sullen -rather than noisy; when a chief is offended, he puts a stick in the -ground as a mark by which he remembers the cause of his anger. After a -while he may pull up the stick as a sign that his anger is relenting, -and he is ready to be propitiated with gifts. - -"We look upon this people with a great deal of curiosity, as we have all -our lives associated them with terrible stories of the most horrible -forms of cannibalism. Happily this is a thing of the past, but it is by -no means so very long ago. Even now the people among the mountains are -said to indulge in it occasionally; but if they do, the extent of the -practice is very small by comparison with fifty years ago. - -"How it was adopted no one knows; the Feejeeans have a tradition that it -began in an effort to prevent the incursions of people from other -islands, and as a result of battle, which is quite likely to have been -the case. In course of time it was not confined to enemies and -foreigners, but extended to those who were offered as sacrifices in the -temples. Sacrifices increased in number year by year until, as in -Tahiti, a considerable part of the population was liable at any time to -be offered up at the bidding of the priests or chiefs. - -"In every village there were particular ovens and pots devoted to -cooking the flesh of men, and the cooks were as skilled in the cannibal -art as are the Parisian _chefs_ in theirs. It was not uncommon to see -twenty or thirty human bodies cooked at a time for a great feast, and -the chiefs used to sacrifice their wives or their friends to gratify -their tastes for this horrible article of food. When a chief demanded -_bakola_ (long pig), the customary name for human flesh, his attendants -used to rush out and kill the first person they met in order to gratify -his wish! - -[Illustration: FORK OF A CANNIBAL KING.] - -"The bakola was not eaten with the fingers like other kinds of food, but -with wooden forks with long prongs, and these forks were tabu for any -other purpose. Each fork had a special name, like an individual; the -fork of one of the cannibal kings was named _undroundo_ ('a dwarf -carrying a burden'), and was presented in 1849 to one of the -missionaries by Ra Vatu, the son of the King referred to. Ra Vatu talked -freely about his father's love for human flesh, and showed to the -missionary the line of stones which registered the number of bodies he -had eaten. One of the native teachers who accompanied the missionary -counted the stones, and found they numbered eight hundred and -thirty-two! Thakombau, the last King, was a cannibal until the latter -part of his life, and his father, Tanoa, continued a cannibal till the -day of his death. - -[Illustration: TANOA, FORMER KING OF FEEJEE.] - -"Here is a story that I find in Doctor Seemann's report of his visit to -Feejee: - - "'A peculiar kind of taro was pointed out as having been eaten with - a whole tribe of people. The story sounds strange, but as a number - of natives were present when it was told, several of whom - corroborated the various statements or corrected the proper names - that occurred, its truth appears unimpeachable. - - [Illustration: A CANNIBAL DANCE.] - - "'In Viti Levu, about three miles north-north-east from Namosi, - there dwelt a tribe known as the Kai-na-loca, who, in days of yore, - gave great offence to the ruling chief of the Namosi district, and - as a punishment for their misdeeds the whole tribe was condemned to - die. Every year the inmates of one house were baked and eaten, fire - was set to the empty dwelling, and its foundation planted with - taro. In the following year, as soon as this taro was ripe, it - became the signal for the destruction of the next house and its - inhabitants and the planting of a fresh field of taro. Thus house - after house and family after family disappeared, until the father - of the present chief pardoned the few that remained. In 1860 only - one old woman was the sole survivor of the Na-loca people. Picture - the feelings of these unfortunate wretches as they watched the - growth of the ominous taro! There was no escape, as they would only - hasten their doom by fleeing into territories where they were - strangers.' - -[Illustration: SKULL FOUND AT THE BANQUET GROUND.] - -"When the Wesleyan missionaries came here in 1835 they found cannibalism -in full sway, and it now seems a wonder that they were not immediately -killed and eaten. They partially owed their exemption to the fact that -the flesh of white men is considered insipid, or tainted with tobacco, -and therefore they were not regarded as desirable prey. Their progress -in converting the natives was at first very slow, but they were patient -and determined, and in course of time they were rewarded for their -efforts. At present the great majority of the people are professing -Christians, cannibalism has ceased since 1878, polygamy is rare, and -idol worship is no more. After a time the Roman Catholics established a -mission, and since the annexation the Church of England has sent its -representatives to Feejee. - -"In 1885 the Wesleyans reported that they had 906 churches and 347 other -preaching-places in the islands, 25,932 church-members, and 104,806 -attendants upon public worship. They had 1749 day schools, and 40,313 -scholars in these schools, and they had nearly 42,000 children attending -Sabbath-school. The Roman Catholics have about 8000 church-members, and -the Church of England has a much smaller number, its adherents being -principally Englishmen and other foreigners. - -"So much for what the missionaries have accomplished in this group of -Pacific islands, in the short space of fifty years. At present the -Wesleyans say the expenses of maintaining their missions in Feejee is -about $25,000 a year; and of this amount $15,000 is contributed here, -the balance coming from abroad. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are -taught in the common schools; there are higher schools in each -missionary circuit, where persons are trained for the ministry, and -others can be educated. There is a central college at Navuloa, where a -superior education, both native and English, is given to those who are -preparing for ordination, and also to others who may desire it. The -Government has established industrial schools, where the sons of chiefs -are taught reading and writing as in the common schools, and also -instructed in house-carpentering, boat-building, and other trades. - -[Illustration: VIEW IN A VALLEY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND.] - -"I think I hear you asking how the English manage to govern the islands -when they are so few and the natives so numerous. Well, Feejee is a -crown colony, and its affairs are administered by a governor and -executive council; the laws are prepared by a legislative council of -thirteen members, seven of whom are official and six are nominated by -the Governor. In legal matters the imperial laws are followed, except -where there has been local legislation. All jury cases are decided by -the judge, with two assessors; the system of trial by jury was abolished -by the first governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, at the suggestion of Sir John -Gorrie, who was then chief-justice. The natives have a system of local -self-government which is recognized by the colonial authorities; there -are twelve salaried superior native chiefs exercising executive -functions under the Government, and also twenty-six native magistrates." - -Our friends found enough in and around Suva to interest them for several -days. They visited some of the cotton, sugar, and coffee plantations in -the vicinity, examined some of the sites of the ancient temples of the -Feejeeans which were the scenes of horrible slaughters in the days of -cannibalism and idolatry, went through some of the native villages, -where they were kindly received by the chiefs, and did other things -which were very natural for visitors to do. There was nothing especially -new about the plantations, with the possible exception of the groups of -laborers from the islands of Polynesia and Melanesia, some of whom were -of races strange to the eyes of our friends. There were men from Tanna, -from the Solomon Islands, from New Guinea, and also representatives of -other groups of islands, until the whole made quite a formidable list. - -The owner of the largest plantation that they visited told Frank and -Fred that the men from the different islands would not fraternize with -one another any more than will Germans, Irish, and negroes in America or -England. They do not trust one another, and their huts are in different -groups, in widely separated parts of the plantation. Many of them are -cannibals, particularly the men from the Solomon and New Hebrides -islands, and occasionally get into open warfare for the purpose of -capturing somebody whom they can eat. This very distrust of one another -is to the advantage of the planter, who could not easily manage them if -they were united and harmonious. - -Fred thought the Solomon Islanders were the most repulsive looking of -the lot, and their employer said they were treacherous and revengeful in -addition to being murderous. In times past, before the establishment of -the Colonial Government, they used to make raids on the villages and -kill any unfortunate Feejeean they met, whom they carried away and -devoured. Of late years they have been restrained from this practice, -but not without some severe lessons. - -"The Tanna men are not much unlike them," their informant continued, -"but they are less treacherous and sullen, and are better workers. They -eat the flesh of men when they can get it, but they are also fond of -dogs, cats, lizards, rats, and flies." - -As he spoke he pointed to a pen containing several puppies which the -Tanna men were fattening, and would make the basis of a grand feast on -their next holiday. - -From Suva the party went by a local steamer to Levuka, Colonel Bush -being unwilling to risk the _Pera_ among the rocks and reefs, which -render navigation far from safe in these waters. They found the harbor -of Levuka smaller than that of Suva, but in other respects equal to it, -as the anchorage was good, and the place well sheltered from gales. The -barrier reef which forms the harbor is about a mile from shore, and has -two passages by which vessels may enter or leave port. - -[Illustration: AVENUE OF PALMS.] - -Of course the removal of the capital to Suva was a severe blow to -Levuka, but the place has a good commerce of its own, and being more -centrally situated in regard to all the islands of the group, it is in -no danger of decay. It contains three or four hotels and several -boarding-houses, and its mercantile establishments are generally of a -substantial character. There are Wesleyan, Catholic, and Episcopalian -churches in Levuka, several branch buildings of the Government offices, -and a well-kept hospital for the use of such European strangers as may -need medical attention. - -[Illustration: A PART OF LEVUKA.] - -"The founders of Levuka were not altogether happy in one respect," said -one of the residents, who was pointing out its features to our friends. -"The hills around it are so steep that it was not practicable to extend -the town over them; we could build our dwellings there, but it was out -of the question to establish stores and shops where people must climb to -reach them, so we extended along the base of the hills, and in some -cases out into the sea, where we made land by filling in. - -"You see," he continued, "that Levuka consists practically of a single -thoroughfare which we call Beach Street, for the very practical reason -that it follows the course of the beach. Outside the town it is -prolonged into a road that nearly surrounds the island of Ovolau, and -will completely encircle it in time. Two or three years ago we started -to build a street railway; we made surveys and subscribed for the stock, -but the Government opposed the project, and it was given up." - -[Illustration: FRED'S FLY.] - -[Illustration: FRANK'S MOSQUITO.] - -Our friends found accommodations at one of the hotels, and were fairly -comfortable, or would have been if they could have escaped the flies and -mosquitoes. These insects were numerous enough to form a veritable -plague, and seemed to take special delight in annoying strangers. A -planter who was stopping at the hotel declared that the flies had -sentinels stationed to give notice of the arrival of a stranger so that -all could pounce on him at once, and that whenever the flies grew weary -of their work the mosquitoes came forward to relieve them. Frank made a -sketch of a Feejee mosquito, while Fred took the likeness of a native -fly. These works of art were laid carefully away where the subjects -thereof could not reach them with intents of destruction or mutilation. - -Dinner was taken at the hotel-table, and proved, on the whole, a -pleasant affair. The youths made several acquaintances among the -planters, merchants, and others who were stopping there; Frank and Fred -added materially to their stock of information relative to the -agricultural and other advantages of Feejee, and also to the mode of -life among the residents. The dinner consisted of pork, salt and fresh -beef, chicken, yams, taro, and other vegetables, together with English -and American preserves, and potted things that are found wherever -Englishmen are settled in the eastern or southern hemisphere. "You may -not think much of it when compared with a dinner in New York or London," -said one of the planters, "but if you go and live six months or a year -on a plantation you'll think a dinner here is the very height of luxury. -Salt beef and occasional chickens and pigs are our only meats on the -plantations, backed up by yams and taro in one unvarying round. Where we -can afford it we have potted and canned things, but they are expensive, -and very often cannot be had at any price. It has repeatedly happened -that men who had been living on the rough fare of the plantations came -to Levuka after an absence of months, and overfed themselves at the -hotel-table to such an extent as to bring on a fatal illness." - -After dinner they sat on the veranda of the hotel and enjoyed the -land-breeze which sets in a little after sunset, and is considerably -cooler than the day breeze from the sea. It is also free from flies and -mosquitoes, which at this time retire to the sleeping-rooms of the hotel -to make ready for the arrival of the lodgers. On the veranda the -conversation was continued, and many features of Feejeean life were -touched upon. - -"It's a pity you are not to be here at _balola_ time," said one of the -residents to Fred, when the latter had explained that their visit was to -be a very brief one. - -Fred thought the gentleman said _bakola_, and immediately his thoughts -ran on the cannibalism of the Feejeeans in times past. He remarked that -he supposed those days were gone forever, but his informant answered, to -the great astonishment of the youth, that they had the festival every -year, and it was something not to be missed. - -Then the gentleman went on to explain, and Fred soon ascertained the -difference between _bakola_ and _balola_. - -"The balola, or balolo," said he, "is a sea-worm whose scientific name -is _palolo viridis_. It looks like a string of vermicelli, being little -larger than a thread, and varying from an inch or two to a yard in -length. It lives somewhere in the sea, no one knows where; on two days -of the year it comes to the surface, and all the rest of the three -hundred and sixty-five it keeps carefully out of sight. The natives know -exactly when it will come; it first appears in October, the date being -fixed by the position of certain stars, and its second appearance is at -the full moon, between the twentieth and twenty-fifth of November. - -[Illustration: ONE VARIETY OF SEA-WORM.] - -"The worms are far more numerous in the November than in the October -appearance, and hence the October one is called the 'Little Balola,' -while the November coming is the 'Great Balola.' At the great festival -the sea is covered in some places to the depth of several inches with -these worms, which are red, green, and brown in color, and form a -writhing and wriggling mass not altogether pleasant to look at. They -come a little past midnight, and when the sun rises they sink down out -of sight and remain there until the next year." - -"How curious!" exclaimed the youth, in astonishment. - -"No one has been able to explain the phenomenon," was the reply, "nor -tell how and where the worm passes the rest of his time. Why he appears -on these occasions and no other, or why he appears at all, nobody has -yet found out, and you may be sure the worms won't give up the secret. - -[Illustration: GOING FOR BALOLA.] - -"The natives go out in their boats in great numbers; every native boat -that can float is occupied, and the Europeans go along at the same time -to see the fun. As long as the worms remain every native is busy with -baskets and ladles trying to fill his boat with them; there is a great -deal of excitement and laughter, as the people steal from one another -and have as much fun as they can out of the festival. Then there are -shoals and shoals of fish of all sizes and kinds that are feeding on the -worms, and seem to understand that they must make the most of their -opportunity. - -"As soon as daylight comes, and the worms sink out of sight, the people -return to the shore, wrap the worms in taro-leaves, and cook them in -ovens after their manner of roasting. The supply is so great that there -is enough for everybody for several days, and baskets of balola are sent -to friends in the interior, just as you send fruit and game in America. -The stuff is not agreeable to European taste, but isn't so bad after all -when you can conquer your prejudice against eating worms." - -"To show the force of the religious convictions of the Feejeeans," said -another resident, "let me say that when the festival comes on Sunday not -a single canoe of the natives goes out except those of the Roman -Catholic Church members. The Methodists obey the religious requirements -so closely that not a canoe will go on the water on Sunday except to -carry a preacher to church. You cannot hire one of these people to climb -a cocoanut-tree on Sunday, or do any other work that is not strictly one -of necessity." - -"What an immense change," said another, "from the days when cannibalism -prevailed throughout the islands, and when all public ceremonials were -attended with human sacrifices. On the death of a chief his wives and -servants were buried alive with him, in order that he could have their -company in the spirit world. When a chief's house was built a slave -stood in each post-hole to support the post, and was buried there alive. -War-canoes were launched or drawn ashore over the bodies of living -prisoners, who served as rollers and were crushed to death by the -weight. Life was held of no consequence, and parents who were ill or -felt the weakness of age coming used to ask their children to bury them. -A missionary was once invited by a young man to attend the funeral of -the latter's mother; she walked cheerfully to the grave, and sat down in -it to have the earth heaped about her by her children, and was much -surprised when the missionary interfered to prevent the proceeding. - -[Illustration: ANCIENT FEEJEEAN WAR-DANCE.] - -"And I have heard," he continued, "of a young man who was ill and feared -he would get thin and be laughed at by the girls of his acquaintance. He -asked his father to bury him, and the latter consented. When the youth -had taken his place in the grave he asked to be strangled. The father -scolded him, and told him to sit still and be buried just like other -folks, and make no further trouble. Thereupon the youth became quiet, -and the burial was completed." - -"Can this really be true?" queried the youth. - -"The story is found on page 475 of Erskine's 'Journal of a Cruise among -the Islands of the Western Pacific,'" said his informant, "and I have no -doubt whatever of its truth. The evidence as to the former customs of -the Feejeeans is so direct and positive that it cannot be doubted." - -Fred lay awake for some time that night, his thoughts busy with the -changes which had been wrought in the islands of the great ocean through -the labors of the missionaries. Afterwards he watched the effect of the -moonlight on the waters, and while watching fell asleep. - -[Illustration: MOONLIGHT ON THE WATERS.] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -ATTENDING A NATIVE CHURCH.--A FEEJEEAN PREACHER.--DINNER WITH A FEEJEEAN -FAMILY.--THE SEASONS IN FEEJEE.--A TROPICAL SHOWER.--A HURRICANE.--A -PLANTER'S ADVENTURES.--SCENES OF DEVASTATION.--THE CLIMATE of THE FEEJEE -ISLANDS.--WRECKED ON A REEF.--ESCAPING FROM THE JAWS OF CANNIBALS.--A -WALKING ART GALLERY.--A TATTOOED WHITE MAN.--RETURNING TO SUVA.--THE -FRIENDLY, OR TONGA, ISLANDS.--TONGATABOO.--THE KING OF THE TONGAS.--HOW -HE LIVES.--A REMARKABLE CAVERN AND A LOVE STORY ABOUT IT.--FROM FEEJEE -TO NEW ZEALAND.--HAURAKI GULF.--AUCKLAND.--A FINE SEAPORT AND ITS -COMMERCE.--HOW NEW ZEALAND WAS COLONIZED.--THE MAORIS.--CURIOUS FACTS -ABOUT A CURIOUS PEOPLE.--MISSIONARIES IN NEW ZEALAND.--HOW THE MAORIS -MAKE WAR. - - -The second day of the stay of our friends at Levuka was Sunday, and the -party attended the Episcopal church in the forenoon, where service was -conducted by a clergyman who had recently arrived from London. In the -afternoon they strolled to the native village outside the town, where -they found some fifty or sixty Feejeeans squatted on the mat-covered -floor of the neat and well-swept church listening to a preacher of their -own race. They were amused to see a tall man armed with a long stick -with which he occasionally touched the heads of those who were -inattentive, and sometimes his touch was far from light. Frank thought -the idea would not be a bad one for churches nearer home, where -worshippers have been known to go to sleep during the sermon. - -The preacher was a tall, fine-looking man of at least fifty years, and -he spoke with an eloquence that indicated his earnestness and fervor. Of -course his language was unknown to our friends, but they all agreed that -the Feejeean tongue is capable of much expression. It contains many -guttural sounds that do not always strike the American or English ear -agreeably, and the orator seemed to speak with more rapidity than is -compatible with a clear understanding on the part of his hearers. When -the sermon was ended the preacher offered a prayer, and then a hymn was -sung by the whole congregation. The air was a familiar Methodist one, -but the words were Feejeean. Whether the meaning of the original hymn -was preserved with the air no one of the listeners was able to say, and -there was no interpreter present to tell them. - -[Illustration: MISSION CHURCH IN THE FEEJEE ISLANDS.] - -As soon as service was over the strangers were surrounded by a group of -natives, and there was an attempt at conversation; but as our friends -were totally unlearned in Feejeean, and the vocabulary of the natives -was principally confined to the word "shillin'," there was not much -interchange of thought. Nearly every Feejeean understands "shillin'" -well enough to pronounce it. He has a clear idea that it means money, -and it is in this sense that it is used. Ask a native what he will sell -his house for, and he will answer "shillin';" ask him the price of a -cocoanut, and the reply is the same. In the former case he would of -course decline the offer if actually made, and in the latter he would -bring you twenty or fifty cocoanuts for the figure named. - -In strolling around as the congregation dispersed Frank and Fred became -separated from the rest of the party, but without any misgivings as to -their safety or loss of way, as they were accompanied by several -natives, one of whom invited the youths to his house. This was an -invitation not to be ignored; it was accepted at once, and the man led -the way along a path to where he lived. It was a hut of dried reeds -lashed to a framework of poles, and stood with a dozen similar huts in -the shade of a grove of cocoa-trees. The thatched roof was high and -arched, while the sides were very low, and had no windows. There were -two doors on opposite sides, but the door-way was so low that it was -necessary to stoop almost double in order to enter. In front of the hut -was a lot of bones and all manner of refuse, and a couple of pigs were -lying across the door-way. They showed no inclination to move as the -master of the house approached; but on catching sight, and possibly -smell, of the strangers, they were up and off very quickly. - -[Illustration: GOING TO CHURCH.--RIVER SCENE.] - -Inside the hut the floor was covered with plaited rushes, and there was -a low partition of reeds dividing it into two nearly equal spaces; one -of these was used as kitchen and sitting-room and the other for -sleeping; but there was no furniture in either place beyond three or -four of the wooden pillows already described. In one corner of the -kitchen was a rough hearth, with some clay pots in which fish and yams -were cooked. - -[Illustration: FEEJEEAN HEAD.] - -Partly by signs and partly by the words "want eat," the host invited the -youths to stay to dinner. They accepted, more to see how and upon what -the natives live rather than on account of having an appetite. Fire was -lighted on the hearth, or rather it was stirred up from some slumbering -coals, fish and yams were put on to boil, and in a little while the meal -was ready. Frank and Fred made friends with the children, to whom they -showed their watches, and made a few presents of silver coin as an -indirect compensation for their dinner, and when the meal was ready they -proceeded to enjoy it. One of the children had been sent for some -banana-leaves, which served as plates; on these leaves the fish and yams -were dished up, and a piece of rock-salt was brought out, together with -a shell, with which each guest could scrape off as much salt as he -liked, and whenever he wanted it. The youths made a practical -demonstration of the truth of the adage that fingers were made before -forks, though not without some inconvenience. To end the repast they had -some ripe bananas, and of course the drink that accompanied the meal was -the juice of freshly picked cocoanuts. - -[Illustration: FEEJEEAN WEAPONS.] - -As soon as Frank and Fred rose from the mats the youngsters of the -family attacked what they had left, and in a very few minutes nothing -remained save the lump of salt and the empty banana-leaf plates. Then -there was handshaking all around, and the visitors took their leave. The -host accompanied them to the road leading back to town, and there left -them, but not until he had pocketed a shilling which Frank tendered him. - -Clouds were forming in the sky, and the youths thought it would be -prudent to return to the hotel. They did so, and found the rest of the -party on the veranda waiting for the promised shower. In a few minutes -the rain came down thick and fast, and the wisdom of returning was no -longer in doubt. The shower was soon over, however, and then the sun -came out as brightly as ever, though there was no apparent change in the -temperature. - -"You are in the best season of the year," said one of their new -acquaintances; "it's fortunate for you that it's not hurricane time -now." - -"We have here," he continued, "a dry season and a wet one. The former is -cool, and lasts from May to October; the latter is hot, and lasts from -October to May. During all the dry season, and for a month at each end -of the wet one, the climate is delightful, the temperature varying from -70° to 78° or 79°, and the heat of the sun being tempered by breezes -from the sea. The mean temperature is about 80°, the extreme ranges thus -far recorded being 60° and 122°. From Christmas to March is called the -'hurricane season;' the air is moist and sticky, the temperature -averaging 84°, with a humidity so great that one seems to be constantly -in a Russian steam-bath. This is the unhealthy season, and fevers and -other diseases due to the heat and moisture are common." - -[Illustration: TELLING THE STORY.] - -Frank asked if hurricanes were frequent during the season. - -"Not at all," was the reply, "but when they do come they are in dead -earnest. From 1879 to 1886 we didn't have a really severe hurricane; but -this is, I believe, the longest interval known to any of the European -residents. One old settler told me there were several years when not a -season passed without at least one hurricane." - -"Are they very destructive?" Fred inquired. - -"I can best answer that question," said the gentleman, "by describing -the first hurricane I ever passed through in the Feejees. - -[Illustration: FORMATION OF CLOUDS BEFORE A FEEJEEAN HURRICANE.] - -"I was on a plantation in which I had bought an interest, and during the -whole of the month of March the weather was very calm and sultry. One -day, towards the beginning of April, the wind turned to the north-west, -which was quite unusual; squalls and showers followed, and then the -breeze freshened into a gale. Heavy clouds covered the sky, thunder -sounded loud and long, the barometer fell, and the clouds seemed to -sweep just above the tops of the trees. Then the rain came in torrents, -flooding all the level ground, and turning the brooks into rivers. Our -party took shelter in the largest and strongest house in the -neighborhood--one that had stood through several hurricanes, and was -thought to be proof against them. - -"For two days the wind blew, and every hour it increased. By the second -night it was a fully developed hurricane whose velocity we had no means -of measuring. The rain fell tremendously; the lightning was vivid, and -almost continuous. The thunder followed the course of the storm; and -altogether the noise was so great that we had to shout to one another to -be understood. Our house shook like a rickety bird-cage, and many times -it seemed to be half lifted from the ground; but it stood through the -storm, and was the only one that did so. - -[Illustration: AFTER THE STORM.] - -"On the following morning the wind had died down to a moderate gale, and -we could venture out. The picture that presented itself cannot possibly -be described with anything like vividness. Cocoanut and bread-fruit -trees by the thousand had been thrown down or stripped of their leaves; -banana-plants were in the same condition; the grass was levelled, and -covered with mud and water, and not a house in the neighborhood remained -standing. In the cotton-fields not only were the leaves and bolls -stripped from the plants, but in many places the plants had been torn up -by the roots and lay in heaps. In Levuka many houses were blown down; -vessels were driven ashore, or broken to pieces at their moorings; and -the whole windward coast of the islands was strewn with wrecks. Many -foreign vessels that were known to be in Feejee waters, or near the -islands, were never heard of again, and they doubtless went down on that -terrible night. At Macuata, on Vanua Levu, the wind lifted a small -vessel bodily from the beach and blew it into a native village two or -three hundred yards away!" - -[Illustration: COAST SCENE IN A CALM.] - -The story of the hurricane led to various anecdotes of the South Seas, -and in this way the afternoon was passed until dinner-time. One man told -how a ship on which he once sailed was driven before a hurricane and -thrown upon a reef, where the waves dashed her to pieces. He was carried -into the comparatively smooth lagoon inside the reef, and saved himself -by swimming, all his companions being drowned. Fortunately for him, the -islanders among whom he landed were not cannibals, or he would have been -condemned at once to the oven. The cannibals of the South Pacific have -always regarded people shipwrecked on their shores as special gifts or -windfalls, just as the inhabitants of certain parts of the coast of the -United States are said to have regarded the cargoes of wrecked ships -less than a century ago. Of course he taught the natives many useful -things, and eventually married the daughter of the chief, and became a -chief himself when his father-in-law died. - -[Illustration: LOST IN THE HURRICANE.] - -Another man, who claimed to have visited half the islands of the -Pacific, endeavored to prove his assertion by asking our friends to step -inside for a few moments, where he removed his clothing and exhibited -samples of the tattooing of pretty nearly every group. "That clouded -pattern on my left leg," said he, "was done in the Kingsmill group, -while those squares and fancy stripes on the right leg were put on in -Samoa. My right arm and shoulder were done in the New Hebrides, while -the left side was the work of the best artist of the Marquesas Islands. -The fancy embroidery on my breast is of New Zealand, and that down my -back was done in Tahiti." - -[Illustration: MOTA, OR SUGAR-LOAF ISLAND.] - -Truly this man was a walking art-gallery of the Pacific Islanders, only -his hands and face remaining unmarked by the tattoo. When the inspection -was completed, and our friends had left the man to resume his dress, -Frank suggested that he would be a fine prize for a medical museum, -where his skin could be preserved after his death. Doctor Bronson agreed -with him, but the suggestion was not offered to the subject of the -conversation. - -[Illustration: TWO-TREE ISLAND.] - -The party returned to Suva by the steamer that brought them to Levuka, -and there a change of plans occurred. Doctor Bronson, with Frank and -Fred, proceeded to New Zealand by the regular mail-steamer, while -Colonel Bush, with the _Pera_, continued his cruise among the islands of -the Pacific. Our friends were sorry to part with their pleasant -companions and the splendid hospitality of the yacht, but they did not -feel justified in protracting their stay among the islands, since there -is a general similarity of the groups to each other, though they may -differ greatly in detail. - -[Illustration: A YOUNG STUDENT.] - -Frank and Fred regretted that they could not visit the Friendly, or -Tonga, Islands, the first destination of the _Pera_, but they consoled -themselves by reading what they could find on the subject. They learned -that the Tonga group was discovered by Tasman and visited by Cook, who -gave the isles the name of Friendly, on account of the apparently -amiable disposition of the inhabitants. They have a population of about -twenty-five thousand, and are farther advanced in civilization than -their neighbors of Feejee or Samoa. The Wesleyan missionaries have -converted them to Christianity; many of them can speak English, and have -learned reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography, and on the whole -stand high in the scale of education. The products of the Tonga Islands -are similar to those of the Feejees, and the group is also subject to -hurricanes, which are often very destructive. - -[Illustration: STONE MONUMENT, TONGATABOO.] - -The principal island is Tongataboo, which is low and level, of coral -formation, and about twenty miles long by twelve broad. Here the King -resides, and here, too, is the principal mission station, the King being -an earnest Christian, and a regularly ordained preacher in the pulpit. -He wears European clothes, has European furniture in his house, employs -an Englishman as his private secretary, and altogether is quite a -civilized gentleman. He has caused good roads to be made around and -across the island, and in other ways has made his little kingdom know -the advantages of the lands beyond the seas. - -[Illustration: A VOLCANO IN THE PACIFIC.] - -Fred was particularly interested in reading about a curious monument of -former days that is to be seen in Tonga, and of which the natives have -no tradition. It reminded him of the monuments of Easter Island, and he -made the following note on the subject: - -"It stands on a grassy lawn in the interior of the island, and is so -surrounded by tropical growths that it is concealed from view until the -visitor is close upon it. It consists of three huge stones, two of them -upright like pillars, and the third resting upon them. This upper stone -is eighteen feet long, twelve feet wide, and fifteen feet above the -ground; resting upon it is, or was, an immense bowl of hewn stone, which -is supposed to have been connected with some of the religious ceremonies -of the people who erected this monument. But how they put the three -stones in their places is an unfathomable mystery." - -Fred also wanted to see a famous cavern in one of the Tonga Islands -which can only be reached by diving into the sea, as the mouth is -completely under water at all times. A young Tongan found it while -diving after a turtle, and he afterwards utilized it as the place of -concealment of the girl with whom he had fallen in love, and who was the -daughter of a chief whose displeasure he had incurred. He persuaded her -to flee with him and follow him into the water; these women swim like -dolphins, and she dived after him and rose into the cave, which is -beautifully lighted by the phosphorescent rays from the water, very much -as is the famous Blue Grotto near Naples. - -Here she remained for months, everybody wondering what had become of -her, and also wondering why the young man absented himself so -frequently, and always returned with wet hair. He carried her fruit and -fish to eat and a supply of mats for carpeting the stone floor at one -side of the cavern. One day his companions followed him, and dived where -they had seen him disappear. Thus they found the cave; but what became -of its inmates is not clearly recorded in the history of Tonga. - -[Illustration: AN ISLAND CAVERN.] - -It takes an excellent swimmer to make the visit to the cave without -danger of death from drowning. The entrance bristles with sharp points -of rock, and when a native dives he turns on his back and uses his hands -to keep himself clear of these dangerous obstructions. The captain of an -English man-of-war tried to enter the cavern, but was so severely -injured against the sharp rocks that he died in consequence. - -We will leave the _Pera_ to pursue her course among the islands of the -Pacific, while we accompany Doctor Bronson and the youths on their -voyage to New Zealand and Australia. The mail-steamer _Zealandia_ -carried them swiftly along, and on the morning of the fifth day they -were in sight of the shores which were their destination. From Suva to -Auckland, the former capital of New Zealand, is a distance of about one -thousand miles, and there is regular communication both ways monthly -between the two points. There is also steam communication between Sydney -and Feejee, about sixteen hundred miles--sometimes direct from one port -to the other, and sometimes by way of New Caledonia, which lies a short -distance out of the direct track. - -The _Zealandia_ entered Hauraki Gulf, passing between the Great Barrier -and Little Barrier islands, and holding her course almost due south; -then, through the Rangitoto Channel, she turned, and the harbor of -Auckland was before her. - -"Shall we have to wait for the tide?" Frank asked, as they passed Great -Barrier Island. "It often happens that we have to wait several hours for -a tide when we're all impatience to get on shore." - -"We don't have to wait for tides at Auckland," replied an officer of the -_Zealandia_, to whom the query was addressed. "We can come in at dead -low-water and steam to an anchorage, or to the dock if we're ready to go -there. The least depth is thirty-six feet at dead low-water of the -spring-tide, and at the highest tides we have fifty feet. - -"There is hardly a finer seaport anywhere," he added, "than Waitamata, -as the harbor of Auckland is frequently called by the New Zealanders. -It has, as I've told you, plenty of water at all times, and its -entrances are superb. Rangitoto Channel is the one generally used; the -other is Hieh Channel, and would be considered first-rate in many a -place I know of. Rangitoto is about two miles wide; the section of the -harbor between North Head and Kauri Point is about a mile across, and -therefore is easily fortified in case we have to defend it against a -hostile fleet." - -[Illustration: ISLANDS ON THE COAST.] - -"I see," said Fred, who had been studying the map, "that the island is -very narrow here." - -"Yes," was the reply; "it is only six miles across; and if you examine -carefully you'll see a good harbor on the other side. That is the harbor -of Manakau, and there's a railway connecting it with Waitamata." - -"It reminds me of Corinth, in Greece," said Fred, as he continued the -contemplation of the map. - -"No doubt it does," said the officer, in response. "Auckland is called -the Corinth of the South Pacific; Corinth is now having a canal made -through its isthmus, and we hope to have one for ours in due time." - -The steamer made her way direct to the wharf, and as soon as she had -made fast and the gang-plank was out, our friends stepped on shore in -New Zealand. Under the guidance of a fellow-passenger, they entered a -carriage and were driven up Queen Street, the principal thoroughfare, -to the hotel they had selected for a resting-place during their sojourn -in Auckland. They were favorably impressed with the activity that -prevailed on the streets, and the general evidences of business -prosperity. "A Missourian would call it 'a right smart place,'" said -Frank, as they were alighting from the carriage at the end of their -drive. - -"Yes," responded Fred, "and even a New Yorker would treat its beautiful -bay with respect after seeing it as we did." - -"Where did the city get its name?" one of the youths asked Doctor -Bronson. - -[Illustration: AUCKLAND IN 1840.] - -"It was named after Lord Auckland, First Lord of the Admiralty, and -afterwards Governor-general of India, by Captain Hobson, who founded the -city. Captain Hobson was sent here, in 1838, to organize a colony. He -saw this was a good site for a city, and accordingly he established the -capital here. It remained the capital until 1865, when a royal -commission moved the seat of government to Wellington, the latter place -being more centrally located. Of course the Aucklanders were not at all -pleased at the change, but their city is so well established -commercially that there is no danger of their being ruined by it." - -From various sources Frank and Fred found that Auckland had a -population of nearly forty thousand within the municipality, and seventy -thousand in the city and suburbs. "It has," said Frank, in his journal, -"handsome streets, a great number of well-constructed public buildings, -such as post-office, custom-house, exchange, courts, Government offices, -and the other paraphernalia of a well-established city, and it has also -a fine museum, a public library, and a park and botanical garden. No -city would be complete without a cemetery, and Auckland is not behind in -this respect, as it has a very pretty one, and, as the French say, it is -well peopled. - -"We were much interested in the Queen Street wharf, where we landed; it -extends nearly two thousand feet into the harbor, and affords facilities -for thirty or forty vessels to discharge or receive cargoes at once. -There are several other wharves, including a fine one, nearly completed, -at the end of Hobson Street. I have heard often of 'Hobson's Choice,' -and never knew exactly what it was. This city seems to have been -Hobson's choice, since Captain Hobson founded it; all I can say is, that -I shall have more respect for the old saw than I ever had before. - -"You can get an idea of the commerce of the place when you know that -about two hundred and fifty sailing-vessels are owned here of an -aggregate burden of twenty thousand tons, and sixty-five steamers of -seven thousand tons altogether. It has regular steam communication with -Australian ports by the vessels of the Union Steamship Company, has a -monthly line to Feejee, and is a port of call for the mail-steamers -between Australia and California. The Northern Steamship Company of -Auckland has a fleet of thirteen steamers, principally engaged in coast -navigation, so that New Zealand is well served by its own boats. - -"Of course the port has graving or dry docks for the accommodation of -the ships that need them. There was one three hundred feet long, and -forty-two feet wide, but it was found inadequate after a few years, and -now they are completing another five hundred feet long and ninety feet -wide. This ought to be long and wide enough; but if ships go on -increasing in size as they have been, it won't be a great while before -another and longer dock will be needed at Auckland as well as in other -ports." - -While Frank was noting the foregoing points in regard to Auckland, Fred -was writing a few paragraphs relative to New Zealand. And first he -wondered how it came to be New Zealand instead of New England or New -Britain. - -"That's easily explained," said Doctor Bronson, "by the fact that it -was discovered by the Dutch navigator, Tasman; the French and Spaniards -both lay claim to a previous discovery, but the evidence they offer is -very doubtful. Tasman was sent in 1642 by Van Dieman, Governor-general -of the Dutch East Indies, to explore the coast of New Holland. He made -the exploration and called the country Van Dieman's Land, in honor of -the Governor-general, but the name has recently been changed to -Tasmania. On this voyage he discovered this country, which he called New -Zealand, in honor of the province of his birth; he also discovered the -archipelagos of the Feejee and Friendly isles, and returned to Batavia, -having been absent only ten months. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF AUCKLAND FROM MOUNT EDEN.] - -"Look at the map," continued the Doctor, "and you will see that New -Zealand is divided nearly in the centre by a channel of the sea known as -Cook Strait. The two islands thus formed are known as North Island and -South Island, the former containing forty-eight thousand square miles, -and the latter fifty-seven thousand. Beyond South Island is Stewart -Island, which is triangular, and measures about thirty-six miles on a -side; taken together the three islands remind you of Italy, and are -shaped not unlike a boot with its toe towards the north. South Island -is sometimes called Middle Island, from its position between North and -Stewart islands. - -[Illustration: MISSION STATION AT TANGITERORIA, NEW ZEALAND.] - -"Cook Strait commemorates the great navigator who was killed on the -Sandwich Islands. He landed here in 1769, and took possession of the -country in the name of England. He made five visits altogether to New -Zealand, and introduced pigs, potatoes, sheep, goats, and other animals -and vegetables." - -"Hadn't Tasman already taken the country for Holland?" said Frank. - -"No," replied the Doctor, "he did not set foot at all in New Zealand. He -anchored in a bay in South Island, next to that in which the town of -Nelson now stands, and had an encounter with the natives who opposed his -going on shore. He lost four men in the fight, named the place Massacre -Bay, in memory of the occurrence, and sailed away without landing." - -"How soon after Captain Cook's occupation of the country did the British -Government establish colonies?" - -"Not for some time," replied Doctor Bronson. "In the latter part of the -last century and the beginning of this many American and English whalers -visited New Zealand, and year by year the knowledge of the country was -increased. Visitors usually got along well enough with the natives, and -were kindly treated; whenever there were encounters with the New -Zealanders they were generally caused by the misconduct of the visitors -themselves. Thus, in 1809, the captain of the English ship _Boyd_ -flogged and otherwise ill-treated a native chief, and the followers of -the latter took a terrible revenge by killing no less than seventy of -the crew and passengers. - -[Illustration: EARLY DAYS IN NEW ZEALAND.] - -"On some parts of the coast the natives were for a long time hostile, -probably in consequence of outrages that had been committed by whalemen -and others. Some of their ideas of the white men were curious. The -natives paddle their boats with their faces towards the bow, and when -they saw the foreign boats coming to the shore they thought the men had -eyes in the backs of their heads because they rowed with their backs in -the direction of their course. Some of them thought the ships were great -birds, and their boats the birdlets or chicks. - -"As in Polynesia, the missionaries were the pioneers of civilization in -New Zealand. They came here in 1814, and previous to that time only one -European, a shipwrecked sailor, is known to have lived among the -natives. The Church Missionary Society established a mission in that -year at the Bay of Islands, now called Russell--the mission party -consisting of Rev. Samuel Marsden, chaplain to the Government of New -South Wales, and three other ministers, Kendall, Hall, and King. They -were kindly received by the chiefs, and held their first service on -Christmas-day, 1814. Eight years later the Wesleyans established -missions in New Zealand, and sixteen years after that (in 1838), the -Roman Catholics did likewise." - -"Then the missionaries were in advance of all Government colonization?" -said Fred. - -"The Church Missionary Society and the Wesleyans certainly were," was -the reply, "as the Government did not send a resident official here till -1833. He had no power beyond that of writing reports of what he saw and -heard, and was felicitously styled by somebody 'a man-of-war without -guns.' There had been an attempt to form a colony in 1825, but it was -given up, and the sixty emigrants who came out from England returned in -the ship that brought them. The mission establishment at Kororareka, in -the Bay of Islands, became the nucleus around which a good many lawless -adventurers gathered. The bay was the resort of whale-ships, and in 1838 -it was visited by fifty-six American, twenty-three English, twenty-one -French, one German, and twenty-four New South Wales ships. There was so -much lawlessness and crime that a vigilance committee was formed, very -much like the institutions of that name which have been famous in -California history. - -"In 1837," continued the Doctor, glancing occasionally at a book he held -in his hand,[6] "an association was formed for the purpose of colonizing -the country, very much as India had been colonized by the East India -Company. It was styled the New Zealand Company, and was founded by Lord -Durham, and after some delay a surveying ship was sent out, followed by -several ships carrying emigrants. This was the beginning of the -colonization of New Zealand; the first settlement was made at what is -now Wellington, the capital, though it was then named Port Nicholson. -Auckland was founded soon after; and with the foundation of that city -and the establishment of a government, the colony was well under way. It -prospered for a while, and then, owing to quarrels with the natives, -there was a long period of gloom. - -[6] "Forty Years in New Zealand," by Rev. James Buller. - -"We will talk more on this subject by-and-by," said the Doctor; "just at -present we will use our eyes in studying the present rather than the -past." - -With this hint the youths closed their note-books and returned them -carefully to the pockets where they belonged. - -The youths were curious to see a Maori (pronounced mow-ry, the first -syllable rhyming with "cow"), and they had not left the steps of the -hotel before their desire was gratified. Their fellow-passenger from the -_Zealandia_ pointed out several of the aborigines of New Zealand, and -among them he recognized an acquaintance, who greeted him cordially. - -Frank was disappointed at seeing the man dressed in European garb, and -looking altogether so much like an Englishman that he was not readily -distinguished from the men of British origin. He was fully six feet -high, muscular and well-formed, and had a slight tendency to corpulence. -His face was darker than that of the average Englishman, and about the -complexion of a native of the middle or south of France, and certainly -lighter than the southern Italian. Frank thought it could be described -as a light brown; but he was informed that these people are of different -hues, and the Maoris have twelve names to indicate as many shades of -color. - -[Illustration: IN A STATE OF DECADENCE.] - -The eyes of this specimen native were black, and his hair was also black -and slightly curly. As he talked he displayed a fine set of teeth; and -as dentists are unknown among the Maoris, it is to be supposed these -teeth were natural. His features were regular and symmetrical, the nose -having a slight tendency to an aquiline form, the lips large and well -developed, but not thick like those of the negro, and the mouth -capacious enough for all practical purposes. - -After a short conversation with his friend the Maori passed on, and then -Frank learned that he belonged to one of the families of chiefs, and -could therefore be considered as belonging to the aristocratic branch of -the race. - -"There are about forty thousand, or perhaps forty-five thousand, Maoris -in New Zealand at present," said the gentleman. "Two or three thousand -of them live on South Island, and all the rest upon North Island. The -families of the chiefs are readily distinguished by their superior grace -and dignity, just as the aristocratic part of a race is distinguished in -any other part of the world. When Captain Cook came here the Maoris were -savages and cannibals, though they had a patriarchal form of government, -and in several ways had made an approach to civilization." - -"They practised tattooing, did they not?" one of the youths asked. - -"Certainly," was the reply; "and some of them still do so, though the -habit is dying out. In another generation it will hardly be heard of any -more. The Maoris are becoming assimilated to the European population -around them. Many of them own houses and farms, have large herds and -flocks, and there are several Maori merchants and ship-owners. Many of -them are employed by the English settlers and merchants, and you will -find them on the railways and in the coasting steamers, where they make -good sailors and are generally liked by their employers." - -Frank asked whence they were supposed to have come, and how long it -probably was since they settled in New Zealand. - -[Illustration: A KAINGA MAORI (NATIVE VILLAGE).] - -"They are of Malay origin," said the gentleman, "and according to their -traditions, which are unusually clear, they came here from either the -Sandwich or the Samoan islands, four or five centuries ago, in a fleet -of thirteen large canoes, which were followed by others. The names of -their canoes, the chiefs that commanded them, and the places where they -landed are carefully preserved in their traditions. They say that they -came from an island called Hawaiki, in the Pacific Ocean, and this is -thought to be either Savaii, in the Samoan group, or Hawaii in the -Sandwich Islands. Their language is so nearly like that of the Sandwich -Islanders that the two people can understand each other after a little -practice. - -"They had no written language until one was made for them by the -missionaries, and the nearest approach to it was a knotted stick, by -which the wise men transmitted the names of successive chiefs. They had -a great many songs of love, war, religion, and other things, but these -are fast dying out, and so are their traditions and legends. Sir George -Grey collected many of their poems, myths, and fables, and published -them in a large octavo volume, and if you wish to know more on this -subject you can see the book in our public library." - -[Illustration: CARVED NEW ZEALAND CHEST.] - -Fred asked if they were diminishing in numbers as rapidly as the people -of the South Sea Islands had diminished since the advent of the white -strangers. - -"Yes," was the reply, "but civilization has had less to do with their -reduction than the quarrels among themselves. When Captain Cook took -possession of the islands, it is thought there were 120,000 Maoris -living here; to-day there are less than 50,000. Before the whites came -here the Maoris were divided into eighteen nations or great tribes, and -the nations were subdivided into tribes, of which each had its chief -whom it acknowledged. Each tribal chief regarded the head of his nation -as his lord and obeyed his orders. - -"The nations were constantly at war with each other, and then, too, the -tribes of any one nation might be at war among themselves. The Maoris -loved war for its own sake, vastly preferring it to peace, however much -it might inconvenience them. Some of their ways were peculiar, and quite -at variance with European notions or customs. Shall I tell you some of -them?" - -The youths expressed their desire to hear more about this interesting -people, and their informant continued: - -"Their wars were conducted with great ferocity, and the vanquished were -either enslaved by the victors or killed and eaten." - -"That is not so very strange," said Fred, as the gentleman paused; -"savages in many parts of the world do the same thing." - -"Of course they do," was the reply; "but they do not divide their -ammunition and supplies with their enemies in order that they can fight -on equal terms." - -"Did the Maoris do that?" Fred asked in astonishment. - -"Certainly they did, on several occasions that are known to the white -residents. While they were at war with the English they used to send -notice whenever they were about to make an attack, and they thought we -did not treat them fairly in not doing the same. After the last war one -of our officers asked a Maori chief why it was that when he had command -of a certain road he did not attack the ammunition and provision trains. -'Why, you fool!' answered the Maori, much astonished, 'if we had stolen -your powder and food, how could you have fought?' - -"Once when one chief insulted another, the latter remarked that if chief -number one had not known his own superiority in arms and ammunition, he -would not have dared to behave in such a manner. Thereupon chief number -one divided his fighting material into two equal parts, and sent one -part to his enemy with an invitation to war. - -"Sometimes two villages would get up a little war, and after fighting -each other all day, the inhabitants would come out of their forts -towards evening and talk over the day's sport in the most friendly way. -The next morning they would begin again, and keep it up during the -daytime, to meet in the evening for a social conference. An old -missionary used to tell how, in one of these local wars, he had known -the defenders of a fort to send out to their assailants that they were -short of provisions, and the latter would immediately send in a supply -of food. The same missionary said he had performed divine service one -Sunday between two hostile forts, the inhabitants of which came out to -worship, meet in the most perfect amity, and return, to resume fighting -on Monday morning. - -"It is estimated," said the gentleman, "that between the years 1820 and -1840 more than thirty thousand Maoris perished in these inter-tribal -wars. Many perished in the wars with the English, and many others have -died in consequence of their contact with civilization, as in the -islands of the Pacific, some from intemperance, and others from -small-pox, measles, and kindred diseases, which were brought here by the -whites. At present wars among them have ceased, cannibalism is unknown, -fully one-half of the adults can read and write, and two-thirds of them -belong to the churches." - -[Illustration: MAORI WAR CLUBS.] - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE SUBURBS OF AUCKLAND.--EXTINCT VOLCANOES.--MAORI FORTIFICATIONS.--A -KAURI FOREST.--KAURI LUMBER AND GUM.--HOW THE GUM IS FORMED AND -FOUND.--TREES OF NEW ZEALAND AND THEIR VALUE.--FERNS AND THEIR -VARIETY.--A PAKEHA MAORI.--HIS REMINISCENCES.--CURIOUS NATIVE -CUSTOMS.--BUYING HEADS.--SALE OF A LIVING MAN'S HEAD.--THE LAW OF -MURU.--NEW ZEALAND BIRDS.--THE GIGANTIC MOA, OR DINORNIS.--NATIVE -WEDDINGS.--KAWAU ISLAND.--SHARK FISHING.--OYSTERS.--VISITING THE -THAMES GOLD-FIELDS.--SIGHTS AND SCENES.--GOLD MINING IN NEW -ZEALAND.--POPULATION OF THE COLONY.--ENCOURAGEMENT TO -IMMIGRATION.--JOURNEY TO THE HOT LAKES.--CLIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND. - - -[Illustration: LAKE IN THE CRATER OF AN EXTINCT VOLCANO.] - -After a glance at the interior of Auckland, our friends naturally turned -their attention to its surroundings. They were reminded of Naples, as -Auckland is in a region of extinct volcanoes, one of which, Mount Eden, -rises only a mile from the city. Following the advice of the landlord of -the hotel, they drove thither, passing numerous villas of the well-to-do -residents, with which the sides of the mountain are dotted. From the -edge of the crater there is a fine view of the city and its -surroundings, and the view takes in several volcanoes. - -The Maoris had formerly a fortification on the top of the mountain; it -surrounded the crater, so that a whole tribe could be concealed there, -if necessary, for purposes of defence. Frank and Fred traced out some of -the terraces that formed the original fortification, and Doctor Bronson -said the works showed a good deal of military skill. - -Within a radius of ten miles of the city no less then sixty-two points -of eruption have been found, the greater part of them being only -insignificant cones or hills. The largest and best specimen of the -extinct volcanoes of Auckland is Rangitoto, which rises from a great -mass of black lava, presenting a forbidding appearance. Unfortunately -for the beauty of the landscape, the forest that once covered this -region has been nearly all cut or burned away, and Auckland will -doubtless regret in the near future the desolation which her settlers -have made. - -[Illustration: SAWING A KAURI PINE.] - -The youths were anxious to see the famous Kauri pine (_Damara -Australis_), which is confined wholly to Auckland, and is the most -renowned of New Zealand trees. Before returning to the city they were -driven where they saw a single specimen, and before their departure from -the district they had the satisfaction of seeing a Kauri forest. Frank's -note on this subject is interesting, and we are permitted to quote it: - -"The peculiarity of the Kauri pine is that the trunk does not appear to -diminish in size from the ground to where the limbs begin to spread. We -saw some trees more than two hundred feet high; they were eight or nine -feet in diameter at the base, and had no limbs within forty or fifty -feet of the ground. They reminded us of the famous big trees of -California, but were taller in proportion to their diameter. We don't -think we ever saw more graceful trees anywhere. They haven't a great -deal of foliage, and it grows in little tufts very much like bushes. - -"The wood is full of gum, and is very valuable as timber. They told us -it was the finest wood in the world for shingles, as the gum preserved -it from the effects of the weather. A great deal of the lumber from the -Kauri pine is shipped to other parts of New Zealand, and also to -Australia, China, Feejee, and other places where it can find a market. -Many of the sticks have been sent to England to serve as masts and spars -for her Majesty's ships of war, and altogether the trade in Kauri lumber -is very large. The result is, a great deal has been cut away, and the -time is not very distant when the Kauri forests will be gone. - -[Illustration: STOCK-FARM IN THE SUBURBS.] - -"While we were walking among the Kauri trees our guide prodded the earth -with a spear that he carried, and he kept doing this so frequently that -we asked what it meant. He answered that he was looking for Kauri gum, -and after a time he struck a hard substance, which he dug down to and -brought to light. - -"It was a lump of Kauri gum, and looked more like amber than anything -else; in fact, it is said to be used very often in place of amber for -the mouth-pieces of pipes and cigar-holders, and for other purposes -where amber is ornamental. It is worth eight or ten cents a pound, and -the shipment of Kauri gum from Auckland amounts to nearly a million -dollars annually. - -"'How do you get the gum?' one of us inquired of the man who was showing -us through the forest. - -"'In just the way you see,' he replied. 'The gum cannot be obtained -from the tree by any process of tapping or reducing from the wood. The -tree falls and dies, and then, when it decays, the gum collects in lumps -in the ground. It takes years and years for it to collect, and this -little lump, which I have just taken from the ground, has probably been -lying here for centuries. A new forest has risen where the old one -stood, and has taken a long, long while to grow.' - -[Illustration: A WATER-OAK.] - -"We asked what other timber-trees there were in New Zealand, and our -informant mentioned the Kahikatea, or white pine; the Rimu, or red pine; -the Totara, which is claimed to be impervious to the attacks of the -teredo; and the Tanekaha, which has a handsome, close-grained, and -durable wood, and whose bark furnishes a strong dye. Then there is the -Matai, which is much like the English yew, and is used for making -furniture; the Miro, which has a beautiful red fruit on which pigeons -grow fat; and the Kawaka, which has a remarkable leaf and a durable -wood. - -"There is a great variety of tree-ferns, some of them reaching a height -of forty feet, and a diameter of twelve inches or more. The most -tropical of all the trees of New Zealand is the Nikau, which is the only -representative of the palm family. The ferns are more tropical than the -trees, and add very much to the beauty of the forest, though they impede -locomotion in many places. As for fruit-trees, there are very few -indigenous to the country, but nearly everything that grows in the -United States or England flourishes, and they have many things here that -are strangers to us at home. Peaches, apples, apricots, figs, oranges, -strawberries, pears, and other fruits are abundant in their seasons, and -some of them reach a luxuriance and perfection surpassing that of the -countries whence they came. - -"Near the Kauri forest we were shown a Maori _pah_, or fort, that is -said to have been the scene of severe fighting in the early days of the -colony. While we were looking at it a man joined our group, and our -guide told us he was a _pakeha_ Maori. You will wonder, as we did, what -a pakeha Maori is. - -[Illustration: A PAKEHA MAORI.] - -"Well, he's a white man who lives among the Maoris, and in former times, -before the colonization, there was a goodly number of them, for the -simple reason that unless a man was a missionary he couldn't easily stay -in the country without living among the natives. _Pakeha_ means -stranger, and is applied to any white man, and a pakeha Maori is a white -man living among the natives. The tribes were very desirous of having -pakehas among them, for the reason that they could learn useful matters -from them, but more particularly they could buy muskets, gun-powder, -tools, and other trade goods, of which they were in great need. A pakeha -who had trade goods was always welcome, but a man who had nothing was of -little consequence, and sometimes had a hard struggle to keep his head -on his shoulders. - -"With a judicious present of a few shillings we got on the right side -of this man, and induced him to talk about what he had seen or knew -among the Maoris. I have written down some of the things he said. I -can't vouch that they are all absolutely correct; but his statements are -corroborated by intelligent white men who have long lived in the -country." - -Here we will close Frank's journal for a few minutes and listen to the -pakeha Maori. - -[Illustration: A PAKEHA MAORI'S HOME.] - -"You see I'm an old man; I came here when I was very young, and have -seen a great many changes. I was in Sydney, and heard New Zealand was a -good place for trade, so I loaded some goods on a schooner that was -coming this way, and in due time was landed in the country. At first I -made my home with one of the whites, who had come here before me and got -on friendly terms with the tribe where he lived; it didn't take long to -do it, as the Maoris were very anxious to buy my goods." - -Frank asked what goods they wanted most. - -"Muskets and ammunition," was the reply, "and for these they paid -fabulous prices in wild flax, which was the principal product worth -shipping away. They were constantly at war, and the tribe that possessed -the white man's weapons could destroy any tribe that was without them. -This happened in many cases, and whole tribes who were without guns were -destroyed by their more fortunate adversaries. They were literally eaten -up, as the natives were cannibals in those times. - -"To get muskets they impoverish themselves, neglecting their agriculture -in order to gather flax to buy them with, and literally starving -themselves. Many died of starvation in consequence, and in another way -muskets proved the death of those who owned them. In the times of clubs -and spears the Maoris had their pahs and villages on high hills, where -the air was pure and the ground dry; when they got muskets they moved -into the low ground, where they were carried off by the dampness and its -consequent fevers. I have known whole villages and tribes killed in this -way, so that not one man, woman, or child remained. The musket was as -fatal to those who owned it as to those who did not; it was deadly -either way. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF A PART OF AUCKLAND AND ITS HARBOR.] - -"Now about some of the customs of the Maoris. They used to be tattooed -very finely, and some of the fighting-men were beautiful to look at. The -warriors used to bring back the heads of those they killed in battle, -and some of the traders got to buying these heads provided they were -finely tattooed. They gave a musket for a good head, and as soon as this -was known some of the tribes began to make war on others just for the -sake of getting tattooed heads to sell. - -[Illustration: MAORI TATTOOING.] - -"You may think it strange, gentlemen," said the pakeha, "but I've known -the head of a live man to be sold and paid for beforehand, and -afterwards honestly delivered according to the agreement; and one time -when the heads of warriors were not equal to the demand for them, some -of the chiefs tattooed the faces of several slaves whom they intended to -kill whenever the traders arrived who had agreed to buy the heads. But -the slaves were not faithful to their masters, as they all ran away into -the bushes just as the inflammation in their faces was passing away and -they were getting in good condition to be marketable. - -"They had the tabu in its most rigid form here," he continued; "but as -you probably learned all about it in the South Sea islands I won't take -your time to talk about it. - -"Another curious custom of the Maoris was the _muru_; the word means -'plunder'--and some folks might call it robbery, which it amounted to, -though it was the custom, and practically the law of the country. - -"If a man's child fell into the fire and was severely or perhaps fatally -burned, he was plundered of nearly everything he possessed, and the same -was the case if his canoe upset while he was fishing, or any other -accident happened to him. The people of the tribe assembled and gave him -notice that they would be there for the muru on a particular day. He -prepared a great feast for them, and after the feast they sacked his -house and carried away pretty nearly everything he had. Sometimes he did -not have enough left to live upon, but he had the opportunity of getting -even by joining in a muru against somebody else. These performances were -never opposed, and in fact a man would feel insulted if a serious -accident of any kind happened to him and no notice was taken of it. The -greater the robbery, the greater the honor conferred upon the victim. - -"If a man killed another through malice and with deliberate intent, the -act was generally considered of no consequence, or it might even be -meritorious. If it was his own slave that he killed, it was considered -his personal affair entirely; if the victim was of another tribe, it was -a matter of tribal revenge or retaliation; and if of his own tribe he -would be defended by his family or section, and nothing came of it. But -if he killed a man of his own tribe by accident, such as the discharge -of a gun, then the law of muru had full force, and the man and all his -relatives were plundered of everything they possessed." - -[Illustration: INLAND SCENERY.] - -Fred asked if the Maoris were given to the ordinary kind of thieving, -like most savage nations. - -"Much less than you might suppose," was the reply. "Of course there were -pilferers; but, on the whole, private property was pretty safe from -burglary and sneak-thieving. The muru gave an opportunity for -plundering, and so did the warfare between the tribes; but a man could -exempt himself from the muru if he wished, by giving up all claims to -its advantages on his own account. When I first came to New Zealand I -was the subject of a muru, and afterwards joined in one upon a Maori -friend; but I found so many disadvantages, losing so much more than I -gained, that I stipulated to have nothing to do with these affairs in -future. - -"In actual honesty the Maoris have been injured by their contact with -Europeans. They will steal and do other improper things more than -formerly; but against this we must offset the abolition of slavery, -cannibalism, tribal wars, polygamy, and many of their superstitious and -cruel practices. When anything is stolen from you the chief can recover -it, and will do so if you apply to him. Custom requires that you should -tell him to keep it as a reward for his trouble, and so you don't gain -much by the recovery of the plunder. - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN COOK'S GIFT TO THE MAORIS.] - -"They were not favored by nature," continued their historian, "as they -did not have the bread-fruit, banana, and cocoa-tree to supply them with -food, and they did not even have the pig until it was given to them by -Captain Cook. Dogs and rats were their only quadrupeds, and they ate -both. The native dogs are extinct, as the Maoris did not care to -preserve them when pigs became plentiful. - -"It used to be the custom to make human sacrifices on the death of a -chief; prisoners of war were used for this purpose, their blood being -sprinkled on the grave, and the flesh roasted and eaten. There was a -grand feast at a funeral, and even now this custom is kept up, though -they have no longer any human sacrifices. The festivities at a Maori -funeral are very much like those of an Irish 'wake,' and something like -an Arab burial ceremony. They eat and drink all they can get, and the -mourning is performed by the women, who howl and cry for hours, simply -because it is the custom to do so." - -As the time of our friends was limited, they bade adieu to the pakeha -Maori, and left him to meditate upon the changes that had taken place -since his advent into New Zealand. - -"He might have told you," said their guide, "that the native rat has -been killed off by the European one, which was introduced from ships, -and the European house-fly has driven away the native blue blow-fly. The -foreign clover is killing the ferns, and European grasses generally are -supplanting the native ones very rapidly. The English sparrow has become -very common in New Zealand, and will doubtless destroy some of the -native birds." - -Fred asked about the birds of the country, but his informant could not -describe them with any degree of accuracy. Later the youth learned that -there are one hundred and thirty-six varieties in all, of which -seventy-three are land birds. One of these, the Apteryx, or Kiwi, is -wingless, and lives in the mountains. He is very scarce, and only rarely -captured or even seen. There are six varieties of parrots, and two of -falcons--one about the size of a pigeon, and the other a very active and -industrious sparrow-hawk. There is one owl, and there is a blackbird, -which is called the "parson bird" by the settlers, for the reason that -it has two white feathers under its chin like the ends of a clergyman's -neck-tie. - -[Illustration: SKELETON OF THE EXTINCT MOA (DINORNIS).] - -Fred asked if New Zealand was not the home of the now extinct Dinornis, -the largest bird of which we have any positive knowledge. - -"Yes," replied his informant; "the bird was called _Moa_ by the natives, -and it is pretty clearly established that he was abundant when the -Maoris came here, but was wiped out of existence some two hundred years -ago. Skeletons of the Moa have been found, and show that the largest of -these birds must have attained a height of fourteen to sixteen feet." - -"Were they dangerous?" was the very natural query which followed. - -"Not by any means; they were wingless, and belonged to the ostrich -family, and the naturalists say they were stupid birds, that could -easily fall a prey to man. This fact accounts for their extinction in -the first two or three centuries of the presence of the Maoris in New -Zealand. It is fortunate that their skeletons have been preserved in the -earth, so that we can know positively that such great birds existed." - -"How do you know the Maoris lived upon these birds?" - -"Partly through their traditions, and partly from the discovery of many -of the bones of the Moa in the ovens and in the heaps of rubbish around -the ruins of ancient villages. The natives devoured any birds they could -catch; parrots, pigeons, parson-birds, anything and everything edible -was legitimate food. Those that dwelt on the coast lived chiefly on a -fish diet, and those in the interior made annual or more frequent -migrations to the sea-side for purposes of fishing. The rivers abound in -eels, and they grow to an enormous size; I have seen eels weighing fifty -pounds each, and have heard of larger ones." - -Frank asked what the clothing of the natives was made of before the -Europeans came to the country. - -[Illustration: DRESSING FLAX.] - -"It was made from the fibre of the flax," was the reply. "There are -several kinds of flax, and it grows everywhere and near every village. -Not only did it supply the material for garments, but for nets, baskets, -lines, mats, dishes, cordage, and other things. They used cords made -from it for binding the walls and roofs of their houses together, and -thus made it serve in place of nails. Great quantities of flax are -raised here nowadays, as you will understand when you know there are -some forty and odd flax-mills in the colony, and considerable flax is -exported every year. - -"Most of the Maoris that you will see during your stay in New Zealand -wear clothes of European style, as they find them more convenient than -the cloaks and mats of former days. On ceremonial occasions the old -finery is displayed, and the cloaks of some of the chiefs are really -magnificent. Cloaks and mats or blankets were the ordinary dress, one -mat being wrapped around the waist, and the other thrown over the -shoulder. Men wore their mats on the right shoulder, and women on the -left, and they sometimes adorned their heads with the gayest feathers -they could find. Children went naked in their early years, except in the -coldest weather, when they wrapped themselves in any old garments they -could lay hands on." - -The youths learned many other things about the Maoris, but we have not -room for all the notes they made on the subject. Frank asked -particularly about the marriage ceremonies of the natives, probably for -the information of his young lady friends at home. He learned that -children might be betrothed by their parents when very young, or if not -so betrothed they could marry very much as in civilized lands. Sometimes -the parents and families, and more frequently the whole tribe, discussed -any proposed match, and made all sorts of hinderances to it. Courtship -was begun by the girl quite as often as by the young man, and when -marriage was decided there were great preparations for a festivity, and -the bride and bridegroom were provided with new mats and many other -articles of household use. The funny part of the business was that -during the marriage-feast everything movable was carried away by the -friends, under the law of muru already described. The young couple -started in life with nothing except the clothes they wore and the house -that had been built for them. - -During their stay at Auckland our friends visited some of the islands in -the bay, including that of Kawau, where Sir George Grey, a former -governor of New Zealand, has a fine residence. The house is quite -English in appearance and character, and contains a good museum of Maori -and other curiosities. The grounds around the house abound in pheasants -of several kinds from Europe and Asia, kangaroos from Australia, -tree-kangaroos from New Guinea, and several members of the deer family. -Near Kawau they saw a fleet of boats manned by Maoris engaged in the -capture of sharks. The creatures they pursued were not the ordinary -shark, which is abundant in New Zealand waters, but a smaller variety -measuring about six feet in length. - -As the sharks were hauled into the boats they were killed by sharp blows -upon the nose, and then flung into the hold. When a boat was filled it -proceeded to an island, where the prizes were hung up to dry; and Frank -was told that from twelve to twenty thousand of these sharks are taken -in the bay of Waitamata every year, and either dried for winter food or -eaten fresh. Out of curiosity our friends took a luncheon of shark -steak, which had been baked on a hot stone after the native fashion. -They found it palatable, but rather tasteless, and so dry that Fred -suggested oiling each mouthful, or smothering it with butter. It was -unanimously voted that shark with the Maoris was not half as enjoyable -as salmon with the Indians of the Columbia River, or shad with the -fishermen of Delaware Bay. - -[Illustration: FAMILY OF DEER ON KAWAU ISLAND.] - -More palatable than shark steak were the oysters which abound in the -bay. The island of Kawau has a coast-line of about thirty miles, and all -around it there are oyster-beds, some of them of great extent. Not only -do the oysters grow on the rocks and in the water, but they cling to the -overhanging limbs of the trees, and grow there quite contented with -their immersion of a few hours twice a day during the rising of the -tide. Frank and Fred found the oysters of good flavor, and soon became -quite expert at opening the shells with the oyster-knives which were -opportunely brought along in the boat. - -"Don't fail to visit the gold-mines and the Hot Lake district," was the -injunction repeatedly made to Doctor Bronson and his young companions. -As soon as they had exhausted the sights of Auckland and its -neighborhood they proceeded to follow the foregoing advice. - -[Illustration: PROSPECTING FOR GOLD.] - -First in order were the Thames gold-fields. A steamer carried them in -five hours from Auckland to Grahamstown, and as soon as they were on -shore they began their inspection of the mines. There are no placer -diggings here, the mining being almost entirely confined to the veins of -quartz in the mountains, which rise abruptly from the shore of the bay -on which Grahamstown is built. For this reason Grahamstown, which takes -its name from Robert Graham, its founder, has a more permanent and -substantial appearance than the ordinary town in a newly opened mining -country. It lies along the shore of the bay, and the numerous -reduction-works, founderies, and similar establishments were suggestive -of a manufacturing centre rather than a mining one only a few years -old. - -[Illustration: STAMP-MILL AT GRAHAMSTOWN.] - -Doctor Bronson had a letter of introduction to a gentleman interested in -one of the largest mines, and the trio of travellers were at once made -welcome. Clad in appropriate costumes, they were taken into the mine, -where they walked a long distance through a tunnel, and were then -conducted through a perfect maze of shafts and levels, where the workmen -were busily occupied in removing the auriferous rock, which was carried -directly to the reduction-works, where it was crushed and the precious -metal extracted. The gold contains a large amount--thirty per cent.--of -silver, and consequently has an appearance of pallor when turned out -from the retorts. As the work of gold-mining has been described -elsewhere in the wanderings of the boy travellers, it is hardly -necessary to give it here, the processes of mining and reduction being -practically the same all over the world. - -Frank and Fred obtained the following information relative to -gold-mining in New Zealand, and especially in the region now under -consideration: - -"Gold-mining in New Zealand properly dates from 1861, when gold was -discovered by Mr. Gabriel Read at Tuapeka, in the province of Otago. The -existence of the precious metal was known nine or ten years before that -date, it having been found at Coromandel by a Mr. Ring, who reported his -discovery to the authorities at Auckland. Since 1861 it has been found -in many places, and is now an important industry of the country. Some of -the mines are wholly alluvial, or placer, diggings, others are wholly -quartz-mines, which are called reefs in New Zealand and Australia, and -others are combinations of alluvial and quartz mining. - -[Illustration: "STRUCK A POCKET."] - -"For the enlightenment of some of my younger readers I will here explain -that alluvial, or placer, mines are those where the gold is found in the -earth or soil and is separated from it by washing. Quartz-mines are -those where the gold is in the ledges of the mountains and requires to -be removed by tunnelling or blasting, or both. The rock containing the -rock must be crushed to powder, and the gold separated from the powder -by washing and mingling it with quicksilver. Quartz-mining requires a -great deal of money to carry it on; so much, indeed, that it is -generally conducted by companies, and these companies, it is proper to -say, very often take more from the pockets of the stock-holders than -they do from the mines. Alluvial diggings are the resort of the poor -man, who needs only pick, shovel, and pan to set him up in business. - -"During the year ending March 31, 1886, the mines of New Zealand yielded -233,068 ounces of gold, which was valued at more than four millions of -dollars; at least this was the amount entered at the custom-house for -exportation; some was doubtless absorbed in the colony, but no one can -tell how much. - -"The yield of the Thames district for the same time was 61,939 ounces, -or more than one-fourth the entire amount for the colony. During the -month of May, 1886, 3039 ounces of gold were taken from 2574 tons of -rock. Some of the mines have paid good dividends to their owners, but -others have never made any returns. The ups and downs of mining in New -Zealand are about the same as in other parts of the world. - -"There are nearly five hundred mining companies registered in New -Zealand, with a paid-up capital of about ten million dollars. Down to -the end of 1885 more than two hundred million dollars' worth of gold had -been exported from New Zealand, so that there can be no question of the -importance of the colony as a mining region. According to the official -returns there are more than eleven thousand men engaged in mining; two -thousand of these are quartz-miners, and the rest, including three -thousand Chinese, are in the placer mines. - -"The placer miners do not confine themselves to the valleys of the -rivers among the mountains, but seek gold along the west shore, where -they find it under the bowlders and other stones embedded in the sand of -the beaches. The popular idea is that this gold is washed up from the -sea during severe gales; the scientific men say it is really washed up -by the lifting power of the waves on the sand that has been brought down -by the rivers and drifted along the shore. Some of this gold is obtained -by washing the sands in sluice-boxes, just as in operations among the -mountains; and deposits, or 'pockets,' are occasionally discovered in -the sand under the loose stones. Sometimes these deposits are of -considerable value, and we have been told of a miner who found a single -pocket containing nearly thirty ounces of gold. Similar pockets exist -in the mountains, and it is the height of a miner's ambition to find a -well-filled one and secure its contents without anybody's help. - -"The alluvial mines in North Island are less extensive than those of -South Island. It is estimated that these mines cover an area of twenty -thousand square miles in South Island alone, and as very little capital -is required for working them, they are more popular than the others. - -[Illustration: GOLD-MINING ON THE SEA-SHORE.] - -"The principal quartz-mines are in the Coromandel and Thames districts; -the reefs have been prospected to six or eight hundred feet below the -sea-level, and also to a height of two thousand feet above it. In some -places the rock has yielded six hundred ounces to the ton; at least it -has assayed to that extent, but the amount obtained upon working it in -quantities is far less. Of course such rock as this is a rare exception -in New Zealand as everywhere else. - -"In the province of Otago there are rich reefs, and in some places gold -has been found at elevations of six and seven thousand feet above the -sea. The highest mine in New Zealand is on the summit of Advance Peak, -near Lake Wakatipu, in South Island. - -"The mines have been beneficial to the country in two ways: first by -the yield of gold, and secondly by attracting attention and emigration -to New Zealand. Like the colonies of Australia, New Zealand offers -inducements to emigrants, and is very desirous of promoting emigration -from the overcrowded countries of the Old World. An agent-general is -maintained in London, and a vast amount of printed matter setting forth -the advantages of the colony to actual settlers is issued annually from -his office. Emigrants with families are carried to New Zealand at a -reduced rate of fare, and at one time they were transported almost free -of charge, so anxious was the Colonial Government to increase its -population. The colony now has nearly if not quite six hundred thousand -inhabitants, which is certainly a good showing when we remember that the -settlement had its beginning in 1840, when its first governor came out -from England." - -[Illustration: A MINER'S CAMP IN THE MOUNTAINS.] - -Our friends remained at Grahamstown over Sunday, and observed a state of -affairs which was an improvement over that of American mining towns in -general on the first day of the week. All work was suspended, and the -whole population turned out in its best clothes. There are churches of -nearly every denomination at Grahamstown, and all were well filled with -worshipers; one of the churches has a stained-glass window which cost -some fifteen hundred dollars--certainly an unusual sight for a mining -town. - -[Illustration: VISITING A MINE.] - -Monday was spent among the hills and in the mines of the Thames, and the -youths retired to bed that night thoroughly wearied with the exertions -of the day. On Tuesday the party returned to Auckland, and immediately -arranged for a visit to the Hot Lake district. The trip was planned as -follows: Their heavy baggage was sent by steamer to Tauranga, which is -on the east coast, and the nearest port to the district they were to -visit. Then, with only their hand-bags and some rough garments and -necessities for mountain travel, the trio proceeded by rail, coach, and -horseback to their destination. By this plan they were enabled to see -the country and avoid travelling the same route twice over. The route -for the ease-loving tourist is from Tauranga by coach to the Hot Lakes, -a distance of about fifty miles, and back again over the same route. It -is proper to say that travellers who come as far as New Zealand for the -sake of sight-seeing are greatly disinclined to repetition, and nearly -all visitors go by one route and return over another. The Government has -established a sanatorium and laid out a town in the centre of the Hot -Lake district. It is building a railway from Oxford to this town, and -the promise is confidently made that by the end of 1888 travellers may -go by train from Auckland direct to the Hot Lakes without the fatigue of -a coach-ride over the present rough road. - -"We had a charming ride," said Frank, "over the railway to Oxford, where -we took the coach in the direction of the famous region of New Zealand -geysers. Much of the country through which the railway passes resembles -England both in scenery and products; English fruit-trees grow well -here, and English grasses seem adapted to the soil. American pines have -been introduced and are doing well; they make a pleasing contrast to the -New Zealand wattle-tree and cabbage-palm and the ferns which abound -everywhere. The country is thinly settled, but will undoubtedly support -a large population in course of time. Villages with European houses -alternate with Maori encampments, the latter abounding with lazy -aboriginals. - -"One of the advantages claimed for New Zealand is its similarity to -England in climate and products, with the great point in its favor that -while the climate has all the mildness of that of England it lacks its -severity. The average temperature of London is said to be seven degrees -colder than that of North Island, and four degrees colder than the -temperature of South Island. - -"They tell us that snow seldom lies on the ground at the sea-level on -North Island, and not very often on South Island; but the summit of -Ruapehu, the highest mountain in North Island, and also the tops of the -peaks of the great mountain chains in South Island, are perpetually -covered with snow. The snow line is about seven thousand five hundred -feet high. - -"The sun was shining brightly and there was a genial warmth to the air -when we left Auckland, but within an hour we were in a terrific rain -that beat heavily against the windows of the railway-carriage and -pattered like hail on the roof. 'This is our one drawback,' said a -gentleman who accompanied us, when the rain began to fall. 'The changes -of weather and temperature in New Zealand are very sudden. The -alternations from heat to cold, from sunshine to storm, from calms to -gales, are so frequent and marked as to defy calculation and prevent our -saying with truthfulness that there is any uniformly wet or dry season -throughout the year.' - -"Then he went on to say that compared with Great Britain the climate -seemed to be far superior when the death-rate was considered. It was -less than eleven in one thousand annually, and lower than in any of the -colonies of Australia. He claimed that the salubrity of the climate was -due in great measure to the breezes for which New Zealand is noted, -there being no less than one hundred and twenty-six gales or high winds -in a single year (1885), and good winds for nearly all the rest of the -time. The prevailing winds are from the north-west and south-west, with -occasional storms from the opposite quarters. The annual rainfall is -twenty-eight inches at Auckland, thirty-six inches at Wellington, and -twenty-five inches at Dunedin, and there is more rain on the east coast -than on the west." - -We will learn in the next chapter what our friends saw among the Hot -Lakes of New Zealand. - -[Illustration: INLAND SCENERY.] - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE HOT LAKE DISTRICT; ITS EXTENT AND PECULIARITIES.--MEDICINAL -SPRINGS.--ANALYSIS OF THE WATERS.--FRED'S NARROW ESCAPE.--SCALDED TO -DEATH IN A HOT POOL.--LAKE ROTOMAHANA.--THE WHITE TERRACES; HOW THEY -ARE FORMED.--THE PINK TERRACES.--BOILING LAKES.--NATURE'S -BATH-TUBS.--PETRIFIED BIRDS.--A TABOOED MOUNTAIN.--THE TABU ON -DUCKS.--NATIVE DEMORALIZATION.--WAIROA.--DESTRUCTION OF THE -TERRACES.--TERRIBLE ERUPTION, WITH LOSS OF LIFE.--A VILLAGE THROWN INTO -A LAKE.--TAURANGA AND THE GATE PAH.--MAORI FORTIFICATIONS.--SHORT -HISTORY OF THE MAORI WAR; ITS CAUSES AND RESULTS.--FROM TAURANGA TO -NAPIER.--A PASTORAL COUNTRY.--ATTRACTIONS OF NAPIER.--OVERLAND TO -WELLINGTON.--FARMING AND HERDING SCENES.--A CURIOUS ARTICLE OF COMMERCE. - - -"The volcanic region of North Island is a large one," wrote Frank in his -journal, "and as I can't find any two persons who agree as to its -extent, I won't attempt to give its area in square miles or acres; but -it is large enough to meet the wants of everybody, and hot enough to -suit the most fastidious. - -"Long before you reach the neighborhood of the Hot Lakes you find -steaming springs, and there is hardly one of them that is not credited -with some wonderful healing properties. On an area of a hundred and -fifty square miles there are many thousands of hot springs of all -temperatures from tepid to boiling, and of all sorts of composition. -Only a few have been analyzed, but enough of them to show that hardly -any two are alike. All the mineral springs of the world seem to be -represented in this district, and when they have been properly -catalogued they will form a sanatorium to which the entire globe can -send its invalids for relief and healing. - -"To make a list of the chemicals they hold in solution would be to copy -the index of an exhaustive work on chemistry, and therefore I refrain. - -"These springs have been the resort of the Maoris for centuries, and for -white people ever since New Zealand could boast a white population. -Wonderful cures are recorded or reported, but it is evident that an -invalid should have the advice of a competent physician before trying -the springs in earnest. To come here and take the baths -indiscriminately, when the number and variety are so great, would be -much like turning one's self loose in a drug-store and tasting the -contents of all the jars in succession. Thus far the principal diseases -treated have been gout and rheumatism, and many a sufferer has found -relief and been cured of his malady. One bath has been so successful in -curing skin diseases that it is known as the 'pain-killer;' its -ingredients are sulphate of potash, sulphate of soda, chlorides of -sodium, calcium, magnesia, and iron, silica, hydrochloric acid, -sulphuretted hydrogen, and traces of alumina, lithium, and iodine. What -disease could stand such a combination as that? - -[Illustration: AMONG THE HOT SPRINGS.] - -"Most of the villages are near hot springs, not so much for the curative -properties of the waters as for the convenience of cooking food without -the trouble of collecting fuel, or even building a fire. At one village -where we stopped for dinner there were twelve or fifteen springs of all -temperatures from tepid to boiling; we bathed in one spring while the -potatoes for our dinner were being boiled in another not a dozen yards -away. Around the springs, and along the path by which we walked from -them to the house, there were cracks and holes in the ground from which -steam issued, and occasionally little jets of boiling water. It gave us -an uncanny feeling to walk along this path, and we agreed that it was -not a nice place for promenading in the dark. - -[Illustration: THE BATHS AT ROTOMAHANA.] - -"The proprietor of the hotel accompanied us, and said it was not safe to -stray from the path, as one was liable to break through the thin crust -and find his feet plunged into hot water which had accumulated beneath -the surface. He showed us a pool which is the special resort of the -Maoris, and where half a dozen of them were bathing, the bathers being -watched by as many more of their kinsmen, who were squatted on flat -stones erected over the steam-jets at the edge of the pool. The -temperature of the water is about ninety degrees, but it rises -occasionally to a hundred and more. We found a secluded pool, and took a -bath there; after the bath we greatly enjoyed a luscious melon which our -host brought us. - -[Illustration: HOTEL LIFE AT THE HOT LAKES.] - -"It is a curious sensation to stand on a hill and look over a -considerable area of country which may easily be imagined to be -undergoing a cooking process from one end to the other. Jets of steam -rise from the ground in a great many places; some of them continuously, -others in quick or slow jets, and with intervals of a second or so, or -perhaps fractions of a second, and others with dignified intervals of -several minutes. Some of the geysers threw up columns of water fifteen -or twenty feet in height; but, on the whole, they were less interesting -than the geysers of Yellowstone Park in America. At one place the -sulphur fumes were so stifling that it was next to impossible to look -into the holes in the ground, and only possible by holding the nose -firmly and looking while the breath was retained. - -"And these sulphur fumes came very near causing a horrible death to -Fred. We were among the boiling springs, where the greatest precaution -was necessary to avoid falling into the pools, as they were only short -distances apart, sometimes less than a foot. Our guide had called -attention to one of the geyser holes, where the water at the bottom was -boiling furiously. Fred was looking into it, when suddenly there rose a -puff of sulphur that half stifled him. He sprang backward as he threw -his head in the air, and in doing so stepped within three inches of the -edge of a pool of water that was quiescent, though almost at the -boiling-point. Had he fallen into it he would have been scalded to death -in a few moments. - -"Accidents of this sort are by no means uncommon. A child of the -hotel-keeper fell into a pool a few months ago, and was scalded so badly -that it died within an hour. They told how a native woman dropped her -baby from her arms; it fell into a pool of scalding water by the side of -the path. The woman went in to rescue it, and both mother and child were -drowned in the pool. Men, horses, and dogs have fallen into these pools, -or more frequently broken through the thin crust that lies above the -accumulated hot water or hot mud beneath the surface. - -"One Maori village where we stopped is so completely built on a volcanic -foundation that the steam rises in every house; and the little open -space in the centre, where the village councils are held, is half paved -with broad stones, which are all kept warm by steam from the earth. -Close to the village are several mud-baths, where one may sit up to his -neck in hot mud for hours, and then wash off the adhesive stuff in a -neighboring pool. These _solfataras_, or mud-baths, are very numerous, -and in many instances very dangerous. Where they are small the hot mud -simply boils and bubbles, and slowly oozes out of the ground; and the -chief danger lies in breaking through the crust near them and finding -yourself plunged in the scalding mush. The larger solfataras are like -the mouth of a well, the mud bubbling up in the centre and forming a -ring of dirt that solidifies and offers a good footing, so far as the -eye can perceive; but woe betide the unfortunate stranger who ventures -to step upon it; the crust gives way, and he will be fortunate if he -escapes with his life. - -[Illustration: A MUD CRATER.] - -"We reached Rotomahana, the famous little lake of this district, without -accident, although it was evening when we got there. We were lodged in a -Maori _wharry_, or house, close to Te Tarata, or The White Terraces, and -we had a glimpse of the terraces through the indistinctness of the -evening. There were steam and water jets all around, and the potatoes -for our supper were boiled in one of the natural caldrons, free of -charge. To boil vegetables in one of these springs all you have to do is -to enclose them in a net of hemp or flax and lower them into the water. -When they have been there long enough take them out, and that's all -there is about it. What a nice thing it would be to have a natural hot -spring at your door, provided you could escape the other inconveniences -connected with it! - -"We bathed in a pool and also in the lake, the latter, though warm, -being less so than the pool. The ground was warm, and made the -atmosphere of the house too hot for comfort; and altogether we passed an -uncomfortable night. Next morning we were up bright and early, to look -at the terraces; and of all the wonderful things in the world, there are -few that can surpass them. - -[Illustration: THE WHITE TERRACES, SEEN FROM ABOVE.] - -"The White Terraces are on this side of the little lake, and the Pink -Terraces on the other. Imagine, if you can, a series of irregular steps -of silver or alabaster, or polished marble, about three hundred feet -from side to side, and rising about two hundred feet from the shore of -the lake. These steps or terraces have been formed by the -crystallization of the silica contained in the hot water in the boiling -lake above; the hot water holds it in solution, and as its temperature -falls the silica is released and deposited. - -"In the sunlight the terraces glistened and sparkled like a collection -of all the precious stones in the world, and the picture was fascinating -in the extreme. We ascended from the base to the edge of the boiling -lake, where the terraces begin. Our guides cautioned us that we must -expect to walk continually in the water which flowed over the terraces, -but as the surface is soft and smooth we doffed our boots and encased -our feet in moccasins, or shoes of untanned skin. The water at the -bottom of the terraces is tepid; but each successive stage finds it -hotter, and at last it is too much so for comfort. On one terrace after -the other you find delightful tubs suitable for bathing; we should have -bathed in them, but had been told to wait for the Pink Terraces, on the -other side of the lake, where the baths are finer. There is just enough -softness to the surface formed by the silica to make it pleasant to the -touch and entirely safe to walk on without danger of slipping. - -"Not only are the terraces beautiful, but the ornamentation which has -been made by the hand of Nature, busily working here through many -centuries, is beautiful in the extreme. The hanging ornaments and -cornices at the outer edges of the terraces and on the rims of the baths -surpass the work of the most gifted designer or the most vivid -imagination. Description by words is out of the question, and I must -fall back on the picture which I send with this. - -"The boiling lake at the top of the White Terraces is a pool perhaps a -hundred feet in diameter, and varying in height from time to time. -Curiously enough, it changes with the wind, though why the wind should -affect it I am unable to guess. It is boiling, boiling, boiling all the -while, though more furiously at some times than at others. The water is -a beautiful turquoise blue, and so intense is the blue that it reflects -upon the cloud of steam that rises from the lake. In fact, nearly all -the hot springs in this region are blue, and the color is perceptible at -very slight depths. - -"We wanted to spend a whole day here; but time pressed, and we descended -to the lake again and crossed to the Pink Terraces. The lake is a tiny -one, only a mile in length by half a mile in width. - -[Illustration: THE PINK TERRACES, SEEN FROM BELOW.] - -"The Pink Terraces are smaller and lower than the White Terraces, and -the spaces between the pools, or bathing-tubs, are not so finely -wrought. The Pink Terraces are really not pink at all, but -salmon-colored; the White Terraces have a tint of salmon, but it is less -pronounced than in the other. The formation is the same in both, and -having described one, it is hardly necessary that I should describe the -other. We were eager for the promised bath, and were not long in getting -at it. And such a bath! - -"We undressed on the rocks a short distance from the foot of the -terrace, and then entered one of the pools. The water was tepid, almost -too warm for thorough enjoyment, but we did not pay much attention to -it. The tub, or pool, was large enough for six or eight persons to bathe -in and have plenty of room, and we splashed and played there like -dolphins--at least as far as our limited abilities would allow us. What -surprised us most was the wonderful smoothness of the rock. It was soft -to the foot when we stood upon it, and soft to the hands when we pressed -them on the sides of the bath. We dashed our bodies with no light force -against the rock, and somehow it seemed to yield, or at all events it -did not hurt us. We went from one bath to another, and kept ascending -till the warmth was more than we could endure. We sat on the edges of -some of these great shell-like baths, and looked down upon the little -lake and over to the White Terraces on the other side. It was a -remarkable sight, and I certainly never heard of any other bathing-tub -where there was so much scenery and so much enjoyment. - -"At the top of the Pink Terraces there is a lake similar to the one -that feeds the White Terraces. It is about a quarter of a mile around -it, the water in the lake is all the time boiling, and it has the same -blue color that I have already mentioned. A cloud of steam rose -continually from the surface, and it was only when we got on the -windward side of the lake that we could see the water at all, and then -only as the wind blew the steam away. All around the lake the rocks were -incrusted with sulphur, and the incrustation continued for a good part -of the way down the slope. - -"We brought away some interesting souvenirs of our visit in the shape of -leaves and flowers incrusted with silica, the substance out of which the -terraces have been formed. Leaves, flowers, feathers, sticks, any small -things placed in the water, become incrusted with the silica in a short -time, and are easily preserved by wrapping them in cotton or other soft -substances. A bird dropping in the water becomes, as it were, petrified, -feathers and all; some of the Maoris who live in the neighborhood have -adopted the plan of killing small birds, and after stuffing them with -sand or other heavy substance, immersing them in the water long enough -to allow the feathers to be incrusted with silica. We have bought some -of these petrified birds, and find them very pretty and interesting. - -[Illustration: LAKE TARAWERA, IN THE HOT LAKE DISTRICT.] - -"From the little lake we descended by a small and swift stream to Lake -Tarawera, which is about seven miles long by four or five in width. We -were in the ordinary canoe of the country, hollowed from the trunk of a -tree, and very ticklish to sit in, as you cannot make the least -inclination to one side or the other without risk of overturning. The -canoe which carried us had eight rowers, so that with ourselves and -guide we were twelve in all. The stream connecting the lakes is narrow -and crooked, and so swift that it threatened to dash us on the shore and -smash things generally; but we got through without accident, and then -crossed the lake to the village of Wairoa. On our way we passed near the -foot of Mount Tarawera, a truncated cone about two thousand feet high, -which is considered sacred by the Maoris. They will neither ascend it -nor allow any one else to do so; it is the burial-place of the Arawa -tribe of Maoris and the dwelling-place of one of their tutelary gods, -and for these double reasons it is held in rigid tabu. - -"There's another tabu here, and that is on the ducks and other -water-fowl that inhabit the lakes; and as no one is allowed to shoot -them, they are in great numbers. The tabu was removed when the Duke of -Edinburgh came here, and probably any one who would pay a high price -could get it suspended long enough to allow him to satisfy his desires -for shooting. But the tabu does not include trapping or netting, and we -had roast ducks for dinner and luncheon on payment of a few shillings. -There is a grand slaughtering festivity in December of each year, and -this is the real reason of enforcing the tabu at other times. - -[Illustration: THE TABU REMOVED.] - -"Sight-seeing places the world over are the cause of great -demoralization to the people that live near them, and the Hot Lake -district of New Zealand is no exception. The Maoris here are as -rapacious as the hackmen at Niagara Falls, the guides and hotel-keepers -at Rome, Naples, and hundreds of other places on the Continent, or the -custodians of the Taj Mahal at Agra, or the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. -Every step we take has a fee of some kind attached to it, and they have -even established a charge of five pounds (twenty-five dollars) for the -privilege of taking photographs in the Hot Lake district. Miss Cumming, -who wrote "At Home in Fiji" and other interesting books, tells how they -tried to make her pay the photograph fee for taking sketches of the -White Terraces and other curiosities during her visit. She resisted on -the ground that a sketch was not a photograph; but they refused to -listen to her excuses, and threatened to destroy her sketches unless she -paid the sum demanded. She managed, however, to smuggle them away by -concealing the sketches among some rugs, and leaving the district under -the escort of a large party of English tourists. - -[Illustration: MAORI VILLAGE OF WAIROA, IN THE HOT LAKE DISTRICT.] - -"Wairoa is a pretty village with some two or three hundred inhabitants, -most of them Maoris, and has a church, a school-house, and two hotels -for the accommodation of tourists. The church and school are less -prosperous than they used to be, as the natives are not as zealous in -Christianity as when they were first converted. Soon after the Maori war -broke out they hanged one of their pastors, and compelled another to -flee to avoid the same fate.[7] - -[7] Shortly after the visit described above, the famous terraces were -destroyed by an eruption of Mount Tarawera. Soon after midnight of June -10, 1886, loud explosions were heard and violent earthquakes felt; in a -few minutes Mount Tarawera broke out as an active volcano, hurling -ashes, dust, and red-hot stones to a great height, and the whole sky in -all directions seemed to be aflame. The ashes, dust, and mud were -distributed over a wide area of country, some of the dust and ashes -falling fifty miles away. The outbreak of Tarawera was followed almost -immediately by a terrific outburst at Lake Rotomahana; the water of the -lake, with its clay bed and the material of the Pink and White Terraces, -was suddenly blown into the air in the shape of an immense mud-cloud -followed by steam and smoke. The mud-cloud in its descent buried the -surrounding country to various depths, ranging as high as thirty feet. -The native villages of Wairoa and Te Ariki were completely covered, and -the village of Mourea was bodily thrown into Lake Tarawera and swallowed -out of sight. Over one hundred persons perished, the most of them -natives. Mr. Hazard, the master of the native school at Wairoa, and four -of his children were among the killed. - -It was estimated that fifty square miles of country were covered to a -depth of three feet and more by the mud, ashes, and stones, and sixteen -hundred square miles more or less affected by the eruption or the -deposits from it. Stones weighing half a ton and upwards were found nine -miles from the scene of the explosion, and some within a mile or less -weighed several tons. The explosions were heard eighty miles away, and -are described as resembling heavy guns at sea. They continued about -three hours, ceasing before daylight; and the night is well described as -a night of terror. - -"We were comfortably lodged at one of the hotels, and the next morning -took the coach for Tauranga, rejecting the advice of several persons -who told us we should not fail to see Lake Taupo and Mount Tongariro. -The country is desolate, and the most that can be said of it, so far as -we could learn, is that it contains larger geysers and hot springs than -are to be found around Lake Tarawera. There is a hot river which is fed -from boiling springs below it, and Lake Taupo is a pretty sheet of water -twenty-five miles long by twenty in width. Tongariro is an active -volcano, much larger than Tarawera, and has been ascended by very few -people. The ascent is attended with so many difficulties that we did not -care to undertake it, and, as we had seen the most interesting part of -the volcanic region of New Zealand, we concluded to return. - -[Illustration: A MAORI PROPHET IN THE KING COUNTRY.] - -"The road from Wairoa to Tauranga was rough, but the strong coach -endured it without injury, and the team of six horses carried us along -at a good pace. Tauranga has a melancholy history, as it was the scene -of severe fighting in the Maori war. About four miles from the town is -the celebrated Gate Pah, which was built by the Maoris as a defiance to -the English, who had a fort at Tauranga. It was a fortification of -double palisades such as the Maoris usually make, the inner line of -palisades being much stronger than the outer one. Inside the inner line -there is a ditch where the men can stand, with the earth breast-high in -front of them; and they aim their guns through loop-holes notched in the -logs of the palisades. The outer fence is expected to delay the -assailants sufficiently long to enable the defenders to shoot them down. -A Maori fort is constructed with much more military skill than one would -expect of a people without any training in engineering work. - -[Illustration: BRITISH SOLDIERS ATTACKING A MAORI PAH.] - -"An English officer says that the salients, angles, ditches, and -parapets of the Maori pahs greatly astonished the generals who tried to -capture them, and often led to disasters. The Tauranga Gate Pah was held -by about three hundred Maoris, while the English had about seventeen -hundred men for the attack. They shelled the pah all day with heavy -guns, and about 4 P.M. tried to carry it by assault. They got inside the -pah, and there the soldiers were taken by panic, and retreated in -disorder, leaving the Maoris in possession, though they evacuated the -place in the night. The English lost twenty-seven killed and sixty-six -wounded, and among the dead there were eleven officers. - -"We went through the ruins of the pah, and could not understand how the -Maoris were able to stay there in all the rain of shot and shell that -was poured in before the assault. There is a monument at Tauranga to -commemorate the event, and an English resident showed us the little -cemetery where those who fell at the Gate Pah were buried. It is quite -close to the sea, and, like English cemeteries generally, is carefully -tended and kept in order. - -"Perhaps you would like to know something of the Maori war, as we have -had occasion to mention it two or three times. Well, there was trouble -between the natives and the English a few years after the establishment -of the Government at Auckland; it grew out of the imposition of customs -duties and the purchase of land, and the natives thought they had not -been treated properly. There was a good deal of fighting on a small -scale; but after a while peace was established, and it lasted -practically for ten or twelve years. - -"But in March, 1860, there were fresh troubles, and from the same cause -as before, or rather from one of the causes, the sale of land. The -Government had bought some land, for which they paid the man who claimed -to own it; after he had been paid the tribe claimed it, and because the -Government would not pay a second time the tribe declared war. It was -joined by other tribes, and in a very short time a considerable number -of Maori tribes were in full insurrection against the military -authority. Bishop Selwyn and others thought the natives had been -unjustly treated, and there was much dissension among the Europeans as -to the right and wrong of the matter. - -"The war lasted through 1860, and down to March, 1861, when the natives, -having been several times defeated, ended the trouble by surrendering. -Soon after this the Maoris thought they would have a king of their own, -and representatives of some of the tribes assembled and proclaimed a -native sovereignty. Previously to this they had formed a league which -opposed the sale of land to the white strangers, and this league was -entered into by a good many tribes. The movement for a king was based on -the belief that, as the English had a queen, the Maoris could have a -similar ruler, and so in 1862 a king was chosen. - -[Illustration: OUTWORKS OF A MAORI PAH.] - -"War broke out again in May, 1863. Troops were sent from Australia and -from England, and a vigorous attempt was made to suppress the -insurrection. There were many opinions as to the proper policy to -pursue, owing to the differences between English and Maori laws and -customs, and whatever was done by the Governor or the military -authorities was sure to receive severe criticism. Sometimes there were -long periods of inaction in which there was much negotiation, which -generally amounted to nothing. The Maoris refused to give up their lands -or arbitrate the questions in dispute, and seemed determined to defend -their homes. They not only repudiated English laws regarding land -tenure, but they started a movement for reviving their old practices of -paganism, or, rather, setting up a new religion in place of the -Christianity which so many of them had adopted. - -"Several tribes joined in this movement, and the new religion spread. It -was called the Pai Marire by its adherents, who are known as Hau-Haus, -or How-Hows, for the reason that they pronounce that sound in loud tones -during their ceremonial worship or when engaged in battle. Some of the -tribes killed or drove out their former pastors and Christian teachers, -and all among them who refused to adopt the new faith were relentlessly -persecuted. On the other hand, many tribes and individual Maoris -remained friendly, and materially aided the Government in prosecuting -the war. - -[Illustration: IN THE HARBOR.] - -"The Hau-Haus were subdued in 1866, and the murderers of Rev. Mr. -Volkner and other missionaries were captured and executed. Peace came, -but it was temporary; hostilities were soon resumed, but the fighting -that followed was not of a very serious character. Straggling bands and -isolated tribes continued to give trouble, and there was one guerilla -warrior, named Te Kooti, who was hunted for years without success. - -"The King of the Maoris lived among his own people, and made no trouble -as long as he was allowed to remain undisturbed. His territory was known -as the King Country, and no Englishman was allowed to enter it except -with a special permission from the King or some other Maori authority. -Gradually his power melted away, and he is now a very shadowy king -indeed. Finding that war was not made upon them, the natives became less -and less exclusive regarding the King Country, and in 1883 the chiefs -consented to have their lands surveyed, with a view to having the titles -determined in the native land-courts. In 1884 the Minister for Public -Works passed right through the King Country with the avowed object of -selecting a suitable route for a railway; he was not opposed in any -manner, but, on the contrary, was respectfully received by the chiefs. A -law has been passed which reserves a large area of land for the sole use -of the natives, and from present appearances there will be no further -trouble with the Maoris. - -"There you have the Maori war boiled down. It cost the Government a vast -amount of money, caused the shedding of a great deal of blood, led to -bitter quarrels between the civil and military authorities, and very -often was a matter of much perplexity to the Home Government of Great -Britain; and practically it all came from the determination of two races -of people, one native and the other foreign, to possess the rich soil of -New Zealand." - -[Illustration: IN NAPIER FOR HIS HEALTH.] - -From Tauranga our friends went by steamer to Napier, touching on the way -at two or three ports of secondary importance. Napier is the chief town -in the provincial district of Hawke's Bay, and is prettily situated in a -position that in some of its features reminded Fred and Frank of -Naples. The harbor is fairly good, but not as deep nor as well sheltered -as that of Auckland. Important works are in progress for improving the -harbor, and one of the leading citizens with whom our friends conversed -assured them that before their words were in print Napier would be ready -to accommodate the largest steamers in any of the regular lines between -New Zealand and Europe. - -Fred learned on inquiry that Napier was the outlet of a large area of -grazing country, its exports consisting mainly of wool, frozen and -canned meats, hides, and other products of regions whose chief -industries were the raising of cattle and sheep. His informant told him -that since the railway had reached the forest region they had done a -fine business in lumber, and expected the lumber-trade to increase year -by year. He further said that while Napier was an excellent place for a -man in good health it was attractive to invalids, owing to the mildness -of its climate. "It is," said he, "the resort of consumptive and -asthmatic patients from various parts of New Zealand, and in time we -expect to have them come here from Australia and India. A sanatorium has -been established here in charge of our local medical men, and we also," -he added, "have a fine cemetery, where anybody who fails to be cured can -be sure of a comfortable and quiet place." After this, what more could a -town claim in its behalf? - -Hotels, churches, public buildings, and all the paraphernalia of a -perfect and prosperous town were visible to the eyes of the strangers as -they rode or walked through the streets. Manufactories of various kinds -were busy, there was a goodly number of ships in port, and altogether -Napier had an attractive appearance. That it was in the region of the -Maoris was evident by the numbers of the natives on the streets, though -they did not seem to be busily employed. While looking at a group of -them engaged in rubbing noses with friends they had just met--this is -the Maori form of salutation--Frank asked a gentleman to whom he had -been introduced if the Maoris around Napier were as industrious as those -of Auckland and its neighborhood. - -"They are not," said the gentleman; "at least, such is my impression. -The Maoris here were friendly during the war times, and consequently -were allowed to retain their lands, those of the hostile tribes having -been confiscated. There are about four thousand Maoris in the Hawke's -Bay district, and they own large tracts of fertile lands. Some of them -have farms which they cultivate, but the greater part of them prefer to -lease their lands to European settlers and live in laziness on the -rentals they receive. They are as a rule improvident, and show little -desire to improve their condition, though the Government maintains -native schools among them at its own expense. - -"This district," he continued, "is much more pastoral than agricultural, -and we think it is the best part of New Zealand for sheep and cattle. I -wish you could be here at the time of our annual fair, so that you could -see for yourself what we produce. The show of sheep is excellent, and -the merinos, Lincolns, and Cotswolds exhibited cannot be excelled -anywhere in the whole colony. Our horses are certainly good, and at the -last show there was not an inferior animal in the cattle-pens. One class -of eight heifers was so good that the judges commended all that did not -take prizes. Then we had ploughs, horse-rakes, grain-sowers, wagons, -pleasure carriages, and other things, all made in our own factories, -together with jewellery and silver and gold work from New Zealand -metals, various manufactured articles, such as farina, starch, glucose, -and other products from the growth of our fields. - -[Illustration: SCENE ON A SHEEP FARM.--OFF TO THE PASTURE.] - -"And here," said the gentleman, as he took up a curious lump that -resembled a dried and shrivelled mushroom, "here is something that will -puzzle you." - -The youths looked wonderingly at it, and confessed their ignorance as to -its character. - -[Illustration: FARM SCENES IN THE OPEN COUNTRY.] - -"I thought it would be new to you," their informant continued. "It is a -fungus that grows in considerable quantities on the decaying forest -trees; it is sent exclusively to China, where it is highly prized both -as a medicine and an article of food, and it is said to be the base of a -valuable dye. The export of this fungus began about 1870 or '71; in 1873 -we sent about ten thousand dollars' worth of it to China, and ten years -later nearly ten times as much. There is an abundance of it, and as fast -as one crop is taken from a log a new one starts; so that there seems to -be no reasonable limit to the business which may grow out of it." - -Frank asked if the stuff was good to eat. - -"I never heard of any one trying to eat it here," was the reply, -"except a Chinaman. No European would venture to put it into his mouth, -but that's no reason why we shouldn't send it to China for consumption." - -Doctor Bronson and his young friends remained a day at Napier, and then -proceeded by railway, coach, and railway again to Wellington, the -capital of the colony. Napier is distant from Auckland by sea about -three hundred and seventy miles, and two hundred from Wellington. The -railway carried them southward to Tahoraiti, a distance of eighty-three -miles, where they took the coach for a ride of forty miles to -Mauriceville. There they found the railway to carry them to Wellington, -another ride of eighty-three miles. They were told that within a year or -two the gap would be completed, and the whole distance between Napier -and Wellington could then be made by train between sunrise and sunset. - -The first part of the ride was through a broken country, and the flocks -of sheep and herds of cattle scattered on the hills supported the -statement of their Napier acquaintance that the country was an excellent -one for grazing. After leaving the grazing country they entered a forest -region, where there seemed to be an inexhaustible supply of lumber; and -farther south they came to a comparatively level and open territory, -admirably suited to farms. The whole region was sparsely settled, but is -said to be rapidly filling up. Rabbits are numerous, and our friends -were told that the Government and settlers had expended a great deal of -money to get rid of them; but in spite of all efforts they are on the -increase, and have already rendered worthless large areas of good -pasture land. - -We will have more to say of the rabbit pest in another place. For the -present we will land our travellers at Wellington, and send them to one -of its many hotels. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -ADVANTAGES OF WELLINGTON AS THE CAPITAL.--ITS INDUSTRIES AND -PROSPERITY.--A CITY OF EARTHQUAKES.--ITS PUBLIC BUILDINGS.--THE COLONIAL -GOVERNMENT.--HOW THE COLONY IS RULED.--THE COLONIAL PARLIAMENT.--MAORIS -AS OFFICE-HOLDERS.--A WALK IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.--DIVISION OF THE -ISLANDS INTO COUNTIES AND DISTRICTS.--NO CONNECTION BETWEEN CHURCH AND -STATE.--RELATIVE STRENGTH OF RELIGIOUS BODIES.--EDUCATIONAL -FACILITIES.--THE COLONIAL DEBT: ITS ENORMOUS FIGURES.--OVERLAND TO NEW -PLYMOUTH.--ALONG THE SEA-SHORE.--MAKING IRON FROM SEA-SAND.--RIDING -THROUGH THE BUSH.--NELSON AND PICTON.--THE WAIRAU MASSACRE.--TO PORT -LYTTELTON AND CHRISTCHURCH.--AN ENGLISH MODEL COLONY.--THE CANTERBURY -DISTRICT.--THE "SERVANT-GIRL" QUESTION. - - -[Illustration: ON THE COAST NEAR WELLINGTON.] - -"You have only to look at the map to understand why the capital was -removed from Auckland to Wellington," said Doctor Bronson to Frank and -Fred as they were journeying towards the latter city. "Its position is a -central one, while Auckland is far to the north. There may have been -other reasons for the change, but the geographical one is certainly -apparent to everybody." - -"Yes," answered Frank, as he studied the map, "and see what a fine -harbor it has in addition to its position. Here it is at the head of a -bay which ought to be a shelter from all the storms that blow." - -[Illustration: JUST DOWN FROM THE INTERIOR.] - -"It is the safest and most commodious harbor in New Zealand," remarked a -gentleman who had joined them in conversation, while the train was -rolling through the forest and undulating land that lies to the north of -the city. "The bay is six miles long by the same in width. It was -originally named Port Nicholson, and is still called so on many of the -maps. The first settlement of the New Zealand Company was made here in -1839, a year before Captain Hobson started the government at Auckland. -You are probably aware that the Government was not friendly to the New -Zealand Company and its enterprises at that time, and consequently -Captain Hobson, the first governor, went elsewhere to establish his -authority and found his capital city. - -"Commercially, Wellington has a good future before it, and already it is -in a condition of prosperity. It has a population of thirty thousand and -more, the country behind it is excellent for farming and grazing, and -our position on Cook Strait, which separates North and South Islands, is -the very best we could have. You will see for yourselves that we have a -good many industries, and nearly all of them are profitable ones." - -In answer to a question by one of the youths, the gentleman enumerated -tanneries, candle and soap factories, founderies, boot factories, coach -and carriage shops, breweries, planing and other mills; in fact, all the -establishments that might properly belong to a growing city. "Besides -these," said he, "we have meat-preserving works, and steamers leave -regularly, carrying our frozen and canned meats for consumption in the -Old World. We have several clubs, half a dozen banks, wharves and dry -docks for shipping, three daily papers, and several weeklies and -monthlies; and as for public institutions, in the way of hospitals, -asylums, and the like, you cannot name one that we are without." - -[Illustration: MOUNTAIN AND LAKE IN NEW ZEALAND.] - -In their walks and rides about Wellington our friends verified the -correctness of the foregoing statement in all its essential features. -They saw the factories, founderies, shops, and other industrial -establishments the gentleman had mentioned; they called at one of the -banks to obtain money on their letters of credit; they visited one of -the newspaper offices, and saw the press turning out the huge sheets -which are the glory of Wellington and the admiration of all New -Zealand--except where personal or local preferences are otherwise--and -the Doctor was made at home at half the clubs before he had been six -hours in the place. - -"It is an enterprising city," wrote Frank in his journal, after their -first round of sight-seeing was ended. "It has a hospital with more than -a hundred beds, a lunatic asylum, and a prison, and according to what we -hear, all these institutions are well patronized. But what most -surprises us are the public buildings, which ought to be sufficient for -the wants of the city for many years to come. The Government Building is -an immense structure in the Italian style; it covers an area of two -acres, and is said to be the largest wooden edifice in the world. Then -there are Government House, where the colonial governor lives and -exercises the duties of ruler of New Zealand; the Houses of Legislature, -which are lighted by electric light, the Provincial Buildings, the -Supreme Court Buildings, and the offices of the city and of the -provincial district. The telegraph and postal departments are in the -largest brick building in the colony; and as for churches, they are, as -the auctioneers say in their advertisements, 'too numerous to mention.' - -"We have the choice of twenty or more hotels, and if we should want to -go to the theatre we have three to choose from, though the number is -just now reduced to two, as one is closed for repairs. They showed us -the College, which has about one hundred and fifty students, who come -mostly from Wellington and its vicinity, though there are -representatives of every district in the colony. The streets are well -paved and lighted with gas; they have street railways by which you can -go quickly to all the principal suburbs; and if you prefer to ride by -yourself, there are as many cabs as you could wish for. - -"We have visited the colonial museum, where we saw much to interest us, -particularly in regard to the Maoris. There is a fine collection of -Maori weapons and articles of manufacture, and one might almost make up -a history of this interesting people by studying the Maori department of -the museum. Of course they have a skeleton of the gigantic Dinornis, or -Moa, which we have already described; and there is a beautiful display -of the birds of New Zealand, which has been arranged by a skilled -ornithologist. - -[Illustration: JUST ARRIVED FROM ENGLAND.] - -"From the museum we went to the Botanical Gardens, which cover an area -of perhaps a hundred acres and are finely laid out. They are a favorite -resort of the public, and here in the early evening we had an -opportunity to see of what a curious mixture the population of a New -Zealand city is made up. There were men and women from all parts of the -United Kingdom; Yorkshiremen jostled against Londoners, a Dubliner -against a representative of Glasgow, and a Welshman against one who -first saw the light at Dover or Brighton. English, Scotch, Irish, -Catholic, Protestant, Gentile, and Israelite all met harmoniously, and -if they brought to this country any of their old quarrels of race or -religion they forgot them all, at least while in the Gardens. - -[Illustration: A PROMENADER.] - -"But if the assemblage at the Botanical Gardens was interesting, so was -the collection of trees and ferns. The Botanical Gardens are rich in -these things, and will be richer as the years go on. Not far from the -Gardens is a specimen of the New Zealand forest; we saw it at various -points along the railway, but did not try to walk through it, as we did -here. Unless a path is previously cut it is absolutely impervious, so -closely woven are the vines that interlace between the trees and climb -to their very tops. - -"It is this impenetrability of the forest that gave the Maoris such an -advantage during the war, as it was impossible for the English troops to -follow them half a dozen yards into the 'bush.' When Wellington was -first settled, and down to a few years ago, the hills around the town -were covered with this kind of forest. Most of it has been cut down now, -partly for the sake of the wood, and more particularly for the purpose -of clearing the ground and making it available for agriculture or -building. - -"As we are in the capital of New Zealand, this is a good place to study -the government of the colony. - -"Well, then, New Zealand is an English colony, with a governor appointed -by the Queen, and acting in accordance with the principles of -responsible government. Legislative power is vested in the Governor and -two chambers. One of these chambers is called the Legislative Council, -and consists of fifty-four members nominated by the Governor for life; -the other is called the House of Representatives, elected by the people -for three years, and consisting at present of ninety-four members. - -"Down to 1876 each of the nine provinces of the colony had an elective -superintendent and a provincial council; in that year the provincial -form of government was abolished, and the colony was divided into -counties and road-board districts, and the local administration is now -managed by the county councils and municipalities. The colonial -legislature meets once a year, and has power generally to make laws for -the government of New Zealand. The acts of the legislature may be -disallowed by the Queen, and in some cases they require her assent, but -the royal prerogative is very rarely exercised. - -[Illustration: HOME OF A PROSPEROUS RESIDENT.] - -"Voters must be twenty-one years of age, either born or naturalized -British subjects, and must have resided one year in the colony and six -months in the electoral district. Every male Maori of the same age whose -name is on a rate-payer's roll, or who has a freehold estate of the -value of twenty-five pounds, may also be enrolled as a voter. There are -four Maori members of the House of Representatives, elected under a -special law by the Maoris alone. Legislation concerning the sale and -disposal of the public lands and the occupation of the gold-fields is -exclusively vested in the colonial parliament. In general it may be said -that the parliament and the county and local boards have the management -of public affairs, just as the parliament of England and the local -authorities there conduct the affairs of the nation at home. - -"There is no connection between Church and State, otherwise than in all -ministers being registered once a year, in order that they may legally -perform the marriage ceremony. At the last reports there were 638 -registered ministers, belonging to the following denominations: Church -of England, 235; Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, 81; Roman Catholic, -86; Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, 57; Methodists, 95; -Congregational Independent, 19; Baptist, 17; and ten other bodies with -from one to seventeen ministers each. The Episcopalians of various kinds -have over 200,000 adherents; the Presbyterians, 113,000; the Methodists, -50,000; and Catholics, 70,000. - -[Illustration: SEWING-CLASS IN AN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.] - -"The whole country is divided into school districts for educational -purposes; the education is secular and free, the common branches being -taught on the same basis as in the schools of most of the United States. -There are high-schools and academies in the cities and larger towns; -there are colleges and universities in the principal cities, and there -is the University of New Zealand, which is an examining body only, and -has the power to confer the same degrees as the Universities of Oxford -and Cambridge. All things considered, the educational system of the -colony seems to be an excellent one, and the people deserve credit for -the attention they have given to it. - -"We were invited to visit some of the schools in Auckland, and also in -Napier and Wellington, and while travelling through the country we have -had glimpses of some of the smaller schools. It was very much like -visiting similar establishments in New England or New York, the branches -of study as well as the form of instruction being practically the same. -They tell us there are more than eleven hundred schools of all kinds in -the colony, and nearly one hundred thousand scholars attending them. -Seventy-three per cent. of the male, and sixty-eight per cent. of the -female, population can read and write, and about five per cent. can read -only. In the coming generation the proportion will be much greater. - -"In another respect New Zealand resembles England in having an enormous -public debt in proportion to her population. According to the published -figures the debt amounts to £35,000,000, or $175,000,000, which is very -nearly $350 for each inhabitant of the colony. The interest charge on -this debt is about $13 annually for each inhabitant, so that the tax for -this purpose alone is by no means light. And yet the colony seems quite -unconcerned about it, and the authorities generally seem to think that -there will be no trouble whatever in paying the interest promptly, and -also in wiping out the principal in course of time. A sinking fund has -been established for the reduction of the debt, and at the last report -it exceeded $15,000,000. - -"The money has been expended in various public works, especially in the -construction of railways, of which there are nearly two thousand miles -in both islands, South Island having the greater number. There are a few -private lines, principally for the use of coal-mining companies, and not -amounting in all to twenty miles; all the others are the property of the -Government, and are operated on its account. The profit of operating the -railways is about two per cent. of their cost; but the lines are greatly -benefiting the country in aiding its development, and will doubtless pay -much better before many years. - -"There, I'm afraid I've given you a large dose of figures; but if you -don't like them you can skip. They were interesting to Fred and myself, -and therefore I thought others might like to see them. Population, -railways, education, and public debt are interesting studies when they -concern a country which has been colonized only since 1840, and is -literally on the other side of the world from England and the United -States." - -While Frank was occupied with the foregoing story Fred was making -further investigations about Wellington. One of his first queries was -about the use of wood in the construction of so many of the public -buildings, and nearly all the private residences. - -[Illustration: RESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR, WELLINGTON.] - -He learned, in response to his interrogatories, that Wellington has -suffered at different dates from earthquakes; and at one time they were -so severe and so numerous that it was thought it would be necessary to -abandon the site altogether. Buildings of wood endure earthquakes much -better than do those of stone or brick; and then, too, wood is a cheaper -material. All through New Zealand the proportion of wooden buildings to -stone, concrete, or brick is very large, and it is larger in Wellington -than in any other city. - -Many of the buildings stand on ground reclaimed from the sea, and the -work of reclamation is still going on. High hills come down close to the -original shore, and while they are good enough as the sites of -residences, they are unsuited to the requirements of commerce, which -prefers level ground. Wellington is the centre of a considerable -steamship business; the lines from Sydney and Melbourne centre there; it -is the port of the lines running between England and the colony, and all -the coasting lines include it in their itinerary. - -A pressing invitation was given to our friends to visit New Plymouth, -the principal town of the provincial district of Taranaki north of the -provincial district of Wellington. They at first declined, but -afterwards accepted when they found that their time and engagements -would permit their doing so. The journey was by coach seventy miles to -Foxton, and thence by rail one hundred and ninety miles to New Plymouth. -A railway is in course of construction between Wellington and Foxton, -and is completed for a short distance from Wellington. The coach-ride -was more interesting than coach-rides usually are, and is thus described -by Fred: - -"The weather was delightful, and we had seats on the outside of the -coach, so that our view of the scenery was unobstructed. For the first -few miles the road follows the shore of the bay; then it turns into a -pretty valley, which was once heavily wooded but is now cleared, and no -doubt deprived of much of its former beauty. We crossed the ridge which -separates the harbor of Wellington from the ocean on the west coast, and -after winding among a series of hills found ourselves rolling along -close to the shore of the ever restless Pacific.--[N.B. No joke is -intended in the juxtaposition of the last three words of the foregoing -sentence.] - -[Illustration: DOWN THE SLOPE.] - -"The villages we saw had native and foreign names strangely mingled. One -village was Johnsonville, and the next was Porirua; one was Horokiwi, -and another close to it was Smithtown, or something of the sort. We -wound through the Horokiwi valley, ascending steadily, and suddenly -reached the summit of a hill, which gave us a magnificent view. To the -north was a great plain, which seemed almost as limitless as the ocean -that filled the western horizon, and lay far below us at the base of an -almost precipitous hill. Rising out of the sea was the island of Kapiti, -its summit nearly two thousand feet high, and forming a striking feature -in the picture before us. - -"The driver called attention to something that resembled a white cloud -on the horizon to the north-west, and told us it was Mount Egmont, -nearly a hundred and fifty miles distant, and which we should see very -closely as we approached New Plymouth. We used our eyes every minute of -the time the horses were taking breath, and then started down a steep -hill-side to the sea again. - -"As soon as we reached the sea we turned along the beach, and followed -it for forty miles till we drew up in Foxton. In a year or two the -railway from Wellington will be completed to Palmerston, where it will -connect with the Foxton-New Plymouth line; when this happens it is -probable that the old stage-road will be abandoned, and travellers -deprived of a very interesting ride. - -"Foxton is a flourishing little place, with perhaps a thousand -inhabitants, on the bank of the Manawatu River, four miles from its -mouth. We saw numerous fields of flax in the vicinity, and were told -that flax was an important article of export. We had little time to look -around, as our coach connected with the train, and in less than half an -hour we were rolling up the valley of the Manawatu, which the railway -follows for some distance. - -"Ten miles out of Foxton we entered the forest, or 'bush,' as they call -it here, though much of it has been cleared away. Lumber is an important -product; we saw a goodly number of saw-mills at work, and met -freight-trains laden with lumber on its way to the seaport. The -gentleman who accompanied us pointed out some villages which he said -were settled by Scandinavians, who had proved themselves the very best -of colonists. - -[Illustration: LOGGING IN "THE BUSH."] - -"From bush to open country and from open country to bush our train went -on, stopping occasionally at stations with little villages grouped -around them, but very often with no other buildings visible than those -belonging to the railway. Our host explained to us that the railway was -built to develop the country, and for the greater part of the route it -was in advance of civilization and settlement. 'I think,' said he, 'you -have built a great many miles of railway in the United States in the -same way, and in doing so your stations have been practically in the -wilderness until settlements sprang up around them. Railways in New -Zealand have done a great deal for the development of the country, and -will do a great deal more as time goes on. They give the settlers the -communication they want with the markets, and without such communication -they cannot get along.' - -[Illustration: SETTLERS' CABINS IN THE OPEN COUNTRY.] - -"The passengers that boarded or left the train at the stations were -principally settlers on the agricultural lands, laborers on farms or in -saw-mills, wood-choppers going to their work or leaving it for a visit -to one of the towns, merchants and travelling agents of various kinds, -and occasional natives. The Maoris have not been slow to perceive the -advantages of the railway; at first they were disinclined to travel by -it, through fear of evil consequences; but their prejudice is steadily -diminishing. - -"Doctor Bronson says prejudice against railways is not confined to -savages, as he has known fairly intelligent men in New England and other -parts of the United States resolutely refuse to trust themselves inside -a railway-carriage under any circumstances. Our host tells us that the -Maoris were once under the impression that the Englishmen had a demon of -some kind chained in the locomotive and compelled to move it by turning -a crank. Their more intelligent men have learned the power of steam and -explained it as far as possible to the rest, so that the demon theory -exists no longer. - -[Illustration: MOUNT EGMONT AND RANGES.] - -"We left behind us the provincial district of Wellington, and entered -that of Taranaki. The district takes its name from the Taranaki -mountain, which has been called Egmont by the English, and is so known -on the maps. Mount Egmont is a cone eight thousand three hundred feet -high, and volcanic. We wanted to ascend it, but had not the time to do -so, and consoled ourselves with the reflection that we were saved from a -great deal of fatiguing work. It is no easy matter to ascend this -mountain; those who have undertaken it have never shown any anxiety to -repeat the journey. The mountain lies close to the sea, as you will -observe by a glance at the map, and serves as a magnificent landmark for -sailors approaching this part of the coast. - -"New Plymouth has a population of some four thousand or more, and is the -port of a section of country which is said to be very fertile, as it can -grow nearly every English fruit and cereal. It was settled in 1841, but -suffered much during the Maori wars, as most of the natives in the -district of Taranaki were hostile. They showed us several factories, -saw-mills, and a large flouring-mill, and they called our attention to -an establishment for making iron from the sands of the sea-shore. - -"All along this coast of North Island there is a large quantity of iron -in the sand, sometimes as high as seventy per cent. The people call it -steel, but it is really iron; it is in fine particles, just like the -iron-sands of the southern shore of Long Island, near New York. They -said the iron-works at New Plymouth had never been prosperous, as they -could not get the proper flux for the metal; if they could only do this -their success would be enormous. Doctor Bronson told them that exactly -the same thing had been tried near New York for utilizing the black sand -of Long Island, and thus far it had been a failure. The large proportion -of iron in the sand is noticeable, not only to the eye but to the -sense of touch; as you pick up a handful its unusual weight at once -calls attention to it. - -"We visited a farm near New Plymouth, where we spent a night and a day -listening to stories of the troublous times of the Maori war, riding or -walking through finely tilled fields, and looking at herds of cattle and -flocks of sheep which were well calculated to excite the admiration of -all who are interested in grazing or agricultural pursuits. - -"One gentleman whom we met was an old settler who had fought the Maoris, -and had twice seen his farm devastated and his fields ploughed up to -destroy the growing crops. On the road near his farm a party of -Europeans was waylaid and murdered one day by the Maoris, and it was -only an accident which prevented his being one of the party. As long as -the troubles with the Maoris continued the district of Taranaki was in a -precarious state, as the lands could not be occupied; but with the -establishment of peace there was every reason to believe their -settlement would be a matter of steady progress. - -"We returned to New Plymouth in time to take the semi-weekly coasting -steamer for Wellington, where we stopped a few hours and then continued -across Cook Strait to Nelson and Picton, taking steamer at the latter -place for Port Lyttelton, on the east coast. The route is an interesting -one, as the steamer is for most of the time close to the coast, which is -bold and rugged and contains many little bays that remind us of the -fiords of Norway or the inlets on the coast of Newfoundland or New -Brunswick. - -"Nelson is on a landlocked bay which is rather difficult of entrance, -but forms a perfect anchorage for a ship that once gets inside. Picton -has a situation very much like that of Nelson, and each is the centre of -a farming and sheep-raising region. They had a great deal of trouble -with the Maoris in the war times, and one of the sights of Picton is a -hill a few miles from the town, which was the scene of the so-called -Wairau massacre. Thirteen settlers were killed there in a fight with the -natives, and after the affair was over nine other settlers who had been -taken prisoners were murdered in cold blood." - -At Port Lyttelton our friends left the steamer and proceeded to -Christchurch, which is reached by a railway eight miles long, and -largely tunnelled through the hills, one tunnel being nearly two miles -in length. Before the days of the railway the means of communication was -along a wagon-road which was known as the Zigzag, and occasionally at -present the road is patronized by those who dislike railway travel or -seek the picturesque. Lyttelton has a good harbor, which is principally -due to the expenditure of a large amount of money for the construction -of a breakwater and other purposes, and the place is picturesquely -situated at the head of a bay. - -[Illustration: HOME SCENE AT CHRISTCHURCH.] - -Christchurch owes its existence to a movement in England, near the end -of the first half of the century, for establishing a thoroughly English -colony in New Zealand. Its projectors proposed to retain everything that -was best in English life, government, habits, manners, and above all the -Church of England. The direction of the colony was to lie in the hands -of the Canterbury Association at home, rather than in the control of the -Government, though there was no intention of taking a position hostile -to it. - -One of the founders of the Canterbury colony had been instrumental in -establishing a Scotch colony in another part of New Zealand, and being -Scotch, it was naturally Presbyterian. There is a story about him that -he once projected an Anglo-Hebrew colony, where the Hebrews should -govern themselves according to their own laws, and have no Christians -living among them. He proposed this to a wealthy Israelite, and hoped -the scheme would be received favorably. The gentleman listened patiently -to his proposition, and then said, "I do not see how my people can -thrive in such a community; most of them live by trade, and will want to -be where there's somebody to trade with." The plan of the new colony was -rejected at once. - -[Illustration: HARVEST-TIME IN CANTERBURY.] - -The British Government gave the Canterbury scheme all the privileges it -desired, except that of perfect self-government, which, of course, could -not be permitted. Canterbury was established as a province of New -Zealand, with Christchurch as its capital, and altogether it has been -prosperous. Christchurch is quite English in appearance and -surroundings, and boasts a cathedral (which is not yet finished); and it -has a fine array of public buildings, several churches of the Church of -England, and others of the Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, -and other faiths. The design of the founders of the Canterbury colony -has not been strictly carried out, but on the whole has been quite -successful. There is an excellent museum, which is especially rich in -New Zealand matters; and there are parks, gardens, cricket-grounds, and -other places of amusement and exercise. With its suburbs it has a -population of nearly thirty thousand, and therefore is entitled to -dignified respect as a city. - -"It would not have been difficult for us to imagine ourselves in -England," said Frank in his journal, after describing their arrival at -Christchurch. "Here are English shade-trees along the streets, and in -the gardens and parks; the houses are English in their mode of -construction and furnishing, and the little river that runs through the -town is called the Avon. There are tramways, or horse railways, along -the broad and well-made streets, the lawns are velvety with English -grasses, and along the banks of the winding river the weeping-willow -droops almost to the surface of the water. - -"We have been riding in all directions and in the suburbs, and -everywhere we have seen signs of prosperity and comfort. As we went out -on the principal road we were very soon in the midst of some fine farms, -and were not at all surprised to learn that the country around -Christchurch is very fertile and well adapted to farming. The fields -have English grasses, and are surrounded by English hedges; and many of -the farms looked for all the world as though they had been picked up in -England and dropped down here. The city has its watering-place at -Sumner, nine miles away, and there the inhabitants go to get rid of the -summer's heat as New Yorkers go to Coney Island or Long Branch. - -"A gentleman to whom we had letters of introduction invited us to dine -at his house the day we arrived, but an hour before the time for us to -start he came to the hotel and evidently had something serious on his -mind. After a few preliminary words he came straight to the point, and -said he was obliged to ask us to consider the engagement 'off' for the -present. - -"'The fact is,' said he, 'my wife's cook has just left to get married, -and our other girl left last week, and we've not been able to fill her -place. There's nobody in the house to cook the dinner; my wife can take -care of the household, but we would hardly like to try to entertain -visitors under such circumstances.' - -"Of course we excused him, and tried to make his mortification as slight -as possible. The incident led to a conversation about the 'servant -question,' which has troublesome features in many other countries as -well as in New Zealand. - -[Illustration: MAID-SERVANT OFF DUTY.] - -"The gentleman who wanted to be our host, but just then couldn't, told -us that there was a great scarcity of house-servants in the colony, and -he thought Christchurch was a little worse off than any other city, -though he was not at all sure about it. Very often it is impossible to -get maid-servants at any price, and those that can be obtained demand -high wages, and are independent to a degree that would not be tolerated -in England. A discharge has no terrors for a cook or house-maid who -knows that a dozen places are open to her; and when she consents to take -a place she can be sure of four dollars a week and her board, with at -least two evenings out in a week, and sometimes three. Many of the -well-to-do colonists had tried the experiment of importing maid-servants -from England, but found the speculation a bad one, as the girls -generally left service in a few months to get married. Their passage had -been paid to New Zealand, and with matrimony in view, they laughed at -any idea of working out the time for which they had agreed. - -"He further told us that in many houses the mistress was obliged to do -all her own work with the aid of her daughters, if she had any; and -this, too, where they were perfectly willing and able to hire servants. - -"Doctor Bronson told him the story of the man in San Francisco who was -trying to hire a maid-servant that declined the situation on account of -his three children. 'I will not go into a family where there is more -than one child,' was her ultimatum. Whereupon the gentleman said, 'We -can easily fix that, I think.' - -"'How so?' she asked. - -"'I'll speak to my wife about it, and rather than lose the chance of -engaging you, I've no doubt she would be willing to drown two of them.' - -"Our New Zealand friend laughed heartily over the story, and before he -left us he had evidently forgotten his annoyance at the circumstance -that brought him to the hotel. He added that the story would not be -inappropriate to Christchurch, but he feared all his neighbors would not -appreciate the joke. - -"All along this part of the coast water is obtained by artesian wells at -about eighty feet from the surface. Christchurch has hundreds of such -wells, and the supply of water never fails; they reminded us of the -wells in the sands of Long Island, and along the Atlantic coast of the -United States all the way to Florida." - -[Illustration: GARDENING IN THE PARK.] - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CANTERBURY DISTRICT.--VISIT TO A -SHEEP-STATION.--HOW THE SHEEP-BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.--THE AGRICULTURAL -COLLEGE.--IRRIGATION IN NEW ZEALAND.--SHEEP LOST IN SNOW-STORMS.--THE -SHEEP-RAISER'S ENEMIES.--DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY PARROTS.--THE RABBIT -PEST.--HOW RABBITS ARE EXTERMINATED.--VISIT TO A WHEAT-FARM.--WHEAT -STATISTICS.--IMPROVED MACHINERY.--THE SPARROW PEST.--TROUBLESOME -EXOTICS.--WATER-CRESS, DAISIES, AND SWEETBRIER.--AN INDUSTRIAL -SCHOOL.--MOUNT COOK.--FIRST ASCENT.--PERILOUS CLIMBING.--GLACIERS -AND LAKES.--THE SOUTHERN ALPS.--DUNEDIN.--OTAGO -GOLD-FIELDS.--INVERCARGILL.--LAKE WAKATIPU.--MINING AT QUEENSTOWN. - - -[Illustration: UNDER THE SHEARS.] - -The provincial district of Canterbury is both an agricultural and a -pastoral country, part of it being well adapted to grain-growing, and -the rest to grazing. Its staple productions are grain and wool, and it -ships large quantities of both to England and other countries. There are -more than 5,000,000 sheep in the district, besides 200,000 cattle and -horses; the annual product of wheat is nearly 7,000,000 bushels, and of -oats half that amount. Evidently the Canterbury pilgrims did not choose -unwisely when they came here to found their Utopia. - -Our friends were invited to visit a sheep-station and wheat-farm in the -interior, and at once accepted. Mr. Abbott, the gentleman who gave the -invitation, explained to them that the plain of Canterbury, which -extended to the foot of the outlying hills of the Southern Alps, was -principally devoted to agriculture, while the hilly region was more -adapted to sheep-raising. "We will go to the sheep-shearing region -first," said he, "and on our return will have a look at a wheat-farm. We -will go by railway to Springfield, forty-six miles, and from there the -coach will carry us in a few hours to the sheep-station that I wish you -to see. Be ready for the train at eight o'clock to-morrow morning." - -[Illustration: A SHEEP-SHEARING SHED IN NEW ZEALAND.] - -The party was ready at the time appointed; in fact, it was ready some -minutes before the time, in accordance with the promptness which -characterized the movements of Doctor Bronson and his nephews. They -found the railway-station large and commodious, and arranged after the -plan of an English station in a community of much greater extent. "It -was built for our future rather than for our present needs," said Mr. -Abbott. "In time we hope to require all the space at our command, but -just at present there is sometimes a suggestion of loneliness about it." - -The country through which the train passed on its way to Springfield -bore evidences of careful cultivation, and our friends found it -difficult to believe that previous to 1850 this whole region was a -wilderness. Certainly the Canterbury pilgrims were not inclined to -idleness, and the condition of their fields indicated that they belonged -to men of industry and intelligence. As the train moved westward the -mountains became more and more distinct, and long before Springfield was -reached they filled the whole of the western horizon with their towering -peaks. - -"We have an agricultural college at Lincoln," said Mr. Abbott, "where -our young men can learn practical and scientific agriculture adapted to -the colony. It is under the control of the Canterbury College Board of -Governors, and has a farm of five hundred acres, and comfortable -buildings for the students. Agriculture is taught practically, and we -have every reason to expect excellent results from the college in the -course of the next few years." - -From Springfield a ride of a few hours carried the party to the -sheep-station, where they were warmly welcomed. The sun was just setting -when they arrived, and it was too late to examine the place and its -surroundings. A supper consisting of mutton in cutlets and stew, -accompanied by bread baked on hot stones, and washed down with tea, -received careful and appreciative attention by the hungry travellers. -The sleeping accommodations were limited but comfortable, and in the -morning all were out in good season, and ready to consider the -sheep-raising question. - -[Illustration: A FLOCK OF SHEEP AMONG THE HILLS.] - -Horses were brought, and though somewhat unruly at first, they proved -very satisfactory to their riders; at any rate, nobody had any bones -broken in the forenoon's ride, though there were some narrow escapes. -Accompanied by their host, the party rode over the sheep-run for several -miles, visiting the herders in charge of their flocks, and studying the -peculiarities of the country. Frequently during their ride Mr. Abbott -drew rein and called attention to the natural and other advantages or -disadvantages of the business, and showed them wherein it differed from -sheep-farming in America. - -"Here, as everywhere else," said he, "we must make sure of a plentiful -supply of water if we want to prosper. Some of the streams run dry at -certain seasons of the year, and it is necessary that a man should know -before he locates if a stream can be relied upon throughout the year. On -some of our runs we have made trenches and brought water for long -distances, as it is cheaper to have the water run where we want it than -to drive the sheep several miles. There is an abundance of water flowing -from the mountains, but it is not properly distributed by nature; -therefore we have called science to our aid, and extensive -irrigation-works have been made by the local and colonial governments, -and in this way thousands upon thousands of sheep-pasturing and -agricultural lands that were formerly almost worthless are now valuable. -You probably observed some of the irrigating-ditches as we were coming -along the railway. - -[Illustration: SHEEP AND HERDER KILLED IN A SNOW-STORM.] - -"In the lower hills we do not suffer from snow-storms, but some of the -sheep-farmers who have established themselves high up among the -mountains have lost heavily from this cause. Sometimes there will be -several years without a severe storm, and then will come one that kills -off thousands and thousands of sheep in a very few days. This was the -case a few years ago, when the losses were very heavy; one flock of more -than a thousand sheep was shut up in the mountains, and perished with -their herder, who was found dead by their side. Other flocks were buried -and died in the snow, but the herders managed to save themselves. - -"But the rabbits and parrots are our worst enemies, as you may have -heard." - -"Yes, I've heard so," replied Frank; "at least I've been told that the -rabbits have been terribly destructive of grass, and ruined many -thousand acres of pasturage." - -"Rabbits were first introduced," said Mr. Abbott, "as a table luxury and -to furnish hunting sport; and besides, it was thought they would be -handsome ornaments on a place. But very soon it was found that they were -a great pest; they increase very rapidly, and as the country was -sparsely settled, the settlers were unable to keep them down. Men were -hired to trap, shoot, or capture them in some way, and were paid at the -rate of twopence for each rabbit-skin; but this plan was not effective, -as it was not rapid enough, and after many experiments we took to -poisoning the creatures by wholesale." - -"How did you do it?" - -"By means of grain saturated with phosphorus; we prepare barrels with -closely fitting lids, and fill them half full with oats; then we pour -boiling water on the oats, and when they are thoroughly soaked and -swollen we pour in a quantity of phosphorus, quickly replacing the -cover, so that the poisonous fumes cannot escape. This grain scattered -over the ground is death to the rabbits, but the disadvantages of the -plan are that sheep are often killed by the poisoned grain. - -"To give you an idea of the slaughter of rabbits in New Zealand, let me -say that ten millions of rabbit-skins are exported every year, but the -value of these skins is very little compared with the damage which the -animals have caused. The latest official reports show that the nuisance -is checked in some localities, but there are yet many millions of -rabbits to be disposed of. In England and other countries foxes, wolves, -weasels, and other noxious animals keep down the number of rabbits, but -here, where they have no natural enemies, the country suffers terribly. -Many a sheep-farmer has been ruined by the total destruction of his -pasturage, and the loss to the colony may be reckoned by millions of -dollars. - -[Illustration: REDUCING THE RABBIT POPULATION.] - -"Australia and Tasmania are equally afflicted by rabbits," the gentleman -continued, "which were introduced into those countries from New Zealand -for the same reasons that they were introduced here. Millions of pounds -sterling would not compensate for their ravages, and the public and -private expenditure for their destruction has already mounted into those -figures. Dogs, ferrets, poison, trapping, drowning, and every other -known means have been tried to reduce them, but without success. -Occasionally the whole population turns out for a rabbit 'battue,' in -which many thousands of the animals are killed. The owners of sheep and -cattle runs have built hundreds of miles of rabbit-fences, and the -colonial governments have done likewise; the fences stop the progress of -the vermin for a time, but after a while they manage to burrow beneath -them and come up on the other side, and so the fences are not effective -to prevent the spread of the pest." - -"Haven't I read about their being killed by forcing noxious gases into -their warrens?" one of the boys asked. - -"Yes," was the reply, "that has been done, but the machines for making -and using the gas are costly and cumbersome, and in rocky regions they -do not work satisfactorily. - -"Recently the Government of New South Wales has offered a reward of -twenty-five thousand pounds to any one who will devise a successful -system of destroying rabbits, provided it is not dangerous to live-stock -and to human beings. The attention of the scientific world is directed -to the subject, and perhaps the remedy may be found. Pasteur, the -celebrated French scientist, has proposed to inoculate a few rabbits -with chicken-cholera and allow them to run among their kindred, and thus -introduce the disease. He says it is harmless to all animals, with the -exception of rabbits and chickens, and believes that the whole rabbit -population could in this way be killed off, though at the same time our -domestic fowls would be killed too, unless they were carefully shut up. -We could afford to lose every fowl in the southern hemisphere if we -could only get rid of this great pest of rabbits; but it will be -necessary to proceed very cautiously, lest our sheep and cattle should -suffer." - -The youths had a realizing sense of the extent of this pest in the -Australasian colonies, when they saw on several occasions whole -hillsides and stretches of plain that seemed to be in motion, so thickly -was the ground covered with rabbits. Mr. Abbott further told them that -Dunedin and other cities had a regular exchange, or market, for -rabbit-skins, where dealings were conducted as in the grain, wool, and -other exchanges. The skins mostly find their way to London, Paris, -Berlin, Vienna, and Naples, where they are made into "kid" gloves of the -lower grades. They are also made into hats, and it is hoped that they -may be found useful for other purposes, so as to make profitable the -wholesale slaughter of the animals on whose backs they grow.[8] - -[8] A recent writer on this subject says: "On the arid, barren Riverina -plains (whereon naturally not even a mouse could exist) there are -pastured at present some twenty or twenty-five millions of high-class -merino sheep. These sheep are being gradually eaten out by rabbits. The -following will serve as an illustration, and it must be borne in mind -that it is only one of many which could be adduced. - -"On the south bank of the river Murray, consequently in the colony of -Victoria, there is a station named Kulkyne, which has about twenty miles -frontage to that river. The holding extends far back into arid, -naturally worthless, waterless country. On that station, by skilful -management and by command of capital, there came to be pastured on it -about 110,000 sheep. When I two or three years ago visited that station -I found that the stock depasturing it had shrunk to 1,200 sheep dying in -the paddock at the homestead; 110,000 sheep to 1,200 sheep! - -"The rabbits had to account for the deficiency. On that station they had -eaten up and destroyed all the grass and herbage; they had barked all -the edible shrubs and bushes, and had latterly themselves begun to -perish in thousands." - -"How about the parrots?" Fred asked, when the rabbit question was -disposed of. - -"That is a strange piece of history," replied Mr. Abbott. "When the -sheep-farmers first established their stations among the mountains there -were flocks of the _kea_, or green parrot, living in the glens and -feeding entirely on fruit and leaves. They were beautiful birds, and -nobody suspected any harm from them. - -"After a time it was observed that many of the sheep, and they were -invariably the finest and fattest of the flocks, had sores on their -backs, and always in the same place, just over the kidneys. Some of the -sores were so slight that the animals recovered, but the most of them -died or had to be killed to end their sufferings. - -"The cause of these sores was for some time a mystery, but at length a -herdsman on one of the high ranges declared his belief that the green -parrots were the murderers of the sheep. He was ridiculed and laughed -at, but was soon proved to be right, as a parrot was seen perched on the -back of a fat sheep and tearing away the flesh. - -[Illustration: PARROTS.] - -"Investigation showed that in the severe winters the parrots had come at -night to the gallows, where the herdsmen hung the carcasses of -slaughtered sheep. They picked off the fat from the mutton, and showed a -partiality for that around the kidneys; how they ever connected the -carcasses with the living sheep is a subject for the naturalists to -puzzle over, and especially how they knew the exact location of the spot -where the choicest fat was found in the living animal. It seems that the -attacks on the sheep began within a few months after the parrots had -first tasted mutton at the meat-gallows." - -"Have they done much damage?" one of the youths asked. - -"Yes, a great deal," was the reply; "but not so much of late years, as -they are being exterminated. One man lost nineteen fine imported sheep -out of a flock of twenty, killed by the parrots; and another lost in the -same way two hundred in a flock of three hundred. Every flock in the -mountains suffers some from this cause, probably not less than two per -cent. - -"A shilling a head is now paid for keas, and there is a class of men who -hunt them for the sake of the reward; but the sagacious birds that -formerly came without fear into the presence of man now keep themselves -carefully concealed in the daytime, and only venture out at night. Their -depredations have always been made in the night, and hence it was some -time before the cause of the wounds on the sheep was known." - -[Illustration: A NEW ZEALAND PEST.] - -Frank and Fred asked about the profits of the sheep-raising business, -but the information they obtained did not encourage them to become -sheep-farmers in New Zealand. What with the rabbits and the parrots, -with diseases among sheep, fluctuations in wool, the high price of -labor, especially at shearing-time, when extra men must be engaged, with -a full knowledge of their importance, the profits are not what they were -in the early days of the industry. - -From the sheep-station they returned to Springfield, and took train -again in the direction of Christchurch. At the second or third station -from Springfield they were met by a carriage, which took them to the -wheat-farm, which was one of the objects of the journey. Time did not -permit a lengthened stay here, but it was sufficient to enable them to -see a good deal before their departure. - -Here is a summary of what they learned about wheat-farming in New -Zealand: - -"About four hundred thousand acres of ground are utilized for wheat in -the different counties of the colony. The farmers expect twenty-five -bushels to the acre in most localities, but frequently this figure is -exceeded, the average throughout the country for one year being in -excess of twenty-six bushels. Consequently, the wheat crop may be set -down at ten million bushels, of which by far the greater portion is -available for exportation." - -Frank made a note here to the effect that half a million acres of land -were devoted to raising oats, at an average of thirty-five bushels to -the acre. Barley, hay, potatoes, and other things brought the amount of -land under crop up to a million and a half acres, while there were five -and a half million acres under grasses, including grass-sown land that -had not been previously ploughed. The figures were about evenly divided -between the two islands. The colony contains about fourteen million -sheep, seven hundred thousand cattle, and one hundred and sixty thousand -horses. - -"Of late years the export of wheat has fallen off, owing to the -competition of India and America in the markets of Europe; the -wheat-farms of New Zealand are so unprofitable that the owners talk of -putting much of their ground into grass, though they will continue the -cultivation in order to supply enough for home consumption and to employ -the machinery they have on hand. - -[Illustration: A STEAM THRESHING-MACHINE.] - -"The open country of South Island is admirably adapted for wheat, and -the soil is so easy to manipulate that double-furrow ploughs are used. -The large farms are provided with all the latest improvements in -machinery and implements; and we found the intelligent farmers -thoroughly familiar with American reapers and mowers, steam -threshing-machines, steam wagons, and other things, so that we felt -quite at home. They asked us about the wheat-farms of America, and were -inclined to shake their heads when we told them of fields so large that -a plough could only turn a single furrow around one of them in a day's -time. - -"'Do you really mean it?' said one of them, with an emphasis of -surprise. - -"Doctor Bronson assured them of the correctness of the statement, and -added that on the Dalrymple farm in Dakota, or rather on one of the -Dalrymple farms, there was a single field of thirteen thousand acres. -'That makes,' said he, 'about twenty square miles, and I doubt if you -have any team that could plough more than one furrow around such a field -in a day.' - -"They acknowledged that such was the case, and though they had fields -containing hundreds of acres inside a single fence, they had nothing -that approached the wheat-fields of Dakota. We were sorry afterwards -that we mentioned our enormous wheat-fields, as we thought it set them -to thinking of American competition, and the effect it might have on -their own business in future; but of course we couldn't resist our -national tendency to 'brag' a little. - -"Afterwards, when we were visiting a dairy-farm, a matter-of-fact -Scotchman who owned the place remarked that he presumed we had much -larger dairy-farms in America, as he had heard of one where they had a -saw-mill which was propelled by the whey that ran from the -cheese-presses, and also a grist-mill operated by buttermilk! - -"In the wheat-growing belt of South Island there is a scarcity of -timber, the forests being mainly in the hilly and mountain region. The -scarcity of timber has led to the planting of forests. Considerable -attention is given to this both by the authorities and by individuals, -and good results are predicted at no distant day. There is also a -scarcity of water, and to meet it irrigation-works have been -constructed, as already stated. - -[Illustration: ENGLISH SPARROWS AT HOME.] - -"Wheat-farmers are troubled by rabbits, and also by sparrows, which were -introduced to kill off caterpillars and other insect pests. The sparrows -increased in numbers almost as rapidly as the rabbits; they changed -their habits, and from carnivorous taste turned to eating fruits and -grains. The New Zealand sparrow shuns the caterpillars and worms he was -imported to devour, and feeds on the products of the garden and the -field. The same is the case in Australia, where the sparrows are now in -countless millions, the descendants of fifty birds that were imported -about 1860. The colonial governments have offered rewards for the heads -and eggs of the sparrows, and though this has caused an extensive -destruction it has not perceptibly diminished their numbers. - -"In an official investigation of the 'sparrow pest,' one man testified -that he sowed his peas three times, and each time the sparrows devoured -them. Another told how the birds destroyed a ton and a half of grapes, -in fact cleared his vineyard, and others said they had been robbed of -all the fruit in their gardens." - -This is a good place to say something about the exotics that have been -introduced into the Australasian colonies. Cattle, horses, sheep, and -swine have been of unequivocal benefit, and so has been the stocking of -the rivers with trout, carp, and other food fishes of Europe. Larks and -a few other song-birds have thus far proved of no trouble, but even they -may yet give cause to regret their introduction. In addition to the -animal pests already mentioned, the Indian _mina_, or mino-bird, a -member of the starling family, has become a great nuisance, almost equal -to the sparrow. - -We will now turn from the animal to the vegetable exotics. - -Wheat, oats, and the other grains are of course in the same beneficial -category as the domestic animals. The innocent water-cress, which is -such a welcome addition to the breakfast and dinner table, has grown -with such luxuriance as to choke the rivers, impede the navigation of -those formerly navigable, and cause disastrous floods which have -resulted in loss of life and immense destruction of property. In the -Otago and Canterbury districts of New Zealand, the Government makes a -large expenditure every year to check the growth of this vegetable -pest. - -The daisy was introduced to give the British settler a reminder of home, -and already it has become so wide-spread as to root out valuable -grasses. Years ago an enthusiastic Scotchman brought a thistle to -Melbourne, and half the Scotchmen in the colony went there to see it. A -grand dinner was given in honor of this thistle, and on the following -day it was planted with much ceremony in the Public Garden of Melbourne. -From that thistle and its immediate descendants the down was carried by -the winds all over Victoria, and many thousands of acres of once -excellent fields are now covered with tall purple thistles to the -exclusion of everything else. Large amounts of money have been expended -in the effort to eradicate the thistle, but all in vain. - -The common sweetbrier is another vegetable exotic that has become a -pest. It was introduced for the sake of its perfume, but has become -strong and tenacious, spreading with great rapidity, and forming a dense -scrub that utterly ruins pasture-lands. Money has been expended for its -destruction, but it refuses to be destroyed. - -The English sparrow is the subject of much discussion in the United -States, and the opinion seems to be gaining ground that he is a pest to -be put out of the way if possible. Those who are inclined to advocate -his continued presence under the Stars and Stripes would do well to -study his history in the Australasian colonies, where the damage he has -caused is practically incalculable. - -[Illustration: CLASS IN THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.] - -Our friends returned to Christchurch, and after another day in that city -proceeded by railway in the direction of the South Pole. At the earnest -solicitation of one of their acquaintances, they stopped a few hours at -Burnham, eighteen miles from Christchurch and on the line of railway, to -visit the industrial school for children whose parents have neglected to -care for them properly. The object is to instruct the children in useful -trades and occupations which can afford them an honorable support in -later years. The school has extensive buildings and grounds, and has -constantly about three hundred children under instruction. Nearly all -the ordinary trades are taught there, and the manager said the children -generally showed great proficiency in learning what was set for them to -do. - -"The main line of railway to Dunedin," wrote Frank in his journal, "has -several branches which serve as feeders by developing the country -through which they pass. Portions of the line are through rolling or -hilly country, and there are other portions which stretch across plains -resembling the prairies of the western United States. On the western -horizon rises the line of snow-clad mountains, again reminding us of -railway travelling over our own plains as we approach the range of 'The -Rockies.' - -"We crossed several fine bridges spanning the rivers Rakaia, Ashburton, -Rangitoto, and Waitaki; these rivers flow through wide beds, and though -ordinarily of no great volume become tremendous torrents in seasons of -floods. In the early days many a traveller came to his death while -seeking to ford one of these treacherous streams, and many sad memories -are connected with their history. - -"As we approached Timaru, one hundred miles from Christchurch, Mount -Cook, the highest mountain of New Zealand, was pointed out to us. It is -12,349 feet high, and its top is covered with perpetual snow; it is the -highest peak of the Southern Alps, which stretch along the west coast of -New Zealand for nearly two hundred miles, very much as the Andes lie -along the west coast of South America. Fred and I thought we would like -to climb Mount Cook, and spoke to Doctor Bronson about it. The Doctor -dampened our enthusiasm by saying that it was more difficult of ascent -than Mont Blanc, and he was unaware that the feat had been accomplished -since Rev. W. S. Green and two Swiss companions reached the top of the -mountain in 1883. - -[Illustration: A PERILOUS NIGHT-WATCH.] - -"He added that Mr. Green was a member of the famous Alpine Club, and -had brought the two Swiss mountain-climbers to assist him in making the -ascent. They made several attempts before they succeeded, and when they -finally reached the summit it was after several narrow escapes from -death. They passed one night standing on a narrow ledge of rock, where a -single misstep would have hurled them to instant death thousands of feet -below. Frequently they toiled for hours up the side of a spur of the -mountain, and then found that their labor was lost, as farther ascent -was impossible, owing to the steepness of the rock." - -"They had all the variety of adventures recorded in the history of -Alpine climbing," said a gentleman who was in conversation with Doctor -Bronson at the time the query was propounded, "except that of being -swept into crevasses or down the slope of the mountain and losing their -lives. Mr. Green has published a book, entitled 'The High Alps of New -Zealand,' in which you will find a description of the ascent of Mount -Cook. After you have read it I don't think you'll want to follow the -example of that gentleman, unless you have more than the ordinary -enthusiasm about mountain-climbing." - -[Illustration: THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT COOK.] - -"As we looked at the peak of Mount Cook rising sharply into the sky," -Frank continued, "we concluded that a view of the mountain from below -would satisfy all our desires. The gentleman roused our curiosity, -however, when he told us about the wonderful glaciers that lie on the -lower slopes of the great mountain, some of them larger than any of the -glaciers of Switzerland. Then on the way he pointed out several lakes -that are fed by the glaciers on Mount Cook and other peaks of the -Southern Alps just as the lakes of Switzerland and Italy are fed by the -glaciers from the Alps of Europe. Some of these lakes are forty or fifty -miles long, and of almost unknown depth; indeed, some of them are deeper -than the level of the ocean, though their bottoms have been filling up -for ages with the débris brought down by the glaciers. - -"Look on the map and find Lake Tekapo; it is fifteen miles long and -three wide, and is supplied by the great Godley glacier, which lies just -above it. The Tasman glacier, eighteen miles long, is the largest in New -Zealand, though this statement is disputed by some authorities. At any -rate, there are a great many glaciers, and all have not been fully -explored. They are on the western as well as on the eastern slope of the -mountains; one of them descends from Mount Cook to within seven hundred -feet of the sea-level, and for a long distance is bordered by -magnificent vegetation in which tree-ferns and fuchsias are conspicuous. -In this respect the glacier resembles that of Grisons, in Switzerland, -which comes down far below the snow-level, and is bordered with pine -forests and almost by cornfields. - -[Illustration: ATTEMPT TO CLIMB THE EASTERN SPUR.] - -"Some of the moraines, or channels, cut by the glaciers are very deep, -and most of the lakes lie in what were moraines ages and ages ago, when -the ice extended much farther than it does now. Lake Pukaki is a fine -example of this; it is shut in by an old terminal moraine which attains -a height of one hundred and eighty-six feet above the surface of the -lake. On the western side of the Alps there are deep channels which are -called 'sounds,' and greatly resemble the fiords of Norway. Some of them -are eighteen or twenty miles long, and vary from half a mile to two or -three miles in width; their sides rise almost perpendicularly, sometimes -for hundreds of feet, and they are nearly all too deep to permit ships -to anchor. Sounding-lines a thousand feet long often fail to find bottom -there. Perhaps they are called sounds because they can't be sounded. - -[Illustration: RIVER ISSUING FROM A GLACIER.] - -"These sounds are supposed to be ancient moraines, and during the ice -period of the world they were the beds of glaciers coming from immense -lakes, encircling the bases of the mountains and covering areas of -thousands of miles. Altogether the scenery of the Southern Alps is said -to be magnificent." - -Doctor Bronson had decided to make no stop on the way until reaching -Dunedin, and though earnestly urged to spend a day at Timaru, in order -to see the harbor works there, the establishment for freezing meat, the -barbed wire factory, and other enterprises, he did not swerve from his -resolution. The party reached Dunedin late in the evening, and went to -the hotel which had been recommended as one of the best. They had no -occasion to complain of it, and in the morning were ready to "do" the -sights of the place. - -Dunedin has the reputation of being the largest, best built, and most -important commercial city of New Zealand; it is the capital of the -provincial district of Otago, and the commercial centre of a large area -of country. The settlement of Otago was projected in 1846, and it was -intended to be exclusively occupied by adherents of the Free Kirk of -Scotland, just as Canterbury at a later date was to be the monopoly of -adherents of the Church of England. The colony was not especially -prosperous under its exclusive system, though the thrifty settlers had -not much to complain of except the scarcity of neighbors. - -But gold changed the whole scene, and broke down the barrier which the -projectors of the colony had erected. In 1861 rich gold-diggings were -discovered about seventy miles from Dunedin; diggers flocked in from -Australia and from other parts of the world, and from the beginning of -the gold rush Dunedin dates its prosperity. - -It has all the characteristics of a thriving city; gas, paved streets, -horse-railways, race-course, theatres, schools, academies, churches, -colleges, parks, gardens, museum, manufactories, and numerous other -urban things and institutions, all are to be found here. There are three -daily papers published in Dunedin, and a score of weeklies and -monthlies, and there is an excellent library, supported partly by the -municipal authorities, and partly by contributions of enterprising -citizens. With its immediate suburbs it has a population of fifty -thousand, and is steadily increasing year by year. Its Scotch origin is -apparent in the faces and accent of the great majority of the residents, -and by the statue of the Scottish poet, Burns, which stands protected by -a railing in front of the town-hall. Most of the streets are named after -those of Edinburgh and Glasgow. - -Our friends spent two days at Dunedin, and so attentive were the -gentlemen to whom they brought introductions that there were very few -leisure moments. Drives in the city and the suburbs, visits to the -manufactories of various kinds, the public buildings, and the harbor, -luncheons and dinners at the houses of their friends, kept them as busy -as bees. They had hardly a minute to themselves, until they finally -shook the dust of Dunedin from their feet, and departed with their faces -once more towards the South Pole. Frank and Fred declared that their -journals were so far behind that it would be difficult for them to catch -up, and they had not taken nearly as many notes of what they saw and -heard in Dunedin as they desired. - -"I wanted," said Frank, "to make a note of the things they manufacture -in Otago, and especially at Dunedin, but the list was so long and time -so scarce that I didn't try; but I'll remark particularly that they -manufacture a good deal of woollen cloth, leather, cotton, and other -fabrics, which is something very unusual for so young a colony. There is -more manufacturing here than in any other part of New Zealand, and the -Scotch settlers of Otago seem to have brought here the thrift and -industry for which their native land is celebrated." - -[Illustration: HYDRAULIC MINING.] - -Doctor Bronson asked Fred if he had learned anything about the product -of gold in Otago. - -"I have the figures right here," was the reply. "From 1861, when the -first discoveries were made, down to the end of March, 1884, the Otago -gold-fields produced 4,319,544 ounces, which were valued at £17,026,320, -or about $85,000,000. Most of the gold has been obtained from alluvial -washings of various kinds, such as sluicing, tunnelling, and hydraulic -washing; auriferous reefs have been successfully worked in several -instances, and unsuccessfully in more. Gold-mining has become a regular -industry of the country, and is less subject to fluctuations than in -former times. Once in a while a new field is opened, and there is a rush -to work it; but the excitement over such discoveries is not like that of -the five or ten years following 1861. - -[Illustration: A SQUATTER'S HOME.] - -"Coal-mining is also an important industry of Otago," continued Fred. -"Where formerly a great deal of coal was imported, the importation has -dwindled to nothing, and for several years New Zealand has not only -produced its own coal, but has a surplus for export. At least that is -what one authority says; another says that the exportation consists of -coal sent to Australia for gas-making, and that the quantity imported -for uses to which New Zealand coal is not adapted exceeds the export by -nearly fifty thousand tons." - -From Dunedin our friends proceeded by rail again to Invercargill, 139 -miles from Dunedin, or 369 from Christchurch. Invercargill is a -prosperous town of some eight or ten thousand inhabitants, and is near -the southern end of South Island, a sort of jumping-off place, as Frank -called it while looking at its location on the map. The real terminus of -the island, though not its most southerly point, is The Bluffs, about -seventeen miles below Invercargill, which stands on an estuary called -New River Harbor. - -The morning after their arrival the travelling trio took the train for -Kingston, eighty-seven miles, at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu. The -train carried them through a fine country of broad plains dotted here -and there with tracts of forest. The region appeared to be well settled, -as there were little villages scattered at irregular intervals, fields -and pastures surrounded by fences, herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, -isolated farms, saw-mills, and other evidences of settlement and -prosperity. Several branch railways diverge from the main line and open -up agricultural, pastoral, mining, lumber, and other districts of much -present or prospective value. - -[Illustration: A MOUNTAIN WATER-FALL.] - -"As we approached the lake," said Frank in his journal, "the country -became more mountainous and picturesque. The train wound through a long -defile, and then came out upon the 'Five Rivers Plains,' which take -their name from five streams of water that pass through them. We passed -through the Dome Gorge, and at Athol, sixty-nine miles from -Invercargill, the conductor told us we were in the lake country. The -hills and mountains were everywhere about us, and in the west the great -range of the Alps rose into the sky. At Kingston the railway ends, and -we stepped on board the steamboat, which carried us the whole length of -the lake. The lake is sixty miles long, and reminded us of Lake Lucerne -in Switzerland. - -"We spent the night at Queenstown, a mining and agricultural town about -twenty miles from Kingston, and on the next day completed our journey to -the head of the lake. The scenery is magnificent, and I can no more -describe it adequately in words than I can tell how a nightingale sings -or a mangosteen tastes. All around us are the mountains, the highest -peaks covered with perpetual snow that seems to flash back the rays of -the sun, before whose heat it refuses to melt. In the distance, higher -than all the rest, is Mount Earnslaw; we saw it clearly defined against -the sky, but it is very often veiled by the fleecy clouds that sweep -around it. - -[Illustration: SHOTOVER GORGE BRIDGE.] - -"I am not surprised that the mountains of New Zealand have been called -the Southern Alps, for they certainly bear a close resemblance to the -Alpine chain of Switzerland; but I do not think any single peaks are -equal to the Matterhorn or the Jungfrau, though Mount Earnslaw can well -be called the peer of Mont Blanc. On the whole, the scenery of the lake -is not surpassed by that of any one of the Swiss lakes; and when New -Zealand becomes the regular field for tourists there will be a good deal -of travel to Lake Wakatipu. Most of the residents shorten the name of -the lake to Wakatip. - -"We were urged to stop at Queenstown and see the mining operations in -the neighborhood, but time did not permit us to do so, and we returned -to Invercargill as quickly as the railway and steamboat could carry us. -Queenstown is one of the mining centres of the Otago gold-fields, which -we have already mentioned, and has had the usual ups and downs of mining -life. The Otago mines cover a wide extent of country, and as much of the -region in which they lie is agricultural, living is cheaper here than in -most other mining regions. - -"A good many Chinese are engaged in mining in the New Zealand -gold-fields, and we were told that in one place--Orepuki--there was a -mining population of four hundred Chinese that subscribed £100 ($500) -towards building a Presbyterian church, the total cost being less than a -thousand dollars. And yet I presume there are white men in Orepuki who -would call one of their Mongolian neighbors a 'heathen Chinee!' Near -Dunedin and other places, as well as in the neighborhood of most of the -Australian cities, the market-gardening is largely managed by the -Chinese. They seem to have almost a monopoly of this business, and we -were told that no European could successfully compete with them when -they went at it in earnest." - -[Illustration: ON THE SHORE OF THE LAKE.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -FROM NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA.--ARRIVAL AT SYDNEY.--HOW THE CITY WAS -FOUNDED.--ITS APPEARANCE TO-DAY.--THE PRINCIPAL STREETS, PARKS, AND -SUBURBS.--PUBLIC BUILDINGS.--SHOOTING SYDNEY DUCKS.--THE TRANSPORTATION -SYSTEM.--HOW AUSTRALIA WAS COLONIZED.--LIFE AND TREATMENT OF CONVICTS IN -AUSTRALIA.--THE END OF TRANSPORTATION.--POPULAR ERRORS OF INVOLUNTARY -EMIGRANTS.--THE PAPER COMPASS.--TICKET-OF-LEAVE MEN.--EMANCIPISTS AND -THEIR STATUS.--SYDNEY HARBOR.--STEAM LINES TO ALL PARTS OF THE -WORLD.--CIRCULAR QUAY.--DRY-DOCKS.--EXCURSIONS TO PARAMATTA AND BOTANY -BAY.--HOSPITALITIES OF SYDNEY. - - -[Illustration: BOUND FOR SYDNEY.] - -Steamers of the Union Steamship Company run weekly between the principal -ports of New Zealand and the Australian ports of Sydney and Melbourne. -The Melbourne steamers usually come from that city direct to "The -Bluffs," the port of Invercargill, or to Hokitika, and then make the -circuit of South Island; while the steamers from Sydney run to Auckland, -and make the circuit of North Island, both lines touching at Wellington -as a common and central port. Our friends were fortunate in finding at -The Bluffs a steamer which was going direct to Sydney, and in less than -six hours after their return from Lake Wakatipu they were afloat and -away for their destination, about fourteen hundred miles distant. Six -days later the coast of New South Wales was in sight, and they entered -the Australian continent through the famous Sydney Heads. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO PORT JACKSON.] - -All the way across from New Zealand they had been listening to the -praises of the beauty and advantages of Sydney Harbor, which were -sounded by some of their fellow-passengers who lived in the capital of -New South Wales. "I doubt if you ever saw anything that approaches it," -said one; "not even the famous Bays of Lisbon, Rio Janeiro, and New York -can compare with it--so everybody says who has seen them all. The navies -of all the world could anchor there, and I wish they would come some -time in a peaceful way and do so. It would bring a lot of business to -Sydney, and send up the price of naval stores and supplies." - -This blending of the practical with the boastful and poetical did not -fail to amuse the listeners. It was overheard by a Melbourne man, who -remarked that it was no more than you could expect of those fellows in -Sydney, who were always on the lookout for something to bolster up the -decaying village they lived in. - -[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF SYDNEY HARBOR.] - -Frank and Fred agreed that the Sydney advocate, whatever might be his -practical view of the anchorage of the navies of the world, was -justified in his praise of the beauty of Port Jackson, while his claims -as to its harbor facilities were not overdrawn. Certainly if there is -any harbor in the world where the navies of the world might anchor, it -is the one at Sydney; the entrance between the Heads is a mile wide, and -vessels drawing twenty-seven feet of water can come in at any time. The -bay extends inland about twenty miles, and is completely landlocked; -there is deep water in most parts of it, and in many places ships can -lie quite close to the shore. The shores are generally bold and rocky, -and some of the cliffs rise to a height of two hundred feet and more. -The borders of the bay consist of a great many promontories jutting into -it, and the spaces between these promontories form little bays or -harbors by themselves. Islands in the bay add to its beauty, and it is -no wonder that Frank and Fred were more than ordinarily enthusiastic -over the harbor of Sydney. - -The city stands on Sydney Cove, one of the numberless bays or harbors of -Port Jackson, about four miles from the entrance from the ocean. We will -further remark that fortifications have been erected at the Heads, and -the authorities are confident that a hostile fleet or army coming to -attack them could be successfully resisted. Doctor Bronson told the -youths that the harbor which resembled Port Jackson more nearly than any -other of which he knew, was Avatcha Bay, in Kamchatka. "It has," said -he, "several little bays or harbors around it, just as Port Jackson has, -and is fully as capacious and easy of access. I wish we had a diagram of -it to show to our Australian friends." - -"Before we left New Zealand," said Frank in his journal, "Doctor Bronson -telegraphed to an old friend, Mr. Donald Manson, telling him by what -steamer we expected to arrive. Mr. Manson was at the dock to meet us; he -had secured rooms for us at the best hotel, and under his care we saw -everything that was worth seeing in Sydney. Later, in Melbourne, where -he was equally well acquainted, he was similarly attentive, and we -hereby record our unanimous vote of thanks to him for his unvarying and -unwearying politeness. If we tried his patience at any time he never -allowed us to know it, and we found him a perfect encyclopædia in -everything relating to Australia, where he has been a resident for a -goodly number of years. - -"One day when a proposition was made to go on a hunting excursion, Fred -innocently suggested that he had read about Sydney ducks, and would like -to shoot some, provided, of course, they were in season. Mr. Manson -suppressed a smile as he answered that the shooting of those peculiar -birds was no longer practised; he then explained that Sydney ducks can -hardly be said to exist at present, the term having been applied to -runaway convicts, ticket-of-leave men, and other waifs and strays, of -the time when Australia was the receptacle of transported criminals from -England and the other British Isles. - -"Sydney seems to have been founded by or for these unfortunates. Mr. -Manson told us that the settlement was made here in January, 1788, by -Captain Phillip, who came here with a fleet of store and transport -ships, for the purpose of founding a convict establishment. He had -previously landed in Botany Bay, but finding it unsuitable, had -abandoned it for the future site of Sydney. The name of the place was -given in honor of Viscount Sydney, who first suggested the colonization -of New South Wales, and the bay was called Port Jackson, after Sir -George Jackson, who was then Secretary to the Lords of the Admiralty. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF CAPTAIN COOK, SYDNEY.] - -"As soon as we had settled ourselves at the hotel, Mr. Manson -accompanied us in a stroll and ride through the principal streets. -'Great changes have taken place here in the past twenty or even ten -years,' said Mr. Manson, as he called our attention to new and -magnificent buildings, which he said occupied the sites of wretched -structures that had only recently given way for the more modern -architecture. Some of the old streets are still narrow and tortuous, but -the new part of Sydney has wider and finer streets, and the -old-fashioned appearance of the city is steadily disappearing. The -principal streets are laid out to the cardinal points of the compass, -and intersect one another at right angles. They are called George, Pitt, -Market, King, and Hunter, the leading one being George Street, which -starts from the water's edge and runs through the city and out into the -country, where it becomes George Street West. - -[Illustration: GEORGE III.] - -"George Street is named after George III., and Pitt Street after his -Prime-minister. The other principal streets, Macquarie, King, Hunter, -Bligh, and Phillip, bear the names of the early governors, and Mr. -Manson said it was fortunate that the governors were changed often -enough in those days to permit no scarcity of names for the streets. -Here and there we saw some wooden buildings dating from the early days -of the colony; and there is an old hospital, and also an ancient church -which has pews such as we find in the churches of England one or two -hundred years old. - -"St. James's Church, the one just mentioned, is old and uncomfortable, -but the cathedral is just the reverse. The public buildings of Sydney -would take several or many pages for their description, and the account -would run the risk of being tedious before reaching the end. When we -remembered the age of the colony they surprised us by their -magnificence. The Government buildings in Macquarie Street, the -Post-office in George Street, the Town-hall, the University, the Crown -Lands Office, and several other edifices would well adorn cities of much -greater age than Sydney, and yet some of the residents complain that -their buildings are not sufficiently grand for their wishes, and suggest -the demolition of some of these structures to make way for finer ones. -St. Andrew's Cathedral was begun in 1819, and has been three times -pulled down and re-erected! - -"We can't say much in favor of the street-railways, or tramways, of -Sydney, most of which have steam locomotives to draw the cars. Two cars -are coupled together and drawn by a noisy, puffing engine, stopping at -every other block to receive or discharge passengers. Accidents are said -to be frequent, but of course the managers of the tramways always -declare that the fault is due to the carelessness of the victims. They -have flagmen at some of the more dangerous crossings, but in spite of -them somebody is occasionally run over. Strangers are especially liable -to injury from this cause, as they are often unaware that locomotives -are allowed in the principal streets. - -"Our ride was extended to the suburbs; and, without question, no city we -have thus far seen in the Southern Hemisphere has suburbs at all -approaching in attractiveness those of Sydney. First we come to -Wooloomooloo--what a funny word that is to write!--and then we wind -along the coasts of the little bays between the promontories; Elizabeth -Bay, Rose Bay, Double Bay, Rushcutter's Bay, and I don't know how many -other bays and coves, where the well-to-do residents have their villas. -One hundred thousand people are said to live in Sydney proper, and one -hundred and fifty thousand in the suburbs, so that the city, with its -suburbs, has a population of a quarter of a million. - -"Fred suggested that he would like to see the park or public garden. Mr. -Manson asked, 'Which one?' - -"Fred didn't know, and then our host explained that he had a -considerable number to choose from. 'There is Albert Park,' said he, 'of -forty acres, with a statue of Prince Albert, and opposite to it is Hyde -Park Square, with a statue to Captain Cook, the discoverer of New South -Wales. Then there is the Domain, of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, -surrounding the little bay known as Farm Cove, the Botanical Gardens, of -thirty-eight acres; and we have, in addition, Belmore Park, Prince -Alfred Park, Callan Park, Moore Park, Wentworth Park, and the National -Park; and a few years hence, if you come here again, there will -doubtless be "more parks to hear from."' - -[Illustration: AVENUE IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.] - -"During our stay at Sydney we saw most of the parks named in the -foregoing paragraph, and can testify to their beauty and the -appreciation in which they are held by the inhabitants. The Domain and -the Botanical Gardens were especially attractive; their sites are -beautiful, and the Botanical Gardens contain every plant known in -Australia, together with exotics from nearly every country in the world. -For a student of botany these Gardens would furnish opportunities for -months or years of study. - -"In the Botanical Gardens our attention was called to three Norfolk -pines that are said to have been planted here nearly seventy years ago; -one of them is ninety-five feet high, and its circumference, three feet -above the ground, is within a few inches of five yards. The other two of -the cluster are taller than this one, but not so large in girth. Then -they showed us a she-oak tree, which is said to give forth, when the air -is perfectly still, a sound like the murmur of a sea-shell. Another -curious growth is the Australian musk-tree, which constantly gives out -an odor which is perceptible several yards away. Trees and plants from -tropical and semi-arctic regions grow here side by side; the Canada fir -almost touching the Indian bamboo, and the Siberian larch mingling its -branches with those of the palm and the banyan. - -"In the evening and on the following day, Mr. Manson introduced us to -all the officials of prominence, and to many of the leading citizens. It -was a severe brain-tax to remember all their names, but we shall try to -do honor to our country in this particular. We have been invited to so -many houses that if we should stay here a month we could not exhaust the -list, and probably by the time the end was reached a new list would be -formed. The Australians are certainly a hospitable people, and the -stranger has a 'lovely time' among them." - -At their first opportunity Frank and Fred informed themselves about the -early history of the colony. Among other curious things Fred made the -following note: - -"It seems that the people of the United States are indirectly -responsible for the settlement of Australia by convicts. Here is a -paragraph from page 18 of 'The Official History of New South Wales,' by -Thomas Richards, Government Printer, and Registrar of Copyright. - -[Illustration: CANDIDATES FOR TRANSPORTATION.] - -"'... Whilst America was subject to England, British offenders, -political or otherwise, were transported to the southern colonies of -that continent, or to the West Indies, where they were in the first -instance employed chiefly in the production of tobacco. The consumption -of tobacco was large, and the revenue derived therefrom considerable, -Virginia and Maryland being the chief producers. The American colonies -having revolted against British rule in 1776, and after a long and -severe struggle gained their independence, England sought a new field -for colonization, and first tried the coast of Africa, but found it -unhealthy. Her attention was then turned to Australia, the eligibility -of which for the purpose had been spreading since Cook's famous voyage -thither in 1768. Accordingly, a fleet of eleven sail, carrying more than -one thousand souls, was assembled at Portsmouth, in the month of March, -1787, to proceed to Australia.'" - -Fred read the foregoing extract to Frank. The latter listened earnestly, -and then remarked: - -"I don't see that times have greatly changed after all. England still -sends us her convicts and paupers, the only difference being that she -turns them loose upon us instead of deriving something for their forced -labor. Her example is followed by most of the continental nations, and -thus we get the human rubbish of the Old World, just as we did before -the Revolutionary War." - -Fred then went on to say that the colony by which Sydney was founded -numbered one thousand and thirty persons, including seven hundred and -fifty-seven convicts, among whom were one hundred and ninety-two women -and eighteen children. Besides the officers, there were one hundred and -sixty soldiers, with forty of their wives; the live-stock included -cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and goats; and there was a large stock of -seeds from the tropic and temperate zones. The natives did not oppose -the landing, as they supposed it was only temporary. When they found -that the settlement was a permanent one they became hostile, and many -murders resulted, caused, no doubt, in great measure by the outrages -committed by the convicts. Ships from England followed steadily, each -one bringing its quota of convicts, and in a few years Sydney had quite -a city-like appearance.[9] - -[9] On the 24th of January, 1888, the celebration of the centenary of -New South Wales was begun, the occasion being the anniversary of the -landing of the first governor of the colony. Lady Carrington, the wife -of the Governor, unveiled a statue of Queen Victoria in the presence of -the governors of all the Australian colonies, including New Zealand and -Feejee. The festival extended over a week, and included the dedication -of Centennial Park, the opening of the Agricultural Society's -exhibition, and an international regatta and state banquets. On the -26th, the anniversary of Governor Phillip's proclaiming at Sydney Cove -the founding of the colony, there was a general illumination. The city -was crowded with visitors, and the gathering thoroughly represented -Australia. Special thanksgiving services were held on the opening day in -the Anglican and Catholic cathedrals. The ceremonies in the Catholic -cathedral were attended by the archbishop and all the bishops of -Australia. Centennial Hall is one of the largest halls in the world, and -is on the site of the old burial-ground of one hundred years ago. - -Melbourne celebrated the centennial year of the settlement of Australia -by a World's Exhibition, to which all nations were invited. South -Australia had an International Exhibition at Adelaide in 1887, similar -to the exhibitions of Sydney and Melbourne a few years earlier. - -Free emigration began a few years after the establishment of the colony, -as just described, the earliest of the free emigrants being principally -men of capital, who came with the object of employing the convicts under -contracts with the Government. Free emigrants of more modest means -naturally followed, and in course of time the free settlers were more -numerous than the convicts and military combined. In 1831, out of 76,793 -persons in the colony 27,831 were convicts. - -[Illustration: SYDNEY AND ITS HARBOR.] - -In the early part of this century Australia had three classes of -inhabitants--free settlers, convicts, and emancipists--the latter being -convicts who had served out their sentences and become free men. The -free settlers refused to associate with them, and they in turn would not -associate with the convicts; the free settlers were inclined to be -tyrannical, and wished to have the emancipists deprived of civil rights, -and long and bitter quarrels were the result of their demands. The -governors generally took the side of the emancipists as a matter of -justice, and thus made themselves unpopular with the rest of the colony. - -While studying the early history of the Australian colonies, Frank and -Fred obtained considerable information from a gentleman who seemed to be -thoroughly familiar with the subject. As he made no allusion in any way -to his ancestry, the youths thought it just possible that he might be -the son or grandson of one of the "involuntary emigrants" of early days. -Desiring to respect his reserve as much as possible, they did not make -any entry of his name in their note-books. Their suspicions were -strengthened by a remark which he dropped, that it was not considered -polite in Australian society to ask who and what a man's father was. - -"The term 'convict' is of course odious," said he, "no matter what the -circumstance that has caused it to be applied to a man. Many of the -convicts who were sent to Australia owed their transportation to no -worse offences than sympathizing with a rebellion, snaring a hare, or -catching a fish out of somebody's preserved pond. I knew a man who was -transported for seven years for nothing else than twisting the neck of a -partridge, and his case was very far from being a solitary one. In the -eye of the British law he was a criminal, a convict; but in the eye of -common-sense and humanity his respectability was not greatly tarnished. -The Irish rebellion of 1798 caused great numbers of Irishmen to be -transported; they were treated as criminals, and all sorts of -indignities were heaped upon them, but their only crime was that of -seeking to free their country." - -Frank asked how the convicts were treated on the voyage from England to -Australia and after they arrived there. - -"According to all accounts," was the reply, "they were very cruelly -used. On the transport-ships they were closely herded together, poorly -fed, and severely flogged for the least infraction of the rules. Many -died on the voyage in consequence of the inhuman treatment they -received; in some cases the deaths were a fourth of the entire number. -On their arrival in Australia they were put at work in Government -establishments, or on public roads and wharves, or were hired out to -agricultural and other colonists. You must remember that those were the -days of brute force, and no officer in charge of convicts ever thought -of such a thing as moral suasion and kindness, however much combined -with firmness. Flogging was of daily and almost hourly occurrence, and -administered for trivial offences; a historian of the colony says that -any man who failed to go to church on Sundays received twenty lashes on -his bare back. Prisoners were put in irons often at the mere caprice of -their keepers, their food was scanty, their clothing often insufficient -for the weather, and if a man ventured to run away he was pursued by -blood-hounds and bull-dogs and brought back, unless killed by the -natives or dead from starvation. - -[Illustration: THE TOWN HALL, SYDNEY.] - -"Settlements were formed at several places along the coast of Australia -and in Van Dieman's Land (now Tasmania). The first convict settlement in -Tasmania was on a peninsula, and a row of bull-dogs was chained across -the narrow isthmus that connected the peninsula with the main-land, so -close together that it was impossible for a man to pass between any two -of them." - -"I suppose the prisoners rarely managed to escape?" said Frank. - -"Very rarely," said the gentleman. "There were many runaways, but they -were generally brought back and punished, and if their escape was -accompanied with violence they were hanged or shot. In the bush they -were liable to starve, and many a convict's bones are whitening where he -perished of hunger; the natives were hostile, and if a runaway escaped -recapture and starvation, he was very likely to fall before the spear of -a black man. - -"Some of the Irish convicts of 1798 were so struck by the similarity -between the Blue Mountains, about eighty miles from Sydney, and the -Connaught Hills of Ireland that they rushed off expecting to reach their -homes without difficulty. One man who had tried on the voyage out to -fathom the mystery of the mariner's compass felt sure that he could find -his way home if he only had the thing to steer by. He stole a copy of a -work on navigation, and tore out the first leaf, which had the picture -of a compass upon it. His theft was detected and punished, and he never -had an opportunity to try his system of paper-compass navigation. - -"A goodly portion of the emigrants thought China was only a little way -overland from Sydney, and many tried to reach it. There used to be a -story of a runaway who had wandered for days in the bush, and suddenly -came to a hut in which was an acquaintance. He anxiously asked how his -friend had got to China, and was much astonished to learn that he had -reached a farm a few miles from Sydney, and his acquaintance had been -hired there as a laborer. - -[Illustration: SENTENCED TO HARD LABOR.] - -"If you wish to learn how the convicts were brought from England to -Australia," continued their informant to Frank and Fred, "how they lived -when they got here, and how they were treated, read a story entitled -'His Natural Life,' by Marcus Clarke, an Australian journalist and -littérateur. In the form of a novel he has preserved much of the history -of the old convict days. It is not altogether agreeable reading, though -it is instructive. - -"All the colonists except the convicts themselves, and they had no voice -in the matter, protested against Australia being peopled by these -objectionable individuals, and protest after protest was made to the -Home Government. These protests had their effect, and in 1840 -transportation to New South Wales came to an end; an attempt was -afterwards made to renew it, but was never carried out. It was continued -later in Van Dieman's Land and other colonies, and in West Australia -until 1868, when it was brought to an end, not so much at the wish of -the people of West Australia as of those of the other colonies. - -"And let me say in conclusion," he remarked, "that there are many -prominent citizens of Australia whose fathers or grandfathers were -transported, and nobody in his senses thinks any the worse of them in -consequence. There are some gentlemen high in official position--of -course it would not be polite for me to name them--who are thus -descended, and so are some of the wealthiest and most prominent citizens -in civil life. Everybody may be aware of it, but nobody talks of it in -public. - -"In our political contests the opposing candidates use as hard language -about one another as the same class of men do in political contests in -the United States; they may say anything they please except that the man -they are denouncing is the descendant of a transported convict. Whenever -this is done, although the statement may be perfectly true, the injured -man can bring a suit for slander, and be certain of high damages. Only a -few years ago an aspirant for office was compelled to pay ten thousand -pounds for saying in a public speech that the man against whom he was -contending was the son of an 'involuntary emigrant' from England." - -The gentleman paused, and Fred took the opportunity to ask what a -ticket-of-leave man was in the days of transportation. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF SYDNEY FROM PYRMOND, DARLING HARBOR.] - -"As to that," was the reply, "tickets-of-leave are in use to-day in -other countries as well as in England, though they are not known by that -name. In the United States you have a system of remitting part of a -sentence in case of good conduct, and we do the same in England. Well, -this is what the ticket-of-leave was in Australia: a man received a -conditional pardon consequent upon good conduct up to the time it was -granted, and also conditioned upon continued good conduct during the -time it was in force. In Australia a ticket-of-leave man was required to -remain in a certain prescribed district, where his conduct could be -observed; in practice it often happened that the man ran away and sought -a home elsewhere than under the British flag. A good many -ticket-of-leave men found their way to the Feejee, Samoa, Society, and -other islands of the Pacific, where they led lives that often were not -in accordance with civilized rules. In consequence of their violation of -the permit granted them, they were always greatly alarmed when a British -ship appeared in the offing. - -[Illustration: HOME OF AN EMANCIPIST.] - -"Many ticket-of-leave men became good citizens; some of them obtained -grants of land, and established farms where they supported themselves, -and not a few of this class became prosperous and wealthy. The mechanics -found plenty of occupation in the cities and towns, and thus there -gradually grew up a population of emancipists, who have been mentioned -already. In the disputes about the rights of the emancipists their cause -was warmly espoused by Governor Macquarie, who earned the title of 'The -Prisoner's Friend.' Some excesses followed the adoption of this policy, -but the colony was benefited by it, and ultimately all classes of -freemen were admitted to an equal footing, and the cessation of -transportation in time caused a perfect commingling of classes and an -extinction of the old feud." - -[Illustration: A TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN.] - -The conversation terminated here, and the youths thanked their -informant for what he had told them on this interesting subject. They -closed their note-books as soon as the interview ended, and then went -out for a stroll. Curious to see the shipping in the harbor, they -directed their steps to the Circular Quay, the modern name of Sydney -Cove, where the original expedition landed, in 1788. The founders of the -settlement could hardly recognize the cove should they revisit it -to-day. - -"Circular Quay," said Fred, in his account of their walk, "is at the -head of the cove, and has a length of one thousand three hundred feet, -available for the largest vessels. It has piers and pavilions for the -ferry-steamers, which are numerous and active, and the Government has -made a liberal expenditure for extending the wharfage accommodations and -erecting sheds for the storage of goods. The Australian Steam Navigation -Company have their wharves here, and several of their vessels were -loading or discharging at Circular Quay all at once. - -"To give an idea of the commerce of Sydney with other parts of the -world, let me mention the various steamship lines whose vessels were -visible from this quay. One of the first to come within our line of -vision was a great steamer of the Peninsular & Oriental Company, -familiarly known as the 'P. & O.,' and not far from it was another -equally large steamer belonging to the Orient line. Each of these -companies has a fortnightly service each way between England and -Australia, and the sharp competition between them has had the effect of -reducing the price of passage and securing rapid voyages. A little -farther away was a steamer flying the tricolor of France; it belonged to -the 'Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes,' a rival of the P. & O. in -Asiatic waters, and at the principal ports of Asiatic and Australasian -lands. The Austrian flag was visible on a steamer of the Austrian -Lloyds, and the German flag upon a magnificent vessel of the North -German Lloyds, or 'Bremen Line.' - -[Illustration: JUST ARRIVED IN PORT.] - -"Australia has an abundance of steam communication with the rest of the -world. The P. & O. line has a fortnightly service each way between -London and Sydney _via_ the Suez Canal, the other Australian ports -included in its itinerary being Melbourne, Adelaide, and King George's -Sound; the Orient line has a similar fortnightly service, also by the -Suez Canal, but omits King George's Sound from its list of Australian -ports. The North German Lloyds has a service each way every four weeks -between Sydney and Bremen, its Australian ports being Sydney, Melbourne, -and Adelaide; the Messageries Maritimes--French mail-line--has a similar -four-weekly service each way between Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and -Marseilles. Then there is a four-weekly service each way of the British -India Steam Navigation Company, between Brisbane and Aden, connecting at -Aden with the same company's line, to and from London, and touching at -Batavia, Java, on every voyage. The New Zealand Shipping Company and the -Shaw Savill & Albion Company have each a four-weekly service from London -to New Zealand by way of the Cape of Good Hope and Hobart, Tasmania, -and their steamers return to London by way of the Strait of Magellan, -Rio Janeiro, and the Canary Islands. Last, but by no means least, is the -four-weekly service each way between Sydney and San Francisco, which has -been already mentioned. - -[Illustration: SHIP YARD SCENE.] - -"All these steamship lines receive subsidies from the colonial -governments, and all, with the exception of the American one, receive -subsidies from their home governments. It is a curious circumstance, and -a humiliating one, to Americans in Australia or having relations with -the antipodes, that the American line between San Francisco and -Australia is subsidized by the colonies, but receives nothing from the -United States, under whose flag it sails. Our commerce with Australia -and New Zealand now exceeds twelve millions of dollars annually, and -could be greatly increased by the encouragement of regular and permanent -steam communication with the colonies. - -"An officer of one of the steamers running to San Francisco spoke to us, -and remarked that he had met us in the last-named city just as we were -taking passage for Honolulu. He told us we could start from Sydney for -'Greenland's icy mountains or India's coral strand,' or for any other -mountains or strands on the globe. 'That wharf to the east,' said he, -'is called Wooloomooloo; it was built at a heavy cost, but the water -near it is too shallow for sea-going vessels of the deepest draught, and -it is principally used for coasting-vessels, of which you see there are -a great many.' - -"Then he told us that Darling Harbor, on the western side of the city, -had its entire frontage covered with wharves and quays. Grafton Wharf, -with its building, covers an area of more than three acres. As for -dry-dock accommodations, he pronounced Sydney one of the best ports he -had ever seen. There are two or three docks that were good enough for -the ships of twenty years ago, but are of less importance to-day. A few -years ago the Government built a dock four hundred and fifty feet long, -and wide in proportion, and it was thought sufficient for all -necessities for years to come; but hardly was it completed before it was -found too short for the largest modern steamships, and so another has -been built that is six hundred and eighty feet long, one hundred and -eight feet wide between the walls, and eighty-five feet in the -entrance-gate. How long will it be before they will find this dock too -small for the wants of commerce? - -"In one year (1885) the number of British and foreign ships that entered -Port Jackson was 2601, with an aggregate tonnage of 2,088,307 tons. -There are several ship building and repairing establishments here; that -of the Australian Steam Navigation Company alone covers more than six -acres, and employs nearly five hundred persons. A hundred years ago this -was a howling wilderness; that is, if the Australian savages were -accustomed to howl, and I presume they were. - -"We could give figures about Sydney that would make your head 'an -ant-hill of units and tens,' as Doctor Holmes says; but perhaps you've -had enough to convince you of the importance of the city. It has six -daily papers, weeklies so numerous that the list would be monotonous, -and as for schools, churches, hospitals, clubs, hotels, and other -institutions of a great city, there are all that could be reasonably -expected. As to manufacturing industries, it has a great many factories, -founderies, and engineering establishments; for clothing alone there are -more than fifty factories, employing from fifty to four hundred hands -each, and the other manufacturing concerns are in similar proportion." - -[Illustration: ON THE PARAMATTA RIVER.] - -Our friends went on a steamboat excursion to Paramatta, which lies up -the river of the same name, about fifteen miles from Sydney. Next to -Sydney, it is the oldest town in the colony, having been founded in -November, 1788; it was originally called Rosehill, but the name was -afterwards changed to the aboriginal one of Par-a-mat-ta. The first -grain raised in the colony was grown at Paramatta, and here the earliest -grants of land were made to convicts who had served their time at hard -labor and were entitled to become colonists. It is now a prosperous town -with from eight to ten thousand inhabitants, and has a considerable -business in manufacturing. Along the banks of the river and in the -neighborhood of Paramatta, there are many flower-gardens, from which -Sydney is abundantly supplied with boutonnieres, bouquets, and huge -baskets of flowers at all seasons of the year. - -[Illustration: IRRIGATING AN ORANGE GROVE.] - -"Our chief interest in Paramatta," said Fred, "was to see the -orange-groves, which have made the place famous throughout Australia. We -were accompanied by a gentleman who was well known both in Paramatta and -in Sydney, and he took us at once to the orangery of the late Mr. Pye, -who devoted the greater part of his life to the introduction and -cultivation of this excellent fruit. They told us that more than ten -thousand oranges had been gathered in one season from a single tree! We -have never eaten finer oranges in any part of the world than at -Paramatta, and the other fruits grown in the orchards of the place are -said to be equally good in their season. The oranges are best in -December, but they are gathered ripe during every month of the year. Of -course they wanted us to inspect some of the factories, hospitals, and -other public buildings, but our time was too limited, and were returned -to Sydney by railway instead of taking the steamboat back again." - -Other excursions were made in the suburbs of Sydney, and Doctor Bronson -and his nephews received invitations to visit some of the interior towns -of the colony. One of their excursions was to Botany Bay, which lies -five miles from Sydney by land, the distance by sea being fully fifteen -miles. A horse-railway connects the village with Sydney, and the ride is -quite a pretty one. The chief object of interest is the monument which -marks the spot where Captain Cook landed in 1770, and took possession of -the place in the name of the British Crown. - -The consideration of the up-country invitations was postponed until the -return of the party from Queensland, whither they went as soon as the -sights of Sydney were exhausted. How they went and what they saw will be -told in the next chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE.--POLITICAL DIVISIONS OF AUSTRALIA.--ORDER IN -WHICH THE COLONIES WERE FOUNDED.--EXPLORATIONS AND THEIR EXTENT.--DOCTOR -BASS AND CAPTAIN FLINDERS.--ABSENCE OF WATER IN THE INTERIOR OF -AUSTRALIA.--A COUNTRY OF STRANGE CHARACTERISTICS.--NATURE'S -REVERSES.--HOW THE COLONIES ARE GOVERNED.--RELIGION AND -EDUCATION.--JEALOUSY OF THE COLONIES TOWARDS EACH OTHER.--NEWCASTLE AND -ITS COAL.--RAILWAY TRAVELLING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.--TENTERFIELD AND -STANTHORPE.--COBB'S COACHES.--AUSTRALIAN SCENERY.--THE EUCALYPTUS, OR -GUM-TREE.--THE TALLEST TREES IN THE WORLD.--SILVER STEMS AND MALLEE -SCRUB.--BRISBANE.--RELICS OF THE CONVICT SYSTEM.--QUEEN STREET AND THE -BOTANICAL GARDENS. - - -[Illustration: INTERIOR OF A COAL-BREAKER.] - -A coasting steamer carried Doctor Bronson and his young companions to -Newcastle, a town which resembles the English one of the same name in -being an important centre of the coal-trade. The distance from Sydney is -about seventy-five miles, and consequently the voyage was of only a few -hours' duration; even this limited time was utilized by a conversation -about the political divisions of Australia and the relations between the -colonies. - -The conversation began with a question from Doctor Bronson as to what -the youths had learned on the subject since their arrival at Sydney or -on the voyage from New Zealand. Frank was the first to reply. - -"We have read to you our notes," said he, "about the settlement of New -South Wales by the fleet of ships that came out from England by order of -the Government. New South Wales was thus the parent colony, and the -others, with one exception, are offshoots from it. In 1790 New South -Wales established a penal colony on Norfolk Island, which has since been -given up to the Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the mutineers of the -_Bounty_. Van Dieman's Land, or Tasmania, was settled as a penal colony -in 1803, by Lieutenant Bowen, who was sent from Sydney with a few -convicts and their guards, and formed a settlement near the spot where -the city of Hobart now stands. Queensland, under the name of Moreton Bay -District, was settled in 1825 from Sydney, and became a separate colony -in 1859. Victoria, then known as Port Phillip, and forming part of New -South Wales, was colonized in 1803, and afterwards abandoned; it was -permanently settled from Tasmania in 1835, and on July 1, 1851, the -colony was separated from New South Wales and became independent. - -"South Australia was colonized by emigrants from Great Britain in 1836, -and West Australia by a detachment of soldiers and convicts from Sydney -in 1826. New South Wales can thus claim the parentage of all the -colonies of the continent and its adjacent island, Tasmania, with the -single exception of South Australia. - -"West, or Western, Australia is described by its name, as it occupies -the entire western part of the continent. South Australia is a misnomer; -the parent colony is in the southern part of the continent, but its -jurisdiction extends from ocean to ocean to the northern shore, and -includes the so-called Northern Territory, or Alexandra Land, which will -one day, no doubt, form an independent government. To the eastward of -the Northern Territory and South Australia is Queensland, and south of -Queensland and eastward of South Australia is the parent colony of New -South Wales. Then comes the colony of Victoria, south of New South -Wales; territorially it is the smallest of all the colonies, but it -isn't small in any other way. Tasmania is a hundred and fifty miles -south of Victoria, from which it is separated by Bass's Strait, which -preserves the name of its discoverer, Dr. George Bass of the Royal -Navy."[10] - -[10] See map at the end of this volume. - -Frank paused a moment and gave Fred an opportunity to speak of something -he had just read about Doctor Bass. "He made his first expedition," said -Fred, "in 1796, in an open boat eight feet long, in company with -Midshipman (afterwards Captain) Flinders and a crew of one boy. They -narrowly escaped being drowned in the sea, and later in being killed by -the natives when the wind drove them ashore. In the following year -Doctor Bass went in a whale-boat, with a crew of six men and provisions -for six weeks, and found that the coast trended so far to the west as to -indicate the separation of Tasmania from the main-land, and in the next -year (1798) he obtained a sloop, and in company with Captain Flinders -actually sailed through the strait and determined the question." - -[Illustration: GOLD-FIELDS OF MOUNT ALEXANDER, AUSTRALIA.] - -"I see you have been reading to advantage," the Doctor remarked. "And -please add to your notes that this same Doctor Bass is supposed to have -died a slave in the mines of Chili. He was arrested at Valparaiso in -consequence of a dispute with the authorities, and was never again seen -or heard of by his friends. There was a rumor that he had been sent to -the mines, and that was all." - -"If the Australian continent were divided into one hundred equal parts," -said Frank, "Victoria would include three, New South Wales ten, -Queensland twenty-three, South Australia thirty, and West Australia -thirty-four. The greatest length of Australia is about 2400 miles, and -its greatest width, between Cape York on the north and Wilson's -Promontory on the south, is 1971 miles. It has about 7750 miles of -coast-line, and an area of 2,944,628 square miles. A good idea of the -extent of Australia may be had by comparing it with other countries. It -is about twenty-six times the area of Great Britain and Ireland, fifteen -times the size of France, about one-sixth smaller than the whole of the -United States of America, and only about one-fifth smaller than the -whole of Europe." - -Fred asked who gave it the appellation of Australia. - -"The name was given by Captain Flinders, of whom we were speaking a few -moments ago," replied the Doctor. "His memory is preserved in a river -and a mountain-range of the continent whose coast he explored. On his -return to Europe he was captured by the French, and was held a prisoner -from 1806 to 1810. He died in England in 1814, shortly after publishing -his book, 'A Voyage to Terra Australis.'" - -"There is a great part of the country not yet explored," said Frank, as -the Doctor paused. "A writer on this subject says that the unexplored -region of the present day is almost entirely confined to Western -Australia and a large part of the northern territory of South Australia. -New South Wales and Victoria have an area of four hundred thousand -square miles, almost every mile of which is fairly known; Queensland may -still have a small extent of unknown land in the far northern -peninsula; South Australia has at least two hundred and fifty thousand -miles unexplored or but little known; and West Australia has fully half -a million square miles that have been crossed at intervals by the tracks -of a few explorers. In round figures, the extent of unexplored or -partially known country in Australia is more than double that of the -thoroughly known portion. The continent is almost fairly bisected by the -overland telegraph line, which follows closely the track of Macdouall -Stuart, the explorer, and the telegraph may be considered a line of -demarcation between the explored and unexplored portions." - -"And have you ascertained why the continent has not yet been thoroughly -examined?" Doctor Bronson queried. - -[Illustration: CLEARING IN AN AUSTRALIAN FOREST.] - -"I have," Fred replied, with alacrity, "and I presume Frank has done so -too. It is because there is no water in the interior of the continent, -or but very little. If you look on the map you will see very few rivers, -and none of those that exist is of great size. Australia is nearly as -large as Europe, and see the difference in the rivers. Europe has the -Danube, Rhine, Volga, Don, Vistula, Seine, Rhone--all large -rivers--together with more than twice as many of lesser note, but all of -them important; while Australia has only a single river of consequence, -the Murray. There are hundreds of miles of coast line together where not -a single stream, great or small, flows into the sea, and some of the -interior rivers dry up and disappear in the hot season." - -"I read about that too," said Frank; "the Murray and its tributaries, -the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee, are lasting streams; but the Darling, a -river of considerable size, flowing into the Murray from the north, has -the Australian peculiarity of disappearing into quicksands and marshes. -With the exception of the Murray, all the other permanent streams of -Australia are short, and of little consequence; and, like the rivers of -New Zealand, they have been clogged with water-cress, which was -introduced from England in the expectation that it would be a great -luxury." - -[Illustration: A WATERLESS REGION.] - -"You have hit exactly upon the obstacle which has baffled Australian -explorers," said the Doctor. "All who have sought to penetrate the -interior have suffered terribly from thirst, and some expeditions that -have never been heard from are supposed to have perished from the same -cause. The rainfall in the interior of the continent is slight, the heat -in summer is intense, and even in winter the thermometer sometimes runs -to a high figure." - -"Then it is fair to suppose that the interior of Australia is -practically of no use," Frank remarked. - -"It is fair to suppose so," was the reply; "but some scientists believe -that good pasture-land and habitable country will yet be found in the -interior, where the few explorers who have been there report only a -desert unfit to sustain human life and impracticable for settlement. -Artesian wells have been bored in many places, and a fair proportion of -them have succeeded in finding water. There is so much territory in -Australia that it is not likely the capabilities or disadvantages of all -parts of it will be thoroughly known for many years to come. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN LYRE BIRDS.] - -"And now," he continued, as he glanced at a book he held in his hand, -"let us read what an English author has written concerning this strange -country: - - "'Almost everything in nature is, in Australia, the reverse of what - it is in England. When we have winter they have summer; when we - have day they have night; we have our feet pressing nearly opposite - to their feet. There the compass points to the south, the sun - travels along the northern heavens, the barometer rises with a - southerly and falls with a northerly wind. The animals are - disproportionately large in their lower extremities, and carry - their young in a pouch; the plumage of the birds is beautiful, - their notes are harsh and strange; the swans are black, the owls - screech and hoot only in the daytime; the cuckoo's song is heard - only in the night. The valleys are cool, the mountain-tops are - warm; the north winds are hot, the south winds are cold, the east - winds are healthy. The bees are without sting; the cherries grow - with the stone outside; one of the birds has a broom in its mouth - instead of a tongue. Many of the beautiful flowers are without - smell; most of the trees are without shade, and shed their bark - instead of their leaves; some, indeed, are without leaves; in - others the leaves are vertical. And even the geological formation - of the country, as far as ascertained, is most singular. In other - parts of the world coal is black, but in Australia they have - bituminous coal as white as chalk. - - "'Taken as a whole, the country, as far as explored, exhibits less - hill and dale, with less compact vegetation, than in most other - parts of the world. In the interior there is a bare, barren, stony - desert, totally unfit for man or beast. A more or less broken chain - of mountains extends from Spencer Gulf, round the south coast, all - along the eastern coast, and round the northern coast, nearly to - Limming's Bight. The rivers are few in number; the watercourses are - very low in summer, and frequently dried up; no dense forest - exists, as in America; the herbage generally is thin, the grasses, - although highly nutritious, growing in patches. The highest peak is - Mount Kosciusko, 6510 feet above sea, at the head of the Murray, - which is the largest Australian river, 2500 miles long. - - "'Australia contains no antiquities, and the tourist who expects to - find the ruins of temples, palaces, and pagodas is doomed to - disappointment. It was discovered by the Portuguese about 1530, and - visited by the Spaniards in 1605, and by several navigators down to - Captain Cook in 1770, and settled in 1788. All its cities are of - modern foundation and growth; and Australia may be compared, in a - general way, to that part of the United States west of the - Mississippi River.' - -"We shall have an opportunity to verify many of these statements," said -the Doctor, "when we travel in the interior." Then, turning to Frank, he -asked that youth what he had learned concerning the government of the -colonies. - -"I learned that they are wholly independent of each other," was the -reply, "and furthermore, that there is great jealousy between them. Each -of the colonies must be considered in many respects a distinct province, -having its own government, local laws, and customs regulations. With the -exception of West Australia, they all enjoy responsible government, and -that colony will no doubt have the same constitutional privileges as the -others before many years. The form of government is a modification of -the British Constitution, the sovereign being represented by the -Governor, who is appointed by the Crown; the House of Lords by the -legislative council, nominated or elected; and the House of Commons by -the legislative assembly, elected by the people. - -"The imperial laws are in force unless superseded by local enactments, -and all acts passed by the colonial legislatures must receive the assent -of the sovereign before they can become laws. In each of the colonies -the qualifications for exercising the franchise are placed very low, and -manhood suffrage is practically the rule. An effort has been made to -league the Australian colonies into one great confederation; the -friends of the movement are confident of its success in course of time, -but local jealousies have thus far prevented it." - -[Illustration: A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.] - -"It doesn't take long to find out that the colonies are very jealous of -one another," Fred remarked. "It's a pity that this state of affairs -exists; but after all, it has done a great deal towards the development -and population of the country. Jealousy between communities and colonies -is the basis of enterprise, and many things have been done here in -consequence of competition that without it would never have been done at -all. When one colony sends out an exploring expedition another does the -same; when one establishes a system of cheap emigration the rest will -not be left behind. And so it goes through all their enterprises. It is -exactly like the rivalry that existed between our Western States and -cities twenty years ago, and still exists to some extent." - -"Spoken like a statesman," said the Doctor, as he nodded approvingly -towards his nephew. "Put your remarks on paper and send them home; they -may be beneficial to some of our friends in St. Louis and Chicago." - -Fred promised to do so, and when some time later he wrote out his views -he added the following: - -"It's very funny to hear the people of one city or colony talk about -those of another. Each decries all the rest, and represents his own -region as the only perfect one. Talking about the climate, a Sydney man -will tell you that the capital of New South Wales is quite exempt from -the cold winds that make life unbearable in Melbourne and Adelaide. The -Melbourne man tells how you suffer from 'brickfielders' (hot and dusty -winds from the interior) at Sydney, and how the poor wretches in -Adelaide are perspiring at every pore with a temperature and humidity -like those of a Russian bath. - -"Each colony has its own postal regulations, its own postage-stamps, and -its own rates for letters and other mail matter. New South Wales is a -land of free-trade, while Victoria, its neighbor, is a land of -protective tariffs; each can demonstrate the advantages of its -particular system, and on the other hand each has a minority party that -wants its laws patterned after those of its rival. The gauges of the -railways are different, so that there is a break at every frontier; -consequently passengers are obliged to change trains, and all freights -bound across the line must be transshipped. The enactments of the -colonial legislatures are often hostile to one another, and sometimes -the rivalry expresses itself so strongly that it seems unfortunate that -the colonies have a common language. - -"None of the colonies has any State Church, and all religions are placed -on the same footing. The Episcopalians are the dominant body so far as -numbers are concerned, the Roman Catholics are next, and then come the -Presbyterians, and after them the Methodists. These are the four great -denominations; far below them in numbers and in their order of strength -are the Lutherans and German-Protestants, Baptists, Congregationalists, -Jews, Bible Christians, Church of Christ, Unitarians, and Free -Presbyterians. The Asiatic proportion of the population adds Moslems, -Confucians, and Pagans to the list of religionists. Considering the -recent settlement of the colonies, the proportion of places of worship -to the population will compare favorably with other countries. - -"There is a tendency to exclude religious teaching from the public -schools, and in place of this there is a wide-spread interest in -Sunday-schools, which abound all over the continent wherever it has been -settled. In the matter of education the colonies are happily actuated by -the same impulse, all believing that it is one of the vital principles -of good government. The children are taught either wholly or partially -by the aid of the State funds of each province, and in nearly all the -colonies a separate department, under a minister of the Crown, controls -the machinery of education. - -[Illustration: INFANT CLASS IN AN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.] - -"The leading principles of education in Australia are that it is free, -or very nearly so. It is compulsory, and it is secular, though not in -all cases, to the absolute exclusion of Bible-reading. The latest -reports at hand show that there are 5844 State schools in Australia, -with 553,191 pupils and 11,890 teachers. There are numerous -high-schools, academies, and denominational schools in the cities and -larger towns, and there are colleges and universities at Sydney, -Melbourne, and Adelaide." - -We will now drop the journals and statistics of Frank and Fred, and -attend to what they saw and heard on their journey. - -We left them on their way to Newcastle, which they reached without -mishap. A fellow-passenger told them that several disastrous wrecks had -occurred at the entrance of Newcastle Harbor, which was formerly very -dangerous when the wind blew heavily from the south-east. A breakwater -has been constructed that greatly diminishes the danger, as it protects -the bar from the heavy seas which formerly swept over it. Newcastle is -the outlet of a considerable extent of country, but its principal -business is in coal, of which it ships more than two million tons -annually. The town has many evidences of prosperity, and its appliances -for handling coal are extensive and excellent. - -One of the citizens volunteered to show our friends the coal-mines. -While they were making the round of the place he said that a careful -estimate showed that the coal-seams now being worked contained enough -coal to keep up the present rate of production for five hundred and -twelve years. There are thirty-five seams of coal, varying from five to -twelve feet in thickness, and one seam--the Greta--is twenty-one feet -thick. Nearly five thousand miners are employed underground, and one -thousand at the mouths of the mines. The deepest workings are those of -the Greta, four hundred and fifty feet, and the Stockton, three hundred -and eighty feet. The authorities of Newcastle believe they have the -finest appliances for handling coal that are to be found anywhere, and -Doctor Bronson said he certainly did not know of any that surpassed -them. - -[Illustration: COMPLETING THE RAILWAY.] - -Since the visit of our friends we are told that the railway from Sydney -to Newcastle has been completed, and also the line which connects with -the one from Brisbane, at the frontier between New South Wales and -Queensland. From Newcastle they went by land to Brisbane; near -Tenterfield they left the railway for a coach-ride of forty miles, which -brought them to Stanthorpe, where they found a train to carry them to -their destination. At several points on their coach-ride they saw the -working-parties making cuttings and fillings along the route for the -railway that now completes the connection between the capitals of the -colonies of Queensland and New South Wales. There is now continuous -railway communication from Brisbane to Adelaide, a distance of very -nearly eighteen hundred miles. - -The train left Newcastle at 7.15 in the morning, and brought them to -Tenterfield at a little past midnight, the distance being three hundred -and eighty-one miles. It carried them through a country of varied -characteristics--hill, valley, plain, mountain, forest, and open country -presenting themselves in succession. "It can be briefly described," said -Frank, "as an agricultural, pastoral, and mining region, some of it -being of great value, and other parts quite forbidding in aspect, owing -to the scarcity of water. We passed through some of the gold-fields of -New South Wales, but did not stop to visit them. We were told that -considerable quantities of diamonds had been obtained near Bingera, one -hundred and ten miles north from Tamworth, an important town on the -railway, about half-way between Newcastle and Tenterfield. - -"The names of stations on the line of railway are a curious mixture of -native and foreign words; the foreign ones including English, Scotch, -Irish, and American, together with some that were difficult to classify. -For example, there were Murrurundi, Boggabri, Currabubula, and Moonbi, -all of Australian origin; and then we found Hamilton, Lochinvar, Dundee, -Stonehenge, Emerald Hill, Kentucky, and other familiar words. Then -followed Doughboy Hollow, Honeysuckle Point, Kelly's Plains, and Willow -Tree, which reminded us of names that we had heard in the Pacific States -of America. - -"Occasionally we saw herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, and were not -surprised to learn that the country is considered an excellent region -for raising those animals. We passed through forests of gum-trees, as -they are called here, the ordinary appellation of the Eucalyptus, of -which there are many varieties. Compared with the trees of England and -America, the gum-tree is not beautiful, and no one would think of -growing it for ornament alone, but on the whole it is by no means -ill-looking. The leaves do not spread out horizontally, but depend -vertically from the boughs. Consequently the tree gives little shade in -the daytime, but the traveller who passes through a gum forest at night -blesses this peculiarity of the tree, as it admits the light of the moon -and stars, to the great advantage of the wayfarer. Compared with -European trees, the verdure of the Eucalyptus is scanty, and its green -is rather sombre. Some of the varieties of this tree are far more -attractive than others, the handsomest of all being the Banksia, named -after Sir Joseph Banks. - -[Illustration: A FALLEN GIANT.] - -"The _Eucalyptus amygdalina_, or giant gum, has the reputation of being -the tallest tree in the world, and the Australians are greatly pleased -to mention this fact. There are reports of giant gum-trees that exceed -five hundred feet in height, but the highest one with an official record -is on Mount Baw-Baw, Gippsland; it was measured by Mr. Hodgkinson, a -civil engineer, who certifies to its height of four hundred and -seventy-one feet. This is considerably more than the height of the -tallest of the Big Trees of California, according to the authorities we -have consulted. New groups and forests are discovered from time to time, -and perhaps one of these days we shall hear of a giant that exceeds five -hundred feet. - -"The Eucalyptus has been carried to other countries, and it seems to do -well all over the world where the climate is not too cold for it. It -grows rapidly, and is said to prevent malaria and fevers; we asked -Doctor Bronson about the latter statement, and he said he was greatly -inclined to believe it. The French introduced it into Algeria, and found -that fevers diminished rapidly or disappeared altogether where it grew, -and they are so thoroughly convinced of its utility that they have -planted great numbers of Eucalypti. Mr. Bosisto, commissioner for -Victoria at the colonial exhibition in London, 1886, discusses this -subject thoroughly, and says that malarious diseases are not native to -Australia, and imported fevers diminish in violence. He thinks this -effect is caused by the Eucalyptus, which is evergreen and constantly -exhausting humidity from the earth, and throwing off oil and acid from -its leaf. A small quantity of Eucalyptus-oil sprinkled in a sick-room -improves the air at once and renders breathing easier. Mr. Bosisto -contends that the volatile oil thrown off by the leaf absorbs -atmospheric oxygen and transforms it into ozone. - -[Illustration: SILVER-STEM EUCALYPTI.] - -"The giant gums are sometimes called 'silver stems,' for the reason that -after they have annually shed their bark--they shed their bark and not -their leaves--the new skin is of the whiteness of silver. As the trunk -is perfectly round, and the lowest limbs are often two hundred feet and -more from the ground, the sight of a group of these enormous trees is a -very fine one. The giant gums are more slender than the Big Trees of -California; the former are the tallest in the world, but the latter have -the greater diameter in proportion to their height. - -"Next to the giant gum is the red gum, or _Eucalyptus rostrata_, and -next to that is the blue gum, or _Eucalyptus globus_. The former is the -finest timber-tree, while the latter is the most favored for its -anti-fever qualities and is the tree most frequently carried to foreign -lands. Don't expect me to go through the whole catalogue of Eucalypti, -as there are fully two hundred of them, according to the botanists; the -lowest and most wide-spread is the _Eucalyptus dumosa_, or mallee scrub, -and you may judge of its extent when I tell you that a single tract of -mallee scrub shared between South Australia and Victoria covers an area -of nearly nine thousand square miles. 'And it isn't the largest area of -scrub, either,' says an Australian at my elbow. - -"Well, the mallee is a strange-looking plant, and I can compare it to -nothing better than the frame of an umbrella turned bottom up and -without any handle in the centre. It has a globular mass at its base, -with a few horizontal roots, and then a long tap-root that goes down to -a great depth till it reaches moisture. Above-ground there are a lot of -shoots, or stalks, from a foot up to twenty feet long, each of them -having a tuft of leaves at the top. - -"No surface water can be found in the districts where it grows, and the -scrub is just a little more than high enough to hide a man on horseback. -To be lost in the scrub is very dangerous; you cannot see in any -direction, there are no trees you can climb to find your bearings, water -or food is not to be found, and the victim is very likely to lose his -reason and die of thirst, starvation, and insanity. Terrible stories -have been told us of the death of people lost in the scrub; men have -gone there to search for missing friends, and both searchers and sought -have never been heard of again." - -[Illustration: FROM TENTERFIELD TO STANTHORPE.] - -It was after midnight when our friends reached Tenterfield, and at nine -o'clock the next morning they were on the coach and dashing away towards -Stanthorpe. Over the plains and hills they went at good speed, and were -reminded of previous rides in the newly opened regions of the Rocky -Mountains and in California. Coaching in Australia is less famous than -formerly, owing to the rapid extension of the railway, but there are -still many interior lines where the old system is maintained. Coaching -in Australia owes its development to some enterprising Americans--Cobb & -Company--who went there in the times of the gold discoveries, and -established lines over all the principal roads, from the coast ports to -the auriferous districts. The wonderful tales of coaching west of the -Missouri River a quarter of a century ago might be repeated concerning -the same business in Australia. - -Doctor Bronson and his companions had no time to examine the mineral and -other attractions of Tenterfield, though they were invited to do so. -Gold, silver, tin, antimony, plumbago, and other minerals are found in -the region round about the town, at distances varying from five up to -forty miles. Some mining localities were pointed out along the -coach-road, and rich specimens of gold-bearing quartz were shown by the -fortunate possessors. - -Cobb's coach carried them safely to Stanthorpe, sometimes called the -Border Town, owing to its position on the frontier, and the Sanatorium -of Queensland, in consequence of the salubrity of its climate. It is -celebrated for its tin-mines, which are scattered around the -neighborhood; the product varies considerably from one year to another, -being affected by the scarcity or the abundance of water. - -They spent the night at Stanthorpe in a fairly comfortable hotel, and -at nine o'clock on the following morning left by train for Brisbane--two -hundred and seven miles--where they arrived at half-past ten in the -evening. - -Frank and Fred were out the next morning at an early hour to see the -sights of the capital of Queensland. They found it smaller than Sydney, -the total population within a radius of five miles of the centre of the -city being less than a hundred thousand. It is on the river Brisbane; -river and city were named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the governor of the -colony of New South Wales in 1825, the year when the city was founded as -a penal settlement. The river surrounds it on two sides, and gives it an -excellent water frontage; from the city to the debouchement of the river -into Moreton Bay is about twenty-five miles by the course of the stream, -though not more than half that distance overland. - -Their walk took them along Queen Street, the principal avenue, to -Victoria Bridge, a fine structure of iron which spans the river between -North and South Brisbane. The bridge is more than one thousand feet in -length, and divided into thirteen spans, with a swing in the centre to -permit the passage of vessels. Like most works of the kind, it is said -to have cost more than double the original estimates of the engineers -who planned it. - -[Illustration: A BALCONY.] - -The youths were not favorably impressed with the streets of Brisbane, on -account of their narrowness, Queen Street being little more than sixty -feet wide, and the others in the same proportion. They asked why the -streets were made so narrow, when there was such an abundance of land in -Australia at the time the place was founded, and were told that it was -due to the orders of one of the early governors, Sir George Gipps, who -wished to be economical with the land of the Government. But if Queen -Street is narrow it is by no means unattractive, as it can boast of many -fine shops and substantial buildings, including several belonging to the -Government. Frank called Fred's attention to the verandas that on one -side of the street ran almost from one end to the other, and extended -quite across the sidewalk. Fred rightly conjectured that they were -intended to screen pedestrians and goods from the heat and glare of the -sun, Brisbane being blessed with a climate of tropical character. - -A policeman of whom they made inquiry pointed out the post-office, -town-hall, and exchange, the two last-named being in one building, which -also contains the chamber of commerce and the council-chamber, and also -the court-house and other public edifices. They were all fine buildings -with the exception of the court-house, which is a low, solid-looking -structure of stone, two stories in height, and of unattractive -appearance. Fred asked the policeman the reason of the difference in -these buildings. - -"The court-house is one of the old prisons of the days of the convict -system," was the reply; "it was the female penitentiary and work-shop, -and at one time was crowded with women who had been transported from -England to spend the rest of their lives in Australia. It will probably -be torn down before many years, as the people want to get rid of -everything that can remind them of the convict system." - -Turning to the right at the end of Queen Street, and close to Victoria -Bridge, they walked along William Street, past the museum, and the -Houses of Parliament, till they came to the Government Domain, which -contains residence of the colonial governor. Close by are Queen's Park -and the Botanical Gardens, and here they lingered until it was time to -return to the hotel and meet Doctor Bronson, who had announced his -intention of sleeping till a late hour. - -The river makes a sharp bend around Brisbane, and the Government Domain, -Botanical Gardens, and Queen's Park are prettily situated at the end of -the point of land enclosed in the bend. In colonial parlance it is -called a "pocket," and Queen Street may be said to run across the top of -the pocket, as it extends from the river to the river again, just as the -numbered streets of New York go from the water on one side of Manhattan -Island to the water on the other. - -[Illustration: PALM-TREES IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.] - -Frank and Fred thought they had nowhere seen more attractive Botanical -Gardens than those at Brisbane. They were particularly impressed with -the row of trees that lined the river-bank; they resembled pines, and -were of a sugar-loaf shape, and the custodian of the place said they -were known as bunya-bunya trees. All the shrubs and plants indigenous to -the colony are to be found in the Gardens, together with exotics from -all parts of the world whose climate in any way resembles that of -Queensland. Our friends were told that the Gardens had been of great -practical value to the colony in facilitating the introduction of plants -which could be cultivated to advantage. Indigo, madder, coffee, and tea -plants were introduced into Queensland by means of the Botanical Garden, -which first developed them, and then sent seeds and cuttings to those -who made application. Sugar and cotton were also developed from the same -source, and at present the sugar and cotton interests of the colony are -of very great importance. - -On their way back to the hotel the youths again encountered the -communicative policeman. Pointing in the direction of a round building -similar to a windmill and supporting a signal-mast, he said, - -"That is what we call the Observatory, and it is used for signalling -vessels coming into the harbor. It's one of the relics of the convict -time; there was once a windmill there where they ground the grain for -the convicts to eat, and when the wind didn't blow the prisoners had to -work a treadmill in the lower part of the building. I used to know an -old fellow who had often done his 'trick at the wheel;' he said he used -to have to go it four hours on a stretch, and when through with his -trick he was ready to lie down and take a rest. There isn't any part of -the treadmill there now, as it was quietly stolen away by the boys, who -sold the old iron for a good price." - -[Illustration: "NO MORE TRICKS AT THE WHEEL."] - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -LEAVING BRISBANE.--THE REGIONS AROUND THE CITY.--QUEENSLAND SCRUB -AND FOREST LAND.--FRUITS AND GARDEN PRODUCE.--TROUBLES OF THE -EARLY SETTLERS.--IPSWICH AND ITS COAL-MINES.--WINE-MAKING -IN AUSTRALIA.--CHARACTER OF AUSTRALIAN WINES.--THE LABOR -QUESTION.--POLYNESIAN AND CHINESE LABORERS.--POPULATION OF -QUEENSLAND.--NATIVES AND ABORIGINES.--PECULIARITIES OF THE BLACK -RACE.--CATTLE-TRACKERS AND THEIR ABILITIES.--HOW THE ABORIGINALS -LIVE.--THEIR HOMES, WEAPONS, AND MODE OF LIFE.--AUSTRALIAN MYTHS AND -SUPERSTITIONS.--CURIOUS THEORIES OF RESURRECTION.--SMOKE AND FIRE -SIGNALS.--HOW A WANDERING WHITE MAN SAVED HIS LIFE.--RELIGIOUS -IDEAS.--HOW THE EEL MADE THE FROG LAUGH.--THE BUN-YIP AND HIS WONDERFUL -ATTRIBUTES. - - -[Illustration: A RELIC OF OLD COLONIAL TIMES.] - -The sights of Brisbane were soon exhausted, and our friends arranged to -make a journey to the interior, in spite of the efforts of hospitable -residents to detain them for several days in the capital. The trio -agreed that nowhere else in the world was there a more hospitable -population than in Australia, and in no other country was the stranger -made more heartily welcome. They had already recorded this impression, -and it was renewed at every place they visited during their journey -through the continent. Frank thought that the name of Australia Felix, -which was originally applied to the Port Phillip district, should be -given to the entire country, in view of the general amiability of the -inhabitants and their courtesy to strangers. - -Doctor Bronson and his nephews desired to make a study of "bush life," -and an excellent opportunity was offered in an invitation to spend as -long a time as they chose at an interior station in Queensland. Rising -at an early hour one day, they took the train of the Southern & Western -Railway at 5.40 A.M., and rode straight through to Roma, three hundred -and seventeen miles, which they reached at ten o'clock at night. The -railway continues to Morven, one hundred and ten miles distant, and from -that point it will be extended in the near future--at least such is the -promise--two or three hundred miles farther. The original scheme was to -carry it to Point Parker, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, a distance of one -thousand miles from Brisbane; but in consequence of the great expense of -the undertaking, the completion of the line has been indefinitely -postponed. - -The railways of Queensland are on the special narrow-gauge principle, -the rails being only three feet six inches apart. The gauge of New South -Wales is four feet eight and a half inches, and that of Victoria five -feet three inches. In South Australia the Port, North, and Southern -lines, are of five feet three inches gauge, and other lines are three -feet six inches or like the Queensland railways. For sparsely settled -regions the narrow gauge has been found serviceable and economical, and -thus far there has been no occasion for express trains at a high rate of -speed. As on many of the smaller lines of the United States and other -countries, the so-called "express" trains stop at all stations, and are -not famous for their rapid progress. - -The country through which our friends travelled was not unlike that -between Newcastle and Brisbane, as already described. For some distance -the railway lay along the valley of the Brisbane River, which contains -some excellent farming country, with fine stretches of woodland and -occasional swamps. The dividing range of mountains filled the western -horizon, and the labored puffing of the locomotive at frequent intervals -told that the grade was an ascending one. In the immediate vicinity of -Brisbane the land is of poor quality, except in the neighborhood of the -streams, and in the early days of the colony a great many settlers were -ruined by attempting to establish farms where the soil was not suitable. -But in spite of these early discouragements the capabilities of the -region have been developed by the perseverance of the settlers; at -present the visitor to the district around Brisbane will see prosperous -farms, vineyards, orchards, and gardens, though he will still find a -great deal of land that is practically unoccupied. - -[Illustration: AMONG THE FOOT-HILLS.] - -At a station a few miles out from the city the train halted for several -minutes, and gave Frank and Fred an opportunity to glance at one of -these suburban farms. The house of the owner was embowered in vineyards, -and close by was a field or plantation of pineapples, which grow here in -great profusion, and are of delicious quality. Frank asked the name of a -vine that had crept over the roof of the house and almost concealed it -from sight; he learned that it was known as the passion-fruit, and was a -native plant, producing a very pleasant tart fruit, which unfortunately -was not then in season. There was a garden at one side of the house, and -in it were all the vegetables of an English garden, including several -kinds of melons, besides ginger, arrow-root, sweet-potatoes, and other -tropical and semi-tropical productions. Farther back was an extensive -field of sugar-cane, which was flanked on one side by a field of oats, -and on the other by rows upon rows of luxuriant maize, or Indian corn. - -[Illustration: PICKING FIGS.] - -"This is a wonderful region," said a gentleman who accompanied our -friends, as the train moved on. "Probably there is no other place in the -world where the products of the tropics and temperate zones grow so well -together, and certainly there is none where they grow any better. -Apples, peaches, pears, cherries, and other northern fruits are side by -side with the lemon, orange, citron, pomegranate, fig, and guava. It -took us a long while to find out exactly what was wanted, and during -that time living was very dear in Brisbane. Now the city has a plentiful -supply of fruit at very low prices, coming from the numerous gardens in -its vicinity. Irrigate the soil abundantly, and it will produce almost -anything in the world that you want. We send great numbers of pineapples -and bananas to Sydney and Melbourne, and also to the higher country west -of us. - -"You already know," he continued, "that Australia is a land of -contradictions, when considered from the stand-point of England or the -United States. In your country the land with the heaviest timber is the -best for agriculture after the wood is cleared away, but here it is -often just the reverse. The largest trees which cost most money to -remove are quite likely found on soil that refuses to produce grass when -the land has been cleared, or if it produces grass or grain at all it is -not enough to pay the cost of clearing. It is in this particular that so -many of the earlier settlers ruined themselves, by expending time and -money in clearing up ground that afterwards proved worthless." - -[Illustration: A CLEARING IN THE SCRUB.] - -In the course of the conversation that followed, the gentleman spoke -frequently of "scrub" and "forest" land, as though they were distinct -from each other. Fred politely asked what was the difference between -them. - -"Scrub land," replied the gentleman, "is distinct from forest land in -several features, but particularly in that of undergrowth. Scrub in -Queensland means the low land on the banks of the rivers; it is covered -with a dense growth of trees intermingled with a denser growth of vines -and creepers, which in many places render it impossible to proceed -without cutting one's way through with a tomahawk or large knife. The -vines run to the tops of the highest trees, and frequently cross from -tree to tree, so that the whole area seems bound together with festoons -of green cordage. - -"There is a genuine bit of Queensland scrub," said he, pointing to what -seemed an almost solid mass of verdure several acres in extent. "It -contains cabbage and other palms, fig-trees which tower above most of -their fellows, but are overtopped by the bunya, pine, and red cedar, -though the latter are not very numerous. An agile sailor might climb -from one side to the other of that scrub without once going to the -ground; and as for a group of monkeys or squirrels, it would be no -effort at all for them to make the journey. - -[Illustration: SUBURBAN RESIDENCE ON THE RIVER'S BANK.] - -"Of course we're too far off to hear any sounds there, but if you could -be under the shade of those trees you would find that the scrub is full -of life. I speak only of sunrise and sunset; at noon the place is as -quiet as a cemetery, but in the morning and evening quite the reverse. -Flocks of pigeons, cockatoos, and parrots fly around and coo and -chatter; cat-birds, bell-birds, whip-birds, laughing-jackasses, and a -host of others dart about and make the air resound with their notes; and -if you watch the ground you will quite likely get a glimpse of wild -turkeys and other birds that make their home there and shun the limbs of -the trees. Keep a sharp eye out, too, as you may come across snakes, and -some of them are poisonous." - -[Illustration: GATHERING THE GRAPES.] - -Fred was about to ask concerning the snakes of Australia, but their -loquacious friend did not give him a chance to do so. He pointed to the -opposite side of the train, and told the youths to observe what was -there visible. - -"That shows you the difference between scrub and forest," said he; "the -forest land has heavier timber, but no underbrush; you can ride on -horseback through it, while you cannot get along on foot in the scrub -without a hatchet. I'm speaking now of the vine scrub along the coast," -he continued; "in the interior we have myall, brigelow, mallee, and -other scrubs of a totally different character. The forest land is -monotonous; you may travel hundreds of miles through it, and find every -mile so nearly like every other one that it is very hard to see any -change. An experienced bushman knows the difference, but to a novice it -is all the same." - -The train ascended the slopes of the hills leading to the Dividing -Range, having left the river at Ipswich, the head of navigation, and -twenty-three miles from Brisbane. The Dividing Range presents a -precipitous front, and great engineering skill was required to carry the -road over it, the chain being passed at an elevation of two thousand six -hundred feet. The scenery, as the range is mounted, is magnificent. The -line vies with the Union Pacific Railroad in the United States in tall, -spider-like bridges spanning fearful gorges, and in tracks passing round -the precipitous spurs of the mountains. Cuttings and tunnelling are met -with from the moment the ascent commences. The steepest gradient is one -in fifty. Notwithstanding the apparent danger attending a journey on -this portion of the line, no accident involving loss of life or serious -injury to rolling stock has occurred here since the first engine ran on -it. - -Ipswich is in a mining and agricultural district, several rich seams of -coal having been opened in its neighborhood, and the country around it -being well adapted to farms. At Toowoomba, one hundred miles from -Brisbane, their guide told the youths they were at the principal town of -the rich pastoral district called the Darling Downs; the region was -discovered and settled in 1827, and named after Sir Ralph Darling, who -was then governor. Agriculture and the raising of cattle and sheep are -the principal industries, and the town bears every evidence of -prosperity. - -"There are many Germans settled in this neighborhood," said Mr. Watson, -the gentleman who accompanied our friends, "and they are largely -interested in grape-growing and the manufacture of wines. Many thousand -gallons of wine are made here every year; the grapes are ripe in -January, and I have seen single bunches weighing fifteen pounds and -over." - -Frank asked how the wines of Queensland and Australia in general -compared with those of other countries. - -"Of course our wine-making is in its infancy," was the reply; "and thus -far our products will hardly bear favorable comparison with the wines of -Europe, where the industry has been prosecuted for centuries; but we -think they are fully equal to the wines of the United States, where the -business is only a little older than it is with us. All the colonies are -giving much attention to grape-growing; the yield is very large; but in -the last few years the vines have suffered considerably from -_phylloxera_, though fortunately all parts of the colonies have not been -affected by it. - -[Illustration: CELLARS TOR STORING WINE.] - -"We make so much wine, and it is so cheap and good," the gentleman -continued, "that it ought to be the drink of the people, just as in -France, Spain, Italy, and the other countries of Southern Europe. Very -little wine is used by the laboring classes; some do not drink at all, -others drink occasionally, and others daily and hourly if they have the -opportunity, but nearly all prefer spirits to wine. What makes the -matter worse is that the spirits are very bad in quality, and their -consumption leads to much wretchedness and degradation, just as in -Europe and America. Some of the working people drink beer, as in -England, and in all the cities and large towns there are extensive -breweries that do a good business. - -"Competent and conscientious judges say that the ordinary Australian -wines are better than the same grades sold in Paris and other French -cities. They are the pure juice of the grape, the juice being so -abundant and cheap that it does not pay to adulterate it. In Sydney, -Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane a man can buy for threepence a glass -of as fine an ordinary wine as was ever made; it is nutritious and -wholesome, but unfortunately the great majority of the laboring classes -prefer to swallow the vile decoctions that are sold under the names of -spirits. Our capabilities in wine-making are absolutely unlimited; we -are shipping some of our products to Europe, where they take the place -of the ordinary wines of France and Spain, and quite possibly you get -many casks of them in New York and other American cities, where they are -sold as Bordeaux wines." - -"There's a great deal in a name," said Doctor Bronson, "especially when -wines are to be considered. No doubt we have your Australian common -wines in America under the name of Bordeaux or Burgundy, just as we have -our own products. Thousands of casks of California wines are sold every -year on the Atlantic seaboard, but not under their own name. Offered as -California wines they would not find a market, but as Bordeaux wines -they have a ready sale." - -"And I have been told," said Mr. Watson, "that the Californian, although -very enthusiastic about his own State, will not drink its wine. Am I -right?" - -[Illustration: CHINESE LABORERS IN A VINEYARD.] - -"According to my observation, you are," the Doctor replied. "I do not -think I ever saw a bottle of native wine on the table of a resident of -California. Hotel-keepers in San Francisco have told me that those who -order California wines at dinner are invariably strangers; a Californian -would almost consider himself disgraced if he should do so." - -"Well, it is pretty much the same in Australia," said Mr. Watson. "We -are proud of our country and what it produces, but we prefer French -champagne to our own sparkling wines, and Spanish sherry to what comes -from our vineyards and wine cellars. And not altogether without reason, -I must confess, as we have not yet reached perfection with our fine -wines." - -From wine-culture the conversation naturally turned to the labor -question, which Mr. Watson said was one of the perplexities of -Queensland. The climate is too hot to permit the white man to work in -the fields and other places where severe manual exertion is required, -with the exception of the elevated regions of the Darling Downs and some -other comparatively cool places. Consequently there has been a necessity -for imported labor, and in endeavoring to secure it Queensland has had a -great deal of trouble. - -[Illustration: ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN.] - -In previous chapters we have alluded to the Polynesian labor-trade, much -of which was carried on in the interest of the sugar-planters of -Queensland. There were many abuses in its early days, but at present the -trade is under so many restrictions that the laborers have little cause -for complaint. The natives are brought to the colony for three years; -the master is bound to give them food and lodging, thirty dollars a year -wages, and then pay their passage home in addition to the outward -passage which he has paid to the ship-master who brings the laborers -from their islands. - -By the last census there were about six thousand Polynesians in -Queensland, ten thousand five hundred Chinese, and about two thousand -inhabitants of the Malay Archipelago. The Chinese, like the Polynesians, -are mostly employed in out-door work, though a considerable number of -them are utilized as house-servants, and in other domestic employments. -They go to Australia to earn a certain amount of money, and then return -home, just as they come to the United States. Of more than ten thousand -Chinese in Queensland, all but forty-nine were men; and no matter how -prosperous a Chinese may be in Australia, he rarely thinks of taking his -family there. - -Frank asked what was the total population of the colony. - -"Not far from three hundred and fifty thousand," was the reply. "There -is an excess of males in the population, as is always the case in a new -country, the proportions of men to women being about three to two. About -one-half the population were born in the Australian colonies, and of the -remainder fully three-fourths came from Great Britain. The colony -encourages immigration by means of assisted or free passage, grants of -land, and other inducements, and maintains constantly an agent in London -who forwards the interests of Queensland in every way in his power." - -"How many natives are there in the colony?" queried Fred. - -"I am afraid if I answered your question without an explanation," said -Mr. Watson, with a smile, "I should give you a wrong impression. By -natives I suppose you mean the aboriginal inhabitants of the country?" - -"Certainly," replied Fred. - -"In Australia, when we speak of natives," Mr. Watson answered, "we mean -white people who were born in the country, in contrast to those who have -migrated from England and other lands. When referring to the aborigines -we call them so, and we also call them 'blacks' or 'blackfellows.' At -the last census there were 148,162 natives, or whites, born in the -colonies, living in Queensland, and about 20,000 aborigines. The latter -number is an estimate only, as it is impossible to take the census of -the black population." - -[Illustration: WEST COAST AUSTRALIANS.] - -"If you want to see the difference between a native and an aboriginal," -said the gentleman, "look where I am pointing." - -The youths followed with their eyes the direction of his finger, and saw -a white man and a black one standing near each other, close to the -little station where the train was halted, some miles beyond Toowoomba. -The black man was in civilized garb and had a muscular frame, quite -like that of an able-bodied negro in the southern part of the United -States. His garments were coarse and rough, his hair was black and -bushy, and his chin was covered with a beard that seemed to more than -rival his hair in its swarthiness. - -"The white man is probably a sheep or cattle raiser," said Mr. Watson, -"and the black is one of his assistants." - -"From that I suppose the blacks are employed about the farms and -pastoral stations," Fred remarked. - -"Certainly," responded Mr. Watson. "Nearly every station in Queensland -has one or two blackfellows employed on it as stock-riders, a capacity -in which they are very useful. They are good riders, and quite equal to -your American Indians in following a trail. They will track lost cattle -and sheep when a white man would be utterly unable to do so; and we have -a police force of blacks, commanded by Europeans, who perform excellent -service in hunting down highwaymen and other rascals who have taken to -the bush." - -Frank asked what was the reputation of the blacks for honesty and in -other ways. - -"I'm sorry to say it is not of the best," was the reply. "Like most -savages, they show great readiness for acquiring the vices of -civilization, but great reluctance for adopting its virtues. They are -adepts at lying and stealing, though they are generally faithful to -those who employ them as long as they are employed. They are like all -other savages in their fondness for intoxicating liquors, and rarely -miss an opportunity for drinking. Most of those employed about the -cattle and sheep stations do not remain there long. As soon as they -become fairly useful they demand higher wages, and in a little while -their demands are so exorbitant that they must be sent away. - -"When they are out of work they take to stealing cattle, and generally -from the station where they were formerly engaged, and with which they -are familiar. Many of them loaf around the towns, doing small jobs of -work, and generally dying of drink." - -"Why don't they return to their tribes?" one of the youths inquired. - -"For the very simple reason that they would be put to death by their own -people. A black who has been employed by a white man is forever after an -outcast from his own tribe; at least such is the case with nearly all -the tribes I ever heard of." - -Frank asked Mr. Watson if he had been among the blacks and seen them at -home. The gentleman replied in the affirmative, and then both the -youths asked him to tell more about them and their ways of living. Mr. -Watson kindly assented, and at once began his story. - -[Illustration: CIVILIZED ABORIGINES.] - -"At starting let me say," he remarked, "that the aborigines of Australia -are about the lowest type of the human race that can be found, with the -possible exception of the natives of Terra del Fuego. They belong -distinctively to the black race, though their hair while curly has not -the woolly crispness of that of the African negro. In the interior, away -from settlements, they go entirely naked, and when white men first came -to Australia the natives had no knowledge of the uses of clothing. -Around the settlements they have adopted civilized customs in the matter -of dress, but only upon compulsion. I have known the blacks who were -employed at a sheep-station to go naked when away from the dwelling of -their employer, and only resume their clothing on returning to the -house." - -"What kind of houses do they live in when by themselves?" Frank asked. - -"They had not learned to build houses until the Europeans instructed -them," was the reply, "and the wild tribes of the interior still -continue to live as they did of yore. They occasionally build rude huts -of bark by inclining two or three strips against each other in the form -of a cone, but more frequently their only protection against the weather -is a single strip of bark, or a large bough of a tree, inclined towards -the wind, and held in place by an upright stick. - -"In my younger days I owned a station in a region where the blacks were -numerous, and though they occasionally stole some of my sheep and -cattle, and committed other depredations, our relations were, on the -whole, of a friendly character. I allowed them to visit my house, but -only on condition that they were properly dressed, the dress consisting -of a skin or piece of cloth around the waist. As a single garment lasted -them a long time, it was evident that they wore it only when coming to -my house, laying it aside as soon as they were out of sight. When going -into battle they paint their bodies with red earth, to give them a -hideous appearance, and if they can obtain European paints of different -colors they are especially happy; they imagine that the more hideously -they are decorated the more likely are they to be victorious in fights -with other tribes. - -[Illustration: ABORIGINAL METHOD OF MAKING FIRE.] - -"Like most other savage people, they obtain fire by rubbing two sticks -together; but the operation requires so much exertion that they take -great care to preserve fire when once they have obtained it. A tribe -will wander about for days and weeks carrying fire in coals carefully -protected by strips of bark; some of the old women are designated as -fire-carriers, and are generally exempt from other work. When they build -fires at night they surround them with shields of bark, so that their -locality will not be revealed by the glare of light. - -"They use columns of smoke by day, and fires by night, for conveying -intelligence. They have a very good telegraphic code by columns of -smoke, which can be made to indicate warnings, the position of game, -ships or whales in sight along the coast, and various other things. They -can make smoke signals that will be understood by their own or friendly -tribes, but be unintelligible to hostile ones. In former times they used -this smoke signal occasionally to the injury of the white settlers, who -had at first no idea that the thin column of smoke rising through the -trees was a signal for the warriors to make a simultaneous attack upon -half a dozen places at once." - -Fred asked what kind of weapons they used in fighting with one another -or attacking the Europeans. - -"Their principal weapon for close work," said Mr. Watson, "is the waddy, -or club. It is a heavy club made of hard-wood, and has a knob at the end -of the handle for greater security of grasp. Etiquette requires that -blows with the waddy should be aimed only at the head; to strike any -other part of the body with it would not be fair. The form of the weapon -differs with different tribes, so that it is possible sometimes to learn -to what tribe a party belongs by looking at their clubs. Some tribes -have wooden swords about three feet long, which they handle very -skilfully. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN WARRIORS WATCHING A BOAT.] - -"They are expert in throwing spears, which they launch very accurately -for distances of thirty or forty yards. Sometimes their spears are a -single piece of hard-wood tipped with bone, iron, or sharp stone; other -spears have heads of hard-wood, while the shaft is a light reed which -grows abundantly on the banks of most of the rivers of Australia. The -spears vary from six to eleven feet in length; I have seen spears -fifteen feet long, but they were intended for fishing, and not for war, -though they were often used for fighting purposes. - -[Illustration: BATTLE BETWEEN HOSTILE TRIBES OF AUSTRALIANS.] - -"A black in his wild state is rarely seen without a spear in his hand, -and this reminds me of one of my early experiences. I went out in the -bush one day with some of the friendly blacks, and had walked a short -distance in front of them when one of the party stopped me. He motioned -for me to step to the rear, and then said, - -"'When you walk in bush along a blackfellow, you make him blackfellow -walk first time (in front).' - -"When I asked what for, he replied, 'I den know. I believe debil debil -jump up; want him blackfellow spear whitefellow.' You can be sure I took -the hint, and ever afterwards allowed the blacks to take the lead. -Several times since then friendly natives have told me that when a white -man is walking in front of them there is an almost irresistible -inclination to spear him. - -"They have a superstition which they express in these words: -'Blackfellow die, jump up whitefellow;' which means that when a black -man dies he reappears as a white one. In the early days of the -settlement at Sydney, the convicts who ran away into the bush were -almost certain to be killed by the blacks if they escaped death by -starvation before the blacks found them. One convict who thus escaped -wandered about for several days, and finally became so weak that he -could hardly stand. In this dilemma he took a staff which he found -sticking in a mound of earth, and used it as a support. A few hours -afterwards he fell in with a party of natives, who treated him with the -greatest respect. They fed him bountifully, and nursed him as well as -their limited means permitted, and in course of time restored him to -health and strength. Every man indicated a desire to obey him. He -remained for years with the tribe, and as soon as he had acquired enough -of their language to communicate with them, they made him understand -that he was their chief. - -[Illustration: ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS AND THEIR HUTS.] - -"It turned out that the mound of earth where he found the staff was the -grave of their chief, who had recently died and been buried there. The -stick which he took from the mound was the shaft of the chief's favorite -spear, which was stuck into his grave according to their custom. When he -appeared leaning on the stick, the superstitions of the natives told -them that he was their chief returned in the shape of a white man. To -this accidental circumstance he owed his life, as the tribe was in the -habit of spearing every white man who came in their way." - -Fred asked what were their burial customs, and if they had any belief in -a future existence. - -"The dead are buried in the spots where they die, and these places are -never inhabited again by members of the dead man's tribe, nor are they -even visited except on rare occasions or from necessity. The names of -the dead are never pronounced, and those having the same names are -obliged to change them. My partner at the sheep-station died of fever; -he had been kind to the blacks, and was evidently liked by them, but I -could never get them to listen to any reference to him after his death, -and they did not like to look at his photograph, which hung in the -house. - -"They have very crude ideas on religious matters. They believe in good -and bad spirits; and some tribes have a belief in a supreme being, while -others have none. They have many myths and superstitions, and some of -these myths display a vivid imagination on the part of those who -invented them. Shall I tell you some of them?" - -The youths said they would greatly like to hear some of the Australian -myths, whereupon Mr. Watson continued: - -"The aboriginal theory about the creation is that Pund-jel, or Bun-jil, -created two men out of the clay of the earth, but he did not create -women. That honor was reserved for Pal-ly-yan, the son of Pund-jel, who -made a woman for each of the men. Pund-jel gave each man a spear, and -told him to kill the kangaroo with it; and to the women he gave a -digging-stick for digging roots from the ground. The men and women were -ordered to live together, and thus the world was peopled. By-and-by -people became very numerous, and then Pund-jel caused storms to arise, -and winds to blow so severely as to scatter the people over the earth, -and thus the human race was dispersed. - -"The first man and woman were told not to go near a certain tree in -which a bat lived, as he was not to be disturbed. One day the woman, in -gathering firewood, went near the tree; the bat flew away, and after -that came death." - -"How closely it resembles the Biblical account of the fall of man!" Fred -remarked. - -"The resemblance has been noticed by writers on the subject," said Mr. -Watson, "and some believe that the tradition is not genuine. Mr. Brough -Smyth, author of an exhaustive work on the Aborigines of Victoria, -accepts it as genuine, and so do other prominent writers. I have given -some thought to the subject, and notwithstanding the similarity, I agree -with them. - -"The blacks say there is a very wicked man who has a very long tail -living under the ground. He has many wives and children, and laughs at -the blacks because they have no tails. They have another tradition that -at one time there was no water anywhere on the earth, all the waters -being contained in the body of a huge frog, where men and women could -not get it. There was a grand council on the subject, and it was -ascertained that if the frog could be made to laugh, the waters would -run out of his mouth and the drought would be ended. - -[Illustration: ABORIGINAL CHILDREN PLAYING IN THE WATER.] - -"Several animals danced and capered before the frog to induce him to -laugh, but without success. Then the eel began to wriggle, and at that -the frog laughed outright; the waters ran from his mouth, and there was -a great flood, in which many people were drowned. The pelican took it -upon himself to save the black people. He cut an immense canoe, and went -with it among the islands which appeared here and there above the -waters, and with this canoe he saved a great many men and women." - -"A distinct tradition of the flood," remarked Fred to Frank, as Mr. -Watson paused a few moments to consider what he would next say. - -[Illustration: THE HAUNT OF THE BUN-YIP.] - -"There is a myth about the sun that is quite interesting," Mr. Watson -continued. "They say that because the sun gives heat it needs fuel, and -when it descends below the horizon it goes down to a great depth, where -it is supplied with fuel. They have some knowledge of astronomy, and -have names for and traditions concerning the principal planets and fixed -stars. They have mythical snakes and other animals possessing -supernatural powers, and can tell you stories upon stories of the -wonderful things these creatures have done. The monster most widely -believed in is the bun-yip; he is of dreadful aspect, devours great -numbers of human beings, and altogether bears a close resemblance to the -dragons which were believed in in other parts of the world at different -times since the history of man began. He can cause death, illness, -disease, and other misfortunes, and is supposed to haunt lakes, rivers, -and water-holes all over the continent. Many natives claim to have seen -him, and a considerable number of white men confirm their accounts of -the creature." - -"And do you think such an animal exists?" Frank asked, with an -expression of astonishment. - -"Of course not with the attributes the blacks give him," was the reply, -"but it is quite possible that Australia possesses an amphibious animal -which we have not yet been able to examine. As described by those who -claim to have seen the bun-yip, he resembles a seal or large water-dog. -The seal abounds in Australian waters; I presume that he is the bun-yip -of the natives, and that their imaginations have supplied his wonderful -powers." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -RIDING THROUGH THE BUSH.--AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY.--ARRIVAL AT THE -STATION.--THE BUILDINGS AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.--A SNAKE IN FRED'S -BED.--SNAKES IN AUSTRALIA.--UNDERWOOD'S REMEDY FOR SNAKE-BITES, AND WHAT -CAME OF IT.--CENTIPEDES AND SCORPIONS.--A VENOMOUS SPIDER.--NOCTURNAL -NOISES AT A CATTLE-STATION.--HORSES AND THEIR TRAITS.--BUCK-JUMPING AND -ROUGH-RIDING.--HOW A "NEW CHUM" CATCHES A HORSE.--ENDURANCE OF -HORSES.--AMONG THE HERDS OF CATTLE.--RIDE TO A CATTLE-CAMP.--DAILY LIFE -OF THE STOCKMEN.--CASTE IN AUSTRALIA.--SQUATTERS AND FREE -SELECTORS.--HORRIBLE ACCIDENTS IN THE BUSH.--A MAN EATEN ALIVE BY -ANTS.--BURNED TO DEATH UNDER A FALLEN TREE.--CHASING AN EMU.--ROUSING A -FLOCK OF WILD TURKEYS. - - -On their arrival at Roma, Doctor Bronson and his young companions spent -the night, or what remained of it, in a hotel that was anything but -comfortable by comparison with the spacious caravanseries of the city, -but fully as good as they had expected to find in an interior town. -After an early breakfast they were taken in a light but strong wagon, -drawn by two powerful horses, to the station of their host. - -[Illustration: THE TEAM.] - -The road lay through an undulating country in which there was an -agreeable diversity of open areas interspersed with gum forest and cut -up with numerous gullies, ruts, and holes, which gave a liberal amount -of exercise to the occupants of the vehicle. Mr. Watson said it was an -excellent road in the dry season, but anything but agreeable after heavy -rains had converted it into a long stretch of mud. "One of my neighbors -used to say," he continued, "that the road between our houses was ten -miles long, twenty feet wide, and two feet deep; and he was not far from -the mark." - -We will let Frank tell the story of what they saw and heard at the -station; and we may add that where he found his memory at fault while -writing his account of the sheep and cattle raising business, he -refreshed it by glancing at several books on the subject, and -particularly at "Advance Australia!" by the Hon. Harold Finch-Hatton. - -"We stopped several times on our way from Roma," said Frank in his -narrative, "as our host seemed to know everybody in the country, and -wished us to meet as many of his acquaintances as we could. Every one -was hospitable, and it was not easy to get away; partly for this reason -and partly in consequence of the distance, it was almost sundown when we -reached the station, which was quite a village of houses. The principal -house, where the owner and his family lived, was in an enclosure perhaps -two hundred feet square. There were several trees in the enclosure, and -a perfect wilderness of vines and creepers of many kinds. The vine most -abundant was the scarlet geranium, which is supposed to keep away -snakes; but if half the stories we heard are true, its virtue is not -absolute in this respect. - -[Illustration: PETS AT THE STATION.] - -"The house was a two-story building of wood, about fifty feet by thirty, -and stood upon posts, or piles, seven feet high, each post having a -geranium vine growing around it. There was a wide veranda all around the -house; the space on the ground was occupied with dining-room, pantry, -store-room, office, and bath-room, and was easily accessible on all -sides. There was a huge fireplace in the dining-room, and also one in -the large sitting-room directly above it. On the same floor with the -sitting-room there were four good bedrooms. One of these was given to -Doctor Bronson; the others being occupied by the family, Fred and I were -shown to a small house just outside the yard, where were two very good -rooms, plainly but comfortably furnished. After arranging our toilets we -returned to the big house, and were ready for dinner, which was shortly -announced. - -"We dined substantially on roast mutton, preceded by a soup of kangaroo -tail, and followed by a plum-pudding which had been put up in London and -sent to Australia in a tin can. We spent an hour or two in the -sitting-room listening to tales of Australian bush life, and then -started for bed; and thereby hangs a tale. - -"Fred's room was separated from mine by a thin partition. When Mr. -Watson left us Fred remarked that he was quite ready for a good sleep, -as he was very tired. As he spoke he turned down the bed-clothes, and -then shouted for me to come quick. - -"'Here's a big snake in my bed!' said he. 'Come and help me kill him.' - -"Mr. Watson heard the remark, and hastened back before I could get to -where the snake was. - -"'Don't harm that snake,' said he; 'it's a pet, and belongs to my -brother. It's nothing but a carpet snake.' - -"With that Fred cooled down, but said he didn't want any such pet in his -bed, even if it was nothing but a carpet snake. The serpent, which was -fully ten feet long, raised his head lazily, and then put it down again, -as if he was quite satisfied with the situation and did not wish to be -disturbed. - -"Mr. Watson explained that the snake had no business there, and without -more ado he picked the creature up by the neck and dragged it off to a -barrel which he said was its proper place. After he had gone Fred and I -put a board over the top of the barrel to make sure that the reptile did -not give us a call during the night. Poverty is said to make one -acquainted with strange bedfellows, but poverty can't surpass Australian -bush life where a man finds a snake in his bed altogether too often for -comfort. - -"While we are on this subject," Frank continued, "we will have a word -about the snakes of Australia. The carpet snake, to which we were so -unceremoniously introduced, is the largest of the family, and is really -harmless, so far as its bite is concerned, though it has powers of -constriction that are not to be despised. It lives upon small game which -it can easily swallow, and occasionally ventures upon a young wallaby or -kangaroo. It may be kept as a pet, as you have seen; but as it can't -sing, doesn't learn tricks, never undertakes to talk, and does nothing -for the amusement or entertainment of its owner, I don't understand why -anybody should want to pet it. But there's no accounting for tastes. It -catches a few rats and other vermin, and occasionally creates havoc in -the chicken-yard. - -[Illustration: THE TIGER SNAKE.] - -"There are five deadly serpents in Australia--the black snake, the brown -snake, the tiger snake, the diamond snake, and the death-adder. The -black and brown are most common, and the brown snake frequently reaches -a length of nine feet. The most vicious and dangerous is the tiger -snake, which seems to be allied to the _cobra-de-capello_ of India, as, -when irritated, it flattens and extends its neck to twice its ordinary -size. It secretes its maximum amount of poison in the summer, and its -bite is speedily fatal. The bite of any of the snakes here enumerated -will cause death in a few hours unless the proper antidotes are applied. - -"The death-adder is unlike the other snakes in one respect; it never -attempts to get out of any one's way, but lies quite still until it is -touched, when it instantly strikes at its victim. The best-known -remedies for snake-bites are hypodermic injections of ammonia, cutting -out the wound, and swallowing large quantities of brandy or other -spirits. - -[Illustration: CAMPING-OUT ON A CATTLE-RUN.] - -"Mr. Watson says there was once a man named Underwood, who discovered a -perfectly efficacious antidote to the bite of a poisonous snake. He gave -several performances in which he allowed himself to be bitten by snakes -that were undoubtedly healthy and in full possession of their venomous -powers. Dogs and rabbits that were bitten by the same snakes after they -had tried their fangs on Underwood died very soon afterwards; and it -must be remembered that the second bite of a snake is always less -poisonous than the first. After being bitten by the snakes, Underwood -applied a remedy which was known only to himself, and soon recovered -from the effects of the bite. - -"The manner of his death is a very convincing proof of the perfection of -his remedy. One day, while under the influence of liquor, he allowed -himself to be bitten by a snake; in consequence of his intoxication he -was unable to find his antidote, and so he died of the bite. His secret -perished with him; he had demanded £10,000 ($50,000) for it, which the -Government refused to pay, as they thought the price exorbitant. - -"Every new chum--freshly arrived men in the colonies are known as 'new -chums'--has a nervous apprehension about snakes when he first sets foot -in the bush, and has quite likely provided himself with a pair of long -boots as a protection against venomous reptiles. Within a week or so -this feeling wears off, and after a while a man thinks no more about -snakes than in England or the United States. Most of the deaths from -snake-bites occur among the laborers in the fields, and altogether they -are by no means uncommon. In some localities one might go about for -years without seeing a snake, while in others the deadly reptiles are so -numerous that caution must be exercised. The worst regions are said to -be the cane-fields of the Mackay district and the reed-beds on the -Murray River. - -[Illustration: THE POISONOUS SPIDER (MAGNIFIED).] - -"There are centipedes and scorpions in Australia whose bite is -poisonous, and there is a black spider about the size of a large pea, -with a brilliant crimson mark on its back. It lives in old timber, and -frequently takes up its abode in a house, where it does not wait to be -disturbed before attacking one. Its bite is very painful; death not -infrequently follows it, but more probably the victim becomes hopelessly -insane or paralyzed. Mr. Finch-Hatton tells how he was bitten by one of -these spiders, and within ten seconds he had cut out the flesh and -rubbed the wound with ammonia, which he always kept about him. But his -leg got very bad; the pain for days was intense, and afterwards the -whole leg swelled and became soft, like dough. The wound turned into a -running sore, which did not heal for months. - -"We thought we were going to sleep well at the station, but soon found -our mistake. We were not far from a pen where a dozen weanling calves -were shut to separate them from their mothers. The calves kept up a -steady bleating, and their mothers in the paddock close by plaintively -answered them. About the same distance off on the other side was the -chicken-house, and we had the benefit of the voices of the chanticleers. -Cocks in Australia begin to crow at midnight and stop at sunrise. They -must have had a clock to look at, as the first of them crowed exactly at -twelve, and the others followed without a minute's delay. Then a flock -of ducks added their clamor; and the fun was liveliest when a dingo, or -wild dog, set up a howl in the bush. This started all the canines on the -place, and as Mr. Watson and his brother were the owners of four -bull-dogs, six fox-terriers, three cattle-dogs, four kangaroo-dogs, and -two wolf-hounds, I leave you to imagine the sounds that greeted our -ears. - -[Illustration: THE PROSPEROUS SQUATTER.] - -"One gets used to this sort of thing, like everything else, and on the -second night on the place we slept without much interruption; but on -that first morning we were glad when daylight came, so that we could get -up; and when we saw the beauty of the breaking day we were very glad we -had risen so early. There was a peculiar freshness about the air, and -the scent of the gum-trees was clearly perceptible. Over the low ground -there lay a thin mist, which the rising sun dispelled, and then as the -sunlight came breaking over the landscape it bathed the whole scene in -an atmosphere of gold. Ducks flapped their wings over the surface of a -pond a few hundred yards away; crows sailed around in the air or perched -on trees not far from the dwelling-house, and two or three other birds -added their notes to the chorus. Chickens, pigeons, and other domestic -birds gathered in front of the storehouse, waiting for their morning -meal; cows were lowing and horses neighing in the yards, and everything -betokened activity. - -"We went in the direction of the yards, and as we did so a black boy -came dashing up behind a drove of thirty or forty horses which he had -brought in from the great paddock. They were intended for the day's -riding, and one of the men about the place told us that it is the custom -on an Australian station to bring up the horses every morning in this -way, and turn them out again after the selections for the day have been -made. - -[Illustration: "I'M WAITING FOR YOU."] - -"The stock-keepers were on hand to pick out their horses, and we watched -the work with a good deal of interest. Australian horses have a bad -reputation, and as we saw the men going into the yard we felt sure there -would be a lively time; but, contrary to our expectations, the animals -quietly submitted, and were saddled and bridled without the least -resistance. The horses are cunning creatures and know their masters, so -that when an old hand approaches them they thoroughly understand the -folly of resistance, as it is sure to bring punishment. - -[Illustration: PERFORMANCE OF A BUCKER.] - -"It was very different the next morning when a new chum went in to catch -a horse. With the aid of a black boy he cornered it off in the yard, and -then, with the bridle over his arm, approached it slowly and with -soothing words, which might as well have been addressed to a grisly -bear. Australian horses are cruelly treated all their lives, and -consequently they nearly all have vicious tempers, on which kindness is -wholly thrown away. The horse immediately understood the man to be a -stranger in the country, and proceeded to act accordingly. The -expression of his eye and the droop of his quarters were not to be -misunderstood; and just as the man put out his hand with the bridle, the -horse gave a snort and a rush, knocking down his would-be captor, and -then galloped round and round the yard with his tail in the air. - -"Again the man got the horse in a corner, and just as he was about -getting the bridle into place the brute put his head over the fence, -where it could not possibly be reached, and at the same time spitefully -threw his heels in the air in a way that made the new chum look out for -his safety. Three or four other attempts were made, to the great delight -of the old hands, who always sit on the fence and watch the performance -until they grow weary of laughing; then they come to the relief of the -novice, and saddle and bridle the horse for him at once. - -[Illustration: THE MILKING YARD.] - -"After the horse had been saddled the new chum tried to mount him. He -got safely into the saddle, but hardly was he seated before the beast -begun to 'buck,' as we call it in America, or 'buck jump,' as it is -designated here. The horse brought his head and all his feet together, -arched his back till it resembled a section of the dome of a church, and -then jumped up, down, sidewise, forward, backward, and in every other -direction in very rapid succession. The man was a good rider, and -managed to stick until the horse lay down and tried to roll over him, -when he slid out of the saddle and gave up. - -[Illustration: COMING IN FROM PASTURE.] - -"Then one of the old hands tried the horse, which repeated the -performance, but not so successfully, as the rider suddenly pulled the -animal's head up and prevented his falling to the ground. Practised -riders sometimes show their skill by putting a silver coin the size of a -half-dollar between each thigh and the saddle, and retaining it there in -spite of all the plunging and bucking of the animal.[11] One of the men -gravely told us he had seen a man thrown twenty feet into the air by a -bucking horse, and then come down astride the saddle in exactly the -right position. Another said he had seen a horse swell himself suddenly, -so as to burst the girths of the saddle; the saddle and the man on it -then went fully ten feet into the air, and came down on the horse all -right and in order. We had intended to tell them about the remarkable -riding of Buffalo Bill and his cow-boys, but after these two stories we -had nothing to say. - -[11] In an article on "Ranch Life in the Far West," in _The Century -Magazine_ for February, 1888, Hon. Theodore Roosevelt says: "The -flash-riders, or horse-breakers, always called 'broncho-busters,' can -perform really marvellous feats, riding with ease the most vicious and -unbroken beasts, that no ordinary cow-boy would dare to tackle. Although -sitting seemingly so loose in the saddle, such a rider cannot be jarred -out of it by the wildest plunger, it being a favorite feat to sit out -the antics of a bucking horse, with a silver half-dollar under each knee -or in the stirrups under each foot." - -"Australian horses are credited with remarkable endurance. A ride of a -hundred miles between sunrise and sundown is not a wonderful -performance. There is a story of a man who rode a pony a hundred miles -in a day, and then carried it a hundred yards; but it is proper to add -that the pony died from his rough usage. One horse carried his rider, a -Mr. Lord, two hundred and sixty-three miles in three days, and suffered -no ill effects from doing so. The distances made were eighty-eight miles -the first day, eighty-three the second, and ninety-two on the third. Mr. -Lord weighed one hundred and ninety-nine pounds, so that the horse had -no feather-weight to carry. - -[Illustration: AN AUSTRALIAN STOCK-RIDER.] - -"We were called away to breakfast before the men had finished their work -with the horses, as some were to be reserved for the use of the -strangers. Mr. Watson had given orders that the best horses were to be -turned over to us; not the best from the stockman's point of view, but -those of the kindest disposition and least addicted to tricks. A horse -without any bad tricks is not easy to find on an Australian station; if -what we were told about their breaking is true, it is no wonder. - -[Illustration: UNSTEADY SEAT.] - -"There are men who go about breaking horses for eight or ten dollars a -head. They are regular cow-boys, who cannot be thrown out of a saddle by -any motions the horse may make short of lying down and rolling over -them. A lot of young horses which have never been in a yard twice in -their lives are driven up into an enclosure; a horse is selected, -separated from the herd, and driven into a small yard by himself. He is -lassoed or secured in some way, and a saddle and bridle are put on him. -While the animal is held by his assistants, the horse-breaker mounts, -and then sticks his spurs into the poor beast and sets him to bucking -till he is tired out and gives in; then the horse is left for a few -hours with the saddle on. After two or three days of this kind of -treatment he is turned over to his owner as 'broken.' - -"The Australian saddle is very much like the Mexican, or like that used -in the Western States of North America and on the frontier. It has a -high pommel and cantle, weighs not far from twenty pounds, and is used -with a saddle-cloth beneath it, the same as the Whitman and other -well-known saddles of American make. Some riders prefer English saddles, -but they are useless for bucking horses. A gentleman who has had a great -deal of experience in Australia says he has seen men ride very bad -buck-jumpers barebacked, and has often _heard_ of men who could ride -them in an English saddle, but he never saw it done, and does not -believe such a thing possible. - -"For breakfast we had broiled steak, with fried eggs and bacon, plenty -of good bread, some pickles and jam, washed down with strong tea. Coffee -is not often used in the Australian bush, the greater convenience of tea -having made it much more popular. Living in the bush is not luxurious, -and on many stations the unvarying round of tea, damper, and beef or -mutton soon becomes monotonous. These are the staples of food; -vegetables of any kind are rarely seen; and as for pickles, jam, and the -like, they are luxuries which only the prosperous can afford. 'Damper' -is dough baked in hot ashes or on a hot stone; when you are hungry and -the damper is fresh, it is by no means unpalatable; but cold damper -requires an excellent appetite to get it down. - -[Illustration: A NEW CHUM'S FIRST RIDE.] - -"Soon after breakfast the horses were brought up, and we started, under -the guidance of Mr. Watson, for a ride among the cattle. The run, as a -cattle or sheep range is called (the word corresponding in usage to the -American 'ranch'), was about twenty miles square, and was said to be an -excellent one, as the grass was good and there was plenty of water. -Cattle and sheep runs are frequently much larger than this; I heard of -some that covered areas of more than six hundred square miles, and were -capable of carrying thirty thousand head of cattle; but such runs are -becoming more and more rare every year. - -"The large runs have two or three, and sometimes more, stations, or -residences, with yards and buildings; one of them is the 'head station,' -where the owner or manager lives, and from which orders are sent out. -Each station has from one to three or four stockmen, with as many black -assistants; this force is sufficient for managing the cattle; and each -station has its herd of horses, which are driven up every morning, as -already described. The horses are in a paddock, or fenced pasture, but -the cattle roam at large and are generally about half wild. Some of the -runs have boundary fences; but this is by no means the rule, and the -consequence is that cattle of different owners are constantly mixed up -and require separating. - -[Illustration: A STAMPEDE.] - -"All over the runs there are cattle-camps at intervals of a few miles; -these are level places, free from stones, and with plenty of water, and -it is part of the stockman's work to accustom the cattle to run to these -camps whenever they hear the crack of his whip. Driving into camp is -called tailing, or mustering, and we were bound on a mustering -expedition to a camp five or six miles away. The object of the muster -was to draft some bullocks to sell to a cattle-dealer who arrived at -the station about the time we did. - -[Illustration: A FREE SELECTOR AT HOME.] - -"Two of the stockmen had been sent off very early in the morning to work -the other side of the camp; we jogged on at an easy pace through -alternating forest and open ground, where sometimes we could not see -half a mile in any direction, and again coming out to ridges where we -had an extensive view. We had gone about three miles when suddenly we -came upon a mob of some fifty or sixty cattle that went off in the right -direction as soon us they heard the cracking of the whips. Mr. Watson -said they would go straight to the camp, and Fred and I might follow -them, which we did. Sure enough, they took us right where we wished to -go; and when we reached the camp we saw fully five hundred cattle -gathered there in charge of the two stockmen from the other side. - -[Illustration: ARRIVAL OF THE WEEKLY MAIL.] - -"The rest of the party had turned off to the right as soon as our mob of -cattle started, and didn't come up to us until we had been fully half an -hour on the ground. They were preceded by three or four mobs of cattle -that came dashing in with tails in the air, and acting as though they -enjoyed the sport. - -"The camp was a picturesque sight. The stockmen and the black boys were -riding constantly around the herd, to keep the animals from straying or -breaking away; the cattle were moving restlessly about, the cows lowing -for their missing calves, the bullocks indulging in an occasional fight, -in which none of them was hurt, and the whole herd separating -occasionally into little groups composed of those that had been -accustomed to run together on the pastures. The camp was partially -covered with a very thin forest of iron-bark trees, and the white, red, -and roan colors of the animals made a very pretty contrast against the -black tinge of the wood and the green of the grass. - -"We dismounted, and sat down on a log, while the stockmen and the -cattle-dealer proceeded to draft out the animals that were wanted. I may -as well explain some of the terms used here, as they will doubtless seem -strange in America. - -"A 'mob' is a bunch or group of cattle that have assembled for grazing -purposes. A herd consists of several or many mobs. - -"'Tailing' is the assembling of one or a few mobs at the stock-yards or -cattle-camps; tailing is sometimes called mustering, but the latter term -applies more particularly to the annual or semi-annual assemblage of all -the cattle belonging to a run for the purpose of counting, branding, and -other operations to which cattle are devoted. The muster is exactly -analogous to the American 'round-up.' - -[Illustration: "CUTTING OUT."] - -"Unruly cattle in Australia are termed 'rowdy;' 'drafting' is the -process of selecting animals from the herds, and when they are rowdy, as -they generally are, the performance is by no means free from danger. Not -infrequently drafting is called 'cutting out.' - -"The word 'squatter' in Australia has a meaning almost the reverse of -its American one. In America a squatter is the occupant of a small area -of land on which he has 'squatted,' or settled, with a view to -acquiring title under the homestead laws, or perhaps to being bought off -by somebody else. In Australia the squatter is the holder of a run which -he obtains by lease from the Government for a term of years, paying an -annual rental of ten shillings per square mile, with a privilege of -renewal, and also with the right of pre-emption or actual purchase. - -"What we call a squatter in America is here a 'free selector;' he has -the privilege of selecting land not already occupied for agricultural -purposes, and between the squatters and the free selectors there is a -feeling of great hostility. The laws of the colony have been subject to -a great deal of change in the last twenty years; the squatters feel that -they have been unfairly treated, and we heard many stories of down-right -hardship. - -"Into this question of the rights of land-owners in Australia we will -not enter, as the discussion would be an interminable one. More -interesting to the boys at home will be the performance of drafting -cattle from the herd. - -[Illustration: MUSTERING CATTLE.] - -"A small mob of cattle was separated from the herd and driven away a -little distance to serve as the nucleus of the draft-mob. Then the -cattle-dealer and two of the stockmen rode into the herd and selected -the animals they wanted; each man was mounted on a good 'camp-horse,' -one used to cutting out cattle, and it was interesting to see the -intelligence of the horses in their work. The men selected the bullocks -they wanted, and then edged them out in the direction of the draft-mob; -most of the bullocks were rowdy, and gave the men a lively chase before -they submitted to be separated from their fellows. - -"The horse followed the bullock wherever he went, as though the latter -was leading him. Over rocks, fallen trees, and among upright ones went -the bullocks, with men and horses after them, and it was a wonder that -none of the men had their necks broken in the chase. Accidents do -happen, however, and sometimes they are fatal; one occurred at this very -place a few months ago, a stockman being killed by his horse falling and -then rolling over him. He was a graduate of Cambridge College, in -England, the son of a gentleman of good position but small fortune, and -had come to Australia to make his way in the world. - -"In speaking of this incident Mr. Watson said that a considerable -proportion of the stockmen in Australia were men of education and of -good families, who had come to the new country because it afforded -better means of advancement than they could hope for at home. It is no -disgrace in Australia for a man to work with his hands for an honest -living, any more than it is in the new States and Territories of the -United States. I heard a story of an ex-officer of a crack regiment of -dragoons who cut wood near Brisbane, loaded it on a wagon with his own -hands, unloaded it at the house of a Government official, and received -his pay for it just as any other wood-dealer might have received it. In -the evening of the same day he dined at a formal dinner at the very -house where he had delivered the wood, and in consequence of his former -rank in the army he escorted the hostess to the table. - -"The Premier of one of the colonies--the Premier is equivalent to our -Secretary of State--worked on the public roads when he first came to -Australia, and nobody thinks the worse of him for it; the Minister of -Public Instruction in another colony drove a coal-cart in Sydney, and -there are dozens of men of prominence who have been shepherds, -cattle-drivers, carpenters, bricklayers, and the like. Australia seems -to have taken a leaf out of the history of the United States, and been -greatly benefited by so doing. It appears to be the antipodes of England -in many social customs, just as it is in geographical position and many -of its natural features. - -"While we were seated on the log, watching the drafting operations, Fred -asked Mr. Watson about the daily life of the stockmen on a cattle-run. - -[Illustration: BRANDING A CALF.] - -"Mr. Watson answered that it was active enough, and no man who engaged -in the business need have a bad digestion. The stockman gets his -breakfast early in the morning, and immediately after breakfast the -horses are brought up. Then he starts out over that part of the run -which is assigned to him; he jogs along about five miles an hour, -accustoming the cattle to the sight of men, keeping his own mobs inside -the boundaries and driving back those of his neighbors, hunting up stray -calves, and bringing them home and branding them, and occasionally -driving the cattle to the camps, so that they will know what is expected -of them when they hear the cracking of the whip. - -"Sometimes the man is accompanied by a black boy, but quite as -frequently he goes alone. 'Really it ought to be the rule for a stockman -never to go out alone,' said Mr. Watson, 'as there are so many dangers -connected with bush-riding, and on my run I insist upon it. - -[Illustration: DIED ALONE IN "THE BUSH."] - -"'Many accidents have happened, and the history of the colonies is full -of melancholy stories about men who fell and were crippled away from -home, and died in consequence. Many a man has disappeared, and no trace -of him has ever been found; in other cases bleaching skeletons have been -discovered years later, and the few who have not forgotten the missing -men will connect these skeletons with their fate. - -"'There was a horrible case,' said Mr. Watson, 'that is fresh in the -memory of many men. A man was riding alone in the bush, when his horse -threw him and injured his spine in such a way that he could not move. -Close to where he fell was an enormous ants' nest, and when the man was -found, three days after the accident, he was still alive and conscious, -but unable to speak, his body having been half devoured by the ants. He -died a few hours after, and it is awful to think of what his sufferings -must have been. - -"'A parallel to this terrible story is found in the fate of a woodman -who was felling trees in the forest several miles from any one else. A -burning tree fell on him and pinned him to the ground, but without doing -him any serious injury. He was unable to extricate himself, and for the -day and a half it took for the fire to smoulder slowly to him he was -fully aware of his impending fate. He scratched an account of the -occurrence on a tin dish that lay within his reach; when he was found -his body was so charred and blackened that it would not have been -recognized as the remains of a man had it not been for the tin dish that -told the horrible story. The tree which fell on him was of a kind that -has the peculiarity of smouldering slowly and leaving nothing but a -track of white ashes on the ground.' - -"Each of us had brought his dinner, tied at the back of his saddle; and -after looking on a while at the drafting, we went to a spring near by -and heartily enjoyed our meal. It consisted simply of beef and bread, -and was eaten from the fingers in a very primitive way. Soon after -dinner we rode back to the station, leaving the stockmen and their -assistants to bring up the drafted animals, while the rest were let -loose again. - -[Illustration: THE EMU.] - -"On our return we saw a young emu, the famous bird that is sometimes -called the Australian ostrich. Fred and I started after him, but we -might as well have tried to run down a railway-train; he left us out of -sight in less than ten minutes, although we were on fairly good horses. -Mr. Watson said the speed and endurance of these birds was really -wonderful; he had often tried to run them down, but had only succeeded -in a single instance, and that by a sudden spurt when the bird was -frightened. Hunters on fleet horses sometimes run down these birds, and -they can also be overtaken by swift-footed dogs. - -"He said the funny thing was that the emu struggles along as though just -ready to drop dead with exhaustion, keeping not far from ten yards in -front of the horse, and regulating his speed according to that of his -pursuer. Doctor Bronson said he was like the jack-rabbit of our Western -plains, that will keep about the same distance in front of a dog, no -matter how fast the latter may run. - -"The bones of the emu contain an oil which is used by the natives for -curing sprained sinews and swollen joints. It has remarkable qualities, -as it is said to sweat through the side of a glass bottle; the natives -believe that if applied to the joints of a person who has not reached -maturity, it will soften the bones and render them brittle. - -"Soon after losing sight of the emu we roused up a flock of wild -turkeys; one of the stockmen carried a gun, and by circling in the -direction of the birds he got near enough to bring down two of them. -They are very shy of persons on foot, but can be approached on horseback -with comparative ease." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -CATTLE AND SHEEP RAISING IN QUEENSLAND.--GRASS THAT KILLS -SHEEP.--PROFITS OF RAISING CATTLE.--RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE TWO -ENTERPRISES.--INCREASE OF FLOCKS AND HERDS.--STATISTICS.--LIVE-STOCK IN -QUEENSLAND.--VISITING A SHEEP-STATION.--DUTIES OF A GOOD -SHEPHERD.--INSANE TENDENCIES OF SHEPHERDS.--MONOTONY OF THEIR -LIVES.--DISAGREEABLE WORK FOR NOVICES.--SHEEP-SHEARING, AND HOW IT IS -PERFORMED.--PACKING AND SHIPPING WOOL.--AMUSING STORY OF A STOLEN -HORSE.--THE MINER WHO HID HIS GOLD IN A HORSE-COLLAR.--BUSH-RANGERS -AND THEIR PERFORMANCES.--"STICKING UP."--"OLIVER, THE TERROR OF -THE NORTH."--HELD BY A WOODEN LEG.--TRICK OF A DISHONEST -GENIUS.--PEARL-FISHING IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS: HOW THE BUSINESS IS -CONDUCTED.--ALLIGATORS.--THE "CARDWELL PET."--SUNDOWNERS. - - -In their search for knowledge Frank and Fred made many inquiries -relative to the profits of cattle-raising in Australia, and the chances -of making a fortune at it in a given number of years. Here is a summary -of what they ascertained: - -[Illustration: THE PRIDE OF THE STATION.] - -The part of Queensland bordering the coast is not suited for sheep, -owing to a peculiar grass which grows there. It has a seed with a barb -at the end, and this barb enables it to work its way into any soft -substance; the wool of the sheep becomes so full of this seed that it is -absolutely worthless, and after a time the seeds work their way into the -flesh of the unfortunate animal until they kill him. A man riding or -walking in this grass when it is ripe gets his clothing full of the -seed, and is very apt to lose his temper, from the continual pricking -of the sharp points. Sheep cannot live in this region, but the seeds do -not affect cattle, which thrive on the grass. In the interior the -obnoxious grass does not exist, and consequently it may be roundly -stated that all parts of Queensland are suitable for grazing cattle, but -only the interior is adapted to sheep. - -Cattle-raising is less profitable than raising sheep, but it does not -require as much capital, and is less risky. A cattle-run may be made to -pay from the start, while a sheep-station requires a heavy outlay before -any returns can be received. - -Mr. Watson said that five thousand cattle could be put on an unimproved -run for about one hundred thousand dollars; the necessary buildings, -yards, weaning-paddock, horse-paddock, and other enclosures would cost -three thousand dollars, while two thousand dollars would pay all the -wages of employés, and for the food and equipment of everybody attached -to the place, for a year. For the first five years only fat cattle -should be sold, and these would be enough to pay working expenses, in -addition to improvements in the way of boundary and other fences. - -[Illustration: THE SQUATTER'S PET.] - -At the end of five years there would be ten thousand cattle on the run, -and after making liberal allowances for expenses from that time, the -annual increase would be two thousand five hundred, of which fully eight -hundred would be fat cattle. The sale of the increase would return from -twenty-eight to thirty thousand dollars annually; and after deducting -liberally for working expenses, the yearly profit could be put down at -twenty thousand dollars. Meantime the run has doubled in value, and the -investment is paying handsomely. - -[Illustration: CATTLE GOING TO WATER.] - -This is the bright side of the picture. The dark side contains epidemics -of pleuro-pneumonia, which has been the ruin of squatters on more than -one occasion; added to this is the danger of a severe drought, in which -thousands of cattle die of thirst and the inability to get food in -consequence of the drying up of the grass. In some years millions of -cattle and sheep have perished in this way, and hundreds of owners were -ruined. - -"Compared with sheep-raising," said Mr. Watson, "the cattle business -will return a high interest on the capital invested if properly managed -and fairly successful, but does not afford the rapid road to wealth that -many have travelled by a few successful years with sheep. Cattle require -few men to manage them, and entail no great expense before they are sold -and the money is obtained for them. A cattle-station has rarely an -occasion to ask the banks for loans, while the sheep-raiser constantly -requires money to pay for shepherds, shearers, and other laborers, and -is under heavy expense for the carriage of his wool to the seaports. - -[Illustration: A HOME IN THE BUSH.] - -"It is safe to say," he continued, "that the palmy days of sheep and -cattle raising are gone forever. There is very little country suitable -for grazing purposes that is not already taken up, and the holders want -high prices for their titles and improvements. Formerly a man could go -into the interior, find a good location for a run, enter it for lease, -and then obtain a partner with the capital necessary for stocking it -with a few thousand sheep. With half a dozen good seasons they would -make their fortunes, partly from the sale of wool and the increase of -stock, and partly from the rise in the value of the lease; but at the -same time they might be ruined by two bad seasons of drought, disease -among the sheep, or by the low price of wool." - -Frank asked what was the nature of the droughts of which Mr. Watson had -spoken. - -"In a general way, they are like droughts anywhere else," was the reply; -"but they have some features peculiar to Australia. In 1883 and 1884 we -had two successive years of drought, a thing never known before. Very -little rain fell in all that time, and in some localities not a drop; -the grass withered, water-holes, springs, and creeks that for years had -been unfailing sources of supply dried up, and the whole country was -desolate. There were single areas hundreds of miles in extent where not -a drop of natural water could be found, and the sheep and cattle -perished in great numbers. Experience has shown that every part of -Australia capable of producing sheep is subject to occasional periods of -unusual drought, and nobody can foretell them. There is only one way of -guarding against their effects." - -"What is that?" - -"Build reservoirs, and store water in sufficient quantities to last -through the severest droughts. Of course this will cost money, but it -will be a profitable investment in the long run. Many squatters are now -doing this, and they are also putting down driven wells after the system -invented in America about 1860. It is probable that the next -long-continued drought will not cause the death of so many sheep as did -that of 1883 and 1884. The loss of sheep in Queensland in those two -years was nearly three millions." - -Fred asked how many sheep, cattle, and horses there were in the colony. - -[Illustration: HERD OF MIXED CATTLE ON A STATION.] - -"According to the official figures," Mr. Watson replied, "we had at the -last reports (December, 1885), 260,207 horses, 4,162,652 cattle, and -8,994,322 sheep. Compare these figures with those of 1844, when we had -660 horses, 13,295 cattle, and 184,651 sheep. We had more than -12,000,000 sheep in Queensland at the end of 1882, and will doubtless -reach that number again with a single prosperous season. Sheep increase -more rapidly than cattle, as you are doubtless aware, provided the -flocks do not suffer from distemper, drought, severe storms, or other -drawbacks. According to the official figures, we have 75,000,000 sheep -in Australia, or more than twice as many as you have in the United -States." - -At the end of the visit to the cattle-station Doctor Bronson and the -youths returned to the railway, and proceeded to a sheep-station in -which their polite and hospitable entertainer was interested. We have -already described sheep-farming in New Zealand, and as the business is -much the same in Australia, the visit was not altogether full of -novelty. - -But our friends ascertained that one important difference between -sheep-farming in the two countries was in the matter of snow-storms. We -have seen how the New Zealand flocks suffer from heavy falls of snow; in -Queensland there is no such hinderance, the sheep remaining out-of-doors -the entire year, and needing no protection other than the yards into -which they are driven at night or when wanted for shearing or selection. - -[Illustration: A SHEPHERD'S DOG.] - -An Australian sheep-station consists of two yards built of logs, -brush-wood, or small saplings. Each yard must be large enough to contain -fifteen hundred sheep; and there is a small hut for two men to sleep in -at night. These stations are scattered over the run at distances of two -or three miles from one another, and there is a head, or central, -station, where the squatter or his manager lives, and whence the -supplies for the men are sent out. According to the size of the run and -the number of sheep upon it will the stations be multiplied. The run our -friends were visiting had twelve stations altogether, the nearest being -one mile from the head station, and the farthest fourteen miles. - -In reply to his inquiry as to the duties of a shepherd, Frank learned -the following, which he carefully noted: - -[Illustration: EWES AND LAMBS.] - -"A good shepherd will let his flock out of the yard soon after sunrise -and before the heat is uncomfortable, and allow them to spread out as -far as can be done with safety. With the aid of his dogs he heads them -towards water, and allows them to feed so as to reach the drinking-place -about noon; then he turns them around and feeds them slowly back again, -so as to get to the yards just at sunset. This is the routine day after -day, with slight variations when the sheep are mustered for selection, -which is not very often. Sunday is the same as any other day on a -sheep-station, as the animals must be pastured exactly as on week-days, -and there is no relay of shepherds." - -"It must be a terribly monotonous life," Frank remarked. - -"It is indeed," was the reply. "The two men at a station are separated -during the day, as they feed their flocks in different directions, and -at night they are too tired to do much talking, and very often are not -on speaking terms. They become moody and taciturn; and it is a sad fact -that three-fourths of the occupants of insane asylums in Australia are -shepherds. - -[Illustration: MOTHER OF A FAMILY.] - -"Every shepherd should go armed, as he never knows when he may be -attacked by the blacks. Many a poor fellow has been speared by the -aboriginals; they watch for months until they see him without his gun, -and then rush upon and spear him. Many of the shepherds seem indifferent -to life; and it is not to be wondered at, as they are cut off from -society, have no friends or friendships, and no encouraging prospects -for the future. I have often wondered how it was possible for us to -procure shepherds, when the future has so few inducements for them; but -somehow we always manage to find enough of them. Many men come here with -bright hopes, but they soon tire of the work; if they have money enough -to get away, they generally do so at the end of a few months. - -"The new chums that engage as shepherds are always put at the most -disagreeable work, that of looking after diseased sheep, if there are -any on the station. If you want to see what it is, read Mr. Eden's book, -'My Wife and I in Queensland,' and learn what he went through when he -came to the colony. He engaged as a shepherd, and was assigned to look -after sheep affected with the foot-rot. Every morning each animal had to -be caught, its hoofs pared, and a dressing applied of a peculiar -ointment that burned a hole in the operator's clothing if any fell upon -it. He and another man had seven hundred sheep to look after, and each -animal had to be lifted bodily over a fence, and held down by main force -during the operation. When this was completed the flock had to be fed; -and if any sheep died while they were out in pasture the men brought in -the skins, or the value of the animals was deducted from their wages. No -wonder he left the place at the end of two months, and walked back to -Brisbane." - -[Illustration: SHEEP-SHEARING IN AUSTRALIA.] - -Fred remarked that they must have a very busy time of it at the -sheep-stations during the shearing season. - -"It is the busiest time of the year," said Mr. Watson, "and one that -taxes all our abilities. The sheep are driven to the wool-shed, which is -a large quadrangular building, varying in size according to the -capabilities of the station and the extent of its working force. Walk -out with me and look at ours, which is accounted a good one." - -The boys were interested in the building, and especially so as Mr. -Watson explained its peculiarities and uses. - -"You observe," said he, "that there is a bulkhead running across the -middle of the building, dividing it into two parts, one of which is -intended for sheep, and when full holds about five hundred. This smaller -enclosure opens out from the larger one, and is always kept full, so -that a shearer can lay his hands on a sheep at once without the -necessity of chasing it. This plank floor on each side of the small -enclosure is for the shearers, and there is a small door abreast of -where each man stands. He lets his sheep out of that door after they -have been sheared; and there is a small yard outside each door, where -they remain, so that they can be counted by the manager, and thus all -disputes avoided. - -"The shearer drags a sheep from the pen, and places it between his knees -with its head uppermost; he always stands when at work, and for a novice -it is very wearying till he gets used to it. He shears from the throat -downward, leaving the back to the last, when the fleece falls off in one -piece." - -"Do the men ever cut the sheep while shearing?" Fred asked. - -"Yes, very often," was the response; "and some men 'tomahawk' a great -deal worse than others, and never seem to improve. When this happens the -shearer does not stop an instant; he calls out 'tar!' and the man or boy -whose duty it is to gather up the fleeces rushes to the spot with a -tar-bucket and brush, and covers the wound with tar to keep away the -flies. The sheep do not struggle, no matter how badly they are hurt, and -are literally 'dumb before the shearers.'" - -"How many sheep can a good operator shear in a day?" - -"The number varies according to skill and experience," said Mr. Watson. -"The men are paid an agreed price per score--usually five shillings, or -four sheep for a shilling. I have known men who could shear sixscore, or -one hundred and twenty sheep, in a day, but under ordinary circumstances -it takes a good shearer to do fourscore. In addition to their pay, the -squatter must feed them; in rainy weather all work ceases, as the wool -cannot be packed when wet." - -"Where do the shearers come from?" - -[Illustration: SHEDS AND CHICKEN-YARD OF A STATION.] - -"That's a hard question to answer. They follow other occupations except -at shearing-time, when they form themselves into gangs and travel about -the country; they are usually well mounted, and generally a gang carries -its own cook, and is very particular about its way of living. The -squatters find it to their advantage to feed the shearers liberally, and -I have known one who hired a fiddler to play all day in the shed, to -keep the men in good-humor. Most of these fellows are gamblers, and -generally by the end of their season a few skilful players among them -have all the money earned by the entire gang. - -"After the wool is sheared it is packed into bales and pressed hard by -means of machinery almost identical with a cotton-press. In this -condition it is sent to the coast, and shipped to England or whatever -market is open for it. High prices for wool make good profits for the -squatters, and low prices the reverse, just as is the case in business -generally. Many squatters have their entire crop of wool mortgaged to -the bankers who have made advances upon it; in this respect -sheep-stations are more desirable than cattle-stations, as money can -always be had in advance upon the crop of wool." - -[Illustration: SHEEP-WASHING ON THE MODERN PLAN.] - -Some of the large establishments have adopted improved methods of -washing sheep; our friends had an opportunity to inspect one of them; -during the inspection Frank made a drawing of the washing apparatus, to -which he appended the following description: - - "_A_ represents a twenty-horse-power engine working a sixteen-inch - pump, _B_, which raises water from the river alongside, discharging - about three thousand gallons per minute into spouting tank, _C_ - (half of which is cut off in the drawing to show the work behind). - The tank is of iron, four feet deep, furnished with a spout four - feet six inches deep, terminating in a narrow opening three feet - long and three-sixteenths or one-quarter inch wide, the width being - regulated by screws. - - "Through this aperture the water, under the pressure of eight feet - six inches, rushes with great force. _E e e_ is an iron tub in - which the 'spouter' stands while holding the sheep under the spout. - _F_ is an inclined plane, up which the sheep walk after emerging - from the water, passing on to large batten yards, one hundred and - fifty feet by one hundred feet, where they remain till partially - dry. These yards are not shown in the drawing. _G_ is another - ten-horse-power engine, used for cutting firewood at the - circular-saw bench, _h_, and to furnish steam to heat water in the - soaking tank, _i_, and the ten square tanks, _k_, ranged along - either side of the soaking tank. - - "To each of these tanks is fitted a branch steam-pipe, _m_, - communicating with the main steam-pipe, _n n_, leading from the - boilers of both engines, _A_ and _G_, so that both are available - for heating water, of which a very large quantity, varying from - seven thousand to ten thousand gallons, is required for a single - day's work. _O o o_ are water pipes leading from the spouting tank, - _C_, to supply the square tanks, _k_, the soap-tubs, _P_ and _Q_, - and spare-water tub, _R_. The soap-tubs are also fitted with - steam-pipes, for the purpose of boiling their contents. _S_ is a - donkey-engine placed over a well, from whence, driven by a - continuation of steam-pipes from both boilers, it draws water for - showering through a flexible hose the dirty sheep in the receiving - yard, _t_, for transmission through the pipe _n_ of water to - drinking-troughs for the washed sheep in the batten yards, filling - up the pump by branch pipes, which is often necessary, and for - various other purposes. - - "The receiving yards having been filled with sheep, the water in, - and the tanks brought up to the required temperature by means of - the steam-pipes, and the soaking-tank charged with the prescribed - proportion of dissolved soap, etc., the pump is set to work to fill - the spouting tank and reservoirs underneath into which the spouts - discharge. The portcullis gate, _W_, is then lifted, and from eight - to ten sheep are sent down the inclined shoot, _X_, into the - soaking-tank, when they are manipulated by men on either side, and - allowed to swim for four or five minutes. Hence they pass on to the - rinsing stage, _Y_; again down a short incline to the stage, _Z_; - from thence, lastly, they are handed to the spouters. By these they - are rolled and turned under the knife-like jet of water for two - minutes, when they swim out to the inclined landing-stage as white - as snow. - - "When the water in the soaking-tank becomes overcharged with dirt, - by a simple arrangement it can be emptied and refilled with clean - hot water from the square tank, in which a constant supply is kept - up, in eight or ten minutes. From twelve hundred to two thousand - sheep are washed daily." - -Frank and Fred learned many other things about sheep-farming in -Australia, but they made no further notes on the subject, and therefore -we will drop it. At any rate, they did not conclude to go into the -business when they learned of its hazards and discomforts, and -ascertained from the newspapers that the price of wool was at that time -quite low. - -Frank made a memorandum of a good story that he heard during the -evening, while they sat in front of the fire in the sitting-room of the -head station. It was told by the manager of the place, and was as -follows: - -"When I first came to Australia," said the manager, "I was employed on a -cattle-station in Victoria; while I was there gold was discovered about -ten miles away from us. The rush to the mines caused a demand for our -cattle, and the owner did a fine business in supplying the miners with -beef; but, on the other hand, there was a great deal of stealing, so -that he was obliged to hire more men than usual. The favorite objects of -the thieves were our saddle-horses, and every few days a horse would be -missing from the paddock, and the chances of his recovery were doubtful. - -"But we had one horse that was a treasure. He was perfectly docile in -harness, and would stand quietly while being saddled, but anybody who -mounted him was thrown at once. He was kept as a carriage-horse, and was -a favorite of the manager, and was so docile that he could be caught at -any time with a handful of oats. - -"Once or twice a month he would be missed from the paddock. In a day or -two he reappeared, and almost always with a saddle and somebody's -'swag,' or baggage, strapped to it. Once he came back with a new saddle -and a swag containing, among other things, thirty ounces of gold-dust, -and nobody ever appeared to claim it. Another time he brought in twenty -ounces and three gold watches. Altogether, in the course of a year, he -was stolen about twenty times, and must have brought home two or three -thousand dollars' worth of gold-dust, to say nothing of the saddles. He -kept the place supplied with saddles all the time I was there." - -"A very profitable horse," remarked Doctor Bronson. "I suppose the owner -was not willing to sell him?" - -"Not by any means," was the reply. "He used to say that he had only to -'set' that horse in the paddock as he would any other trap, and the -thieves walked in at once." - -"That reminds me of a Melbourne horse story," said one of the listeners. -Being pressed to give it, he did so. - -[Illustration: THE RUSH FOR THE GOLD-MINES.] - -"In the days of the gold rush in 1851," said he, "there were two men in -Melbourne who made a fortune in horse-trading. They had two or three -horses trained for their business, and when a party was fitting out for -the mines, one of these horses would be offered for sale. Of course the -would-be purchasers wanted to try the animal first, and the dealer would -point to a steep hill on Bourke Street, and suggest that the horse be -tried with a load up that hill. - -"The animal was attached to a loaded dray, and straightway pulled it to -the top of the hill without hesitation or pause. Of course that settled -the question of his usefulness, and he would be sold at a good price; -but when attached to a load and started for the mines, he balked and -refused to pull at all. Silent partners of the dealer were watching on -the road, with other horses for sale, and they soon made a trade in -which the balky beast was thrown in for almost nothing. - -"The fact was, the trick-horses were fed at the top of the hill, and -only after they had drawn up a heavy load. Sometimes the same horse was -sold two or three times in one day; and it was afterwards said that a -single horse had been disposed of for fifty pounds and bought in for -five pounds at least a hundred times." - -"I can't tell a horse story," said another of the party, "but I've one -that comes close to it, and that's a horse-collar story." - -Of course everybody wanted to hear it, and he complied with the general -wish. - -[Illustration: BUSH-RANGER OUT OF LUCK.] - -"You all know that soon after the discovery of gold in Victoria the -country was infested with bush-rangers, or highwaymen, who made it very -unsafe to travel with gold-dust or other valuable property. A man was -liable to hear the order to 'bail up!' at any moment, and find a gun or -pistol levelled at him. Unless he obeyed with alacrity and threw his -hands in the air, he was in great danger of having a bullet through him. -Very often it happened that an armed man would be taken unawares, and -though he had a rifle in his hand or a pistol at his belt, there was no -chance to make use of the weapon. Sometimes two or three bush-rangers -would 'stick up' a stage-coach; while one watched the passengers, ranged -along the road-side, and kept them within range of a revolver, and -perhaps two revolvers, another searched them and took possession of -their valuables. - -"Gold was sent down from the mines under a Government escort to protect -it from the bush-rangers, and of course a heavy charge was made for the -service. Various devices were adopted to foil the rascals by those who -undertook to transport their own treasure. - -"Men concealed their gold in their clothing or about their wagons, and -one smart fellow put nearly a hundred ounces inside a horse-collar, -which was worn by the single horse drawing a dray containing a few -bundles of clothing and other insignificant things. - -[Illustration: BUSH-RANGERS AT WORK.] - -"He got along all right for the first two days, and on the third began -to feel entirely safe. While he was jogging along the road he was -overtaken by a man who said the police were after him on account of a -fight with a drunken fellow at a way-side inn. He said his horse was -much jaded, and he would give the stranger ten sovereigns to exchange. - -"The bargain was quickly made, as the animals appeared to be of about -equal value. The miner unfastened his horse from the dray, and began to -unharness it. As he did so the stranger, quick as a flash, seized the -collar, threw it around the neck of his own steed, sprung on its back, -where the saddle still remained, and was off like the wind. - -"'That's all I wanted, mate,' said he, as he rode away. He had somehow -learned the miner's scheme for carrying his gold, and played this -elaborate game to rob him." - -"Speaking of bush-rangers," said another, "did you ever hear of Oliver, -'the Terror of the North?'" - -Some had heard of him and others had not, so the story was called for. - -"There was once a bush-ranger of that name in the north of Queensland," -said the narrator, "and he had been 'sticking up' people in the country -back of Robinson. He had a wooden leg, but in spite of this defect he -was a bold robber and a very slippery one to hold. He got away from the -police several times after they had fairly caught him; and catching him -was no small matter. - -"One time when he'd been at his tricks, the police got him and brought -him to Robinson. The jail there was in a very bad condition, and the -police magistrate was at a loss how to keep Oliver, until a happy -thought struck him. What do you suppose it was?" - -Nobody could guess, and the story-teller continued: - -"Well, he locked Oliver up in the jail, but took his leg to his own -house, and locked _that_ in a trunk. Oliver stayed that time, and didn't -even try to break jail." - -"We were speaking of horses just now," said one of the party, "and that -reminds me of a clever trick which was played on a rich squatter by a -man in his employ. He had sent the man on an errand, and mounted him on -a valuable white horse. It was at the rainy season of the year, and all -the creeks were flooded. On the bank of a creek which he had to cross -the man spied a white horse lying dead at the water's side. - -"A brilliant idea occurred to him, an inspiration of rascally genius. He -dismounted, skinned the dead horse, concealed the skin in the bushes, -and rode away, and sold the animal he was riding for a good price. Then -he returned to where he had concealed the skin; and after soaking his -saddle and bridle in the river for an hour, he went back to the station, -carrying saddle, bridle, and skin, and covered from head to foot with -mud. There he told how in attempting to cross a creek the horse was -overcome by the waters, and had just strength to reach the bank, where -he died. As for himself, he had a narrow escape with his life; and to -prove the truth of his story, he had brought home the skin of the once -valuable beast. - -"The squatter believed the story, blamed himself for sending the man on -such a dangerous mission, and gave him ten sovereigns as a reward for -his fidelity and compensation for his wetting. The man left the place -soon afterwards for another part of the colony; months later the -squatter saw his horse advertised for sale, and on inquiry found how he -had been imposed upon." - -[Illustration: LEADING CITIZENS OF SOMERSET.] - -From anecdotes about horses and bush-rangers the conversation turned -upon the pearl-fishery on the northern coast of Queensland. - -"It is quite an extensive industry," said Mr. Watson, "and employs a -considerable number of men. The exports of pearl-shell from Queensland -for the year 1885 were 13,189 hundred-weight, valued at £87,110, or -$400,000; and in some years the product has exceeded that amount. Other -parts of Australia produce pearl-shell and pearls, and altogether the -fishery is a very important one." - -[Illustration: PEARL OYSTER.] - -Doctor Bronson asked if it was profitable. - -"Very much so," was the reply. "At one time pearl-shell was worth £250 a -ton; the pearls were reckoned to pay the cost of the work, so that the -money obtained for the shell was clear profit. Even when shell fell to -half that price the profits were heavy; and certainly they ought to be, -to induce a man to endure the privations of the work. - -"The best pearls are from the west coast of Australia; they are not -equal to Oriental pearls in color, but they are very large, and are -eagerly sought. One was sold in London for £1500, or $7500; and -frequently single pearls bring as high as $2000. - -"I stopped a short time at Somerset, which is the most northerly town in -Australia, and entirely devoted to the pearl-fishery. The men living -there are a rough lot, wearing very little superfluous clothing, and -quite careless about appearances. They go out with sloops and schooners, -and send down divers in just the same way that pearl-diving is carried -on in Ceylon and the Persian Gulf. Their divers are all black men, and -in fact many of them come from the Persian Gulf, being attracted to -Australia by the higher wages paid there. The shells are shaped like -oyster-shells, and are from twelve to fifteen inches across. The lining -of the shell, technically known as _nacre_, or mother-of-pearl, is the -article sought; but the oyster is carefully examined to see that no -pearls are missed." - -"Didn't I read not long ago about the drowning of many fishers on the -coast of West Australia?" said one of the youths. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN PEARLS (FULL SIZE).] - -"Quite probably," was the reply, "and you are liable to hear of such a -calamity at any time. The West Australian fisheries are subject to -terrific hurricanes. The signs of these hurricanes are well known, and -every fishing-boat has ample time to reach a place of safety; but the -fishers are too reckless to take any precautions, and every few months a -lot of their boats are sent to the bottom or driven high and dry on the -shore. The few that escape death on such occasions immediately get new -boats, and start off on another expedition as if such a thing as a -hurricane had never been heard of. - -"Alligators abound in all the rivers of the northern part of Australia; -they grow to a great size and are dangerous, and not a year passes that -we do not hear of somebody being killed by them while taking a swim or -attempting to cross a swollen stream. They are great nuisances at cattle -and sheep stations located on the rivers where they abound, as they make -a clean sweep of calves, dogs, sheep, and other small animals while -drinking, and have been known to attack full-grown bullocks." - -"Did you ever know an adult alligator to be treated as a pet?" said the -man who had told the horse-collar story, addressing his query to Mr. -Watson. - -Mr. Watson shook his head, whereupon the story-teller said he had known -such a case. The saurian was not only an individual but a public pet. - -Frank and Fred were curious to learn about it. Their curiosity was -gratified as follows: - -"Years ago," said the man, "I was at the town of Cardwell, in North -Queensland. It is on a pretty bay, which is full of fish and oysters, -and was then the home of a monster alligator which was known as the -'Cardwell Pet.' Every morning something resembling a huge log was seen -floating under the trees near the shore; it was not a log, but the back -of the pet, and he was on the lookout for a stray dog coming down to the -water. - -"He ate up most of the dogs in town soon after he appeared, and whenever -a new dog happened along with a stranger he usually became a _bonne -bouche_ for the pet. But there were two dogs in Cardwell that knew his -ways; when ordered to do so, they would go down on the beach, where they -barked and played with each other, apparently heedless of the alligator, -but all the time keeping out of range of his jaws. In this way he was -often enticed out upon the sand, the dogs seeming to enjoy the fun. He -became the lion of the place, and was always the first sight shown to -strangers. When the town was first established, shots were fired at him; -but as soon as his importance as a curiosity became known, he enjoyed -immunity, and at the time I was there any one who ventured to harm him -would have been roughly handled by the inhabitants, as he was literally -the pet of the town." - -Frank asked the narrator if he knew how large the Cardwell Pet was. - -[Illustration: BIG BEN AND HIS FRIENDS.] - -"I do not," was the reply, "and circumstances did not permit accurate -measurement. I have seen many alligators in Queensland that exceeded -nineteen feet in length, several that were more than twenty, and there -was one taken on the Fitzroy and called Big Ben that measured -twenty-three feet six inches. When I last heard of him he was owned by -Jamrach, in London. I think the Cardwell Pet was quite equal to Big Ben, -and possibly larger; you know it is always the largest fish that is not -weighed or measured. Anyway, the pet was said to have made a meal of a -sundowner, though I don't believe he really did, as that class of game -is too cautious." - -Fred asked what a sundowner was. He had heard the term several times, -but thus far it had not been explained to him. - -[Illustration: WAITING FOR SUNSET.] - -"He is the equivalent of the American 'tramp,'" said Mr. Watson, "and -abounds freely in Australia. He is fed and lodged at the stations, where -he is careful to arrive at sundown or a little later, and hence his -name. If he gets there before sunset he is requested to move on to the -next stopping-place, or else he is asked to make himself useful at some -kind of work during the remaining hours or minutes of the day. He abhors -work, and therefore times his arrival to avoid it. Sometimes a group of -these fellows will rest by the way-side a mile or so from a station, -waiting for the sun to disappear. - -"Many a vagabond makes an easy living by wandering from one station to -another, pretending that he wants employment but carefully avoiding it. -The sundowner is as insolent as the American tramp; by Australian custom -he is welcome to supper, lodging, and breakfast, the food consisting of -tea, sugar, bread, and beef or mutton, and the lodging being in his own -blankets on the floor of the men's hut or the wool-shed. I have had a -dozen or more of these 'travellers' on a single night, and my monthly -average is not less than one hundred and twenty. Sometimes a party of -them has been so unruly and so threatening in their demands that I have -been compelled to send for the local police to carry them away. - -"On one occasion," the gentleman continued, "a ruffianly traveller drew -a knife and threatened to stab my cook, because the latter refused to -give him a mutton-pie that had been prepared for the men, the -travellers' table being filled with cold beef as the only viand. I had -him handcuffed and taken to the police-station, where he was recognized -as a man who was 'wanted' for a robbery somewhere up country. - -[Illustration: EVENING SCENE AT AN UP-COUNTRY STATION.] - -"As a general thing, the squatters hesitate to quarrel with the -sundowners, preferring to suffer their impositions rather than run the -risk of having their buildings and fences burned, and other depredations -committed. Of late years the number of vagrants seems to have -diminished, but the supply is yet far in excess of the country's needs." - - NOTE.--Since this book was put in type the laboring classes in - Australia have united in a popular agitation against the - Mongolians, and have compelled the leading governments to adopt - stringent measures. The poll-tax on these immigrants has been - increased in New South Wales from fifty dollars to five hundred - dollars; their naturalization has been prohibited altogether; rigid - restrictions are imposed as to residence and trading; and vessels - are allowed to land only one Chinaman for every three hundred tons. - Chinese merchants are allowed to trade in certain districts of the - provinces, but the number for each district is limited to five. - These restrictions were authorized by a government bill which was - passed by the Colonial Assembly without a dissenting voice. The - resident Chinese have been attacked by mobs at Brisbane, and - immigrants and cargoes have not been permitted to land at Sydney - and Melbourne. The Colonial authorities of Queensland and Victoria - favor a policy of complete exclusion, and in New Zealand the - Premier has publicly announced his conversion to the same views. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE PLAGUE OF FLIES IN AUSTRALIA.--OTHER CREEPING AND FLYING -THINGS.--LAUGHING-JACKASSES, BOWER-BIRDS, LYRE-BIRDS, PARROTS, -ETC.--TRICKS OF THE LYRE-BIRD.--ORIGIN OF THE BOWER-BIRD'S NAME.--BLACK -SWANS AND WILD-DUCKS.--SNIPE, QUAIL, AND OTHER BIRDS.--AUSTRALIAN RIVERS -AND THEIR PECULIARITIES.--RETURN TO THE COAST.--GYMPIE AND THE -GOLD-MINES OF QUEENSLAND.--AN AUSTRALIAN GOLD RUSH.--DOWN THE COAST TO -SYDNEY.--THE GREAT BARRIER REEF: ITS EXTENT AND PECULIARITIES.--SPORT IN -NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.--GOING UP-COUNTRY IN NEW SOUTH WALES.--A KANGAROO -HUNT.--DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HUNT AND A DRIVE.--AUSTRALIAN -MARSUPIALS.--SHOOTING WILD HORSES.--KILLING AN "OLD MAN" -KANGAROO.--DINGOES.--STORIES OF KANGAROO HUNTS. - - -Several days were passed agreeably in the pastoral and agricultural -region of the Darling Downs, and our friends were overwhelmed with -invitations from the hospitable squatters who inhabit that region. Fred -said the invitations would have enabled them to spend a year there, and -even then he was confident their welcome would not be worn out. Wherever -they went they were comfortably lodged and well cared for, and they were -unanimous in declaring that the world contained many worse places than -the Darling Downs, even among those that were classed as highly -attractive. - -[Illustration: AN AUSTRALIAN PEST.] - -Frank considered the flies and other creeping and winged things a great -drawback to existence in that region. "They have mosquitoes and sand -flies in certain localities," said he, "while others are entirely free -from them; but as for the common fly, he is everywhere and is a first -class nuisance. On the coast the flies are said to be troublesome only -for a few months in the year, but in the interior they are perennial, -and sometimes almost make life a burden. They are worse at some periods -than at others, but bad enough at all times. In the worst 'fly-time' -nobody ventures to ride about without wearing a veil; and men have taxed -their ingenuity to keep the pests out of their houses, but practically -without success. - -[Illustration: THE SAND-FLEA (NATURAL SIZE AND MAGNIFIED).] - -"Fleas are also abundant, though not as much so as flies; neither are -they seen as much in public. They abound most in sandy places, and the -sundowners transport them from one station to another free of charge. A -more welcome insect is the common honey-bee; it has long been -acclimatized in Australia, and owing to the great number of -honey-bearing flowers, it has become very abundant. Bee-farming is an -important industry in New South Wales, and is carried on to quite an -extent in the other colonies. - -"They tell us that in the north of Queensland white ants are very -destructive, as they eat nearly every textile fabric, and have a -voracious appetite for all kinds of wood. They have even been charged -with devouring window-glass, iron bars, and similar substances usually -considered inedible. I heard a man say with the utmost gravity that they -had eaten up two cross-cut saws and a boxful of American axes, handles -and all; but I don't believe it, and I doubt his veracity in several -other statements he made, and therefore won't repeat them." - -One day while the youths were strolling in the bush not far from the -station, they were startled by the sound of immoderate laughter that -seemed to come from among the limbs of a low tree. The sound was -repeated after a short interval, and, curious to know the cause, they -went in its direction. As they neared the tree, two or three birds flew -from it and settled in another tree a short distance away. They did not -seem at all alarmed at the presence of Frank and Fred, and the latter -remarked that the creatures were evidently allowed to go about unharmed. -On their return to the station they told what they had seen and heard, -and asked what were the birds that had so surprised them. - -"Those were laughing-jackasses," was the reply; "or if you want another -name for them, you may choose between 'giant kingfisher,' 'piping crow,' -'musical magpie,' or 'settler's clock.' The bird under consideration -belongs to the kingfisher family, and is called by all these names, the -last being given on account of the uproar he makes at noon, and thus -tells the settler who does not carry a watch when the middle of the day -is reached. Many people believe he destroys snakes; some of us are -skeptical on this point, which has never been satisfactorily decided; -but at any rate he is useful, as he often indicates the locality of -fresh water, and so has saved many persons from suffering, or perhaps -perishing of thirst. He is never shot, and consequently is not fearful -of the presence of man. - -"I wonder you have not heard the bird before this," he continued, "as he -abounds near the cities and towns as well as in the bush." Then the boys -remembered that they had heard the same sound on several occasions, but -always supposed it was somebody laughing, and did not consider it any -business of theirs to investigate. - -[Illustration: THE AUSTRALIAN BOWER-BIRD.] - -"There's another curious bird in Australia," said their informant, -"which we call the satin, or bower, bird. He builds a bower, or walk, -and decorates it with any gaudy feathers or other things he can find, -and also with shells, bleached bones, and similar small objects. So well -is his propensity known that when we drop a pipe-bowl or a penknife in -the bush, we search for it in the bowers or runs of these birds, and -very often find it there. As the bower-bird feeds entirely on seeds and -fruits, it is evident that he secures these small things for the sake of -ornament." - -Fred suggested that perhaps the bower-bird had been infected with the -bric-à-brac craze which pervades society in other countries. The -ambition to gather a cabinet of curiosities was a fashionable one, and -why shouldn't a bird have it as well as any one else. - -Frank asked if it was possible to see a lyre-bird in that region, and -was disappointed when told that it was rarely seen outside of the fern -country of South-eastern Australia. Their authority on birds told them -that this winged emblem of Australia was about the size of a pheasant, -and had a tail three feet long; the outer feathers of the tail are -beautifully marked, and form the lyre from which the bird takes its -name. The male bird forms a mound of earth on which he promenades, -displaying his beautiful tail to its utmost advantage, in the same way -that the peacock exhibits his feathered ornaments. The female is as -plain as an ordinary hen, and presents a very mean appearance by the -side of her lord. - -The youths were further informed that the lyre-bird is an excellent -mocking-bird, and could imitate with exactness the notes of all the -other feathered denizens of the forest. "He can also," said their -authority, "reproduce nearly every sound made by man. Settlers in the -region inhabited by these birds are often deceived by them, and many -amusing stories are told. Sometimes a man working on his clearing hears -somebody chopping wood a short distance away, and a dog barking at his -heels. He goes in search of the intruder, and finds after a long walk -that the 'pheasant' has been making game of him. A man using a cross-cut -saw hears somebody doing the same thing, and after searching -unsuccessfully for him, discovers that it is the pheasant's -performance." - -[Illustration: WALLACE'S STANDARD-WING BIRDS-OF-PARADISE, MALE AND -FEMALE.] - -Frank summed up the rest of the ornithology of Australia as follows: - -"The great southern continent has many varieties of the parrot family; -it possesses the king parrot, the bird-of-paradise, the blue -mountain-parrot, the cockatoo--blue, white, and crested--lories, -paroquets, and love-birds. It has the wild turkey, which we have already -mentioned, and a bird closely allied to it, called by the singular name -of 'native companion.' Wild-ducks are found all over the country, the -'mountain duck' being the finest; then in their order come the black -duck, wood-duck, and the Australian teal, followed by five or six other -varieties less known and less liked by sportsmen." - -"Don't forget the black swan among the water-birds," said Fred, as Frank -paused after reading the foregoing paragraph. - -"I was not forgetting him," replied Frank; "what would be our picture of -Australia without the black swan? He is found in all the lakes and -swamps of the southern coast; in the Gippsland lakes thousands of black -swans may sometimes be seen in a single flock, and the sound of their -feet and wings striking the water as they rise for a flight may be heard -for miles when the air is still. The black swan is not strictly a -game-bird; his flesh is rather rank, but this taste can be removed in -cooking, and then he isn't at all bad to eat. - -"Going from large birds to small," continued the youth, "I learn that -snipe are abundant in many localities, but they do not seem to be -appreciated as in England and America. The Argus snipe is the prettiest -of the family, and also the most difficult to find; he is beautifully -marked on the back and wings, and is a valuable addition to an -ornithological collection. - -[Illustration: HEAD OF THE VALLEY QUAIL.] - -"There are at least a dozen varieties of quail in Australia, and as -articles of food they are abundant and cheap. With very little effort a -settler in most parts of the country could have quail on toast every day -in the year; at least the quail would be easily forthcoming though the -toast might not. Cold roast quail and damper are not to be despised for -lunch after a long ride in the bush." - -[Illustration: A QUAIL FAMILY.] - -While Frank was busy with the study of the birds of Australia, Fred -contemplated with great care the map of the country. He observed that -all the mountain ranges were near the coast, so that the course of the -larger rivers was towards the interior. "There is not," said he in his -note-book, "a single large river flowing into the ocean from all this -great continent, with the exception of the Murray. Every other stream is -short and insignificant; and even the Murray and its tributaries do not -form a first-class river. - -"Here we are," said Fred, "on the head streams of the Darling, one of -the rivers that unite with the Murray to pour into the sea through Lake -Alexandria, between Melbourne and Adelaide. On looking at the map I -thought we should be able to descend in a boat to the ocean, but Mr. -Watson tells us we can do nothing of the sort. Some of the rivers on the -maps are at this season simply dry beds, though at times they have water -enough to float a first-class boat from the Mississippi. - -"Steamboats have ascended the Darling to Walgett, 2345 miles from the -sea, but they can only do so at certain, or rather uncertain, times, and -therefore no dependence can be placed on the navigation of the Murray -and its tributaries. The Darling depends on flood-waters; sometimes they -will fill the stream to its junction with the Murray, and thence to the -sea, and again they fail before going half way. The river can never be -navigated throughout the year, and in some years boats are not able to -run at all. - -"So my scheme of going down by water to the ocean is not practicable, -and we return to the coast the way we came." - -[Illustration: OUT PROSPECTING.] - -And return they did, taking the railway to Brisbane, and thence going by -coach and rail to Gympie, the centre of the Queensland gold-mining -region, or rather one of its centres, as the colony possesses several -auriferous fields. There is a standing offer of a reward of £1000, or -$5000, to any one who discovers paying gold-deposits in a new locality -upon which there shall be upwards of two hundred men at work six months -after the fields are opened. Consequently a great many prospectors are -constantly at work, through the double hope of the reward and of making -a fortune out of the discovery. - -The gold-fields of Gympie were discovered in 1868 by Mr. James Nash, and -the settlement which rose there was at first called Nashville. The -existence of the precious metal in the colony was known for at least a -decade before that date, but none of the mines had proved remunerative. -At present there are upwards of twenty gold-fields in Queensland, and -the aggregate annual yield exceeds $5,000,000. From 1867 to 1885 -inclusive the mines of Queensland yielded 4,840,221 ounces of gold, -valued at not far from $80,000,000. - -But we are forgetting Frank and Fred in our contemplation of these dry -statistics. Here is what Frank wrote concerning their visit to Gympie: - -"We came here partly by rail and partly by coach, the railway from -Brisbane to Gympie not being completed, though perhaps it will be by -the time this is in print, if it should ever have such good-fortune. It -is one hundred and sixteen miles from Brisbane to Gympie, and sixty-one -from here to Maryborough. The town is prettily situated on the side of a -range of hills on the river Mary; it has handsome public buildings, and -bears every evidence of prosperity. It has a School of Arts, a public -library, and other institutions not always to be found in mining towns, -and altogether deserves the good name that it bears. It has a population -of nearly eight thousand in the municipality alone, and there are four -thousand more in the immediate neighborhood. - -[Illustration: QUARTZ-MILL IN THE GOLD-MINES.] - -"There are the usual paraphernalia of the mining industry, which we have -already described in other places. In every direction there are -mining-shafts and reduction-works, and for miles and miles around the -country is full of prospecting holes, where gold has been sought but not -found, at least in paying quantities. The first rush here was for the -alluvial diggings, and large amounts of gold were taken out by the early -comers. - -"We were much interested in hearing about the adventures of Mr. Nash, -the discoverer of the gold-diggings here. He had been an unsuccessful -prospector for twenty years, had gone through all kinds of privations, -narrowly escaped death at the hands of the blacks on many occasions, and -was almost killed by the earth caving in on him while working a prospect -hole. He always went by himself, and worked alone. When he found gold -here he managed to work away for three months without interruption; then -he was discovered by a stockman, who took a claim next to his and spread -the news abroad. Nash became a rich man at last, but his health was -ruined, and he had little real enjoyment of his wealth. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN GOLD-HUNTERS.] - -"The alluvial diggings at Gympie were soon worked out, and reef, or -quartz, mining followed. In fact, the reef mining began while placer -mining was at its height and the alluvial diggers were in the full tide -of success. The placers were, and the reefs are, very rich, and many of -the workings have paid enormously to their owners. Of course where there -have been so many prizes there has been a proportionate number of -blanks, and there is no telling how many thousands of men have left -Gympie poorer than when they came here. - -"The town consists practically of a single street which straggles up and -down for more than a mile, with here and there an attempt to run a -lateral street in the direction of a mine or a crushing-mill. Most of -the houses are of wood, and scattered over the hills are the huts of the -miners, in order that they may be near the places where they are -employed. This does not prevent their coming into the town in the -evening, and occasionally making it a very lively place. In the early -days there were the usual disorderly scenes of the centre of a 'gold -rush;' and one of the old inhabitants told us that a few months after -the discovery became known, it seemed as though half the bad characters -in Australia had congregated there. - -[Illustration: A GOLD-MINER'S HOME.] - -"When the alluvial diggings had been exhausted, the wandering miners -disappeared and wended their way to newly reported fields. The place -became more orderly, and then the abandoned claims were occupied by the -Chinese, the most patient workers the world ever saw. They are -contented to take up what white men consider unprofitable, and, -considering all their disadvantages, they have done wonderfully well. -They are not allowed to enter any gold-field until it has been open for -two years; and there is a poll-tax of £10 a head upon every Chinese who -enters the colony. They are generally peaceable, but occasionally they -quarrel among themselves over the right to work a certain spot, and then -the noise they make is something tremendous." - -[Illustration: A CHINESE DISCUSSION.] - -From Gympie our friends went by rail to Maryborough, a seaport town on -the Mary River, twenty-five miles above its mouth, and one hundred and -eighty from Brisbane. The railway carried them past many sugar -plantations, and they learned that Maryborough is the outlet of a -considerable district devoted to sugar cultivation, the annual product -being not far from five thousand tons. Large quantities of lumber are -exported from Maryborough, and there is also a considerable business in -wool and hides from the cattle and sheep stations in the country towards -the interior. - -Here they took steamer for Sydney, touching at Brisbane, Newcastle, and -several other ports of lesser consequence. During their voyage they -became acquainted with a resident of one of the northern ports, who had -much to say about the advantages of his part of the colony, and greatly -regretted that they had not been able to visit it. - -"It's a pity," said he, "that you missed the Great Barrier Reef, which -is one of the most remarkable geographical and geological phenomena to -be found anywhere on the globe. It stretches along the whole eastern -coast from opposite Port Bowen, in latitude 23°, to Torres Strait, at -the extreme north of Queensland, and is one thousand two hundred miles -long. Its greatest width, which is near its southern end, is about -seventy miles, and it is from five to one hundred miles from the shore -of the continent. All along its whole length there are sunken reefs, -which make navigation in its vicinity very dangerous. Many a ship has -been lost on this reef, and scores or hundreds of persons have found a -watery grave by its side." - -Fred asked if a ship inside the reef was obliged to go its entire length -before finding an opening to the ocean. - -"Not at all," was the reply. "There are many openings to the ocean -through the reef, some of them very narrow and others several miles in -width; and the reef contains specimens of all kinds of coral -formation--atolls, fringing reefs, and others. The portion of the reef -above water, and the numerous coral islands near it, are thought to have -an aggregate surface of thirty thousand miles." - -"What is supposed to have caused the formation of this reef?" Frank -inquired. - -[Illustration: WRECKED ON THE REEF.] - -"The outer margin of the Great Barrier Reef probably indicates the -former coast-line of this part of Australia," was the reply. "This was -fringed with coral reefs; but as the land sank, the coral animals -continued to build upward to the level of the sea, and thus a great -ridge was formed which was broken and heaped up by the waves of the -Pacific. Fresh water prevents the formation of coral, and the openings -in the Great Barrier Reef are thus formed by the fresh-water streams. -The largest is opposite the mouth of the Burdekin River, which drains a -considerable area of country. - -"The reef is a good place for sport, just as are the reefs of the -Feejee, Samoan, and Society Islands, which you tell me you have visited. -Vessels go there in search of beche-de-mer, for which they have a good -market in China. The fishery for this curious article of food is -practically just the same as in the island groups of the Pacific, and -therefore I need not describe it to you. - -[Illustration: THE MANATEE, OR DUGONG.] - -"Very good sport can be had in Northern Queensland in hunting the -dugong, or sea-cow. This animal abounds along the coast of that region; -its flesh is not bad eating, and its oil was formerly in demand as a -substitute for cod-liver oil, but some of the fishermen got to mixing it -with shark-oil and other abominations, so that its good name was ruined. -If you have a taste for turtle-catching, it can be accommodated. We -supply the Sydney and Melbourne markets with green turtle, and also put -the soup and meat into tin cans and send it to England. There are -numerous fishes, some good to eat, and others worthless as articles of -food but with all the colors of the rainbow. We have sharks of the -largest size, and the stranger should be careful about venturing into -the water for a bath." - -Their new acquaintance had a great deal to say about the northern part -of Queensland, whose praises he was never weary of sounding. He declared -that within a very few years Queensland would consist of two colonies -instead of one, as the north was inclined to cut loose from the south -and set up a government of its own. He thought it did not receive its -fair share of the public money, and having paid its proportion of the -taxes, it had a right to grumble when the south received all the -appropriations for railways and other costly improvements. - -On his arrival in Sydney Doctor Bronson called at once on the gentleman -who had invited the party to see the interior of New South Wales. -Arrangements were made for immediate departure, and at nine o'clock on -the following morning they were off for the upper country. - -So far as their experiences of cattle and sheep stations were concerned, -they were practically a repetition of what they had gone through in -Queensland. A new feature of the trip was a kangaroo hunt to which they -were invited, and of which Fred gives the following account: - -"You must know that this is the land of marsupials, or animals which -carry their young in a pouch until they are able to take care of -themselves. Nearly all the animals of this country belong to this -family; and geological researches show that there were once some -marsupials here that equalled if they did not exceed in size the -rhinoceros and hippopotamus. But these big fellows are all extinct; -there are one hundred and ten species now, and the largest of them does -not exceed two hundred pounds in weight. - -"The largest of the marsupials is the kangaroo, and the next in size is -the wallaby. There are eight species of large kangaroo, inhabiting -different parts of the country, the prince of them all being the red -kangaroo of South Australia. Then come seventeen species of small -kangaroos (_Halmaturus_) weighing from ten to fifteen pounds; and then -three species of silky-haired kangaroos (_Onychogalea_), inhabiting the -interior of the continent. They weigh eight or ten pounds, and are about -the size of a common rabbit; then come five species of hare-kangaroos, -five of jerboa-kangaroos, and then the rat-kangaroos, the bandicoots, -opossums, 'rabbit-rats,' and numerous other small animals. We'll go back -to the large kangaroos, where we began. - -[Illustration: EVENING AT HOME ON THE NORTH COAST.] - -"In former times, when the only human inhabitants of Australia were the -savage blacks, the kangaroo was kept from increasing too rapidly, -through the combined efforts of the dingoes and the natives. The dingo -is the Australian wild dog, and closely allied to the wolf and jackal, -of which he is certainly the first-cousin. He is carnivorous, and fond -of sheep, and was therefore poisoned and otherwise killed off by the -settlers, to prevent his depredations upon the flocks. A bounty was -placed on his scalp, and he has been greatly reduced in numbers. The -natives have likewise died off since the settlement of the country; and -with their natural enemies removed, the kangaroos, which live wholly on -grass, have increased till they have become a nuisance. A kangaroo eats -as much as a sheep, and when a drove is undisturbed its numbers multiply -with a rapidity that dismays the squatter on whose land it has made its -home. - -[Illustration: DINGOES, OR AUSTRALIAN WILD DOGS.] - -"Our host gave us the foregoing information while we were riding to the -place where we were to enjoy the sensation of hunting the kangaroo. He -furthermore told us that it was no uncommon thing for them to kill -several hundred kangaroos in a single drive, but it could not be called -sport. He said a drive wasn't a hunt, and I asked him to explain the -difference, which he did. - -"The necessity of killing off the kangaroos to prevent their utter -destruction of all the grass in the country was forced upon the settlers -by the rapid increase of the animals. The Government passed a law giving -a bounty for the scalps of kangaroos; and none too soon, as in some -parts of the country the droves fairly blackened the plains for many -miles, and literally starved the sheep out of the country. The bounty on -the scalps, added to the value of the meat and skins, partly paid for -the trouble, which required a muster of all the squatters and their -employés for a considerable distance around. - -"A drive, or battue, is managed in this way: A yard with a high fence -is built in one of the scrubs on the plains, and from this yard two -fences run out on the plain for a long distance, widening like the sides -of the letter V. All the men, boys, and blacks in the neighborhood are -mounted on horseback, and scour the country for many miles around; they -move in the direction of the jaws of the V, and when the herd is once -inside it, the animals are doomed. They go straight towards the scrub -which conceals the yard, and do not discover where they are till they -are inside the enclosure. Then the rails are put up, the blacks enter -with clubs, and the slaughtering begins. A kangaroo can jump clean over -a horse, and therefore the fence must be not less than seven feet high -to prevent his escape when frightened. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN WILD HORSES.] - -"We were not bent on any such performance, which is nothing but -slaughter, though made necessary by the conditions of the country. I may -add here that in some parts of the colony it is often necessary to make -a drive of wild horses exactly as they drive the kangaroo. It is no -uncommon matter for a squatter to make a drive of four or five hundred -wild horses, which are killed for their hides, but more especially to -prevent their eating the grass, destroying the fences, and enticing tame -horses out of the paddocks. We have seen several droves of wild horses, -and they look very pretty as they gallop over the plain. We wished we -had some of them under the saddle, but were told that the value of the -animal rarely pays for the trouble and cost of breaking him. -Occasionally horses with brands on them are found in the wild herds; -they are impounded and advertised; at least such is the theory, but -quite as often they are killed with the rest to save trouble. - -"A black boy mounted on a swift horse came riding back to us, and said -the kangaroos were in a part of the plain that was concealed from us by -a patch of scrub. We moved in their direction, keeping the scrub -between us and them, so as to get as close as possible before they -discovered us. - -"Our manoeuvre worked very well. There were ten or twelve of the -animals feeding quietly, and we were within a few hundred yards of them -before they were aware of it. At the first alarm they rose on their -hind-legs and took a look all around, and a second later they were away. -How they did jump! They seemed to go thirty or forty feet at a time, but -our host says it was little if any more than fifteen feet. Even that is -a tremendous jump; if you don't think so, just try it. - -[Illustration: A KANGAROO BATTUE, OR DRIVE.] - -"We let loose the dogs, which up to this time had been kept behind us, -and they went away without any urging. The dogs are kept for this -purpose, just as fox-hounds are kept in England and France, or -deer-hounds in Scotland. The dogs soon overtook and pulled down a young -kangaroo; this caused some delay, but not much, and they were speedily -put on the track of an 'old man' kangaroo, as a full-grown male is -called. - -"The 'old man' led the dogs a lively chase. He made directly for water, -several miles away, which is always the custom of the kangaroo; if he -cannot reach water he takes his stand with his back against a tree, and -in that position he is a dangerous creature to approach. We followed the -dogs as closely as we could, but did not come up to them until the -kangaroo was at bay in a pool where the water just left his fore-legs -clear as he stood upright. - -[Illustration: RED KANGAROO.] - -"The dogs were all experienced in kangaroo-hunting, and knew enough to -keep out of reach of his legs. Had they come within grasping distance he -would have held them under water till they were drowned, or else have -ripped them open with a blow from his powerful hind-leg, which has a -claw in the middle capable of inflicting a fatal wound upon man or dog. - -"The dogs swam around him, or stood on the shore of the pool, when we -came up. The pool was a small one, and the creature realized that it was -his safest retreat, and he was evidently determined to die game. A shot -from a rifle in the hands of one of the men finished him, and he was -quickly dragged to the shore. Fortunately, not a dog was killed or -injured; rarely does a hunt terminate without some one or more of the -dogs receiving a scratch, and nearly every kangaroo-dog in the country -has a scar or two to show as evidence of his experience and prowess. - -[Illustration: SHORT EARED KANGAROO.] - -"After this exploit we dismounted, and took our lunch. Then we made a -circuitous journey homeward, and roused up another 'old man,' which we -despatched as he stood fighting with his back to a tree, but not till he -had wounded one of the dogs. Another full-grown kangaroo was killed by -one of the stockmen the same day, in another part of the run, and the -three skins will be properly cured and sent to Doctor Bronson and -ourselves as souvenirs of the day's experience. - -"We supped on steaks from a young kangaroo; the meat of the old and -full-grown animals is too rank to be enjoyable, and is usually fed to -the dogs. We had soup made from kangaroo tail, and it was delicious; -kangaroo soup has become an article of export, and some epicures are -said to prefer it to ox-tail, or even to turtle soup, though I very much -doubt the latter statement. - -"Our host says the natives in former times were very skilful in killing -the kangaroo with the boomerang; when a native armed with this weapon -was within reach of a kangaroo, the aim rarely missed. Another way of -killing the creature was by stalking. The blackfellow dressed himself -with twigs and brush to look like a small tree. In this disguise, and -carrying his spear between two toes of his foot, he advanced slowly, -taking care to keep to leeward, so that the animal could not get the -scent. Slowly he closed up, remaining motionless when the kangaroo -looked up, and moving again when it began to graze. Once within spearing -distance, he speedily settled the question of dinner or no dinner from -the flesh of that identical beast." - -Frank asked what became of the skins of the kangaroos when they were -slaughtered by wholesale, as already described. - -"They are pegged out on the ground and dried," said their host, "and -then are shipped to market. Many of them go to America, where they are -made into leather for boots and shoes and other purposes. The leather is -very tenacious, and almost impervious to water, and the demand for it is -said to be increasing. Previous to 1869 very few of the skins were -tanned, as the merits of the leather had not become known. The first -that were sent to America were sold at a loss, and then in a few years, -when their qualities were known, the American tanners could not get -enough of them. One firm in Newark, New Jersey, is said to receive six -thousand skins every week, and even with that number cannot meet the -demand for kangaroo leather." - -During the evening, stories of kangaroo hunts were naturally in order, -and a goodly number were told; but as all were of the same general -character it is hardly necessary to give them. Frank made note of the -fact that there is one kind of kangaroo which climbs trees and jumps, -like a squirrel, from limb to limb. He is called the tree-kangaroo, and -has curved claws on his fore-paws to enable him to cling to the -branches. He is not a bad pet to have about a park, but his numbers -should be judiciously kept down, or he may become a nuisance, like the -larger kangaroos that live on the ground. - -[Illustration: KANGAROOS IN CAPTIVITY.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -A NATIVE ENCAMPMENT AND A CORROBOREE.--RIDING ACROSS-COUNTRY.--AMONG THE -BLACKS.--NATIVE DANCES.--A WEIRD SCENE.--ABORIGINAL MUSIC.--STORIES -ABOUT CORROBOREES.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--HOW THE BLACK MEN OBTAIN THEIR -WIVES.--TESTING THE STOICISM OE YOUTHS.--AN ALARM AT NIGHT.--RETURN TO -SYDNEY.--A BRICKFIELDER.--HOT WINDS FROM THE DESERT.--HOW A PICNIC WAS -BROKEN UP.--OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.--RAILWAYS IN NEW SOUTH -WALES.--SALUBRITY OF THE MOUNTAIN CLIMATE.--GOULBURN.--THEATRICAL -GOSSIP.--FIRST THEATRE IN AUSTRALIA.--A CONVICT'S PROLOGUE.--THE DRAMA -UNDER DISADVANTAGES.--THE RIVERINA.--ALBURY AND THE VICTORIAN -FRONTIER.--PROTECTION AND FREE-TRADE.--FISHING IN THE MURRAY -RIVER.--AUSTRALIAN FISHES.--FROM ALBURY TO MELBOURNE. - - -Before returning to the coast our friends had an opportunity to visit a -native encampment and see a corroboree. The reader naturally asks what a -corroboree is; we will see presently. - -Arrangements were made by their host, and early one morning the party -was off for the native encampment, which was nearly thirty miles away. A -tent and provisions had been sent along the previous evening, so that -the travellers had nothing to carry on their horses beyond a lunch, -which they ate in a shepherd's hut at one of the out stations. Early in -the afternoon they reached their tent, which had been pitched on the -bank of a brook about half a mile from the village they intended to -visit. - -Taking an early dinner, they set out on foot for the encampment, being -guided by a native who had come to escort them. We will let Frank tell -the story of the entertainment. - -"The village was merely a collection of huts of bark, open at one side, -and forming a shelter against the wind, though it would have been hardly -equal to keeping out a severe storm. To construct these huts the bark -had been stripped from several trees in the vicinity. Fires were burning -in front of most of the huts, and care was taken that they did not -extend to the trees, and thus get a start through the forest. - -"There was an odor of singed wool and burning meat, but no food was in -sight. The blacks are supposed to live upon kangaroo meat as their -principal viand, but a good many cattle and sheep disappear whenever a -tribe of them is in the neighborhood of the herds and flocks. In -addition to kangaroo, they eat the meat of the wallaby, opossum, wombat, -native bear, and other animals, and are fond of eels and any kind of -fish that come to their hands, or rather to their nets and spears. Emus, -ducks, turkeys--in fact, pretty nearly everything that lives and moves, -including ants and their eggs, grubs, earth-worms, moths, beetles, and -other insects--are welcome additions to the aboriginal larder. All the -fruits of trees and bushes, together with many roots and edible grasses -and other plants, are included in their bill of fare. - -"There were twenty or more dirty and repulsive men and women in the -village, some squatted or seated around the fires, and others walking or -standing carelessly in the immediate vicinity. A dozen thin and -vicious-looking dogs growled at us as we approached, but were speedily -silenced by their owners. These dogs were simply the native dingoes, -either born in captivity or caught when very young and domesticated. -They are poorly fed, and the squatters say they can generally -distinguish a wild dog from one belonging to the blacks, by the latter -being thin and the former in good condition. - -"More women than men were visible, and it was explained that the men who -were to take part in the corroboree were away making their preparations. -The corroboree is a dance which was formerly quite common among the -tribes, but has latterly gone a good deal out of fashion. At present it -is not often given, except when, as in the present instance, strangers -are willing to pay something in order to see it. Our host had arranged -it for us, and the camping party that preceded us with the pack-horses -had brought the stipulated amount of cloth, sugar, and other things that -were to constitute the payment for the entertainment. - -"We tried to make friends with some of the children, but they were -decidedly shy, and we soon gave it up. In a little while the men who -were to dance came out from the forest, and as they did so the women -formed in a semicircle at one side of the cleared space in the middle of -the encampment; and some of the men brought fresh supplies of wood, and -heaped it on the central fire. The women sat on the ground, and each had -an opossum rug stretched tightly across her knees and forming a sort of -drum. - -[Illustration: A CORROBOREE.] - -"The dancers assembled in the centre near the fire; they wore only their -opossum rugs around the loins, and the exposed parts of their bodies -were streaked with paint in the most fantastic manner imaginable. -Faces and bodies were adorned with white and red paint, and altogether -the aspect was a combination of the ludicrous and the hideous. The -leader, holding a stick in each hand, took his place midway between the -women and the fire, and at a signal from him the women began a chant, -and kept time by beating with their hands upon the opossum-skins. - -[Illustration: SOMETHING FOR BREAKFAST.] - -"Suddenly the leader struck the two sticks together, and the dancers -formed in line. When the line was completed he struck them again, in -unison with the chant and the time beaten on the drums. The dancers -regulated their movements by the music, throwing themselves into all -sorts of positions, moving to the right or the left, advancing or -retreating, standing straight in line, circling around each other, and -in a general way forming figures not altogether unlike those of -civilized dancers in other lands. - -"As the dance went on, the leader quickened the time; the chant and -drumming quickened likewise, and so did the exertions of the performers. -They grew hot, and perspired at every pore; faster and faster went the -music; faster and faster were the movements of the bodies, till it -seemed as though they would drop from exhaustion. - -"Suddenly the men, as if by a prearranged plan, jumped higher than ever -into the air, and as they did so each gave a sort of shrill shout. The -drumming and chanting ceased immediately, and the men fled to rest in -the shelter of the bushes. There they remained for perhaps a quarter of -an hour, and then they returned and resumed the dance. The second part -was much like the first, except that some of the figures were different; -the whole performance showed that it was the result of practice, as the -time was well kept and all the movements were based upon a system of no -insignificant character. At the end the leader gave two heavy strokes -with his sticks, the men retreated, the women followed them, and the -dance was at an end. - -"We are told that the natives have various dances, and in this -particular they resemble the savage tribes of most other lands. They -have their war-dances before and after fights, dances for the time when -the youths are 'made men'--_i.e._, when they attain their majority, and -are no longer to be classed as boys--dances in which only the women take -part, dances in which the movements of the kangaroo and other animals -are imitated, and a variety of religious and mystical dances to which -Europeans are never admitted. In some dances an entire tribe--men, -women, and children--participate; in others only the men, or only the -women; and there are certain dances in which several tribes may join. -All the people of the tribe are instructed in these dances, and the -rules concerning them must be observed with most scrupulous care. - -"Nearly all the dances are performed at night, and quite often by the -light of the moon added to that of the fire. I have heard some amusing -descriptions of dances where there was a mimic battle between white men -and aboriginals, the fictitious white men biting their cartridges and -going through the motions of loading and firing a gun with great -exactness. There was a representation of a herd of cattle feeding, of -some of the animals being speared by the blacks, who then went through -the motions of skinning and cutting up the slaughtered beasts. The -movements of the kangaroo, emu, and other animals were imitated, and so -were those of the pig, the bear, and the opossum. - -[Illustration: NEAR THE CAMP.] - -"At the end of the dance we went to our camp accompanied by the natives, -who were to receive payment for the performance. After their departure -we sat around the fire for a while listening to corroboree stories, and -then retired to our blankets and to sleep. Our dreams were filled with -pictures of yelling and gyrating natives, and altogether neither Fred -nor myself felt much refreshed when we rose in the morning; but we were -all right in an hour or so, and shall always remember our adventure -among the Australian blacks. - -"We heard some curious stories about their customs, particularly of the -way the men get their wives. Marriage as understood among civilized -people is unknown among the Australian blacks. Fathers dispose of their -daughters as they would of sheep or cattle; and if the father be dead, -the right falls to the nearest male relative. A man with a daughter of -marriageable age arranges to dispose of her, and when the price is -agreed upon she is called forward and told that her husband wants her. -She may never have seen him before, or seen him only to detest him; if -she cries and protests, the father exercises his authority by prodding -her with a spear or striking her with a club, and he often winds up by -seizing her by the hair and dragging her to the hut of the man who has -bought her. If she attempts to run away she is clubbed into obedience, -and sometimes her father spears her through the leg or foot, so that she -cannot run. - -"Among some of the tribes brothers exchange their sisters with other -men, so that a marriage is generally a double affair. There is no -ceremony, as we understand it, any more than in a horse-trade with us. - -[Illustration: AN AUSTRALIAN COURTSHIP.] - -"If a man has no sister, he steals a wife from another tribe than his -own; he lies in wait in the neighborhood of the other tribe, and when a -young woman passes near him he rushes out and knocks her down with a -waddy, or club. Then he drags her to his hut and pounds her into -submission. Such a proceeding is perfectly proper, though it almost -invariably leads to a fight between the two tribes, no matter how -friendly they may have been before the occurrence. It is the duty of the -woman's tribe to avenge her abduction, and that of the man's to protect -the newly wedded couple. - -"The ceremonies for celebrating the coming of age of a young man vary a -good deal among the tribes, but in none of them is the performance a -pleasing one for the subject thereof. In one tribe he is shut up in a -tent for a whole month, and nearly starved; in another he is shaved, -painted with mud and pigments, and compelled to sit in a pool of dirty -water for a whole day, while the rest of the tribe pelt him with mud; in -another he has two of his front teeth knocked out; and in another the -young beard on his chin is plucked out by the roots. In every case pain -is inflicted, so that the valor of the youth can be tested; and he is -expected to endure everything without flinching. - -[Illustration: THE NIGHT ALARM.] - -"During the night we had an alarm which roused us from sleep, and for a -few moments it looked as though we were to have serious business. There -was a yell in the forest near us, and as we sprang out of our blankets -and went to the front of the tent, we saw a crowd of natives in -war-paint brandishing their spears and waddies, and acting as though -they intended to attack us. Some of them were hideously painted, and -altogether the spectacle was not a pleasing one. After a few -demonstrations they retired, and our host told us it was a part of our -entertainment, to show how a night attack was made by the aboriginals. - -"The mimic attack was quite sufficient for our purposes, and we were -quite willing not to pass through the experience of a real one. We were -told that had the attack been actual, the first warning of it would have -been the hurling of spears. Very often it happens that a camping party -of white men has no knowledge that natives are within many miles of them -until the spears begin dropping in their midst. Our host was once in a -party of this sort; they were eight in all; five of them were killed or -wounded by the spears; but the remaining three with their rifles and -revolvers beat back the assailants, and thus saved their lives." - -Our friends returned to the station without further adventure, and a few -days later were once more in Sydney, preparing to leave for Melbourne. -Up to the last moment of their stay they were busily occupied with the -attentions of the numerous acquaintances they had made, so much so that -they had barely time to write up their journals and preserve a record of -what they had seen and heard. - -But there was one attention which was as unexpected as it was -interesting, though it could hardly be said to have been bestowed by an -inhabitant of the city. It was a visit from a "brickfielder," and is -thus described by Fred: - -"Mention has been made already of the tendency of an Australian to speak -exultingly of the climate of his own city or section, and to disparage -that of other localities. All parts of the country suffer from the hot -winds of the interior, but the inhabitants of each place declare that it -is worse anywhere else than with them. Be that as it may, our first -experience of the hot wind here in Sydney is quite bad enough, and if -Melbourne or Adelaide can surpass it we pity them. - -"They call this wind a 'brickfielder,' probably because it brings a vast -quantity of dust such as might be blown from a field where bricks are -made or brick-dust has been thickly strewn; and this was what we saw and -felt: - -"There was a period of calm and ominous silence, and we observed that -the sky was changing from blue to a sort of fiery tinge. Puffs of heated -air came now and then, like blasts from a furnace; they grew in force -and frequency, and in an hour or so became a steady wind with increasing -force. It was hot and dry and scorching, and we seemed to be withering -under its effects. 'It's a brickfielder, sure enough,' said a friend, -and he cautioned us to get back to our hotel as soon as we could. We -took his advice, and went there. - -[Illustration: RECEPTION OF A BRICKFIELDER.] - -"In a little while there was a driving volume of dark clouds like a -London fog; the wind increased almost to a gale, and then came the dust. -It was not a fine, impalpable sand, like that brought to Cairo by the -_khamseen_ in April, but a perceptible and gritty dust that sifted into -every crevice and cranny, blinded our eyes, filled our ears, and made -its way inside our clothing, till we could feel that it was all over our -skins. Nothing is sacred to it, and it invades the most stately mansions -as well as the humblest cottages. The air was filled with dust gathered -up from the streets, in addition to what the wind brought from the -interior; the dustiest and most disagreeable March day of New York was -the perfection of mildness compared to it. - -"Windows and doors were closed, and it is the rule to keep them so as -long as a brickfielder lasts. The hot gale will make its way inside if -it can find the least opening, and then the entire house and all its -contents will be thickly sprinkled with dust. The heat was intolerable, -but there was no help for it, as an open door or window would only bring -more heat and the dust in addition. We looked out of the windows, but -the dust-cloud was so thick that we couldn't see across the street. A -few luckless wayfarers were clinging to posts or struggling to keep -their feet, and those who were trying to go against the wind made very -slow progress. - -[Illustration: A BRICKFIELDER PUTTING IN ITS WORK.] - -"The brickfielder lasted all day and far into the night, and then it -suddenly stopped. With its cessation there was a heavy fall of rain, -which converted the dust into mud and made pedestrianism anything but -comfortable. They tell us that these winds sometimes last two or three -days, or even longer; they are always followed by rain and a cool wind -from the south, and never was cool wind more acceptable than at such a -time. Nobody can predict when the wind will come, whether in a day, a -week, or a month; and when it does come everybody prepares to stay -in-doors, if he can possibly do so, and wait till it is over. Every man, -woman, and child has a dust-cloak or dust-coat to be worn when necessity -compels going out-of-doors in a brickfielder. - -"One gentleman says these winds prefer to put in their appearance on -Sunday morning, just as the congregations are assembling in church. The -dates of large picnic parties are also favorite times for their -appearance, and when they come the picnic ceases to be a delight. He -says that some years ago, in one of the Australian cities, arrangements -had been made for a grand banquet out-of-doors, the finest that had ever -been known in the colony. The date had long been fixed and extensive -arrangements made, invited guests came from afar, the best speakers of -the antipodes were present, and all was going finely, when suddenly, -just as the early courses of the banquet had been served, a brickfielder -came, and the scene was as disorderly as a political meeting in one of -the lower wards of New York. The feast came to a sudden end and not a -speaker opened his mouth, lest it might be filled with dust. - -"One swallow may not make a summer, but one brickfielder is enough for a -whole year." - -Consulting the railway time-table, Doctor Bronson found that the express -train for Melbourne left at 5.15 P.M., and ran through in nineteen -hours, thus making the greater part of its journey in the night. As our -friends wished to see as much of the country as possible during their -tour through Australia, they decided to take a slower train at 9 A.M., -which would bring them to Goulburn, one hundred and thirty-four miles, -at 4 P.M. Another train at 10.35 the following morning would reach the -frontier at Albury, three hundred and eighty-six miles from Sydney, at -eight o'clock in the evening. In this way they would get a good view of -the country, and be able to say far more about its features than if -whizzed through on an express train at night. - -[Illustration: BUILDING A RAILWAY ON THE PLAINS.] - -The first railway in the colony of New South Wales was projected in -1846, and within two years the surveys for the line to Goulburn were -completed. Ground was broken in July, 1850, the first turf being turned -by the Hon. Mrs. Keith Stewart, in the presence of her father, Governor -Fitzroy, and a large assemblage of people. The first railway-line in the -colony, from Sydney to Paramatta, was opened in 1855. - -The engineering difficulties and the high rate of interest upon loans -retarded the work of railway building, so that in twenty years after the -opening of the first line only four hundred and six miles had been -completed; but in more recent times the enterprise has been rapidly -pushed, the mountains having been passed, and the construction upon the -great plains of the interior being comparatively easy. In September, -1886, no less than 1831 miles of railway were in operation in New South -Wales, and the Colonial Parliament had authorized 1590 miles in -addition, of which a part is now under construction. - -The railways of New South Wales are divided into the Southern, Western, -and Northern systems. The Southern stretches from Sydney to Albury, on -the frontier of Victoria, three hundred and eighty-six miles; at Junee -the South-western line branches from the Southern, and runs to Hay, four -hundred and fifty-four miles from Sydney, on the Murrumbidgee River, and -one of the most important towns in the Riverina district. The Western -line runs in the direction indicated by its name, and terminates at -Bourke, on the Darling River, five hundred and three miles from Sydney. -These are the longest railway-lines now in operation in any part of -Australia, though not equal to some that are projected in Queensland and -South Australia. The Northern line extends to the frontier of -Queensland, as already described. - -In round figures, Australia has at present about ten thousand miles of -railway in operation, with another ten thousand miles--and perhaps -more--in contemplation. The completed lines have cost not less than two -hundred millions of dollars, and there are about thirty thousand miles -of telegraph in working order. - -The up-country journey of our friends, in which they took part in a -kangaroo hunt and witnessed a corroboree, was made over the Western -line. "We have rarely seen finer engineering work on a railway anywhere -else in the world than on this line," said Frank in his journal. "It -reminds us of the Brenner line over the Alps, the Central Pacific in the -Sierra Nevada mountains, and the ride from Colombo to Kandy, in Ceylon. -It was an uninterrupted succession of magnificent views of mountain -scenery, with deep gorges and snowy water-falls at frequent intervals. -We advise those who may follow us to note particularly the Katoomba and -Wentworth Falls and Govett's Leap; and if they have an interest in -engineering, they will be much attracted by the Lapstone Hill and -Lithgow Valley Zigzags, where the railway climbs the steep sides of the -mountains. There is a fine bridge over the Nepean River at Penrith, and -a tunnel, called the Clarence, three thousand seven hundred feet above -sea-level, and five hundred and thirty-eight yards in length." - -There is also some fine engineering on the Southern line; and for a -long time, when the railway was first proposed, many doubters predicted -that it would never be able to pass the Blue Mountains to the plains -beyond. The longest tunnel in Australia--five hundred and seventy-two -yards--is near Picton, on the Southern line; and the zigzags, bridges, -cuts, and fillings are well calculated to excite the admiration of the -professional railway man. As for the scenery, it fully justifies the -praises which Australians bestow upon it, and the ride over the Blue -Mountains is one that everybody who visits the country should take in -the daytime. - -[Illustration: ZIGZAG RAILWAY IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.] - -The engineers of this line claim to have succeeded in solving a problem -which has been pronounced impossible by many experienced men, and has -been tried elsewhere occasionally, and always with disastrous -results--that of having two trains pass each other on a single-track -railway. It is done in this way: At the end of each zigzag there is a -piece of level track sufficiently long to hold two trains. The engineer -of a descending train sees an ascending one on the zigzag below; he runs -his train out to the end of a level, and there waits until the ascending -one has entered the same level, reversed its course, and gone on its way -upward. One of the railway managers said to Doctor Bronson, "There isn't -any double track here at all, and yet, you see, two trains can pass -each other without the least difficulty. The ends of our zigzags serve -as switches, that's all." - -[Illustration: THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.] - -"You have no idea what a salubrious region this is," said one of the -passengers to whom they had been introduced by a friend who came to see -them off. "The air is wonderfully bracing, so much so that it is a -common saying, 'Nobody ever dies in the Blue Mountains unless he is -killed by accident or blown away.' Many people live to more than a -hundred years old; there is an authentic account of a man who celebrated -his one hundred and tenth birthday six months before he died, and -another who was cut off by intemperate habits when he was only one -hundred and one. This man used to speak of a neighbor who lived to be -one hundred and eight years old and hadn't an unsound tooth in his head, -when he was killed by the kick of a vicious horse." - -The Blue Mountains are a part of the great dividing range already -described in our account of the visit to Queensland. Of late years they -have rapidly grown in favor as a pleasure resort, and thousands of the -inhabitants of Sydney go there to escape the heat of summer. The -mountains increase in height as they approach the boundary between New -South Wales and Victoria, where they are known as the Australian Alps. -The highest peak of all, Mount Kosciusko, is 7308 feet high, and its -summit is covered with snow throughout the year. - -[Illustration: ON THE HEAD-WATERS OF THE MURRAY RIVER.] - -Frank and Fred were at once seized with a desire to visit Mount -Kosciusko, but were restrained by the Doctor, who did not share their -enthusiasm for mountain-climbing. So the youths contented themselves -with a distant view of the snowy tops of the high peaks of the range, -and allowed Mount Kosciusko to rest undisturbed. The country is wild and -picturesque, but the facilities for travel are not extensive, and only -those travellers who are accustomed to fatigue should undertake the -journey. The starting-point for the excursion is the little town of -Tumberumba, from which the mountains are about forty miles away. A coach -runs between Tumberumba and Calcairn, seventy-four miles, the nearest -point on the railway, and the town is said to be pleasantly situated at -an elevation of two thousand feet above the sea. - -The Murray River, which is sometimes called the Hume in the upper part -of its course, takes its rise at the foot of Mount Kosciusko and its -companion mountains. The scenery is quite Alpine in all its -characteristics, and well justifies the name which has been applied to -this part of the great chain. Deep gorges and precipitous cliffs enclose -the head streams of the Murray, and the forest extends far up the sides -of the mountains wherever there is sufficient soil for trees to find a -place to grow. Lower down there are considerable areas of open or -cleared country that have proved well adapted to agriculture. Wheat and -oats are profitably grown in the vicinity of Tumberumba; and in some -parts of the Albury district, in which Tumberumba is situated, tobacco -is an extensive crop. (See _Frontispiece_.) - -At Goulburn, where they halted for the night, as previously arranged, -our friends found a well-built city of about eight thousand inhabitants, -and owing its prosperity to the large amount of inland trade which it -controls. Frank and Fred asked for the gold-mines of Goulburn, but asked -in vain; they were told that there were no gold-fields in the immediate -vicinity, and that the city depended upon its commercial position and -the agricultural advantages of the surrounding region. They were invited -to visit some lime-burning establishments, and learned that there were -extensive quarries of limestone in the neighborhood, with promising -indications of silver, copper, and other metals, which as yet are hardly -developed. - -In the evening the party witnessed a theatrical performance by a -strolling company, which was making the rounds of the interior towns of -Australia in the same way that American companies go "on the road" -during the dramatic season. The acting was good, and the company -included several players who were not unknown in New York and other -American cities. - -The youths had already noted the fact that Australia is a favorite -resort of members of the dramatic profession of England and the United -States; a considerable number of the men and women well known to the -foot-lights of English-speaking countries have at one time or another -appeared on the boards of Melbourne and Sydney. Australians are fond of -the drama, and there are few cities in the world that can be counted on -for a more liberal patronage of good plays and good players, in -proportion to their population, than the principal cities of the great -southern continent. - -From one of the books in his possession Frank drew the following -interesting bit of theatrical history: - -[Illustration: GALLERY OF A THEATRE DURING A PERFORMANCE.] - -"The first theatrical representation ever given in Australia was at -Sydney, in 1796. The play was 'The Ranger,' performed by a company of -amateurs, all of whom were convicts. The manager was also a convict. An -admission fee of one shilling was demanded, and the Governor and his -staff were graciously invited to free seats. Coin being scarce in the -colony, a shilling's worth of flour or rum was accepted in lieu of -money. The convict who played Filch recited the prologue, and was -probably its author. It ran as follows: - - "From distant lands, o'er wide-spread seas we come, - But not with much eclat or beat of drum. - True patriots all, for, be it understood, - We left our country for our country's good! - No private views disgraced our generous zeal; - What urged our travels was our country's weal, - And none can doubt but that our emigration - Has proved most useful to the British nation. - He who to midnight ladders is no stranger, - You'll own will make an admirable Ranger; - To seek Macheath we have not far to roam, - And sure in Filch I shall be quite at home. - Here light and easy Columbines are found, - And well-trained Harlequins with us abound; - From durance vile our precious selves to keep - We've often had to make a flying leap; - To a black face have sometimes owed escape, - And Hounslow Heath has proved the worth of crape. - But how, you ask, can we e'er hope to soar - Above these scenes, and rise to tragic lore? - For oft, alas! we've forced th' unwilling tear, - And petrified the heart with real fear. - Macbeth a harvest of applause will reap, - For some of us, I fear, have murdered sleep. - His Lady, too, with grace and ease will talk-- - Her blushes hiding 'neath a mine of chalk. - Sometimes, indeed, so various is our art, - An actor may improve and mend his part. - "Give me a horse!" bawls Richard, like a drone; - We'll show a man who'd help himself to one. - Grant us your favors, put us to the test; - To gain your smiles we'll do our very best; - And, without dread of future turnkey Lockits, - Thus, in an honest way, still pick your pockets.'" - -The principal theatres of Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide will compare -favorably with those of any other city on the globe, and there is hardly -a town of any consequence at all that does not possess a minor theatre -or a hall where entertainments are given occasionally. During the days -of the gold rushes the mining regions proved more remunerative to the -strolling actors who visited them than to the majority of the men who -were digging for the precious metal. - -The theatres of those days were often the rudest structures imaginable, -and not infrequently performances were given in tents, and sometimes in -enclosures that were open to the sun and rain. It is said that a -performance of "Hamlet" was once given on an open-air stage in a pouring -rain. Ophelia wore a water-proof cloak, and in the last scene in which -she appeared she carried an umbrella. Polonius, being an old man, was -permitted to wear an India-rubber coat; but Hamlet's youth did not -permit such a protection from the weather, and when the play ended he -bore a close resemblance to the survivor of an inundation of the Ohio -valley, or a man rescued from a shipwreck on the Atlantic coast. - -Beyond Goulbourn the railway carried our friends through the district of -Riverina, famous for its pastoral and agricultural attractions. At -Albury they crossed the Murray River and entered the colony of -Victoria; a change of gauge rendered a change of train necessary, and -Fred remarked that it seemed like crossing a frontier in Europe, the -resemblance being increased by the presence of the custom-house -officials, who seek to prevent the admission of foreign goods into -Victoria until they have paid the duties assessed by law. - -[Illustration: SCENE IN THE RIVERINA.] - -As before stated, Victoria has a protective tariff, while New South -Wales is a free-trade colony. Consequently, Victoria is obliged to guard -her frontier to prevent smuggling, and the work of doing so effectively -is by no means inexpensive. But she derives a large revenue from the -duty on imports, and the statesmen and others who favor a protective -tariff can demonstrate by argument and illustration that it is the -principal cause of the prosperity of the colony. There is, of course, a -goodly number of free-traders in the colony, and the war between -free-traders and protectionists is as vigorous and unrelenting as in the -United States or England. - -The federation of all the Australian colonies, and their union under a -single government, on the same general plan as that which was adopted -for the British-American provinces, has been for some time under -discussion; doubtless it might have been accomplished before this had it -not been for the opposition of New South Wales, which holds aloof from -the movement mainly on account of the tariff question. Federation will -probably come before long; many Australians say it will be a step in the -direction of independence, and they argue that a country so far away -from England can hardly be expected to retain its allegiance to the -mother-country forever, in view of its growing power and population, its -diversity of interests, and the perils to which it would be subject in -case of a European war in which England should be concerned. - -The railway from Melbourne reached Wodonga, opposite Albury, in 1873, -but the line from Sydney was not completed till 1881. From that time -till 1884 there was a break of three miles which passengers traversed by -coach or on foot; in the year last named the connection was completed by -the construction of an iron bridge over the Murray, and the closing of -the gap with tracks adapted to the gauges of both the colonies. There -are now commodious stations on both sides of the river. The New South -Wales trains cross the river to Wodonga, while those from Victoria cross -it to Albury. - -It was evening when the party arrived at the frontier, and as soon as -the formalities of the custom-house were over, the Doctor and his young -companions went to a hotel near the station. The custom-house was not -rigorous, as none of their baggage was opened, the officials being -contented with the declaration that they had nothing dutiable in their -possession. Next morning the youths were up early to have a look at the -great river of Australia; they were somewhat disappointed with the -Murray, their fancies having made the river much larger than it proved -to be. Compared with the Mississippi, the Hudson, the Rhine, or the -Thames, it was insignificant, but it was nevertheless a river navigable -from Albury to the ocean, one thousand eight hundred miles away. - -[Illustration: STEAMBOAT ON THE MURRAY RIVER.] - -A steamboat lay at the bank of the river a short distance below the -railway-bridge; it was not much of a boat in the way of luxury, but was -well adapted to the work for which it was intended, and had a barge -fastened behind it by a strong tow-rope. Fred learned that there were -several boats engaged in the navigation of the Murray and its -tributaries, but they were unable to run at all seasons of the year. In -ordinary stages of water boats can reach Albury, but there are certain -periods of the year when they cannot do so. - -Some boys were sitting on the bank farther down the river, engaged in -fishing with pole and line. Frank and Fred made their acquaintance, and -examined the fish they had taken; the oldest of the boys, evidently much -more intelligent than his companions, enlightened the strangers as to -the piscatorial possessions of Australia. - -[Illustration: FISH-HATCHING BOXES ON A SMALL STREAM.] - -"That is the 'Murray cod,' or 'cod-perch,'" said he, as he pointed to -one of the results of the morning's work. - -"What a splendid fish!" Fred exclaimed. - -"What?--that!" said the Australian youth, with an air of contempt. -"That's only a little one, and doesn't weigh more'n two pounds." - -"How large do these fish grow?" queried Frank. - -"Oh! we catch 'em weighing thirty or forty pounds," was the reply. "We -bait with tree-frogs, and have to use strong lines, or they'd get away -from us." - -"They're pretty good eating," he continued, "but not so good as bream -and trout; the trout were brought here from your country, and we're -getting 'em all through the rivers of Australia, so folks tell me. They -sent us the eggs, and the fish were hatched out here; and several kinds -of European and American fishes have been introduced that way. We've a -good many kinds of perch; how many I don't know, but the best is the -golden perch of the Murray and the rivers running into it. We've got a -black-fish, as we call him; he's black outside, but his flesh is white -as snow, and he's splendid for eating. - -"If you want to go trout-fishing, you can do so twenty miles from -Melbourne and find all you want; they've been trying to raise salmon in -Australia, but the rivers are too warm for 'em. Sometimes we read in the -newspapers about somebody's catching a salmon, but it never amounts to -much." - -Frank presented his informant with a shilling, partly in return for his -information and partly to secure the fish, which he carried to the hotel -and requested that it be cooked for breakfast. It was cooked -accordingly, and when, accompanied by the Doctor, the youths sat down to -their repast, the fish was pronounced a toothsome morsel. - -Soon after ten o'clock they were in the railway-train for Melbourne. -They traversed a varied country, passing through a rich pastoral and -agricultural region, through widely extended wheat-fields, and in sight -of numerous flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, through stretches of -forest more or less luxuriant, over plains and among hills, along -winding valleys, and occasionally in sight of the mountains which lie -between the Dividing Range and some portions of the coast. In due time -the crest of the range was passed, and the train descended gently to -Melbourne and deposited the travellers safe and sound at the railway -terminus. - -[Illustration: IMMIGRANT'S CAMP IN THE FOOT-HILLS OF THE RANGE.] - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -THE FOUNDING OF MELBOURNE.--BATMAN AND FAWKNER.--GROWTH OF MELBOURNE, -CHICAGO, AND SAN FRANCISCO COMPARED.--SIGHTS AND SCENES IN THE -AUSTRALIAN METROPOLIS.--COLLINS STREET, BOURKE STREET, AND OTHER -THOROUGHFARES.--A GENERAL DESCRIPTION.--THE YARRA RIVER.--BOTANICAL -GARDENS.--DINING AT A SUBURBAN RESIDENCE.--THE SUBURBS OF -MELBOURNE.--HOW ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS BECAME ONE MILLION IN FIFTY -YEARS.--SANDRIDGE (PORT MELBOURNE).--SCENES IN THE -HARBOR.--REMINISCENCES OF THE GOLD RUSH OF 1851.--BUSH-RANGERS AND THEIR -PERFORMANCES.--PLUNDERING A SHIP IN PORT.--HOBSON'S BAY AND PORT PHILLIP -BAY.--WILLIAMSTOWN AND ST. KILDA.--SHARK FENCES.--QUEENSCLIFF.--CURIOUS -ROCKS ON THE COAST.--GEELONG.--MELBOURNE NEWSPAPERS. - - -Frank and Fred were impatient to see Melbourne, the city of which they -had heard so much, and whose praises are loudly chanted by every -resident of the colony of Victoria. As they rode from the -railway-station to their hotel they could hardly believe that they were -in a city where half a century ago there was little more than a clearing -in the forest on the banks of the Yarra. - -Yet so it was. On June 2, 1835, John Batman ascended the Yarra and -Salt-water rivers, and made a bargain with the native chiefs of the -locality to purchase a large area of ground, more than one thousand two -hundred square miles, for which he paid a few shirts and blankets, some -sugar, flour, and other trifles--probably not a hundred dollars' worth -altogether. The Government afterwards set aside his purchase, but paid -to Batman and his partners the sum of £7000 for the relinquishment of -their claim. - -Batman returned immediately to Tasmania to procure a fresh supply of -provisions, and near the end of August, 1835, during his absence, -another adventurer, John Fawkner, landed on the banks of the Yarra from -the schooner _Enterprise_, and made his camp in the forest on the bank -of the stream. He brought five men, two horses, two pigs, one cat, and -three kangaroo-dogs; and this was the colony that founded the present -city of Melbourne. Fawkner may be fairly considered the founder of -Melbourne, as the permanent occupation of the site dates from the day -he landed from his schooner. But Batman's part of the affair should not -be forgotten; he returned in the following April, and settled on what is -now a part of the city. As might be expected, there was a bitter quarrel -between Batman and Fawkner as long as both survived, and it was -continued by their descendants. - -[Illustration: THE FOUNDING OF MELBOURNE, AUGUST, 1835.] - -The inhabitants of Melbourne have duly honored Batman by erecting in the -old cemetery of that city an appropriate monument to his memory. He died -in 1839, before the city had grown to much importance though it was -giving good promise for the future. At the time of Batman's death there -were four hundred and fifty houses, seventy shops, and three thousand -inhabitants in Melbourne, and the first ship had sailed for London with -a cargo of four hundred bales of wool. - -Frank and Fred learned all this before taking their first stroll along -the streets of Melbourne on the morning after their arrival. They also -learned that the city took its name in honor of Lord Melbourne, who was -then Premier of Great Britain. Frank suggested that perhaps Shakespeare -had Melbourne in mind as the "bourne whence no traveller returns," since -a great many deaths occurred there during the gold rush. Fred reproved -his cousin for using this antiquated "chestnut," and the topic was -indefinitely postponed. - -The first thing to attract the attention of the youths was the width of -the streets (ninety-nine feet, or a chain and a half) in contrast with -the narrow streets of Sydney. Then the situation is pleasing, as it is -on some rolling hills something like those on which Moscow, the ancient -capital of Russia, stands. The hills afford good drainage to the central -part of the city, and as one goes about he finds himself occasionally -upon an elevation from which he can look away for a considerable -distance. The city itself is about a mile and a half square, and is -regularly laid out; it is surrounded by parks and gardens, and its -suburbs include a radius of not far from ten miles, and are steadily -extending. Within this radius it is claimed that there are fully 360,000 -inhabitants, and the number is increasing year by year. - -[Illustration: PUBLIC LIBRARY, MELBOURNE.] - -"Three hundred and sixty thousand people in a city which was first -settled in 1835!" said Fred. "Chicago and San Francisco must look sharp -for their laurels." - -"They may look, but they won't find them," replied Frank. - -"Are you not mistaken?" queried his cousin. "Did not each of them have -as many inhabitants as Melbourne within fifty years after its -settlement?" - -"We will see," was the reply. "Chicago was practically founded in 1816, -when Fort Dearborn, which had been destroyed in 1812, was rebuilt. In -1870, fifty-four years later, it had, according to the census, 298,997 -inhabitants. - -[Illustration: MELBOURNE POST-OFFICE.] - -"San Francisco was begun in 1776, when the Mission of San Francisco de -Asis, more commonly called the Mission Dolores, was established there; -but some people claim that the city was not really founded until 1835, -when the village of Yerba Buena was built, and to please them we'll -start from that date, which is the year in which Melbourne was founded. -By the census of 1880, forty-five years from its foundation, it had -233,959 inhabitants, and at its fiftieth anniversary was doubtless -considerably behind Melbourne. But Chicago has gone ahead of both of the -other cities in question, as it contained more than half a million -people in 1880, and was still growing as fast as the extensions on the -prairie would permit. Perhaps in time it will cover the whole State of -Illinois." - -[Illustration: GOVERNMENT HOUSE, MELBOURNE.] - -"Melbourne, Chicago, and San Francisco are the marvels of the world in -their growth," responded Fred, "and they've no reason to be jealous of -one another." Frank echoed this opinion, and then the figures of -populations were dropped from discussion. - -Their walk took them along Collins Street, which is the Broadway or the -Regent Street of the city; they traversed its entire length from west to -east, and then turned their attention to Bourke Street, which runs -parallel to Collins Street. To enumerate all the fine buildings they saw -in their promenade would make a list altogether too tedious for anything -less than a guide-book. As they took no notes of what they saw, it is -safe to say that neither of the youths could at this moment write a -connected account of the sights of the morning. - -"If we had been skeptical about the wealth and prosperity of Melbourne," -wrote Fred in his journal, "all our doubts were removed by what we saw -during our first tour through the city. One after another magnificent -piles of buildings came before us, the banks and other private edifices -rivalling the public ones for extent and solidity. The highest structure -in Melbourne is known as Robb's Buildings, and was built by a wealthy -speculator, on the same general plan as the Mills, Field, and similar -buildings in New York. There are many banks, office buildings, stores, -warehouses, and other private edifices that would do honor to London, -Paris, or New York; and the same is the case with the Post-office, -Houses of Parliament, Law Courts, Public Library, National Gallery, -Government House, Ormond College, and other public structures. - -"We turned down Swanston Street in the direction of the river, the -Yarra, or, to speak more properly, the Yarra-Yarra, as it was originally -known, though few now call it by the double name. Anybody who comes here -expecting a great river will be disappointed, as the Yarra isn't much of -a stream on which to build a city like Melbourne. It answers well enough -for people to row upon with pleasure-boats and for occasionally drowning -somebody, but is altogether too small and shallow for large vessels. -Steamers and sailing-craft drawing not more than sixteen feet can come -up to the city, but large vessels must stop at Sandridge, or Port -Melbourne, two and a half miles away. The Yarra supplies water for the -Botanical Gardens, but not for the city generally. - -[Illustration: COLLINS STREET IN 1870.] - -"We reached the river at Prince's Bridge, where a fine viaduct of three -arches replaces the former one of a single arch. There are several -bridges across the Yarra, which separates Melbourne proper from South -Melbourne and other suburbs, and we were told that new bridges are under -consideration, and will be built as the necessity for them becomes more -pressing. A great deal of money has been expended in deepening and -straightening the river, and it is certainly vastly improved upon the -stream which Batman and Fawkner ascended in 1835, when they made the -settlements from which Melbourne has grown. Since 1877 the river has -been deepened three feet, and the minimum low-water depth is said to be -fourteen feet six inches at spring-tides. - -[Illustration: PUBLIC OFFICES AND TREASURY GARDENS.] - -"Street-cars, or 'trams,' some drawn by horses and others by cables, run -in every direction; and there are omnibuses, cabs, and other -conveyances; so that one can go pretty nearly anywhere he chooses for a -small amount of money. Some of the omnibuses remind us of the new ones -in Paris, as they have three horses abreast, and dash along in fine -style. Hansom and other cabs are numerous, and the fares are about a -third more than in London; this is a great change from the days of the -gold rush, when the most ordinary carriage could not be hired for less -than £3 a day, and very often the drivers obtained twice or three times -that amount. We have been told of a gold-digger just down from the mines -of whom £12 was demanded one day for an afternoon's drive; he handed the -driver a ten-pound note, and told him he would have to be satisfied with -that--and he was. - -[Illustration: TOWN-HALL, MELBOURNE.] - -"We went into three or four arcades, which form pleasant lounging and -shopping places, like the famous 'passages' of Paris and the arcades of -London. One of them is called the 'Book Arcade,' and is principally -devoted to the sale of books; and if we may judge by the number of -volumes we saw there, the people of Melbourne are liberal patrons of -literature. No matter what the taste of a person might be in books, -whether he desired a work of fiction or a treatise on science, a volume -of travels or an exposition of Hindoo philosophy, he could be -accommodated without delay. They have a public library here containing -nearly one hundred and fifty thousand volumes, all of which can be read -without charge. - -"When we got back to the hotel and met the Doctor, it was time to sit -down to breakfast. He had already received two invitations to dinner -from gentlemen to whom he brought letters; they had heard of our -arrival, and knowing we had been hospitably received in Sydney, were -determined that we should be initiated at once into the courtesies of -Melbourne, and start off with a favorable impression of the place. - -[Illustration: VIEW FROM SOUTH MELBOURNE, 1868.] - -"A few minutes after we were through with breakfast a gentleman called -for us and gave us a carriage-drive, in which we saw more than we can -begin to describe. We visited the Botanical Gardens, which are about a -mile from the city, and on the south bank of the Yarra; they cover an -area of not far from a hundred acres, and do great credit to the -gentlemen who designed and perfected them. The collection of plants and -trees is very large, and everything is labelled, so that the scientific -student can know at once its history and character. We strolled along a -winding walk among the ferns, and could easily imagine ourselves in the -heart of a tropical forest. We also visited the Fitzroy, Carlton, -Treasury, and other gardens and parks, of which Melbourne has an -abundant supply. - -"On many of the streets trees have been planted, and they add much to -the attractions of the city. The water-supply of Melbourne comes from an -artificial lake nineteen miles from the city, and is brought in by the -Yan Yean Water-works, which are not altogether unlike the Croton works -of New York or the Cochituate of Boston. Water seems to be abundant in -all the houses, and we are told that there are more bath-tubs in -Melbourne than in any other city of its size in the world. - -"We can't begin to name all the churches we have seen in our rides and -walks along the streets. Suffice it to say there are no finer modern -churches anywhere than here, and the inhabitants of Melbourne have shown -great liberality in their contributions for building these religious -edifices. There is no State Church in the colony, but the Church of -England is the fashionable one, and has a greater number of adherents -than any other church. - -[Illustration: PART OF MELBOURNE IN 1838.] - -"In their order, and omitting the smaller figures, there were by the -last census of the colony 311,000 Episcopalians, 203,000 Catholics, -132,000 Presbyterians, 108,000 Methodists, 20,000 Independents, or -Congregationalists, 20,000 Baptists, and 11,000 Lutherans and German -Protestants. On the first of January, 1886, there were 2150 churches and -chapels in Victoria, and about the same number of public buildings and -dwellings used for public worship, or more than 4000 in all. - -"While we were riding about the city we asked our host whence came the -names of the streets. - -"'The principal ones commemorate men who were connected with the early -history of the colony,' was his reply. 'Collins Street is named for -Colonel Collins, who established a convict settlement on the shores of -Port Phillip Bay in 1803, but soon gave it up and removed the settlement -to Tasmania. Bourke Street is named after the governor of New South -Wales in 1836; Flinders Street after Captain Flinders, of whose -explorations you are doubtless aware; Lonsdale Street after Captain -Lonsdale, who was in command here about that time; and Swanston Street -after one of Batman's companions. King, Queen, William, and Elizabeth -Streets are tokens of our loyalty to the royal family of Great Britain, -the same as are the streets of like names in Sydney and Brisbane.' - -"I should have said, in speaking of the streets, that between every two -wide streets there are narrow ones which were originally intended as -back entrances, and were known by the prefix of 'little.' Thus we have -Little Collins Street between Collins and Bourke Streets; Little Bourke -Street between Bourke and Latrobe, and so on through the list. Most of -these 'little' streets have become known as lanes, and are spoken of as -Collins Lane, Bourke Lane, etc. Bourke Lane is largely occupied by -Chinese, and Flinders Lane, between Flinders and Collins Streets, is -generally known as 'The Lane,' especially among the dealers in clothing -throughout Australia, as it is the peculiar haunt of the importers of -wearing apparel, or 'soft goods.' - -"Elizabeth Street runs in the valley between the two principal hills on -which the city is built, and divides it into East and West, just as -Fifth Avenue divides the numbered streets of New York. As Melbourne is -on the other side of the world from New York, it is quite in the nature -of things that the custom of designating the portions of a street should -be the reverse of ours. In New York we say 'East Fourteenth Street,' or -'West Twenty-third Street.' Here they say 'Collins Street East,' or -'Bourke Street West,' according as the designated locality is east or -west from Elizabeth Street. - -"We returned to the hotel in good season to dress for dinner," continued -Fred, "and at the appointed time went to the place where we were to -dine. It was several miles out of town, and our journey thither was by -railway, our host sending a carriage to meet us at the station. -Melbourne resembles London in having a net-work of suburban railways, -and resembles it further in having a great rush of people to the city in -the morning, and out of it in the afternoon. Ordinarily the facilities -of travel are fairly equal to the demand, but if a heavy shower of rain -falls about 6 P.M., the supply of vehicles is insufficient. - -[Illustration: A SUBURBAN RESIDENCE.] - -"The house of our host is well built and well furnished, and has plenty -of ground surrounding it for garden, lawn, and shrubbery. English trees -grow in the grounds. Much of the furniture came from the old country, -but the portion of it that was made in Melbourne is by no means inferior -to the imported part. Prosperous people in Melbourne know how to live -well, and some of the wealthier inhabitants spend a great deal of money -on the support of their establishments. We dined as well as we could -have dined in London or New York, the local luxuries of those cities -that were wanting here being fully atoned for by the products of the -colony. - -"It was late in the evening when we got back to our hotel in the city, -after listening to stories of colonial life in general, and of life in -Melbourne in particular, until our heads were nearly giddy with what had -been poured into them. Anthony Trollope intimates that the Melbournites -are given to 'blowing' about the wonders of their city, and he excuses -them on the ground that they have something worth 'blowing' about. If -we were to make any remark on this subject, it would be to agree with -him on both points. But as one hears the same kind of talk in Chicago, -St. Louis, San Francisco, and other American cities, and also in the -other colonial centres of Australasia, we have ceased to wonder at it, -and set it down as a matter of course." - -In the next day or two our friends visited some of the suburbs of -Melbourne, including Notham, Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, and -Brunswick on the north, and Richmond, Prahran, Windsor, Malvern, and -Caulfield on the south. Frank noted that some of these suburbs were -prosperous and well populated, while others were much less so, and -seemed to base a goodly part of their hopes on the future. There is a -great deal of speculation in suburban land, just as in the neighborhood -of all large cities the world over; fortunes have been made in suburban -speculation, and still larger fortunes hoped for but not yet realized. - -Melbourne was originally laid out in half-acre lots, but nearly all of -them have long since been divided and subdivided. One of the few that -have not been divided, but are held by the families of the purchasers, -is in a good part of Collins Street. The colonist who bought it paid £20 -for the lot in 1837; it is now worth £100,000, and since the time of the -original purchase the holders have received at least £100,000 in rents. -One million dollars in fifty years from an investment of one hundred -dollars may be considered a fairly good return for one's money. - -Doctor Bronson and his nephews were not neglectful of the harbor of -Melbourne any more than they had been of Sydney Cove when at the capital -of New South Wales. There are trains at short intervals from Melbourne -to Sandridge (Port Melbourne), and cars and omnibuses every fifteen -minutes. The fare is threepence, or six cents. This is a great reduction -from the days of the gold rush in 1851, when the omnibus charge between -Sandridge and Melbourne was two shillings and sixpence (sixty-two and -one-half cents) for each passenger, and a carriage for four persons cost -from five to twenty dollars for the single trip. - -Mr. Manson, who was so attentive to our friends in Sydney, was equally -well acquainted with Melbourne; he called upon them shortly after their -arrival in the latter city, and proposed to accompany them in their -visit to the port. His offer was at once accepted. During the ride to -Sandridge the conversation turned upon the days of the gold rush, and -the incidents that long since passed into history. - -"It was before I came to Australia," said he, "so that I cannot speak -from personal knowledge; but I have heard the stories from so many old -residents that I have no doubt of their correctness. The expense of -getting goods from Sandridge to Melbourne, three miles, was often as -much as to bring them from London to the harbor. William Howitt tells, -in his 'Two Years in Victoria,' that the cost of carrying his baggage -from the ship to his lodgings in Melbourne was more than that of -bringing them the previous thirteen thousand miles, including what he -paid for conveyance from his house to the London docks. - -[Illustration: HARBOR SCENE IN THE MOONLIGHT.] - -"When a ship arrived with passengers, the charge for taking them from -the anchorage to the beach was three shillings, and then came the -omnibus charge already mentioned. If a man was alone, the boatmen -charged him ten or perhaps twenty shillings; and if a person was obliged -to go out to a ship, and they knew his journey was important, they would -charge any price they pleased. A gentleman having occasion to visit a -ship that was about to sail, and manifesting some anxiety to do so, was -obliged to pay £12, or sixty dollars. - -"After goods were landed they were loaded into carts for transportation -to Melbourne. A clerk looked at a load, and then said, glibly, 'These -things will be £3;' and if anybody demurred at the price, the -gate-keeper was ordered not to let the cart pass out of the yard till -the sum demanded was paid. People grumbled and denounced the charges as -outrageous, but they generally paid them and went on. - -[Illustration: BOARDING-HOUSE OF 1851.] - -"In the city the same high scale of prices prevailed. In the shops the -prices were about three hundred per cent. above the cost of goods. -Lodgings were in great demand; the meanest kind of an unfurnished room -was worth ten dollars a week, and two poorly furnished ones were from -twenty to thirty dollars a week. Hotel-keepers turned their stables into -sleeping-places, and a man paid five shillings a night for a third of a -horse's stall, good straw, a blanket, and a rug. One landlord had -seventy of these five-shilling lodgers in his stable nightly, in -addition to the occupants of the rooms in the legitimate portion of his -house." - -"I wonder the people didn't live in tents till they could arrange to go -up country," one of the youths remarked. - -"They did so," was the reply, "and so many tents were spread on the -waste ground outside the city that the place became known as Canvas -Town. The Government charged five shillings weekly for the privilege of -putting up tents on this waste ground, or at the rate of sixty dollars a -year. Of course all were anxious to get away as soon as possible, but -they were often detained three or four weeks, or even longer, waiting to -obtain their goods from the ships." - -"Was there much security for life and property in those days?" Frank -asked. - -"According to all accounts there was a great deal of disorder," Mr. -Manson responded. "There were many runaway convicts here from Tasmania -and New South Wales, together with other bad characters. Robberies along -the road were very common. One Saturday afternoon in broad daylight four -fellows armed with guns and pistols stopped some twenty or more people, -one after the other, tied them up to trees, and robbed them, on the road -from Melbourne to St. Kilda. The bush-rangers carried on their -performances up to the very edge of Melbourne, and sometimes they rode -through the streets and out again before they could be stopped. - -"The coolest piece of robbery was performed in the harbor one night. A -ship was to sail for England at daylight, and she had several thousand -ounces of gold on board. About midnight a party of eight or ten went out -in a boat pretending to have business on board, and were admitted -without suspicion. Their real business was to plunder the ship, and they -succeeded; they 'stuck up' the officers and crew, bound them hand and -foot, loaded the gold into their boat, and escaped. No alarm was given -until some one went on board the next morning, as all the officers and -crew had been gagged and locked in below. The robbers got clean away; -nothing was ever learned about them, but it was suspected that they were -ex-convicts from Tasmania." - -The carriage had by this time brought our friends to Sandridge, and they -alighted at the head of one of the piers. There are two piers at -Sandridge (to use its former name in place of its more modern -appellation of Port Melbourne). These piers run far out into the bay, -and ships of almost any tonnage may lie alongside to discharge or -receive cargoes. One is known as the town pier, and the other as the -railway pier; on the railway pier trains of cars may load or discharge -at the side of the ships, and thus effect a great saving in the handling -of freight. - -[Illustration: A GOOD LOCATION FOR BUSINESS.] - -It was a busy scene from one end of the pier to the other, and as the -strangers walked about they were obliged to be cautious lest they were -run over by moving cars or stumbled among the piles of goods that lay -about. Vessels from all parts of the world were lying at the piers; at -anchor in the bay were other vessels, steamers and sailing craft, -likewise hailing from the four quarters of the globe. All the great -companies known in the East, the "P. and O.," North German Lloyds, -Messageries Maritimes, Orient, and others, were represented, and the -ubiquitous "tramp" steamers were there in goodly numbers. Then there -were numerous "intercolonial" steamers engaged in the trade between -Melbourne and the ports of the Australian coast, and also with Tasmania, -New Zealand, Feejee, and other islands. - -[Illustration: LOADING A SHIP FROM A LIGHTER.] - -Some of the steamships have their docks at Williamstown, which is on the -other side of Hobson's Bay, directly opposite Sandridge, and connected -with Melbourne by railway. The business of Williamstown, like that of -Sandridge, is mostly connected with the shipping; a steam ferry carried -our friends across the bay, and they spent an hour or two in -Williamstown, the time being principally devoted to an inspection of -the ship building yards and the graving dock, which has accommodations -for the largest ships engaged in the Australian trade. - -Hobson's Bay may be called the enlarging of the Yarra at its mouth, or -the narrowing of Port Phillip Bay at its head. But by whatever -description it is known it is an excellent harbor for Melbourne, as it -has good anchorage and abundance of space for the ships that congregate -there. Port Phillip Bay is about thirty-five miles long and the same in -width; its entrance is nearly two miles across, and, like Sydney harbor, -it has space for all the navies of the civilized world. No doubt the -Melbourne people would not object to such a visitation, provided it were -peaceful, for the same reason that the Sydneyite gave to Frank and Fred, -"that it would be a good thing for business." - -On their return from Williamstown to Sandridge the party drove to St. -Kilda, the Coney Island of Melbourne, and a great resort for those who -are fond of salt-water bathing. Farther down the bay is Brighton Beach, -a familiar name whether the visitor be from New York or London, and if -he looks further he will find other names that will not be altogether -strange. All around the bay there are pleasure resorts, private -residences, business establishments, factories, and other evidences that -the region has long since been reclaimed from the possession of the -savage and become the permanent home of the white man. - -Fred observed that there were fences far out in the water enclosing -areas where bathers were splashing and, to all appearances, having a -good time. He immediately asked what was the use of the fences. - -"They are for protection against sharks," replied Mr. Manson, "which are -abundant in these waters and all along the Australian coast. You have -doubtless heard of them at other points." - -The youth remembered the sharks at Queensland and New South Wales, and -the stories he had heard about them. He remarked that if the creatures -were as bad as they were farther north, he should not venture into the -water at St. Kilda until satisfied that the fence was thoroughly -shark-proof. - -The carriage was sent back from St. Kilda, and on assurance that the -fence was strong the whole party indulged in the luxury of a sea-bath. -Then they strolled on the beach, dined at one of the restaurants for -which St. Kilda is famous, and returned in the evening by railway to -Melbourne. Frank and Fred thought it was very like an excursion to Coney -Island, and Doctor Bronson fully agreed with them, except that he missed -the broad ocean which spreads before the popular watering-place of New -York. - -"There's a fine watering-place at Queenscliff, at the entrance of Port -Phillip Bay," said Mr. Manson, "where you can look out on the Pacific -and can see and hear the surf breaking on the shore. There's a fort -there to guard the entrance in case of war, and all ships are signalled -from that point on their arrival. As St. Kilda is the Coney Island of -Melbourne, Queenscliff may be called its Long Branch, as its distance is -about thirty-two miles, and it can be reached both by railway and -steamboat. - -"Farther down the coast," said he, "there are other watering-places, and -what with the mountains and the sea Melbourneites are well provided with -retreats. Here is something interesting." - -As he spoke he took from his pocket a photograph, which Doctor Bronson -examined attentively, and then passed it over to the youths. It -represented some rocks which resembled pieces of artillery, and were -overlooked by a head that reminded Frank of "The Old Man of the -Mountain," in Franconia, New Hampshire. - -"The height to the crown of the head," said Mr. Manson, "is twenty-four -feet, and the tuft of coast scrub that has found sufficient soil to -cling to it in the cleft of the rock increases the resemblance to a head -by representing hair. The guns are more realistic when viewed from -another angle; near them are some spherical blocks of sandstone that -might almost serve as cannon-balls. The head has been named the -'Sentinel,' and is also called the Sphinx; it is on the southern coast -of Victoria, and about eight miles from Lorne, which has a growing -popularity as a watering-place. The rocks resembling cannon are known as -'The Artillery Rocks.'" - -Frank and Fred hoped they would have an opportunity to visit this -natural curiosity, but circumstances did not favor them, as Lorne was -too far away from the route of travel to justify the detour. - -The day after their visit to St. Kilda they were taken on a steamboat -excursion to Geelong, a pretty and well-built city on the shores of an -arm of Port Phillip Bay, and about forty-five miles from Melbourne. It -is famous for its woollen mills, tanneries, and other manufactories, and -at one time its inhabitants firmly believed that it would be a -successful rival of Melbourne on account of the superior advantages of -its harbor and its greater nearness to the ocean. - -It is said that the Geelong people caused a railway to be built between -that city and Melbourne in the expectation that all the wool shipped at -Melbourne would be brought to their city, which would also be the -landing-place of all the goods destined for Melbourne. The result was -exactly the reverse, the railway serving to take from Geelong most of -the foreign trade it already possessed and carry it to Melbourne. -Cargoes of wool are shipped from there still, but they are few in number -when compared with those from Melbourne. - -[Illustration: THE ARTILLERY ROCKS, NEAR LORNE, ON THE COAST OF -VICTORIA.] - -Before the mail closed for America, Frank and Fred busied themselves -with a large number of papers, which they sent to friends at home. They -included the _Age_ and the _Argus_, dailies which reminded them of _The -London Times_ or _Daily News_, _The Illustrated Australian News_ and -_The Illustrated Sketcher_, pictorials making their appearance monthly, -a dozen or more weekly and monthly papers, some of them of -Brobdingnagian proportions, and representing all shades of religious, -social, and political feeling, and a quarterly called _The Imperial -Review_. In a letter to his mother Frank said they had visited the -office of _The Melbourne Age_ at the invitation of one of its -proprietors, and had come away with the belief that few people in the -northern hemisphere had a just appreciation of the journalistic skill -and enterprise of the antipodes. - -[Illustration: WAITING TO SEE THE EDITOR.] - -"The weekly edition of the _Age_ is called the _Leader_," said Frank, in -his letter, "and there isn't a daily paper in the United States that has -a weekly edition to rival it in size, quantity, and variety of matter; -and the same may be said of the _Australasian_, which is the weekly -edition of the _Argus_. The _Leader_ for this week, of which I send you -a copy, contains forty-eight pages, and they tell me this is the -regulation number. The pages are the size of those of HARPER'S WEEKLY, -and are filled with whatever is considered of greatest interest to their -readers in the country districts. - -"It is evident," continued Frank, "that there are many waifs and strays -in the population of Australia, if we are to judge by the advertising -columns of the newspapers. All the leading dailies have advertisements -headed 'Missing Friends,' and sometimes there will be a whole column of -these inquiries for persons about whom information is desired by their -friends. Here is one of them: - - "'Robert Wiffen, arrived at Melbourne by ship _Covenanter_ on - Christmas Day, 1852, and was last heard of in 1867. Any information - respecting him will greatly oblige.'... - -"What volumes might be written by the novelist if he knew all the inside -history covered by the 'Missing Friends' column of _The Melbourne Age_ -or _The Sydney Herald_ for a single twelvemonth!" - -[Illustration: DISTRIBUTING PAPERS TO NEWSBOYS.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -THE RACE FOR THE MELBOURNE CUP.--POPULARITY OF HORSE-RACING IN -AUSTRALIA.--CRICKET AND OTHER SPORTS.--SUMMER RETREATS AMONG THE -MOUNTAINS OVERLOOKING MELBOURNE.--"A SOUTHERLY BURSTER."--ITS -PECULIARITIES.--RAPID FALL OF THE THERMOMETER.--FLOODING THE STREETS OF -MELBOURNE.--CHILDREN DROWNED IN THE GUTTERS.--BALLARAT AND THE -GOLD-MINES.--HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN AUSTRALIA.--THE RUSH TO -BALLARAT AND BENDIGO.--SANDHURST.--ITS PRESENT APPEARANCE.--REMARKABLE -YIELD OF THE BALLARAT MINES.--"THE WELCOME NUGGET."--WESTERN DISTRICT OF -VICTORIA.--LAKE SCENERY.--AUSTRALIA'S POTATO FIELD.--GIPPSLAND.--FROM -MELBOURNE TO TASMANIA.--LAUNCESTON.--A CHAPTER OF TASMANIAN -HISTORY.--MEMORIES OF CONVICT DAYS.--CORRA LINN AND OTHER SHOW PLACES. - - -[Illustration: THE RACE FOR THE MELBOURNE CUP.] - -"We're sorry you are not to be here for the Cup Race," was remarked to -our friends by half the acquaintances they made in Melbourne. "It's the -greatest day in the southern hemisphere," said one of them, "and is to -Australia what the Derby Day is to England. Banks, stores, courts, -legislative councils, and all other places of business are closed on -that occasion, and the whole population takes a holiday." - -The race for the Melbourne Cup is the sporting sensation of Australia, -and it is said that nearly two hundred thousand people assemble to -witness it. The city and suburbs furnish a large part of the attendance, -and the rest is made up from the country regions, from the other -colonies of the continent, and not a few visitors from New Zealand and -Tasmania. For weeks--and, one may say, for months--preceding the event -it is the principal topic of conversation, and the stranger is often -surprised at the prevalence of "horse talk" in the best social circles. -For a week before the memorable day the city is crowded with strangers, -and the oft-repeated question, "Which horse will win the cup?" is heard -everywhere and from every lip. - -The first Tuesday of November is Cup Day, and the race may be considered -one of the harbingers of spring. Every available conveyance is in -requisition, vehicles of all kinds rent for high prices, the railways -run frequent trains, and many thousands of spectators go and return on -foot. The race-course is at Flemington, three miles from Melbourne; it -covers three hundred and sixteen acres of ground, and is considered one -of the finest racing-tracks in the world. From the grand-stand the -towers and spires of Melbourne are distinctly visible; the whole track -lies directly in front, and altogether the scene, as the horses come in -at the finish, is one long to be remembered. - -[Illustration: HEAD OF A WINNER.] - -Horses from all the colonies may compete for the cup. It is a curious -circumstance that of all the competitors for the Melbourne Cup in 1887 -not one was bred in the colony of Victoria. - -Though Doctor Bronson and the youths were not in Melbourne at the right -time for the cup race, they had abundant opportunity to witness games of -cricket, the sport for which the Victorians are famous. The game is -universally popular in the colony; in and near Melbourne there are two -or three cricket-grounds splendidly equipped with everything that -players or spectators could desire, and when notable games are played -they are sure to draw large crowds. The interior cities and towns have -their cricket-grounds, and every vacant lot in Melbourne large enough -for a game is the resort of "larrikins" and other youths, from seven -years old and upwards, all intent upon cricket. In fact, the game is to -Australia what base-ball is to America. - -The "Australian Eleven," and its successful competition with the -"All-England Eleven" and other British clubs, is too well-known to -cricket-players to require more than passing mention. It is no more -than justice to say that the Australians are the champion -cricket-players of the world. - -[Illustration: A CRICKET MATCH.] - -The "larrikin" of Australia, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, is -the equivalent for the "street arab" of New York and the "young hoodlum" -of San Francisco--a youth who is subject to no parental restraint, and -all too often is without any place he can call home. Under these -circumstances he is very apt to drift into vicious ways, and gives the -police a good deal of trouble. When Frank first heard the word -"larrikin," and heard its meaning, he naturally asked for its origin. - -"Nobody knows positively," was the reply. "The story goes that years ago -a policeman arrested a boy whom he had caught in some violation of the -law. When called to testify against the young culprit the policeman, who -was a native of Dublin, gravely said, - -"'I caught him, yer honor, a larrikin (larking) around and making a dale -of noise.' - -"From that time to this, so the story goes, the turbulent youth of -Australian cities and towns have been known as 'larrikins.' Sydney, -Melbourne, Adelaide, and all other large places in the colonies are -plentifully supplied with them." - -"Melbourne was determined, as I've said before," wrote Frank, "not to be -outdone by Sydney in hospitality, and it certainly wasn't. We have had -invitations that would require weeks and months to accept them. -Everybody has made us welcome, not only to their houses here but at the -sea-side and up-country. Doctor Bronson received cards for all the -clubs, and in a good many ways we have had 'the freedom of the city.' -There are several fine clubs here--among them the Athenæum, the -Australian, the Melbourne, and the Yorick, the last being -semi-professional in its character, like the Lotos of New York. In fact, -it has an exchange with the Lotos, members of either club having the -privileges of the other without charge for a period of three months. - -"Many of the private houses have ball-rooms attached, and -dancing-parties are very common in fashionable life. A favorite social -amusement is lawn-tennis, and I don't think there is any place in the -world where it has greater popularity. It is played by old and young of -both sexes, and many of the young ladies in society devote three or four -hours daily to the sport. We were invited one day to accompany a -gentleman on a round of afternoon calls. The calls amounted to visiting -six or eight tennis-courts in succession, and in each court we found a -goodly-sized party, some of the ladies and gentlemen playing as though -their lives depended on winning, and the rest drinking tea, chatting, -and looking on. - -"When the heat of summer comes on those who have country-houses, either -by the sea or on the mountains, retire there, just as New Yorkers run -away to Long Branch, Newport, or the White Mountains. Some of the owners -of country-houses keep them open throughout the year, and are never -contented unless they have a party of guests to accept their -hospitality. We were invited to several of these houses, but time -prevented our accepting all the invitations. We ran up for a few days to -a rural retreat on the southern slope of one of the mountains that looks -upon Melbourne from a distance of forty or fifty miles. The place and -all its appointments were delightful. - -"The house stands in a broad clearing in the gum forest, and in a -position commanding an extensive view. To the rear and on each side the -wood-covered slopes rise above it, but in front there is a view along -the gently descending plains to Melbourne and the ocean beyond. Though -the city is nearly fifty miles away we can clearly make out its position -on a fine day, so great is the purity of the atmosphere. When the air is -a trifle murky we see in place of Melbourne a cloud of smoke, which the -winds bear away, sometimes to the north and sometimes to the south or -east. Port Phillip Bay shines between the city and the ocean, and with a -glass we can trace the course of the steamers as they enter or leave the -great haven or creep along the coast. - -[Illustration: SUMMER RETREAT IN THE MOUNTAINS.] - -"Immediately in front of the house the lawn sweeps down to a pretty pond -or tiny lake, and around it is a garden in which all the flowers of two -hemispheres seem to have made their home. We have been reminded over and -over again, and on nearly every day of our stay in Australia, of the -welcome which the climate gives to the flowers of other lands, and -nowhere is the reminder more forcible than in the gardens of these -country-houses near Melbourne. Every description of ornamental tree and -flowering shrub is to be found there, and exotics vie with the native -flowers of Australia in covering the ground with all the colors known to -the artist. Not only is the ground carpeted with them, but the trunks -of the trees, the posts that support the houses, and even the fronts and -roofs of the buildings themselves, are so covered with creeping and -flowering plants that scarcely any of the original wood or other -material is visible. - -"Evidently Melbourne knew that we had been treated to a brickfielder in -Sydney, and was therefore determined to give us a taste of its climatic -peculiarities before our departure. To offset the hot wind of Sydney we -had a 'southerly burster' in Melbourne, and also two or three showers of -rain that came down with such vigor as to fill the gutters of the lower -streets to a depth of two or three feet. Most of the crossings are -bridged, so that one can walk over the temporary rivers in safety, but -in former times accidents were not infrequent. 'Another Child Drowned in -the Gutters Yesterday' was by no means an unusual heading in the -Melbourne papers, and sometimes full-grown men fell victims to the -streams that flowed like mill-races while they lasted. - -"A gentleman says that quite recently he saw a man try to jump across a -gutter, but he made a miscalculation and fell into it. Instantly the -stream took him off his feet and carried him partly under a low bridge, -where he would have been drowned had not the spectators pulled him out -by the heels. Melbourne streets are very muddy in wet weather and very -dusty in dry times. The mud in winter is said to be something almost -surpassing belief, unless one has actually seen and tested it. Most of -the streets are macadamized with a basaltic rock which breaks up into a -very irritating and disagreeable dust that is said to be trying to the -eyes of a good many people. - -"But about the burster, which I had forgotten for the moment. The -weather was fine and warm, with a north-east breeze and not a cloud in -the sky. In the morning Doctor Bronson remarked that the barometer was -falling, and during the forenoon it continued to go down with -considerable rapidity. - -"We were going on an excursion, but the gentleman who had invited us -came around to suggest a postponement, as we were about to have a -burster. 'We always expect it,' said he, 'when the barometer falls -rapidly in the forenoon, as it is doing now.' - -"So we stayed in and watched for the storm. There was an appearance as -if a thin sheet of cloud was being rolled up before the advancing wind; -in fact it was not unlike the beginning of the brickfielder in Sydney. -Then came a high wind which brought clouds of dust, and then the breeze -chopped suddenly to the south and blew with great violence. It was -thirty miles an hour at the start, but before it got through with its -performance it was sixty or seventy miles. It has been known to go to -ninety or a hundred miles, and on one occasion it reached one hundred -and fifty miles an hour, and did a great deal of damage. - -[Illustration: CAUGHT IN A "BURSTER" ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST.] - -"The thermometer fell more rapidly than the barometer had done. In the -morning about nine o'clock the mercury was at 89° Fahrenheit, and it -remained about that figure until the wind went around to the south a -little past noon. In less than an hour it had fallen twenty degrees, and -in another hour twenty more. These sudden changes are the trying -features of the Australian climate, but the people say nobody suffers -from them except in discomfort. - -"They tell us that the mercury has been known to drop thirty degrees in -half an hour, and the readings of the thermometer at noon and midnight -sometimes show a variation of ninety-nine degrees. William Howitt -mentions experiencing a temperature of 139° in the shade, and it is no -uncommon thing for the mercury to mount to 130°. There is an official -record of 179° in the sun and 111° in the shade in South Melbourne, and -at the inland town of Deniliquin of 121° in the shade. - -"The burster ended towards evening with a heavy fall of rain that -filled all the gutters to their fullest capacity, and but for the -bridges at the crossings would have made them navigable for small boats. -Thunder and lightning accompanied the rain, and while it lasted the -shower was as tropical as one could have wished. Nowhere else in the -world have we seen heavier or more drenching rain than in Australia. - -[Illustration: SEEKING SHELTER.] - -"If you want to know how fast rain can fall here, look at these figures: - -"On February 25, 1873, nearly nine inches of rain fell in as many hours. -At Newcastle, March 18, 1871, they had the heaviest rainfall ever -recorded in Australia; ten and a half inches fell in two and a half -hours, accompanied by a terrific squall of thunder and lightning. During -the whole storm, which lasted twenty-two hours, more than twenty inches -of rain fell." - -Our friends went to Ballarat, one hundred miles from Melbourne, and once -an important gold-mining centre. It is still heavily interested in -gold-mining, but the alluvial diggings in its neighborhood were -exhausted long ago, and the operations at present are confined to the -reefs or ledges of rock. The mines are in the suburbs, and as our -friends entered the city and passed along the wide avenue called Sturt -Street, with shade-trees along its centre, they could hardly believe -they were in a mining town. There is hardly a trace of the usual -features of a mining region; the public buildings are substantial, there -are numerous churches, the streets are wide, well shaded with trees, and -the town boasts of a botanical garden on the shores of a lake where -there are numerous pleasure-boats! Who would dream of finding these -things in a town devoted to taking gold from the earth? - -This was the scene of the great rush in 1851, after the discovery of -gold became known. Some of the earlier diggers obtained from twenty to -fifty pounds of gold daily; the precious metal lay almost on the -surface, and in several instances large nuggets were turned up by the -wheels of bullock-carts, or were found shining in the sun after a heavy -shower. - -[Illustration: PIONEER GOLD-HUNTERS.] - -"They told us," said Frank in giving the account of his visit to the -gold-mines, "that a man one day sat down to rest at the foot of a tree -in the scrub. Wishing to sharpen his knife, he proceeded to rub it upon -a large stone that lay half imbedded between the roots. As he rubbed -away on the supposed stone, what was his surprise to see it turn to -gold! With his knife he dug around it, gashed it in several places, and -found he had unearthed a nugget larger than he could carry. Here was a -fortune, and all gained by accident! - -"What to do he did not know. He could not carry the nugget, and he dared -not go away to obtain aid, lest it might be discovered in his absence, -and also for fear he might not find his way back to it. If he dug a hole -and concealed it, some one might observe him, and would know at once -what he was about; and he could not wait where he was, as he might be -there for days without being seen, and he had no provisions with him. -Besides, his first visitors might be bush-rangers, who would appropriate -his treasure to their own use, and quite likely knock him in the head to -get rid of a disagreeable witness against them. - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE GOLD-FIELDS OF VICTORIA TWENTY YEARS AGO.] - -"He did the best thing he could under the circumstances. He covered his -treasure with earth and leaves, then tied his shirt to a neighboring -tree to mark the spot, and, half naked, went as quickly as possible to -the Gold Commissioner of the district and obtained an escort to -accompany him to the place and secure the prize. Luckily no one had been -there in his absence, and the great nugget was borne safely to the -commissioner's tent. - -[Illustration: EDWARD HARGREAVES, THE GOLD DISCOVERER.] - -"According to Australian history, gold was discovered at Lewis Pond -Creek, in New South Wales, in February, 1851, by Edward Hargreaves; and -at Clunes, sixteen miles from Ballarat, Victoria, in July of the same -year, by a miner named Esmond. Both Hargreaves and Esmond were rewarded -by the Government for their discoveries; they had been gold-miners in -California, and were led to search where they did through the similarity -of the ground. There is a report that gold was really found by a -shepherd near Clunes at least two years before the discovery by Esmond; -and there is another report that gold was found in 1814 by convicts who -were building a road over the Blue Mountains, but the Government kept -the discovery secret. - -"No gold-mining region in the world ever gave up so much of the precious -metal in the same time as did Ballarat in the early days. Claims eight -feet square and the same in depth yielded from fifty thousand to sixty -thousand dollars each; at the Prince Regent mine men made eighty -thousand dollars each in a few months' time; at one claim a tubful of -earth washed out nearly ten thousand dollars; one nugget, the 'Welcome,' -was sold for fifty-two thousand five hundred dollars; and a claim that -had been abandoned on the supposition that it was worked out, gave to -the fortunate two men who then took possession no less than forty -thousand dollars in less than two weeks. I could fill a volume with -stories such as these and then shouldn't be at the end. The total yield -of the Australian gold-mines up to the present time is said to be very -nearly one billion seven hundred million dollars. - -[Illustration: THE RUSH TO BALLARAT.] - -"Just before gold was discovered in Victoria the colony had -seventy-seven thousand inhabitants; in a single year eighty thousand -were added to the population, and three years after the gold discovery -there were two hundred and thirty-six thousand inhabitants there. The -number has increased ever since with more or less steadiness, and now -exceeds a million. In 1854 there were fifty-one females to every one -hundred males; now the proportions are eighty-eight to one hundred." - -"We went from Ballarat to Sandhurst, another mining city," said Fred in -his journal. "It was formerly known as Bendigo, and in old times was the -scene of a rush much like that to Ballarat. It has had about the same -history as Ballarat, having been wonderfully rich in alluvial diggings, -then almost deserted, and finally doing a fine business in quartz -mining. In one respect, to-day, it differs from Ballarat; at the latter -place the mines are in the suburbs, while here they are right in the -city. There is a mine in nearly every backyard; gold is sometimes--so -they say--picked up in the street, and is even in the bricks of the -houses. The first brick house built in Sandhurst was pulled down and -crushed, and the crushing yielded three ounces of gold to the ton; at -any rate, that's what they tell us, and they're very earnest about it -too. - -[Illustration: LAKE SCENERY.] - -"Then we came back by railway through Ballarat as far as Geelong, where -we turned off to Colac and Camperdown to see the famous Lake district of -Victoria. At Colac we climbed a hill, and from its summit counted -fifteen lakes varying in size from tiny ponds to that of the Dead Sea of -Korangamite, with an area of forty-nine thousand acres, and a circuit of -more than ninety miles. It is so salt that no fish can live in its -waters--salter a good deal than the sea. - -"A strange feature of the lakes of this region is that they are -alternately salt and fresh. Almost at our feet, as we sat on the summit -of the hill, were five lakes, two fresh and three salt, and they were -separated by very narrow strips of land. The salt is said to come from -the drainage of the rocks, the water being evaporated faster than it -flows in. In summer the lakes fall below their winter level, and leave -great quantities of salt on the banks, where it is gathered by the -people. - -"We all agree that we have never seen prettier lake scenery anywhere in -the world than in this famous western district of Victoria. The lakes -are at various levels, the larger ones studded with islands, and the -shores of the salt lakes glistening with snowy crystals. In the -landscape are plains, undulating areas, and mountains. The plains are -dotted with trees, there are flocks of sheep and herds of cattle -scattered over them, and here and there we can make out the houses of -the prosperous farmers, and trace the fences that enclose fields of -grain. Most of the smaller lakes are in the craters of extinct -volcanoes, and there is abundant evidence that this region was once the -scene of great convulsions of nature. - -"Warnambool and Belfast are the ports of this district, and they supply -the markets of Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide, as well as the nearer one -of Melbourne, with potatoes. The people claim that their potatoes are -without competitors, quality and quantity being of the highest class. -The maximum yields are from twenty to thirty tons an acre; land sells -for four hundred dollars an acre for growing potatoes, and one happy -land-owner lets out two square miles of ground for twenty-five dollars -an acre annually! This is the part of the country that was originally -named Australia Felix, and it certainly deserved the title." - -"Where will we go next?" queried one of the youths, as the party was -returning from Colac to Melbourne. - -"Where do you wish to go?" said the Doctor, answering one question by -asking another. - -"According to what they tell us," responded the original questioner, -"there is still a great deal to be seen--at least from a resident's -point of view. - -"We are urged to visit cattle and sheep stations in the interior, but -there can hardly be anything especially new about them after what we -have seen in New South Wales and Queensland; so I vote against any more -pastoral visits." - -The other members of the party assented to his opinion, and it was -decided that time did not permit them to stay longer among sheep and -cattle. - -[Illustration: A GIPPSLAND SETTLER.] - -For a similar reason it was concluded to decline an invitation to spend -a few days in Gippsland, which was named after one of the former -governors and is famous for its mountain scenery, its lakes, rivers, and -other natural features. Some portions of it are too rough for -agriculture, but a considerable part is peculiarly rich and fertile, and -produces abundantly when brought under cultivation. A large proportion -of the cattle sold in the Melbourne market comes from Gippsland; and the -region has great resources in minerals, which are as yet but slightly -developed. - -Tourists with a love for fishing and shooting generally find time to -visit Gippsland, as these sports can be had there to the fullest extent. -The forests of this region are very dense, and consequently the clearing -of the land is attended with considerable expense. Frank thought, with a -sigh, of the trout in the streams of this fertile district; he had hoped -to be the captor of some of them, but his hopes were dashed when it was -decided to give the go-by to Gippsland. - -"And now," said the Doctor, "I'll tell you my plan." The youths listened -attentively as he continued: - -"To-day is Tuesday. There's a steamer twice a week (Monday and Thursday) -for Launceston, in Tasmania. We are due at Melbourne at 3.41 this -afternoon; we will devote this evening and to-morrow to saying good-by -to our friends, and leave by the steamer on Thursday for Launceston. How -will that do?" - -The youths promptly assented, as they always did when the Doctor told -them his plans, and it was at once agreed that the scheme would be -carried out. Arrangements were made accordingly, the farewell calls were -made in the time prescribed by social rules, and the steamer started at -noon on the appointed day. She carried the party across Bass's Strait -during the night, and on the next morning they were at the entrance of -the Tamar River, on their way to Launceston, forty miles up the stream, -and two hundred and sixty-seven from Melbourne. - -Frank wondered why the name of the island was changed from Van Dieman's -Land to Tasmania. He received the following explanation: - -"It was discovered by the Dutch navigator Abel Jans Tasman, in 1642, and -by him was named Van Dieman's Land, in honor of the then governor of the -Dutch East Indies. Tasman was in love with the Governor's daughter, -Maria, and gave her name to one of the smaller islands. Van Dieman's -Land was first permanently occupied in 1803, when the British Government -established a convict-station there, and soon followed it by other -convict-stations. It was a penal colony from its settlement until 1853, -when transportation was discontinued; during this half century many -thousands of convicts were sent there, and the name of Van Dieman's Land -was inseparably connected with the horrors of the system of English -deportation and the crimes which led to it. - -"Consequently many of the colonists sought a change of name for their -country; and on the first of January, 1856, it was made, in reply to an -address of the Legislative Council, in which it was represented that the -'letters patent of the bishop were for the diocese of Tasmania, that the -colonists used the title generally, and it was preferred to Van Dieman's -Land by the colonists and by this council.' It is to be hoped that the -history of transportation will eventually be as much a thing of the past -as is the former name of this beautiful island." - -Our friends found the scenery of the Tamar interesting; and as the -steamer slowly stemmed the current, they were treated to a constantly -changing and never wearying panorama. The island is the smallest of the -Australian colonies; it is about the size of Scotland, and resembles it -in being full of fine scenery. It is a land of mountains, lakes, and -rivers; its climate is a little warmer than that of England, and a -little more dry, and everything that grows in the British Islands will -grow in Tasmania. The banks of the Tamar reminded our friends of those -of the Thames, save that they were not as well peopled, and the mountain -ranges which formed the background on either side were lofty and -picturesque. - -As the vessel neared her destination, Frank and Fred were informed that -they were at the head of the Tamar, or would be when they reached -Launceston. "The North Esk and the South Esk," said their informant, -"come together at Launceston, and their union forms the Tamar. The North -Esk comes tumbling down from a rocky region, while the South Esk flows -through a rich agricultural district closely resembling some of the best -farming country of England." - -And so they found it when on the following day they made an excursion -into the region under consideration. The resemblance to England was -heightened by the hedges that separated the fields from one another, and -were a most agreeable change from the rail and wire fences to which they -had become accustomed during their travels in Australia. The soil -appeared to be of unusual fertility, and they readily accepted the -statement of one of the residents that Tasmania was the garden of the -world. "Everything that grows in England grows here," said he, "and -grows better. The fruits are larger and of finer flavor; the yield of -grain is more to the acre; and as to quality, there is nothing that can -surpass that of our products. Our great drawbacks are distance from -markets, the high price of labor, and the lack of suitable means for -bringing the products of the farms to the seaports. We could supply the -whole of Victoria with jam made from our fruits; but as she grows fruit -herself, she has a protective tariff that practically excludes us." - -[Illustration: THE PEACH HARVEST.] - -They found Launceston a pretty little city of about seventeen thousand -inhabitants, and picturesquely situated. It has the usual public -buildings and parks, and in its vicinity are several show places, which -they visited in the afternoon. In a carriage they went to Corra Linn, -six miles from Launceston, where the North Esk pairs through a gateway -of basaltic rock, and dashes over a bed of bowlders that break the water -into a mass of foam; then it changes suddenly into a quiet stream which -reflects the rocks and foliage bending over it; then changes again into -tumbling rapids, and afterwards becomes the calm stream that unites with -the South Esk to form the Tamar. - -[Illustration: COTTAGE IN THE SUBURBS Of LAUNCESTON.] - -"After Corra Linn," said Frank, "we saw the Cataract Gorge and the Punch -Bowl, which are favorite places of resort of the citizens, and are -certainly very pretty and interesting. Then we walked in the Town Park, -and saw the Garden Crescent, which is a popular recreation ground and -much frequented. In the evening we had an interesting conversation with -a gentleman whom we met at the hotel, or rather on the steamer which -brought us from Melbourne. We asked to be permitted to take notes of -what he said; he readily consented, and here it is as Fred and I jotted -it down: - -"'We have about one hundred and thirty thousand inhabitants in the -island, which is divided into eighteen counties, and these are again -subdivided into parishes, for administrative purposes. We have -self-government on the same general plan as the other Australian -colonies, and have been self-governing since 1856. Our climate is -remarkable for its mildness, being removed from the extremes of heat and -cold; the summers are never unpleasantly hot, and woollen clothing may -be worn throughout the year; while the winters are not severe enough, -even in the table-lands of the interior, to stop work in the fields. -Snow covers the tops of the mountains in winter, but rarely falls on the -lowlands; and when it does come it doesn't stay long. - -"We love England, and have named most of our counties after those of the -old country; and in religion we are English. Out of our whole population -more than half are adherents of the English Church; then come the -Catholics with 30,000, Methodists 10,000, Church of Scotland 9000, and -Independents 5000. Other religions are not numerous in their following, -but we have a good deal of variety, as we have Mohammedans and Pagans in -addition to Israelites and several smaller sects of Christians. We are a -law-abiding people generally; and when you remember that the country was -for so long the receptacle of convicts, you will admit that our -proportion of crime is very small. - -[Illustration: AN OLD SETTLER.] - -"'The people of Australia sometimes call us Van Demonians in derision; -but we don't mind it, though we would like to have the name of Van -Dieman's Land forgotten, as it has so many unpleasant associations. But -however glad we are that we ceased to be a convict colony, there is no -getting over the fact that the most prosperous days of the island were -when transportation was in existence.' - -[Illustration: AT BAY IN THE BUSH.] - -"Doctor Bronson asked him to explain this, which he did. - -"'The prosperity,' he continued, 'was due to several causes. In the -first place, the Government sent its convicts here, and it maintained a -large military and police force to take care of them. This meant an -expenditure of money; the annual outlay of the Government in Tasmania -was £350,000, and of course we lost this when transportation stopped. -Then, too, the free colonists that came out here received grants of -land, and also assignments of convicts to work the land, the size of the -grants being proportioned to the number of convicts that a colonist -would receive. - -"'It was a good thing for the squatter, and he was not slow to take -advantage of it. It was like negro slavery, with the addition that the -slaves cost nothing to the owner. If a man died, the squatter could get -another for nothing; if a man ran away, he was generally recaptured at -once if he did not starve in the bush; and if he misbehaved himself in -any way, the squatter sent him to the nearest magistrate to be flogged.' - -"'Were the squatters not allowed to administer punishment?' queried -Doctor Bronson. - -"'No, they were not,' was the reply; 'but the magistrate usually applied -the lash without taking the trouble to inquire into the case. It was no -uncommon thing for a convict employed on a squatter's station to be sent -with a note to the magistrate, in which the latter was requested to give -the man two or three dozen lashes, as the case might be. He received -them and was sent home; if he ran away, either before or after the -flogging, notice was given at once, and the police were speedily after -him. In the bush he could easily elude the police, but the necessity for -food generally drove him to surrender or led to his capture. No one was -allowed to give food to a runaway; and as the general safety depended on -the suppression of bush-ranging, no one was inclined to do so.' - -"'But didn't men sometimes make their escape and live in the bush?' - -[Illustration: A CAMP IN THE BUSH.] - -"'Only in a few instances. One runaway managed to hide himself for seven -years, building a hut and raising a few vegetables in a spot where he -was not discovered. He kept a goat and a few sheep, and came -occasionally in the night to the nearest station to steal a few articles -that he needed. But at length the solitude was too much for him, and he -came to the very station that he had plundered, and gave himself up. The -squatter's wife was alone with her children when the man appeared, with -his hair long and tangled, a few sheepskins stitched together for his -clothing, and his whole appearance denoting destitution and despair.' - -"'What was done with him?' - -"'The squatter was a gentleman of influence; he realized that the -convict could easily have murdered his wife and children, and in -gratitude for his forbearance he became interested in the man's case, -and obtained his pardon. The man afterwards became a prosperous farmer, -and led a strictly honest life. - -"'Not only were the convicts valuable as servants or laborers for the -squatters and employers generally,' continued the gentleman, 'but they -were also useful for the public works that are needed in a new country. -There is a fine wagon-road from Launceston to Hobart, one hundred and -twenty miles, which was built by gangs of convicts working under -overseers and guards. There isn't a better road in Europe than this; and -the same may be said of other roads that were built by convict labor in -the early days of the colony. Before the railway was built, the -stage-coaches used to run through from one place to the other in -thirteen hours, or at the rate of nine miles an hour. - -"'When you reach Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, you will find a -handsome town of twenty thousand inhabitants, with good streets and -substantial buildings, the Government House being one of the best -belonging to a British colony anywhere. Hobart was largely built by -convict labor; and so, you see, we have many things to remind us that -transportation was not by any means a detriment to the country.'" - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -EXCURSION TO DELORAINE.--THE CHUDLEIGH CAVES.--FROM LAUNCESTON TO -HOBART.--ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS.--THE OLD WAGON-ROAD BUILT BY -CONVICTS.--DEATH OF THE LAST TASMANIAN.--HOW THE ABORIGINES WERE -DESTROYED.--A WONDERFUL TIN-MINE.--HOBART: ITS CLIMATE AND -ATTRACTIONS.--LOVELINESS OF TASMANIAN LADIES.--PORT ARTHUR.--DOGS -AT THE NECK.--FROM HOBART TO ADELAIDE.--ARRIVAL IN SOUTH -AUSTRALIA.--ADELAIDE: ITS PRINCIPAL FEATURES.--A RIVER THAT IS -NOT A RIVER.--CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS.--POPULATION OF THE CAPITAL -AND COLONY.--EXTENSIVE WHEAT-FARMS.--PRODUCTS OF SOUTH -AUSTRALIA.--FRUIT-GROWING.--GLENELG.--THE HISTORIC GUM-TREE.--PARKS -AND GARDENS.--OVERLAND TO PORT DARWIN.--HOW THE TELEGRAPH WAS -BUILT.--EXPLORATIONS OF STURT AND STUART.--CAMELS IN AUSTRALIA.--A -SIDE-SADDLE CAMEL.--AN AFFECTING INCIDENT.--THE OVERLAND RAILWAY. - - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO CAVE.] - -"The forenoon of our second day in Tasmania," said Frank, "was devoted -to an excursion on the Launceston and Formby Railway as far as -Deloraine. We left Launceston at eight o'clock in the morning, reached -Deloraine, forty-five miles, at a quarter past ten, had an hour and -three-quarters in and around the place, and started at noon on our -return. They urged us to stay longer, and see more; and some of the -acquaintances we had made seemed much disappointed that we declined to -do so. The Tasmanians are as hospitable as their Australian neighbors, -and do their utmost to make the stranger feel at home. - -[Illustration: NEAR DELORAINE.] - -"They specially wished us to visit the Chudleigh Caves, which are about -twenty miles from Deloraine, and are considered, by the Tasmanians at -least, among the wonders of the world. We were told that we could walk -five miles underground, and see the entire caves in about four hours; -that the mud and water would nowhere be more than three feet deep, and -there were many places in the caves where there was no mud at all. No -doubt the caves are remarkable; but as we had seen the Mammoth and Luray -Caves, we did not specially care for those of Chudleigh, much to the -disappointment of the gentleman who urged us to see them. - -"The railway between Launceston and Deloraine passes through a fertile -country in which there are many fine farms, and a goodly number of -pastoral stations devoted to the rearing of high-class sheep which are -exported to Australia to improve the flocks of that country. The train -rolled through glades and over plains, along the sides of mountains and -across rippling streams, and as we approached Deloraine the conductor -called our attention to a bold spur of a mountain called Quamby Bluff, -which is the end of a long range that filled the horizon. - -"On our return to Launceston we were just in time to catch the 3 P.M. -train for Hobart, which we reached at eight o'clock in the evening. The -Launceston and Western Railway is of broad gauge, but the line to Hobart -is a narrow one (three feet six inches), on account of the heavy work in -the mountains through which its route is laid. As long as the daylight -lasted we had a beautiful panorama, the scene changing at every turn of -the sinuous track. Occasionally we had glimpses of the old carriage-road -built by the convicts, and were impressed with its solidity and the -thoroughness of the work of which it is evidence. It is said that the -road cost more than a railway would at present; and I have no doubt, -after seeing it, that this was the case. - -"We asked if any aboriginals could be seen along the route, and were -told that the last Tasmanian aboriginal, Truganini, or Lalla Rookh, died -in 1876, and the last Tasmanian man in 1869. When the island was first -occupied by the English, there were four or five thousand natives upon -it; there was incessant war between them and the whites until 1832, when -the greater number of the blacks had been killed, only a few hundreds -remaining. In 1854 there were only sixteen of them alive, and these -gradually died off. - -"It is said that when the English landed in Tasmania they mistook the -friendly signs of the natives for hostile ones, and the mistake led the -commanding officer to order his men to fire on the group that had -assembled on the beach. Fifty natives were killed on this occasion, and -thus a needless war was begun. - -"Of course we have been invited to visit gold-mines and other places -where valuable minerals are found; they tell us that Tasmania contains -the most valuable tin-mine in the world, its annual yield being worth -nearly a million dollars. It was discovered in 1872 by a man who was -regarded by his neighbors as more than half a lunatic. For years he -sought for tin among the mountains, suffering all sorts of hardships and -privations; and when at last he found the desired deposit, his assertion -that he had done so was not believed. He was nicknamed 'Philosopher -Smith,' and had great difficulty in securing attention to his discovery -and raising the necessary capital for working the mine. Like most -discoverers, he did not reap the reward for what he found, as he was -compelled to sell his shares in the mine while they were at a very low -price. A share originally costing thirty shillings was worth £80 a few -years later. - -"A few miles before reaching Hobart we came to the banks of the Derwent, -the river on which the capital stands. It is a beautiful stream flowing -down from the interior mountains, and its valley is said to be -exceedingly picturesque. Hobart justified the description which our -friend at Launceston gave us; it stands on seven hills, with a larger -hill, called Knocklofty, behind it; and behind this hill again is Mount -Wellington, 4166 feet high. The harbor is deep and capacious, and the -navigation is so easy that ships often come in without pilots. - -"Until 1881 this place was called Hobart Town, or Hobarton; in that year -the name was officially changed to Hobart. - -"The day after our arrival we climbed to the top of Mount Wellington, -and were well repaid for the fatigue of the ascent by the magnificent -view it afforded. It was landscape and seascape together, and both -extensive and picturesque. Water and land were spread below us as on a -map, and we looked away towards the Southern Pole, and wondered what -would be encountered if we journeyed in that direction. - -[Illustration: AUSTRALIA AT THE FEET OF TASMANIA.] - -"Hobart is a famous resort of Australians, who come here to escape the -heat of summer. Its climate is delightful, and if all that the -inhabitants claim is true, the Australians who come here have no reason -to complain. Doctor Bronson says he has been told that the ladies of -Tasmania are so charming that the friends of an Australian bachelor -tremble for him whenever he decides to spend the summer at Hobart. But -the Doctor says the friends of a Tasmanian bachelor might be equally -fearful when the latter goes to Melbourne or Sydney for an extended -visit. - -[Illustration: OLD CONVICT CHURCH, PORT ARTHUR, TASMANIA.] - -"New York boasts of its Franklin Square, where the Harpers have their -great publishing house. Hobart has its Franklin Square, which is a -pretty garden in memory of Sir John Franklin, who was governor here at -one time; in the centre of the garden is a bronze statue of the renowned -navigator. There are other gardens and parks; there are the Royal -Society's grounds and the Queen's Domain, which are much frequented; and -there is a splendid cricket-ground, where games are played very often. -We have witnessed a rowing match between the Hobart and the Mercantile -rowing clubs, and are told that there is a grand regatta here every year -that brings many visitors from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and other -cities. Altogether, Hobart impresses us most agreeably, and the -inhabitants are justly proud of it." - -The stay of the party in Tasmania was somewhat shortened by reason of -their haste to reach South Australia. They made a brief visit to Port -Arthur, which is about three hours distant from Hobart by steamer, and -lies in a landlocked bay enclosed between rugged hills, which completely -shelter it from the wind. Here are the prisons where thousands of -convicts were once confined under the most rigorous discipline, the -least infraction of the rules being punished with the lash, and serious -ones by death through hanging. - -The story is that the latter punishment was so frequent that the jail -chaplain at Hobart once made a protest, not against hanging in general -or the number of men hanged, but at the pressure upon their facilities. -He said that no more than thirteen men could be comfortably executed at -once, and the crowding had been too great; he trusted that for the -future the accommodations of the jail might not be overtaxed. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE WATCH DOGS.] - -Our friends saw the prisons at Port Arthur, but the prisoners have been -gone since 1876. The massive buildings remain without tenants, and are -going to decay as fast as solid stone structures can go. Frank and Fred -were specially interested in "The Neck," the narrow isthmus which -connects the main-land with the peninsula, where the prisons stand. -Across The Neck savage dogs were formerly chained at such close -intervals that a man could not pass between them; the isthmus is not -more than a hundred feet in width, and as there were fifteen dogs kept -there, a man had no chance of passing them. If he attempted to swim -around them at night, the dogs were expected to give warning by barking; -and the waters are so infested with sharks that a person swimming has -little chance of getting away with his life. - -[Illustration: "LAND, HO!"] - -The dogs were also used for hunting down the few prisoners who managed -to get past the line. The number of escapes was very small; but in spite -of all precautions, escapes did occur. The most notable instance is that -of three men, Martin Cash, Jones, and Cavanagh, who swam across the bay -one night, reached a farm-house in the early morning, and there provided -themselves with weapons and ammunition before their escape was -discovered. Thus equipped for highway robbery and defence, they remained -free for years, but were taken and hanged at last. Convicts at Port -Arthur and other Tasmanian prisons were known as "yellow-birds," on -account of the yellow uniform they wore. - -[Illustration: ON THE PIER.] - -"Rather suddenly," said Fred, "we left Hobart one day for South -Australia, as we found that if we waited for the next steamer we should -be detained longer than we cared to be in Tasmania. Three days carried -us to our destination at Port Adelaide, where we again set foot on the -Australian continent. - -"We passed up the Gulf of St. Vincent, and entered Port Adelaide between -two large shoals of sand which are marked by light-houses. The captain -of the steamer told us that the port was formerly difficult of entrance -and quite shallow, but it has been deepened within the past few years, -and the channels have been widened, so that it is now accessible for -very large ships. As its name implies, it is the port of Adelaide, the -capital of South Australia, seven miles away, and easily accessible by a -double-track railway. - -"We landed at a long and handsome pier, and had time to observe, before -leaving for the city, that a great deal of money has been expended in -dock and pier facilities, and in making the harbor a suitable one for an -ambitious colony. There are immense sheds for the storage of wool and -grain, there are graving docks and repair shops, manufactories of -several kinds, two or three hospitals, a home for sailors, churches, -schools, public buildings of the usual kinds found at a well-arranged -seaport, and hotels and restaurants sufficient for the entertainment of -all who are likely to remain long enough to require them. - -"The railway carried us to Adelaide in about twenty minutes, and we -found ourselves in a city whose regularity reminded us of Philadelphia -or Chicago. It was founded in 1837 by Colonel Light, who named it after -the queen of William IV.; it originally contained one thousand and -forty-two allotments of one acre each, and is built nearly in the form -of a square, with the streets at right angles. The ground is almost a -level plain, and the situation is about five miles from the Mount Lofty -range of hills, whose highest point is two thousand three hundred feet -above the sea-level. - -"The streets of Adelaide are wide and generally handsome; the show one -of all is King William Street, which runs from south to north and -bisects the city. We drove along this street, and were all agreed that -we would have to travel very far to find a handsomer avenue in a city no -older than this. We passed the Government Offices, which is an extensive -pile of buildings forming a solid block, and covering a large area. -Close by the Government Buildings is the Town-hall, which is conspicuous -for its high tower, and on the other side of the street is the -Post-office, which accommodates both the post-office and the telegraph, -and will do so until Adelaide is more than twice its present size. The -white freestone of which the Town-hall and Post-office are built is said -to have come from some extensive quarries near the city. - -[Illustration: POST-OFFICE AND TOWN-HALL, ADELAIDE.] - -"In addition to the public edifices, King William Street contains banks, -newspaper offices, and other private buildings that would be a credit to -any city of Europe or America. As for churches, I don't know how many we -have seen in our drive through the principal streets; they give the -impression that Adelaide is a very religious city, and that her wealthy -people have been very liberal in providing places of worship. All the -prominent religions are represented, the Church of England taking the -lead, as in the other colonies. - -"At the last census of South Australia the Church of England had 76,000 -adherents, Roman Catholics numbered 43,000, Methodists 42,000, Lutherans -20,000, Presbyterians 18,000, Baptists 14,000, and Congregationalists, -Bible Christians, and Primitive Methodists about 10,000 each. No State -aid is given to any of the churches, all of them being supported by -voluntary contributions. There are nearly a thousand churches and -chapels in the colony, exclusive of four hundred other buildings which -are occasionally used for religious worship. - -"We asked the driver of our carriage to show us some of the finest -private residences; he did so, and we certainly commend the good taste -of the leading citizens in their architecture. Our drive extended to -North Adelaide, which is to 'the city' what South Melbourne is to -Melbourne, being principally a place for residence. The river Torrens -separates Adelaide from its northern suburb; we crossed it on one of -three handsome bridges, and found it less worthy of the name of river -than is the Yarra at Melbourne, its bed being little more than a dry -waste of sand. Ten months in the year this is said to be its condition; -for the other two months it is an impetuous flood. - -"The river isn't as bad as it was, as a dam has been thrown across it -near the jail, and the water held by it forms a narrow lake about two -miles long, which furnishes a floating-place for steam-launches and -row-boats in great number. We took a sail on one of the launches, and -enjoyed it very much; the lake reminded us in some respects of the -Ausser Alster at Hamburg, and seems to be much appreciated by the -citizens. The water supply of the city comes from the Torrens; it is -drawn into reservoirs a few miles above the city, and brought thence -through covered mains into the city limits. - -[Illustration: ADELAIDE IN 1837.] - -"The population of the city itself is about 50,000, and there are said -to be 130,000 people living within a radius of ten miles from the -Town-hall. The population of the whole territory of South Australia is -not far from 350,000, including about 5000 aboriginals. The area of the -colony, including the Northern Territory, is estimated at 903,690 -square miles; it covers twenty-seven degrees of latitude and twelve of -longitude, and is more than fifteen times as large as England and Wales -combined. Its greatest length is 1850 miles, and its greatest width 650 -miles. - -"We delivered some letters of introduction, and were hospitably -received, our entertainers doing their best to give us a good opinion of -the city and colony. One of them told us that Adelaide had been called -the 'City of Churches,' on account of the number and beauty of its -religious edifices; and also the 'Farinaceous City,' owing to its great -shipments of wheat and flour. South Australia is largely devoted to -wheat culture, and some of the farms will rival the great wheat-farms of -the North-western States of America. They have all the improved -machinery for raising wheat on a grand scale, and their owners are -liberal buyers of American ploughs, mowers, reapers, and other apparatus -intended for economy of labor in producing the 'staff of life.' - -"We visited one of these large wheat-farms, and were greatly impressed -with what we saw there. It employs ordinarily about seventy hands, and -in the busy season the number often exceeds two hundred. Everything is -reduced to a system, and the manager is autocratic in his power; there -is a set of printed rules to govern the conduct of the men, and they are -required to sign them when engaged. All hands are called when a bell -rings at 5 A.M.; horses are cleaned and fed before 6 A.M., when -breakfast is served; the teams are in the field by seven o'clock; an -hour is allowed at noon for dinner, and then work continues till 6 P.M. -in summer and 5 P.M. in winter. Supper is served at seven; horses are -fed and watered at half-past eight, and the dining-room is cleared and -locked up at ten o'clock. - -"First-class hands receive twenty shillings (five dollars) weekly, -second-class eighteen shillings, and third-class sixteen shillings. Any -one in charge of horses who abuses them, or neglects to feed and care -for them properly, is discharged at once, and forfeits all wages due -him. Varying penalties are affixed for other offences, and the -inducement is held out that any laborer can raise himself to a -first-class position by good and industrious conduct. - -[Illustration: REAPING BRIGADE AT WORK.] - -"The product of wheat in the colony varies in different seasons; in -1884-85 it was nearly fifteen million bushels, but since then it has -been much less, owing to severe droughts. There are nearly seven -millions of sheep in South Australia, and the wool crop is the next in -importance to the bread-stuffs. The colony produces great quantities of -grapes, and the export of wine is steadily increasing. Grapes, peaches, -apricots, oranges, and kindred fruits grow with very little attention, -and in their season they are retailed in the market of Adelaide at a -penny a pound; so that all tables are liberally supplied with them. We -have eaten some very fine fruit since we came here, but the people tell -us we are not in the time of year to see the orchards at their best. - -"There are several pretty watering-places within a few miles of -Adelaide, where the people go in summer to enjoy the cool breezes from -the southern seas. One of the favorite spots of this sort is Glenelg, -which is only a few miles distant, and easily reached by railway. We -went there one afternoon, partly to see what it was like and partly -because it is where the colony was founded. On the 28th of December, -1836, Captain Hindmarsh landed there, and in the presence of a few -officials and some two hundred immigrants, who had been sent out from -London, read his commission as the first governor of South Australia, -and proclaimed the foundation of the colony. - -[Illustration: PROCLAMATION TREE AT GLENELG, NEAR ADELAIDE.] - -"The ceremony took place under a venerable gum-tree, or Eucalyptus, -which is known as "Proclamation Tree." We saw the tree, but it has -fallen and is greatly decayed, and were it not for the board affixed to -it, telling that on this spot the colony was founded, no one would -consider it of any importance. The anniversary of this event is -celebrated as a public holiday. All business is suspended on that day, -and Glenelg is crowded with people who come to look at the Proclamation -Tree, and enjoy the cool breeze that blows from the ocean. - -"The long pier jutting into the bay at Glenelg is a favorite resort on -pleasant evenings, and our experience there reminded us of an evening at -Coney Island or Long Branch. The Orient and P. & O. steamers stop at -Glenelg to land and receive the South Australian mails. The anchorage is -somewhat exposed to heavy winds, and occasionally there is considerable -delay in landing or embarking. - -"The Adelaideans are very proud of their parks and gardens, and with -good reason. They certainly compare well with those of Sydney and -Melbourne, and that is saying that they are very fine indeed. All around -the city there are reserved lands which vary in width but will average -not far from half a mile. They are intended for parks for the public, -and are planted with shade-trees and laid out into walks and drives. As -the city grows they will be in the midst of houses, and not at such -distances that a special journey will be required to reach them. - -[Illustration: VICTORIA REGIA HOUSE, BOTANIC GARDEN, ADELAIDE.] - -"Then they have squares of several acres in each quarter of the city, -beautifully laid out and planted with shade-trees, and they have the -Botanic Garden, of about forty acres, containing among other things -several fern-houses, shade-houses, a Victoria Regia house, and a large -and handsome palm-house, in which tropical plants are sheltered. We went -repeatedly through the Botanic Garden, and constantly found something to -interest us. A few years ago a Museum of Economic Botany was erected, -and since it was opened to the public it has done much practical good. -Plants are distributed to those who desire them, and many valuable or -beautiful exotics have thus been acclimatized in Australia." - -As usual, Frank and Fred studied the map of the country, and considered -its capabilities in the way of travel. Frank thought it would be the -best kind of fun to cross the continent from south to north, following -the line of the overland telegraph from Adelaide to Port Darwin. Fred -was of the same opinion, but suggested that before broaching the subject -to the Doctor they should learn something about the route. - -With this object in view they made inquiries, the replies to which quite -discouraged their enterprise. What they learned can best be given in the -words of their informant, a gentleman connected with the telegraph -service. - -"I have been over the whole line from Adelaide to Port Darwin," said he, -"and will briefly tell you about it. The distance is about seventeen -hundred miles, and more than half of it is uninhabited by white men, -except at the telegraph stations. Some of it can never be occupied, as -it is absolutely waterless; but in course of time, and with improved -means of obtaining or storing water, the greater part can be made -inhabitable. - -"The first white man to cross the continent was John McDouall Stuart. -Don't confound his name with that of Captain Sturt, a thing that's very -likely to happen, as they were intimately associated." - -"Won't you kindly tell us a little about Captain Sturt?" asked one of -the youths. "We've heard his name frequently as that of one of -Australia's heroes." - -[Illustration: EXPLORING EXPEDITION ON THE MARCH.] - -"Certainly," was the reply. "Captain Charles Sturt was sent out by the -Sydney Government to make an exploration beyond the Blue Mountains in -the direction of the interior of the continent. Between 1827 and 1830 he -made two expeditions, in which he discovered the Darling and Murray -rivers; on the second expedition he descended those streams in a -whale-boat which he had taken along for the purpose of navigating any -rivers or lakes into which the smaller streams already discovered took -their course. The Macquarie, the Lachlan, and the Murrumbidgee flow -westward from the Dividing Range, but their outlets were then unknown. - -"On his voyage down the Murray to the sea Sturt had several fights with -the natives, underwent many hardships and accidents, and found his men -greatly reduced in strength. There he was obliged to turn back and -propel his boat against the stream to the point whence it started. - -"It was a toilsome journey. The natives opposed the explorers, and they -fought their way from place to place, and it was only by the superiority -of their fire-arms over the primitive weapons of the blacks that they -escaped with their lives. For fifteen hundred miles they travelled in -this way, and when they reached their old camp, on the twenty-seventh -day of their upward voyage, Sturt was hardly able to stand. Provisions -were exhausted, and when aid reached them they were at the point of -starvation. - -"In 1843, this same Captain Sturt offered to lead an expedition from -South Australia to the interior of the continent; his offer was -accepted, and in 1844 the expedition started on its way. Unfortunately -summer was approaching, and the party was destined to suffer terribly -from heat and thirst. For six months it was encamped in one spot, unable -to move; there was little or no water in the country, and four months -passed without a drop of rain or even of dew. Sturt reported that the -heat drew every screw and nail in their boxes; the horn handles of their -instruments, as well as their combs, were split into fine laminæ; the -lead dropped out of their pencils; their signal-rockets were entirely -spoiled; their hair, as well as the wool of their sheep, ceased to grow; -and their nails became as brittle as glass. Their flour lost more than -eight per cent. of its original weight, and other provisions in greater -proportion. The mean of the thermometer during December, January, and -February was 101°, 104°, and 101° respectively in the shade, and in the -sun it sometimes reached 160°. - -"Sturt did everything that lay within human power to reach the centre of -the continent, but was unable to get nearer than within one hundred and -fifty miles of it. Some of his men died, and he turned back when at a -point where it was absolutely certain that no water lay beyond. - -"His draughtsman on that expedition was John McDouall Stuart, the man -who was the first to cross the continent from south to north, and whom I -asked you not to confound with Captain Sturt. Stuart tried three times -before he succeeded; at last, on July 10, 1862, he reached the sea, at -the mouth of the Adelaide River, in Van Dieman's Gulf, on the north -coast. - -"Very soon after the result of Stuart's expedition became known, it was -proposed to build a telegraph line across the continent, following -Stuart's track, to meet the cable from Singapore to Port Darwin, and -thus connect the colonies with the rest of the telegraphic world. The -work was planned and completed by Mr. Charles Todd, superintendent of -telegraphs, and was begun in 1870. On August 22, 1872, the first message -was sent over the completed line, and congratulations were exchanged -between London and Adelaide." - -"Didn't the blacks give you a great deal of trouble?" Frank asked. - -"Less than was feared," was the reply. "We managed to give them a -wholesome dread of the 'white fellow's devil,' as they called it, and -though they have raided the stations on several occasions and killed the -officers, they have never disturbed the wires. While we were building -the line we gave every native who visited us an electric shock, and it -seriously affected their nerves, and also their imaginations. Once we -had two of the most important chiefs at points more than a hundred miles -apart; we carried on conversations for them for two or three hours, and -then had them meet half way between the stations and compare notes. To -say they were awe-struck would be expressing it mildly; they were fairly -paralyzed with astonishment." - -[Illustration: CAMP SCENE ON THE DESERT PLAINS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.] - -"How far apart are the stations?" - -"The distances vary according to water and other conditions. Some of the -stations are more than a hundred miles from their neighbors on either -side, and at every station there are two operators and four -line-repairers. When a break occurs a repair party starts from the -station on each side, and travels along the line, testing it every -twenty or thirty miles until the fault has been found and communication -restored. Then the parties return to their own stations, generally -without seeing each other." - -"How do you carry supplies through this desert?" inquired Fred. - -"We use camels, which were first introduced from Afghanistan by Sir -Thomas Elder, and have been found admirably adapted to the arid regions -of Australia. A camel-breeding establishment has been in existence at -Beltana for nearly twenty years, and more than a thousand camels have -been supplied from it for hauling stores and doing other work that is -usually performed by oxen or horses. They are broken to harness or the -saddle; they draw drays or light pleasure-wagons, singly, and teams of -six or eight camels are harnessed to heavy wagons, which they easily -pull through the sand together with a load of two or three tons. The -belle of Beltana, the daughter of the superintendent of the station, has -a camel which she rides with a side-saddle just as a belle of New York -rides her favorite saddle-horse. All the later exploring expeditions -have been equipped with camels, and it was for exploration that these -animals were first brought here. - -"About three years after the line was opened, the men at the Barrow -Creek station, a thousand miles from Adelaide, were attacked by the -blacks. A line-repairer and an operator, Mr. Stapleton, were mortally -wounded, and two others seriously. As Mr. Stapleton lay dying, the news -was flashed to Adelaide by the other operator. The doctor and Mrs. -Stapleton were summoned to a room in the Adelaide office, where they -listened to the click of the instrument, which told how the husband's -life was ebbing away in the far distant desert. - -"An instrument was brought to his bedside and placed under his hand. He -received the doctor's message that his wound was fatal, received the -farewell of his wife, then telegraphed her an eternal good-by, and as he -finished it his fingers clutched the key, and in a moment he lay dead. I -was one of the group that stood in the Adelaide office that day, and you -can easily believe that the scene moved everybody to tears." - -The youths easily did believe it, for their own eyes were moist as they -heard the sad story. The gentleman paused for one, two, in fact for -several minutes, with his head turned away, and then resumed: - -"The success of the telegraph has emboldened us, and we are now building -a railway along the same line, and hope to have it done within the next -ten years. Four hundred miles are completed northward from Adelaide, and -on the other side of the continent half that distance is in the hands of -contractors. Camels are employed to carry supplies, material, and water -to the men in advance of the end of the track, and the work is being -pushed forward very much as your builders in America constructed the -Central and Union Pacific railways across the great plains east of the -Rocky Mountains, and between those mountains and the Sierra Nevada -range." - -[Illustration: GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND GROUNDS, ADELAIDE.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATIONS.--THE BLUE MOUNTAINS FIRST TRAVERSED.--DISCOVERY -OF THE LACHLAN, MACQUARIE, MURRUMBIDGEE, AND MURRAY -RIVERS.--EXPLORATIONS OF STURT, MITCHELL, CUNNINGHAM, HUME, AND -OTHERS.--EYRE'S JOURNEY ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST.--SUFFERINGS AND -PERILS.--BURKE AND WILLS: HOW THEY PERISHED IN THE WILDERNESS.--MONUMENT -TO THEIR MEMORY.--COLONEL WARBURTON AND HIS CAMEL TRAIN.--STRAPPED TO A -CAMEL'S BACK.--PRESENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT.--ABORIGINALS -OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.--THROWING THE BOOMERANG.--A REMARKABLE -EXHIBITION.--ORIGIN OF THE BOOMERANG.--DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS: A PUZZLE -FOR THE NATURALISTS.--VISITING A COPPER-MINE.--MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE -COLONY.--WESTERN AUSTRALIA.--ALBANY, ON KING GEORGE SOUND.--DESCRIPTION -OF THE COLONY.--CURIOUS POISON-PLANTS.--FAREWELL TO AUSTRALIA.--THE END. - - -The mention of the explorations that preceded the construction of the -Australian overland telegraph drew the attention of our young friends to -the men whose names are famous in the history of Australian discovery. -They had already thought of the subject when they saw in Melbourne the -bronze statue in memory of the explorers, Burke and Wills, but at that -time they were too busy to make any extended investigation concerning -it. - -The result of their reading and other study of Australian explorations -they briefly summed up as follows: - -"For the first twenty-five years after the settlement at Sydney, in -1788, exploration was confined to the strip of land between the Blue -Mountains and the sea; it was not until 1813 that the mountains were -passed and the valley of the Fish River and the Bathurst plains visited. -The Lachlan River was discovered in 1815, and the Macquarie shortly -afterwards; both these rivers were traced to a marsh, and were supposed -to lose themselves in an inland sea. - -"The Murrumbidgee River was discovered in 1815, and the Murray in 1824, -by Mr. Hamilton Hume. Afterwards Mr. Hume accompanied Captain Sturt, -when the latter discovered the Darling River; later (in 1831) occurred -Captain Sturt's descent of the Murray, which has been already mentioned. -Major Mitchell, Mr. Cunningham, and other explorers continued the work -of investigating the interior of the great continent, and every year -added something to the maps of the country. - -[Illustration: READY FOR THE START.] - -"A most perilous journey was made in 1839 and 1840 by Mr. Eyre, who was -afterwards governor of New Zealand and Jamaica. He explored a portion of -the eastern shore of Spencer Gulf, and then turned to the westward along -the shore of the Great Australian Bight, a distance of twelve hundred -miles. Two hundred and fifty miles from the head of the gulf he had lost -four of his best horses; and as he could not carry sufficient provisions -for his party, he sent back his companion, Mr. Scott, and three others, -and continued the journey with his overseer, two natives, and a native -servant of his own. - -"To make sure of water Mr. Eyre explored in advance of the party before -moving the animals, and was sometimes gone five or six days without -finding any. Most of the horses died of thirst, and the men only kept -themselves alive by gathering dew with rags and a sponge. - -"One night the two natives armed themselves with guns, killed the -overseer, and ran away, leaving Mr. Eyre, with his servant, Wylie, two -horses, and a very small stock of provisions; they had six hundred miles -of unknown desert before them, and their whole supply of food was forty -pounds of flour, four gallons of water, and part of a dead horse. They -had to go one hundred and fifty miles before finding any more water, and -after struggling on for a month, living on horse-flesh, fish, and -occasional game, with a little flour paste, they were rescued by a -whaling-ship just in time to save their lives. They remained two weeks -on the ship, and then continued their journey, with more sufferings for -twenty-three days, to King George Sound. - -"The next great exploration was that of Captain Sturt towards the middle -of the continent, mentioned in the previous chapter. About the same time -Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt, a German naturalist, was fitted out by private -subscription in Sydney, and explored Eastern Queensland from its -southern border to the Gulf of Carpentaria. In less than five months he -made a journey of three thousand miles, and was highly successful in -every way. - -[Illustration: EXPLORERS IN CAMP.] - -"Afterwards he started with another expedition to attempt to cross the -continent from east to west, carrying provisions for two years; but -after struggling for seven months he was forced to turn back. Later he -set out again with the same object, but since April, 1848, nothing -authentic has been heard from him or any member of his party. Several -searching parties were sent out, but beyond a few trees with the letter -'L' carved upon them, nothing was ever found to show where he went, and -nobody knows what was his fate; the general belief is that he and his -companions perished of thirst. About the same time Sir Thomas Mitchell -explored a part of what is now Queensland, and a year or so later Mr. -Kennedy started on an expedition in which he, with most of his party, -was killed. - -[Illustration: MONUMENT TO BURKE AND WILLS, MELBOURNE.] - -"And now," continued Frank, "we come to Burke and Wills, the explorers -whose monument we saw in Melbourne. The Victorian Government fitted out -an expedition in 1860, with Mr. O'Hara Burke as chief, and Mr. W. J. -Wills second in command. The party consisted of eighteen men, -twenty-seven camels (which had been imported specially for the service), -a great many pack-horses, and several wagons. - -"They formed a camp on Cooper's Creek, and left a party in charge of it, -under command of a man named Brahé; Burke and Wills, with two men, King -and Gray, with one horse and six camels, then pushed on to the Gulf of -Carpentaria, and thus made the journey across the continent. On their -return they suffered great privations; Gray died, and the others were so -weak that they hardly had strength to bury him; the horse was killed for -food, four of the camels were abandoned, and on the evening of April 21, -1861, the three men crawled into the camp on Cooper's Creek. - -"Imagine their despair when they found the camp deserted, and the word -'dig' rudely cut on a tree. They did dig, and found a bottle containing -a letter saying that the camp had been abandoned by Brahé that very -morning. He had left a few articles of food, but no stimulants, tea, or -clothing, of which they were in great need. They rested a few days, and -then tried to reach a sheep-station one hundred and fifty miles away; -but they were driven back by scarcity of water, and both the camels -broke down and had to be shot. Brahé returned to the camp only two hours -after Burke and Wills left it; but Burke had buried his despatches in -the hole where the bottle was found, replaced the earth carefully, and -left no sign to indicate that he had been there. Consequently Brahé -supposed the explorers had not returned. - -"The wanderers found some friendly natives who assisted them, but both -Burke and Wills died of exhaustion within a few days of each other, -about six weeks after their return to the camp. King joined a party of -natives, and was eventually rescued and brought to Melbourne. He was -found by one of four search expeditions that were sent out by the -Victorian Government as soon as it was known that the depot on Cooper's -Creek had been abandoned. Though only one of these expeditions was able -to afford assistance to the missing explorers, all made interesting -journeys, and added considerably to the stock of geographical -information concerning the country. - -"Since the unhappy termination of the expedition of Burke and Wills -several expeditions have sought to explore Western Australia. The first -man who succeeded in traversing the Great Desert from east to west was -Colonel Egerton Warburton, who started from Alice Springs, on the -overland telegraph route, in April, 1873, and reached the mouth of the -Oakover River, in Western Australia, in the following December. He had -seventeen camels when he started, but was obliged to kill or abandon -all but three; the party nearly died of starvation, and for a part of -the time Colonel Warburton was so ill that he was strapped at full -length on the back of his camel. The country was a fearful desert, the -heat was intense, and for hundreds of miles there was not a drop of -water. - -[Illustration: COLONEL WARBURTON STRAPPED TO HIS CAMEL.] - -"Forrest, Giles, and other explorers have traversed various parts of -Western Australia; and it may now be said that though there is a very -large area of unexplored or little-known land, the character of the -whole continent is sufficiently well known for all practical purposes. -Not more than half of it is inhabitable by Europeans, or ever will be. -Some few districts now considered sterile may be made useful by -irrigation, but the western half of the continent is an arid waste, -where even the native black man cannot make a living." - -Frank paused as he read to Fred the foregoing paragraphs. - -"Perhaps you'll have to change the last statement," said Fred. - -"Why so?" queried his cousin. - -"Because it does not harmonize with the opinions of some of the -scientific men of Australia," was the reply. "Here is something I have -just found in a late number of a Melbourne newspaper." - -Frank listened with interest while Fred read the following: - - "At a recent meeting of commercial and pastoral men in Sydney, an - interesting paper on the Australian Desert was read by Mr. E. - Favenc. Here are some passages from it: 'In looking back at the - past history of Australia, the many disillusions that have taken - place with regard to our knowledge of its geographical formation - are very striking. In no particular is this more noticeable than in - the gradual disappearance of the dreaded desert. Each successive - adventurer has turned back with the tale that beyond his farthest - point it was impossible to penetrate, only for after-generations to - reverse his opinion and reclaim the waste land for habitation and - settlement. In a pastoral community, from the earliest ages, the - necessity of fresh grazing-lands for the increasing flocks and - herds has existed; and the residents on the border-land of - civilization soon found out that the herbs and shrubs of the - interior possessed qualities hitherto unappreciated and - unrecognized, and country looked upon as unfit to sustain animal - life became eagerly sought after as first-class fattening country. - That this has been the experience of New South Wales and Queensland - has resulted in the shadowy desert being driven into the heart of - South and Western Australia. - - "'That immense areas of spinifex of the worst description exist in - the interior, which may well be called desert, there is no doubt; - but as yet we have no evidence to show that they are not belts. All - through the alleged desert blacks are found all the year round. - Although they can exist on a very small allowance of water, they - cannot live without it, and this proves the existence of a - permanent supply throughout the continent, although the springs - that are the source of the supplies may be but scanty drainage and - hard to find. Wherever large reservoirs are found--the standing - waters of the interior--fish form one of the principal native - dishes, and they are as a rule so fat as to be almost uneatable. On - these waters, too, wild feathered game are in profusion, from the - larger species--geese, pelicans, native companions, etc.--down to - the smaller kinds, the little pigmy goose and the plover. - - "'Country, then, which can sustain human and animal life throughout - the year can scarcely be classed as an irreclaimable desert; and - when we know from experience that even at their driest stages the - edible grasses of this region can keep stock in good condition, and - in the case of some of the grasses even fatten, the future - occupation of the whole of the continent does not seem so very - problematical. The wonderful success that has attended boring - efforts to the northward of the Great Bight, long considered as the - driest country in Australia, and stigmatized by Eyre as the most - awful desert ever trodden by man, now being rapidly stocked with - sheep, points out the way to the gradual reclamation of the desert. - The knowledge we already have of some of the inland springs, slight - as it is, proves the existence of these subterranean supplies - throughout the continent. These springs are not what are known as - surface springs--that is, the residue of a former exceptionally wet - season, issuing from the foot of some well-soaked hill or - ridge--but strong volumes of water that vary not in any season, - totally unaffected by drought; in fact, running stronger during dry - weather. I think, therefore, that in most cases a judicious - selection of the site for boring will bring about a successful - result; and in this country, so deficient in surface drainage, we - shall find that Nature has provided a store that will render the - settlers independent of variable seasons.'" - -"That reminds me," said Frank, "of what Doctor Bronson was saying the -other day when we were talking on this very subject. He said that when -he was a boy the maps of the school geographies had a 'Great American -Desert' between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, and another -desert between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas. But as -civilization has pushed westward the desert disappeared, and all that -region once supposed to be uninhabitable is now occupied as -cattle-pastures, and thousands of farms have been established and are -doing well where fifty years ago it was thought nothing could be made to -grow. Quite likely it will be the same with the great Australian desert, -but as my paragraph represents the present state of things we will let -it remain as it is." - -[Illustration: DESERT SCENERY.] - -The conversation then turned to the aboriginals who had been mentioned -in Mr. Favenc's address. Fred asked Frank if he had ascertained how many -there were at present in South Australia, and how they lived. - -"Yes," was the reply, "and here is what I've learned. When the colony -was settled, in 1836, there were estimated to be twelve thousand blacks -within its borders. Now the number has diminished to about five -thousand; they have died of diseases of various kinds, and the annual -number of births is considerably less than that of the deaths. They are -protected by the Government, an official being charged with their care, -and the annual distribution of twenty-five thousand dollars' worth of -food, clothing, and medical comforts from some fifty depots which have -been established for that purpose. Five special reserves of land, about -six hundred and seventy thousand acres in all, have been set apart for -them, and they are being taught in the ways of civilization, just as our -American Indians are being instructed on their reservations." - -[Illustration: THE WAY OF CIVILIZATION.] - -"There's one thing we've forgotten to describe in our accounts of the -Australian aboriginals," said Fred. - -"What is that?" - -"The boomerang," was the reply. "No account of Australia is complete -without a description of the boomerang." - -"That's so," responded Frank. "But first we ought to see it used." - -Fred agreed to this, and in compliance with their desire one of their -Australian friends arranged that they should see a performance with this -remarkable weapon. Here is Fred's account of it: - -[Illustration: A BOOMERANG.] - -"The performer was a half-wild aboriginal who had been promised a reward -for displaying his skill. Our friend explained that there were several -kinds of boomerangs. The differences are in shape and weight; the -variations in shape are hardly perceptible to the eye of a novice, -though readily distinguished by those accustomed to them. The weight -varies from four ounces to ten and a half ounces; the blacks of Western -Australia used lighter ones than those of the eastern regions. - -[Illustration: A WAR-DANCE OF AUSTRALIAN BLACKS.] - -"Some of the boomerangs are intended for playthings, while others are -for war or hunting purposes. The playthings can be made to return to the -feet of the thrower, but the war boomerangs are not expected to return; -you can readily understand that a boomerang would be deviated from its -course or stopped altogether by hitting an object, and if it did not hit -anything it would not be of much use as a warlike weapon. - -"We examined the boomerang that the man was to perform with. It was -about nineteen inches long from point to point, two and a half inches -wide in its broadest part, half an inch thick, and weighed eight ounces -and a half. Its shape was somewhat like that of a slightly bent sickle, -the curve being about a quarter of a circle. - -"When we had done looking at it the fellow took it and examined it -carefully, and then he looked at the trees and the grass to note the -direction of the wind. Our friend cautioned us to stand perfectly still, -especially after the weapon had been launched; the performer selects -beforehand the spot where he wishes the boomerang to fall on its return, -and sometimes a spectator in his excitement moves to that very spot and -is injured. We promised to obey, and we did. - -"Two or three times the man made a motion to throw it but did not. -Finally, when he felt that he could strike the wind at the proper angle, -he launched the weapon almost straight into the air; it went up a few -yards, then turned and seemed to glide along a little way above the -ground, gyrated on its axis, made a wide sweep and returned with a -fluttering motion to the man's feet. The farthest point of the curve was -about a hundred yards away. We are told that skilful throwers can -sometimes project the boomerang nearly two hundred yards before it -starts on its return. - -"We offered him a sixpence for every time he would bring it back to his -feet and make it fall in a circle two yards in diameter which we drew on -the ground. In ten throws he brought it within the circle four times, -and in the six misses it dropped only a short distance outside. - -"He did not throw it the same way every time. Once he made it skim along -the ground for at least fifty yards, then rise into the air fully one -hundred feet, and after making a great curve it returned. Next he threw -it so that it made at least half a dozen great spirals above him as it -came down, and another time it passed around a tree in its course. - -"Frank paced off fifty yards from the performer, and placed a shilling -in the end of a split stick four feet long, which was then stuck in the -ground just far enough to hold it up. We offered the shilling to the man -if he would knock out the coin without disturbing the stick, and he did -it, but the boomerang did not return. - -"Our friend told us that the powers of the return-boomerang had been -greatly exaggerated. The non-returning one is the real weapon, and is -greatly to be feared in the hands of a skilful thrower. It has been -known to hit a man behind a tree or a rock, where he was quite safe from -bullet, spear, or arrow; and if an expert in its use comes within -throwing distance of a kangaroo or an emu, the creature's fate is -sealed. - -"He further said he had never known a white man to become expert in the -use of the boomerang, though many had practised with it for years. - -"We asked if the natives knew how long ago and by whom the boomerang was -invented. He shook his head and said no one could give any account of -it; but as all the tribes throughout the country are familiar with it, -it must be of very ancient date. He said there was a theory that the -natives derived the invention from observing the peculiar shape and turn -of the leaf of the white gum-tree. As the leaves fall to the ground they -gyrate, very much as does the boomerang, and if one of the leaves is -thrown straight forward, it gyrates and comes back. - -"Such an origin is certainly quite possible. Children might be playing -with such leaves, and to please them a man might make a large leaf of -wood, and from this the boomerang may have been developed. _Quien sabe?_ - -"And with this query of 'Who can tell?' we will drop the boomerang, or -leave it in the hands of the aboriginals of Australia, who alone of all -the people in the world know how to handle it." - -[Illustration: AMERICANS WHO USE THE BOOMERANG.] - -"That is true as to the return-boomerang," said Doctor Bronson when Fred -read the foregoing account, "but not of the non-returning one. According -to those who have carefully studied the subject, such a weapon was used -by the ancient Egyptians and by the Dravidian races of India. The Moqui -Indians of Arizona and New Mexico have a form of boomerang for killing -rabbits, and a similar weapon is said to be used by some of the tribes -of California Indians. The Moqui boomerang resembles the Australian one -in its general shape, but it is not a returning one. It gyrates along -the surface of the ground and is fatal to a rabbit twenty-five or thirty -yards away." - -"There's something else peculiar to Australia that you've forgotten," -remarked the Doctor, after a slight pause. - -[Illustration: PLATYPUS, OR DUCK-BILLED MOLE.] - -"What is that?" - -"It is the platypus, or duck-billed mole," said the Doctor, "the -paradoxical animal of Australia." - -"We had not forgotten him," Frank responded, "though we have not yet -written a description of this singular creature. He seems to be the -connecting link between bird and beast, as he has the body of the mole -or rat and the bill and webbed feet of the duck. The female lays eggs -like a bird, but it suckles its young, which no bird was ever known to -do. The one we saw at Melbourne was larger than the largest water-rat; -they told us that it lives in a hole which it digs for itself on the -banks of the rivers, is very sensitive to sound, and hard to catch. Its -fur is as fine as sealskin, and if it were larger it would be -systematically hunted for its skin." - -"When the first specimens were taken to Europe," said Doctor Bronson, -"it was thought to be a hoax like the Feejee mermaid, and it was some -time before the naturalists were convinced of its genuineness. When its -existence was officially acknowledged, it received the name of -_ornithorhynchus_." - -"But isn't there a question as to whether the platypus lays eggs?" Fred -asked. - -"I believe there is," replied the Doctor, "but the latest student of the -subject, Mr. W. H. Caldwell, of Cambridge College, England, who visited -Australia in 1884-85 for the special purpose, says the creature is -oviparous; so we will rest on his authority." - -[Illustration: HOME OF THE DUCK-BILL.] - -From Australia in general the conversation changed to South Australia in -particular. It was directed to the mineral products of the colony, in -consequence of an invitation that had just been received by the Doctor -to visit a famous copper-mine. The Doctor explained to the youths that -copper was the principal mineral resource of the colony; the -exportations of mining products in the year 1885 amounted to £344,451, -of which £322,983 were in refined copper or copper ore. - -"Gold has been found in several localities in the colony," he continued, -"but never in such quantities as in Victoria or New South Wales, the -annual export rarely exceeding £70,000, equal to $350,000. There are -also deposits of silver, lead, bismuth, and tin, and many persons -believe that the colony will ultimately prove very attractive as a -mining region; but up to the present time copper is very far in advance -of anything else." - -They accepted the invitation, and went to the copper-mine which is known -as the Burra-Burra, and is one hundred and one miles by railway from -Adelaide. Starting at seven o'clock in the morning, they reached the -station near the mine a little past noon, spent three hours at the -works, and returned to Adelaide in the evening. It was a long day and a -wearying one, but the ride and visit were greatly enjoyed. - -The Burra-Burra mine was discovered by a shepherd name Pickitt, in -1844, and has proved highly profitable to its owners; for a good many -years its annual product of ore was ten thousand tons, yielding two -thousand five hundred tons of pure copper. More than twenty million -dollars' worth of copper has been taken from this mine, and the supply -is by no means exhausted. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE MINERS.] - -But our friends heard of even richer mines than the Burra-Burra. They -were told of the Moonta mines, which paid from the very start; not a -penny of capital was ever subscribed, but the mines have yielded large -dividends, in some years as high as eight hundred thousand dollars, in -addition to paying for costly buildings and machinery. It should be -added that the success of these and other mines led to a great deal of -mining speculation which was very disastrous for nearly all the -investors. - -Early one Thursday morning it was announced that the regular mail -steamship of the Peninsular & Oriental Company was at Glenelg, and would -leave in the evening for King George Sound, Western Australia. Doctor -Bronson had taken passage for himself and his young companions; his -first intention was to stop at King George Sound, but owing to the -limited facilities of travel in Western Australia, the small population, -and the slight development of the country compared to that of the -eastern half of the continent, the idea of making an extended tour -through the only remaining colony of Australasia was definitely -abandoned. - -The steamer left Glenelg in the evening of Thursday, and on the morning -of the following Monday arrived at Albany, in King George Sound, one -thousand and seven miles from Adelaide. She anchored about a mile from -shore, and our friends were landed in a row-boat on payment of one -shilling each, the same fare being charged for the return trip before -the departure of the vessel in the evening. King George Sound is about -five miles long and nearly the same in width, and forms a good anchorage -for ships. Its advantages as a naval possession were long ago -recognized, the British Government having secured it by establishing a -colony there in 1826. There are two entrances on opposite sides of an -island called Breaksea, a massive rock that reminded Frank and Fred of -Alcatraz Island, in the harbor of San Francisco, or Capri, in the Bay of -Naples. - -The youths were disappointed with Albany, which they had imagined to be -a place of some importance. It stands on rising ground on the north -shore of the harbor, and has not far from one thousand two hundred -inhabitants--hardly enough to give it the dignity of a city, which most -of its residents claim for it. - -Frank asked how they could get away from Albany in case they had decided -to travel through Western Australia. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF PERTH, CAPITAL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA.] - -"There is a road from here to Perth, the capital of the colony," said -the gentleman to whom the inquiry was addressed. "The distance is two -hundred and sixty-one miles; and whenever the mails arrive here they are -sent through to Perth by a coach, which makes the journey in about -fifty-three hours. You may travel by the mail-coach, or you can take a -coasting steamer once every fortnight, and touch at all the ports worth -seeing, as well as some that do not pay for the trouble." - -"How many railways have they in the colony?" - -"Not many," was the reply. "The Northern Railway, thirty-five miles -long, runs from Champion Bay, on the coast, to the town and mining -district of Northampton. The Eastern Railway, ninety miles long, extends -from the port of Freemantle, at the mouth of Swan River, to Perth, and -thence to Beverley, whence it is to be extended to Albany. There are -branches from both these lines, but none of great length, and there are -some private railways belonging to timber companies. All the lines of -the colony are of three feet six inches gauge; several new lines are -projected on the land grant system, in the same way that many of your -railways in the United States have been constructed, and on some of them -work is now under way. But it will be several years yet before the -country has an adequate system of railways." - -"Western Australia is territorially the largest colony of Australia, but -there are not yet fifty thousand inhabitants in its whole area," the -gentleman continued. "The largest place is Perth, which has a population -of about six thousand. Freemantle, its port, twelve miles lower down on -the Swan River, has four thousand, and the other places of consequence -are Guildford, Geraldton, and Roebourne, the latter the centre of the -pearl-fishery." - -Fred asked what were the products of the country, and how it happened -that Western Australia, while nearer to Europe than any other colony of -Australasia, had been so neglected. - -"To your first question I will reply," said his informant, "that wool is -our largest item of export, and then come sandal-wood, lumber, -pearl-shell and pearls, horses, and sheep. We send many horses to India, -Singapore, and Java, and our trade in this line promises to increase. -Our annual exports of all kinds amount to £290,000, and our imports to -something less than that figure. We have mines of gold, lead, copper, -iron, and tin, but up to the present, though there have been a few gold -rushes, very little attention has been given to our mineral resources, -and we really know little about them. - -"There is an abundance of fine country in Western Australia. There are -splendid forests in the south-west, and excellent pasture lands in the -west and north. An American visitor once said that Western Australia had -been run through an hour-glass, alluding to the great number of sandy -regions in the limits of the territory. Of course we have considerable -areas of desert, but his remark is unfair as a general description. We -could support a large population, and when our advantages become better -known we shall have it too. - -[Illustration: FOREST SCENE IN THE SOUTH-WEST.] - -"I ought to tell you that some of our most fertile land in the -south-west is unfit for pasturing sheep and cattle, owing to the -poison-plants that abound there. There are several of these plants, four -of them being well known and easily recognized. The most common is the -York-road plant, a low scrubby bush with narrow green leaves and a white -stem. Sheep feed eagerly upon it, swell to a great size, and live only a -few hours; at certain times when the plant is full of sap a single -mouthful is sufficient to kill a full-grown sheep. The plant will also -kill horned cattle, but does not affect horses, or only slightly. As you -go to the north you cease to find this dangerous plant, and the pastures -there are as good for sheep as those of Victoria or New South Wales. - -[Illustration: A KID-GLOVED COLONIST.] - -"The latter half of your query," he continued, "compels me to speak of -something which the most of us wish to forget. In the first place, when -the colony was formed, in 1829, enormous grants of land were given to a -few individuals of capital and influence who were to bring out colonists -and otherwise develop the country. The grants were all the way from one -hundred thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand acres, and the system -proved a bad one. The capitalists came here to live on their estates, -and not to work, and the colony was the reverse of prosperous. The -stories of the old colonial days would be ludicrous if they were not -saddening; of fine gentlemen and ladies, blooded horses, pianos, -carriages, packs of hounds, and other belongings of old countries landed -on this desolate coast, and nobody knowing where his allotment of land -could be found. These kid-gloved colonists ate up all the provisions -they had brought, came near starvation, and then returned to England, or -went to Victoria and New South Wales to seek new homes. - -"In the languishing condition of the colony it was sought to galvanize -it into new life by allowing the Government to send convicts here under -the stipulation that there should be an equal number of free colonists -brought out at Government expense. - -"The system was continued until 1868. It was stopped in that year, -partly because no free emigration could be induced to come here as long -as the colony received convicts, and partly because of the opposition of -the other Australian colonies. One of the Governments of the eastern -part of the continent proposed to exclude from its ports all ships that -came from ours, through fear that our convicts would escape to their -shores. Every free immigrant shunned us as he would shun the cholera or -the plague, and if the system had been kept up to the present time our -population would consist almost entirely of convicts and their guards. -All our prosperity dates from the suspension of transportation, and we -want to forget that there was ever anything of the kind." - -A desultory conversation followed, in which Frank and Fred learned many -things concerning the colony, but we have not a place for all of them in -this narrative. Talking about the pearl-fishery, they were told that in -1883 a mass of nine pearls, forming a perfect cross, was found in Nicol -Bay, each pearl being the size of a large pea, and perfect in form and -color. About the same time a rich bank of pearl oysters fifteen miles -long (the bank, not the oysters) was found in the vicinity of Beagle -Bay, and a single pearl weighed two hundred and thirty-four grains. - -[Illustration: IN THE PASTURE LANDS.] - -They further learned that capitalists of Melbourne and Sydney had -recently obtained large blocks of land in the north, and were sending -their flocks and herds into these new pastures. The climate was claimed -to be delightful, and their informant quoted the words of a clergyman -who averred that it was no exaggeration to say, generally speaking, that -Western Australia possessed one of the most healthful climates in the -world. - -But in spite of its praises they had no wish to remain, and after -strolling through the streets of Albany, looking from the heights in its -rear upon the peaceful waters of King George Sound, and gazing upon the -spot where, with much ceremony, ground had been recently broken for the -railway to Beverley, they walked to the end of the long pier which juts -into the harbor, and were soon once more on the deck of the steamer. - -Just as the sun was dipping into the west the great vessel left her -anchorage, passed through the channel at the side of rugged Breaksea, -and then skirted the coast to the westward for several hours. In the -morning Cape Leeuwin, the last headland of the island-continent, was -dimly visible in the distance; before the sun marked the meridian the -cape and all behind it had disappeared, and the great steamer, her only -companions the sea-birds, ploughed the waters of the Indian Ocean, with -her prow turned towards the shores of spicy-breezed Ceylon. - -As Cape Leeuwin sank from sight beneath the waves our friends murmured a -farewell to the land whose skies are stippled at night by the stars of -the Southern Cross, and whose arid plains are cooled by breezes from -antarctic seas. And their farewell was accompanied with the heartiest -good wishes for the people whose enterprise and energy are so admirably -exemplified in the populous and busy cities and the prosperous colonies -which have been described in these pages by those veteran though still -young travellers, Frank and Fred. - -[Illustration: ROCKS AT THE CAPE.] - - - - -INTERESTING BOOKS FOR BOYS. - - * * * * * - -BOUND VOLUME OF HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE for 1887. Handsomely Bound in -Illuminated Cloth, $3.50. _Bound Volumes for 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, -1884, 1885, and 1886, are out of stock._ - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS IN AUSTRALASIA. Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey -to the Sandwich, Marquesas, Society, Samoan, and Feejee Islands; and -through the Colonies of New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, -Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. By THOMAS W. KNOX. Copiously -Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, $3.00. - -THE BOY TRAVELLERS ON THE CONGO. Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey -with Henry M. 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