Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/136

116 Wairi Kaori (large mountain) by its New Zealand inhabitants. It is very fertile, and the potatoes grown there are of a very superior quality. Corn has not succeeded, in consequence of the great number of parroquets which destroy it before it is ripe. An Englishman of the name of Coffee, who had lived five years on the island, had never seen any ice there, but remembers the occurrence of a single fall of snow.

The Héroine had been again sent to these seas for the protection of French whaling vessels, and to prevent a fraud which they had extensively practised. The French government had lately offered a bounty for the encouragement of the whale fishery, and the reward was granted in proportion to the success of the vessel. But the object for which it was intended was entirely defeated, for instead of capturing the whales themselves, they purchased oil from the American and English whalers, and, carrying it home, received the bounty, as if it had been the produce of their own skill and enterprize. From Captain L'Evêque I also received a chart of the discoveries of Admiral d'Urville in the southern seas, which I had not before seen. On quitting the Héroine, we were honoured by a salute of eleven guns, which was returned with an equal number by the Erebus. After remaining two or three days at anchor off Kororarika, the Héroine sailed, on a favourable breeze arising, for Akaroa.

During the whole period of our stay in the river