Page:Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies.djvu/144

108 to Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls.—Many of the people who emigrated hither under the auspices of the V. D. Land Company, came out as their indentured servants; but these, finding they had agreed for less wages than they could readily obtain in the Colony, took every opportunity to run away; and the Company having in but few instances, agreed specifically what rations the people should receive, in addition to wages, this also became a fruitful source of dissatisfaction, so that, at present, they have few indentured servants left.

The people here have the advantage of being generally secluded from strong drink, but a Colonial vessel putting in at the jetty, a few of the prisoners, in defiance of admonition, obtained some. I was present when two of these received flagellation, to the amount of twenty-five lashes each, for this offence. Witnessing this punishment tended to confirm me in its inefficiency compared with solitary confinement.

Pelicans and other wild-fowl, resort to the bays adjacent to Circular Head. Eagles also are common here, as well as in other parts of the Island. One day, I saw a large Eagle sallying over my companion, while he was busily occupied in picking up shells. It approached nearer every time it swept over him, until, being afraid he should receive a stroke from its talons, I called to him, and on his resuming an erect posture, it flew away.—On the western shore of Circular Head, there is a remarkable bank of sponges, of several hundred yards long, and more than a yard thick. There are also some others of smaller dimensions. The species are numerous and curious. Sponges, as we see them in England, are merely skeletons. In their living state, those of this coast are filled with a scarlet, crimson, or bright yellow pulp, and covered with a thin skin ; they are of great beauty, when seen in clear water.

Shells are also numerous here, we picked up more than a hundred species. The sand north of the bluff, was sometimes covered with myriads of globular crabs, about the size of a hazel-nut. On going among them, they made a noise like a shower of rain, and by a rotatory motion, in a