Page:The new British province of South Australia.djvu/46

Rh serve for ship and boat building, and for spars. The grass was about knee-deep and in great quantity; it was quite green, and numbers of kangaroos and other animals were feeding on it; the kangaroos were large and as fat as any he had seen elsewhere.

The object of his visit to Port Lincoln was to convey thither a party of thirty persons, with five boats and the necessary implements for catching whales. The persons whom he left had been there three previous seasons for the same purpose, and had been successful. The black whales are very commonly met with close in-shore; the sperm whales not frequently, being farther to the southward. Seals are very numerous. He also found other fish in great numbers and variety—amongst them were grey mullet from 7lbs. to 8lbs. in weight, red mullet from 2lbs. to 3lbs.; soles, mackerel, herrings, snappers, jew-fish, salmon, trumpeters, parrot-fish, sting-ray, mussels, oysters, cockles, rock cod, turtle, &c.

The natives he saw were numerous and peaceful. They assisted him in carrying water to the ship, and in other matters. For a little tobacco, and with kind treatment, he is convinced they would work well. These natives, as well as the whalers and sealers, depend for their supply of water on the two streams running into Spalding Cove before mentioned.

Pursuing the line of coast, the next place of importance is Port Lincoln, properly so called, by which is meant that inlet south of Grantham Island, and in which Captain Flinders anchored with the Investigator. What is known of the neighbourhood of this place is from the accounts of Captain Flinders, Mr. Westall, Captain Dillon, and the Captains Baudin and Freycinet, who visited Port Lincoln twice. The account given of this port by Flinders differs from that of every other person who has visited it; and unless what has been before urged relative to his state of mind be admitted as an explanation, it will be difficult to