is respect exceeds Port
Jackson. The French once caught near two thousand fish in one day, of
a species of grouper, to which, from the form of a bone in the head
resembling a helmet, we have given the name of light horseman. To this
may be added bass, mullets, skait, soles, leather-jackets, and many
other species, all so good in their kind, as to double our regret at
their not being more numerous. Sharks of an enormous size are found
here. One of these was caught by the people on board the Sirius, which
measured at the shoulders six feet and a half in circumference. His
liver yielded twenty-four gallons of oil; and in his stomach was found
the head of a shark, which had been thrown overboard from the same ship.
The Indians, probably from having felt the effects of their voracious
fury, testify the utmost horror on seeing these terrible fish.

Venomous animals and reptiles are rarely seen. Large snakes beautifully
variegated have been killed, but of the effect of their bites we are
happily ignorant. Insects, though numerous, are by no means, even in
summer, so troublesome as I have found them in America, the West Indies,
and other countries.

The climate is undoubtedly very desirable to live in. In summer the
heats are usually moderated by the sea breeze, which sets in early;
and in winter the degree of cold is so slight as to occasion no
inconvenience; once or twice we have had hoar frosts and hail, but
no appearance of snow. The thermometer has never risen beyond 84, nor
fallen lower than 35, in general it stood in the beginning of February
at between 78 and 74 at noon. Nor is the temperature of the air less
healthy than pleasant. Those dreadful putrid fevers by which new
countries are so often ravaged, are unknown to us: and excepting a
slight diarrhoea, which prevailed soon after we had landed, and was
fatal in very few instances, we are strangers to epidemic diseases.

On the whole, (thunder storms in the hot months excepted) I know not any
climate equal to this I write in. Ere we had been a fortnight on shore
we experienced some storms of thunder accompanied with rain, than
which nothing can be conceived more violent and tremendous, and their
repetition for several days, joined to the damage they did, by killing
several of our sheep, led us to draw presages of an unpleasant
nature. Happily, however, for many months we have escaped any similar
visitations.

CHAPTER XVI.

The Progress made in the Sett