off
Beveridge Reef years ago, and Harry Laurance married his widow; and Tom
Patterson is another man, who has a native wife, and--'

He wrung Laurance's hand, sprang up the companion-way and called to
his boat's crew,--

'Haul the boat alongside, boys. I'm going to Pito-fanua again; and you
beggars will have to pull like hell.... Good-bye, Harry, old fellow.
Send your boat ashore for your wife... and God bless you both!'

WITH HOOK AND LINE ON AN AUSTRAL RIVER

The English visitor to the Eastern Colonies of Australia, who is
in search of sport with either rod or hand line, can always obtain
excellent fishing in the summer months, even in such traffic-disturbed
harbours as Sydney, Newcastle and other ports; but on the tidal rivers
of the eastern and southern seaboard he can catch more fish than he can
carry home, during nine months of the year. In the true winter months
deep sea fishing is not much favoured, except during the prevalence of
westerly winds, when for days at a time the Pacific is as smooth as a
lake; but in the rivers, from Mallacoota Inlet, which is a few miles
over the Victorian boundary, to the Tweed River on the north, the
stranger may fairly revel, not only in the delights of splendid fishing,
but in the charms of beautiful scenery. He needs no guide, will be put
to but little expense, for the country hotel accommodation is good
and cheap; and, should he visit some of the northern rivers, where the
towns--or rather small settlements--are few and far between, he will
find the settlers the embodiment of British hospitality. Some five years
ago the writer formed one of the crew of a little steamer of fifty tons,
named the _Jenny Lind_, which was sent out along the coast in the
futile endeavour to revive the coast whaling industry. Through stress
of weather we had frequently to make a dash for shelter, towing our one
whale-boat, to one of the many tidal rivers on the coast between Sydney
and Gabo Island. Here we would remain until the weather broke, and our
crew would literally cover the deck with an extraordinary variety of
fish in the course of a few hours. Then, at low tide, we could always
fill a couple of corn sacks with excellent oysters, and get bucketfuls
of large prawns by means of a scoop net improvised from a piece of
mosquito netting. Game, too, was very plentiful on the lagoons. The
settlers were generally glad to see us, and gave us so freely of milk,
butter, pumpkins, etc., that,