On this ground, in company with us, there were about a dozen English ships from Sydney and Hobartown. After the lapse of a few weeks, the ships Alexander and James Allen made their appearance. Both these ships had run into Stewart’s Island for vegetables, and whilst there they had lost several men by desertion. From their description, there is little or no settlement on the island, the country being covered with the ordinary brush, and therefore presenting scarcely any invitation to a sojourner. The men who left the ships were put to a hard shift to sustain themselves. Several of them managed to reach Otago, a town in the vicinity, where they obtained employment; several left in small crafts for other ports on the coast; and one, (from whom I obtained the knowledge of their adventures,) after in vain trying to get along ashore, shipped in the colonial whaling schooner Otago, where I saw him. He gave a ludicrous description of their ups and downs. In the first place, he and another took to the bush for concealment; and, not venturing to show themselves, they remained concealed till night. It was intensely cold, and they were obliged to lie on each other to keep warm. The under place being preferable, and each wanting to secure it, almost a quarrel was occasioned thereby between them. As soon as their ship had departed, they came out from their hiding place, but could find no one to relieve their necessities, nor could they get employment. They finally joined the natives, who fed and clothed them. Becoming tired of this kind of life, they eagerly caught at the offer of a berth aboard a whaler. This poor fellow, my informant, was almost destitute, and had sent to us for clothing, of which a bundle was collected for him. He was a German, with a very thick head, and although the captain of the schooner was disposed to push him forward, he found little ground for cultivation. He made him steward of the craft; but he soon destroyed all the crockery ware, and was so negligent that the captain and mate were compelled to carry their knives and forks to bed with them, in order to find them when wanted.