We were not surprised, having anticipated that every
bit of provision would be monopolized by our masters; but of
course we had no means of altering such a state of things.
The visitors had the same tale to tell that seems universal--bad
trade, hard times, nothing doing. How very familiar it seemed,
to be sure. Nevertheless, it could not be denied that their sole
means of communication with the outer world, as well as market
for their goods, the calling whale-ships, were getting fewer and
fewer every year; so that their outlook was not, it must be
confessed, particularly bright. But their wants are few, beyond
such as they can themselves supply. Groceries and clothes, the
latter especially, as the winters are very severe, are almost the
only needs they require to be supplied with from without. They
spoke of the "Cape" as if it were only across the way, the
distance separating them from that wonderful place being over
thirteen hundred miles in reality. Very occasionally a schooner
from Capetown does visit them; but, as the seals are almost
exterminated, there is less and less inducement to make the
voyage.
Like almost all the southern islets, this group has been in its
time the scene of a wonderfully productive seal-fishery.
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