’The difficulty is (he writes) to prove in a court of law what everyone acknowledges to be the case, viz., that the natives of the islands are inveigled on board these vessels by divers means, then put under the hatches and sold, ignorant of their destination or future employment, and without any promises of being returned home.

’It comes to this, though of course it is denied by the planters and the Queensland Government, which is concerned in keeping up the trade.

’There will always be some islanders who from a roving nature, or from a necessity of escaping retaliation for some injury done by them, or from mere curiosity, will paddle off to a ship and go on board.  But they can’t understand the white men:  they are tempted below to look at some presents, or, if the vessel be at anchor, are allowed to sleep on board.  Then, in the one case, the hatches are clapped on; in the other, sail is made in the night, and so they are taken off to a labour of which they know nothing, among people of whom they know nothing!

’It is the regulation rather than the suppression of the employment of native labourers that I advocate.  There is no reason why some of these islanders should not go to a plantation under proper regulations.  My notion is that—­

’1.  A few vessels should be licensed for the purpose of conveying these islanders backwards and forwards.

’2.  That such vessels should be in charge of fit persons, heavily bound to observe certain rules, and punishable summarily for violating them.

’3.  That the missionaries, wherever they be situated, should be informed of the names of the vessels thus licensed, of the sailing masters, &c.

’4.  That all other vessels engaged in the trade should be treated as pirates, and confiscated summarily when caught.

’5.  That a small man-of-war, commanded by a man fit for such work, should cruise among the islands from which islanders are being taken.

’6.  That special legislative enactments should be passed enabling the Sydney Court to deal with the matter equitably.

’Something of this kind is the best plan I can suggest.

’It is right and good that the “Galatea” should undertake such work; and yet we want a little tender to the “Galatea” rather than the big vessel, as I think my experience of large vessels is that there is too much of routine; and great delay is occasioned by the difficulty of turning a great ship round, and you can’t work near the shore, and even if chasing a little vessel which could be caught at once in the open sea, you may be dodged by her among islands.  Yet the sense of the country is expressed very well by sending “Captain Edinburgh” himself to cruise between New Caledonia, Fiji, and the Kingsmill Islands, for the suppression of the illegal deportation of natives.  So reads the despatch which the Governor showed me the other day.  He asked me to give such information as might be useful to the “Galatea."’