Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/22

6 Sunday, January 17, 1864.—Another week of exile has passed, during which we have had tolerably fine weather; the first part was very fine indeed; on Thursday it rained all day. In the evening I went across the bay in the boat, and shot a dozen widgeons, of which we ate two, and the remainder, with four others which I shot this morning, we are reserving, as we have abundance of seal meat, which we find very good, particularly the females and young ones, but we cannot use the old bulls. We got one young one which had never been in the water; this was delicious—it was exactly like lamb; we have also got two carcases in salt; we have no occasion to go far after them, as they come close to the tent; indeed we were very much annoyed with them in the night, till one night we thought they would come into the tent, and to frighten them away I put a bullet into one of their tails, which had the desired effect. We have not been troubled with them since. The other day, when we were out with the boat, we saw great numbers of them, and one monster, the largest seal I have seen yet, much larger than the one we took the 35 gallons of oil from at Campbell's Island, made an attack on the boat. I slipped a ball into the gun on top of the shot, and as he put his head over the stern of the boat I put the whole charge into his mouth, which was wide open, and sent his head flying in all directions. But when you kill them in the water they sink like a stone; but I think they might be taken in the water with a harpoon.

We are progressing slowly with the house; it will be some time before it is ready for living in. I have been on board the wreck several times during the week, and I see that there are fish and crabs in the hold; but at the end of the incoming week I intend to lay her on her other bilge if possible (it will be spring tides), and ascertain what damage is done to her bottom; it is possible we may be able to make her carry us to New Zealand yet. Mr. Raynal is almost quite well; he has been working a little all this