Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/26

10 big bush. This 'big bush,' as we call it, is where the largest timber grows; it extends about a mile from the water all round the shores of this harbour, which, taking all the bays, is not less than sixty or seventy miles. This timber is all iron-bark and she-oak, but the bark of the timber is not like that of the Australian. This is as thin as brown paper, but the wood is precisely the same. It does not grow straight; you can scarcely get a straight piece out of it six feet long; it would make excellent timber for the frame of a ship, and there are any quantity of splendid knees. This is the iron-bark I am speaking of now. The oak is not much good for anything but burning.

On Tuesday last I had a very narrow escape from being shot. We were up the bush after a seal, which gave us a very exciting chase. I suppose we followed him two miles. They can run very fast in the bush. My gun had been loaded for two days, and the powder had got damp. After snapping three or four caps I got one barrel off, and the ball went into his neck, and out again between his shoulders. However, as a proof of how hard they are to kill, this did not stop him long enough for us to get up to him. I did not stop to load again (and it is impossible to load running in this bush), but pricked the powder up in the other barrel, and tried it again. The cap snapped, but the gun did not go off. I brought the barrel to my shoulder, with the butt to the ground, in order to load the other barrel again, when off she went, and the ball passed through the rim of my hat. They killed the seal before I got up to them again; but not, however, till he got on to the beach. I thank God, who has protected me thus far, although in His wisdom He has chastised me severely lately, that He has again spared my life. The thermometer is about 48° or 49° at midday now.

Sunday, February 7, 1864.—It is now a fortnight since I last wrote, during which time we have had very bad weather; there has not been one entire fine day, excepting last Friday and to-day. To-day it is exceedingly fine; it