Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/28

12 as any of them in trying to make them comfortable, and I think gratitude ought to prompt them to still continue willing and obedient. But you might as well look for the grace of God in a Highlandman's log-book as gratitude in a sailor; this is a well-known fact. They have not as yet objected to do anything that I have told them to do, but they did it in that manner which says plainly, Why don't you do it yourself? On Monday last the barometer was down to 28 inches, which is the lowest I have ever seen it. Thermometer stands at about 48° to 50°.

Sunday, February 14, 1864.—During the first part of the past week we had very heavy and almost constant rain; wind moderate, and generally from between W and N.W. On Thursday morning we had a light air from the eastward, which is the first easterly wind we have had since we came here. Since Wednesday the weather has been very fine, with moderate westerly winds, but still not a day has passed without showers, more or less. This is a dreadful place for rain; but still we appear to have got to a place where it falls least. There is one place where it scarcely ever ceases raining; this is caused by the form of the land in that particular place (which we have named Rainy Corner), which is backed by a very high mountain, which bursts the low clouds as they pass over it. I have been working at the boat, and have got her in first-rate order—much better than when we got her. The men have been jobbing about the house, and cutting long grass to thatch the walls with outside.

Since we came into the house we have arranged that one man shall cook for a week, and that they will take it in turns; and as Mr. Raynal wished to take his turn with the rest, I did not object to his doing so. He was cook last week (they change on Saturday nights), and an excellent cook he is; he has set the others a good example for cleanliness and good cooking, and I hope they will follow it. He very frequently gave us four courses at a meal. (Anyone might wonder where we got anything to make