Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/30

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Sunday, February 21, 1864.—I am in exceedingly low spirits to-day, and I know that one loved one in Sydney is so also; for I have no doubt but by this time they have given me up for lost, and what is to become of my own dear wife and children? May God, to whom only they can now look for comfort, watch over and protect them, is my constant and fervent prayer. I shall never forgive myself for coming on this enterprise, although strong inducements prompted me to the undertaking; and although the chief object of my coming was a failure, the sealing would have done very well, and I should have made a good thing of it, had the old chains only held the ship to her anchors. I could have loaded her with skins in a month, and should have been in Sydney before this time. However, this was an accident over which I had no control, and God in His wisdom knows best why I am left here, and how long we may remain here; but surely our friends will send some one to look after us by some means or other, for I told them before leaving, that if any accident did happen to the vessel, it was much more likely to happen in harbour than at sea; so it is to be hoped they will exert themselves in finding some means of getting a vessel sent to look for us. But if they do send one, it is not likely to be before next October or November, as I suppose people would not come down into these stormy and unexplored regions in the winter, which is now approaching. And this is certainly a very stormy place, and