Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/44

28 about three weeks after the wreck, we heard what we all supposed to be a dog barking; but as we had not heard or seen anything of dogs, we had almost forgotten all about it. But it is now evident that there are dogs on the island. At a short distance from where they were seen we found a dead seal calf, which they had evidently killed; so it appears that they subsist partly on seals' meat. We find that there is another small four-footed animal an inhabitant of this island also; this animal burrows, and undoubtedly only comes out at night. We have set snares, but have failed to catch them: their footmarks are similar to those of a pig. We catch small fish in the creek, which are delicious eating; they resemble the trout, but are very small. It would take four of the largest we have yet caught to weigh a pound, but they are very numerous. Barometer 29⋅50; thermometer 50°.

Sunday, April 22, 1864.—During the past week the weather has been exceedingly fine and mild; we have had some misty and frosty weather, but no disagreeable weather to speak of. The wind has been generally from N.N.W. On Wednesday and Thursday the wind was light from the S.E., which is something very unusual. On these two days we went down to Flagstaff Point, and erected a board 4 feet long and 2 feet 6 inches wide, painted white, with a large letter 'N' painted blue on it, to indicate that they must turn to north. I also secured a bottle to the board, to notify to anyone where we are, and giving them some instructions for working up the harbour. But should they not be able to send a boat on shore to get the bottle, the letter 'N' will indicate which way they are to turn; and when they are round the point we shall see them, audand [sic] I shall get on board as soon as possible. The board is elevated about sixty feet from the mean level of the sea, and will be visible at some distance outside the Heads. While we were down there we caught a few very nice codfish, and I took a number of bearings which I had not been able to get before. I also sounded in all directions; my