Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/74

53 months, if I go to sea in a boat and drown like a rat—which would be the most probable result—which mode of getting out of this world could not be termed suicide; although by those who are aware of the risk in so doing it might be considered systematic self-destruction, which I hope I shall not have occasion to adopt. If we had any carpenters' tools we would soon knock up something that would carry us to Hew Zealand, out of the wreck of the 'Grafton,' if it was only a scow. Mr. Raynal has been shoe-making for the last fortnight; he has made a pair for himself and a pair for me, and, considering the material he had to work with (seal-skin uppers, and old boots picked to pieces for soles), and having had no previous experience, he has made a surprisingly good job of them. The seal-skin is too thin for mocassins: we wore out a pair in five days or a week. The men make wooden clogs, but they are very dangerous amongst the stones on the beach. The weather continues fine; we have had the wind high, and moderate, from the south, or the eastward, throughout the week; atmosphere moderately clear. Barometer has been down to 29⋅50, but is now rising, 29⋅90; thermometer from 40° to 50° at noon each day.

Sunday, September 11, 1864.—We have had quite a change in the weather since last Sunday. On Monday a gale came on from the north-west, and it has continued to blow very hard ever since, with heavy squalls and showers, sometimes hail and snow. On Thursday morning the ground was covered with snow, but it did not lie very long, for there has been a great deal of rain falling also. The wind hauled to the south, and veered again to the north-west, from which quarter it is now blowing a very heavy gale, with constant heavy rain, and very dark, gloomy weather. It has been a very miserable week, and there is no prospect of any change for the better. I have no doubt but we shall get bad weather in earnest this month with the equinox. When the gale commenced the barometer was at 28⋅75. It has since been at 29⋅25, and