Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/124

 106 not delivered my letters yet: the impression is, that there are some on board which are suppressed until her cargo of flour is disposed of at high prices—to such tricks are we subject; and every effort to keep us back seems to be resorted to by the people of that colony.

You speak of nets and other things arriving by Van Diemen's Land, or Sidney. I have not received them, and probably never shall. * * * * *

April 4th.—I got home a thousand bricks to-day, made on Mr. Bull's grant, near this, for there was not time to make them on my own. I pay 30s. per thousand for them. Fished a long time to-day without success; yet I saw fish in plenty, but they would not take the bait; and I have no nets. Went out with my gun to look for cockatoos, being particularly anxious for fresh meat; but the birds were most wary, and I could not get near them. No two birds can be more different in outward appearance than crows and cockatoos, yet in their habits they are similar; they go in flocks, call and give the alarm to one another, and fly off with a noise equal to that of a rookery.

5th.—The weather is now very delightful, thermometer 80°; spring is already commencing—and remember that our winter and spring are nearly the same. I heard the song of a sweet bird to-day: it was new to me. Will the season have its wonted influence on me? It is but within a very few years that I have been engaged in life as a man, and already I am set down as an old one.

April 7th.—Nine cases yesterday: one was for £230.

I was much amused by two Lascars, who came into the court for justice—I have not time to give you a full detail of their case; it ended by one calling upon the other to take his oath, which he did by taking off his cap and speaking within it: "Me speak truth, my cap—all same me speak truth, my head—all same me speak truth; my body—me speak truth, my cap—me have my head cut off me speak lie, my cap—me