Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/140

 122 opinion on reading it is, that the tract of country from this to King George's Sound, may be advantageously located when the time shall arrive (and arrive it will) that this colony becomes the fashion; that is, when people shall have ceased to abuse us, and when Government shall have rendered us more effective aid. If my land had not been taken in this quarter, I should have chosen it there; but here I have as much as I can manage, perhaps more, as the location duties are heavy, and require great exertions to discharge.

7th.—The Governor's pigs have been speared too; there have been nearly as many killed as would have supported the whole colony during the winter; and now we have no meat.

8th—Divine service at Mr. Irwin's, where, as is usual with me, I spent the evening.

9th.—The ground white from frost; not so last year. I find that we must not plant potatoes so early in future. I have been trussing hay for the market at Fremantle, where the consumer or rather the owner of the consumer, pays smartly for it! The hay itself brings £6 at my own door, and the freight costs £8 per ton—£14 per ton! Salt meat is not to be had; fresh meat costs 1s. 8d., and fresh butter 7s. per pound. These prices will soon drain the resources of some of the settlers. Earthed up my potatoes, in hopes of saving them from the frost, and then by way of pastime shot a brace of ducks. Laid out a bank and ditch for an enclosure, marked out some ground for ploughing, and sawed down a few trees. This has been a lovely cool day, and the winter is gliding away insensibly. You would consider it a delightful summer.

16th.—This is like a March day in Ireland, and I experience the novel sensation of cold feet.

The goat has had two kids; a pig is nearly fit to kill; a cask of pork has arrived at my house, and I have wheat and vegetables coming in, and the goat gives me a little milk, and