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 168 about noon, and in the evening reached Perth, where I was detained until Thursday (the 7th).

On my arrival at home I found everything right. The servants informed me that they had never seen such heavy torrents of flooding rain since their arrival in the colony: this wetting has prepared the arid soil for crops; and I shall immediately plant potatoes. We have always had some rain in March, but not so much as on the late occasion. Indeed, we are only now acquiring knowledge of the seasons and the method of managing our crops.

13th.—On this day I sat on the bench from ten until six, in a crowded court. I had a list of forty-two cases for argument, questions of cost, &c.

14th.—On the bench again all day.

15th.—Ditto. Our colonists are becoming fonder of law every day. Besides the excitement of litigation, three houses have been destroyed by fire. As they were constructed of inflammable materials, every thing which they contained of furniture and clothes was totally consumed.

During the progress of the conflagration, the Swan River natives had a row among themselves, and speared two of their own women and one man very severely. Yet this occasion afforded me strong indication of the good feeling of these people; for I never before witnessed more genuine sensibility than was manifested by the husband of one of the women (a very young and pretty one, however); though wounded himself, he bore her in his arms to the hospital, and sat beside her all day, supporting her on his bosom. I hope that they will all recover; though some of their wounds are deep. The cause of the outrage has not been ascertained.

I was preparing to come away on Friday, when a messenger arrived to inform me that the natives had set fire to Mr. Shaw's hay, and driven away my sheep. The report I did not fully credit; and on arriving at home, found that the rumour regarding the abstraction of my sheep had originated