Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/303

 no point on which we feel sensibly the disadvantages of our situation as that we are almost totally cut off from any participation in the progress of general literature and the advances of science, and that, so far from being able to keep pace with the march of civilisation we are worse than stationary, and in danger of retrograding. After an interval perhaps of a year, we get a great accumulation of newspapers, and must be contented to endeavour to sift out a few grains of wheat from this heap of chaff.

Saturday.—Ploughing in manure upon new ground, to prepare for crops next season. I shall have nearly three additional acres prepared in this way. Between sheep-folding, manuring, and fallowing, I generally manage to bring in a few acres every year. I have scarcely any of that low alluvial ground which gives rich crops without manure. I have been offered 2000 acres next to my own grant at York, for 1s. an acre, i.e., £100. If the person will take part stock in payment, I think I shall try it.—I hope you may have sent material enough for a winnowing machine. I have a crop of barley spoilt this year by the quantity of darnel in it, I have to cut it green for fodder.

Oct. 11.—A pedlar boatman passed here to-day. Letty managed to get from him in barter 3½lbs, of sugar for one dozen eggs, and 6lbs, of yellow soap for another dozen. It is extremely difficult to preserve meat here from the flies now; even while at dinner they leave the meat in a disgusting state; I wonder if you have by any chance sent a dish cover. I have frequently had occasion to mention them. I declare we shall begin to think there is no hope of hearing from England if we do not hear soon. What has become of you all? You would wonder what our natives live upon; yet they do live, and a good many of them, and pretty well too, where any merely civilized being, if left to himself, would starve. Grubs and frogs, and snakes, and lizards, and mice, and two or three small roots like "pignuts and briskins" are their staple food.