Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/417

 399 will cost above £3000 when finished. They gave a house-warming ball and supper on Wednesday night, and invited 150 people. Almost everybody was there, and dancing kept up till sunrise. The Governor returned from his trip that evening. He is greatly pleased with his excursion, and most surprised both with the people and the progress of the settlers. This is something from one who appeared to have great prejudices against us at first. He is going out again to King George's Sound in about ten days, so I hope to have another little trip in his absence. I only got home to-night.

Monday night.—We had a large number of strangers at Church yesterday. Mr. Mitchell preached here in the morning, as it was a sacrament Sunday. There were 15 communicants. Among the strangers Messrs. Montgomery and Creery were there. My barley will be all stacked to-day. The men are charging 30s. an acre for reaping wheat this year. I have nearly 50 acres. Only think of having to pay any sum like £75 for cutting a crop of wheat. I am getting my crop of potatoes dug now; they are very good. I have excavated a cellar, and am putting them into it.

Nov. 30th.—This was an exceedingly hot day. I went to a place called Galapgolup, about two miles north from where the farm is on Ellen's Brook. My object was to see if a certain piece of land, which had been intended as the site of a house by some persons who were to have gone there next month, was within my boundary or not. I believe it is mine, as near as I can guess by measurement by pacing—the only way we can do in the absence of surveyors and instruments. I learned to-day the way to procure the crayfish as the natives do. In a swamp you see a hole with earth thrown up, much in the way that you see it with the large worms on the sea shore. You must put in your arm and scrape with your hand till you find it perhaps two feet down. It is like a small, very small lobster, and can bite very smartly.

Dec. 2nd.—Oh, such melting overcoming weather these two