Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/77

61 for ever laid aside my slight shoes, silk stockings, and kid gloves; but I have been most agreeably disappointed.

Spring is coming; I heard its herald, a cuckoo, last night. The weather has been very fine, with occasional showers, and this is our winter! It is really better than our summer in Ireland. Thermometer, 64°

27th.—No tidings of my vegetable servant yet; the pigs, however, have been found, after a long search. There is now a great profusion of beautiful flowering shrubs and flowers in full bloom. The succession of them is endless; among them I must particularly notice a flower called, I believe, Anigozanthus, which is very beautiful—it is of a greenish colour, issuing from a crimson stem; the green flowers at the top protrude like fingers or expanded honeysuckles. We have also abundance of the clematis, and another creeper of a brilliant blue. One of our grasses, now in bloom, bears a beautiful blue flower with yellow stamina, and reminds me of the star of Bethlehem, or spider lily.

28th.—James arrived here at three this morning; the venture produced 9s. 10d.; he got 2s. 6d. for twelve turnips, and a high price for cabbages; but my lettuces and radishes were not in demand, Captain Irwin's gardener having previously sent a boat-load of vegetables to the market. Potatoes would have sold well, if I had them,—mine have been fourteen weeks in the ground, and are now of good size, some of them weighing a pound; I shall send a small supply on Friday next to market, and hope to get one shilling per pound. They are unfortunately of the kind called cups,—not good for eating,—better for selling.

A letter has this day reached me from Mr. Dale, the officer who is to form the settlement at York. I intend to accompany him, and shall take a fortnight's provisions, a change of raiment, a hammock, and a cloak to sleep in. Our present intention is to make the site of York our head-quarters, and to proceed from that central point four day's march up the