Monday, March 24th

A warmer morning and finer day. Hanmer came to see the mare and buy her; he tried her and made an offer for her. Willy and Hamilton busy all day cutting rails and sliping them down to the beach. Robert and I took a trip after dinner in the yawl, taking as cargo nearly half the frame of the house. As every piece of timber had to be carried into the boat and out of it, and off the beach and on the Island to a convenient spot, it was rather a troublesome job. We visited the Islanders and found they had nearly finished the excavation—it would be finished to-night. To-morrow they go to set up the piles. Wortley now has been exactly a fortnight sponging upon me; my hints to him are becoming very broad.