Thursday, March 27th

Morning pleasant and cool, very calm; but the heat of the day furious. Many considered this the hottest day we page 157have had since landing. I almost think so—and yet we ought to expect English October weather. As soon as the sun sank behind the hill (about half past four) it became cool at once. When is this long, long summer to end? In the morning till dinner Robert and I cut rails in the wood—the wood was pleasant and cool. Hamilton came too, but had to go home, complaining of symptoms of cold and feverish attack. He got a little better in the afternoon, and went to bed with a jorum of warm gruel inside him, hoping for restoration to-morrow. At dinner-time Caughey came over from the Island, being incapacitated from using the spade by a hurt in his hand—he went to the wood and helped Robert. Willy went out in the morning to fetch in the two heifers and got them in about dinner-time, both looking well and fat; this is preparatory to their being sent round with the bullock to the Island, which I think we shall be able to do by Saturday morning. Willy, having caught sight of a stray Billy goat running on the hills, and knowing its owner, offered him ten shillings for the chance of finding him, and being accepted, and having of course found him, he brought him in and sold him to me for twelve shillings. The Havannah sailed today. Caughey reports that the road on the Island is nearly finished, and their next job will be to dig the trench round the house on the level with the foundation. We have now got as many posts and rails cut as will make the stockyard available for the present.