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Monday, March 31st

Andy much better this morning—quite out of pain, but stiff from the effects of it. He has quite recovered, in fact; it seems to have been a fit of colic. He lay in bed till evening, when he got up, had. some tea and took a walk. Hamilton kept his bed this morning. The doctor saw him and pronounced him 'likely to have a severe bout of it'. He sent him some medicine, but says it is fever, which will have its own way. It alarmed me very much to hear that it is fever. His chief symptom is bleeding at the nose—very often and copiously. The day cool, and some heavy rain in the evening—not continuous, but in heavy showers all through the night. I went in the morning with Robert to the Island with a light load of timber and the bullock's collar, and had the satisfaction of seeing before I left the Island, the bullock, 'Big Thomas', take his first load of 'house' up the new road. A man-of-war's boat from the Bramble, tender, was in the bay looking for sand. When we came back we found a large ship beating in just outside the Heads. She came to anchor about five o'clock, and proved to be the Travancore, left England December 8th. Wortley, who went on board, pronounces her a tidy, nice ship; they have had no complaints of food or anything. She is sister ship to the Charlotte Jane, belonging to Thompson and Sons. Now to bed, and dream of letters in the morning. I have sat up till half past twelve with Hamilton. He is very ill this evening—very hot and a bounding pulse.