a shilling, which is the first actual frost we have had. Our parrots are beginning to talk, but I think they are the ka-ka-po, a very rare bird, which is found in New Zealand and on some of the Philippine Islands, and eagerly sought after by naturalists. In the spring, if God spares me, I intend to get as many young ones as I can. Mr. Raynal has had a very bad finger. It was a fester, and I thought at one time he would lose it; but it is now out of danger. The man who sprained his ankle is also well again. It is now seven months since we left Sydney. I shall not attempt to give expression as to what I feel on this point; but I may say that I begin to look forward to the coming of summer, when surely we shall be relieved. The barometer has been low, 28⋅60 during the week, but it is now up again. Wind N.W., was S.E. outside; barometer 29; thermometer 30°.
Monday, June 20, 1864.—Since Thursday last we have had remarkably fine weather, with a slight frost, and very light easterly airs and calms. This is the first easterly wind we have had to continue more than six hours. On Tuesday and Wednesday the wind was S. and S.S.W., light, with dark gloomy weather, fog, and drizzling rain, which is something very extraordinary with southerly wind. On Monday morning two of the hands went before daylight to a place where we know a mob of seals frequent in the night. They found great numbers on shore, and just as the day began to break they began to go into the water. They killed two cows. It is evident that they only come up for a few hours in the night to sleep, and stop in the water all the day.
On Friday we went down to Flagstaff Point, and, finding our signal-board right, we caught fish and got mussels until dark, when we returned home with a load of mussels, but only a few fish. We can manage very well for provisions when the weather is fine, but still we have to look very sharp after it, for the days are very short (they are now at their shortest). We have only eight hours day-
