6th.—This has been a very warm day; the men were obliged to lie by three hours in the middle of the day.
On reading the papers during this interval of rest, I perceived an account of hurricanes in the West Indies killing four thousand people; inundations in the East Indies destroying ten thousand; and in Ireland several deaths by lightning, and murders by the peasantry. When I read of these horrors (especially in Ireland), I congratulate myself:
As yet we have been happily exempt, in this blessed climate, from these visitations, physical or moral.
14th.—Here is the interval of a week; the busiest and most harassing which I have had since my arrival.
You are aware of my holding a court twice a week; but this week I have been obliged to sit from Tuesday to Saturday, day after day, commencing at ten, and sitting some days until seven; for people are as fond of litigation here as in the parent state. One jury case took up a whole day: it was an action for a conspiracy and assault, and against eight defendants, each of whom addressed the court; damages laid at 500l.. The suit was brought by a Sydney man, who had
