CHAPTER XV
Thursday, November 22.—To-day when I was hanging the bird-cage on the wall of the house, Jack somehow squeezed himself through the wires and flew to the flax on the edge of the garden. I caught him, but he slipped through my fingers and flew on to the common and then back into the garden, again alighting on a flax-leaf. He is so tame he allowed me to go up to him, and I caught him once more quite easily.
I have started baking bread in an iron pot after the method of the people.
Thursday, November 29.—Should we go to the Cape it has been arranged for the elder girls to carry on the school. They are rather pleased at the idea. To get their hand in, Graham let them take it yesterday and again to-day. They are capable of taking it for a limited time.
The men and boys have been playing cricket lately, the latter being very keen upon it.
High winds have again somewhat damaged the plants.
Friday, November 30, St. Andrew's Day.—It being the day of Intercession for Missions we had service at five o'clock. Sixty-one people were present, which was good for a week-day. Earlier in the afternoon the sewing-class met. When possible we have it out of doors. We are reading Teddy's Button, which the children quite enjoy. They enter into reading aloud so much more than they did.
Monday, December 3.—Yesterday afternoon Sam Swain's baby was christened and named Rachel Caroline. The baptism was earlier than it would have been because the parents were anxious she should be baptized before we leave for the Cape. The church was full. Graham has asked Repetto to read the service on Sunday while we are away. Ellen will play the hymns.
This evening a vessel was sighted. As the men think it is a whaler they are not going out to it till to-morrow.
Wednesday, December 5.—The vessel was a whaler, and the men went off at breakfast-time next morning and were away all day. For three sheep and eight geese they only got a barrel of flour and some molasses. The captain evidently knew how to drive a bargain; it is rather too bad.
The flower garden is beginning to look quite bright. The sweet peas will soon be in flower, the stocks, too, are showing buds. This week we expect to pick a dish of peas, though the plants look very poor after the blight they had.
There has been a rearrangement of the classes in school and some of the infants have gone up. The elder girls now help a little in the teaching. This morning I had to speak to one of them. She had been taking the infants in reading, and sat with cane in hand administering justice right and left, to which her scholars paid but little heed.
Thursday, December 6.—Yesterday, it being the Advent season, there was a short service after the confirmation class. The people sing "Lo, He comes with clouds descending" to the tune in the Hymnal Companion so heartily. Coming out from the service we found the men gazing intently towards the west. They saw what they said was a whaler; we could just see something. It seems to be coming in, so they will not go out to it till to-morrow. Whalers are no good as regards taking letters, because it may be so long before they make a port.
Friday, December 7.—The whaler came in on Thursday and the men started out to meet her, but finding that she was sending a boat ashore, returned. In the boat was the harpooner, a brother of Sam Swain, senior. The brothers had not met for twenty-four years. He and the boat's crew spent part of the day here. It has been a great thing for the people to have had these three whalers as they have been able to get provisions and material. I must say our friends are a most liberal people. To-day just after dinner Henry Green brought us a bag of flour from All Hands. Graham did not want to take it, and being pressed, offered to pay for it, but Henry would not hear of that, and after some argument said with decision he would not take it back and plumped it down on the sofa. They think now there will be a very good potato crop both in quality and quantity, so we cannot want. The potatoes last year were small owing to the blight.
Saturday, December 8,—The Henry Greens have a child nearly two years old that can neither walk nor talk, and is very fat. They said they thought his back was weak, so I suggested they should bathe it with sea-water twice a day. For some time they did not try this, but last week began it, and after two or three days to their surprise, and to mine when I was told of it, he stood up. The mother is most thankful and only wishes she had begun it before.
Friday, December l4.—There was great excitement yesterday afternoon. Word was brought in that there had been a shipwreck and that two boats were making for the island. We all ran out expecting to see a shipwrecked crew, but no boats were to be seen. We made then for Hottentot Point, and there we could see a ship in the distance. One of out boats had already started, but returned before it had gone far. Later the same enterprising crew, Tom Rogers, Henry Green, and young Sam Swain, set forth again with things for barter. We only knew at the last minute they were going. Ellen and I ran to the top of the cliff with our letter, but the boat had started. We heard afterwards they would have come back had they known we had letters. It is more than a month since we dispatched our last batch. The boat did not return till this morning. It got back to the belt of seaweed before daylight, and making fast to it waited for the dawn. The crew said the captain, a Scotchman, was so kind and let them have anything they wanted. He had his wife and little boy on board; she had been ill. The ship was becalmed, and we hoped the other islanders would go out to her, but they didn't seem inclined to do so. Later in the afternoon we heard to our surprise that they were going. We were so glad because of the letters. The captain sent us a whole heap of magazines and papers. We sent some young lettuces, and I only regretted we had not some flowers to send to his wife. The men did not return till the early hours of the morning. The captain sent us a bottle of lime-juice and would not take any payment for the groceries Repetto asked for. We feel much the invariable kindness of all the captains. The first boat's crew enjoyed themselves immensely on board. The captain played and sang to them. To add to his kindness he sent us a letter containing all the latest news; the first item of which was "King Teddy going strong."
Repetto has just been in to bring some white paint and oil he got for us from the ship. We want it for the house, which certainly has not seen fresh paint for many a year.
Saturday, December 15.—A ship was sighted to-day in the far distance.
Sunday, December 16.—Rebekah is most good in bringing us bunches of pink roses. We have also on the table a bouquet of field-daisies which we were so pleased to find growing here. There are scarcely any wild flowers, but there is a yellow one which much resembles a hollyhock. The people think it very poisonous and never picked it. There is also a small plant which grows abundantly near this house and which they call a sunflower. It has a leaf resembling that of the woodsorrel, and a pink flower the shape of a primrose, but with smaller petals. The boys are very fond of adorning their caps on Sunday with a bunch of pink roses, which are not exactly becoming to their brown complexions.
Monday, December 17.—In heavy rain and a misty sea a ship passed close by.
Thursday, December 20.—To-day Rebekah ran in in great distress: "Her brother Ben had had a fit and had not yet come to, would we go to him?" We went off at once. When we got there he was still unconscious and was lying on the couch. The men were doing all they could for him. There was not much that could be done beyond loosening his collar. After a time he went to sleep. Every one kept flocking in, even the children. I told them he ought to be kept quiet, and gradually they went until Ellen, I, and Bill Green were the only ones left. Presently he awoke and insisted upon getting up, and seeing he was fairly himself we left. Afterwards he had two more fits, one of them on the shore where he had insisted upon going; fortunately Bill Green had followed him there. Two of the men will sit up with him through the night. The people are very kind to one another in sickness.
The keeping of meat is a great difficulty in the summer. We have a supply for the week and it will not keep beyond a day or two. We asked to have it twice a week, but that could not be arranged. We mean to try salting a portion. Our meat larder is the passage as being the most airy place.
Sunday, December 23.—Ben is all right again. It is thought he overdid himself driving sheep. He had no dog with him and did a good deal of shouting and running. He is the man who has deformed arms. Happily he is of a cheerful disposition and is to be heard constantly whistling tunes. The only work he can do is to drive the oxen and sheep.
It is difficult to feel we are so near Christmas since we have so few preparations to make for it. But it is not so with the people. They have been preparing for it for months. We have had constant requests for "blue" for getting up white shirts, petticoats and children's clothes. Preparations are also now going on in prospect of a visit from a man-of-war; houses are being whitewashed, painted, and scrubbed. The Repettos finished theirs some time ago, and the large sitting-room is not allowed to be used, that it may be kept quite clean for the "great event," should it come off. The minds of the inhabitants are centred on the arrival of a warship; it is the great event in their lives, and they cannot yet believe one is not coming.
Christmas Eve.—This has been a busy day, almost as busy at it is at home, there has been so much coming and going. Many have brought offerings of fish and fruit-pies, and Rebekah as a birthday offering a nicely baked cake. I had a blouse ready for her. She stayed to supper. We have been able to give a little tea and sugar all round. I patched up an old coat for William, and as a last thing watered the garden. The nasturtiums, which I hope will run up the wall of the house, are just beginning to bloom. The sitting-room looks quite gay with daisies, grasses and pink roses.