I am making a blue serge dress for Little Lizzie and trimming the sleeves with narrow white tape.
Saturday, November 28.—Graham returned to-day having thoroughly enjoyed the expedition; but he did not get round the island as he had hoped to do, for his left knee gave way the first day. Probably the weight of his knapsack (21 lbs.) had something to do with this. He was overtaken early that evening by the two men, who went the short way round the Bluff through the sea. They got to Seal Bay that night and slept outside the usual cave by their fire, Graham's bed being two planks. Next day they went to Stony Beach about four miles further on and which I believe, is the most beautiful part of the island. There is a great deal of grass-land and quite a forest of trees. The two men did the cooking and insisted upon carrying Graham's knapsack. Early that morning Henry saw quite a new bird which he said looked like a woman standing straight up. Graham says it resembled a stork. The second night they slept inside the cave, which they cleaned out, and having dried the tussock in the sun had softer beds. Coming home, for the first time Graham rounded the Bluff, wading waist-deep.
I went to-day to see Ruth, who has been ill for a month with mumps, and the last two days has taken to her bed; her neck is very much swollen.
Monday, November 30.—Yesterday at noon a ship appeared and proved to be a whaler. All the men went out to her. Graham was in hopes he would get a letter from home, which he did, and I got one from an old friend of the islanders. Two of the islanders also got letters from relations in America. We hear that there is no likelihood of a ship calling for us. Mr. Keytel has, however, very kindly offered us passages in the Greyhound, which he expects about March 20. It is a comfort that our plans are thus made a little more definite. Now we know that no ship will call for us in December we are thinking of spending a week at Stony Beach. The captain of the whaler ordered a good deal: a bullock, sheep, forty fowls, geese, and one hundred bushels of potatoes.
Wednesday, December 2.—The people are pleased with their bartering. I believe they have eight barrels of flour, a large quantity of biscuits, and a barrel of molasses. After they had supplied him the captain told them that two more whalers would be calling.
This afternoon Mrs. Susan Swain came to tea. She was a St. Helenian and was brought here as a young married woman. She told us how home-sick she was at first.
Friday, December 4.—Just after service Lily Swain ran down to ask me to go and see Ruth as the swelling on her neck had burst. The swelling turned out to be an abscess, which was discharging freely. She has made very little of what she has suffered, only complaining of pain and of her neck being too tender to be touched.
This afternoon Graham has been whitewashing as we were anxious to leave the house in good order.
Thursday, December 10.—Yesterday the men went over to Seal Bay and shot five oxen, so they are well set up in meat for some time to come. They salt it down. To-day they have been working for Mr. Keytel putting a roof on an old boat-house to be used as a store for fish. All being well, they start fishing next Monday. The green fly is not as bad this month as it will be next.
Poor Rob has had a bad bite in his side—a three-cornered tear. Pie brought it upon himself, as he seized a bone from another dog. I thought it ought to be sewn up, and showed it to Mr. Keytel, who was of the same opinion, and to my great relief offered to do it. He sewed the edges together most successfully, and although it was hard work forcing the needle through the skin, Rob behaved admirably.