Three Years in Tristan da Cunha Part 7

_Sat.u.r.day, September 22_.--I spent nearly all yesterday at photography.

The morning was given to printing, the afternoon to developing the prints, and the evening to developing negatives, which were mostly groups of the different families and which came out fairly well.

Ellen and I have spent today at the potato patches. We started early, wending our way slowly. At Hill Piece Rebekah joined us. It was sad to see so many dead cattle lying about in every direction; the air is quite vitiated. The potatoes are coming on well. We had our lunch under the lee of a hill, at the foot of which were grazing a few miserable-looking cattle. We came home most leisurely, and just as we were arriving at the settlement heard that a vessel was to be seen to the west, and that the men were going out to her. Repetto came for our letters on his way down to the sh.o.r.e. But after all the men did not go, for when they got down to the boats they found the ship was not coming this way, but pa.s.sing between the islands--that is, between us and Inaccessible and Nightingale, so they had to bring all their things up from the beach again.

_Monday, September 24_.--We began school to-day feeling much fresher for our holiday. Some of the men have gone off for penguin eggs. I wish they did not take them in quite such a wholesale way.

_Tuesday, September 25_.--The men returned to-day from Sandy Point with shoals of penguin eggs. Four different families have sent us some, seventy in all, and as they are a good size, rather larger than a duck's, it will take us some time to get through them.

This morning and afternoon I went to look at the invalid cows. Rebekah is not wanting in spirit. Her cow was "down" at the potato patches. She had it lifted into a cart and brought home at night. She has it slung and lets it take an airing in the day. To-day we found it lying down on its side as if dead, and if left long in this position it would have died. It was hauled up by the women and girls and set on its legs. I went to see the Hagans' and Tom Rogers' cows, which were out on the common. Both had to be pulled up, which was done with the utmost difficulty. Their poor sides get so sore from constant falls. The gra.s.s is really beginning to show a little growth, but not enough to get much food off it.

This has been a most beautiful day and the air quite balmy. The seeds, such as stock, nasturtium, linum, phlox, and sweet pea, are doing well in the garden. The greater number of the apple-trees are showing life. We watch everything growing with the greatest interest.

_Wednesday, September 26_.--About nine o'clock we heard there was a ship to the westward; but Graham went off to school. While there he was told Lavarello's cow was in the bog; and so he went out to it with Johnny and two of the elder girls, they fetched a rope, then he and Johnny took off their shoes and socks and waded into the bog. Soon several men came, who heaved up the back legs of the cow while Graham and the others pulled at the rope fastened to its horns. It was at last pulled out broadside on.

Its legs had completely sunk in the bog, and it would probably have eventually sunk altogether, as many others before it, had it not been seen in time. When I arrived at school I found the children as quiet and good as if Graham were there. He soon came back, and almost immediately dismissed school as the men were starting for the ship. He made up his mind to go too. Only one boat was going, as some of the men had gone off early in the other boat to hunt birds and get eggs. There was such a packing of the animals into the boat; I do not like looking at them, they are so frightened. One poor lamb died on its way to the sh.o.r.e. Some one declared its death was caused by a child sitting on it, but I do not think it was. They started off about eleven o'clock and did not get to the ship till nearly three. At about six we went down to the sh.o.r.e with Mrs.

Repetto to meet them returning. They had no sooner landed than Rob had a tremendous fight with her fox terrier. For some time we could not get them separated. Graham got Rob by the back legs and dragged at him. In the scramble we found ourselves in the surf, where I fell down. Still Rob held on. At last by slapping him on the head and by pulling at his collar he was made to let go. The fox terrier was s.n.a.t.c.hed up and carried off.

The men were not very successful on the ship which was a Scotch one bound for Adelaide. They got about a barrel of flour and some peas and beans.

Graham got a tin of b.u.t.ter which we think is margarine. We are glad to have it as we have had no b.u.t.ter for a long time. After a time one gets accustomed to going without. Our present difficulty is to get food for Rob. We do not think he gets much from the people now. We have just made an arrangement with the Repettos to let us have meat twice a week for him in exchange for paraffin oil. We got one or two books off the ship-- _Robert Falconer_, and _Youth and Duty_, by Bishop Welldon. We have much enjoyed _Temple Bar_.

I have been turning out some summer clothes, and washing and mending them in preparation for the possible journey to Cape Town.

_Sat.u.r.day, September 29_.--There is no doubt the best way to come out here from England is by a sailing ship bound for Australia, that is, supposing the ship would accept pa.s.sengers for the island. The pa.s.sage takes from forty-five to sixty days.

_Wednesday, October 3_.--Last Friday, after the working party, Ellen and I started off with a great number of children for Hill Top, near which there is a good deal of wood washed down by the flood in the early winter. The children enjoyed helping us to gather it; much of it was embedded in the mud. The men pa.s.sing by on their way home also lent their help by carrying home some of the loads in sacks on their donkeys. There was much laughter over the loading of one of the donkeys which turned restive. We left a large heap behind to be brought by William another day. The oxen are so weak they are hardly fit to draw even a light load. The dead cattle now total three hundred and forty-eight.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PAIR OF PENGUINS ON A PORCH WITH TWO BOYS]

On Sunday William brought in a penguin which Sophy had caught. It is a most droll bird in appearance, and has a yellow and black top-knot which it raises when excited. It walks very erect--if walk it can be called-- sometimes jumping like a man in a sack, and sometimes waddling like a bow-legged child. In the place of wings it has black flippers, and when it walks these stand out like sails which adds to the droll appearance.

This is the bird from which the people extract the oil which they generally burn, but it gives a very feeble light. On special occasions we have requests for paraffin oil, of which, fortunately, we brought a good supply.

Mrs. Andrew Swain has a little son. I have been once or twice to see her.

There is always some neighbour sitting with her; to-day there were three.

Graham has been getting soil from the farmyards to spread over the field which is being put up for hay, and the wall of which he has just finished repairing. The oxen are doing the drawing, but it is very slow work, and I expect this year he will have to content himself with half the field. I fear the flowers will not do very well because of the wind, but still if only a few grow it will be something to look at. I should like to try anemones.

Mollyhawk eggs are just in. They are large in size, of a long oval shape, and with reddish-brown markings and spots. The men say this bird never lays more than one egg each season.

_Sunday, October_ 7.--I got up about 6.30, made the beds and put the room straight before early service. After breakfast I generally practise hymns, and John Gla.s.s, who takes the harmonium up to church, comes in early, as do William and some of the boys, to listen to the music. Confirmation cla.s.ses begin this week. Graham intends holding them twice a week, and hopes men will attend as well as women. The Bishop told us that if a man-of-war were sent he quite hoped to come by it.

_Tuesday, October_ 9.--John Gla.s.s has made each of us a pair of moccasins.

He brought them in with much satisfaction on Sat.u.r.day evening, and we at once tried them on. They are made with rather pointed toes which do not quite suit our feet. They have to be put on damp so that they may take the shape of the foot; and when they get very hard, as they do in summer, have to be soaked in water. They soon wear out, generally not lasting longer than three weeks, as the ground is so rocky.

Repetto is writing letters to be corrected by Graham, and really writes them very well for one entirely self-taught. He and his wife are most generous people and are always sending us small presents. I shall have some quaint mats and little bags of skin made by the people to bring home.

The Hagans have lost the grey cow they watched over with such care. They started slinging it too late, with the result that it got so bruised by the constant falls it could not recover from them. Now they have only one left, and the Repettos also have only one. The people depend much on their milk.

An east wind has been blowing the last few days which tries the trees and plants. The little peach-tree against the house is almost done for. I protect the small seedlings in the garden by putting tins round and over them. Plants are almost twisted out of their sockets.

_Thursday, October_ 11.--Yesterday Graham began the Confirmation Cla.s.ses.

Most of the elders attended--nine men and fifteen women.

John Gla.s.s came in to-day to have his hand treated. It was much swollen through, as he thinks, the bite of an insect. He had left it nearly two days uncared for.

_Monday, October_ l5.--On Sunday morning just before service Mrs. Bob Green came in for a remedy for her husband's foot which was badly swollen, and from her account it also seemed to have been bitten by an insect. I went across and found she had bathed it in hot water. We bathed it again, adding soda. To-day it was very much better and our services not required.

Their little girl was christened yesterday Annie Gertrude Ellen.

Graham rose this morning about four o'clock to make an expedition up the hill with William, Ben and several women. They got to the point where they would have to climb, but rain coming on it was thought wiser to go no further. Instead, they descended to the sh.o.r.e to pick up firewood.

This afternoon was rather hara.s.sing. Ellen was at school, and I had just begun baking when Mrs. Martha Green appeared. She brought a beautiful pair of stockings knitted by herself with great care, and also a present of eggs. She stayed nearly two hours. I called Graham to my aid, for I could not leave the bread. He took her round the garden, and by the time she came back I was able to get some tea made. While we were having it Rebekah came with a request for some sugar for an ailing child. A little later a gift of eggs was brought, with a further request for sugar for a baby. The people nearly always bring something when they come to ask for anything.

It is a busy life here; some days there seems no quiet, it is knock, knock all day. I am beginning to feel the solace of gardening.

_Sat.u.r.day, October_ 20.--On Thursday a meeting was held on the question of a schooner coming to buy up cattle and sheep. Much had to be talked over.

Every one has given the number of cattle and sheep he or she will sell.

The question is whether there are enough to make it worth while for a schooner to call. They hope to have also for sale about 60 worth of potatoes and some wool. It is difficult to tell what the cost of a schooner will be.

_Monday, October_ 22.--Almost every day one or another comes for medicine or for medical treatment. To-day John Gla.s.s came in with a badly cut hand.

The simple remedies we brought have been a great boon.

_Wednesday, October_ 24.--It is little Joe Repetto's birthday. He has brought a pair of socks for Graham, a pair of horns for Ellen with one of his curls tied on to them, and a pair of horns for myself. The horns are those of bullocks, and have been beautifully polished and mounted by his father. I had made a little white pinafore for Joe. He is two years old and has been coming to school for the last week or so, and behaves admirably. He sometimes falls asleep, and I have to take him on my lap as I teach.

We are daily hoping a ship will be coming this way. Betty Cotton says she never remembers such a time of scarcity,--no potatoes, no milk, and no flour. There is a little milk now, and the people are most kind in sending us some even when it is not their week for serving us.

Poor Rebekah has lost the cow she took so much trouble over. A fatal swelling of the throat set in. I saw a poor cow (with its calf) this afternoon in its eagerness to get at some food which was being brought it, fall over, it was so weak.

Last night Repetto, Mrs. Hagan and Rebekah were here. We tried to make them see the importance of growing corn, which we think could be done if it were shielded by flax; and also of starting enclosures near their houses for growing trees; but they are difficult to move and have not the same enterprise as the former generation. We have not been able to get any more dressing for the field. That part which has had it looks so different from the rest.

CHAPTER XIV

_Monday, October_ 29.--On Sat.u.r.day night there was such a gale from the north-west, and the sea was higher than it was all the winter, washing right up to the cliffs. We found sad destruction in the garden on Sunday morning, the flowers and vegetables being shrivelled up as if there had been a severe frost, even the gra.s.s and docks looked black; the peas which were in a most flourishing condition are ruined. Almost the only flowers that have not succ.u.mbed are those that were sheltered. Next year I shall try walled divisions on the flower-beds. Happily, the wind was not so severe at the potato patches, and they have been damaged but little.

Mrs. Lavarello is suffering from a bruised leg caused by a fall on the rocks when fishing. We urged upon her the need of resting it, but she thought she could not because of her work. It is now so painful she is obliged to keep it up almost entirely. I shall try to see her each day.

This afternoon Graham and I went for a long walk along the sh.o.r.e. Rain coming on we tried to scale the cliff, but had to come down and return by the sh.o.r.e, the wind and rain beating in our faces. By the time we got home we were wet through, but felt all the better for the outing.

_Tuesday, October_ 30.--A very wet day. No Women's Meeting.

_Wednesday, October_ 3l.--We had been saying it looked as if the month were going out without our seeing a ship, when to-day one appeared just after school. Some of the men were out in a boat fishing, but were signalled to by a fire being lit. They got back quickly, and the boats started off by about two o'clock. It was bitterly cold and the sea rough.

Another ship was seen in the afternoon.

_Thursday, November_ 1.--The men returned last night. The ship was a French one bound for Adelaide. They were not able to get any flour, but got ship biscuits, a good quant.i.ty of rice, which, however, has weevils in it, and a little coffee. Mrs. Repetto came in this evening with some of the biscuits. I said I could not take them, but she would not hear of "no."

To-day Gla.s.s and Tom Rogers have been putting up some small gates, made by the latter, at the two entrances of the pathway leading to the front of the house. They had to build up a part of one entrance with large square stones; wood is scarce so the gates have to be small. With them we feel much more private. Henry has given us some green paint of quite a nice shade for the outside window-frames to match the green gates. The house is beginning to have quite a respectable appearance.

I fear Mrs. Lavarello will be laid up some time with her leg. Charlotte Swain bathes it three times a day. Mrs. Lavarello is a sister of John Gla.s.s. She has been very kind to us in constantly sending fish and eggs.

We had a second gale the other day which blighted the potatoes, in fact, quite cut them down. But the men say that with the rain which has fallen since they will come on again. The flowers are already reviving.