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and which I immediately purchased for myself as a specific against wet, does not keep out rain after all. I had placed great dependence on it, and am quite disappointed. A large long good indiarubber cloak is a thing which I am very much in want of. Such an article would not only be very useful in riding in winter, but would also in the bush be an excellent preservative from the effects of damp, if one had to sleep on the ground, as may be my case, either in exploring or going to visit my sheep farm, which is near 70 miles from this. Such a thing lined with green baize (if there be such a heterogeneous mixture) would be bed, blanket, and all. With a Sou'-Wester' cap, a pilot's hood, a cloak of this sort, pilot's boots, and indiarubber shoes, one would be armed cap-a-pied. I have discovered a mousetrap; one of the tinned boxes which you sent out clothes in long ago is so deep that the mice cannot jump out nor climb up the tin. I have a piece of cheese in it, and have caught no less than seventeen during the last two days.
July 2nd.—Only this evening returned from Perth. A ship's gun was heard yesterday morning, just as I was coming away, and I waited in hopes of the vessel's arrival, and of hearing what news there might be; but she could not make Cockburn Sound last night, and stood off the shore again. I waited again to-day till two o'clock, but there was no tidings of her arrival, so I came off.—Heard some more particulars about the two natives shot at York; they were caught in the very act of breaking open a house to rob it. They attempted to spear the soldier who held one of them, and beat Mr. Solomon who held the other. One was shot on the spot, the other had broke away, and was brought down while running. All the natives up there have vowed vengeance for this, and even here some have declared they will be revenged. The lesson has not been severe enough. I fear more lives will be lost on both sides. They have attacked, or rather shown symptoms of attacking my flock, but were driven off by the
