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violence, but I have been ridiculed for asserting that its force was by no means equal to that of an equinoctial gale in England. I am certain, however, that it was not. There was not a single house thrown down, or any thatch stripped. The wind undoubtedly made a fearful roaring among the trees, and this led our Colonists to think it worse than it really was. The only accidents in consequence, of which I have heard, are the driving ashore of a small vessel of 35 tons (which was afterwards got off without damage), and the loss of a boat.[1]
4th.—The weather is most delightful, like that in April or May at home—when is the winter to come? our shortest day is past. During my absence about half an acre was broken up for Indian corn. My potatoes,—me miserum!—have failed in a great degree; the seed was damaged, although it cost me thirty-five shillings per cwt., and now there is none to be had at any price in the colony; but we hope to have some from Van Diemen's Land before the close of the season, and I have the satisfaction of calculating, that there will be 200 acres of wheat grown this season, which will supply 800 persons with flour for one year—vide Malthus (or any other economist whom you may like better) on Food and Population. This is a great struggle for a new colony, is it not ?
5th.—We had a slight frost last night. This day I have completed the sowing of all my seeds, except that of maize (or Indian corn), and transplanted 300 cabbages, besides those which I brought from Perth, tares, flax seed, rye, castor oil seed, stones of the date tree, lucerne, red and white clover, trefoil, hay seeds, and planted five young orange trees.
- ↑ How fully is Mr. Moore borne out in his just opinions, when these unimportant casualties are compared with the melancholy destruction, by the equinoctial gales and other storms of 1833, which have lined the coast of Great Britain and Ireland with innumerable and fatal wrecks, exhibiting a more extensive ruin of the seafaring interests than was ever before recollected in the memory of man.
