persuade them to take a cup of tea--fearing that they might be
benighted.

_Saturday_.--Hard at work cleaning all the morning. Mr. B----'s friend
leaves after dinner, and I drive the mares in the waggons whilst the
men stretch the wire-fencing. E---- rides to the tent with letters. We
sustained rather a shock to our nerves to-day; about 12 o'clock a
buggy was seen coming towards the house just as we were sitting down
to dinner, and as our food was scanty we did not know how we possibly
could feed three extra men. Luckily they only came to enquire their
route to the tent, and it was a relief when they drove on; though we
felt we ought to have given them some food, as the tent could only
provide bacon and biscuits.

_Sunday_.--Mrs. G----, our factotum, has a holiday, and goes over with
some of the other labourers to spend the day at the other farm. E----
and I have to undertake the _menage_ for the whole day. Our mutton, a
leg, was very nicely done, also our vegetables, rice, and beans; but
the "evaporated" apples, which we use much, required boiling previous
to being put in a tart, which we neither of us knew. Therefore they
were not done, and the crust was all burst. The men from the tent, who
generally spend their Sundays here, were allowed some dinner, on
condition they washed up afterwards.

* * * * *

June 18.

I am afraid our letters will not be so interesting as the novelty
wears off: the monotony of our life may begin to pall upon us. We