this morning early Graham was much pleased to find five in the wire trap
on the kitchen window-ledge; one eventually escaped. Through the night we
had heard the cat crunching rats close by.

Yesterday upon opening a case we found three pillows and a mattress had
got wet. If the wetting is from salt water they will have to be soaked in
fresh. The other pillows that got wet have not felt dry since, but still I
have had to lie upon them; the deck-chairs are in the same state.

We are living in such a muddle, our things being heaped up against the
wall. Presently they will have to be removed to another room while this
one is whitewashed and then back again. To find things is almost an
impossibility. By the end of the week we hope to be much straighter. All
the men have worked with a will. This morning they fetched the remaining
luggage from the shore, and this afternoon have been working hard at the
house. I went down with my camera and took photographs of the boats
unloading and of the ox-wagons which had gone to bring up the luggage. The
women came down with hot coffee and tea for the men.

Graham picked up the other day an old porthole window with the glass
unbroken, and it has been used for the house. Many of the people's
possessions are from shipwrecks. I noticed what nice white jugs they bring
our milk in; it seems a case of these was found on a wrecked ship. They
have also a good deal of glass and china from the same source.

_Friday, April_ 20.--It was such a hot day yesterday, just like summer.
The fatigue of such a day is felt all the more because there is hardly a
resting-place for the sole of one's foot. To-day has been wet. The men
have been finishing the house, and have fixed the stove in the kitchen.
Repetto and Swain have managed the piping splendidly, and out of tins have