372 REFLECTIONS ON DBiFT-wooD. [September, 



It is a curious question, but, trivial as it may appear, 

 no less my duty to record. How does it happen, through- 

 out this northern line of connection, and out towards 

 Jones's Sound, that nearly all the truly drift-wood found 

 by our parties might have belonged to the same tree ? 

 never recent, and impressed with Nature's own seal of 

 one particular epoch. Let the fragments preserved an- 

 swer for themselves. When are we to expect a new and 

 different supply ? This piece of teak will doubtless be 

 traced, in a few days, to some definite cause of action ; 

 it simply assures me that the Wellington Channel is, or 

 has been, open : at present I suspect it to belong to the 

 ' Mary' yacht. 



September 7 . The morning, ushered in by thick fog, 

 has terminated in a gloomy, wintry day ; the barometer 

 is slowly falling, and with it all our high hopes ; the 

 breeze also is freshening from south, and the ice betray- 

 ing symptoms of uneasiness. We have no bed of roses 

 here : independent of the safety of the vessels and crews 

 to dwell upon, much matter for severe thought remains. 

 The present wind may be our security ; but should it 

 haul westerly, even these barriers to which we are fast 

 would afford no protection, perhaps destroy us ; our 

 trust only is from above; our motto, "Trust in God, 

 and do your duty," renders every disaster comparatively 

 light. 



Fully impressed with the belief that a party in search 

 of us has attempted this eastern side of the channel, and 

 may possibly have simply lost the articles discovered, I 

 directed a depot of eighty rations to be formed on the 

 near terrace of this bay, surmounted by a yellow flag, 



