DOMINGO 
97 
to get at grass underneath. Evidently had been a slight thaw 
and then all frozen again. Mussel beds all black and frozen 
above low water mark. Slight snow and sleet and thaw. 
June 27, Thursday . Did not start for Hoste Island. Found 
that Cristophersen and Ascencio had taken five good ‘spark- 
ing-plug s> out of boat, and left their bad one. Ken seeing if 
engine will run. Fortunately he thinks it will, so we may 
go, weather permitting, to Hoste Island to-morrow. Grandi 
expected, but has not yet come. Slight thaw, but fresh snow 
had covered all old tracks. Domingo still in bed in the shed; 
the old woman looking very bad, crouching over box with 
head in hands and one eye shut. Only one garment on, and 
apparently intentionally opening it so as to shew her big 
breasts, which curiously are full, and quite unlike the pendant 
leathery bags of an old Australian lubra. Mrs. Domingo the 
younger quite cheerful. The two little girls seem quite con¬ 
tent playing about in the sun with bare feet and legs. 
Along the river, the bridge looking more ancient than 
ever. Everything curiously black and white save distant 
purple-black hills. River at low tide, and whole line of banks 
and sea coast at entrance lined with dead-black broad band 
of mussels. All the mussels frozen, but this does not seem to 
kill them. Curious effect with snow rising abruptly from the 
mussel beds. 
In the morning, Domingo had his face painted by old 
Mrs. Domingo with red lines to assist in recovery(P). Did 
not look anything like as bad as the old woman. 
Everything was curiously silent except when the roar of 
surf could be heard every now and then away in the distance. 
Curious sharp contrast in colours—black and deep blue of 
snow-capped mountains, cold grey sky behind the Hoste 
Island mountains, and a sharply marked line of light on the 
horizon where the water of the gulf met the mountains. Odd 
pairs of Kelp Geese along the shore line, the old ganders 
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