It would have been easy to shoot him, being well provided with
muskets; but Barnaby mistook our remnant of gunpowder for onion seed,
and sowed it all in the kitchen garden. We did try to trap him into a
pit-fall; but after twice catching Mrs. P. and every one of the children
in turn, it was given up. They are now, however, perfectly at ease about
the animal, for they never stir out of doors at all; and, to make them
quite comfortable, I have blocked up all the windows, and barricaded the
door. We have lost only one of our number since we came--namely,
Diggory, the market-gardener, from Glasgow, who went out one morning to
botanize, and never came back. I am much surprised at his absconding, as
he had nothing but a spade to go off with. Chippendale, the carpenter,
was sent after him, but did not return; and Gregory, the smith, has been
out after them these two days. I have just dispatched Mudge, the
herdsman, to look for all three, and hope he will soon give a good
account of them, as they are the most useful men in the whole
settlement, and, in fact, indispensable to its existence. The river
Mudiboo is deep and rapid, and said to swarm with alligators, though I
have heard but of three being seen at one time, and none of those above
eighteen feet long: this, however, is immaterial, as we do not use the
river fluid, which is thick and dirty, but draw all our water from
natural wells and tanks. Poisonous springs are rather common, but are
easily distinguished by containing no fish or living animal.
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