The Diary of David Ross - Excerpts - August 30 - Cutting and squaring logs for barracks. November 18 - Hard frost and snow. Ther. inside house 32°. November 22 - In town with McR. to know of arrival of steamboat for McR. departure - this was with sleigh. 1839 February 8 - This morning at daylight Archie McGregor found in ice frozen almost to death - went in to town with Sandy before daylight to endeavour to find him - both his feet and one hand frozen as white as marble and as hard. Treatment - rubbed hard with snow - had little effect - cold water mixed with snow to about 32° is best and when frost out rub with spirits till they attain natural colour. February 25 - Mo. [sic] Attended Archie's funeral (died February 22). Went to town after for letters. April 27 - Ice all away. First boat gone to town. Scott began ploughing - heard his beastly howling to horses. Ann preparing garden. Frost not out of ground more than 1 lh or 2 feet - McR. gone to Gibsons for Grog on brown horse with barrel across. June 2 - Searching for black cow. June 3 - Found by Gibson who brought it down - got two foxes from him. June 6 - Fencing in fox den. June 12 - Making fox house. June 30 - Rumpuss with Reith. Lent Duncan Fergus - son Capt [horse] to go to town because he could not find own horses. July 27 - Gathered xh bushels cowhogs [quahogs] yesterday - very good. September 1 - McR. very ill this morning after getting out of bed. September 5 - Had rumpus with Reith this evening - threatened with destruction. September 17 - Great number of trees torn up with storm on Friday - fences blown down and stacks upset along road - vessel lost all hands North of Island. Fears entertained of safety of Andromathe - Warship cruising round Island. Roads blocked up with windfalls - roofs of houses torn off. November 11 - Putting boat upon blocks and other matters. November 17 - McR. in [town] from Wednesday - would not come home nor say when. November 24 - Went to Town to see Reith and to know if he meant to come home, toe worse. November 30 - Went to town today on foot. McR. still in town with sore toe. December 24 - In Town with sleigh and sister for provisions for Christmas - Reith not come home yet. 1840 February 8 - Went to town on ice for first time this winter. R. still in town and no word of returning home -fat and lusty. March 3 - On Wednesday before Dr. Fergusson marriage went to town in sleigh to get pay of pig sold to butcher. The Captain got in thro the ice opposite the Stewarts - unhitched with difficulty the horse lying on left side half in half out of water, but before the Stewarts who were coming off to my assistance with ropes, by my own exertions succeeded in extricating him - tore away for town - returned home by the ice again in evening but took the land at the creek. May 24 - Queen's birthday kept Militia turned out - went to town to see fun - Coles Dragoons Militia etc. forming one of the oddest scenes ever I witnessed. June 10 - Fair day in Town - just thinking of going in. Town not nearly so throng as last fair - not a fraction of the number of cattle that was there last time. No sales. 12 pounds and 8 pounds 10 shillings for cows. Women in greater proportion than men. -140-