Year of the Boar, Seventh Month, Day 17.

I spent a pleasant day basking in the sunshine yesterday. There was little to be done around the camp since we had already packed up ready to sail and the Chief sees no reason to unpack everything simply to have to repack it all in a few days' time. That is perfectly sensible if indeed it is but a few days, of course but were we to be stuck here for another two weeks, I cannot see the sense in that. Anyway, as it is, there is little to do other than the washing, cooking and cleaning and once those chores are taken care of, I am free to do as I wish. 

Unfortunately for myself, I am now regretting my decision to lounge in the sun due to a very nasty case of sunburn. I have spent most of this morning hidden within the cool confines of my tent. My face is the same colour as one of the crustaceans that Father used to enjoy; it is not an attractive look. It also hurts and is making me feel most irritable. One of the Chief's wives has given me some evil smelling unguent to slather over my skin which is supposed to make it feel better. It doesn't work. There has been little change in the last day or two, no new birds have arrived and although several of the men spent yesterday cutting down trees, for now, we must wait.

My day of leisure gave me a good opportunity to really look around me and see what it is like here. It does not matter how many books or maps one looks at, I realise now that there can be no substitute for actually being in a place and experiencing it. The trees in the House grounds are very lovely, but they are short, pruned into submission by the gardeners; they are too perfect. The trees out here are enormous. They tower over the horizon like huge, leafy parasols shading those who are sensible enough to lie under them rather than out in the sun. Birds flit in and out of those leaves constantly, calling to each other and there are some small, brown creatures who play in the lower branches. They are extremely entertaining and very pretty; soft bushy tails and a darker stripe that runs down their backs. I have seen them in books but I forget the name of them.  In any case, there is no entertainment to be had today, I must stay out of the sun or I will become ill. Perhaps tomorrow, I shall be able to go out and explore more of the wooded area behind the camp.