I saw festoons of evergreen in token of Christmas, near at hand.

I saluted the merrymakers, wishing them a "Merry Christmas." and could hear them say, "I wish you the same." From Cape Bundooro I passed by Cliff Island in Bass Strait, and exchanged signals with the light-keepers while the _Spray_ worked up under the island.

The wind howled that day while the sea broke over their rocky home.
A few days later, December 17, the _Spray_ came in close under Wilson's Promontory, again seeking shelter.

The keeper of the light at that station, Mr.J.Clark, came on board and gave me directions for Waterloo Bay, about three miles to leeward, for which I bore up at once, finding good anchorage there in a sandy cove protected from all westerly and northerly winds.
Anchored here was the ketch _Secret_, a fisherman, and the _Mary_ of Sydney, a steam ferry-boat fitted for whaling.

The captain of the _Mary_ was a genius, and an Australian genius at that, and smart.