Excerpt: Diary of a Welsh Swagman. 1887

Thanks to Brett Barclay for this excerpt.

(this is from the daily diary of Joseph Jenkins who at this time was appointed to maintain the large gutters at Maldon Victoria):

January 1887

The weather continues warm and the cattle begin to suffer from the absence of green grass. Crowds travel to the Tarangower races.

The thermometer registers 103 degrees F in the shade and 156 (sic) in the sun; these have been the hottest three days in Australia for nine years. People die from heatstroke. There are many bushfires, the withered grass ignites from the heat rays of the sun impinging on a broken piece of glass. The air is foul with smoke from the fires.

Disappointed on rising to find my water hole dry. I cleaned it out and had to walk 150 yards for drinkable water. A comet appears above the W-S-W horizon, I stay up late at night to gaze at its grand bright tail.