pjlrt, - EARLY EXPERIENCES OF LIFE SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AN EXTENDED COLONIAL HISTOEY. JOHN WRATHALL BULL, I SON OF THE LATE REV. JOHN BULL, JtI.A., INCUMBENT OF ST. JOHN'S, WALTHAMSTOW. 1 "Let the great world spin for ever down the ringing groove of change." WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. E. S. WIGG & SON, $ublisf)crs, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. AND SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, "CROWN BUILDINGS," 188, FLEET STREET, LONDON. 1884. [AH rights reserved. ,] LONDON : EKADBURY, AGNEW, & CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR W. F. C. ROBINSON, K.C.M.G., GOVERNOR-GENERAL AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE COMBINED COLONY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, THE NORTHERN TERRITORY, AND DEPENDENCIES, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED THE AUTHOR. 4(18837 PUBLISHERS' NOTE. The first edition of this work was privately printed by the author for circulation in South Australia only. This new and enlarged second edition may therefore be regarded virtually as a new work. London, October 8, 1883. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. In complying with the demand for a second edition, the Author feels it necessary to commence the early history of the colony of South Australia by recording the steps which were taken to obtain from the Imperial Government the Act of Parliament by which the colony was founded: as well as further to extend the work from where the first edition ended — namely, from the departure of Captain Grey to the end of the administra- tion of Sir Wm. F. D. Jervois, K.C.M.G., C.B., R.E.— during which period the colony has made rapid strides politically and materially. The history opens as follows. So early as the year 183 1, a numerous body of influential gentlemen were associated together in England for the purpose of establishing a colony in the southern part of New Holland, on Wakefield's new principle of colonisation — i.e., to open and establish new colonies, by devoting the funds from sales of land to the cost of deporting a working population. Under the auspices of that asso- ciation a considerable number of persons, some with small capitals, was collected together, who desired to go out as settlers to the proposed new colony, which was to be established in a slice of country, from the southern and western parts of the large province of New South vi Preface. Wales, its western boundary to be the colony of Swan River. After a long and unsuccessful negociation with His Majesty's (William IV.) Government to obtain the desired Charter, these proposing emigrants were dis- banded. A large amount of time, trouble, and money was thus thrown away in a grand endeavour to relieve the mother country of redundant labour, by converting a needy home population into prosperous colonists, and to occupy, convert, and fructify a portion of the waste and desert parts of a colossal empire. No further steps were taken until the beginning of the year 1834, when a fresh society was formed with the same objects, under the name of the South Australian Association, and it was determined that the proposed colony should be founded, not as previously intended by Royal Charter, but by an Act of the Imperial Parlia- ment. To carry into effect the original project in this amended form, an extended committee was elected, embracing the greater portion of the previous body, and with other influential names added. This committee was composed of the following gentlemen, viz. : — W. Woolryche Whitmore, Esq., M.P., Chairman ; A. Beau- clerk, Esq., M.P. ; Abraham Borradaile, Esq. ; Charles Buller, Esq., M.P. ; H. L. Bulwer, Esq., M.P. ; J. W. Childers, Esq., M.P. ; William Clay, Esq., M.P. ; Raikes Currie, Esq. ; William Gowan, Esq. ; Samuel Mills, Esq. ; Sir William Molesworth, Bart, M.P. ; Jacob Montefiore, Esq. ; George Ward Norman, Esq. ; G. Poulett Scrope, Esq. ; Dr. Southwood Smith ; Edward Strutt, Esq., M.P. ; George Grote, Esq., M.P. ; Benjamin Hawes, Esq., M.P. ; J. H. Hawkins, Esq., M.P. ; Rowland Hill, Esq.; M. D. Hill, Esq., M.P. ; W. Hutt, Esq., M.P. ; John Melville, Esq. ; Colonel Torrens, M.P. ; Preface. vii Daniel Wakefield, Jun., Esq. ; H. Warburton, Esq. ; H. G. Ward, Esq., M.P. ; John Wilks, Esq, M.P. ; Joseph Wilson, Esq., M.P. ; John Ashton Yates, Esq. ; George Grote, Esq., M.P., Treasurer; Robert Gouger, Esq., Hon. Sec. After great exertions by the association in the same year (1834), the incorporating Bill was passed through the Imperial Parliament, having been greatly advanced by the support and influence of the Duke of Wellington (4 & 5 Wm. IV. cap. 95). Under this Act a commission was appointed to manage the proposed work of colonisa- tion, and to settle the principles upon which it was to be carried out ; Wakefield's scheme being adopted. The Act provided that no convicts should ever be sent to South Australia, and that a Constitution should be granted as soon as its population reached 50,000 souls. The commissioners first appointed were : — Colonel Torrens, F.R.S. ; George Fife Angas, Esq. ; William Hutt, Esq. ; John George Shaw Le Fevre, Esq. ; Alex. McKinnon, Esq., M.P. ; Samuel Mills, Esq. ; Jacob Montefiore, Esq. ; George Palmer, Jun., Esq. ; John Wright, Esq. ; George Barnes, Esq., Treasurer ; Rowland Hill, Esq., Secretary. It has been considered an act of justice to publish the names of the far-seeing patriots who, against great opposition, were the agents in founding this most prosperous colony, now one of the largest customers of British manufactures, affording happy homes for a most loyal section of the great British Empire, and still crying out for immigrants with capital, as well as hands to work. The name of the colony, which has often led to absurd mistakes being made by residents in the mother country viii Preface. and elsewhere, was adopted by the committee of the association in 1 834. As the colony of Victoria was not separated from the province of New South Wales until after the proclamation of South Australia, the latter was at that time the most southern settlement in Australia, the site of Melbourne being occupied by a solitary sheep-farmer. A reference to a map of Australia will show, however, that from the eastern boundary of the colony the coast trends considerably to the south. CONTENTS. PAGES PREFACE v to viii BOOK I. CHAPTER I. Visits of explorers to Kangaroo Island during the years 1S02 and 1819 1 to 4 CHAPTER II. First "squatters" on Kangaroo Island — Arrival of ships with settlers, emigrants, and staff of the South Australian Company— First trade with Sydney . . . . . . . . 4 to 12 CHAPTER III. Arrival of Colonel Light, Surveyor-General — Extracts from letters of Vice-Admiral Pullen — Postscript — Mr. Henry Mildred . 12 to 25 CHAPTER IV. Arrival of Captain Hindmarsh, R.N., first Governor of South Aus- tralia — Tales " for the marines " — Resignation of Colonel Light — Recall of Captain Hindmarsh— G. M. Stephen, Esq., appointed Acting-Governor — A questionable transaction . . 25 to 32 x Contents. CHAPTER V. PAGES First trip in the "bush" by 'a private party — A " Corroboree " — Attempt to reach Encounter Bay overland . . . . 32 to 38 CHAPTER VI. " Church and State " — First Colonial chaplain — Rev. T. Q. Stow and other missionaries . . . . . . . . 38 to 50 CHAPTER VII. Arrival of the Author and his family — Pick-a-back — "Suspended" Birthday ball at Government House — Novel carriages— Conjugal love — Postscript — Sad end of Samuel Stephens, Esq., Manager of South Australian Company . . . . . . 50 to 56 CHAPTER VIII. Attempt to murder Sheriff Smart — The Riot Act read — Clever capture of Morgan . . . . . . . . . . 56 to 6; CHAPTER IX. Murders of settlers by the natives — A neat weapon — Infanticide- Murder of Captain Barker, before the settlement of the colony 63 to 75 CHAPTER X. Arrival of first herd of cattle from New South Wales, conducted by Charles Bonney, Esq. 76 to 80 CHAPTER XL Arrival of Governor Gawler — "Berry good cockatoo gubbernor " — Our first volunteer force — Captain Frome — Bamboozling the Governor — A palatial residence— Judge Cooper . . . 80 to 87 Contents. xi CHAPTER XII. PAGES Arrival of Pastor Kavel with German emigrants, assisted by G. F. Angas, Esq. — Founding of German townships . . .871093 CHAPTER XIII. Erroneous opinions entertained of the general character of the country north of and around Adelaide by Captain Sturt and Mr. Eyre — Extracts from diary of first exploration of the latter — First runs in the " Far North " 93 to 99 CHAPTER XIV. Captain Start's exploration of the interior by order of the Imperial Government — Death of Surveyor Poole, second in command — Fails to reach centre of continent . . . . 99 to 104 CHAPTER XV. First Wesleyan ministers — An interposition of Providence — Wreck of the brig " Fanny " — The Rev. Mr. Draper . . . 104 to 116 CHAPTER XVI. Massacre of captain, passengers, and crew of the brigantine "Maria" on the coast of Encounter Bay by Milmenura tribe of natives 1 16 to 129 BOOK II. CHAPTER I. Early fires in the city — Bush fires — Great fall in prices of live stock — A practical joke — A very moist banquet .... 130 to 137 xii Contents. CHAPTER II. PAG Mineral discoveries — Glen Osmond silver lead mine — Kapunda and Burra Burra Copper Mines — "Nobs and snobs" . . 137 to 144 CHAPTER III. Journey across the mount Lofty Range — " Reckless driving " — An " overlander" — Murder of an old native — " King John," a native help .......... 144 to 155 CHAPTER IV. Progress of agriculture — Invention of the reaping machine . 155 to 163 CHAPTER V. Career and capture of bushrangers — Attempts to escape from gaol — Execution of Curran and Hughes — Capture of Green, Wilson, and Morgan 163 to 177 CHAPTER VI. Final careers of Foley and Stone, escaped convicts — Encounter with Stone in the ranges ....... 177 to 185 CHAPTER VII. Occurrences on battle run pointed out by Stone — Stockkeeper Hart's crimes and escape — Suicide of Moorhead . . . 186 to 192 CHAPTER VIII. Providential escape of Captain Stmt from natives on the Murray — Troubles with the Rufus tribe of natives — Capture by them of overland travelling flocks of sheep — Major 0'IIalloran sent against the natives — Recalled by Governor Gawler — Private party under Lieutenant Field defeated by the natives — Governor Gawler recalled .......... 192 to 206 Contents. xiii CHAPTER IX. PAGES Progress of the colony during Colonel Gawler's administration — Vice- regal visit to the Murray — Mr. Jas. Hurtle Fisher, first Resident Commissioner — Final career of Colonel Gawler . . 206 to 219 CHAPTER X. Continuation of history of contest with the Rufus natives — Defeat of the natives by Major O'Halloran — Salvation of an overland cattle party 219 to 243 CHAPTER XL Governor Grey — Ruin of pioneers by the policy he was instructed to pursue .....-•••• 243 to 253 CHAPTER XII. Governor Grey's bills on the Home Government also repudiated — The Governor ordered to New Zealand on account of the Maori war 2 53 to 261 CHAPTER XIII. Arrival of Lieut.-Col. Robe — Grant in aid to religious bodies — Royalty on minerals — Dr. Short, first Anglican bishop — St. Peter's Collegiate School— St. Peter's Cathedral . . .261 to 264 BOOK III. CHAPTER I. Cattle-stealers in the Black Forest — Murder of Gofton — Trial, convic- tion, and execution of Joseph Stagg — Strange self-accusation of Trooper Lomas 265 to 275 xiv Contents. CHAPTER II. PAGES Career of Storey — First actions in 1838 — Subsequent appearance in 1841 as Chief of the " Black-faced Robbers" . . . 275 to 282 CHAPTER III. Loss of the ship LadyDennison, with convicts, en route to Tasmania — Voyage of the brig Punch with convicts — Failure of attempt of convicts to seize the ship ..... . . 282 to 289 CHAPTER IV. Settlement of Port Lincoln — Visit of Lady Franklin- — Murders of settlers by natives on out-stations in Port Lincoln District — Party of soldiers dispatched against the natives — The " campaign " a failure .......... 289 to 303 CHAPTER V. Relief party in search of Mr. Dutton — List of natives executed for murders committed in the Lake and Port Lincoln districts 303 to 310 CHAPTER VI. Arrival of Governor Young — Royalty on Minerals Act repealed — "Black Thursday" — Port Adelaide Railway Act passed — Dis- covery of Gold in New South Wales and Victoria — Exodus of males from South Australia — Escort established and gold tokens issued — The Author's experiences as a digger — Navigation of the River Murray — Constitution Bill referred back to the colony. Postscript — River Murray navigation in 1883 ..... 31110321 CHAPTER VII. Governor Sir R. G. MacDonnell — Constitution Act — First Parliament opened — Railway extension — The Real Property Act — No Man's Land annexed — Arrival of Governor Daly — Northern Territory annexed— Arrival of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh — Death of Sir Dominic Daly — Prince Alfred College. Postsciipt — Camels in South Australia . . . . . . . 321 to 331 Contents. xv CHAPTER VIII. TAGES Stuart's explorations ........ 332 to 344 CHAPTER IX. Stuart's final and successful expedition ..... 345 to 360 CHAPTER X. The Northern Territory — First attempt to form settlement at Escape Cliffs — McKinlay's exploring trip — Removal of settlement to Port Darwin — Wreck of S.S. Gothenberg and loss of Judge Wearing, his suite, and other passengers .... 360 to 376 CHAPTER XL Arrival at Falmerston of Parliamentary Party . . . 376 to 3S3 CHAPTER XII. Reports of the Minister of Education and other visitors to the Northern Territory . . 384 to 394 CHAPTER XIII. Arrival of Sir James Fergusson — The overland telegraph line . 394 to 399 CHAPTER XIV. Sir Anthony Musgrave — Bishop Bugnion — -Sir W. W. Cairns — Sir W. F. D. Jervois — Sir William's farewell speech — Concluding remarks 399 to 406 XVI Contents. APPENDIX. Australian statistics PAGES • 407 Notes on the Queensland Sugar Plantations by the Hon. J. L. Parsons, Minister of Education ..... 40710413 First steamer from London to Adelaide, South Australia . . .414 Rum Jungle Creek Nurseries, Northern Territory (near Southport) . 414 Useful information for parties who intend to visit or to invest funds in South Australia . . . . . . . -4*5 Corporation of the City of Adelaide Bank of South Australia . Elder, Smith, & Co. Orient line of steamers 415 416 416 416 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Framework of Punt in which McKinlay and Party returned from their Exploring Trip. Arrival of McKinlay and Party at Escape Cliff, Northern- Territory. View of Adelaide in 1836, showing the Vice-Regal Residence. Chambers' Pillar, near the Centre of the Continent. EARLY EXPERIENCES OF LIFE SOUTH AUSTRALIA BOOK I. CHAPTER I. Before the relation of the early occurrences in forming a new Colony, it will be profitable to go back a few years and quote from the published voyages of the following maritime explorers, viz., Captain Flinders and the French navigators Baudin and Freycinet, as well as the accounts given by Cap- tain Sutherland at a later period. In the year 1802, Captain Flinders, in his Majesty's ship Investigator, after he had explored the coast to the west of Encounter Bay, there fell in with the French expedition under Captains Baudin and Freycinet ; and to commemorate such a friendly encounter, named that portion of the coast Encounter Bay ; at this time the two countries were engaged in a deadly war. By a few days only Captain Flinders was the original discoverer of the Gulfs of St. Vincent and Spencer, which he also named. On the morning after casting anchor in Nepean Bay, Captain Flinders writes : — " On going towards the shore a number of dark brown kangaroos were seen feeding upon a grass plat by the side of the wood, and our landing gave them no disturbance. I had with me a double-barrelled gun, fitted with a bayonet, and the gentlemen (my companions) had muskets. It would be difficult to guess how many kangaroos were seen, but I killed ten, and the rest of my party made up the number to thirty-one taken on board in the course of the day. The least 2 Early Experiences of of them weighed sixty-nine, and the largest one hundred and twenty-five pounds. These kangaroos had much resemblance to the large species found in the forest lands of New South Wales, except that their colour is darker, and they were not wholly destitute of fat. The whole ship's company were en- gaged in the afternoon in skinning and cleaning the kangaroos, and a delightful regale they afforded after four months' privation from almost any fresh provisions. In gratitude for so season- able a supply I named this southern land ' Kangaroo Island.' " These poor animals suffered themselves to be shot in the eyes with small shot, and in some cases to be knocked on the head with sticks. I scrambled through the brushwood and over fallen trees to reach the higher land with the surveying instruments, but the thickness and height of the wood prevented anything else being distinguished. There was little doubt, how- ever, that this extensive piece of land was separated from the main land, and accounted for the extraordinary tameness of the kangaroos and the presence of seals upon the shore, thus also proving the absence of human inhabitants, of whom no traces were found. " On a day following, the scientific gentlemen landed, and in the evening eleven more kangaroos were brought on board, but most of these were smaller, and seemed to be of a different species (qy. wallaby?). Some of the party saw large running birds, supposed according to description to be the emu or cassowary. "A thick wood covered almost all that part of the island visible from the ship, but the trees in a vegetating state were not equal in size to the generality of those lying on the ground, nor to the dead trees which were still standing. Those on the ground were so abundant that in ascending the higher land a considerable part of the walk was made on these fallen trunks. They lay in all directions, and were nearly of the same size and in the same progress of decay; whence it would seem that they had not fallen from age, nor yet been thrown down in a gale of wind, but had succumbed before a general conflagration. " The soil of that part of Kangaroo Island examined by us was judged to be much superior to any before seen either upon the south coast or upon the islands." The above quotation is confirmed by the reports of the French navigators and Captain Sutherland, as they all agree in the descriptions they give, which represent such an extraordi- narily different condition of the island, both as to the size of Life in South Australia. 3 timber and the animals they found on their visits, from what was found when the first ships arrived in Nepean Bay, to form the first settlement there, under the direction of the Board of Commissioners in London. Remarkable changes like these can only be accounted for by such an overwhelming conflagra- tion as in the opinion of Captain Flinders must have happened before his visit. The French navigators also give an account of the vast number and large size of the kangaroos which they found on the island. They took full advantage of the opportunity to secure a number, and " took on board twenty-seven alive, be- sides numerous carcases." They found no traces of man. Captain Sutherland, who was employed by some merchants of Sydney to obtain a cargo of salt and seal-skins from the island, writes : — " On the 8th January, 1819, we arrived at Kangaroo Island from Sydney after a pleasant voyage of 14 days, and anchored in Lagoon Bay (part of Nepean Bay) in about four fathoms of water close in shore. Two boats were dispatched with five men in each to discover the salt lagoon, and to ascer- tain on what part of the bays seals most resorted. Another boat with three men also started to seek from whence a supply of water could be obtained. During our ramble from this boat a shallow well with a small supply of fresh water was found, with a flat stone near it with writing cut upon it, giving the names of the captains of the French expedition, and the date of their visit. Not far from this spot, and close to Point Marsden, Nepean Bay, we dug a well, behind the sand bank, about four feet deep, which immediately filled with fresh water. The period during which I stayed on and near the island was from the Sth of January to the 12th of August in the before men- tioned year. The soil was thickly covered with timber and brushwood. Some of my men landed at several different places on the main. I never saw or heard of any native dogs on Kangaroo Island, and from the very great number of kan- garoos I do not believe there are any. Some of the kangaroos I killed weighed one hundred and twenty pounds. 1 have known our men to have taken as many as fifteen in one morn- ing. We never made use of any part of them but the hind quarters." He also says he travelled across the island in company with two sealers who had been living on the island some years, but he does not give their names. B 2 4 Early Experiences of The concurrent testimony in the reports which have been quoted should remove all doubts which may have been enter- tained as to the number of kangaroos said to have been origi- nally found there, and also as to their tameness. The excessive timidity of these marsupials in all other parts of Australia is universally known ; in those localities, however, they had been joint occupiers with native aboriginal hunters. As to the timber which the discoverers report to have found covering the country differing so greatly from the saplings found by our first arrivals, it may be remarked that an explanation will occur to those colonists who have had experience in heavily timbered or close scrubby districts. To such persons it is well known that when a strong bush fire occurs, and is extinguished by rain before it has quite consumed the trees or scrub, the vitality of which it has destroyed, after a sufficient time has elapsed to allow fresh saplings or strong scrub to make con- siderable growth, a succeeding fire, aided by the dry material left, will make a clean sweep of the country, and the subsequent state of the locality will be either open ground or a close eucalyptus scrub. A few scattered ancient trees, which were perhaps always detached, may possibly survive, and this is con- sidered to be a reasonable explanation of the state of the island as to timber when our colonists arrived, and that the kangaroos had also been nearly exterminated by the overwhelming fires. As to the future fruitfulness of the island, it is a reasonable expectation that as clearing progresses it will become a pros- perous agricultural district, but probably at a great cost to the farmer. A few small farmers are at the present time taking up and clearing portions of the island, the soil of which is found to produce good crops of excellent malting barley, but is not so well suited for the growth of wheat. The climate is both pleasant and healthy. CHAPTER II. For the following account of Kangaroo Island and its first occupants, the author is partly indebted to information obtained from two of the original islanders many years after he himself became a settler on the mainland, in addition to information Life in South Australia. 5 he had previously gained. He is thus enabled to correct one erroneous impression early extant, that they were principally runaway convicts, the fact being that the majority of the early inhabitants were men who had left whaling and sealing vessels or surveying ships at various times before the founding of the Colony. One of them, George Bates, arrived on the island in the year 1824, and was engaged in sealing and hunting, and occasionally in making visits to search the beach of Encounter Bay for the bones of stranded whales. On one occasion, shortly after the whaling stations were formed at the Nob and what is now called Victor Harbour, he and some mates had collected whalebone on the beach near the mouth of the River Murray, which they estimated to be worth over ,£200. This was taken from them by the recently-arrived authorities, and sent by Captain Hart to be sold in Sydney, and yet no salvage was given to them, which they deemed a great hardship. When George Bates forwarded the above information, he stated his age to be seventy-eight years. In the year 1835 William Thompson, a seaman, landed on Kangaroo Island from the cutter William, Captain Wright, after he had fulfilled his engagement in a sealing voyage. He then joined William Walker, who had been some time on the island. At the time Thompson landed there were about seven male white settlers, engaged in sealing and catching wallaby, and in preparing the skins for export. The first settler was Waller, who was said to have been on the island fourteen or fifteen years before Thompson became a resident, say 1819. He had assumed the title of Governor of the island, and to his rule the others yielded such obedience as was necessary in so primitive a state of society. Several of the men had coloured women living with them, some obtained from Tasmania and the others from the tribes occupying the Cape Jervis and Encounter Bay districts. One of these women, not satisfied with her promotion from the position of slave to one of her own race to that of help to a white man, took to the water and swam across the straits, nine miles wide at the narrowest part. Despite the dangers of the powerful currents, and the multi- tudes of sharks, for which this passage (now called Backstairs Passage) is notorious, she landed safely in her own country. Some four or five years after this extraordinary swim was ac- complished, this woman was pointed out to the writer, and she was then a fine specimen of her race. 6 Early Experiences of These primitive inhabitants of the little settlement had cleared small patches of land from the scrub, which they culti- vated or worked with strong hoes, thus producing vegetables and wheat, which latter was ground between two flat stones, and from the meal produced they made their unleavened bread or dampers, which were baked in wood ashes. The late Captain Hart, when in the employment of Mr. Griffiths, of Launceston, was in the habit of visiting the island to trade with the islanders for their seal and wallaby skins and salt, gathered from various lagoons in that part of the island, and to furnish them with goods in exchange. The settlers had pigs and fowls, and varied their diet with the flesh of wallabies, wild-fowl, and fish. One of the earliest islanders was a young man of the name of G. Meredith, whose father was an inhabitant of Tasmania, in a large way of business. He had been dispatched by his father in a small vessel amongst the islands to catch seals, and had the misfortune to wreck his vessel on Howe's Island, and escaped in a boat with a Dutchman, who was known after- wards as Jacob Seaman. They had with them, on landing on the island, a Tasmanian black woman, called Sal, who had lost half of one of her feet when young, by sleeping with them too near the fire. She was owned by Meredith. He took up his residence at Western River, on the coast of the island opposite the Althorpes. He had also with him two native boys whom he had procured from the mainland, and whom he was training to be of great use to him in his sealing trips. In one of his boat voyages with the black woman and the two boys, he landed on the part of the coast now known as Yankalila, and whilst there encamped Meredith was killed by his black boys, of which sad occurrence the black woman afterwards gave the following account to the islanders : — " Whilst their unsuspecting master was sitting near the camp-fire partaking of porridge, the boys stole behind him." It was supposed that they had been in- stigated to commit this act of treachery by some black fellows, who afterwards took possession of the black woman, the boat, and all its contents, with which they made their way to Encounter Bay. In the then unsettled state of the country no steps were taken in the matter, as this occurred before the first colonists from England arrived. The boat, it was reported by the islanders, was for some time used by the Encounter Bay natives in sealing and fishing, and was ultimately lost by getting Life in South Australia. y adrift from their careless fastenings. Sal eventually managed to escape to the island, and joined a settler (an American black), named George Brown. He had been engaged as headsman in one of the whaling companies. After the colonists arrived George Brown left the island, and was engaged at the first occupation of Holdfast Bay. He had become acquainted with an emigrant girl who was in the service of Captain Lupson, our first harbour master, who was, I may mention, officially and privately held in universal esteem and respect. Brown was legally married to this young woman, and they left a family, who are now in respectable positions. Sal, after parting from Brown, joined William Cooper, one of the sealers, who acted as interpreter to Colonel Light in his inter- course with the aboriginals on the mainland. It was more than twelve months after William Thompson became a resident on the island that the first South Australian ships arrived from London. The Duke of York, a barque which had left Torbay on the 17th or 18th of April, 1836, arrived on July 29th, with passengers and emigrants, and dropped anchor in Nepean Bay at noon. This was the first vessel which arrived with colonists. Passengers — Mr. Samuel Stephens, first manager of the South Australian Company in the colony ; Mr. Thomas Hudson Beare, second in command under the Com- pany ; Mrs. Beare and four children, with Miss C. H. Beare (afterwards Mrs. Samuel Stephens) ; Mr. D. H. Schryvogle, clerk; Hy. Mitchell, butcher; C. Powell, gardener; Neale, carpenter; Wm. West, labourer, — the last four being emigrants. The Board of Commissioners in London granted to the management of the South Australian Company a most extra- ordinary, not to say questionable favour, in accepting and passing the entire crew of the Duke of York, as well as those of the John Pirie, Lady Mary Pelhani, Sarah and Elizabeth, and the South Australian, as emigrants, so that the lists which were published (and have lately been republished) as to the numbers of emigrants arriving by those ships were really in- correct. The party from whom this information comes was a passenger in the Duke of York, and adds : — " Hardly one of these men remained here. A few of them returned years after- wards, and settled in the colony." Information was not further given whether those who returned succeeded in getting passed as emigrants a second time, but that they were paid for as emigrants the first time by the commissioners was positively stated. 8 Early Experiences of All on board the Duke of York were ready to go ashore as soon as the vessel was made snug, and a landing was effected in a little bay, at the spot where the Rapid Bay and Cape Borda submarine cable has been since brought ashore. The time the passengers set their feet on the land was 2 p.m. The first duty then performed was the reading of the Church of England service, in which all joined. Captain Morgan con- cluded the service by an extemporary prayer or thanksgiving for the prosperous voyage which had been granted to them. Just before the party left the Duke of York, a magnificent rainbow appeared in the heavens, and the captain remarked it was a good omen. The rambling and weary party returned late on board ; still sleep was not obtained, owing to the excite- ment of their new position. Between 12 and 1 o'clock the vessel heeled over, and the commotion was general. All were rushing to the boats; but the captain allayed the universal alarm by explaining that he had anchored in too shallow water, and the ship had swung round and grounded on a muddy bottom in an ebbing tide, of the rise and fall of which he had been ignorant. The following day tents were pitched ; and that night the passengers remained on land, and felt the chill of a very severe frost. On the morrow guns and ammunition were the order of the day. The new arrivals early in the morning had been greatly astonished by the clamour of a number of laughing jackasses, as those birds (a variety of the kingfisher) are called. At first some of the people believed the blacks were laughing at them, and had arrived to make an attack. A few days after they landed, some of the sealers living on the island paid them a visit, and brought a splendid supply of vegetables, including a quantity of very fine water melons. Though not quite ripe, these were quickly disposed of. It was not long before patches of land were cleared of the tall scrub, which abounded on all sides. The seeds of vegetables were sown, and soon green food was indulged in. On the 4th of August two large boats with twenty men started on a trip across Backstairs passage, and a landing was made at Rapid Bay — afterwards so named 'by Colonel Light. On the way back they fell in with the John Pirie, Captain Martin, who was on the look-out for a whaling station. It is here proper to mention the fact that Mr. Menge, who had been engaged and sent out by the South Australian Company to Life in South Australia. 9 examine the country for minerals, was one of the boat party, and pronounced the ranges to be highly metalliferous. At a meeting of the few scattered inhabitants, Mr. S. Stephens called on the self-elected primitive Governor Waller to abdicate, which he did magnanimously. The manager purchased all his stock and crops on his small squatting farm, situated about ten miles from Nepean Bay, and since known as " The Farm." I may here mention that Mr. Stephens married a lady passenger on the voyage out, and she was subsequently long known and respected as his widow. I shall later in this history relate the fatal accident by which Mr. Stephens lost his life. The first selections of land were made at Kingscote, and un- fortunately so, for the Company and some private individuals, who at once commenced to work and build houses, &c, which were shortly abandoned after the arrival of the Surveyor-General, Colonel Light, in the brig Rapid, on the 20th August, 1836. Colonel Light brought with him, as his staff, Lieutenant Field, R. N., Mr. J. S. Pullen (now Vice- Admiral), Messrs. W. Hill, Wm. Jacob, and G. Claughton, surveyors ; Dr. Woodford, Mr. Alfred Barker, mate, and other survey hands. Of the above are surviving at the time of publishing this work, Messrs. Wm. Jacob, Hiram Mildred, William Hodges, and John Thome. There is also now residing in England Vice- Admiral Pullen, who has risen by his extraordinary merits, and by his services on one of the expeditions to the North Pole in search of Sir John Franklin's remains, also in Besika Bay and other parts of the world. Colonel Light, after sufficient examination of the island, as a first place of settlement, pronounced it to be unsuitable, although it possessed in Nepean Bay a grand harbour scarcely surpassed in any known country. In a short time most of the officers, servants, goods, and plant were removed to Port Adelaide or Holdfast Bay. The buildings, gardens, &c, were left to be generally occupied by the original islanders. Colonel Light promised them that they should not be disturbed in their original squatting holdings ; but this promise he was not able to fulfil. When the colonists arrived no kangaroos were to be seen on the island ; the first sealers, however, reported that when they became residents a few remained, but were soon killed off. At this time, however, the appellation of Kangaroo Island is a misnomer. But Thompson says that he saw bones of kanga- roos at Hog Bay and several other places. Hog Bay was io Early Experiences of reported to be so called from pigs found there by sealers, sup- posed to have been left by the French navigators, as at that place there was writing in French, cut in a rock near a spot where they obtained fresh water. Mr. C. W. Stuart has kindly furnished me from his notes with the account of his landing at the island, which is interesting as mentioning the arrival of a cargo of goods which had been shipped to find a market in Swan River Settlement, but which were purchased by Mr. S. Stephens, and formed the first opening of trade between the infant colony of South Australia and the much older colony of New South Wales. Mr. Stuart says : — "In September, 1833, I left London in the barque Atwick, 500 tons, Captain Hugh McKay, bound for Hobart Town and Sydney. The latter place we reached after a fortnight's detention at Hobart Town, in a little less than five months from Gravesend. I left the ship in Sydney with little less grief than I had felt at leaving home. After recruiting for a few weeks at a friend's house in Sydney, to whom I had letters, I took a passage in the Lambton cutter to Port Stephens, about 180 miles to the north of Port Jackson. Here I remained about two years, my attention chiefly directed to cattle, the country near the coast being well adapted for cattle and horses. While still living at Port Stephens, early in 1836 I received from London a land order for a preliminary section of land and a town acre, in a new colony to be called South Australia. My determination was soon made to start to Sydney and to find my way to Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island, as directed, where they were first to rendezvous. My friends did all they could to persuade me to remain in New South Wales, hinting that the new colony must be a failure — land at one pound an acre and free labour against land at five shillings an acre, as it was in Sydney; and convict labour available. On arriving in Sydney, I found that South Australia was scarcely known there ; and as to communication with Kangaroo Island there was none. The late Emanuel Solomon had at that time a place of business in George Street, on which was posted a notice that the schooner Tr it clove was to sail for Swan River on a day mentioned, and would take passengers from Sydney to that place. I went into the office and asked Mr. Solomon if the Truelove would put into Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island. He was astonished at my question and said he did not know, and asked my object in inquiring. On my telling him I wanted a passage there, and information about the Life in South Australia. 1 1 new colony, he seemed to think that I had been duped, and advised me not on any account to go to Kangaroo Island till I knew positively that some vessels had arrived there from England. He told me to see the captain of the Truelove, who would give me more information on the subject than he could. I saw the captain of the Truelove, Colton. His advice to me was much the same as Mr. Solomon's, but at the same time, for a certain sum, he would take me to Nepean Bay, and, wind and weather permitting, he would remain there twenty-four hours, and if no ships from London had arrived, and I did not like to remain, he would take me on to Swan River and back to Sydney for the same money. It was a liberal offer, and I accepted it. A few days after I went on board the Truelove, with about one ton of stores and two kangaroo dogs. After a pleasant run of fourteen days we were caught in a heavy S.W. gale, and being near the island, the vessel was hove to for the night. Next morning at daylight a brig was descried seven miles ahead, evidently steering for Nepean Bay. We followed her, and a few hours later let go our anchor near to her in Nepean Bay, and she proved to be ihejblm Pirie, belonging to the South Australian Company, and had just returned from Hobart Town. There were then lying in Nepean Bay the ships Cygnet and Africainc, and the brig Rapid. I went on shore immediately in the ship's boat, and on landing was surprised to see the (to me) strange appearance of the people just come from England, many of them clad in smock frocks, with gaiters, &C. On asking where the Governor was to be seen, I learnt that he had not yet arrived, but I was introduced to the Manager of the South Australian Company, Mr. Samuel Stephens. Mr. Stephens was very courteous ; and on my telling him my name, and informing him that I had land orders, he warmly welcomed me, asked me to his tent to lunch, and introduced me to Mrs. Stephens. The Truelove was the first vessel that had arrived in Nepean Bay from Sydney, and being laden with stores and provisions on a trading venture for Swan River, Mr. Stephens asked me to take him on board and in- troduce him to the captain. The consequence of this introduc- tion was that Mr. Stephens bought the cargo of the Truelove, and sent her back to Sydney for more necessaries. The day after I landed I was introduced by Mr. Stephens to the follow- ing colonists : Mr. J. Hallett, Captain Duff, Messrs. C. S. Hare, T. H. Beare and M. Smith, Esq., solicitor, and to the sons of 1 2 Early Experiences of the last two gentlemen, W. L. Beare, Esq., Justice of the Peace, of Clare, and H. J. Smith, Esq., S. M. Narracooste, the only survivors at this time. CHAPTER III. Colonel Light arrived in the brig Rapid and landed on Kangaroo Island on the 20th August, 1836. Extracts from his published journal, at the present time out of print, are now given. " Having sailed from Nepean Bay, after deciding that the island was a locality not suitable on which to fix the capital, I put into Rapid Bay, from thence sailed up the Gulf, and came to anchor in | less 5 fathoms on September 24th, 1836. Op- posite to the brig appears a very extensive flat, to the north- ward and east of which mangroves were to be seen lining the shore. '•'■September 2$t?i.- — Left the ship to examine what appeared to be an inlet, and on passing up the same at about half a mile the boat grounded ; on getting off I returned on board. On the report of Mr. Hill, second mate, that he had seen from the mast-head a considerable river, I again left the ship in the hatch boat to explore, and after walking along the beach without success, returned to the brig. At 4 p.m. an opening was plainly seen from the brig. I had gone along the shore south- ward. Mr. Field during my absence had gone in the jolly-boat and had entered and sounded the mouth of a considerable river, which I determined to explore next day. " September 26th. — At 9 a.m. entered the river ; the first reach runs about two miles. After passing the channel we came into a good Avide river ; on going some distance and finding it did not accord with Captain Jones' description of the harbour he discovered, I determined to run higher up the Gulf, and to examine this place at a future period, and returned to the brig. "September 2jt/i.- — -After running up the Gulf, at 3 p.m. anchored in three fathoms. From this position could see the head of the Gulf as laid down by Flinders. Dispatched Mr. Field in the jolly-boat ; on his return he reported no harbour could exist there ; returned to the last anchorage. I now despaired of ever finding the beautiful harbour described by Jones. Life in South Australia. 13 " September 28///. — At half-past 6 sent Mr. Pullen and Claughton in the hatch-boat. They having shaped their course along shore, we got under way to run with easy sail as nearly abreast the boat as we could. We had after a little time the satisfaction of seeing them enter an inlet, and soon after disappear. I was now full of hope that Jones' harbour was at last found, and at 1 p.m. came to an anchor in our former berth to await the return of the hatch-boat. At half- past 2 Mr. Field went in the jolly-boat to look at the same river I had been in on the 26th. " Mr. Field met Mr. Pullen in the gig, who had left the hatch-boat at anchor at the northern entrance ; each party, after communicating, separated, Mr. Field returning to the brig, Mr. Pullen to the hatch-boat. I now remained in great anxiety between hope and fear. A report brought back by Mr. Field that Mr. Pullen had seen no fresh water damped me much, and I could only remain till his return before determin- ing what course to pursue. " September 29///. — Mr. Pullen returned and reported his entrance by the northern channel, and no fresh water met with. He further stated that there were two separate channels. This was so different to the account given by Jones that I felt a great disappointment. " September 30th. — Left the ship in the surveying boat, and got into the harbour by a small channel about a mile to the northward of the southern entrance, and with a fine breeze from the north-west passed up a reach fully three miles in extent to the southward, carrying three or four fathoms all the way. We went on the island (Torrens) and found no fresh water. At the end of this reach a large inlet appeared still keeping a southwardly direction ; but I was anxious to examine the creek to the eastward in a line with Mount Lofty. Into this I bent my course with the strong hope of finding it prove the mouth of some fresh-water stream from the mountains. On the rise of the tide I returned to the hatch-boat, which being now afloat, we got under way, and having now fully persuaded myself that no part of this harbour could be that described by Captain Jones, I resolved on returning to the brig to run again down the coast (south) and see if by any chance we could have missed so desirable a shelter." I here bring forward Captain Jones' account as given sub- sequently in Colonel Light's diary, on which he so unfortu- 14 Early Experiences of nately depended, and in doing so endured great trouble and loss of time. Captain Jones' report : — " The inlet (miscalled Sixteen-mile Creek) is a stream of fresh water, at about fifteen or twenty- miles north of this river. I (Captain Jones) discovered a fine harbour, sheltered by an island, which is about three miles in circumference, with abundance of fresh water upon it, as well as some streams running into the harbour from the main land." Continuation of the diary: — " October ist. — At 6 a.m. made sail for the brig, at half-past 8 got on board and got under way once more in search of Jones' harbour." So much for the misfortune of having relied on an exagge- rated description of what Captain Jones saw. Thus Colonel Light again turned his back on what he ultimately adopted as Port Adelaide, making light of the work accomplished by Mr. Pullen, in the first passage up the Sixteen-mile Creek, in his truthful but less florid report, furnished to his superior officer on September 29th. On the subject of the ultimate adoption of Port Adelaide, it is only necessary to continue to give extracts from Colonel Light's diary, to be followed by information gained from Ad- miral Pullen's letters, recently received. " October 1st. — Running down the coast south, was enchanted with the extent of the plain to the north (qy., west?) of Mount Lofty. All the glasses of the ship were in requisition. At length, seeing something like the mouth of a small river (Glenelg Creek), and a country with trees so dispersed as to allow the sight of most luxuriant green underneath, stood in, and anchored in three and a half fathoms, in mud and sea- weeds, about one and a half miles from the mouth of the river (Pattawalonga). " October $rd. — At 9 a.m. went on shore to examine plains. A gardener (with a spade), named Laws, was landed. The gig's crew were desired to pull along shore and stop at the mouth of the river. Messrs. Claughton and Woodford accompanied Laws, keeping some way inland to examine the soil, while Pullen and myself kept along the beach. We proceeded about two miles, but found nothing but a wide indenture of the coast. We walked five miles further, and then returned to the place where we landed. At 4 p.m. all returned on board. I was much gratified at the report Laws gave me of the soil, he being a good judge. Life in South Australia. 15 " October 4th. — Went on shore at 9 a.m. to examine the plain. I cannot express my delight at seeing no bounds to a flat of fine rich-looking country, with abundance of fresh-water lagoons. The little river, too, was deep. After walking some distance through long grass returned to the beach at 2 p.m., and getting into the gig pulled on board. " October $t/i. — Sent Messrs. (Jlaughton and Jacob to trace the river up. At 1 p.m. these gentlemen returned, and said the river at four miles up was fresh. It was then a very narrow stream bending to the N.E., and appeared to have its source in the plains. "The brig proceeded down the coast. At 1.30 p.m. hove-to on the 10th abreast a river — (qy., Onkaparinga ?). A native woman on board had mentioned this, and I sent Mr. Pullen in the gig to examine the entrance. At 2.10 he returned, and re- ported his seeing a large river for some distance, but, the sand bar having much surf over it, he was nearly upset. Again dis- appointed in my hopes of finding Jones' harbour, I now felt fully convinced that no such thing could exist on this coast, at least as described by him. "October \xth. — At 5.45 got under way. At noon we observed a boat coming towards us. At 2 p.m. hove-to ; the boat brought Mr. John Morphett and Mr. Samuel Stephens. They reported the arrival of the Cygnet at Nepean Bay, and the landing of stores, and that the people were hutting them- selves. I now resolved on going into Rapid Bay, and after landing some stores there, to send the brig to Kangaroo Island to fetch over the assistant surveyors, that they might be employed in the survey on this side the gulf during my examination of Port Lincoln, &c. " November 2nd. — Divided the surveying party into two, Mr. Kingston having the largest party, and Mr. Gilbert with the greater part of the stores, to embark on board the Rapid for Holdfast Bay. Mr. Finniss, with his party, including Mr. Jacob, Mr. Hiram Mildred, and others to remain at Rapid Bay, each party to make as many observations as possible during my absence at Port Lincoln or elsewhere. " November 6th. — At 4 p.m. the Africaiiic, Captain Duff, arrived at Rapid Bay with Mr. Gouger, Colonial Secretary, Mr. Brown, Emigration Agent, and other passengers. Mr. Gouger questioned me as to where we should settle. 1 could only recom- mend his proceeding to Holdfast Bay for the present, but 1 6 Early Experiences of stating that I could not guarantee permanent settlement there With Captain Duff I embarked at 10 a.m. on the 7th. "November 2>t/i. — Landed at Holdfast Bay, was met by Mr. Field and Mr. Morphett, who had been out exploring. The accounts given by these gentlemen, though not unfavourable, did not cheer the spirits of the new comers. Messrs. Field, Kingston, and Morphett had made a few niiles inland, and had found a fresh-water river (the Torrens) much larger than any yet seen. Looking generally at this place I am quite confident it will be one of the largest settlements, if not the capital, of the new colony ; the creek will be its harbour. " November 20th. — Sailed for the creek (i.e., Sixteen-mile Creek, Port Adelaide), taking Mr. Kingston with me. At 6 p.m. we came to anchor in the first reach, all hands overjoyed at the little brig's berth in so snug a spot. " November 21st. — Left the brig by the hatch-boat with Messrs. Kingston, Morphett, and Pullen, to examine the southern reach which I had before left unnoticed." Extract from letter to the Commissioners : — " November 22nd (dated). The Harbour. I could not leave this coast without looking once more at this harbour. We steered at once for this beautiful anchorage, and ran the brig in, where we now lie at single anchor although it is now blowing a gale of wind from the south-west with thick rainy weather. We were more than delighted to find the creek running into the plain so far. I am now more than ever persuaded that it is connected with the fresh-water lagoons. It is one of the finest little har- bours I ever saw. We had three fathoms water and very often four fathoms at dead low water in sailing up. I have sent Mr. Kingston to trace the connection between the head of the salt-water creek and the fresh-water, and to make his way back to the Glenelg camp by land." " November 2$lh. — Got under way and out of the harbour with a light breeze. At 1 p.m. anchored in Holdfast Bay." Extract from Mr. Kingston's letter : — " I kept along the banks of the river (creek) about two miles, when I think it had its source in the marshes (lagoons) in which I found the river (before alluded to) losing itself. The following day I crossed the river (Torrens) running down from (direction of) Mount Lofty. I again traced the plain, being able to view the course of the river by the reeds, until I found it again running through a regular bed." Life in South Australia. i 7 Colonel Light, after giving instructions to Mr. Kingston to follow up his discovery of the running river Torrens, left for Port Lincoln. What he found there is described in another chapter. On his return to St. Vincent's Gulf on December 17th, "at daylight, Mount Lofty and the range of hills were seen. At 10 a.m. came to anchor, and went ashore to see our party. The time now lost in much extra labour, and the arrival of many people from England made me anxious to find some place to locate the land purchasers and others, and from every answer from the sealers and from the view I have had of the western coast (of the Gulf) I felt convinced I should never find anything more eligible than the neighbourhood of Holdfast Bay. As for Encounter Bay, I resolved on leaving that to a future period, for .the following reason : — I never could fancy for one moment that any navigable entrance from the sea into the lake could possibly exist. On looking at Flinders' chart, and considering the exposed situation of that coast, moreover the very circumstance of so large a lake being there, was a con- vincing proof to me that the Murray could not have a passage sufficiently deep or wide to discharge its waters into the sea. Deep and fine harbours with good entrances are only found where the shore is high, hard, or rocky ; sand alone can never preserve a clear channel against the scud of the sea such as must inevitably be thrown on the coast about Encounter Bay. " On my arrival at Nepean Bay reports of the sealers I ob- tained, confirmed the opinion I held that there was no such thing as a harbour along the coast, I therefore thought I should be throwing away valuable time in examining there. " December i&t/i. — At half-past nine got under way with the Tarn d Shanter for the harbour. At six entered the first reach and came to anchor ; about n a.m. the Tarn o' Shanter struck on the edge of the western sandspit, having three fathoms of water within half her own length ; she remained here until the 22nd; about 4 p.m. she was hove off, both crews assisting, and both ships made sail for the higher part of the harbour. I preceded both ships in my hatch-boat. " It was really beautiful to look back and see two British ships for the first time sailing up between mangroves in fine smooth water, in a creek that had never before borne the con - struction of the marine architect, and which at some future period might be the channel of import and export of a great 1 8 Early Experiences of commercial capital. Having got both ships up the harbour, I shall leave my narrative of the marine part of the expedition and proceed to my work on shore. " December 24th. — Walked over the plain to that part of the river where Mr. Kingston had pitched his tent (the site of the future capital). My first opinions with regard to this place became still more confirmed by this trip. Having traversed over nearly six miles of a beautiful flat, I arrived at the river, and saw from this a continuation of the same plain for at least six miles more to the foot of the hills under Mount Lofty, affording an immense plain of level and advantageous ground for occupation. Having settled future work with Mr. Kingston, I returned to make arrangements for finally leaving the ship. " December 2%th. — Pitched my tent near Mr. Kingston's at the side of the river. I heard of the Governor's arrival at Holdfast Bay, but having much to do had not time to go down to meet him. " December 30///. — His Excellency the Governor arrived at our camp, and we walked together that he might see the spot I had selected. His Excellency expressed his sense of the beauty of the place, but said it was ' too far from the harbour.' But, nevertheless, the site was adopted, on which is now built the most beautiful city in the Southern Hemisphere. Colonel Light, in deference to the Governor, entertained the idea of placing the city on the banks of the Torrens about one and a half miles lower down, but finding both above and below his first choice marks of the river overflowing its banks, he fortunately returned to it."' As bearing on the question of selecting Port Adelaide as the principal port of the province, the following extracts from Vice-Admiral Pullen's letters to the late A. Barker, Esq., who was also an officer on board the brig Rapid, are given : — " I see in portions of Colonel Light's journals which have appeared in the papers that not one mention of my name is made in them in connection with the discovery of Port Adelaide. I believe I was the first in it {i.e., the southern reach of the present harbour). You cannot forget the brig dropping me with the hatch-boat on September 28, 1836, when I got into an opening above the present entrance and finally anchored in the North Arm, thence proceeding southerly in the gig I passed up the long southern reach. On my return I met Mr. Field in the jolly-boat. On the next day I sailed out in the hatch-boat Life in South Australia. 19 by Light's Passage, and on arriving on board the Rapid re- ported what I had discovered in my trip up the long southern reach, on receiving which the Surveyor-General decided to return with me the next day, on which occasion he confined himself to an examination of an eastern branch of the creek, and a patient search for fresh water. " I have to complain of much the same treatment as to the Murray Mouth, as I was the first to enter that river from the sea. I feel great interest in that champion stream, and in the colony generally, in the establishment of which we had some- thing to do, and which seems to be flourishing wonderfully. I am now giving all the help I can to an engineer to go in for the docks in the port just above the North Arm. A few days ago I was called on by a gentleman to tell me that such a thing was likely to be undertaken, whom I informed that it was pos sible I might be able to give him some important information. The spot chosen is near where I got turned out in the water on the capsizing of the hatch-boat, by the force of a heavy squall, in beating up for the head of the creek (Old Port). 1 do not remember the names of my men, but it was a narrow escape, especially for poor Nation, who was with us. I heard of his sad death with great regret." Note. — As to the circumstances which confused Colonel Light in the essential difference between the state of the water he found in the Sixteen-mile Creek, and the somewhat exagge- rated account of it given by Captain Jones, such a discrepancy may be explained from the different season of the year when the creek was seen by them. It is natural to suppose, although the date of Jones' visit is not given, that he arrived and found the fresh state of the heads of the various branches of the main creek after a heavy and continued rain-fall, when the freshets were still running, and that fresh water had displaced the salt at and below their unapproachable heads, as we know is the case more or less periodically at the present time. Jones may also have landed on Torrens Island when he found lodges of rain water on it. I may mention that when ships were lying at or a little below the Old Port (Misery) I heard reports of buckets being let down from ships' sides and fresh water obtained. In further explanation it is observed that the time when Colonel Light made his inspection of the island, and of the easterly branch creek which points towards Mount Lofty, was 20 Early Experiences of late in the month of November, probably after a dry season. Moreover, his idea was a natural one, that a main stream might be found joining the eastern head of the creek, and thus he was led to neglect the southern reach on which Mr. Pullen had reported, the course of which runs parallel to the coast, and separated from it only by a narrow sandy strip of land. It is seen by these now published facts brought side by side that to Admiral Pullen and Sir G. S. Kingston belong the credit of proving that the sixteen-mile salt water creek and the constantly running water of the River Torrens have a connection, although after dry months the surface junction disappears. I continue to extract from the Admiral's letters to show his work when a master's mate at the Murray Mouth, and his taking a boat in and reaching what was called Port Pullen, now the Goolwa. The Admiral says : — " Port Pullen, I suppose, will follow (in the loss of his name), for the sketch I have lately seen of the entrance to the Murray is nothing like what I furnished after I had succeeded in pass- ing through the mouth. There too I nearly lost my life, for on going in in a boat expressly built for the river work I was thrown out into the surf. If I had lost my presence of mind and let go the steer oar, which the man pulling the after oar called on me to do, I should never have been writing this. I do not know how many times I passed down the south-east branch, now the Coorong, but the last time was when I went to hunt the murderers of the poor shipwrecked passengers and crew of the unfortunate Maria. When I first found the mangled bodies of men, women, and children, all in a nude state, I am certain that if there had been any natives present I could not have answered for the consequences, my men being in so exasperated and excited a state. Duncan was one of my men. He deserved a better berth than he has ever held since I have known him. He came home with me in the Lord Glenelg. The last time I saw him was in Valparaiso, in 1S49 ; he was boatman's mate in the JVereus, a Government store-ship, and I was lieutenant in H.M. ship Asia." " Whilst engaged at the Murray Mouth the Governor, and Surveyor Nixon, were with me on Barker's Knowle when I was first sounding in and out. I have seen several plans and sketches of the Channel, but only one of them agrees with the course it had when I sailed in in the cutter Waterwitch, and the river only found that course a few days before I ordered Life in South Australia. 21 the cutter to Encounter Bay, for the purpose of sailing her in. Indeed, the course direct out had changed so suddenly that I had no time to sound the new one, which winded so much that I felt very anxious about it, but I could not give up, so risked it and happily succeeded. " I can give you but little account of the events of the first days of the colony, except from recollection, for when I started on the survey of Lake Alexandrina, while fitting out at En- counter Bay, I was burned out, and what notes I had, with everything else I possessed, were destroyed except a pair of trousers I seized hold of, when I tumbled out of my cot to escape the burning element, then all over the roof, leaving me no time to get my watch from under the pillow. That fire commenced in another part of the building, in which I had placed my instruments, &c, as more secure, but they all went, and I was helpless, and had to walk the whole way to Adelaide to replenish everything (over eighty miles). " After some little time I returned and pitched my first camp, and surveyed what is now called Port Elliot, a mere notch in the coast, with an island or islet called by the then Governor Pullen's Isle, since known, I believe, as Lipson's, so blotting out all reminiscences of one of the earliest pioneers in the work. " My next adventure happened at one of the survey camps (Hill's), where a vicious beast of a Timor pony I had in use threw me, and I was four days insensible, away from my own camp, and no doctor nearer than Adelaide, which acci- dent happened in this way. I had gone to Encounter Bay from my camp in the morning for some purpose in connection with my work, when on my return I called at Hill's camp, .and found Mr. Nichols, the coroner, there. He had lost his horse, and I was asked if I found it on my way, would I return with it. I discovered the horse with the survey horses, and brought them all in, and whilst sitting carelessly with a slack rein on my beast whilst the men secured the horses, I was thrown. I do not know whether I fell with my head against a tree, or if the pony kicked me on the head. This was on Wednesday afternoon, and not until the Sunday follow- ing did I recover my recollection, when I woke up in a tent in Hill's camp, with old Dr. Wright and one of my men bend- ing over me. The doctor had arrived that morning, and on seeing the state I was in, almost black in the face, thought 22 Early Experiences of it was all over with me. Now, from that da}- to this I never knew how it occurred. I found all my hair off when I re- covered my senses, and my left arm much sprained, which I had to wear in a sling for some time. " Shortly after returning to my camp I received a letter from the Surveyor-General, saying, that Governor Gawler, with a party, wished to embark in my boats and go up the Murray, and if I had not sufficiently recovered, one of the surveyors was to take my boats (Mr. Calder, I think), but this I could not allow, and by the time proposed I was ready, and directly the party reached my camp, a start was made. Two ladies went with us — Mrs. Sturt and the Governor's eldest daughter. We stopped at the North-West Bend, and there a camp was formed. A small party started off to explore, and the result of that ride was a sad one, when poor Bryant was lost. The Governor was nearly gone also. In fact all the party came into the camp in a most exhausted state, also Sturt and Inman, who had separated from the Governor. One horse had been killed to save human life. " When at Valparaiso I was superintending the loading a small brig chartered by the Commander-in-Chief of the Station to take stores and provisions to the Sandwich Isles for the Arctic ship in Behring's Straits. " I went in the brig to join that ship, having been sent from England to join her at Panama, which port she did not visit, and I lost my passage, and it was not until June, 1849, I got on board of her, and ten days afterwards left in her boats to search the Northern Arctic coast of America in quest of Franklin ; that ship I have never seen from that day to this. I wintered two years and a half with the fur traders of the Hudson Bay Company, entering the Rivers Mackenzy, and passing right through Northern America to York Factory, bottom of Hudson's Bay, and got home with my men in one of their ships in October, 185 1. " The next year I went out again to Davis Straits, Lancaster Sound, and Beachy Isle, and was shut up in the ice two years. The ship I commanded was the only one of that expedition that returned to England of the squadron of five which left home in 1852; the crews returning with me and two ships which had brought us supplies, which ships heaved in sight the day I got my ship clear of the ice with all four crews on board. " I was glad to see these two ships, so we hauled into Life in South Australia. 23 the edge of the floe again, and they took a share of the men I had on board, and we reached England again in time to take part in the Russian War, where, at the bombardment of Jeddah, I had no less than eleven of the murderers of our consuls executed by decapitation. I got more than two salutes of thirteen guns each from two of our men-of-war, who arrived after I had finished the bombardment. I also received a letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in acknowledgment of that affair. " When in the Red Sea, sounding for the first cable for the purpose of connecting India with the western world, I had an audience with the Pasha of Egypt. This was in 1S61, after my return from the Arctic regions, on which occasion he re- marked to me, ' Why, your Government first freeze you and then send you here to be thawed.' After that service was com- pleted I was in hopes I should have had something of the same sort of work to do in connection with South Australia ; but no, the Lords of the Admiraltydid not seem to enter into the spirit of enterprise sufficiently to spare one of Her Majesty's ships for the purpose. I would gladly have ventured in the undertaking, rotten as my old ship was, even to the necessity of taking out of her two of her heavy guns. In fact an engineer of the name of Gibson had commenced a correspondence with me on the sub- ject. Nothing would have given me more pleasure than in taking my old H.M. ship Cyclops into Port Adelaide. Hard as my life has been in all my services, I have, by God's blessing, good health, and have much indeed to be thankful for, still I cannot help grumbling at having at this time nothing to do, which is about the hardest work I ever had. " I still feel great interest in the Murray Mouth, and, indeed, in all else in the colony. I should like to hear of that river being brought into closer connection with Adelaide and the port by rail. The sea mouth must be such a heavy undertaking, and no means of estimating the end of the cost, so that it had better be dropped for the time. I am afraid though that amongst you there are so many conflicting interests that you don't pull together. It seems to me that every one is for him- self, and no one for the good of all, and no downright public feeling and thought for the benefit of the country. " I am very glad to hear that your new Governor takes such an interest in the colony, and that he advocates a rail- way to Port Darwin. I saw in one of the papers (the Ad- 24 Early Experiences of vertiser) the speech of Sir William Jervois at the Mayor's dinner. I consider it a very good one, and to the point, and that he confirms my views also as to the sea mouth and Port A r ictor. Such opinions have been published in my letters some time ago. " I met Sir William Jervois in Bermuda when I was there on marine surveying purposes. He was there to consider the best means of fortifying the islands, and I was called on to advise as to the best style of marine monsters (ironclads) to act in con- junction with the land forts. " I believe that Adelaide (S. A.) will eventually be the chief settlement in Australia. The telegraph line across to Port Darwin has given a great impetus to the colony." It has given the author great pleasure in being able to pub- lish the foregoing resumes of Admiral Pullen's public services, both in the Imperial and Colonial services. Postscript. — Mention may with propriety here be made of the late Mr. Henry Mildred, who was one of the few who joined in the work of founding the colony. Mr. Henry Mildred was born at Portsea, England, in March, 1795. For some years before South Australia was spoken of as a colony, Mr. Mildred had determined to emigrate. The new colony of South Australia presented such attractions that he dispatched his son, Hiram Mildred, in the brig Rapid, under Colonel Light, to South Australia, intending to follow himself with the remainder of his family. At this time the South Australian Company retained his services to proceed to the North of England to purchase the appliances required for a ship building yard, a patent slip, and steam saw and corn mills. On his return he proceeded to the colony with the manager, Mr. David McLaren, in the barque South Australian, which arrived at Kangaroo Island on the 22nd April, 1837. After some delay, part of the plant was removed to the mainland and the engine 1 and mills were erected near Adelaide, being known as the Company's Mill. The other parts of the plan were abandoned by the company. An offer was then made to Mr. Mildred to continue in the service of the Company, which he declined. He accepted a seat in the Municipal Council in 1841, and took an active part in all public questions of the day. He was a most determined opponent of the project to introduce the Parkhurst bays, and greatly assisted in causing the scheme to Life in South Australia. 25 be abandoned. In 1850 he was appointed a justice of the peace, and in 1858 a special magistrate. In 1857 he was elected a member in the House of Assembly for the district of Noarlunga. In April, 1S60, Mr. Mildred was returned for East Torrens, and sat a second time for the same district. In 1866 three vacancies occurred in the Legislative Council, and of ten candidates Mr. Mildred was returned second on the list. The honourable gentleman retained his seat till 187 1, when it became vacant by effluxion of time and he then retired from public life. He died in the year 1877, aged 82 years. In his public life he was consistent and active, in private life exemplary, and it may be said he left no enemies. Mr. Henry Mildred left two sons and one daughter, who are still living. Mr. Hiram Mildred, the eldest, is a member of the Council of the City of Adelaide ; his second son, Henry, who some time ago sat in Parliament for East Torrens, is a solicitor ; the daughter is the wife of Mr. J. Varley, special magistrate, of Kapunda. CHAPTER IV. Captain Hindmarsh arrived in the ship Buffalo, 28th December, 1836, to take up his office as first Governor of South Australia. With him came the Rev. C. B. Howard, first Colonial chaplain, Osmond Gilles, Esqre., treasurer, with a few other officers and some emigrants. On landing, the governor proclaimed the colony in the presence of government officers and settlers on the spot, under a bent gum tree at Glenelg, near the mouth of the Pattawalonga Creek. My intention is to avoid a relation of the little political squabbles which disturbed the harmony of the first few months of the colony, but it is necessary to record something of the causes which produced the disagreements. Captain Hindmarsh was strongly impressed with the importance of the grand water- way of the Murray and its tributaries, and pressed his views perhaps too warmly on the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Surveyor-General. He also objected to the site chosen for the city, and desired to have it placed adjacent to the port ; but Colonel Light, after careful examination of the country nearer 26 Early Experiences of the landing place, adhered to his first choice. Thus arose two parties in the colony and much excitement was caused. The governor had no official voice in the matter, but nevertheless it must be admitted that he put a correct value on the import- ance of utilising the grand stream which, coming from the heart of Australia, finds its mouth at Encounter Bay. In this matter, however, Captain Hindmarsh was in advance of the times, for as far as this colony is concerned, the Murray flows mostly through poor country, and in 1838 we knew little or nothing of the value of the pasture lands about the upper Murray and its tributaries, and the Rivenna trade was then a thing of the future. Yet the value of the River Murray as a navigable watercourse, with its far-stretching feeders, having been proved by Captain Sturt, in his successful boat trip down the Murray and back, all that was required in the first place was to remove snags in its channel and provide harbour accommodation through or near its embouchure. Lieut. Pullen, R. N., was early after his arrival with the Surveyor-General, detached by him to explore and survey the mouth of the Murray with a small boat's crew and a whale boat under his command. I was, as far as I know, the only individual who rode down to meet Mr. Pullen after he entered the river mouth in an open boat, and I spent a night with him where he was engaged in survey- ing the channel past Goolwa, as it was subsequently named. He had expressed his confidence that he would be able to succeed in entering the mouth with a sailing craft, and this feat he subse- quently accomplished in the cutter JVatenvitch, which after- wards foundered off Moorundie, where she was anchored. It will hardly be believed by strangers that after doing this he was coldly received in Adelaide, and left us in disgust. I must mention that before he left the colony he accompanied Captain Hart in assisting to bring overland a herd of cattle from Port- land Bay which had been purchased by the brothers Hack from Dr. Imby, of Twofold Bay, employment very different from the high and honourable professional services he has subsequently rendered to the nation. A small number of marines were left as a sort of body guard to the Governor. I may here give some accounts of them under the influences of drink even when on duty. • Of these men one had been told off to act as guard over the Treasury. I furnish this instance as related to me by the Treasurer himself. He had spent the evening with a few con- Life in South Australia. 2 J vivial friends (a not unusual occurrence in those early days), and on leaving the company for his own dwelling (a small wooden cottage), he had to pass near the tent then used as the Treasury, and in which was a large safe, his own private pro- perty, lent to the Government. As the moon was shining brightly, he could see the tent but not the sentinel. Feeling that something was out of place, he approached the tent, and found the guard lying down, with his musket beside him ; so, although he was not on his legs, he could not be said to have deserted his post. The marine was addressed thus, in a loud voice, "Brown, what the d are you doing?" and received a sharp kick in addition ; but this only producing a grunt, some further and more violent kicks were applied. On this the sleeper was aroused so far as to sit up and rub his eyes. He was then asked what he was about — did he know where he was? " Yes, sir ; yes, sir." "Well, then, where are you?" To this he blurted out, "Aboard the Buffalo, sure, sir; but who are you, sir, kicking me ? Oh, Lord, what shall I do — it's the Treasurer himself! Oh, sir, do not report me; good sir, I shall be ruined !" "Well, then, get up and attend to your duty, you drunken rascal ; in the morning I will let you know what I shall do." The Treasurer added, after relating the above, with sundry strong words which I have omitted, '" The truth is, as there was only one shilling and sixpence in the safe, a guard might have been spared." The Government were aground at this time as to cash, but immediately afterwards a supply was obtained through the Treasurer's private means. I will add one more example of the way in which these marine guards sometimes performed their duties during the short time they were so employed, which came under my own observation. I was returning home late one day after sunset, having taken a long ride to the north of the city, and desired to make the north-east corner of South Adelaide as laid out. The night was dark, and on crossing the Torrens near where the Company's Bridge now stands, I was attracted by a log fire, and also could see a tent. As I got near I became aware I had arrived at the encampment where a few prisoners, chained by the legs to a trunk of a tree, were kept under charge of marines. This was about the centre of the ground now occupied by our charming Botanic Gardens. When I got suffi- ciently near I found no one about, but on closer inspection discovered guards as well as prisoners all in a sound sleep ; 28 Early Experiences of the sentinel, who ought to have been patrolling around the spot, was lying on his back cuddling his brown bess, and with an empty black bottle beside him. I conjectured that he had not taken his final and finishing drop until he had seen his com- rades and prisoners safe in a helpless state of drunkenness. I did not consider it politic or necessary under the circumstances to disturb the slumbers of the guard, and I suppose that on the change of guards in the morning all matters were found to be in due form, as no prisoners escaped. The services of the marines were not retained after the retirement of Captain Hind- marsh. From one of the original Government officers I had the following information : — The Governor, wishing to review and inspect his guards, ordered the corporal to bring them up for that purpose. After due notice and some trouble their non- commissioned officer could only muster in a presentable state about half the squad for the Vice-Admiral's inspection. On this disgraceful display, as a matter of course, His Excellency's remarks were more warm than complimentary, but I do not think his reproof of the absent delinquents had more effect on those present than the remarks from the pulpit so often heard by the regular attendants at church have upon the stray sheep that are missed from the ecclesiastical fold. I believe that nearly the whole of the marines, after spending a jolly time in the colony, were taken away by Captain Hind- marsh when he left Adelaide for Sydney in the month of July, 1838, in the Alligator, gun brig. I think the corporal or ser- geant was the only one left ; he was a respectable man, and resided at Glenelg until his death. As to his rowdy men, they were soon put under discipline calculated to produce reforma- tion after having been placed in a false position on shore under insufficient restraint. I must not omit to do justice to Colonel Light, who early retired from his duties. As Colonel Light vacated his office before my arrival, I have little to say as to the causes of this step, further, than that the Commissioners in London desired to introduce some radical changes in the principle of surveying the lands, and were much dissatisfied on account of the delays. which appeared to them uncalled for, although they were in a great measure occasioned by their own injudicious arrange- ments. It is but justice to add, that Colonel Light, at the time of his arrival, was suffering from serious indisposition. Of Colonel Light's zeal and efficiency in the service there can Life in South Australia. 29 be but one opinion, and his bearing was always that of a most efficient officer and a gentleman. The manner in which he performed his first and critical duties in selecting the site of the city and temporary old port cannot be too highly spoken of, especially as, although he had some good and well-qualified officers under him, they were all new to the work of laying out and surveying a new country, and amongst them were a large proportion of men of little or no experience as surveyors. Then he was hurried and pestered by the arrival of immigrants and settlers before he had time even to examine the country as he must have desired to do. If all these circumstances are properly weighed, how much must he have suffered in mind when he had to surrender the work, on which his heart was so deeply set, before his choice of sites were fully proved to be the best possible to have been made, even had the circumstances been more favourable as to the time and means- he had at his command. It is also a matter to be regretted that his name is not associated with more pleasing localities than Light Square and the " Dirty Light " (a watercourse so called), with the exception of Light's Passage. After his lamented death, which occurred in 1 S3 9, about one year after his resig- nation, when the proposal to raise funds to erect the monument to his memory was broached, to be placed in its present position, there were several objections urged, and a suggestion was made to substitute some useful work, such as a bridge or jetty, especially as up to that time no such works had been erected in the colony. I had not the pleasure of being inti- mately known to him, and yet as an old colonist I desire that our obligations to him should be acknowledged by some more worthy memorial than has yet been raised in his honour. The misunderstandings and bickerings which had been stirred up between the Governor, Captain Hindmarsh, and some of the officials over whom he had no control, soon led the Home Government to recall him. He had experienced a most harassing time, and on being recalled by Lord Glenelg had the consolation of being informed by him " that it was without censure, and to avoid the removal of responsibility from the South Australian Commissioners in London as to the peaceable government of South Australia, and that his confidence in Captain Hindmarsh was such as to lead the Home Govern- ment to give him without delay another appointment," which he soon °:ot with honours added. 50 Early Experiences of The Governor was regretted by a large portion of the colonists ; he was a warm-hearted, bluff sailor, whom to know was to esteem and to respect. Captain Hindmarsh had served under Nelson, of glorious renown, from whose hands he had the honour to receive a presentation sword, accompanied with high compliments on his gallant conduct and the uniform dis- charge of his professional duties. Captain Hindmarsh obtained his various steps of promotion by merit. He finished his career in the public service, after receiving knighthood from her Majesty, as Governor of Heligoland, one of England's important stations in time of war. Captain Hindmarsh, on vacating his Government (1838), appointed G. M. Stephen, Esq., the Attorney-General, as Acting-Governor. Mr. Stephen, during his short reign, con- ducted the Government in a very efficient style, but as to private matters he did not escape censure. He embarked in a private land transaction, which brought him into great trouble. Out of this land speculation two criminal charges were brought against him, from which, however, he got clear. Respecting this matter, he brought a libel action against the late Mr. George Stevenson, who had been Private Secretary to Captain Hindmarsh, but the jury found a verdict for the defendant. It is not necessary to go into particulars, excepting so far as to relate circumstances to his credit in this transaction, in a matter on which I can speak, as having been involved with him, but without any pecuniary advantage. On his taking up the Port Gawler Special Survey he applied to me for pecuniary assistance, stating that he was short of ^"500 of the necessary amount of the purchase-money. He told me the locality in which he had made his selection. As I had seen the country a few days before, I was quite satisfied he had secured a good thing for himself, and that there would be small risk, if any, in assisting him. It was not convenient for me to lend him the amount. On my telling him this, he proposed that I should draw upon him for the sum he required. To this I consented, and afterwards procured the discount of the acceptance for him. After he had obtained the land he negotiated the sale of it with two wealthy gentlemen, recent arrivals from India. On these parties becoming dissatisfied with their bargain (I had reason at the time to think through bad advice) — they were persuaded they had paid too dear for their whistle — and find- ing they could under the land regulations obtain for themselves Life in South Australia. 31 direct from the Government land at £ 1 per acre, desired to back out of the arrangement ; but on finding they could not do this, they instituted criminal proceedings against the seller, charging him with giving a false description of the land, and of altering a figure in one of the documents. He was brought up to the Supreme Court, and charged with fraud and forgery. The bill for ,£500 on which I was liable was current at the time of these trials. The general opinion was that Mr. Stephen would be cast, and I felt sure of losing the amount in which I had become liable. However, to the defendant's credit, on the morning of the second trial {i.e., on the charge of forgery) I met him entering the Court, and, although I endeavoured to avoid him, he came towards me, and produced his acceptance cancelled, saying, " I have taken up your draft, and here it is." I further mention that at the time Mr. Stephen presented me with the cancelled draft, Mr. George Stevenson saw the action, and immediately afterwards told me I should be required as a witness for the prosecution ; but I was not called on, as I answered I knew nothing personally of the transactions except what would redound to the defendant's credit. Now, it was almost universally expected that on this charge he would have been found guilty. Although by the verdicts of the juries he got clear of the charges brought against him, he was generally blamed for having gone into land speculations ; and at any rate was chargeable with conduct unbecoming the high position he held. It must be admitted that his action in releasing me from liability, whilst his own position appeared so doubtful, was honourable in the extreme. It is but justice to him to add that the land, which he had so soon resold for a good profit, is now I may say worth ten times the amount he realised for it. For myself, I may say that I made no charge for the accom- modation, nor did I ever receive anything, directly or indi- rectly, as a return for it. I was satisfied with my escape at the time, and think it only justice to one who held the position of Acting-Governor to mention circumstances to his credit. I should mention that Colonel Gawler had arrived and dis- placed Mr. Stephen before the trials took place. At that time the following highly complimentary remarks appeared in the Register of February 21st, 1839: — " We do not think it pos- sible for the most inveterate opponent of the system of govern- ment adopted in South Australia to deny to Mr. G. M. Stephen the praise of having borne his honours meekly, &c. Our own 32 Early Experiences of favourable opinion of his acts have been too distinctly expressed to need repetition, &c, &c." CHAPTER V. In the early part of 1837 the establishments of the Govern- ment and of the South Australian Company were removed from Kangaroo Island to temporary encampments at Holdfast Bay and Port Adelaide. There were at this time only two horses in the colony — one belonging to the Company and one to Mr. John Morphett (now Sir John). No stable had yet been built nor any fences put up, and the horses were kept on tether-ropes to feed on the luxuriant kangaroo grass growing about the lagoons at the termination of the River Sturt. One morning these valuable animals were discovered to have got away from- their tether-ropes. An immediate search was made around the neighbourhood by several men, some going south and towards the hills, and others northerly to the Reed- beds and near the spot whereon the City of Adelaide now stands. Success not having attended the search, Mr. C. W. Stuart (who held the position of overseer of stock) determined to start the next day to seek traces of the lost horses. He was accompanied by Mr. Allen, who desired to have such an opportunity to botanise ; H. Alford, an employe of the Com- pany ; and Nat, a sealer from the island. (Mr. Allen was afterwards the manager of the first Botanical Gardens, which were commenced on ground between the present slaughter- house and Thebarton Bridge.) An early start was made on foot by the horse hunters, each carrying three days' rations and two bottles of water. Mr. Stuart's fine kangaroo dog Hector also accompanied them. They travelled south, in sight of the Gulf. The weather was hot, and their water was expended before the day was far spent, and the bottles were cast away — the first tokens of civilization left in that part of the country. About 4 o'clock Nat said to Mr. Stuart — " When we get to the top of that rise we shall see the outlet of a river ; the water is salt, but there are native wells under the sandhills." (He had landed there when sealing.) On arriving at the summit of the gentle mound, and whilst enjoying the charming pros- Life in South Australia. 33 pect of the river meandering in a serpentine course through natural meadows, smoke was seen to arise from a clump of honeysuckle trees, or Banksias, and a native camp was soon perceived, with the smoke of fires rising upwards towards the deep blue sky. All doubts were soon dissipated and fears aroused by the sudden appearance of a considerable number of natives of all ages and sexes. Their first impulse was to retire, but the natives had early seen them, and in a short time men, women, and children rushed towards them to indulge their curiosity with the sight of white men. The native men set up a great shout, and, coming to the front, brandished their spears, and appeared to invite or dare the whites to approach and engage them. Mr. Allen and Alford were in great alarm on this their first sight of natives ; and they exhibiting threatening actions, Nat also seemed disconcerted, and muttered, " Full moon, come down to fish and hold a corroboree; they must be Onkaparinga and Encounter Bay blacks." Mr. Stuart had been much among aboriginals in New South Wales, and was well acquainted with their habits ; he was therefore calm and collected. Nat now explained to him that the black woman whom he had on the island belonged to one of these tribes, and he was aware that they were not pleased at her absence. He understood a few of their words, but thought it better for him to keep as much out of sight as possible. Mr. Stuart kept in front with his fowl- ing-piece in hand. On one side of him Alford was placed, Mr. Allen behind, and Nat on the other side, as much out of sight as possible. Mr. Allen was in a most excited state, and kept saying that they must be prepared to die like men. At length eight warriors came forward with spears in their hands. Hector was parading to and fro, growling most angrily, with his tail and bristles erect. Fearing he might precipitate a collision, he was chained to a small tree. The blacks came on in single file, but in such an open manner that it was felt that they were not bent on mischief. A tall fellow was ahead of the others, who was afterwards known as Tarn o' Shanter. On their approaching within six paces of the leader of the English force (Mr. Stuart), he commenced an address in his unknown tongue, the others viewing the whites with intense astonishment. Tarn, as he spoke, pointed to the sea. In answer to him, signs were made that the party required water to drink; and the word "cowie, 34 Early Experiences of cowie " was repeated. For some time Mr. Allen addressed the black leader, repeating that they had landed to introduce Mr. Wakefield's principles of colonization, and that they begged to apologise for the intrusion on their country, &c, &c. Tarn o' Shanter, not understanding Mr. Allen's polite speech, got impatient and stepped up to Mr. Stuart, and first took from his head his cabbage-tree hat and touched up his hair, and then opened his waistcoat and shirt-front to examine his skin ; then lifted up one of his feet, and, like a vet., examined his boot. The others also had to submit to a similar examination — at which Mr. Allen expressed great anger, saying he had never been treated in such a manner before. They did not attempt to take anything until they discovered the sugar and salt pork ; of the first they partook, also of the fat of the pork, which they devoured greedily. They were much frightened of Hector. They next examined the guns, and when satisfied handed them back to the owners of them. Mr. Stuart, wishing to show them the use of guns, placed his to his shoulder and fired high in the air. Tarn then seized it, and placed it to his own shoulder in the same manner, and there held it, seemingly expecting it to go off as it had done before, and after a short time cast it down in disgust. Having now satisfied their curiosity, one of them said, " Cowie," and led the party to one of their native wells, and then left them. As the place was well adapted for a camp it was adopted, and by the time the sun was getting low a bush tent was made — a shelter being necessary as the party had no blankets. Pots of tea having been made, as they were dis- cussing their diminished provisions, two old women appeared, bearing on small sheets of bark a supply of fried fish, which was a most acceptable addition to their fare. Although all the rest of the travellers were satisfied of the friendly dispositions of the blacks, Mr. Allen continued to express his fear that none of the party would be allowed to depart, or ever reach the camp at Holdfast Bay, as he believed they were in the midst of can- nibals. All being tired an early coil was adopted, but before sleep closed their eyes musical sticks were beaten in time, and a blaze of fire shot up in the natives' camp, and a grand cor- roboree was commenced. Mr. Allen and Alford, never having heard such a performance, were somewhat alarmed, but Mr. Stuart and Nat by their laughter reassured them. There was a large concourse of performers. The men, as usual on such festivities, were adorned with white stripes on their faces and Life in South Australia. 35 breasts, and down the arm and leg bones. Hector was chained at his owner's feet and kept quiet, and sleep soon closed all eyes. In the morning Mr. S. rose early, and looking on the serpentine channel of the river, at a short distance from the camp, to his surprise saw a numerous concourse of wild fowl on the bosom of the quiet water. Hector was unchained and accompanied his master, armed with his fowling-piece. A swan was soon shot, which Hector brought to land, and this was hung on a tree out of reach of the blackfellows' dogs. Other swans were followed by the sportsman. At this time by growls Hector gave notice that some one was approaching, and two young black men joined company, intimating they had heard the gun and wished to join in the sport. They had thro wing- sticks with them. In a short time two more swans were ap- proached, and, on rising, a shot was fired, and one dropped into the water with its wing broken. One of the black youths jumped into the river at the same time Hector did, and gave chase, but the dog reached the wounded bird first. The black endeavoured to intercept him, and a contest took place ; but the boy had to dive to escape Hector's fangs, who landed with his prize in triumph. This little display of strife did not break up the friendly relations of those engaged in the sport, but after this occurrence the blacks did not interfere with Hector's department, but were satisfied to carry the game. The water birds were so abundant, and had not before been scared by gunners, so that six ducks were soon bagged, with which a return was made to the camp. There was a duck for each of the party and to spare. Tarn o' Shanter was presented with one of the swans, and the old women who had so kindly im- proved their previous supper had the other bestowed upon them. Mr. Stuart was soundly rated by Mr. Allen for running such a risk in going out alone without rousing any of his companions, who had been exceedingly anxious about him when they awoke and found him absent. After breakfast the men, two at a time, indulged in a swim in the river, and then followed up the same to seek a place where the horses, if they had travelled south, might have crossed. A large number of the blacks accompanied them. In the afternoon Mr. Stuart shot a fine wild turkey, which was retained for their own use for that day and until they reached home. On their arriving near the part of the river now called the Horseshoe they first saw the footprints of the horses, and 36 Early Experiences of on pointing such out to a young blackfellow he went down all- fours and endeavoured to imitate the galloping of a horse, and then pointed over the range, intimating by signs that the horses were feeding there. On the ground being further examined it was perceived that horses had been feeding in that bend of the river for a day or two, and, if they had not been disturbed, might have been easily shut in by bushes and caught ; but as they had got out of such a favourable place, and were now out in the clear, it was considered to be useless for men on foot to pursue them further, and as more horses were expected by the next ship from Launceston it was decided to return, as traces to be followed had been met with. After passing a miserable night, with occasional showers of rain, without shelter or blan- kets, an early start was made in the morning for Holdfast Bay, distant about twenty-one miles. Many of the natives kept with them. On reaching the high land near what is now known as O'Halloran Hill, the Buffalo and other ships lying at anchor in Holdfast Bay were visible. The blacks who were in company expressed their astonishment by yells and dancing. After half- an-hour's rest Tarn o' Shanter and five or six of the men of the tribe kept up with the returning party, the remainder keeping in the rear as if they were in doubt as to the treament their men would meet with. On the double party reaching the tents they were met by Governor Hindmarsh. There had been some anxiety about their fate. His Excellency expressed himself shocked that Mr. Stuart should have brought the naked black men amongst the tents of the numerous immigrants, and imme- diately called on Mr. Gilbert, the Government storekeeper, to supply the men with clothing, which being brought forth, some of the sailors, who were ashore from the Buffalo, took the natives in hand to dress and pet, pressing on them pipes and grog, which at the time the blacks declined, preferring sugar and fat pork ; but alas ! how soon they acquired a taste for the indulgences offered ! The dressed-up black men displayed any- thing but comfort or content in their unaccustomed array, which on becoming apparent, the Governor, on advice, was consi- derate enough to order blankets to be exchanged for the un- popular garments, and the men soon retired greatly pleased with the blankets enveloping them, and rejoined their anxious and doubting families. Before they left, although they were fashionable enough not to express surprise at any of the unac- customed sights which met their eyes, yet at the appearance of Life in South Australia. ^,1 a wax doll with moving eyes they could not contain their admi- ration. The doll was in the hands of a little girl just landed. The first expedition into the bush attempted or entered upon by officials was in the same year (1837), when the Com- missioner of Crown Lands (Mr. J. H. Fisher) and the Surveyor- General (Colonel Light)started to reach Encounter Bayoverland. Mr. Stephen Hack was with them to render his assistance as an incipient bushman ; a corporal's guard of marines was obtained from the Buffalo to act against any hostile natives whom they might encounter. Tents and swag were conveyed in a Government bullock-dray. There was a horse-dray and saddle horses for the officials, who had also the attendance of their own servants and some other men. The first day they made the Messrs. Hack's sheep station, near the coast, and distant in a direct course from Glenelg about twelve miles. The ground was found to be soft from recent rains. It was now discovered that the outfit of the party was too ponderous for the cattle, and on the following morning Mr. Hack was sent back to secure the services of Mr. John Chambers to bring out drays and some additional requirements, and to convey the marines with their outfit back to their ship. On the following day Mr. Chambers arrived with his drays at the encampment. He did not set out on the starting tracks of the Government drays, but hit them on the top of what is now known as Tapley's Hill. He also found the ground heavy enough to try his cattle. At sundown the bullocks, which had been put on good feed, were placed under the charge of a night watchman (one of the drivers) fully armed, who was to be relieved in the usual manner. All other hands having turned in, in their first sleep the watchman rushed in, giving the alarm that a number of natives were coming down the hill, uttering their war cries. All hands quickly turned out, and the sounds which had alarmed the watchman were soon heard approaching nearer and nearer. The marines under the corporal had soon their muskets loaded, and were drawn up ready to receive the advancing foe. Colonel Light charged the men to be steady and not to fire at random, but only at the word of command, and to take good aim. The yells were continuously kept up ; none of the party had previ- ously heard such piercing cries ; but as the numerous throats from which they proceeded approached nearer, doubts from some of the most courageous of the party began to be enter- 6 8 Early Experiences of tained as to the kind of animals keeping up such an unusual concert, it also being known that the largest carnivorous brutes found in Australia were dingoes.* It was soon decided that a false alarm had been given, and a general return was made to the blankets ; but the guard declined to return to his duty unless he had the protection of an armed marine with him. The drays and cattle belonging to Mr. Chambers remained at the camp one day to recruit for the return journey of twelve miles. During the night a sheep which had been obtained from Mr. Hack's flock was dressed, and placed for safety in Colonel Light's own tent, provided for the advancing exploring party. On the following morning the carcase was missing, supposed to have been used up by the marines, to whom a taste of fresh meat was at that time a rarity ; the officials were therefore well pleased when their guards started on their return march, with their tents, &c, in Mr. Chambers' drays. The exploring party continued to push southwards, and after passing the spot where Aldinga is now, made the foot of the ranges, where the town of Willunga has been since erected. Here they decided to return to the settlement, feeling it imprudent in their weakened state to encounter the perils of the untracked and difficult country before them, and the wild blacks of the coast districts. Mr. Chambers had returned the marines to their ship, at anchor in Holdfast Bay, and thus ended the first Government exploring trip. CHAPTER VI. In the charter which was obtained by an Act of the Imperial Parliament, it was provided that a colonial chaplain should be appointed, and an income of ^300 a year be set apart out of the colonial funds for his support. This was the only special privilege given to the branch of the Episcopal Church of Eng- land in the new colony ; and, so far as it went, was an approach * The wild dogs (dingoes) at an early period were in the habit of serenading the first settlers in the manner above described, forming packs of considerable numbers, so that a kind of concert was kept up, and sleep was impossible. Life in South Australia. 39 to a connection of religion with the State ; but some time afterwards, against the wish of a majority of the colonists, grants in aid of public worship and sites for churches and glebes, were given by the colonial government to such of the various bodies, in proportion to the numbers belonging to each, as would accept them. This grant-in-aid was, after a few years, withdrawn by a vote of the legislative council. Churchmen are now, at any rate, content with the condition of equality in which their Church has been placed with other Christian communions. Our first colonial chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, was specially adapted for the important post he had to fill as a missionary priest. No sooner was the site of the city fixed by the Surveyor-General, and the small population somewhat con- centrated, than Mr. Howard desired to commence his minis- terial duties. To carry this out conveniently, in the absence of any building in which services could be held, he borrowed a large sail from a ship captain in port, to be used until a tem- porary room could be provided. Having progressed so far, the next difficulty to be overcome was how to get the sail conveyed to the infant city. All other means failing, he applied to his friend and fellow-passenger, Mr. Osmond Gilles, the colonial treasurer, who had a truck at the Old Port, for the use of it. This was at once granted ; but then came the obstacle of a want of hands to drag the load seven miles along the dusty- track, in blazing hot weather. This difficulty seemed to be insurmountable, as all hands were fully occupied in landing baggage and cargo, and in various other occupations. Saturday had arrived, and so there was no other alternative for the two enthusiasts, who had already and alone commenced the arrange- ments, but to put themselves in harness to drag the load. Let those who knew the stout treasurer imagine him in the pole and the rev. chaplain in the lead, with a rope over his shoulder, and then fancy them, having toiled so far, about five miles, crossing the gullies as they were then at Hindmarsh, before that town- ship was laid out, and they will be able to realise the figure they cut at the bottom of the first gully, with the treasurer sprawling on the ground, overpowered in his fruitless endeavours to hold back and steady the pace. As neither poler nor leader was hurt, they sat down and had a hearty laugh while the fallen one dusted himself. How they managed to cross the Torrens I do not know. I have no doubt thev had assistance there from a 40 Early Experiences of few people who were busily engaged in erecting tents and huts on the encampment between North Terrace and the river. The sail having been rigged to the best of their ability, the services of the church were held beneath it the next day, and regularly until a temporary wooden building was ready. The Church of England next had the use of a room situated in the Arcade in Currie Street, which was used on week days as a court house. This was so small that many of the congrega- tion had to remain outside, and here I and my family had the privilege of attending the ministrations of the colonial chaplain until the present Trinity Church was completed. The broad and truly catholic principles exhibited by our dearly-beloved clergyman cannot be too highly spoken of. His zeal and that of the treasurer in their desire to erect a substantial church, in place of the flimsy wooden-framed one sent out from England, led them to become responsible in the sum of ^j,ooo to the contractor for the stone structure now in use. As the last ministerial duty the Rev. Mr. Howard performed was over the remains of one of my family, I may be permitted to give an account of it as a doubly bitter experience. Some months after I with my family had settled in the bush, i.e., nearly three years after landing, we were called upon to suffer the loss of a dear child under two years of age. No place of worship had at that time been erected out of the city, nor had any other than the West-terrace cemetery been set apart by the Government. The Rev. Mr. Howard, although at the time in a weak state of health, came to us in our distress to perform the funeral service over the remains of our boy. The treasurer had sections in my neighbourhood, on one of which he had promised to give several acres as a graveyard, but it had not been conveyed or conse- crated. One adult had already been buried there in the open and wild bush. After the service had been impressively de- livered, and we were returning from the grave > reflecting on the unprotected place in which I was leaving the earthly remains of my child, I became almost overwhelmed, and paused in the bed of the creek we were crossing, and there I received from my dear pastor a long, kind, consolatory address. Sad to say, they were the last words I was to be favoured with from his lips. On mounting his horse, he departed from this wild spot, and I saw him no more. On reaching his parsonage, weary and faint, he retired to his bed. Soon after, as I was informed, a person who said he required to see him on pressing business, Life in South Australia. 41 was allowed an interview, and prostrate as he was, there and then served him with a writ for the amount in which he had become responsible jointly with the treasurer, on account of the contract with the builder of the church. Melancholy to relate, his death followed within a few days, hastened, it was feared, by the shock he received from the service of the writ (1843). The lamentation and grief at his loss was universal, and he was followed to the grave by the inhabitants en masse. I should here explain that the claim for the debt on the church was principally met afterwards by the treasurer, who surrendered one of his best sections, and so our modest first church was cleared from liability; but our pastor's life had passed away before he was permitted to see the work completed on which he had exercised such untiring exertions, and he had sunk under the weight of them. Of the Rev. C. B. Howard I can only repeat what has been so often said of him, that he abounded in Christian charity, and consequently was beloved and respected even by those of the colonists outside our communion. He was an Evangelical broad churchman in the highest sense, and rejoiced, as all true churchmen do, in the comprehensiveness of our Church and history. Such a clergyman, occupying the post he filled, by his example did very much to produce the harmony which prevailed in the colony in his day, and since, as to reli- gious matters, especially exhibited in the pleasing actions of Christians of all denominations contributing to the building funds for the erection of places of worship under whatever name they might be called. I would say, as to non-essential differ- ences, let them continue to prevail, if Christians of all denomi- nations join in loyal and united support of good government, and work together in harmony for real liberty without licence. When we old colonists of the small number surviving, after many hard struggles in our own private affairs, now turn our eyes from Trinity Church, across the river and park lands, and see on the opposite rise the beautiful and imposing cathedral which the venerable and respected Bishop Short was able to complete so far, and know also that he had been aided in funds by the liberality of members of other religious bodies, we cannot but rejoice thereat, and feel that the good examples set in the early days of the colony have been followed. It is also a source of gratification to see the many beautiful and charac- teristic sacred buildings which have been erected at so large a cost, and with so much taste, by other communions. On the 42 Early Experiences of lamented death of the first colonial chaplain, the Very Rev. Dean Farrell was appointed to succeed him. At the death of Dean Farrell the office of colonial chaplain was abolished. Having devoted so much space to our first colonial chaplain, I now desire to do justice to another eminent fellow-worker with him in pastoral duties, who, although not of the same communion, was in a high degree successful in gathering a flock under the banner of the same Spiritual Master — I mean the Rev. T. Q. Stow. I was a witness to the praiseworthy manner in which he devoted himself to the task he had under- taken. I then, as I have often since, wondered how a minister of his high talents and popularity could have been induced to leave England, where he must have commanded a first-class position in the Congregational Church, to undergo the toils and privations of pastoral life in a new and wild country. Though he had the support of the Colonial Missionary Society to depend upon, in addition to the free-will offerings of his flock in South Australia, he drew upon the funds of the Society as little as possible, and for this reason for some years educated a few private pupils, and afterwards engaged in farming until the times of struggling and depression in the colony had passed away, and the pioneer Independent Church and con- gregation became self-supporting. It will be seen from this that the privations Mr. Stow endured were voluntary, and were borne in the true missionary spirit. It is also to be recorded that he assisted with his own hands in building the first Con- gregational church, which was constructed of pines and reeds, and was situated on North Terrace, a little to the west of Morphett Street. A pleasing contrast to this is exhibited in the present large and influential body of Independents. The esteem in which the father of the Congregational Church in South Australia was held is marked by the beautiful Stow Memorial Church, which loving members of his communion and the public have erected to his memory, and by the monu- ment over his grave in West Terrace cemetery. He was spared to his people until the colony greatly increased in population and prosperity. To the late Rev. Mr. Stow may also be justly applied the remarks I extract from the South Australian Magazine of January, 1842, which are there applied to the Rev. C. B. Howard, the first colonial chaplain—" To him is doubtless to be attributed much of that cordiality and good feeling which Life in South Australia. 43 has existed among all denominations of Christians from the establishment of the province up to this hour." This may be again repeated at the end of 47 years. The author has great pleasure in giving the history, from small beginnings, to the successful and extensive operations of the Roman Catholic Church in this province, which rapidly advanced after the arrival of the Right Rev. Bishop Murphy. He is indebted to the Right Rev. Bishop Reynolds, the present liberal and truly Christian head of that Church, for copious extracts from their records, as follows : — " Among the very first settlers in South Australia the number of the Catholics was proportionally great. The spiritual wants of those about Adelaide, Brighton, and Morphett Vale were attended to by Mr. Phillips, whose house served as an oratory, where as many as wished assembled each Sunday for prayer reading and for catechcism. "Early in 1S39 the Catholic inhabitants deputed Messrs. Phillips, Johnson, and Counsell to make known the great need of a priest in their midst, and through them a petition was sent to Sydney, to Archbishop Polding, who sent his vicar-general, the Very Rev. W. B. Ullathorne, D.D., to visit the little flock in South Australia. He arrived in June, 1840. On his arrival the Catholics mustered in goodly numbers. The house in which they had previously met was too small in which to open service. Dr. Ullathorne applied to Mr. D. McLaren, then manager of the South Australian Company, to allow him the temporary use of a school-room, which was used at times as a chapel, but was then vacant. The respectful application was refused with rudeness; the words used, taken from Dr. Ulla- thorne's report, were, ' he would not aid me in my Popish practices.' Many of the non-catholics expressed their indigna- tion at such narrow-minded bigotry." Mr. Neal, who had at that time a large store in Waymouth Street, placed it at the disposal of the Catholics, as Dr. Ulla- thorne says in his report : — "A very large room was given us by a liberal Protestant gentleman, where I erected a temporary altar, where, surrounded by crockery, hardware and miscel- laneous articles, I preached my first public sermon in the capital of South Australia. I had previously met a few of my people in a cottage on East Terrace, where also I offered the sacrifice of the mass for the first time. " After organising the Catholics to collect the means to erect 44 Early Experiences of a place of worship, and to pay the passage of a priest, whom he promised to procure for South Australia, Dr. Ullathorne returned to Sydney. The Rev. Mr. Benson was duly appointed by the Vicar Apostolic, and left Sydney by the brig Dorset, February 14, 1841, for his mission in South Australia. He was a quiet, delicate gentleman and scarcely ever left the city. He hired a wooden building which stood near the corner of Topham and Waymouth streets, and lived in a small slab hut in rear of his temporary chapel. The building will be remembered by old colonists as having previously served for a time as a police court. Father Benson's health completely gave way during the heat of January, 1843. He returned to Sydney in the following April, and afterwards left for England, and died at Wolver- hampton, in 1868, at the ripe age of 73. "In 1842 Pope Gregory XVI. raised Sydney to an Archi- episcopal See, and gave to the first archbishop, the late Vener- able John Bede Polding, O.S.B., Hobart Town, Perth, and Adelaide, as suffragan sees. The choice of the Pontiff com- pelled Dr. Murphy, Vicar-General of the Archbishop, to become first Bishop of Adelaide. The Rev. Edmund O'Mahony was sent pro tern, to Adelaide by the Metropolitan, to prepare for the coming of the bishop. He visited every district where he heard of any of his flock residing. He had for some time to work alone, as Father Benson had left via Sydney for New Zealand, and was single-handed until November 9, 1844, when the Right Rev. Francis Murphy, D.D., arrived per ship Mary White, accompanied by Father Michael Ryan, whom the bishop subsequently appointed as his vicar-general. The good bishop and his two priests found that the ' harvest was indeed great, and the labourers very few,' yet he was not discouraged, but set about the work at once, although he accepted the highly onerous office with great reluctance, knowing the uphill work he would have to encounter. He hired a building in Pirie-street, and this served as his pro-cathedral until the opening of St. Patrick's Schoolhouse at West Terrace. The episcopal residence — or, as they were accustomed to call it, the Brick Cottage (the palace)- — was in Wakefield Street, and became in after-years the Dublin Arms. Incongruous changes ! Bishop Murphy took on himself the sole charge of the city, and dis- patched Fathers O'Mahony and Ryan to distant districts. They visited Catholic families about the Gilbert, the Dirty Light, Armagh village, or, as it was then called the Hutt River Special Survey Life in South Australia. 45 " The spreading gum trees on the Gilbert, and the late Patrick Butler's barn, served those good missionaries as churches. Distant shepherds' huts were also visited, and the consolations of their religion brought to many bush homes. On one of their return trips to Adelaide they were 'bushed,' having lost their way somewhere about the head of the Wake- field. The night turned out wet and cold. Father Ryan, who had a robust constitution, did not suffer from any ill effects of that miserable night, but poor Father O'Mahony's weaker con- stitution was not able to sustain the strain put upon it, and here he caught a severe cold which brought on a rapid consumption. He left Adelaide for his deanery at East Maitland towards the year 1845. Before he left he made a census of the Catholics of South Australia, who then numbered only 1,273, tne entire population being at that time 19,317. " The first church erected in South Australia by the Catho- lics was St. Mary's, Morphett Vale, on a site given by the late Mr. A. Anderson. This was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Murphy on the 8th of December, 1844. St. Patrick's, West Terrace, was originally intended as a school, and first served the double purpose of school and pro-cathedral. The first stone of the building was laid on the 1 2th December, the same year." In November, 1845, Father Jas. Watkins, on his passage to Adelaide, was wrecked on the beach to the east of the mouth of the River Murray, in the brig Mariner. The pas- sengers and crew reached the sand dunes without loss of life, and were soon visited by a large number of natives, whose anxiety to exercise their wrecking propensities led them to dis- play such manners as to excite in the unfortunate shipwrecked people great dread and fear for their personal safety. The brig was carried high and diy, and divested of masts, so that much of the passengers' luggage and cargo was soon scattered along the sandhills. Communication was forwarded to Adelaide of the wreck and the doubtful position of the people. The following particulars I obtained from Messrs. Tolmer and Alford :— Sergeant-Major Alford, with Sergeant Lamb and Private McLean, left the barrack-yard to go to the rescue of the ship- wrecked people about midnight. When the party reached the wreck, no people, blacks or whites, were in sight. The beach and sandhills were strewed with cargo. Numerous footprints 46 Early Experiences of of natives were seen and followed over the sandhills, until they arrived at an encampment on the bank of the Coorong formed of spread sails, around which a great number of natives were seen, who on perceiving the quick approach of the three horse- men, and recognising them as police, immediately scattered, some of them dropping plunder from the wreck. On their dis- appearance the wrecked people showed themselves. The first person who spoke to the arriving party was Father Watkins, who in his joy at their opportune visit dropped on his knees and said, " Thank God, we are saved." Then the captain presented himself to the police, saying, "You have found me hard at work making a punt to get the passengers across the Coorong, as we were frightened the blacks meant mischief. I have only one gun with a broken lock, and they have used threatening signs and language to induce us to abandon cargo, &c, to their undisturbed plunder." The sergeant-major informed them that he had been dis- patched by the Government to render every assistance, and, to carry that out, he would in the morning take one man with him, leaving the other trooper as their guard, and make his way to Encounter Bay, and dispatch boats to remove them and their luggage down the Coorong, from whence they would be conveyed to Adelaide. The blacks did not, after this, show themselves in any number. They had not forgotten the punish- ment which had been inflicted on them by Major O'Halloran for the murders which had been committed a few years before. About the same time that Father Watkins was cast on our shores by the wreck of the Mariner, Father Ryan left the central station in Adelaide on a visit to the scattered flock of Roman Catholics in the Qatiara district, and had a very dan- gerous encounter with the natives in the Maria Creek country, but was not injured. The Rev. Ralph Drummond, the first minister of the United Presbyterian Church, arrived in this colony in June, 1839, in the ship Sir Charles Forbes, and commenced the services of his church in a small chapel in Angas Street, still standing. In the performance of his first duties to the scattered members of his Church here he had to take many long and toilsome jour- neys on foot about the Finniss, Strathalbyn, and Mount Barker districts, in order to visit wide-apart members of his flock, and scattered settlers of other communions whom he desired to benefit spiritually. He continued to officiate as pastor of the Life in South Australia. 47 church he had opened in this colony till the year 1S56, when he had toiled here seventeen years. In the year 1871 he com- pleted the fiftieth year of his ministry. On the expiration of this term of his fixed official duties, an address was presented to him by the Revs. J. Lyall and J. Davidson, on behalf of the Presbytery, expressing most cordial congratulations on his having attained his jubilee as a minister of the Gospel, and regret that his then state of health would not admit of a public celebration on such an interesting occasion. Mr. Drummond expired at Mitcham on the 26th April, 1872, at the age of eighty years. The first minister of the Established Presbyterian Church of Scotland who came to the colony to gather together a flock of members of his Church, was the Rev. Robt. Haining, who landed at Port Adelaide at the end of 1841, from the ship Orissa, of London. It is gratifying, as showing true Christian union, to be able to state that the opening services he held, on the first Sunday after his arrival, were in Trinity Church, North- terrace. The Rev. C. B. Howard, the incumbent, gave the use of his church on that occasion, himself giving aid in lead- ing the psalmody. Then for two Sundays Mr. Haining preached in the Congregational church in Freeman Street, Mr. Stow taking advantage of this opportunity to pay mission- ary visits to several districts a day's ride or more from Ade- laide. Arrangements were at the same time being made by the Presbyterians of the old Kirk for hiring a small place of worship which had been erected by the Wesleyan Methodists, and was afterwards sold to the Baptist body and used by them. It stood in Hindley Street, immediately west of the site of the present theatre. Here Mr. Haining gathered his first congre- gation around him, and here he continued to officiate until a larger edifice was erected in Grenfell Street in 1844, which in its turn was abandoned to secular purposes on the erection of the present church in Wakefield Street, known as St. Andrew's Church, of which he continued minister until the infirmities of advanced years compelled him to retire from ministerial work. Besides regular morning and evening services in the city, Mr. Haining for some time took part in maintaining a Sunday afternoon service at Port Adelaide in the original wooden church, on the site where now stands St. Paul's Anglican church, which was erected with the understanding that it should be available for divine service alike for the Anglican 48 Early Experiences of and Presbyterian forms of worship, an arrangement which was carried out in a most brotherly spirit by the Rev. (afterwards Dean) Farrell, and the Rev. Mr. Haining officiating alternately, each according to the form of his own Church, the congrega- tions embracing with few exceptions the same individuals at either service. A pleasing instance this of Christian union. An amusing anecdote is told of one of Mr. Haining's visits to the Port Adelaide Church, and is worthy of Dean Ramsay's collection. Mr. Haining was glad to get some friend to accom- pany him on these visits, and on one occasion, having with him in the old hired gig Mr. Wotherspoon, W.S., then resident in Adelaide, the following incident occurred : — Mr. Haining was driving, and when he came to the crossing of the Torrens at Thebarton, where there was then no bridge, and the banks of the river were steep and worn into deep holes, he let one of the wheels jerk violently into a hole, and was pitched out. The accident was supposed to have occurred in consequence of Mr. Haining slackening the reins while he took a pinch of snuff — he was an inveterate snuffer. He rolled down the dusty bank, and was nearly going into the shallow stream when his friend jumped out and stopped him. After brushing the dust from his clothes as well as they could the journey was resumed. Presently Mr. Wotherspoon said in a solemn manner, " Mr. Haining, I'm sorry to see you've disobeyed one o' the injunc- tions o' Scripture the day." " Indeed," replied Mr. Haining, " and what is it?" "Why d'ye no mind what Joseph said to his brethren — ' See that ye fall not out by the way ' ? " I have given an account of the first Independent minister who arrived amongst the very earliest colonists (the Rev. T. Q. Stow). I may now mention two others who came to the colony somewhat later. The Rev. Ridgway William Newland arrived about the year 183-9, ano ^ soon after settled at Encounter Bay, where for many years, as he himself said, " he preached righteousness and wrought agriculture." He was a man of remarkable vigour, both of body and mind, just the right stamp for a pioneer colonist. He has walked the entire distance from Encounter Bay to Adelaide in a single day, fifty-six miles, swimming two rivers on the journey. He was a good preacher, and one who was not afraid to '' call a spade a spade." He was very outspoken and unsophisticated, as an illustration of which I may mention that on one occasion having come to Adelaide on business, and been unexpectedly Life in South Australia. 49 detained over Sunday, he was solicited to preach for the Rev. T. Q. Stow, who had been taken suddenly ill. Mr. Newland, having expected to return home by the Saturday night, had not brought his Sunday suit with him, and it being summer-time had only light clothes and a holland coat, and that not fresh from the laundress. He replied to the messenger, " O, yes, I'll come and preach if the people of Freeman Street will not object to hear me in this coat." The people of .Freeman Street were as sensible in this respect as Mr. Newland, and heard him with pleasure, while he preached with more comfort probably than if he had had a black coat on, the day being hot. Mr. Newland did a great deal of good in the neighbour- hood where he lived, and brought up a large family. He died at a good old age, some years ago, from the effects of an accident. The next Congregational minister who came to this colony was the late Rev. J. B. Austin, who arrived at the close of the year 1843 with a family of eight children. He, like Mr. New- land, had not come with the intention of taking up the ministry as a profession ; but finding that the spiritual wants of the place were not adequately provided for, he felt it to be his duty to exercise the gifts he possessed, and he soon com- menced Sunday services at Macclesfield, where he resided. There being at the time no place of worship, nor even a room large enough to accommodate the small congregation of about five-and-twenty persons, Mr. Austin, with the help of his son, used to pitch a tent on the fiat early every Sunday morning. It was unsafe to pitch it over night, as the cattle came and chewed the ropes. Divine service was for many months held in the tent as reverently, and perhaps as profitably, as in the more pretentious and substantial ecclesiastical edifices of the present more civilised times. Mr. Austin also established preaching stations at Echunga, Mount Barker, and Strathalbyn, where he continued to hold services in rotation, sometimes at three different places in the same day, and riding from sixteen to twenty-four miles. He died on the 31st January, 1882, aged 82, greatly regretted. The Rev. Thomas Playford, who arrived in the colony in the year 1844, belonged to the "Christian Society" founded in London by the Rev. Robert Atken, who had seceded from the Church of England. Mr. Playford was born in Yorkshire in 1795 ; and was in the regiment of Life Guards at the Battle of 50 Early Experiences of Waterloo. Soon after his arrival in the colony he commenced preaching in the little chapel in Hindley Street before mentioned, near where the Theatre Royal now stands, and from his earnest and impressive manner, as well as from the fact of his preaching on the near approach of Christ's second coming and personal reign upon earth, he drew many to hear him. In the year 1848 a new chapel was built for him in Bentham Street, and there he continued to exercise the pastorate for twenty years without remuneration. He was greatly respected, and led a useful and blameless life until the year 1873, when he died in the month of September, soon after entering his 79th year. Mr. Playford left a large family, all grown up, the eldest of whom, the Hon. Thomas Playford, M.P., has for some years ably represented the district of East Torrens in the House of Assembly, and has held the position of Commissioner of Crown Lands in two or three ministries. It may not be out of place here to notice the high positions attained in the colony by other sons of the earliest ministers of the Gospel in South Australia. The eldest son of the late Rev. T. Q. Stow was one of our most talented judges, the second is Editor of the Advertiser newspaper, and the third Senior Judge's Associate. The eldest son of the Rev. James Way, a Bible Christian minister, is Chief Justice of the Colony, and has been four times Acting-Governor of the Province. Mr. Way's second son is one of our leading medical men. CHAPTER VII. On the 30th April, 1838, the second year after the proclama- tion of the colony, from the good ship Canton I landed with my family in the colony. The ship was at first anchored off the present site of the Semaphore Jetty, at an easy distance ; on board were a large number of cuddy passengers as well as inter- mediates, about 300 emigrants, besides horned stock, sheep- dogs, and swine, and a large cargo. At the time Captain Hindmarsh held the rather ambiguous position of Governor. In addition to my wife and two children and a brother and sister, I had three young men under my charge, and one maid-servant. The captain, with consideration for passengers who had a large party on board, invited me and Life in South Australia. 51 three male passengers to accompany him in the first and only boat going to land that day. Although the tide was high, our boat grounded half a mile from the beach. The captain then ordered out of the boat five of the sailors, on one of whom we had each to mount pick-a-back. The captain, being heavy, selected the stoutest Jack tar. I had a very lively young fellow under me, who made good headway. I looked back when we had made about half-way, and perceived that the captain's carrier was allowing him to sink nearer and nearer the water, and that he would soon be dropped (as I was afterwards told, intentionally). With my usual impetuosity, I ordered my bearer to drop me with my feet downwards, and return to the skipper's assistance, forgetting I had on a tight pair of Welling- ton boots. I nevertheless felt pretty comfortable whilst wading the remainder of the distance to the shore. Then came the climb over the sand hummocks, then the drag of three-quarters of a mile through sandy scrub and flaggy plants, and occasion- ally bog. At length we made the side of the creek, and discovered on the opposite bank a bush shanty and a few wurlies, these erections constituting the old port. On crossing to what was then, with some propriety, called Port Misery, to our great joy we found we could get good beer at the moderate price of two- and-sixpence per bottle, of which we partook freely. A gig then, I think, the only one in the colony, was waiting for the captain, but we, to our grief, had to tramp the seven miles, and now something like the skinning of my feet commenced. The country appeared most charming, as we walked over a plain which had been swept clean by a bush fire a few weeks before we landed. The fire had been followed by copious rains, and the surface over which we travelled had the appearance of carrying a fine, early wheat crop, presenting a prospect so cheering, that my discomforts were nearly lost sight of. On approaching the North Adelaide hill, my attention was drawn to a crowd of, say 200, people surrounding a large gum tree. I could not at first observe what had attracted them, until a sudden stampede took place, many rushing away in all directions with yells and cries, and then I saw an unfortunate man suspended by the neck from an outstretching limb of the tree. By one of the stampeders I was coolly told that it was a regular and legal affair, that the hangman had only bungled his business and bolted, followed by the execrations of the e 2 52 Early Experiences of spectators, and that the sheriff, in mercy, was finishing the poor wretch. This was the explanation given me at the time, but on further inquiry I was informed that the constables quickly caught the escaping hangman, who was brought back to complete his revolting task, and that so far as Sheriff Smart was concerned, he was horror-struck and completely unnerved. With this explanation I was satisfied I had adopted a country where civilisation was known and practised. I crossed the River Torrens, at that time a tiny stream, neither so wide nor deep as now, and the bed generally green with grass and reeds, under which surface I believe the main part of the stream was then percolating out of sight through gravel. In London I had seen a plan with a fine sheet of water, with vessels at anchor, under Government House. I was limp- ing sorely, and soon got my boots off by unseaming one side of each, in one of the primitive refreshment booths in a small canvas town, on the ground now occupied by the present rail- way station. We heard before we left the old port that the ship was ordered to return and anchor in Holdfast Bay, and then knew that we had no chance of getting on board that night. The accom- modation and comforts I was able to procure on this my first night in the colony were not cheering or pleasant. My bed was formed of a couple of bags stretched across two side poles, lodged on four corner forks fixed in the ground, without blankets or pillows, in an outer canvas shed. I sought out and found an old friend who had landed some eight months earlier, and he kindly chartered for me a bullock dray to take me the next day to the beach at Holdfast Bay, to bring up my living charge and baggage. By noon next day I found all safely landed at the mouth of the bay creek, on the corner sand hill near a native well of fresh water, from which we took copious draughts, and were thank- ful. A few reed huts had been erected, but the township was not laid out. The authorities had decided to reserve at this landing place a section to be at a future time formed into a township. Before this was done a land order was tendered at the land office, and a claim put in for the section ; after some hesitation on the part of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Surveyor-General the grant was made. The following are the names of the fortunate speculators : — Messrs. O. Gilles, Mat Smith, W. R. Wigley, and W. Finke. Life in Sottfh Australia. 53 I was told that my wife, sister, and children, had been carried as I had been, from the boats to shore by the sailors. The fact was we were a very jolly party, and the roughness of things we took to be amusing. A pleasant ride across the plains, in defiance of many heavy jolts over wombat holes and logs, and we at length reached what is known as South Terrace, and found our friends' encampment near the spot where now stands St. John's Church. Our tents pitched, we were invited to a sumptuous repast consisting of kangaroo stew and parrot pie, relieved with ship pork and biscuits and colonial damper ; of course no vegetables were procurable. The freshness of the atmosphere, the brilliancy of the sky, and the extreme verdure of the plains and hills satisfied us, and with grateful hearts we passed our first night in our adopted country under canvas. In the early days of the colony grumblers were ashamed to open their mouths. On rambling about one curious feature for a new country was discovered around the tents and shan- ties, and in spots a few miles away in the bush, viz., congrega- tions of empty bottles here and there, and plentiful too in their emptiness. Perhaps these might be fairly taken to account for the general joviality of the people ; nevertheless, I am per- suaded that much of the life and animation so universally exhibited, by the ladies as well as the stouter sex, was genuine, for we all felt we had come to a fine country as pioneers to found a new kingdom, btit then, like the young donkey frisking about, all our trials had yet to come. I should mention that on one of the first acres which was taken possession of and occupied, two brick pillars, imposing by their ugliness, had been erected to form a gateway, through which to approach a wooden shanty of two or three rooms, and on one of the pillars was a board giving notice that " any person found trespassing on these grounds {i.e., a bare acre) will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the law." This, also, was comforting, as a forward step in civilisation. Shortly after our arrival our gracious Queen's birthday was commemorated by a ball at Government House, to which we had the honour to be invited. We were still under canvas ; the ladies were in distress ; trunks had to be unpacked, &c, &c. ; and, worse than all, no conveyances for hire had yet been introduced, and the line we had to travel to Government House was diagonally across the then forest city, with no clear- ings or even direct tracks. The pressing difficulty was over- 54 Early Experiences of come by a kind neighbour offering us a ride in a waggon drawn by three horses in chain-harness, and driven by a real waggoner, with his long whalebone whip, all just imported from Tasmania. Well, the ladies soon got over the difficulties of such a conveyance, that is to say, such as the want of seats, steps to get in and out with, and such usual carriage belong- ings as were absolutely indispensable, by suggesting that the side rails should be clothed with railway rugs strapped on, a carpet on the bottom, and a high chair for steps. The ladies being young, lively, and energetic, the ascent was accomplished with our assistance, and without accident or ruffle. Our pace was necessarily slow, as our driver walked by the side of his team, driving with a " gee-up," and stopping with a loud " whoa " at the government porch. We arrived late, and unfortunately had left the chair behind, while the seats at Government House were fully occupied. Servants were not numerous, and those who were about were otherwise engaged, and the ladies had to alight by springing into the arms of the gentlemen from the back of an unusually high waggon. In the party were three officials high in the service. Two of the company had been in the home yeomanry cavalry — one as a commissioned and one as a non-commissioned officer. These appearing in uniform added to the imposing appearance of our party, which consisted of six ladies and six gentlemen. On entering the ballroom our eyes were dazzled by the brilliancy of the scene, to which we formed a striking addition, thanks to our military friends. Such a display of elegantly-dressed ladies could hardly have been expected to emerge from such confined and temporary dwellings as those in existence at that time. Dancing was kept up without flagging, as although the guests were chiefly married people, they were endowed with the spirit and energy necessary for early colonists. The entertainment was in all respects a success, and kind and hospitable Governor Hindmarsh and his charming family everything that could be desired. The pleasure experienced by the guests was equal to any they had ever met with under any other and more advanced state of society. We departed early, and did not see any other vehicle, although there must have been some half-dozen or so coming and going at other times during the evening. We were after- wards kept in countenance by hearing that one lady, a special beauty and highly connected, had been conveyed from her Life in Sotith Australia. 55 home to the vicinity of the vice-regal residence in a bullock dray. The inconveniences and trifling deprivations now experienced, and of which we hear such grave complaints, rather amuse the old settlers, and remind them of such scenes as the above. Before chimneys were built, and cooking was performed out of doors, it was not an unusual thing to see in showery or even in sunny weather a lady watching the kettle, camp-oven, &c, under an umbrella at a log fire. On one of my early rides, in company with my wife, south of the city, when all the country was open, and the hand of man had not defaced the natural park-like landscape, as we were crossing the Brownhill Creek, in an open glade, we started a pair of emus. We immediately gave chase. We had no dogs with us, but after a short gallop we overtook the female, which appeared to be in some way disabled. The male had at first dashed off at a great pace, but on looking back and seeing the danger which threatened his mate, he returned and darted between our horses and the hen, and so cut us off from our intended prey ; and this he continued to do, striking at the horses' heads, and causing them to swerve as often as we approached his distressed partner. He completely foiled us, and as we felt his devoted attachment and noble courage deserved consideration at our hands, we desisted from further chase. I was greatly surprised at his bold attacks. His own life was greatly endangered, as by degrees our horses seemed to become interested parties in the sport, and did not exhibit so much fear as on his earlier assaults, nor care for his noisy defiant clucks, deeply sounded in his chest. His departure was most pleasing to witness, in the affectionate joy he exhi- bited. I never saw anything so courageous in any subsequent encounter I had with emus, although I have had more than one upstanding fight with old men kangaroos. Postscript. — The author will, in this place, relate the fatal accident which so early closed the career of Mr. Samuel Stephens, the active and energetic first manager of the South Australian Company. The writer and his wife on the day of the accident were returning from the cattle station on Bull's Creek, after a long ride through the Mount Barker district, and called at Hahn- dorf, at the coffee shop kept by old ex-sergeant Lubasch, for rest and lunch. Whilst the frugal meal was preparing they took a turn in the recently formed garden, and as they were 56 Early Experiences of returning to the cottage four men on horseback alighted at the cottage and rushed into the room where the ordered lunch was spread, which three of them, without ceremony, appropriated, in spite of the landlord's remonstrances. The fourth gentle- man (Mr. Stephens) left his companions, and mounting his horse, galloped off towards Adelaide. The writer and his wife, also displeased at the action of the intruders, followed his example at a smart pace, but not sufficient to overtake him, although occasionally hearing the hoofs of the horse ahead of them. Having to call at a cottage on the Glen Osmond section, they passed down that spur and so lost the sound of the horse's feet, Mr. Stephens having taken the more direct and easy Beaumont Spur, the one most in use, on which half-way down he was soon after found lying insensible ; his horse had fallen, and as the unfortunate gentleman had fallen on his head he did not recover consciousness or survive many hours. The whole of the few inhabitants of the colony felt the deepest regret for such a sad termination of the useful career of one so universally esteemed. CHAPTER VIII. The relation of circumstances which occurred before I landed will generally be given in the words of witnesses. The first account thus given is from an individual, Henry Alford, who was actively engaged for the Government, originally as a special constable, and afterwards in a much higher post. He arrived as an articled servant, to the South Australian Com- pany, and landed in August, 1836. The free settlers, as well as Government officials, were obliged to employ banished men (not asking if they were expirees or runaways), who had been well trained to work as convicts, and were skilful splitters, sawyers, pincers, and builders of huts. High wages were paid to them. The port being free at first, drinkables abundant, and licences granted indiscriminately, even to bush huts, the usual consequences of this state of things followed amongst such a class of men as ex-convicts, free from restraint, with plenty of money at their Life in South Australia. 57 command, who had only to take an occasional rest to spend their earnings in debauchery, and then resume work for a fresh supply. Captain Hindmarsh had a small party of marines left with him from Her Majesty's Ship Buffalo, some twelve or more in number, with a corporal ; but up to this time no police force had been organised. A serious riot having occurred, got up by the drunken old lags, the Governor ordered out the marines, with loaded muskets ;. the Riot Act was read by the Attorney-General, but this producing no effect, the marines were ordered to load and fire with ball cartridges. Some of the rioters were wounded, and a few taken into custody, and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment. Shortly after this the Government Store was broken into, and fire arms and ammunition, besides other goods, were stolen. The Governor had appointed S. Smart, Esq., a legal gentleman from Tasmania, as sheriff. This gentleman entered on his duties with commendable zeal, and as he knew most of the Vandemonians, as they were called, was also well known by them, and marked for death. His hut was attacked after dark by three men. It was not difficult to make an entry into tents or even the temporary huts then in use without giving previous alarm, and as such dwellings were very small, a pistol presented from the door would be but a yard or two from the person aimed at. One of the ruffians instantly fired, the ball missing Mr. Smart's head, but the powder singeing his ear. As he did not fall, the intruders immediately bolted, as he had fire arms at hand, which, however, they did not give him time to use. The alarm was given, but the men escaped ; and it may well be supposed what fear was experienced by the few surrounding inhabitants that night. The next day no time was lost. The Governor called for volunteers to come forward to be sworn in as special constables. A few loyally responded to the call, and very shortly two of the men who had made the attack on the sheriff were taken and committed, the one who fired the ball (viz., Magee) was afterwards found guilty and sentenced to death, and was hung; the third man, Morgan, escaped, and was afterwards reported to be lurking in the neighbourhood of the recently formed whaling stations at Encounter Bay. The Governor, on receiving this information, requested three of the special constables to go and execute a warrant, and bring in Morgan, dead or alive, and they undertook the task. Their names were Henry Alford (afterwards Inspector of Police, and 58 Early Experiences of one of the smartest and pluckiest men that ever joined the force), Anderson, and Hately. A description of their journey in pursuit of Morgan will be given in Mr. Alford's own words. It will be as well to explain that about this time three sus- picious strangers suddenly arrived in the canvas town, no one knowing from whence they came, or by what means they had made the settlement. A few days after their arrival, a report was brought in that a strange horse was lying dead in the forest to the south of the settlement. A great cry was raised, on which the strangers vanished. They were afterwards ascer- tained to be escaped lifers from Sydney, named Foley, Stone, and Stanley. Before giving the account of the journey of the special constables in pursuit of Morgan an account of his origin and family should be given. He was reported to be one of seven children, whose father and mother had been transported to Tasmania for crimes committed at home. He was a remark- ably fine young man, under age at the time he was sought for, of a pleasing countenance, fine figure, and over six feet high, and it was said that his brothers and sisters were equal in stature and in good looks. It has been stated to me that two of Morgan's sisters were married to highly respectable land- owners in Tasmania, and were remarkable for their beauty, as well as for their becoming demeanour in the station of life to which they had attained. The following is Mr. Alford's account : — " Our party of three specials was speedily formed, with the addition of one native blackfellow as our guide. Our outfit was a blanket each, with biscuits, tea, and sugar, and a little bacon, for eight or ten days, and one glass bottle each in which to carry our water. The arms supplied were one old musket, one horse pistol, and a pair of pocket barkers. We received minute instructions as to our course, &c, and started on, to us, an unknown country, with none but native tracks, and as such useless for us to follow. Our instructions were to make the whaling stations at Encounter Bay and to keep the gulf in sight, and we had a warrant to bring in Morgan, alive or dead. The direct distance as now travelled by a good road is 65 miles. The course we were ordered to take, with the numerous bends we had to make to head creeks and deep gorges, would not be less than 95 miles, perhaps more. Our first day's journey we finished at a deep creek, where we fortunately found crood water. Life in S 021th Australia. 59 " Our bottles had been exhausted some miles back. The next morning, after an early breakfast, our black guide exhibited great uneasiness, and objected to the course we proposed to take, and kept pointing more inland, giving us to understand by signs we should not find water in the direction we wished to go. We persisted in our course, and the native soon took an opportunity to abandon us to our fate. We were told before we started that on rounding Cape Jervis we should see the Pages, three small islands a few miles oft' the south coast, and nearly opposite the western horn of Encounter Bay. After we sighted them from a high and precipitous shore, we had to fight our way through many miles of dense scrub ; but, for- tunately, we had to cross plenty of good water. In eight days from starting we made Hack's Whaling Station, our food ex- hausted and our strength gone, as may be readily understood by those who know the country over which we made our weary way. " Before I proceed further I must hark back and say a little more about our difficulties on our outward tramp. The horrors of our return journey being now so deeply impressed on my memory that more trifling matters are easily forgotten. I came into the whaling station barefoot, having long before worn the soles off my boots on the rocky country over which we had passed ; my feet were blistered and bleeding. Our provisions had been scanty enough, and not of such a nutritious character as to keep up strength and stamina. Having reported our- selves to Captain Hart, in command of the station (who had not long before been wrecked on the same coast, but many miles to the east, on Moonlight Point), we were supplied with all we required, and enjoyed a few days' rest. On making inquiries, we found that our man was in the neighbourhood, planted and well armed, and further, that the whalers were in sympathy with him, so that we were advised to adopt stratagem, and that our lives would be in danger if the object of our visit was known or suspected. We therefore agreed upon the story, that we had come down to be ready to receive cattle which were expected to be landed at the Bay. After a few days of rest, spent in making cautious inquiries, we heard that Morgan was hiding at a spot about midway between the two whaling stations, so as to obtain his supplies of provisions from his friends in the two parties. " Many escaped prisoners were working as whalers. After 60 Early Experiences of we had received the above information as to Morgan's position, we proceeded to the next station, viz., Wright's, and here our mate H discovered a runaway lifer from Van Diemen's Land, in which island he (H ) had resided. We decided to use this man as a decoy duck. After threatening him with arrest, although we had no warrant for such a threat and no power or authority from the Government of Tasmania for such action, our decoy duck consented to our terms. We had determined to grab our man, and were not particular as to the means we employed. We promised the lifer we would let him go free if he honestly assisted us in securing Morgan. This he agreed to do. " He commenced by advising us to return to Hack's station, and he would accompany us, and would point out the hut which Morgan would visit for his supplies that night. This course was pursued, and we were planted by him in a position commanding the hut. He then left us, telling us to give the man Morgan time to become settled before we stirred. Our confederate proved true to us by refraining from giving counter information, which might have cost us our lives. Having waited a sufficient time, and with darkness shrouding us, we crawled quietly to the hut, and rushing in found Morgan reclining in a bunk. We were able to seize him before he could rise and reach his gun, which was beside him loaded, and his capture was made and handcuffs on him in almost no time. As he was only a youth, though over six feet high, and I was the youngest of the party, the post of being handcuffed to him was assigned to me, the votes being two to one against me. We now made an immediate start back to Wright's station, from which establishment we had to get our supplies for the return march. The office (i.e., alarm) had soon been given to his friends (as the fraternity say), our real characters were quickly circulated, and we were saluted in anything but polite language. As we hastened away a gun was fired to call for aid from Granite Island, from whence some men pushed off in a boat with the intention to intercept us. As we succeeded in head- ing them, language not to be repeated was roared after us. ' Oh, you ; that is your ■ game of landing cattle,' &c, &c, to which we replied we were well armed and would sell our lives dearly. Having arrived safely at Wright's, I was relieved, and Morgan was braceletted and otherwise secured. Here we remained the following day. Life in South Australia. 61 " We had been sworn in as special constables, and were yet only amateur policemen, but we were elated and eager for work in our new profession, so made inquiries as to prior entangle- ments of other individuals, and heard of two young men as being in that quarter who were wanted in Adelaide, and who had committed a trifling robbery. Thinking we were doing our duty we arrested them also, although we had no warrant, but as they were green and young beginners in the course ot crime they quietly submitted. We had now each a prisoner to guard, and with whom to make our way back to the settlement. These young men, however, gave us no trouble, and on the way their conduct was good. The following day we started, taking provisions only sufficient to last us five or six days, hoping to reach our destination in that time by adopting a direct course, as preferable to our coasting track. Morgan, putting on an appearance of good and quiet behaviour, offered to pilot us by a short and easy cut. The provisions and swag were equally divided between the two fresh prisoners and the guards, Morgan being free of any load. To him I was again coupled with the steel cuffs. Unfortunately for all parties, we followed the guidance of Morgan, who kept as much easting as possible. We soon lost sight of the sea. We travelled for two days, having departed from the sea on our left, and after tramp- ing many miles, on ascending high land we discovered the lakes at the mouth of the River Murray to our right. We now perceived our error in trusting to Morgan, who was leading us into a trap, as it was afterwards supposed that Stanley and Stone were harbouring in that direction. We called a halt and encamped for the night. Up to this time I had been coupled with Morgan. I was considerably below him in stature and strength, and thus it may be imagined what punishment I endured in working through scrub and over rough ground. Having secured our chief prisoner for the night, we lay on the range till morning, when we decided to tack back to obtain a sight of the sea. This course we continued on all that day, but no sea was discovered. At night we camped at a tea-tree swamp, near the range now called Mount Magnificent. At this time we had remaining food sufficient for two days only for the whole party. The usual securing of Morgan being made, we remained for rest. Early next morning Morgan refused to budge a step, and we had to remain that day, as he said he was ill, though he was brisk and lively enough as long as he thought 62 Early Experiences of he was leading us into a trap. We discovered he had been saving some of his biscuits in his pockets, of which we deprived him. That night we camped on the same ground. " The following morning, after an early breakfast, we called on Morgan to get up and walk. This he declined to do in the most foul language, calling on us to shoot him, as he might as well be shot as be taken in to be hung. Our reply was, we had a warrant to take him in dead or alive, and that we should so act. After waiting patiently, time enough for him to relent, and finding him still obdurate, we decided to make him fast to a young gum-tree by passing his arms, around it, and then locking his wrists with the handcuffs. This was the only course open to us, unless we set him free, or complied with his demand to put a ball through him, to either of which alternatives we decidedly objected. With some struggling we so fastened him that he had only just room to move round the tree, a position it shocked us to leave him in. We informed him he could not be released under four days at least, and must be that time without food and water, and so left him. In two hours we felt Ave could not leave a fellow-creature to such a cruel fate, and so returned and begged him to consent to travel. His answer, as before, was that of a desperate'and deter- mined man — he would not move. In such a dreadful predica- ment we finally left him ; but our own position was critical enough, with short allowance for one day, and an unknown distance to encounter, which in our state might take three days to cover. We had no known place before us to reach nearer than Adelaide, and felt we might sink by the way. As to Morgan, we found he was not to be daunted. His intention was after we left him to break the handcuffs, but they proved too strong for him. We pushed on as rapidly as possible, and, fortunately, took and kept a correct course, and, though late, the same day made Onkaparinga River at the Horseshoe, and here to our great joy we found the camp of a land selector, who was there for the night on his way south. From him we obtained refreshment and food, and here we remained. We were too much exhausted to make a very early start next day, but, weary and foot-sore, at night reported ourselves at Govern- ment House, to Governor Hindmarsh. His horror and excitement at our sad tale was great. " He immediately called a Council, when it was decided to establish a regular police force and to appoint a superintendent. Life in South Australia. 6 6 A horse was purchased at an enormous cost of ^"no, a super- intendent was appointed, Mr. Inman, and all arrangements made to dispatch him and the officials back to the prisoner, with necessary supplies. A No. i (i.e., myself) and Hateley appeared, but A No. 2 could not attend muster, and so we departed and made the Horseshoe, where we encamped for the night. Here I remained, the superintendent and Hateley making an early start to reach the prisoner, expecting to find him either dead or gone." At the end of the fourth day of Morgan's self-imposed awful confinement he was found by them alive. Having released him and refreshed him with weak spirit and water and food, the party encamped there for the night. Morgan confessed in pitiful terms his regret at his obstinate conduct, and described his sufferings as something fearful, what with the wild dogs at night, which he had to keep off by kicking and tramping round the tree, and the flies and mosquitoes on his face and raw wrists ; such miseries may be imagined but not described. He had franctically struggled to snap his shackles, but they were too strong and only cut deeper and deeper into his flesh. Well, marvellous to relate, this man of iron, after one night's rest and a moderate supply of food, walked the whole distance into town, over twenty miles, the course being rough and hilly with no track. He was tried for his life on a capital charge, was found guilty, and sentenced to transportation for life. His future career will be subsequently given. CHAPTER IX. In the early days of the colony a most impolitic order was issued by the Government to the settlers as to the treatment of the natives, viz., that they were not to employ them in work, in order to avoid any approach towards slavery. I do not know if this emanated from the home authorities, but I suspect it did. At all events such bastard sentimentality was not generally responded to or obeyed. On the one hand were the settlers requiring a number of little jobs to be done, and on the other the natives in want of food and the requirements of civilisation as to clothing, which they were immediately called on to re- 64 Early Experiences of spect ; their skin which nature had afforded them, with on stated occasions a few stripes of white or red paint, and sometimes a small girdle round the loins, being all they had previously found necessary, except when in cold weather they chose to wear wallaby or opossum rugs on their shoulders. Nevertheless, if the Government had from the first treated them as the natural owners of the land and lords of the soil, to whom an ample provision had to be set apart to enable them to lead an idle and independent life, there would have been some justice if not sense in such a proposition. But as in the progress of settlement of their country by our intrusion their game must be either des- troyed or driven back, they would have been without means of subsistence in the absence of an appropriate equivalent. The question is, has justice been done them ? I say it has not, and I think the contrary will not be asserted. As to the order not to employ them, I for one, when applied to by them for food or clothing, made it a rule to give them a job more or less slight, and paid them accordingly, thinking if their necessities drove them to beg, degrading habits would be set up, and that it was our duty to induce them to adopt habits of thrift and industry. It is proper to relate that after the arrival of Colonel Gawler right steps, as far as they went, were adopted. Mr. Cronk retired as interpreter on the appointment of Captain Bromley. Dr. Wyatt, who had been appointed as Protector of Aborigines by Captain Hindmarsh, was succeeded by Dr. Moorhouse, who had his appointment from home, and who, with the scanty means supplied to him, did all in his power to ameliorate the condition of the natives and raise them in the scale of humanity, following up the attempts Dr. Wyatt had made. But such a desirable object has scarcely ever been attended with success to any such extent as philanthropists desire, proving that low and depraved feeding and habits acquired during ages reduce even man to a state of physical degradation from which an improvement is next to an impossi- bility, at any rate with adults. One of the first steps adopted in this colony for their benefit was the establishment of a school for the young, and as some of the scholars in subse- quent years became my servants I shall with pleasure show that some moral good arose from that establishment, and that good impressions were not lost in all instances by such scholars after many years of wandering and mixing chiefly with untaught members of their own or other tribes. The policy of placing Life in South Australia. 65 the school in the city, nevertheless, was accompanied with great evils and drawback, as it of necessity led to the adults sitting down there also, and thus the worst vices of the town were only too readily acquired and adopted by them. If the Govern- ment, instead of a few detached sections which have been from the first set apart as aboriginal reserves, had appropriated or devoted blocks of sufficient extent near fishing and hunting grounds, and there formed native stations, such as that after- wards founded at Poonindie by Archdeacon (now Bishop) Hale, and at Point McLeay under the Aborigines' Association — and had continued to carry out a system of reserves of land, with grants of money, all over the colony, in anticipation of settle- ment, a righteous justification would have been gained for our occupation of their land without conquest or purchase, and in compensation for the destruction of their game, and natural habits and laws. We had been received as friends, and now where are the original lords of the soil, and in what state are the few who remain in any of our settled districts ? Before any measures had been adopted for their improve- ment it is recorded that one white man was killed near the river below the town. This was previous to my arrival. The name of the man was Pegler. It was ascertained from some of the Adelaide tribe that he was killed by two natives named William and George, brothers. Their native names I have not learned. He was pierced through the heart by a sharpened kangaroo bone, passed in a slanting direction down from the neck, whilst under the influence of drink. This man, it was said, had insulted the natives by intruding on them at a corro- boree, and had placed himself between two black women be- longing to the men who killed him, and was ordered off. On his retiring he was followed and found asleep by the two brothers, one of whom killed him. The blacks gave as a further reason that some of their dogs had been killed by a white man. On the information reaching the Governor, the Protector, Dr. Wyatt, and another officer (Inspector Inman) were sent down to inquire into the sad affair. The information Dr. Wyatt obtained was a confirmation of what had gained currency; the names William and George had been given them by the whites, their native names lost. In addition to particulars received from Dr. Wyatt will be added an account from Mr. George James of what he did in assisting to arrest these two natives. 66 Early Experiences of I )r. Wyatt early devoted much time and attention to gain a knowledge of the language of the natives, and succeeded in obtaining about 1,000 native words in common use. In this research he discovered that they had found the necessity for creating fresh words to represent objects new to them, one for instance for trousers, quite a new article to them and requiring a name ; their new word expressed leg-covering, a compound word, evincing much ingenuity. Dr. Wyatt, in company with Mr. Charles Mann (then Advocate-General) was subsequently directed by the Governor to visit Encounter Bay to inquire into the murder of a sailor of the name of Driscol, belonging to the ship South Aiistralia. The native who killed Driscol was found by them on board the ship in irons, and evidently under very harsh treatment. It appeared on inquiry that a fight had taken place between Driscol and the black man about one of his lubras; that the sailor had been guilty of very bad conduct, and had criminally assaulted one of the women ; a desperate fight occurred resulting in the death of the white man : and that the charge could only be laid for manslaughter. The difference be- tween this death and that of the man Pegler was that the one was in a stand-up fight, and the other by the passing the sharpened bone into the vitals when the man was in an in- sensible state. From Mr. G. James I have received the following account of his spirited assistance in capturing the two brothers as follows : — " As I was crossing the river at the ford I heard shouts from a number of people, who were chasing a black man ; they shouted out, 'Stop him ! Stop him ! He murdered Pegler.' As he flew past me he threw a waddy at me, by which I was partially stunned, as it struck me on the forehead. Although he had thus a good start, I speedily followed him, but before I could overhaul him he gained a gum tree and quickly climbed up by the cut steps in the thick bark. I followed him by the same means. On his gaining a limb high up he commenced to break off pieces of dead branches, which he continued to throw at me and a man who followed me up, named Robert, who pressed me to allow him to pass. Immediately he did so he was struck on the head with a piece of wood which wounded him and produced much blood, which fell on me. By this time a number of people had arrived, one with a gun with which the black was threatened, but still he refused to come down or Life in South Australia. 67 cease throwing, when a shot was fired, but he still declined to surrender himself. At the request of Mr. Inspector Inman I climbed higher although he still continued to throw at me. At this time Mr. Giles Abbott, who had an axe, pretended to be cutting the tree down, and at this move he came down and surrendered himself, was handcuffed and taken to the marines' tents, amidst the lamentations of some of the blacks." Mr. James goes on to relate that during the evening of the same day he was sent for by the Governor, who asked him to accompany a file of marines to search the wurlies of the blacks, as information had been brought to him that the other black implicated in the murder of Pegler was there. He goes on to say, " I accompanied the file of marines ; on arriving at the black camp I saw four lubras standing before the opening of a wurlie. On looking round I observed a small black boy of the Adelaide tribe (Cowandilla, which means water) pointing at the wurlie behind the black women. I at once saw we had a friend and pushing between the women I pulled away a few green boughs, and there lay the fellow we wanted, nude and well greased, but the marines surrounded us, each with his old brown bess in his hand, and so he gave himself up to be handcuffed, and was coupled to his brother. These two, George and William, were placed in one of the tents, under the guard of one of the marines. During the night they both escaped with their irons on, which irons, in the morning, were found by a bullock driver, looking for his bullocks, in the bed of the Torrens above Adelaide." About six months after one of them, George, was caught, tried, and hung tor the murder of a shep- herd on Mr. Jas. Hallet's station. A subsequent case of deliberate murder was performed on the same principle as the first on Pegler, only the stabber was passed upwards into the vitals. I will endeavour to describe the instrument which had such deadly effect with so little to be seen on the surface of the skin of the murdered men. It was made in one case out of the shank-bone of a kangaroo ; in the other of the shank-bone of an emu, say twelve or fifteen inches in length, shaved down by pieces of quartz or glass, as it were, split in half, and one end worked to an extremely fine point, which the close texture and the strength of the bones allowed, in the form of a scoop, the sides also carrying fine sharp edges. I was told soon after I arrived that the old men or doctors of the tribes had devised this mode of taking the lives of the white 68 Early Experiences oj men, so as on the withdrawal of the instrument, and pressing down the small half-circular flap, little blood could escape, and the spirit would not pass out, as they believed, to trouble them. In relating circumstances exhibiting their original and native habits, I can mention one described to me by Dr. Wyatt of a very touching character. It has been always asserted that one of the shocking customs of the natives of this continent was infanticide. I give the facts related to me by the doctor, which prove that the destruc- tion of recently-born female children was a tribal policy and custom, and a sad crime against nature and motherly feelings. Amongst the early settlers were many who had the kindest feelings towards a race of human beings just one step removed above the beasts that perish. One lady (Mrs. Finlayson) especially interested in their behalf, having heard that a lubra had been confined of a female child, and that the tribe were about to kill it, sent to Dr. Wyatt, urging him to visit the blacks' en- campment without delay, with which request the Protector immediately complied. Arrived at the wurlies on the north side of the river, the woman was pointed out to him. He found her sitting up, with the recently-born female child lying on the bare ground by her side, nothing having been done to the poor uncovered infant. Close at hand stood a vile-looking black fellow, just on the point of killing the child. A stop being put on proceedings, the mother was remonstrated with, to which she replied that the act decided on by the tribe had her consent, as one of their customs. Dr. Wyatt observed a stout boy, about four years of age, standing and taking nourishment from the mother's breast, who was conveniently sitting on the ground. He had been advised by the kind and motherly woman who had sent him down to endeavour to get the mother to put the infant to her breast. After some persuasion she did this, and then motherly affec- tions were excited, as the lady had predicted, and the life of the child was saved. It is well here to mention that I have on several occasions seen a boy of three or four years of age stand- ing up and taking his nourishment from the mother in a similar manner, and on my inquiring where the recent infant was, I have been told that it was dead, and I admit that at the time I did not suspect that the child had been killed. From Dr. Wyatt I have been informed that the reasons given to him for such a barbarous custom were that the tribes being gene- Life in South Australia. 69 rally at war, they stole females from one another, and so each tribe wished to have as few young girls to tempt their enemies as possible. Such barbarous customs are almost too revolting to be related, but true history demands it. As the tribes on the settled part of the country became partially civilised, I believe such a cruel custom was seldom, if ever, resorted to, but a kind of barter took the place of it, of which I became cognisant. A young man having a sister could exchange her for a girl of another tribe, with the father, the brother, or cousin of the girl he desired to acquire, giving his own relative in ex- change. Such cases I became aware of in my intercourse with the natives as an employer of them. I have now to relate the sad murder of a quiet and confiding shepherd by three blacks, in order to obtain a sheep. With a friend, Mr. Osmond Gilles, I had formed a joint sheep station about four miles to the north of Adelaide, each having a sepa- rate flock and shepherd, we dividing the expense of the hut. My friend's shepherd's name was Duffleld ; my flock, under the charge of a man named Miles, ran west ; Duffield's flock ran east. This was at the time the farthest out station. Miles had followed me from England, and stipulated that I should furnish him with a gun and a brace of small pocket-pistols, with suit- able ammunition. He held the blacks in such dread that he would not allow them to come near him. He never went out without his gun in his hand and pistols in his pocket, and when he chanced to meet any of the blacks, he would wave them off to keep at a distance, and would produce from his pocket one of his pistols, and say, " Picaninny gun, plenty more." I give these particulars to account for the cautious and planned pro- ceedings the murderers adopted to kill his comrade, Duffleld, who, unfortunately for himself, acted on all occasions in a con- fiding manner with the natives, and gave every encouragement to them, allowing them to walk about with him, saying, when his mate remonstrated with him, "Poor creatures, we are taking their country from them ! " but he put his trust in them once too often. He never carried arms. On their attack on him they acted as if they thought he might have " picaninny guns " in his pocket, the same as his mate. On the alarming news being brought to me that Duftield was lying on the plain dying or dead, I lost no time in going out with a conveyance, and finding the poor fellow prostrate, and suffering the greatest agony, I brought him into town that he might have all the jo Early Experiences of attention his case required. With much difficulty he told me that three black men were walking with him quietly, one on each side of him and one behind, conversing in friendly terms. One of them asked him suddenly for a sheep. On his saying " No," he received a severe blow from the one behind him with a heavy waddy, and fell down insensible, but shortly became conscious, and felt he had been pierced upwards, from just below his ribs. He said he saw one of them withdraw the instrument he used. He spoke with such difficulty that I thought his vitals had been pierced ; yet on examining him at the spot he pointed out, I could perceive very small marks of blood, and the wound was closed, and was to all appearance such as would be seen after a heavy pressure of a man's thumb nail ; the small flap must have been pressed down, as I have stated in Dr. Wyatt's ac- count of the death-wound inflicted on Pegler ; but in this case a most treacherous and cruel action was committed without provocation. Duffield was without loss of time placed under medical treatment. On examination it was found that the fine and sharp instrument used had been passed a short distance under the skin and then pressed downwards, and had passed through the lungs. I must explain that Duffield, as he in- formed me, was on his back — that is, on his head and shoulders ; that a black named Rodney was placed between his legs, which were held up by a black behind Rodney's back, and so the sharp bone was conveniently used. The instrument used was a finely-sharpened and thin leg-bone of an emu. Every attention was exercised to relieve the sufferer, but nothing could save him. He lingered about forty-eight hours. Singular to relate, the shepherd's faithful dog, unaided, gathered the scattered sheep, took them home, crossed the river with them, and placed them in the fold, less only three stolen or lost. Duffield gave the name of the principal murderer as Rodney, a villainous fellow, who had not long before this killed his 1 ubra ; Cronk, the interpreter, found her body and buried it. "Whilst I was attending on the poor sufferer Duffield, unknown to me a meeting of the inhabitants took place, as great excite- ment was caused, and some intemperate men proposed that a party should go out armed, and take summary vengeance on the blacks. Unfortunately, at this time, the Governor, Colonel Gawler, was away from the seat of government on an exploring expedition. Dr. Wyatt, the Protector, was also absent at En- counter Bay, with Mr. Mann, the Advocate-General, on official Life in South Australia. 71 business, inquiring into the death of Driscol at that southern station. In this unfortunate complication of difficulties, mode- rate measures were happily adopted at the meeting, as by a resolution passed, in the absence of the proper authorities, four gentlemen were requested to investigate the matter, viz., Messrs. D. McLaren, J. B. Hack, and one whose name I forget, with Mr. John Brown, Immigration Agent. Mr. Brown for some time declined, not wishing to interfere out of his department, but eventually was persuaded to act, desirous to prevent any retaliatory action. On the return of Governor Gawler, he sent to Mr. Brown a written censure on his conduct, and calling for an apology or his resignation. Mr. Brown's explanation not being satisfactory, he was summarily dismissed. I am not able to say if misunderstandings antecedent assisted to cause the Governor to take this severe step, but I have reason to think such was the case. Although Rodney was such a barbarous aboriginal, he was allowed to escape after being captured, and as far as I remember did not turn up again. He might have been killed by his own tribe, as was customary among them, to get rid of a troublesome member. I am sorry to say that the above sad murders, har- rowing as they were, were exceeded far in atrocity by others committed on the natives, and bring to remembrance one instance of a brutal murder of an old black man by an over- land white man, on whom retribution soon fell. There were also instances of more serious collisions between the two races. On the whole, however, I can say that this colony stands alone in the infrequency of such sad occurrences as compared with other communities in this part of the world, which had gone forth to carry out the divine command "to increase and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it." Captain Bromley had been appointed interpreter and protector of the natives in place of Cronk. The new protector might be said to have lived with the blacks as he had a small cottage at their location on the north side of the river, and opposite to where the gaol has since been built. Here the Government had erected for the accommodation of the natives, huts or ken- nels, open towards the rising sun, and which with much trouble some of the blacks were induced to use for a time. But this was too great a departure from their previous habits, as such permanent sleeping places would require to be kept clean, and then as their bits of tires, according to their custom, were placed 72 Early Jixpericuccs of in front of the open part, when an east wind was blowing the dwellings were uninhabitable, and they could not effect a change of front, as they do with their customary wurlies formed of leafy boughs, which they cleansed when they moved to a fresh sleeping-place by putting a fire-stick in them. Here Captain Bromley lived, until he was found dead in a water-hole in the river ; and here the blacks congregated when they were not away on hunting and fishing excursions. The interpreter's duties were to serve out flour, sugar, tea and blankets at certain times, and report to the Government anything serious which might happen. For some little time before the interpreter's death, great dissatisfaction had been created amongst the natives on account of an inferiority in the quality of the rations with which he had to supply them. At this time flour had become very scarce and dear, and in place of that, oatmeal somewhat damaged, had been substituted. This they threw about in disgust, and with much grumbling and great complaints to Captain Bromley. The sugar was also said to be inferior. It was Captain Bromley's habit to fetch his own water from the river. On the morning of his death he had as usual gone down with his can, and was afterwards found dead in the water-hole. Suspicions were excited against the blacks ; he was found with his hands clenched, but with no marks of violence on his person, and there was no evidence to show that, as some people said, he had been pushed in, and held down under water by the natives, who were certainly at that time in a most angry mood about the altered rations. The question of the displacement of an aboriginal race has always been attended with great difficulties, but is one of those necessary processes in the course of Providence to bring about the improvement of the human race and the promised latter days. From my own experience with our natives, low as they have sunk, I am convinced that with ample means granted, and time, much good may be worked on them ; but at the same time the introduction of civilised habits seems to be fatal to their continued existence, independently of the vices and diseases we have brought among them, to our disgrace, which have hastened their destruction. Before I took up my residence beyond the ranges I became acquainted with a Captain Beevor, who had a small sheep station towards the river Murray. On one occasion he com- plained to me of the blacks being very troublesome to him, and Life in South Australia. 73 that he and his men had to be constantly on the look-out to keep them away from his sheep. Shortly after this we heard that one of his men had accidentally shot a black. Whether the occurrence reached the ears of the authorities or not I do not know ; at all events no steps, as far as I was aware of, were taken to inquire into the matter, nor did I ever speak to him on the subject. Shortly after this occurrence he called on me in passing my place, and told me he had given up his station, and was leaving for a distant part of the colony, namely, to form a station at Port Lincoln, and was about to remove his sheep overland. The next account I heard of him was that he had gone on an exploring expedition on the Port Lincoln side of the province. Then in a few years the news came that when encamped on the margin of an extensive patch of scrub, at some distance from Port Lincoln, early in the morning, he had walked a short distance from his tent, and had sat down, when without any warning he was killed by a large spear, thrown by an unseen hand. No natives were known to be in the neigh- bourhood, nor did any after this murder show themselves. It was not long afterwards that his friend Mr. Dark, a surveyor, was also killed by the natives. The only explanation I ever heard of the way in which the native was killed by Captain Beevor's shepherd was that on his rising one morning early, on looking out he perceived a native approaching the sheepyard, and that he motioned him to go away ; as the warning was not complied with he fired, not aiming at the man, but the ball striking a stone ricochetted, and in rising struck the approaching native, who sprang into the air and fell dead on his face. From my own knowledge of Captain Beevor, I accepted this explanation as true, as did his other neighbours, knowing that he would not have allowed or sanctioned an act of wanton cruelty to a native. It is a sad reflection that the white man, in seeking to occupy the coun- tries the aboriginal races have previously wandered over, should have been under the necessity of taking their lives ; but I do without hesitation assert that in South Australia the instances of wilful and unjustifiable destruction of them have been few in comparison to the cases of necessity. For myself, I am thank- ful indeed that although I was much out in the bush, and exposed to danger from the blacks, I was never brought into collision with them. I certainly kept on good terms with them, but I do not assume that my escape was in consequence of my 74 Early Experiences of treatment of those who were acquainted with me, but that I kept a sharp look-out when likely to meet with strange or wild blacks, as we called them, and never allowed such to come within range of their spears. A very few instances of unprovoked murder of whites by the natives have come within my own knowledge. The killing of Captain Barker on the eastern side of the mouth of the Murray occurred some years before the foundation of our colony, and I believe the tribe by which he was killed were afterwards guilty of other murders in our time, as such took place in the same district. Captain Barker, a brother officer of Captain Sturt, both of the 39th regiment of the line, then quartered in Sydney, was ordered by Sir Ralph Darling, Governor of New South Wales, on his way from Western Australia, " to visit and inspect the Gulf of St. Vincent and Encounter Bay, to explore and examine the country, to ascertain if the favourable report of it furnished by Captain Sturt on his return from his boat trip down the Murray River, to near its embouchure, founded only on the distant views which he was able to obtain of the country in passing up and down the river, was borne out by an actual inspection of it." I gather the following facts from the report of Mr. King, who accompanied Captain Barker. It appears that he, with a party, left their ship (we may presume at Holdfast Bay), and trowelled on foot to the top of Mount Lofty, from whence, it may well be said, he had on all sides of him a most extensive and splendid prospect. From this elevation he made his way, principally through a dense forest, till he came to the exceedingly rich flats near Mount Barker (named after him), and continued on from thence to Lake Alexandrina and the Lower Murray or the Goolwa. Wishing to get a good view of the outlet to the sea, he left his party and swam across one of the channels, with his compass fastened on his head. He was seen after leaving the water to ascend a high sand hummock, and then disappeared from their sight never to be seen again alive or dead by his people. As he did not return he was subsequently sought for by them, accompanied by a white sealer and a native woman from Kangaroo Island, and they ascertained he had been killed, and that his body was thrown into the stream and was carried out to sea. Here was a noble man cut down in the performance of the arduous duties he had almost completed. Of him, his comrade and friend, Captain Sturt, wrote : — " He was in disposition, as he Life in South Australia. 75 was in the close of his life, in many respects similar to Captain Cook. Mild, affable, and attentive, he had the esteem and regard of every companion, and the respect of every one under him. Zealous in the discharge of his public duties, honourable and just in private life, a lover and follower of science, inde- fatigable and dauntless in his pursuits, a steady friend, an entertaining companion. In him the King lost one of his most valuable officers, and his regiment one of its most efficient members." I conjecture he was cast into the rapid swirl with his compass untouched, as they evidently got rid of his remains and all he had about him effectually, as nothing has since been discovered of anything he had with him. I think they dreaded to touch the compass, as they would think it to be some mysterious part of his person, as some of them thought the first man on horseback formed, with the horse, one animal, and, as was related to me by a river black who first saw Captain Sturt in his boat, and the one following him, he believed them to be two animals with " plenty heads and long arms." When it is considered that the whites, who have taken possession of so much of this fifth quarter of the world, as it has been called, have spread themselves out so widely, we may well wonder that so few lives have been lost, especially as some of us know how careless the majority of the people have been, and in how many instances, as reported in other colonies, our countrymen, to their disgrace, have treated the aboriginals with insult and injustice. Having met some further particulars on my first visit to Mount Barker about seven years after Captain Barker fell, I felt much on the painful subject. I came upon a camp of blacks at or near the spot where he left his party, and amongst them was a woman who could speak a few words of English. She had been recently stolen from the Adelaide tribe, and had been told by the black who had caught her, by what I could make out, as follows : That the tribe would not have killed him (Captain Barker), only he ran away and would not stop when they gave him friendly signs, and so a spear was thrown at him, which made him tumble down. She could not tell me of anything taken from him. I could gather that he was cut off by some who were secreted in ambush, and whom he had passed, so that he could not return towards his party. 76 Early Experiences of CHAPTER X. This chapter contains an interesting narrative of the first overland expedition with cattle from Sydney to South Australia. That expedition was one of the early and essential instruments in the successful conversion of a vast wilderness into a fruitful garden, and in assisting in the establishment of a colony now one of the brightest jewels in the British Crown. I am entirely indebted to Mr. Charles Bonney for the account which follows, and feel especially obliged to him, knowing how fully his time is occupied by his important official duties : — " The first overland expedition was fitted out by Joseph Hawden, Esq. The cattle, about 300 head, were mustered on the River Goulburn, just below the point where the Sydney Road then crossed it. A start was made on the 26th January, 1838. I had joined the party a day or two previously, and had undertaken; the duty of leading the drays and choosing the line of route, the cattle being generally some little distance in the rear. The course we had intended to take was to follow the Goulburn to the point where Mitchell supposed he had left it when he turned to the southward after exploring the River Darling, and then to take his track to the southward, to follow the course of some of the rivers which he had crossed, and which he described as flowing to the westward, hoping that we might thereby avoid what was anticipated to be a difficult country to get through with cattle, in the neighbourhood of the Murray Cliffs, described by Captain Stint. " We found as we followed the course of the Goulburn, instead of its running in the direction of Mitchell's supposed point of departure from its banks, a littte north of west, it tended more and more to the north, and sometimes east of north, until we suddenly came upon the junction of a large river coming from the eastward. Knowing that we were some- where about 100 miles to the eastward of what Mitchell had described as the junction of the Goulburn with the Murray, and yet feeling certain that the river before us could be none other than the Murray, we were very much puzzled at first to reconcile Mitchell's account with what we saw. However, at last we hit upon the solution of the difficulty, which afterwards we proved to be correct, that he had mistaken a channel of the Life in South Australia. yy Murray, for the junction of another river, and thus we pursued our course along the left bank of the Murray until we came to Mitchell's track. We then followed the course he took to the southward, passing the hill he named Mount Hope, because from its summit he saw a line of trees which seemed to mark the course of a large river flowing to the westward. We also had a view from the summit of Mount Hope, but it was Mount Disappointment to us. The line of trees described by Mitchell evidently marked the direction of a watercourse flowing to the northward to join the Murray. However, we followed Mitchell's track till we came to a log bridge, which he had thrown over the river, seen from Mount Hope, which he named the Yarrayne. His grand river had dwindled down to a dry creek, with only a little water left in some of the holes at distant intervals. The question then was what course should we follow ? Go on to some of the other rivers which Mitchell had described, or return to the River Murray, which we had left, and trust no more to Mitchell's accounts ? My advice to go back to the Murray was followed. To do this we continued on the course of the Yarrayne to its junction with the Murray, and continued to follow down on the left bank of that river until we thought we were below the junction of the Darling, when we crossed to the other or north side, but soon found we had crossed a little too early, the junction of the Darling being still below us. However, as we were travelling in a very dry season, and the rivers were all very low, the crossing of the Darling gave no trouble. After this we kept the right bank of the River Murray until we had passed the North-west Bend, and made three days' journey on its southerly course. We then left the river, and after a very hard day's work got through the scrub, and camped at the foot of the range. Following the course of the range to the southward until we found an opening, we passed immediately to the north of Mount Barker, where we saw the first signs of civilization in the shape of horse-tracks. From the summit of the mount we had a view of Lake Alexandrina, and being misled by Sturt's map, in which the junction of the river and the lake was shown as being in the same latitude as Adelaide, we kept a south-west direction in travelling through the ranges, and after coming upon the Onkaparinga followed its course until we came out at the Horseshoe. Here we found a party of kangaroo hunters (Sladden and others), and learned from them the direction and j 8 Early Experiences of distance of the settlement, as Adelaide was then called, which we reached on the 4th of April, 1838, having performed the journey in ten weeks. Thus ended the first overland journey from New South Wales to South Australia after Captain Sturt's boat expedition — a journey accomplished without any disaster or difficulty worth mentioning, and almost without the loss of a single head of cattle. "After we left Mitchell's Yarrayne everything went smoothly; we had no trouble whatever with the natives. At Swan Hill we established friendly relations with them, and from that point until we left the river they always sent forward messen- gers to the next tribe, to give notice of our approach, and we used to find the tribe drawn up to meet us, on which occasions they gave vent to their astonishment, in an audible manner, at the sight of what was to them such a strange race. On one occasion only were we in danger of coming into collision with them. I had left the drays and proceeded in advance to look out for a road, and the party had come up with a tribe of blacks, drawn up, as usual, at the edge of a lagoon, which the drays had to go round ; and the blacks wishing to have another look at the strange white creatures, took a short cut across the lagoon to meet them, when our men became frightened, and took it into their heads that the blacks were going to attack them, and halted the drays and got out their firearms. The blacks, seeing what was going on, handled their spears in self- defence. Fortunately at this moment I returned, just as the fight was about to commence. Having been a great deal among the blacks, and being well acquainted with their habits, I at once saw the mistake the men had made, and ordered them to put down their guns. I then rode up to the natives, and by signs induced them to lower their spears, and so peace was restored. The natives on many occasions proved very useful to us, and the paths which they had made in travelling up and down the river afforded an unfailing guide as to the direction we ought to take in order to cross the great bends it frequently makes. On one occasion we came to a point on its course where the river swept away to the south as far as the eye could reach, without any appearance of a return to its general western course. A well-beaten native track led off north of west, and it became a weighty question whether we should trust to the usual guidance of a native path or keep to the river. It was evident that if the path led to the river it Life in South Australia. 79 would not reach it for many miles, and I was inclined to adopt the safer course of keeping to the river ; but Hawden thought we might venture to follow the path, and we did so. We travelled on till late in the afternoon, and still there was no appearance of the river gums in the western horizon. Hawden, who had ridden on ahead, anxious to look out for the river, came hurriedly back, and wanted me to turn to the southward and strike in for the river ; but I showed him that it was too late then to alter our course, and that we should probably find the river further away to the south than in the direction we were going. We accordingly pursued our course along the native track, and just before dark we were fortunate enongh to come upon a fine sheet of water, which Hawden named Lake Bonney. One of the overland parties who came down after us determined to stick to the river, and it took them nearly a week to get round the bend. When we arrived at that part of the river where the cliffs commence, my great difficulty was to know when to keep to the river flats and when to take to the high land. On the flats it was much better travelling than on the sandy plains on the top of the cliffs, but the river would sometimes take a sudden sweep round to the cliffs and compel us to climb to the high land, when we might have to go back two or three miles before we could find a place up which the drays could be taken. At last we fell in with three natives, who gave us to understand by signs that they belonged to a tribe lower down the river, and that they would accompany us. One of them I adopted as a guide, and made him understand what I wanted, and such was his intelligent and quick appre- hension that, though he had never seen a white man before, he seemed to know almost by instinct where a dray could pass and where it could not. He acted as my guide for three or four days, and during the whole of that time he never once led us wrong. Old colonists will remember my friend in old ' Tinberry,' whose portrait figures in Eyre's Australia. " At the time we commenced our overland journey the second expedition was being fitted out under the leadership of Mr. E. J. Eyre. Both my party and his had, without concert, fixed on the same line of route — that was, to follow the course of the rivers which Major Mitchell said he had discovered south of the Murray, and which it was supposed would join and form what Captain Sturt thought to be a river running into the Murray above the Great Bend, but which was subsequently So Early Experiences of discovered to be merely an anabranch of the river. Eyre, however, struck across from Mount Macedon, and cut Mitchell's track a little south of the Yarrayne Bridge, where he arrived about a fortnight after we had been there. He saw our tracks going back towards the Murray, and not having had so much experience of Mitchell's inaccuracies as we had found, he placed accordingly more reliance on his description of the rivers he had met with further south, and in consequence he continued on Mitchell's track, and tried to get to the westward by following the courses of several rivers one after the other, but they all ran out in the scrub until he came upon the Wimmera, which he found to end in a lake, to which he gave the name of Lake Hindmarsh, after the then Governor of South Australia. He next tried to push through the scrub to reach the River Murray by a northerly course, but he was foiled in the attempt, after destroying many of his horses and losing some of his men by desertion. He was at length com- pelled to retrace his steps, and after much suffering he reached Mitchell's Bridge, on the Yarrayne, about three months after he first saw that watercourse. Weakened as he was by the loss of horses and the desertion of some of his men, he per- severed on his journey, and following on our tracks, arrived at the settlement in Adelaide free from further troubles." I must state that Hawden and Bonney brought in their cattle and horses in fine condition, but Mr. Eyre and his party, men and stock, arrived in a weakened state. I had good reason to know this, for I had the charge and sale of the cattle, which were purchased from Mr. Eyre on account of a Sydney firm, whose agent I was. Although I was able to put these cattle on splendid feed, it took many months before they recovered from the hardships they had undergone. At the same time I must admit they were cattle of a much inferior description and breed to the fine herd which Mr. Bonney con- ducted for Mr. Hawden, which, although the first introduced overland, have never been surpassed by any large draft brought from the adjoining colonies. CHAPTER XI. On the 12th of October, 1838, the news spread that our new Governor, Colonel Gawler, was on board the ship just arrived. Life in South Australia. 81 No regular arrangements were made as to any public reception or demonstration on his landing, but it was bruited about that he would be coming up on horseback about midday. A few mounted men mustered and straggled down the track towards Holdfast Bay, where the Pcstonjee Bomanjee had anchored. We gradually formed a troop of about twenty horsemen. On arriving a little below where Hilton now stands, on what was then open ground, we were met by a one-horse vehicle of unpretending appearance, with a lady and some children and one female servant, all in ship array, with no escort or other servants. We continued at a slow pace, utterly ignorant that we had passed the Governor's lady and children. Soon afterwards we perceived in the distance a considerable dust approaching us on the track ; this was the old and lower track, before roads were formed. We soon became conscious that the Governor was coming with a small escort, at a hand gallop. His Excellency shot past us on old Black Jack, a blood entire, usually ridden by the Com- missioner, Mr. J. H. Fisher. We followed after they had passed, according to the speed of our horses, and remarked to one another, k ' This will be a fast Governor," and so he proved ; but not too fast for the new country he had to carry forward towards a successful development of its great resources {i.e., if he had been supplied with sufficient means). On arrival at Government House, humble as it was then, a concourse of settlers soon formed, as well as a muster of aboriginals, with their interpreter, Cronk. His Excellency did not keep us long before he appeared, and went through the formal proceedings required on such occasions. These concluded, he gave us a very suitable address, and one also to his black brethren, as he called them. Before he turned to them he asked the Protector (Dr. Wyatt) if he was competent to interpret what he should say to them. The answer was, " Yes, your Excellency." His address to them was rapidly delivered. He told the blacks he came from their great Queen, that she loved her black people, and they must also love her white people, &c. &c. The inter- preter kept on gabble, gabble, doing his best to interpret a discourse so rapidly delivered and translated; it was like parson and clerk racing ! but not a word do I believe most of the black brethren understood of the address. On the Governor concluding his oration, he waved his cocked hat with its white feather, when a knowing native up a crooked overhanging tree shouted out : " Plenty tucker ; berry good 82 Early Experiences of Cockatoo Gubbernor." His Excellency's last words to the Protector were—" I shall order for them a supply of food," which the cunning fellow understood as " plenty tucker," adding by way of compliment, and as if impressed by the motion of the white feather, the title "berry good Cockatoo Gubbernor." The Governor soon got to work on his official duties, and much energy was thrown into the service. He found only a small organisation as to police. The first governor's marine guard, such as it was, had left with Captain Hindmarsh, and there was no military force. Captain Hindmarsh had ap- pointed Mr. Inman as Superintendent of Police, who had a small number of raw policemen under him. Shortly after the arrival of Governor Gawler he appointed Major O'Halloran Commissioner of Police and Police Magistrate, with an increased number of men. He also called for volunteers to form a semi- military force. In answer to this appeal, gentlemen willing to serve as officers abounded, but rank and file were scarce, and only a few at first came forward to be enrolled. Major O'Hal- loran was gazetted Colonel, and among the officers appointed were Alex. Tolmer, captain and adjutant of cavalry, and Mr. Litchfield, captain and adjutant of infantry. An early muster was ordered, and uniforms, it was announced, could be obtained at the Government Store. I had allowed a man in my employ- ment to enrol ; he was driver of the mail to Glenelg or Port Adelaide (I was the first mail contractor), and I had arranged to put a substitute on the box Avhen his services were required as a volunteer. As I was anxious to see how things went on at the muster in front of Government House, I started in that direction, and as I approached I saw F. G, my driver, on his way, in some sort of a military uniform. On nearing me he halted with a military salute (he had served in a yeomanry regiment at home). I said to him : " Well, G, what an extra- ordinary figure you cut !" " I am aware of it, sir," was the reply, " but it is not my fault ; we were ordered to apply for and to appear in slop uniform. I turned over a lot of the clothing, and have taken the nearest I could find to fit me. This shell- jacket and the pants will not meet, as you see, and I have adopted a large red comforter to fill up the gap." Of course I had a hearty laugh, but could not risk the chance of indulging in indecorous manners before His Excellency, and so turned back. I received a report of the miserable failure of the first attempt to muster a force, at which were present nine officers, Life in South Australia. 8 j as I was informed, and six rank and file. I must add that after some little time a respectable regiment was organised. Governor Gawler brought with him extended powers, which were generally ample. His appointment embraced also the office of Commissioner of Crown Lands, from which Mr. J. H. Fisher retired. The Governor was supreme, and only tram- melled by a limit on his powers to draw (except in extreme emergency) on the Board of Commissioners in London, or on Her Majesty's Treasury. On Colonel Light resigning, as mentioned in a previous chapter, Mr. G. S. Kingston (afterwards knighted) assumed the position of Acting Surveyor-General, as empowered by his original instructions from the Commissioners, bearing date 9th March, 1836. Mr. G. S. Kingston did not long occupy the position of acting-head of the department, and soon after his retirement Captain Frome arrived, with a few sappers and miners as a staff of surveyors. I am not aware if any essential or beneficial changes were made in the work of the survey department after Colonel Light left the office, where a very insufficient staff remained for his " acting " successor to rely on. Colonel Gawler reported on the state of the survey staff in one of his first despatches, from which I shall quote hereafter. After the arrival of Captain Frome, of the Royal Engineers, to fill the post, the surveys were rapidly proceeded with. Whether greater accuracy obtained or not I am unable to say ; but I was informed by one of the sappers when engaged in my neighbourhood, that in off-working on to previously surveyed sections, to fill up unsurveyed pieces of country, it was a difficult task to thumb in his own work. I had no occasion to complain of the old surveys, as I had an excess of quantity in a section I then held. One of the works executed by the sappers and miners under Captain Frome was to erect a small mud or sod fort on North-terrace, with embrasures and carronades mounted therein pointing to the city. So, if the citizens had become rebellious, they could have been slaughtered there with ease if they had chosen to place themselves within the range. Captain Frome was energetic in his office, and most gentle- manly in his deportment to all who had to apply to him for information, or on any business connected with the Survey and Land Office. He fulfilled the duties also of Engineer-in-Chief without any additional pay. Two bridges over the Torrens g 2 84 Early Experiences of within the city bounds, which he erected, were, by unusual floods, swept away ; succeeding floods have not been so heavy, nor have such large trees been brought down since, which were the cause of the destruction of those first erections. I am bound to mention that Mrs. Gawler with commendable zeal aided the Governor in every good work. As became them, they exhibited great interest in the welfare of the natives. One of their early steps in encouraging them was to call them together to display their prowess in throwing the war spear, boomerang, and waddy, on which occasion the settlers were invited to a lunch, and the blacks to a feed, after the trial of their skill. And here they completely out-generalled Colonel Gawler, as I shall show. Archery targets of the full size were placed near Government House at suitable and fair distances, according to the directions of those who knew something about their habits. The warriors of the tribe were marshalled up with their spears, boomerangs, &c, King John at their head, with his cutlass by his side, in addition to his native arms. The cutlass was presented to him in a formal manner on board the Buffalo. King John first made a grave and dignified inspection of the target at the farther end, and returning half-way towards the attacking position paused, measuring the distance with his eyes, and returned, shaking his head, to the starting-point where his men and the company were standing. He then said : " No, no, too much long way." The distance was not 100 yards. On this protest the outer target was brought in some 15 or 20 yards. He then poised his spear, and brought it to the recover, saying : " Blackfellow no throw big one spear that long way." Then at or about sixty yards he consented to try their skill, though he with admirable acting expressed his doubts. Now fixing his womera (a casting agent for long distances), amidst the objecting grunts of his tribe, he discharged his spear so as to strike the rim of the target with the middle of the spear instead of the point, and then came the ejaculations of his men, implying, "Ah ! ah ! we told you so!" Then came up in turn the warriors of the tribe, but with well-expressed reluctance, some just missing the target, others following the example of King John ; and now they pretended shame under the derisive cheers of the lubras. The boomerangs were then thrown high, and so as, in their eccentric flight, to return towards those who cast them, and appeared more Life in South Australia. 85 calculated to endanger the thrower than an opponent. On this many of the ladies exclaimed, " Poor fellows, you see they cannot hit anybody even at that short distance," and many of the spectators were convinced of the harmless character of the warriors amongst whom we had arrived. In accordance with their customs, they had been brought on to the field in their war costume, i.e., their faces and breasts decorated with white war paint in bars, but with an addition of European costume as far as pants went, which the Governor had ordered to be given them, thereby hiding their natural spindleshanks. The exhibition ended, they retired to their feast, and we to a plentiful luncheon. If they laughed at us on the sly before us, it was internally and well disguised. No doubt the joke circulated far and wide amongst the surrounding tribes, and most likely formed the subject of one of their corroborees, their custom being to rehearse with musical accompaniment any striking occurrence, the accompaniment being performed by women beating sticks together, and uttering "Ah, ah, ah, ah," continually during the dancing of the males. I once, on the Murray, was highly delighted to witness the performance of a corroboree of the first steamboat that passed them on that river; at the same time one of them commenced an exhibition of the first passage down the river of Captain Sturt with his boats. The actor was engaged, as I was afterwards informed, in snaring wild fowl up to his chin in the water, amidst the reeds, with a cap of green leaves on his head, when to his surprise and alarm he saw in the middle of the stream " a great beast with plenty of heads and legs." He dropped his rod and remained quiet, and, as quick as he dared, darted out of the water and secreted himself in the scrub. I have been frequently amused at their singular performances. I may here relate a surprise which Mrs. Gawler got on one of her visits to the residences of the colonists (not intended for the upper classes), in distributing tracts to the inhabitants of tents and shanties. I have mentioned the small miserable hut where our first postmaster carried on his duties. At the door of this Mrs. Gawler knocked, and on the door being opened she was greatly surprised when the name of the Post- master-General was given, in answer to her question as to the name of the occupant. " I was not aware that Government officials occupied such strange places," said the lady, and feeling she could not leave a tract with so high an official, she 86 Early Experiences of walked on, and soon found herself in Emigration-square, to which she had started to make a special visit, as it was then filled with freshly-arrived emigrants. The good lady here found an ample field for her pious works. This necessary establishment has vanished long ago, and has not been replaced. It was situated on the flat beyond the north-west corner of the city, and was built of weatherboards, which answered a tem- porary purpose. These huts were pulled down after the stagnation and stoppage of emigration from England. In December, 1839, Judge Cooper arrived. Of him it must be recorded that a more upright and just judge never occupied the highly responsible seat of judgment in this or any other country. His conscientious dread of erring in judgment caused him, through the invariable caution he exercised before giving his decisions, to subject himself on some occasions to impatient remarks from the advocates who pleaded in the courts. He was for some time the only judge in all three courts, the Civil, Criminal, and Insolvent Courts, and he fulfilled his onerous duties in an unexceptionable manner. In private life he set a bright example as a consistent and liberal Christian. Judge Cooper retired on a liberal pension, which he has lived long to enjoy. To show the pure and unsophisticated mind of the judge, it is only necessary to relate two cases amongst the first he heard when on the Bench in Adelaide. In one a store- keeper sued for the amount of a debt owing to him, and in his evidence to support the correctness of his claim, informed the Court that he kept his books by double entry, when the judge interrupted him in a hasty and surprised manner by asking the witness : "Do you admit on oath that you enter an article twice?" In another case, an action to recover for damage to a cargo of wheat shipped to the Cape of Good Hope, a witness (the supercargo, who had held the rank of chief mate) swore that the cargo was damaged by salt water let in through open seams in the deck. In cross-examination he admitted he had consented to the captain's putting in to the Mauritius, and that on leaving he himself had made an affidavit that the ship was well found, taut, &c. His manner in giving such a con- tradiction was most trifling. Judge Cooper hastily exclaimed : " You deserve to be prosecuted for perjury," to which the witness replied : " Oh, your Honour, it is only a matter of form to get clearance, and done every day to get into good company." Life in Sotith Australia. 87 The judge showed he was much shocked by such levity, and ordered him to leave the witness box. CHAPTER XII. In the months of November and December in the year 1S38, the ship Zebra, Captain Hahn, and the Prince George arrived from Hamburg with German families, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Kavel, who was truly a shepherd over them, not only administering to their spiritual wants, but also acting as overlooker to a great extent to their temporal affairs. The community of useful colonists whom he brought out had been assisted to a great extent by Mr. G. F. Angas, formerly of London, and late of Lindsay House, Angaston. Of this action I may remark, without fear of contradiction, that this wealthy and beneficent gentleman never made a better use of his money than by affording to this body of Lutherans the means to migrate to this colony. Without being guilty of an intrusion on the quiet and unostentatious actions of Mr. Angas, I think, as a public benefactor to a much greater extent to the colony of South Australia than any other of its founders, some record should be made of the obligations we owe to him. He was not only one of the committee who struggled to obtain our charter; but when his funds and presence in the colony were so much needed he further made large investments, and a few years later took up his residence among us, and spent the remainder of his valuable life here, and thus set an example which has not been always followed by those who have made their fortunes here ; too large a proportion of such fortunate individuals being now absentees, who draw their incomes to be spent in other countries, untaxed by us. Shortly after the arrival of Pastor Kavel he called upon me and explained the circumstances under which this large body of immigrants had arrived, viz. : that they were generally poor but industrious and honest ; that they had been, by the assist- ance of a loan, enabled to make the passage, and that they required cattle and other things, including land, which they must to a great extent procure on credit, and asked me if I could oblige them with cattle. Some few amongst them had 88 Early Experiences of money, and might pay with cash ; some could pay part of the purchase-money, and those who required full credit would pay instalments at certain fixed periods. I did not hesitate to comply, and was soon visited by a number of his people. First came a small capitalist who wanted a pair of oxen, and exhibited his small bag of sovereigns with some pride. At the time, the stockyard was full of cattle brought in for sale. He pointed out to me on the outside of the yard a hand-truck to which he had fixed a long slight pole, and gave me to under- stand that he wanted a pair of oxen to attach to that vehicle to take his luggage, with which it was loaded, over the hills, pointing to Mount Lofty. He had a companion with him who could speak a few words of English. I knew nothing of German. He showed me a rope, and gave me to understand he intended to guide or drive the oxen according to his country fashion. As I was much puzzled what to do with him, I shook my head to imply that his system would not answer with our cattle. On this he again produced his money-bag, to which I nodded and said " Yes," which gave him and his family much pleasure, and caused them to exclaim " Yah, yah ; " and then they climbed on the fence of the large stockyard, in which were a number of wild cattle brought in for the butchers. Now I had to shake my head again and say " No, no ; " but it was no use, my customer kept repeating " Yah, yah," and his friend said " How much ? " pointing out two bullocks. He was told ^42 the pair. One was the wildest and wickedest beast in the yard, and the other a good match for him. As I could not make him understand me, I was leaving the party, when my stockkeeper called my attention to a quiet pair of small leaders in another yard in which were a number of quiet milk- ing cows, which I told the German he could have for ^42 the pair in yoke, but he declined with contempt, as I had men- tioned the same price for the larger bullocks in the other yard. Finding I could not make myself understood, and that the intended buyer had worked himself into a violent passion, im- plying, as I thought, a charge that I wanted to cheat him, I walked away to my house, leaving him violently gesticulating to my men. I had not been long away when I heard a great noise of roaring bullocks and men's voices, and returned to see what was the matter. It appeared after I left he had tendered to my foreman the money named, which was the price fixed for Life in South Australia. 89 the pick of unbroken bullocks in the yard. My men wished for no better fun, so they complied with his wishes, and roped up one of the beasts he had chosen, which went quietly into the strong bail used to yoke up steers in, and on roping the other brute, which he was so determined to have, the bullock became quite furious, and was roaring and dashing about in such a manner that the German was frightened enough, and met me, begging for his money which my man had received. I ordered the rope to be cut, when the beast rushed at and cleared the fence, and made off. A man on horseback was sent after him, and the bullock was found on the banks of the Torrens, where he had tossed a constable and seriously injured him, and was quickly shot by one of the troopers. As the German had been so obstinate and had caused so much trouble I refused to return his money, but desired him to call on me with his pastor. Before he could leave, the man returned with the news of the damage done. The German's whole family were now present. His wife had in the meantime been hand- ling the quiet milking cows in the milking yard, and now they petitioned me to let them have two quiet cows in place of the bullocks, with which I complied, and the whole family went off with their newly-acquired live stock highly pleased, especially as I made a return of the difference in the price, as the wife had not chosen two of the highest priced ones but the quietest, and I was willing to submit to some loss on the bullock to get clear of the party. Some of the family yoked themselves to the truck, which was such a one as two large goats might have drawn ; and after making several journeys, I was told in the same manner by hand, they managed to get the whole of their goods over the hills. It must not be forgotten that at the time this was done no road had been cut or formed, and the greater part of the goods of the community was carried on backs and shoulders to the village named by them Hahndorf in honour of Captain Hahn. I have given the above account of my first transaction with these people to show how little they were acquainted with colo- nial matters. I had subsequently many dealings with them, and invariably found them punctual and honest. I continue to relate what difficulties this community had to experience and overcome in acquiring land on which to found their settle- ments. One they formed at Klemzig, where Pastor Kavel lived for years. 90 Early Experiences of Owing to our land system not then admitting of purchase on credit from the Government, the Germans who arrived in the early days, instead of paying £i to the State paid long credit prices and heavy interest to private speculators. For the Hahndorf land they had to pay ^7 an acre. I do not know what interest they were charged, but I daresay 10 per cent. Now this land was part of the first special survey taken up by Messrs. Dutton, Finniss, and McFarlane, at a cost to them of jQi an acre, and was not by any means the pick of their land ; so no favour was shown in this essential arrangement with the strangers, who, I think I may say, were taken in. They had to pay off the principal by annual instalments. The quantity of land was 240 acres, which cost them -£\,6&o. Then, through the pastor, they obtained credit for provisions, &c, to the amount of ^1,500, until their own crops were realised on. Their seed wheat had cost them £i a bushel, and they had to procure working cattle at no less than ^40 a pair. Up to the time of their arrival the inhabitants of Adelaide had been insufficiently supplied with vegetables and dairy produce, and these at an exorbitant price — butter at 2s. 66. a lb., and eggs 2s. 6d. a dozen. The Germans very soon began to carry into the city for sale small supplies of butter, and, within a few months, vegetables, generally on the backs of the females, and in the same manner taking back their supplies of rations. After a time a string of matrons and girls would be seen wending their way to the capital in their German costume. Before the end of their first year of residence amongst us they furnished the townspeople with a good supply of vegetables. &c, realising to themselves a good profit. At their first harvest their little handmills were set a-going; and they soon cleared off all their debts, and purchased from the Government 240 acres of land for cash, at £1 an acre, contiguous to their town- ship. Their implements were of their own construction, and primi- tive enough, after the forms which had been in use in their native country for hundreds of years. For some time after their arrival we would see funny rigs attached to one of their small ploughs or wooden harrows — say a woman with a strap over her shoulder with a rope to a swingletree, a necessary advan- tage given to her in length, and at the other shorter end a small bullock, cow, or a pony, the husband or father holding with one hand the one-handled plough and with the other a Life in South Australia. 91 long pipe, which he was deliberately smoking — the wooden plough light enough to be carried on a man's shoulder. It was not long before we saw them in better circumstances, with their pairs of fine and fat horses, kept and treated in a manner which set an example to the settlers amongst whom they had come. At an early period old Lubasch (who was a sergeant in the Prussian artillery at the battle of Waterloo) opened in the village of Hahndorf first a coffee-shop, and soon afterwards a licensed house, and ran a pony mail-cart, much to the accom- modation of the small population then settled in the district. Many a hard battle of words have I fought with the old ser- geant, but never succeeded in convincing him that the battle of Waterloo was won before the arrival of old Blucher. Lubasch claimed to have been with the advanced detachment of guns which unlimbered and fired the first volley, and saved, as he maintained, the English army. At the first shearing of sheep after their arrival at their village, the community at Hahndorf contracted to shear a flock for Mr. D. Macfarlane ; and as I witnessed their peculiar mode of performing the work, I will relate what I saw. The shearers were principally young women, who were waited on by men of the village, who, when called on, caught and carried the sheep to the shearer who was ready. The sheep was carefully laid down on its side ; the young woman, without shoes and stockings, had a piece of thick soft string tied to one of her great toes, the other end was then tied to the hind foot of the sheep ; the girl's leg was then stretched out to extend the legs of the sheep ; her knee or left hand was pressed on the neck or shoulder of the animal, which was then left to her charge, and she commenced her clipping work, most carefully avoiding any snips of the skin. The number shorn by one never exceeded thirty a day. At first I was inclined to laugh, but I was soon pleased to see how tenderly the sheep were handled. The wool was not taken off very close. The whole party worked with a will, and the amount they earned went towards the payment for their land, as Mr. D. Macfarlane, the owner of the sheep, was one of the original proprietors who sold the land to them. This first and successful experiment in the introduction of German immigrants was followed by several other shiploads, some, as I am informed, assisted also by Mr. Angas, and many 92 Early Expcrencics of others who have been aided by their friends who had preceded them and been successful. The influence of Pastor Kavel was very great, his personal exertions on behalf of his country- men were untiring, and with a perfect forgetfulness of self, so that he could not fail in establishing a community remarkable for probity and respect for our laws. Mr. Kavel was universally beloved. He had married a wife of an alien nation, viz. English, shortly before his arrival, and in this respect departed from the general actions of his people, amongst whom a certain degree of jealousy was from the first displayed against becoming amalgamated with the English population amongst whom they had settled. It has been objected to these German immigrants that the colonists do not derive any direct benefit from their labour, but this is not a liberal view to take, as they rent a good deal of land from English proprietors, and when not engaged on their own holdings gladly take work from the adjoining settlers. By the untiring industry and rigid frugality of the inhabitants of Hahndorf they soon paid off all their debts ; and although most of those who arrived here and are still alive, remain in their original location, many of the younger branches have taken up land on their own account, and are becoming amalgamated with the English population. At all events, they all, young and old, prove themselves good and loyal subjects of our gracious Queen. On some occasions I attended the services of the Rev. Mr. Kavel, and, without notice, on his observing English hearers present he would address us in our own language, apparently to the gratification of his own people. He early suffered the loss of his wife, who was buried at Klemzig, and the good man seemed for a time almost bowed down with grief. He procured the publication of a neat pamphlet, containing statistical accounts of the colony, with a lithographic print of the city and a map of the colony, with letters from German settlers containing glowing descriptions of the success they had met with. This little work was extensively circulated in Ger- many, and no doubt has led numbers who have left their own nation to join us in this antipodal region. The following German villages were early formed, viz. : — Klemzig, Hahndorf, Lobethal (in which our first woollen fac- tory has been established), Bethanien, Langmiel, as well as several other smaller settlements, and now as fresh arrivals come they are more dispersed abroad than when the first com- Life in South Australia. 93 munities arrived. From the Hartz Mountains and Saxony we have not had the number of miners and smelters that could be desired, such workers being specially adapted to obtain and smelt our minerals. CHAPTER XIII. In this chapter will be related the erroneous impressions published by experienced explorers on their first and hasty inspections of the new colony. Such errors have, however, been common in other colonies. Captain Sturt, shortly after his arrival in August, 1838, invited settlers to meet him, offering to deliver a lecture on the pro- spects of agriculture and horticulture in South Australia. About twelve persons attended, all being interested in the subject, and who had come out with the intention of embarking in country pursuits. I was one of the company, having brought out two land orders on my own account, with power also to exercise selection for a non-resident. The lecture was very interesting. Captain Sturt's description of the country he passed over, after leaving the River Murray, was most favour- able ; but when he came to give us his opinion of the plains of Adelaide, and of the country to the west of the extensive ranges running north from Cape Jervis to a then unknown distance, his expressed anticipations were most discouraging. He said : "You, gentlemen, who have taken so long a voyage to form agricultural farms, I caution you, from my own experi- ence of the climate of Australia, after residing in the province of New South Wales, not to attempt to break up land on the western plains, or you will meet with sad disappointment. You must not expect to get crops of grain or fruit on this side of the ranges ; but I advise you to go to the beautiful hills, valleys, and flats between the ranges, and on the eastern slopes ; there you will find excellent soil and plenty of good water. If you attempt to cultivate land around Adelaide you will be grievously disappointed/' &c. &c. Three practical men in the company, two of them now dead and the other myself, ventured to express different opinions, and said from their examination of the alluvial soils on the condemned plains, they were convinced that with sufficient rainfall good crops would 94 Early Experiences of reward the farmer. To this Captain Sturt replied : " The frequent droughts to which this continent is subject, as I have experienced, is the ground upon which I base ray remarks.'' Within three years after the delivery of this lecture sections on all sides of the city were smiling with crops of wheat, which yielded from 30 to 40 bushels an acre, and in successive years only diminishing in quantity of yield through exhaustion and bad management. Such prolific yields have never been exceeded in any district in the colony, even when favoured in respect to elevation and rainfall. Captain Sturt, however, was not the only experienced explorer who erred in his opinions of the capabilities of the country, as will appear from the report of Mr. Eyre on his exploring journey north, when he discovered the lake, which he named Lake Torrens. In his account published in the papers he gave such a deplorable description of the country north, that several intending settlers who had just arrived passed on to Melbourne. It must be explained that in this trip Mr. Eyre's course was generally in sight of one or other of the gulfs, and on that course he did not meet with good land, and so was led to condemn the northern country as useless, not having tried the nature of the land to the east of his line. This country, a few miles east of Mr. Eyre's tracks, was seen by the Author, an account of which he now gives. It so hap- pened that he made a short excursion north, and returned a few days after Mr. Eyre published a report of his first trip. The Author left Adelaide on a horse, fresh and fit for a long journey, to endeavour to meet a large herd of cattle which were expected to be near the north-west bend of the River Murray, and so started by way of Mount Barker. In that district he met a man who gave the information that the herd had left the river at the bend and had gone north ; on this he altered his course west, and passed to the west of Mount Torrens. In following down on a native track through high grass and herbage, something was seen to glisten in the narrow path. The horse suddenly made a violent start, when a large black snake was seen gliding away. The horse com- menced to tremble violently, and on dismounting him it was apparent that he had been bitten by the snake, probably on the breast. The poor brute soon broke out in a copious sweat. The only course to be pursued was to hasten on to the nearest Life in South Australia. 95 encampment, which was known to be a few miles ahead. Before reaching this place, where a temporary station had been formed, the poor horse began to show by the swelling of the breast that little hopes could be entertained of saving his life, as the vital organs were so near the bites, and on reaching the camp it was plainly to be seen that death would soon occur. The long grass nearly meeting across the path must have prevented the horse seeing the snake, which if trodden on would, as is its custom, throw itself back and bite. The horse was left at the camp, and a small and weak horse was bor- rowed from the owner of the herd of cattle, which was encamped near Mount Crawford. Information was afterwards obtained that the poor brute died the following day. Leaving Mount Crawford on the east, beautiful hills and gullies were passed through, now known as Pewsey Vale, where the residence of the late Joseph Gilbert, Esq., and his cele- brated vineyard, are now to be seen ; from thence the rider descended by a rich spur of the western range, having ridden continuously through miles of country covered with high grass. Arriving at a small dairy station he received hospitality for the night ; on the following day he headed north, and met no one, nor found the tracks of the herd he wished to meet with. On crossing the River Light he found large water holes, in which some cattle had been drowned ; the banks of the holes were either steep or overhanging, and the poor beasts had swum round and round, unable to get out. At these ponds there were no tracks of a large herd, so a more northerly course was followed, but the horse ridden was too low and weak to be pushed ; the Dirty Light (which was the early name of this branch) was followed up and was camped on, a saddle had been crossed, and the Black Springs were seen ; from high ground farther north, a fine green looking country was seen, and on all sides as far as the eye could reach, high topped hills were visible in the far north. In the nearer distance was discovered a large camp of blacks, so a return was decided on. The writer was particularly struck and pleased by the appear- ance of the distant ranges of high hills, and regretted that he was not horsed or supplied with necessaries for pursuing a further examination of the northern country. He camped for the night with only dry biscuits and no water fit to drink ; on following down the Dirty Light a few miles the next morning, he came to a pond of good water, and pushed for home, 96 Early Experiences of driving his exhausted horse before him : before reaching half way to Gawler town he met with a friend who lent him a horse and took charge of the one he had previously borrowed, home being reached after five days' absence. He was then greatly surprised on reading in the papers Mr. Eyre's unfavourable report of his trip north, skirting the coast only, and he lost no time in giving a very different report of the country he had ridden over, on a line east of the tracks of Mr. Eyre, and of the promising appearance of the hills farther north, to his friends Messrs. Horrocks, Hill, Hancock and others, some of whom took advantage of the information, and within a few days went out to judge for themselves. His report was discre- dited at the time by some parties, who, however, followed the example of those who went out first, and speedily several runs were taken up on lease, and special surveys were applied for from the Government on the favourable country he had passed over and among the premising ranges he viewed to the north. Mr. John Horrocks (a purchaser of land) obtained a camel, which was the first landed in the colony, and with a few horses started to explore still farther north than the country just taken up. After passing Mount Remarkable some miles a halt was made to camp for the night. Here Mr. Horrocks met with a fatal accident ; the camel was not under good command, and when Mr. Horrocks, with some help, was endeavouring to unload the beast, in taking down a loaded rifle, it was unfortu- nately discharged, and the contents were received in a vital part, the effects of which he did not survive many days. The pass in the Flinders Range at the entrance of which Mr. Hor- rocks received his fatal wound, is now known as Horrocks' Pass. On June 18th, 1840, Mr. Eyre started from Adelaide on his second northern exploring trip. This expedition may be said to have been fitted out by private contributions, ^100 only having been furnished by the Governor, Colonel Gawler. On the return of the party the total costs incurred amounted to £ 1,39 T os - l d - Amount contributed by Mr. Eyre Do. do. by Government Sale of part of equipment Subscriptions by colonists . £h39 : £ s. d. 680 15 10 100 28 582 4 9 Life in South Australia. 97 This account is given to show the cost of this first expedi- tion, which returned without accomplishing the object for which it was undertaken. A brief account of Mr. Eyre's expe- riences before he returned from the most distant point he reached, is all which is deemed necessary to be given. He started with fourteen horses and three drays. The party con- sisted of Mr. Eyre, Mr. Scott, assistant, four white men, and two black boys. Before starting a lunch was given to the party by the Governor, and a flag (the Union Jack) was pre- sented to Mr. Eyre by Captain Sturt, to be planted in the centre of the continent. Mr. Eyre adopted the same line of country as in his first journey north. July 8th. He made Lake Torrens and found the lake completely girded by a steep sandy ridge. On descending to its basin found the dry bed to be completely coated over with a crust of salt, glittering brilliantly in the sun : in his diary he says : " On putting my foot upon the crust I found it yield, and that below was a soft black mud, so could not proceed to ascertain if there were water farther west or not. The extraordinary deception caused by the mirage made it almost impossible to believe one's eyesight." On July T2th he arrived back at Mount Deception. In the meantime he had entered in his diary most distressing accounts of the plains he passed over, his course being to the west of Flinders Range, and described the appearance of the range as high, rugged, and very barren. From the top of the mount, which he ascended with great difficulty, the view was extensive and unsatisfactory, Lake Torrens appearing as large and mys- terious as ever. On July 1 6th, having endeavoured to get a view of the east from a rugged ironstone range, he writes : " It now became a matter of serious consideration whether I should pursue my researches any further. I was about 120 miles from my party." He rejoined his party after being absent 15 days. Provisions of all kinds had been obtained by his men during his absence from the Water Witch at Port Augusta. August 14th Mr. Eyre continued on a bearing N.W., and was pulled up by what he calls "a winding arm of the Main Lake ; found.the waters to be salt as the sea, the bed near the shore was dry. On ascending a high bank the lake was seen to be stretching away to the N.E." On August 29th, with Mr. Scott and a native boy, Mr. Eyre ascended a very high hill, not less than 3000 feet, which he H 98 Early Experiences of named Mount Searle. " From the summit," he says, " our view was extensive and final. At one glance I saw the realisation of my worst forebodings, and the termination of the expedition of which I had command. Lake Torrens (now known as Lake Frome) faced us to the east, whilst on every side we are hemmed in by a barrier which we could never hope to pass.'"' From this spot he returned to Adelaide, his report entirely confirm- ing that given of his first trip as to the barren land he passed over. Mr. John Chambers with his brother William were the next who passed on northwards to look for runs, and they found the Pekina Run, which they took up. They then engaged Mr. Holland to go to New Wales to purchase a herd of cattle, which, on arrival, were placed on Pekina Run. No rain having fallen in that locality for 17 months, it was feared the failing waters would not hold out, and the cattle were removed to a run on the River Murray, in Lake Bonney district, and the lease of Pekina Run was sold to Mr. Price Maurice for a small sum. This run, in Mr. Maurice's possession, afterwards turned out one of the most profitable sheep runs in the province, until (under the reserved rights in the lease) it was resumed by the Government, and surveyed into agricultural blocks, and sold under leases with agreements of rights of purchase. Mount Brown, in the Flinders Range, was named after the three brothers Brown, who near that Mount formed a sheep station, and here the youngest of the brothers was killed while he was minding lambs near the hut. His grave can now be seen near where the old hut stood. Captain Chase was the next to go farther north to investigate the country, and he did this on foot, in some measure living with the blacks. He was taken by them to many permanent waters ; a range he visited is known as Chase's Range. In this locality the following runs were taken up : Arkaba, Wilpena, and Arroona. These runs were stocked severally by Ur. Browne, Mr. H. F. Price, and Mr. Haywood. Mr. Haywood had, not long after stocking Aroona, two of his shepherds killed by the blacks. The flocks of sheep were seized by the natives. Mr. Haywood soon mustered a party of his neighbours, and found the enemy with the sheep in a gorge with precipitous sides, forming a pound, and here a more equal fight took place, on St. Patrick's Day, in 1852, which resulted in the death of several of the blacks and the recovery of the greater part of the sheep. Life in South Australia. 99 The next move north was made by Mr. John McKinlay and John Rose, who discovered several permanent waters and good feeding country, and stations named the Mount Samuel, Moolooloo, Mundy Creek, Mount Stuart, Mount Chambers, Howannigan Gap, extending on to Mount McKinlay, and Mount Rose. Mr. John Chambers stocked Moolooloo ; Howannigan Gap was stocked by Dr. McKinlay, Mr. John McKinlay's brother, who lived on and managed the run until it was sold to Messrs. Chambers Brothers, who held leases including 1400 square miles. At this time these were the most northerly runs stocked. The Honourable John Baker subsequently took up country farther north and stocked it with cattle — Perrana, Angipena, and Blanchewater. The natives here became aggressive in killing cattle, although farther south they had received such a severe lesson. In the year 1856 Mr. Baker's hutkeeper was killed in his hut at Angipena, in the absence of the stockkeeper. On this outrage Mr. Baker applied for police protection, and obtained his request. Inspector H. Holroyd was sent out with a body of police, and a police station was established in the neighbour- hood, over 400 miles from Adelaide. No further outrages have occurred. CHAPTER XIV. In May, 1844, Governor Grey received a letter from Lord Stanley, informing- him that he had previously sent a despatch authorising him to engage Captain Sturt, to equip and take in charge a party to explore and, if possible, reach the centre of New Holland. This despatch was not received till the end of June, when no time was lost, and the following party was organised and the outfit quickly provided. The party was thus constituted : Captain Sturt, leader ; Mr. James Poole, assist- ant; Mr. John Harris Browne, surgeon; Mr. McDougal Stuart, draughtsman ; Mr. Louis Piesse, storekeeper ; Daniel Brock, collector; Robert Flood, stockman; David Morgan, with horses ; George Davenport, Joseph Cowley, servants ; Henry Foulkes, John Jones, Turpin, William Lewis (sailor), John Mack, bullock drivers ; John Kirby, with sheep ; 1 1 ioo Early Experiences of horses ; 30 bullocks ; 1 boat and boat-carriage ; 1 horse-dray ; 1 spring-cart ; 3 drays ; 200 sheep ; 4 kangaroo dogs ; 2 sheep dogs. It may be well in this place to give the nature of the corres- pondence between Captain Sturt and Lord Stanley, Secretary of State. Captain Sturt, in his communication, proposed to the Home Ministry to take charge of an exploring party to reach the centre of the continent, and that such party should take a course east, up the River Murray to the Darling Junction, and then to follow the course of the latter upwards north to about the latitude of 28 , and from thereabouts change his course to the west and north-west, to arrive to the north of and clear of Mr. Eyre's Horse-shoe lake (Lake Torrens). This proposal was submitted by the Secretary of State to Sir John Barrow, who gave his opinion against that circuitous course, and advised a direct course north from Mount Arden, giving his opinion that any range met with would be trending down from north-east to south-west. On giving his instructions, the Secretary of State wished Captain Sturt to understand that he was not absolutely prohibited from pursuing his proposed course. Unfortunately Captain Sturt adhered to his own opinion, based on Mr. Eyre's published experiences. The party left Adelaide August 10th, 1844, after being entertained at a public breakfast given by the inhabitants, and arrived at Gawler Town. Next day proceeded east, to camp at Moorundi, where Mr. Eyre was stationed, having received the appointment of Protector of Aborigines. From thence the party started and kept a course on the north bank of the River Murray, about one degree east to the Junc- tion of the River Darling, and then followed that river up about one degree north, leaving the river when its course led off easterly, and striking in a westerly direction. On Sir John Barrow's opinion, Captain Sturt remarks in his nar- rative : " I presume by the tenor of Sir John Barrow's memo- randum that he was not fully aware of the insurmountable difficulties the course that he recommended presented." He continued his course up the Darling to the Junction of the Williorara with the Darling (Laidley Ponds). Major Mitchell retreated in 1836 from this place, through the natives, on his exploring trip from Sydney. Captain Sturt continues : "As I understood my instructions from the Secretary of State, I had to keeponthe 138th meridian (that of Mount Arden) until I should reach a supposed chain of mountains, the existence and posi- Life in South Australia. 101 tion of which Lord Stanley wished to ascertain — Lake Torrens being due north of Mount Arden." From Laidley Ponds Mr. Browne was sent forward, on October 1 2th, to look out in the west for grass and water. Mr. Browne returned and reported good feed and water. The Darling was left on the 19th, Captain Sturt proceeding generally westerly till the 20th November, when he despatched Mr. Poole in advance, Dr. Browne accompanying him. On their return they reported they had been turned by brackish lakes, extending north, without any visible termination. It was evident to Captain Sturt, from the result of this excursion, that they had struck the lower part of the basin of Lake Torrens, or some similar feature, and that the country in that direction was not favourable for any attempt to penetrate it, since there was no surface (fresh) water. The heat was exces- sive, the thermometer from 112 to 120 in the shade, and all horn handles and combs split, and the lead fell out of pencils, and scurvy attacked the men. The quantity of water required could not have been less than 1000 gallons per day for the party. Flood had been sent out and returned, stating that he had found a small creek, in which there were long deep water- holes, shaded by gum trees. This creek was about 40 miles in advance, but no water between, but with an abundance of grass. On the 9th, the whole party moved forward to Flood's Creek : Mr. Poole was still ahead, with instructions to keep east of north. Up to this time the party had been exceedingly fortunate ; after this, troubles commenced. In endeavouring to reach Flood's Creek, after the party had struggled through many miles of a sandy pine forest, at length, on the 30th, one bullock fell, and shortly after another, when the drays were left and the bullocks unyoked, and with the sheep driven on, until they were saved by reaching the water, from whence water was sent back to the men and the fallen bullocks, one of which was found dead. On the 27th January, a depot was fixed on a rocky glen (Flood's Creek), where there were successive pools in stony basins, wherein it was considered there was an inex- haustible supply. At this depot the party were imprisoned from the above date till the 17th July following. Captain Sturt remarks : " This ruinous detention paralyzed the efforts and enervated the strength of the expedition. It was not till they had run down every creek in the neighbourhood that it became evident that we were locked up in the dewlate and 102 Early Experiences of heated region into which we had penetrated, as effectually as if we had wintered at the North Pole." On the 27th June was completed the fifth month of deten- tion at the depot. During the imprisonment of the party numerous expeditions were undertaken, many of them by Cap- tain Sturt himself, the remainder by Dr. Browne, Mr. Poole, and Mr. J. McDougal Stuart, with each one or two of the men, or by Flood himself alone, proceeding as far as each party could carry water enough for their return to the depot. Various courses were taken, west, north, and east, with no discovered line for escape from the depot. And until men and horses were exhausted, Mr. Poole was brought to a total collapse of strength. These searches were continued until their rocky ponds were well-nigh spent. On the 12th July a most provi- dential rain fell during the night, bringing down the gorge a flow of water. Captain Sturt writes : " As morning dawned, the rippling sound of water close to our tents was a sweeter and more soothing sound than the softest melody ; how thank- ful was I for this change, and how earnestly did I pray that the Almighty would still further extend his mercy to us ! " Mr. Poole had experienced, at the end of June, a severe attack of inflammation, which was subdued by Dr. Browne with great difficulty ; the day before the saving change of weather came he was very restless, and expressed a desire to be removed into the underground room, into which as the men were tenderly carry- ing him the first few drops of rain fell. Preparations had previously been made for his removal home ; a dray had been prepared, into which, on the 15 th, he was lifted on his stretcher. The parting with him was a painful scene. He shed tears, and expressed to Captain Sturt his wishes that he would still succeed. Dr. Browne was spared to accompany the sufferer, but to return the next day. On the morning of the 16th the tents were struck, and a start of the whole party was made, but one of the drays soon stuck in the softened ground, and a halt was occasioned at 4 miles. In the evening the main party were surprised by the return of Joseph from the home-returning party, with the sad news that poor Poole had breathed his last. On the 17th of July the officers and men were present, when his remains were buried under a grevilla tree ; his initials and the year were cut in the bark. On the 1 8th the expedition pushed on to the north-west; Life in South Australia. 103 through the rainfall the ground was soft and almost im- passable. "On the 5th of August the position was lat. 29 15' 14", and the boiling point of water 212^^. We were on a sandhill 1 00 feet above the level of a large depressed basin of country, which made the same to be considerably below the sea level." Here Captain Sturt formed a depot and left the bulk of the party, and started with Dr. Browne, Flood, Lewis, and Joseph, with 15 weeks' provisions. On the 14th August, after beating about on a course of 45 west of north, over sand ridges, barren flats, and meeting with stony desert, the most important water he struck was a fine creek, in latitude 27 44', longitude 27 56', which he named Cooper's Creek (after Judge Cooper). This fine succession of fresh-water pools is now so well known, in connection with the fate of the gallant explorer Burke, who here some time after, by want of food and exhaustion, terminated his career. It is not necessary to follow Captain Sturt farther through the details of his wearying and disappointing journey- ing, than to close the history by the account of the date of his return to the Darling, viz. 21st December, where he spent Christmas Day, and of his subsequent arrival at Moorundi. On the 15th January, 1846, Captain Sturt arrived at Moo- rundi, and found Mr. Eyre had gone to England on leave of absence, and Mr. Nation was filling the appointment. On the 17th he mounted his horse, the first time since he was taken ill in November. On the way to town he was met by Mr. Charles Campbell and Mr. A. Hardy, in a carriage, and by them con- veyed to Adelaide. Thus ended the expedition on which so much hard work and suffering of officers and men had been experienced, without accomplishing the main object for which it was despatched. Before Captain Sturt turned back and abandoned further trials, he called a meeting of his officers and men, and gave them to consider the question of abandoning further attempts to reach the centre of" the continent. " He had reached," he said, " within one hundred and fifty miles of the centre of the continent." He writes as follows : " I should be doing an injustice to Mr. Stuart and the men if I did not mention that I told them the position we were placed in, and the chance on which our safety would depend, if we went on. They might well have been ex- 104 Early Experiences of cused if they had expressed an opinion contrary to such a course, but the only reply they made me was that they were ready and willing to follow me to the last." CHAPTER XV. In giving a connected but brief history of the Methodist Church in the Colony, it has been necessary to concentrate the same within this chapter, in which will be related the most thrilling incidents which that Church encountered in opening the work in Australia. At the end of the month of June, 1838, the brig Fanny, from Hobart Town, bound to Western Austra- lia, was wrecked on the sandy beach to the east of the mouth of the River Murray. At that time the number of the inhabi- tants of South Australia did not exceed six thousand, and to supply the spiritual wants of such a population we had two ministers of religion, viz., the Rev. C. B. Howard (Episcopa- lian) and the Rev. T. Q. Stow (Congregational). At that time the Wesleyan Methodists had only a small staff of class-leaders and local preachers, appointed at a small meeting of members, so that with the rapid increase of population from the frequent arrivals of shiploads of passengers, assisted emigrants, and well- to-do settlers, there was ample room for additional authorised clerical workers. One more worker in God's vineyard was, how- ever, unexpectedly provided. The Rev. Mr. Longbottom and his family being despatched by the authorities of the Wesleyan body in Tasmania to fill a post in Western Australia, on his way there, on board the Fanny, was landed on our southern coast by the wreck of that vessel, and so placed, by an act of Providence, overriding man's designs, to work in a field of usefulness in our province. He and his family, with the crew, were most mercifully saved from the raging billows, and on the wild beach were kindly received and succoured by the untamed blacks, on or within a short distance of the spot where the pas- sengers and captain of the Maria were subsequently slaughtered. As no whites survived from the Maria to give any account which might explain the cause of the different conduct of the natives towards them, it must remain a mystery to all time. It has been communicated to me that in the case of the Fanny Life in South Australia. 105 the Rev. Mr. Longbottom and the captain exercised a sufficient influence — not only on the natives, but also on the sailors — to restrain them in their conduct. I will now give Captain Gill's statement, as published in the Register of September 8th, 1838, in which he gives a report of the accident which befel his ship, and a description of the means by which he safely conveyed his passengers and crew across the outer channel of the Murray, and delivered them at the whaling station at Encounter Bay, and his flattering opinion of the natives, as he found them so marvellously different from their subsequent conduct. Captain Gill relates : — " The Fanny left Van Dieman's Land on the 9th June, 1838, and when off Kangaroo Island, on the 16th, encountered a succession of heavy gales from W.S.W., which drove her to leeward. On the 21st the gale increased, and the squalls with rain became more violent. About half-past 1 a.m. the sea broke on board in all directions. We had now shoaled in about four hours from 30 to 7 fathoms water, and all attempts to sail were ineffectual. Every sea threw the vessel's head round off; sometimes she was above water, and at other times it may be said she was below. When the soundings decreased to 3 \ fathoms the lead was laid in. Now a heavy breaker hove her into the trough of the sea, and we were up to our waists in water. She now struck the ground forward, the following sea made a passage over her fore-and-aft, and we were up to our necks in water. I ascended the forerigging, and for the first time saw land, which appeared a low dark ridge. As soon as the vessel was broadside on, which was shortly after striking, I endeavoured to swim ashore with the end of the lead-line ; but it being too short I was obliged to slip and swim ashore clear, though not until the line had drawn me two or three times under water. In a few minutes two of the men came on shore with a line, when by that I returned to the ship, and con- veyed through the surf the little boy, son of our passengers. Mrs. Longbottom was unfortunately put over the side the very moment I told the people to hold on, and so was some time under water, from which we were able to recover her, but not until she was greatly exhausted. In about half an hour all hands were on shore." This was about sundown, and the only shelter which the shipwrecked people had was such as the sandhills afforded, and there they had to pass their miserable first night on shore, at io6 Early Experiences of the coldest time of the year, in saturated garments, without fire or food." Captain Gill's narrative continues : — " On the following morning at daybreak we returned to the vessel, and got on shore such of our clothing and provisions as were at hand. Shortly afterwards the gale freshened, and the surf beat over the vessel with increased violence. In surveying the coast around us I was much surprised to observe an ex- panse of water inland ; a series of lagoons extended east and west as far as the eye could reach, separated from the sea by a sort of peninsula, about three-quarters of a mile in breadth, the lagoons appearing from three to four miles across, and, as far as I could judge, about six feet deep. In the course of the morn- ing we were visited by nine natives, who brought us a firestick, and showed us their fresh waterholes, aud were every way well disposed during our stay amongst them, which was about seven weeks, and also showed us the greatest friendship. They were decidedly the most inoffensive race I ever met with." After the failure of several attempts to reach the whaling station at Encounter Bay, they were joined by Captain Tindal, master of the Elizabeth, which had been wrecked in Rivoli Bay, over fifty miles to the eastward, and who walked overland with part of his crew to Adelaide, and reported the two wrecks as having occurred. The dingy, which Captain Gill had reco- vered, after being repaired and lengthened about six feet, was launched upon the lagoons (i.e. the Coorong). In this boat, with two men, Captain Gill sailed westward to the sea entrance of Lake Alexandrina (the Murray mouth). Here they were joined by four men who had walked along the sea beach. They all crossed the estuary in the boat, and arrived at the fishery. Captain Gill's account goes on to say : — " My object was now to procure a whaleboat, to bring up from the wreck Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom and child, whom we had left behind with three men. I did not wish to risk them in the small boat, which was leaky, and then the passage out was unknown to me. On these accounts I deemed it desirable that they should remain behind until a better boat could be procured, and the nature of the passage could be ascertained. After considerable trouble I succeeded in getting a whaleboat and prepared to start with three men, including a native, whom I found very useful. In the meantime I despatched the small boat back with two men, to inform Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom of our success, and to instruct them to be in readiness for their Life in South AiLstralia. 107 departure. I must now remark that the passage we had crossed was the same where Sir John Jeffcott and Captain Blenkinsop, with part of their boat's crew, were lost from the swamping of their boat in attempting to go out last year. The information I received about this estuary was that there was a long succes- sion of long rollers, that never failed to roll heavily, even after a continuance of easterly weather ; that they had a perpendi- cular fall of five or six feet ; that a number of sealers and whalers, all good boatmen, had made several ineffectual attempts to get in; that one gentleman had waited three weeks off the entrance, with a cutter of about 20 tons, endeavouring to effect an en- trance, but failed ; that the current was always running out, and other reports equally absurd and vague. In our most recent and best charts we are informed that the passage from Lake Alexandrina to Encounter Bay is impracticable even for boats. I now give the result of my own observation and experience." When this report was published Mr. Pullen had not passed in and out. He entered in a whaleboat, on the 26th of Sep- tember, 1840. "The first time I crossed this passage was during a fresh gale from the eastward, and the flood tide was running in strong, perhaps at the rate of three knots an hour. After leaving our luggage I returned to the eastern side, and brought over the remainder of our small party of men, the boat being too small to venture with all in one trip. On this second trip in the small boat we experienced a squall, with hail and rain, which so darkened the air that, although the distance is only half a mile, for about twenty minutes we could not see the land, and those on shore could not see the boat." Captain Gill having procured a whaleboat determined to pro- ceed along the coast, to be nearer the sea mouth, and then by the use of a pair of bullocks, which he procured from Mr. Harper at the Bay, proceeded to drag the boat over the sand- hills, and launch it into the western outlet (i.e. into the Goolwa). After encountering many difficulties in attempting to track the boat, he at last succeeded. The party now proceeded along the lagoons (the Coorong), but when a few miles east of the estuary he met the little boat, with Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom and son, and two of the crew. Captain Gill continues : " The little dingy was despatched back to the camping-place, and I returned with the passengers across the estuary, and put up for a day or two at the native 108 Early Experiences of huts, where we had spent the preceding night. In the morning sailed to the estuary, and found the wind and tide both strong out, and it was therefore necessary to wait until low water slack, which enabled me to survey the harbour's mouth from the high eastern head. About midday, being low water, we sailed out under a close-reefed sail, the wind being N.N.W., and there was not a single breaker in the channel, nor did I perceive any bar. The lead I had made for the purpose of sounding proved to be too light to be depended on with the boat's rapid sailing. Although our boat was considerably lumbered, she did not ship a spoonful of water. It would have been to me wonderful if I had not succeeded in getting out with ease and safety." Yes, it may be added, under such favourable and provi- dential circumstances as have been seldom experienced in the same passage. To Captain Gill belongs the credit of being the first man who either sailed or rowed safely through the Murray mouth outwards in any kind of craft. A vessel from Sydney (the Lady Wellington, Captain Develin), which had met with adverse weather, and after much knocking about, did not reach her destination, Port Adelaide, until she had expended eight weeks and two days on the passage, had called in at Encounter Bay, after visiting sundry ports of refuge on her way. In this ship the Rev. Mr. Longbottom and his family obtained a passage to Adelaide, and on this short sea trip further accidents might not have been anticipated; but they were again called on to suffer inconvenience, as Captain Develin, on endeavouring to cross the outer bar at Port Adelaide entrance, stuck fast, and there had to discharge his passengers and goods, as the ship's back was broken. Amongst the passengers was Mr. Emanuel Solomon and members of his family, to whom the greater part of the cargo belonged. Mr. Solomon had arrived to establish a house of business in connection with his brother, Mr. V. Solomon, of Sydney. Mr. E. Solomon remained to the last a determined supporter of the young colony he had joined, and lived long enough among us to witness the high position we have attained by the untiring energy exercised by him and other old colonists, sticking to their adopted land through good and evil report, adversity and prosperity, as thorough colonists. The Rev. Mr. Longbottom was received in Adelaide with enthusiasm by the inhabitants ; he was, with his family, hospit- ably accommodated by Mr. E. Stephens, the manager of the Life in South Australia. 109 South Australian Bank, in his small wooden residence on the first camping ground, now occupied by the Railway Station, until a temporary residence could be provided. Subscriptions were raised to replace some of Mr. L.'s losses, but his library and papers could not be restored to him. The small number of the Church to which he belonged gladly availed themselves of his services, and looked upon his arrival as a godsend. He arrived among them about the 1st September, 1838. On the 25th May, the previous year, a meeting had been held in the house of Mr. S. Stephens, at which a Society was formed called the Wesleyan Methodist Society. Fifteen per- sons gave in their names (a small beginning this) ; two class- leaders were appointed, and two local preachers received on trial for three months. On September 31st a local preacher was appointed — not one of those who had officiated on trial, but still one of the original fifteen, of whom eight were men. Out of these, including the Secretary, six officers were appointed. Services were first performed in a small reed hut on the banks of the Torrens ; afterwards the kitchen of Mr. E. Stephens was used. In March, 1838, the foundation-stone of a substantial chapel, was laid in Hindley-street. Since May, 1837, the church had increased to six local preachers, seven class-leaders, fifty members, and about one hundred school children. Offi- cers still out of proportion to members. " They did not cease to pray that God would send them a good shepherd : of this, however, there seemed little or no likelihood." The history of churches, as well as of individuals, will often furnish illustrations of the truth that God accomplishes His designs by unlikely means. While the infant Church in Adelaide was praying that a minister might be sent to them, and when they saw no likelihood of their desires being granted, a series of circum- stances were transpiring which resulted in the settlement of a minister among them, and that, too, in a manner remarkable and unexpected. I make an extract from the life of the Rev. D. J. Draper : " No one will be surprised to learn that the Wesleyan Methodists of Adelaide regarded the accident which landed the Rev. Mr. Longbottom as a special providence, as it has been before pronounced in this chapter — saved as they were from the raging sea. The hearts of savage blacks softened to receive and succour the distressed people, on or within a short distance of the ensanguined spot where at a subsequent period the most shocking murders took place, as it no Early Experiences of must have been by part of the same tribe, if not by some of the same wild and benighted natives." Such was the beginning of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in this colony, and from such a small start they can now with commendable pride point to their imposing buildings, not only in the city, but throughout the whole colony. Their churches, schools, and college are fully attended, and greatly assist in dispelling ignorance and vice, and in exhibiting to the Christian world a population where peace and harmony prevail amongst all those who call themselves Christians, under whatever de- nomination. It is to be hoped they will help greatly to bring about the promised day when will be forgotten all those distinctive names which, in fact, have arisen and are kept up by the present weakness and selfishness of human nature. Having given a description of the arrival of the Rev. W. Longbottom, and his reception with open arms by the small number of Wesleyans then in the colony, I now propose to give a brief account of his actions after he accepted the post of first preacher of that communion ; also of the work of his successor, the Rev. D. J. Draper, in building up what Mr. Longbottom commenced. I shall also give some extracts from the published life of the Rev. Mr. Draper, presenting a heart- rending picture of the last moments of that good man, when he spent his latest breath in comforting the crew and passengers before they were engulfed with him by the foundering of the steamship Lojidon. Before the arrival of Mr. Longbottom, in 1838, an organisa- tion of members of his denomination had been made, starting with fifteen persons. Shortly after this, a small chapel was built in Hindley-street. In this building Mr. Longbottom was able to officiate on his arrival ; and, in this respect, he found himself placed in much more favourable circumstances than were the two ministers of religion who preceded him when they arrived ; for they had to gather their flocks, and assist with their own hands in the erection of mere temporary coverings in which to hold worship. In the natural order of things, Mr. Longbottom would feel some embarrassment at finding such a large proportion of officers to members, and would have some anxiety as to future means and management. The founder of the Wesleyan Church, the Rev. John Wesley, in the organisation he prescribed, did not adopt any approach to a democratic form of government for the management of Life in South Australia. 1 1 1 this section of the Christian Church, nor has any such principle, as far as I know, been admitted since his time. It appears to me, as an outsider, from a perusal of the Rev. J- C. Symons's work, from which I shall now quote pretty freely, that in the early steps which were taken to appoint office-bearers out of so small a number of members, more zeal than discretion was displayed, and I am under the impression that the difficulties which occurred in the early days to this Church may be attri- buted to the proceedings of a democratic character which were necessarily adopted, in electing officers from so small a number as then presented themselves, which almost amounted to self- election. It is not necessary to enlarge upon this state of things further than to say that when the first difficulties were got over, the Church rose to its present strength and state of harmony. " In about eight years from the commencement of the Rev. Mr. Longbottom's services, and including his second appoint- ment, five preachers in succession occupied the post. Not long after the ministrations of Mr. Longbottom commenced, necessity for enlarged church accommodation was felt, and the foundation of a large and handsome chapel was laid in Gawler- place, which was completed at a cost of over ^2000, exclusive of the land, which was given by Mr. E. Stephens. When com- pleted a debt remained on the building of ^"1300. Mr. Longbottom's health had been greatly enfeebled by his resi- dence in India, where he had laboured as a missionary ; his shipwreck and subsequent privations had completed what the climate of India had begun ; and to this must be added the anxieties he was subjected to, without the aid of a colleague to strengthen his hands, and under the peculiar circumstances in which he was placed in this colony. Nor must it be forgotten that he and his family, for the greater part of his time, had no better accommodation as a residence than a small pine cottage. It thus soon became apparent that he was unequal to the heavy work which pressed upon him ; in the increasing demands of his church he sought for aid, and no colleague could be sent. He was at length compelled to depart, which was painful indeed to himself and the Church. He had won the esteem of his own flock and all who knew him, and the people had drawn forth his deepest sympathies and energies. Seldom have pastor and people parted with more regret. Mr. Longbottom removed to Tasmania, and was appointed to New 112 Early Experiences of Norfolk, the healthful and bracing air of which it was hoped would restore his health. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Eggleston, who reached Adelaide in March, 1840. He re- mained less than two years ; the heat of the climate, the unsuitable house, but chiefly what he described as a series of afflictions, induced in the first instance by excessive exertions, compelled him to seek a removal. His brief period of service had been signally owned of God ; many were added to the Church, and great was the sorrow of all classes of the com- munity at his departure. "The Rev. J. C. Weatherstone, Mr. Eggleston's successor, remained in Adelaide about two years. Commencing well, and even prosperously, it was not long before dissatisfaction, financial embarrassment, and all but ruin — at least temporary — came upon the Church. The colony had scarcely recovered from the crushing crisis which terminated Colonel Gawler's term of administration, which crisis tended to produce the break- up of the unity of the Church to a great extent. In Mr. Weather- stone's time, in September, 1843, a petition of the Wesleyan Methodists of South Australia was presented to Governor Sir G. Grey, praying ' that the Government would grant them monetary aid to pay off the debt of ^"1300 on their chapel in Gawler-place, and in supporting the ordinances of religion.' From a complication of difficulties, Mr. Weatherstone had to retire, and it was asked, who would come in his stead ? None were willing, and for the year 1844 Adelaide does not appear as a station in the minutes of Conference. " Meanwhile, Mr. Longbottom had been directed to remove from Tasmania to Sydney. He reached there just when the Adelaide difficulties were under discussion. Such was the un- favourable impression produced, that no minister would come here. Deeply moved by the scattered and all but destroyed Church, he offered to return to his former field of labour. His offer was instantaneously and gladly accepted. He was a true soldier, ready to do his Master's work at whatever inconve- nience to himself. He arrived the second time, with Mrs. L. and his son, in April, 1844. Mr. Longbottom's health soon again proved totally inadequate to the toils and responsibilities of so extensive a circuit. The society in general were a warm- hearted, earnest, and generous people, who only wanted a leader, and this post Mr. L., with his failing health, could not fulfil, while his genial spirit and entire devotion to the spiritual Life in South Australia. 113 requirements of his flock still created the warmest respect and gratitude towards him. This was exhibited not by mere sentiment, but in making such provision when he retired as supernumerary in 1846, as enabled him to pass his declining years in somewhat more of comfort than his allowance as a supernumerary would have enabled him to do. I must here add that members of other communions also assisted in this becoming action, and so displayed their feelings of love and respect towards him." The place of Mr. Longbottom was ably filled by the Rev. Mr. Draper, who at this time was engaged in the Sydney first circuit, and would gladly have spent more years in New South Wales, but who, feeling deeply for the connexion in the colony of South Australia, volunteered his services to occupy the post. Results have shown this arrangement to have been most happy and successful, as witness the position the Wesleyan connexion holds in South Australia at this time. Postscript. — Mr. Draper, some time after a return to duties in Victoria, required rest and change, and after several attempts to procure leave of absence to visit England he was at length spared. He embarked with Mrs. Draper on board the Great Britain on March 16, 1865. After an unusually pleasant voyage they arrived in Liverpool 20th May. The number of souls on board was 787. Three days after their arrival they left Liverpool for London. On the following Sunday Mr. Draper preached in Great Queen-street Chapel. Having visited the place of his birth he, with Mrs. Draper, made a tour through Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, preaching and delivering addresses in the various places he visited. He also made a hasty continental trip, and in Paris preached to the small flock of Wesleyans in their nice chapel there. In one of his letters to his friend Mr. Symons, dated 18th August, he mentions " we have travelled 2450 miles by rail since we landed. I guess another 1000 will do. Thank God we have not had a day's sickness since we left you. Our thoughts are beginning to turn homeward." His purpose was to remain absent a year, ■and though many efforts were made by friends in England to prolong his stay, they were unavailing. September 19, he writes : "I see the London is advertised to sail on the 20th December, but I expect it will be a fortnight later. If cholera, &c, should prevent our going via. Egypt, we may go in her. I hope we shall be in Melbourne in March. Mr. Boyce and 114 Early Experiences of others are trying to get me to stay another year, but I do not think of doing so.' - ' In a letter dated iSth December, he sub- sequently wrote : " The time of our leaving is now definitely fixed. The London will leave the East India Docks on the 20th inst, and finally leave Plymouth at 6 p.m." In bidding adieu to Mr. and Mrs. Powell both Mr. and Mrs. Draper ap- peared to be unusually depressed, and expressed themselves in terms very different from their usual buoyant character, so much so, indeed, that it led the Powells to remark on it before any calamity had occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Draper embarked at Plymouth, on 5th January, 1866. "There was nothing at this time to indicate the severe weather which was to come on ; the barometer was unsteady, but not low. It was almost calm when the ship started ; she steamed along against a head wind. On Sunday, the 7th, the wind freshened somewhat. Dr. Woolley, President of the Sydney University, and Mr. Draper united in conducting Divine service. The same night it blew a gale, with heavy squalls and a high sea. On Monday, the 8th, the sea was so heavy that the engines were stopped, and the ship was put under easy canvas. About midday the wind lessened, and steam was again used. Tuesday morning the wind greatly increased ; the flying jibboom, foretopmast, top- gallantmast, and royalmast were carried away ; the gale had become so violent that all the wreck could not be cleared, the spars swinging to and fro, doing much damage. In the after- noon the Avind increased to a hurricane, with fearful cross seas, which broke over the ship and carried away the port lifeboat, and did other damage. At 3 p.m., of the 10th, the ship was put about under full steam for Plymouth. She immediately began to ship green seas all over, which swept her decks and carried away the starboard lifeboat, and destroyed one of the cutters. At half-past 10 o'clock, on Wednesday night, a moun- tain of water broke on board and swept away the main engine skylight ; the engine-room was filled, and in three minutes the fires were out. Sails, mattresses, tarpaulins, spars, and all available means were used to stop the opening and prevent the water from rushing into the ship. All efforts were futile. Pumps and the donkey-engine were kept at work, even when the ship went down. Long and gallant was the struggle con- tinued between man and the furious elements. At last, when the issue was no longer doubtful, Captain Martin said to his men : ' Boys, you may say your prayers.' All earthly hope had Life in South Australia. 115 gone, and unless wind and waves were hushed and stilled by the power of their Creator, it was a mere question of time when the London should go down. The gale increased in fury. At midnight the Rev. Mr. Draper commenced that memorable prayer meeting, which lasted till the ship sank on the next day, at two o'clock. With one impulse, passengers and crew gathered in the saloon, distinction of class forgotten. One of the rescued tells that there were no cries or shrieking of men or women, no frantic behaviour. Mothers were weeping over their children, and the children pitifully asking the cause of the tears. During the intervals of prayer, Mr. Draper earnestly besought, as he moved among the crowd, the people to come to Christ for salvation. When the captain had lowered the starboard pinnace, which was immediately upset and lost, he- entered the cabin, and said : ' Ladies, there is no hope for us ; nothing short of a miracle can save us.' To this Mr. Draper calmly replied : ' Then let us pray,' and used these memorably words — ' Well, my friends, the captain informs us that our ship is doomed, and that there is no hope of our getting into port ; but the Great Captain tells us there is hope, and that we may all get safe to heaven.' At two P.M., the ship appeared to be sinking. The captain then directed the second engineer, that as the port cutter was ready to be lowered, he had better get into her, saying : ' There is not much chance for the boat, there is none for the ship ; your duty is done, mine is to remain here with the passengers ; I wish you God speed, and safe to land.' The number who escaped in the boat, out of 180 on board, was nineteen. In about five minutes after pushing off those in the boat saw the London go down by the stern. The boat drifted before the wind about twenty hours, when she fell in with the Italian brig Marianoplc, and they were ultimately landed at Falmouth, on January 17." I have felt it appropriate to conclude this chapter with a re- publication of the thrilling picture of a devoted missionary finishing the work assigned to him on earth in a manner so grand as he did ; as well as to record the last act of Captain Martin, whose death was that of a true hero. I had given the account of a merciful dispensation of Providence when a mis- sionary was saved from a wreck and granted to open the services of the Wesleyan Church in South Australia, and thought it well to conclude with an account of the loss of another missionary of the same communion by wreck, after he had built up what 1 2 1 1 6 Early Experiences of the previous one had commenced. I have introduced the latter wreck, although it does not belong to "Early Experiences of South Australia," as both occurrences have such deep interest for the Wesleyans of the colony of South Australia. The latter is conspicuously marked by the Draper Memorial Church, which was erected to the memory of the good man after whom it is named, a characteristic building and one of which the Wesleyan Methodists are justly proud. CHAPTER XVI. In Chapter IX. was recorded the spearing of Captain Barker by the Milmertura tribe, which occurred some years before this colony was founded. It will be seen that that tribe were at one time relentlessly murderous, and at another kind and compas- sionate. In this chapter an account will be given of the return of the tribe to actions of extreme ferocity, and no doubt to cannibalism, when the brigantine Maria was wrecked on their coast, and the whole of those on board were slaughtered, not one being left to relate the horrid tale. From the trial and execution of two of the tribe, given up by the assembled tribe, it may be fairly concluded that the good or bad actions related may be attributed to the presence or absence of the more savage members. On Saturday, July 25, 1840, the inhabitants of Adelaide were thrown into the greatest state of excitement by the arrival of an express from Encounter Bay with the alarming news that there had been a wreck on the south coast, to the east of that station, and that part or the whole of those on board, after reaching land, had been murdered by the natives. In a letter from Mr. H. Nixon to Major O'Halloran, commissioner of police, the following account was given, which he received through a native of the Bay tribe, known as Encounter Bay Bob, who reported that two of the Big Murray tribe had arrived, and he gave an interpretation of their statement as follows : " They found ten white men, and five women and some children, who had been killed ; one of them said ' all killed in one place.' It took them three days after leaving the dead bodies to make the mouth of the Murray." Life in So?ttk Australia. 117 On the arrival of this information, Mr. Pullen, who was em- ployed in surveying the lower part of the River Murray, started with Dr. Penny from Goolwa to search for the wreck, and to ascertain news of the people. It will be seen in the course of the narrative that although the statements of the two blacks were only too true as to the fearful massacre of the party, in minor particulars their information was incorrect. All were not killed in one place, and the distance was also wrongly stated. In the Gazette of August 13 the letter from Mr. Pullen was published, of which I avail myself : " I started from Goolwa in a boat, with the following parties, viz., Dr. Penny, five sailors, one policeman, and three blacks — Encounter Bay Bob, Peter, and Charley. Made twenty miles up the Coorong the first day. Next day started at 8 a.m.; at 10.30 Peter said some of the whites were killed on the mainland to the north of where we had arrived. Hauled in, landed, and searched, but found nothing. Pushed off, and at 12.30 Peter pointed to the spot where he said the murders had been committed on the coast. " We now landed and crossed the neck of land between Goolwa and the seashore, not being far from the part of the coast where the Fanny had been wrecked some time before. I now divided the party into three. I and Dr. Penny kept the coast line, directing one party to travel along the neck of land, and the third to push forward with the boat down the Coorong, and arranged signals to be used on any discovery being made. We had not proceeded far when we were hailed by the centre party, and on joining them the sight we witnessed was truly horrible. There were legs, arms, and portions of bodies visible, partially covered with sand. In one place by itself was a body with the flesh completely cut off the bones, except the hands and feet. Horror sat on every countenance. Sad and sor- rowful was the task, but we determined to bury the bodies in something like decency. The boat was stopped and a spade procured ; when, after digging a deep grave, we uncovered the whole of the mangled bodies. Prom one spot we took four bodies — two males, one young woman, and a child about ten years old. The skeleton spoken of was a female. Two male children, one fifteen and the other ten, we found in separate holes, and at a little distance alone, a female infant with very light hair. Both the women had wedding rings on, and one of the men handed me their rings. The bodies were in a complete \ 1 8 Early Experiences oj state of nudity, and dreadfully bruised about the faces and heads. The whole of the bodies were placed in the deep grave we had prepared. We were occupied on this sorrowful business until four o'clock. Friday, 31, pulled down two miles to be opposite the wrecked Fanny. On reaching the spot saw natives ahead of us, but they escaped. In crossing the strip of land dividing the sea from the Coorong, we came suddenly on two black women, who screamed violently, but Peter managed to pacify them. They said they knew of no other wreck, but that some of the people we were asking about died farther down ; that three of the party — one woman and two men — had crossed over to the land by the islands, and there were killed at the spot we had searched unsuccessfully, and that the other bodies we had found and buried had been killed by a tribe not far from us. On reaching the boat a small party of men showed themselves, and at our camping-place many more natives ap- peared, but kept at a distance. On the following morning crossed the sandhills and saw many groups of natives with blankets and sundry wearing apparel about them. It was some time before they would come near us, and then they threw off the clothing they had on. " From the silence of this party, when questioned through Peter about the murders, and their apparent uneasiness at our searching the pockets of the coats, and in examining a woman's bonnet, I was convinced we were among the guilty parties, especially on looking at two men of the most ferocious and forbidding aspect, such as I never saw before. On returning to the boat we were followed by several old men, who showed no fear, one of whom had a woman's shawl on. Peter, who could speak his language, obtained from him that he had brought the whole of the party along the coast to a short distance from the spot we were on, and caught fish for them, for which they gave him the shawl. He knew of no fresh wreck. The number he gave was fourteen, not agreeing with another account we ob- tained. Finding I could not take the boat farther up the shallow channel, I decided to continue along the beach on foot, and at intervals found several spars and planks stuck on end. On the beach found a whaleboat. By one of the natives we were told that the boat was left there by five men who had gone across the mainland." (These must have been the sailors, but they were not subsequently heard of.) Mr. Pullen returned, and made his report to his Excellency Life in South Australia. 1 1 9 the Governor, who appended to the same the following note : — " In reference to Mr. Pullen's report, I consider it important to remark that the tribe of natives by which the murders described by Mr. Pullen appear to have been committed is not connected with the tribes with which the colonists are in familiar inter- course. From . the first discovery of the province this tribe, inhabiting to the south-eastward of Goolwa and the sea mouth of the Murray, has been little known, and when known has been remarkable for its ferocity. - ' Governor Gawler, with most commendable promptitude, organised and despatched a strong party under the Commis- sioner of Police (Major O'Halloran), accompanied by Mr. C, Bonney, and Captain H. Nixon, with a number of mounted, police, and arranged that the party should be joined and strengthened by Mr. Pullen and his boats' crews, to follow up the Coorong arm, as it was first called, a narrow lake, running east, parallel to the seacoast, and extending within a few miles of Lacepede Bay (at that time an almost unknown district). This channel was found navigable for boats nearly to its eastern end, but partially obstructed by a few limestone bars. The strip of land between it and the seacoast is very narrow in its widest part, the western end forming the eastern side of the sea mouth of the river. Major O'Halloran having crossed the channel at the mouth of the Murray on the 21st of August, 1840, with the aid of Mr. Pullen's boats, the horses swimming behind the boats, made a start the following day as described in his official report. I continue in Major O'Hal- loran's own words : — " I started at an early hour on Saturday morning, the 22nd instant, with the main body along the seacoast, having detached Captain Nixon and Mr. Bonney, with an orderly, to keep up communication between me and Mr. Pullen in the boats, who were to notify to me if any natives were seen, as we were now in the country of the hostile Big Murray tribe. About 12 o'clock we discovered a number of natives at a great distance ahead of us, running from us. We followed in pursuit, and in two miles approached them, when they took to the scrub and the sandhills. After a long chase we contrived, without injury to any of them, to capture thirteen men, two lads, and about fifty women and children. Some of the natives took to the Lake (or Coorong), but some of them were captured by Mr. Pullen's party. Upon the persons of almost every man and I20 Early Experiences of woman, and in almost every wurley (and they were numerous), were found various articles of European clothing belonging to males, females, and children — many of them stained with blood ; also were found an excellent silver watch, and some silver spoons marked with JEY. The men were secured and guarded during the night ; the women and children set at liberty. On the morning of the 24th the party mounted before daybreak to scour the country ahead of us, and where Pullen on his previous trip saw a number of ferocious blacks with European clothing on them. We beat the country a long way between the Coorong and the sea beach, and in some wurlies captured women with a quantity of European clothing, male and female, several articles of which, especially a woman's under garment, were covered with blood. " Close to these wurlies we saw two men, who escaped by swimming across the Lake (or Coorong), and at the water's edge Mr. Pullen picked up a sailor's cap, which he recognised as worn by one of the worst-looking of the men he had seen in his former trip, and whom the friendly natives he had with him pointed out as belonging to the party who had committed the murders. Finding these fellows would escape, I ordered the police to fire upon them, and they were both wounded ; they never- theless swam to an island, on which Inspector Tolmer, having cast off the principal part of his clothes, and hanging his naked sword behind his back, swam after and overtook them, but before the boat arrived to his aid they escaped. At another spot in the same neighbourhood, in native huts, we found newspapers, receipted bills in the name of Captain Smith, mail letters from Adelaide opened, and the torn leaves of a Bible, another book, and part of the log of the brigantine Maria. These facts prove clearly that the crew and passengers left the ship deliberately, and were making their way to Adelaide. It appears strange that we found no arms. The captives on our return to camp were much alarmed, and pointed out one of the number as the murderer of Roach and his mate, who came down here some time before to the wreck of the Fanny, and were both killed. Pieces of the wreck were still lying on the beach opposite the camp. The captives also pointed to the mainland across the Coorong, and said one of the murderers of the people who had escaped from the Maria was there, and could easily be caught, and two of them, on the suggestion of Mr. Bonney, volunteered to bring the man over and give him Life in South Australia. 1 2 1 up to us. I sent Encounter Bay Peter with them, and they returned with the culprit." A formal and deliberate investigation into every particular, relative to the two separate cases of murder, was gone into, and full particulars of the trial by court-martial, under the authority and instructions given by his Excellency the Governor, are here given. COURT MARTIAL. Monday, 24th August, 4.30 P.M. Major O'Halloran assembled the blacks, the officers and gentlemen, some of the police and sailors, when the following proceedings took place. Bob and Peter, Encounter Bay blacks, were engaged as interpreters. The native Mongarawata, who was brought in by Peter and two volunteer natives, was now arraigned. Major O'Halloran asked of the members of the tribe present — Is this the murderer of the white men ? Answer — (Unanimously, by the tribe) — Yes. Q.— Whom did he kill? A. — Only one white man. Q. — How did he kill him, and when? A. — With a waddie, and in the day-time. Q. — Can any of these people show where the body is ? A.— No. Q. — How many white men, women, and children were killed? A. — Three women, two men, and four children. Q. — Are there any white people still alive ? If you tell me I will reward you. A. — None. Q. — Where is the wreck? A. — They came along the coast. Q. — Where are the graves of the people killed — are they all in one place ? A. — All in one place. Q. — Had the people any guns with them ? A.— No. Q.— Did the men fight ? A.— No. Q. — Did they kill them by night or day? A. — Day-time, with waddies. 122 Early Experiences of Q. — Had the white man any sword or gun ? A. — -None. Q. — How long ago? A. — A short time. Q. — Where are the men who killed the rest? A. — More that way (pointing south-east). Q. — Who killed the women and children? A. — -The same men. Q. — Where did the prisoner bury the man he killed ? A.- — -At the place we are going to to-morrow. Major O'Halloran — Bob, tell the men of the tribe that as they have given up the prisoner as one of the murderers we will not hurt them ; that the great Governor has sent me to catch and punish the black men who killed the wrecked people ; that the next time a white man is killed by this tribe the Governor will send me here again with a greater number of police, and then more blacks will be killed. That if the black men are kind to white men when in distress, the great Governor and white men will be friends, and give rewards to such black men. I will take Peter and the two men (pointing to them) who went with Peter and brought in the prisoners, to the Governor, who will reward them. The murderer of Roach, Pilgarie, was now arraigned. Major O'Halloran — Bob, ask these men of the tribe if this man killed white man. Answer by the tribe (unanimously). — Yes. Q.— When ? A. — Last year. Q. — Who was the man, and where did he come from ? A. — Encounter Bay. Q. — What was he doing ? A. — He was coming with another white man to the wreck Fanny. Q.— How did he kill him ? A. — With a waddie. Q. — In the day, or night ? A. — The day-time. Q. — Was he asleep or awake ? A. — He was sitting down. Q. — Did the blacks kill the other man ? A.— Yes. Q. — Had the white man any weapon ? A. — None. Life in South Australia. 123 Q. — Did the white man resist ? A.— No. Q. — Where is the body of the white man ? A. — Where the wreck is. Q. — Did a great many men attack them ? ^•— Yes- Peter, ask the prisoner Mongarawata if he is guilty of killing the whites. Peter answered — He will not tell. Ask the prisoner Pilgarie if he is guilty of killing Roach. A.— lie will not tell. Q. — Peter, ask both the prisoners if any of the blacks present have killed any white people. A. (by both prisoners) — No. Now, Bob, tell these natives present who are under guard that they will not be hurt, but they must remain quiet to-night, for I want them to be present to-morrow. Tell them that if a white man kills a native the Governor will hang the white man. The Major now turned towards the officers present, and said : Gentlemen — By virtue of the authority vested in me by his Excellency the Governor, I declare in the presence of Almighty God, and of those assembled round me, that I be- lieve these two men who have been given over to us by their own tribe, to be guilty of murder, and to merit death. This I declare according to my conscience, so help me God. Captain Nixon, I now request of you to give your deliberate opinion whether you consider these men guilty of murder and deserving of death. Captain Nixon — I do, so help me God. Mr. Bonney, yours? — I do, so help me God. Mr. Pullen, yours ? — I do, so help me God. Mr. Tolmer, yours ? — -I do, so help me God. Major O'Halloran — Encounter Bay Bob, do you say these men have killed white men and ought to die ? Encounter Bay Bob — Yes. Charley, do you ? — Yes. Peter, do you? — Yes. Major O'Halloran then pronounced the following sentence on the prisoners :■ — I now, by virtue of the authority I have from the Governor of this Province, whose representative I am, pronounce the 124 Early Experiences of sentence of death upon the prisoners Mongarawata and Pilgarie, that they be conveyed to-morrow to the grave of our unfortu- nate countrymen, and there be hanged by the neck, and may God have mercy on their souls. [Certificate.] I declare the above is a true statement of the questions and answers, declaration, and sentence, and that the whole cere- mony was carried on in an impressive and proper manner. (Signed) H. Nixon, Captain and Brigade Major, South Australian Volunteers. We declare the above to be perfectly correct. J W. J. L. Pullen. (Signed) - C. Bonnev. ( Alexr. Tolmer. August 25th. — A wet and miserable morning; ordered the camp to remain here in charge of a sergeant and three men ; Mr. Pullen with his crew in the whaleboat, and the mounted party on horseback, to proceed with the condemned men and the other natives of whom we had kept charge, back about fifteen miles to Palcarra, the place where our unfortunate fellow subjects were slaughtered, and reburied by Mr. Pullen, where the party arrived at 2 p.m. through incessant rain. The gallows was erected a little before 3 p.m., and the murderers were then executed in the presence of sixteen natives, to whom I made the following address : — " Black men, this is the whites' punishment for murder ; the next time white men are killed in this country more punishment will be given. Let none of you take these bodies down ; they must hang till they fall in pieces. We are now all friends, and will remain so unless more white people are killed, when the Governor will send me and plenty more policemen, and punish much more severely. All are forgiven except those who actually killed the wrecked people, who, if caught, will also be hung. You may go now, but remember this day, and tell what you have seen to your old men, women, and children." " The above was interpreted by Peter, and the natives, whose hands had been unbound by my orders before the execution, bolted, with an amazing amount of agility. They trembled much before, and after the men were swung off. They died Life in South Australia. 125 almost instantly, and both showed extraordinary nerve and courage to the last. The one given up by his tribe had the most ferocious and demon-like countenance I ever beheld. " I (the writer) was informed, after they had hung the usual time some of the men of the tribe were required to touch and speak to their dead countrymen, and told to leave the bodies hanging. It need hardly to be mentioned that for a long time they avoided that neighbourhood. " The names of the passengers were reported to be Mr. and Mrs. Denham, three boys and two girls, Geo. Green, his wife, T. Daniel and wife, Mrs. York and infant, Mrs. Smith (wife of the captain), Jas. Strut, Captain Smith, and mate, and crew, said to be eight men and boys, but none of the bodies were ever found." Major O'Halloran's report continued — " All the clothing, &c. I have carefully preserved, in the hopes that they may be identified. "On the morning of Thursday, 27th August, we started south-east along the coast, in search of the wreck of the Maria, with six days' provisions for each man. Leaving Mr. Pullen at the camp, we found fresh huts, with European clothing and a watch ; but as we could not carry the clothing, I ordered the huts to be fired. The watch dial and the outer part were stained with blood. On Friday we moved on at an early hour, and soon met Captain Nixon and Mr. Bonney, who had pre- ceded the main body ; they reported they had fallen in with two men, Thompson and Walker (Kangaroo Islanders), from whom I received the following statement, taken down by Captain Nixon. They had passed up the Coorong before we arrived at the Goolwa. " Thompson's statement :— ' After leaving the mouth of the Murray we passed up the Coorong, and hauled the boat up where we now are, and supposed we had made about 100 miles, when we divided our party, two to keep the beach, and two the south shore of the Coorong. On Sunday evening we fell in with the longboat belonging to the Maria, having in her two oars and a mast, but no sail. We hauled her up above high water mark. At about six miles farther east we fell in with part of the quarterdeck and skylight of the vessel ; at another six miles from the wreck we found the companion, and then walked on to Captain Wright's camp at Lacepede Bay, where he was engaged with a party of his men in endeavouring to get 126 Early Experiences of afloat a schooner which had been driven ashore during a storm.' " ' On our return we found sundry other parts of the wreck, which we suppose came to grief on Bundin's Reef. Major O'Halloran on his return met a native of the Big Murray tribe, named Tom, who said that three males and one female belong- ing to the wrecked party had been waddied by some of his tribe, not far from where we now stood, being clasped round their bodies by some of the tribe while others waddied them. Tom offered to show us the spot, and point out the wurlies of the murderers, and identify them. He gave the names of two of them as brothers (Polaraynaka and Porielpeepool). As these murderers were distinct from the others, both as to locality and the persons by whom committed, we considered the duty we had undertaken would not be complete until we searched further.' " After an interview with his Excellency, who came down and met Major O'Halloran and his party before they had left the Coorong district, and in obedience to fresh orders from him, Inspector Tolmer with half the number of police returned to scour the country inland, with Mr. Pullen and the boats to keep abreast of them. Major O'Halloran, with remainder of police, searching along the banks of the Coorong. Major O'Halloran's report continued : " The several parties returned on Wednesday, September 2. Between n and 12 o'clock my party discovered the mangled remains of two Europeans, a male and a female, the skulls of both frightfully fractured, particularly that of the female, whose lower jawbone was broken. On asking Tom if he knew of these two likewise being killed, he said no. No more bodies were found, but a large man's shoe and some books. On reaching the spot where the four men were said to have been murdered, we could not find their bodies. I find these seventeen murders — fifteen from the Maria, and two whalers — have all been committed by the Milmenura or Big Murray tribe, who are notorious among the other tribes as most brutal and ferocious. The neighbouring tribes evince confidence in us, and abhorrence of the atrocities that have been lately committed." There is no record of any other murders committed in the lower Murray district until some years after, when one white man was killed several miles to the north of the Coorong. It will be my duty to give in future chapters accounts of attacks Life in South Australia. 127 by numerous natives on the Rufus, and at some miles farther to the east of the great bend of the Murray, on parties coming down with sheep, as well as a number of separate murders of white settlers by various detached tribes in the Port Lincoln district, at a later period — such bitter experiences having been endured in the course of settling this province. At present I am confining myself to the time Colonel Gawler occupied the seat of Government, from which it will be seen what an anxious time he had in protecting and saving the lives of the whites, and at the same time the peculiar duty he had to perform in adopting such a policy as would discourage indiscriminate and unauthorised measures of retaliation against the aboriginal race. Severe censure was visited on the Governor by a certain party at home, and by a small section in the colony in opposition to Colonel Crawler, who made this a handle against him, but were not in the habit of exposing their own precious bodies to dangers of any kind in the bush. I cannot help thinking that the treat- ment Colonel Gawler met with at home after his recall, may be attributed, in a great measure, to the mistaken decision arrived at by the party alluded to acting on the Government at home, which assumes to be especially the protector of the aboriginal races, who could not see and would not believe that there were peculiar circumstances to justify the irregular but humane mode of action which was ordered by the Governor, and carried out by Major O'Halloran, in inflicting the punishment then put in force for such crimes. I am not writing as the apologist of the officials, but have taken on myself the duty of truthfully recording early experiences in founding and settling South Australia. I call upon readers to form their own conclusions after reading the particulars of these Milmenura murders, and what I propose to record in future chapters of subsequent attacks by other Murray tribes on parties coming down from Sydney with stock. A much heavier punishment in those cases was ultimately given, which resulted in a number of the blacks being killed ; and there was no public agitation respecting them. As to the Milmenura case, it must be admitted that if such speedy and severe action had not been adopted by Colonel Gawler, the settlers would have taken the law into their own hands, and then who can tell what sad consequences would have ensued ? I at the time became acquainted with the excited feelings of the parties under Mr. Pullen and Major O'Halloran, and know it must have called for the exercise of 128 Early Experiences of all the influence possessed by the leaders to have kept the men from acts of retaliation on their own private account. I con- ceive it becoming all old colonists, in justice to the memories of the gallant men who were the chief actors in the performance of the retribution visited on the barbarous murderers, to give their decided opinion that the punishment inflicted was fully justified by the peculiar circumstances surrounding the case, and with the object of preventing a repetition of such horrors, which object has been successfully attained. I conclude this chapter with an extract from a letter pub- lished in the Register of the 5th September, 1840, after the two reports had reached the Government. Of the writer, Captain G. Hall, then acting Colonial Secre- tary, it may be said a more humane and Christian man has never occupied a position in office in South Australia. His letter followed Major O'Halloran's report of his expedition. We who have lived in the colony during the succeeding period of forty-two years can certify that his predictions of the effects of the exceptional action taken have been fully realised. Captain Hall said as to the report — " Upon this statement of facts I would only remark that there is great reason to believe that prompt execution of the guilty parties on the spot where their crime was perpetrated, and in the presence of their tribe, who were fully aware of their guilt, will have a very beneficial effect in deterring the natives of that district from making wanton and unprovoked attacks on persons or property of Europeans who are about to settle in that neighbourhood. If the offenders had been brought up to Adelaide to be tried and punished under the English criminal law, the effect of the example would have been lost to the other members of the tribe, who would have been more irritated by the removal of their comrades than awed or impressed by any account which they might hear of the punishment of the offenders." The full report of the trial by court-martial of the guilty members of this murderous tribe is given, as much blame was at the time heaped on Governor Gawler and Major O'Halloran for punishing by the extreme penalty of the law two of the savages who were, it may be said, chosen by the tribe, and admitted to be guilty, and as most worthy of death. The fact generally believed by out-settlers was that the tribe were glad to be relieved of their presence, as troublesome members of the tribe. Postscript. — The following copy of a letter from Dr. Moor- Life 211 South Australia. 129 house, Protector of Aborigines, is added, addressed to Major O'Halloran, Commissioner of Police, March 12th, 1841 : "Dear Sir, -During my recent visit to the Coorong, I inquired particularly after the two natives who were shot at when cross- ing the channel (by the police). Peter and Charley did not know their names. They said that neither of them died, as their wounds were very slight. All the natives with whom I conversed agreed that both took part in the murders committed upon the Europeans. — M. Moorhouse, Protector." 130 Early Experiences of BOOK II. CHAPTER I. Amongst the early experiences of the colonists during Colonel Gawler's administration must be counted the destruc- tion by fire of several of our first temporary public buildings, as well as some of the residences of Government officials, the fire-king seeming to mark such structures (composed of inflam- mable material, chiefly wooden, and mostly thatched with reeds or grass) as temptations thrown in his way. The first fire occurred in 1840-41, shortly after midday, resulting in the total destruction of two wooden buildings which were situated to the west of the small Post-office, and near where now may be seen the sheep-market, on North Terrace. These were Government offices. One was occupied by the Resident Commissioner and his staff; the other was used for the Land and Surveyor- General's Offices. The flames spread so rapidly that the officers and clerks were unable to save much, and many books, papers, and maps were lost. On the day of the fire I was driving on my way to visit sections about halfway to the old Port, and passed near these offices, where business was going on as usual. On my return, when about five miles from town, I saw smoke spring up, and although I drove at a quick pace, when I reached the scene of the fire the two buildings were reduced to smoking heaps. Great inconvenience was experienced by the loss of books and public documents. The Resident Commissioner was Mr. (afterwards Sir James) Fisher, and the dwelling which contained his office was also his private residence. Colonel Light, the Surveyor-General, had also lived in the other dwelling, and the devouring element did its work so rapidly that he saved nothing of the cases he had left there for safety when he retired from the office, containing his journal to date, and records of his experiences in Turkey, Egypt, the Mediterranean, and on the battle-fields of Spain, where he served on the staff of Wellington. Colonel Light felt the loss Life in South Australia. 131 of his journal very deeply, and stated that he would not have parted with it for several thousand pounds. The next building which met a similar fate was Government House, a temporary erection of one storey, with a thatched roof, the timbers principally of native pine, procured from what was then called the Pine Forest, now known as Nailsworth. The fire commenced a short time before midnight, on the out- side of the roof, and was supposed, and with good reason, to have been ignited by an insane gentleman, whom, I may men- tion, I met under that roof at a Government ball in Captain Hindmarsh's time. This fire was also almost like a flash of gunpowder, and very little of Colonel Gawler's property was saved. The police were on the spot in a very few minutes, and Inspector Tolmer, after breaking in the window of his Excellency's private office, had succeeded in dragging a small safe or tin deed-box to the window, and had himself passed out again, when the roof fell in before the safe could be lifted out. A loss of most important papers and documents was thus sustained by Colonel Gawler. At the time the roof fell in, and as the inspector was at the window, the fire reached a loaded musket, and the ball passed those who were leaving the win- dow. The Governor and his son were present ready to receive the box if it could have been saved; and to do which the inspector risked his life, as the blazing thatch fell on him, but he escaped with singes only. These two fires forced upon the Governor the task of erecting a substantial Government house, and Government offices. Part only of the present modest palace was erected in his time, as well as a very small part of the present public offices. This necessity was a further calamity, as thereby labour was absorbed by the Government which was required by the colonists, and, in consequence, wages rose to an inconvenient extent, and private works were hindered. I think the next fire was the destruction of the residence of Mr. John Brown, emigration agent. &c. — a wooden building also, from which very little was saved. Sometime afterwards occurred the burning of a structure called the Octagon Cottage, the first residence of the Colonial Treasurer, Osmond Gilles, Esq., one of the London-built frame houses, constructed of deal, which he had given, with the land on which it stood, as a parsonage for St. John's Church. At the time of this fire the cottage was occupied by the widow of k 2 132 Early Experiences of our first Colonial chaplain, with whom was her sister. The fire broke out after the ladies had retired to rest, and they had only time to save their lives. After a time, substantial stone buildings having been erected, the colony has had a low average of visits from the fire-king, except when he has come and travelled in his bush invasions, of which, unfortunately for myself, I have had considerable experience and heavy losses. I was once met by a grand conflagration in the Tiers, or stringy-bark forest — which I fortunately escaped with singes only — -when coming towards town with a mob of fat cattle on a hot day, a strong north wind blowing. After crossing the Onkaparinga by the Echunga road I met clouds of smoke, in- dicating a fire at some distance ahead of my course, but as I mounted the first hill it seemed to be raging to the south of my line, and so I kept on. The cattle were travelling at a good pace. On attaining the next summit I found the fire had crossed the road at some distance ahead, and was rushing down a gully to the right of me, carried at a flying rate by the north wind. In my endeavour to head the cattle they rushed off to the right, towards the approaching fire, and charged a thick course or belt of green cherry tree, which, being dense and high, somewhat obscured the flames. Before the cattle reached this shelter, as they expected to find it, the fire had overtaken it, and the green foliage was soon burning and crackling about them and over their heads. They could not, however, stop or turn in their impetuous rush, but dashed through the flaming hedge. As I was close upon them, I followed over burning brushwood which had been a good deal trampled out by the bullocks, and passed on, over smouldering grass and bushes, at full gallop after the cattle, trees on all sides being on fire to their tops, and falling branches crashing in all directions, but was soon safe on the track again, on to which the cattle had turned ; and soon after safely yarded them at Crafers. This was the only time I ever met and charged an approaching fire. I have on other occasions retreated, and started a fire to meet and contend with the one approaching when such an occurrence was met with clear of a stringy-bark forest ; and also have had many a struggle in beating out bush fires, when, with sufficient beaters, it is a good plan to run a line of fire, although I, as well as many others, may have on some occasions been outflanked. I was once called upon to Life in South Australia, 133 suffer a severe loss from a bush fire, as many old colonists- have been, after an unavailing contest. In a former chapter it was mentioned that Mr. Emanuel Solomon arrived in the Lady Wellington, the back of which vessel was broken on the bar at the entrance of Light's Passage. The wreck was bought on account of a Sydney firm, and was got off and towed up towards the Old Port. I afterwards, as agent for that firm, sold her to the Governor, Colonel Gawler, for ^800. As she was quite taut above and below, she was for a short time used as a Government store ship. At the time of the sale, some doubt being thrown on the Government transactions, by the refusal of the first Treasurer to sign the bills drawn by the Governor, I required cash, not feeling justified, as an agent, to risk any inconvenience to the parties for whom I was acting. On this unfortunate vessel a great loss was sustained by the Government when she was sold and broken up, the retrenchment orders being put in force by Captain Grey, when the cruel crisis came, and the sacrifice of much public property was made, as well as of the property of the pioneers. Sheep which cost 38s. a head were sold first for 5s. and resold a few months afterwards for 2s. 6d. Cattle which I had purchased at ^"13 10s. a head, on a forced sale realised only ^"4 10s., after being kept twelve months, and when in prime condition. An early circumstance in the transactions of Mr. E. Solomon may be mentioned, who, seeing the great influx of population, and that nothing was being done to produce the staff of life, made a good speculation in purchasing a cargo of flour, imme- diately on its arrival, from a Mr. Russel, then a merchant here, part of which he shipped to his brother in Sydney, and offered the remainder of the same to the Government here at ^30 a ton, well aware of a scarcity in New South Wales and Tasmania. The Government refused to buy the flour, and to prevent reshipment of any of the small stocks in the colony of flour and rice an export duty of ^100 a ton was immediately put on breadstuff's. The flour Mr. Solomon had shipped to Sydney realised to him ,£50 a ton, and the price in this colony soon reached ^100 a ton, under the protection of the prohibitory export duty. The highest price the writer paid was ^8 a bag, but for some time the price was ^ioa bag. The plough in a short time gave relief, and before the end of five years, wheat was delivered in Adelaide at 2s. 6d. a bushel. 134 Early Experiences of Mr. Solomon and his firm suffered heavily in the crisis, and during the period in which the colony was recovering from the severe depression, which was so severely felt by all when the Government stopped payment, but more especially by those of the early settlers, who had expended their means and energies in first settling in the land of their adoption. It must with justice be recorded of Mr. Emanuel Solomon that he has left his mark upon our now progressive and beautiful city. At a very early period he erected our first and capacious theatre in Gilles Arcade, so named when no arcade existed, or has since appeared. But the previous existence of a theatre must be mentioned ; it was a small wooden structure at the back of the Black Swan public-house, on North-terrace, where some who are now alive and moving in more exalted positions exhibited themselves. In justice I must declare that I was never within its paling walls, either as a spectator or a performer, but I remember being told that a man named Bartlett was one of the performers — a bullock-driver, whose deep bass voice was often heard in our timber ranges, and afterwards on his section at Balhannah. The inhabitants of the young city were promised by the first manager that the tragedies of the immortal Shakespeare would be exhibited in this building. I do not know what characters Bartlett attempted, but his deep sepulchral tones were peculiarly adapted to give effect to the part of the ghost in Hamlet. This performer is introduced by name, not because he long ago departed this life, and so cannot be annoyed by a reference to his ambitious appearance on the stage with some of our earlier inhabitants, but that in truth nothing worse can be said of him than his appearance on the boards of our first humble theatre as a tragedian. I am quite sure all old colonists who heard his extraordinary voice will agree with me, that it was one calculated to make a deep and lasting impression on any human audience as well as on his team of bullocks. Some considerable gatherings, in proportion to the number of the inhabitants then in the city, used to occur in the neigh- bourhood of the Gilles Arcade. Mr. Solomon there had his first wooden store, and there were wooden cottages occupied as offices by the Treasurer, the Resident Magistrate, and one was the dwelling of Judge Jickling. On the other side of Currie- street was the Southern Cross Hotel — a wooden structure brought out in frame from London — kept by F. Allen, where Life in South Australia. 135 generally in a morning would be seen a number of people. It was a sort of exchange or place of meeting, and when no Court or other business occupied the time or thoughts of those pre- sent, idlers would indulge in practical jokes. On one occasion, after a heavy downpour of rain, which had left a number of ponds in various directions in the city, and when a large com- pany had gathered for shelter and for refreshment, little dapper K ■, then clerk of the Local Court, civil side, which was not sitting that day, walked in, attired most suitably to take a direct course in any bearing across the city. No streets were then formed or channels to carry off surface water. K , on enter- ing, exhibited with pride his nether limbs encased in a brand-new pair of, for him, exceptionally long patent-leather boots, saying : " There, I can defy the deepest pond of water within the city." A wag offered to bet him he would point out a pond through which he would not be able to cross without getting out of his depth. The bet was made. Rain had ceased to fall, and so the company followed the betting parties. K was to walk in a straight course from where he was placed by his opponent, to him, on a signal he would give from the opposite side of the pond, which was known, as far as to the natural surface of the ground, not to have a greater depth of water than would reach K 's knees. At the signal, off started K , setting at defiance the advice of jokers to take off his coat, etc. etc. ; but to his sorrow, on reaching about halfway across the temporary pond, he suddenly popped out of sight, but was soon out on the other side of a sawpit, of the existence of which he was not aware, and of course he had an uproarious laugh against him ; and on a return of the amused company to host Allen's, he had the consolation of partaking of refreshment ordered by the winner of his money, the landlord, as usual on such occasions, being the chief winner. This brings to remembrance a scene which occurred at the opening of the town of Glenelg, on which occasion a splendid lunch was provided for a numerous invited company, to take place under a large tent, or rather collection of tents. On the same day it was proposed to launch a cutter, to be named the O.G., which was built on the banks of the Pattawalonga Creek, by Henning and Fenden. To add to the calamities, the tide in the creek did not rise so high as to float the first vessel built in the colony. The lunch was given by the proprietors of the township, viz., the Treasurer, O. H. Gilles, Esq.; the J 6 Early Experiences of Resident Magistrate, W. R. Wigley, Esq.; Matthew Smith and W. Finke, Esquires. The morning was fine, the company as numerous as the tables would accommodate, the provisions abundant, if not exhibiting any great variety of viands, but as to the supply of drinkables, that was as choice, abundant, and various as was ever seen on any table of the same picnic character even in the Old Country. Mrs. Gawler having honoured the occasion with her presence, the entertainment was graced and enlivened by a large number of ladies in most elegant attire. Every available vehicle the settlement afforded was pressed for the occasion, but few covered ones, unfortunately, being obtainable. It should be mentioned that the road between the city and Glenelg was then not formed, and very few of the sections between the two places were fenced ; mere tracks over the natural surface of the ground were used. At the Bay were a few huts, two of which were licensed public-houses — one kept by Henning and Fenden. This building was formed of pines, thatched with reeds, and was, as far as the author recollects, about 30 feet long by 10 feet wide, and 8 feet high to the eaves. I give this description as a specimen of the first houses to which licences used to be granted, and to explain the position the numerous company were placed in by the heavy storm of wind and rain which overtook the party, and through which they had to hasten home in the absence of adequate shelter. I had driven my wife, and two male friends with their wives, down in an open waggonette. The morning being so fine umbrellas had, in too many instances, been left at home. When the arranged toasts had been nearly exhausted the downpour of rain became very heavy. Before this it had been sufficient to prevent the retirement of the ladies, who were perforce compelled to remain during the carrying out of the programme, and as there seemed to be no abatement, the sitting was considerably extended, and the consumption of drinkables also, the water pouring in from various swags in the canvas. At length, as no cessation of the heavy rain appeared likely soon to occur, the ladies determined to defy the elements. Mrs. Gawler's carriage was first at the opening of the tent, and she was conducted and sheltered to the door of her carriage by Mr. McLaren, the Manager of the South Australian Company. The ground had become so slippery that this polite gentleman fell down at the feet of the Governor's lady. Life in South Australia. 137 I should have mentioned that, on the orders to bring up the carriages being given to the servants, who were taking shelter in a small framed building where the stock of drinkables had been kept, word was brought to Mr. McLaren that his coachman had imbibed too freely, and could not be depended on, and that it was on Mr. McLaren's rushing back from a lecture he had given the erring coachman, to assist Mrs. Gawler, that he slipped and fell. However, it was for a long time a standing joke that his coachman was summarily discharged for taking too much, on the same occasion when the master could not keep his own legs. I galloped my horses back, leaving the track along which so many were moving as fast as their animals could travel. The storm of wind and rain was fortunately at our backs. I did not hear of any more serious mishap than the fall of one or two horsemen in the muddy track, and the destruction of feathers, ribbons, bonnets, etc. Whatever complaints were given way to among the ladies they kept to themselves, as the pockets of the paterfamilias had chiefly to suffer in restorations. I should mention, in closing this chapter, that the cutter O.G. was, immediately after this unpropitious day, privately christened and launched, and was for a long time usefully employed as a coastine: vessel. CHAPTER II. The earliest mineral discovery made in the colony was the Glen Osmond silver-lead lodes, the first indications of which were found almost immediately after Preliminary Section 295 was taken up by Mr. Osmond Gilles, in 1838, situated on the slope and foot of the first tier of hills, four miles south-east of Adelaide. As an incident and experience in my own career, I think I may fairly explain my first connection with this valuable section, although to do this a return must be made to a past date. Shortly after I arrived in the colony my attention was called to this section, by Mr. G. S. Kingston, then acting Surveyor-General. I had visited the original Survey Office, and was examining the second map of District A. Mr. Kingston pointed to the east corner of the surveyed sections, and informed me that the map was a copy of the one from which J 8 Early Experiences of the preliminary sections had been selected by holders of land orders or their agents, on which original map their selections had been marked oft". He. at my request, ordered this original map to be produced for my inspection, and I then saw on that map a section (No. 295), unselected, which did not appear on the copy, and in the situation he pointed out to me, and I at once rode out and found the western corner pegs, and perceived near the south-western corner of the same an appearance of a surface spring ; on which important find I returned at once to my camp on South-terrace, and took two So-acre land orders, and tendered them for Section 295 and the additional quantity required, and the tender was accepted. Subsequently, on the same day, when spending an hour with Mr. Osmond Gilles, near whose residence I had encamped, he asked me if I had found any land to suit me. I replied : " I have this day exercised two land orders, and I can see the spot from your windows ; " and on pointing out the locality to him, he said : " What ! those dimples ?" I said : " Yes ; if you call the spurs and the indents between them dimples." My wife and another lady were present, and enjoyed a laugh ; and as Mr, Gilles seemed a good deal interested by what I told him about the non-accordance of the maps, I proposed the party should take an evening ride and view my selection. Mr. Gilles at once assented, and his gig and two of my saddle-horses were ordered out — one lady in the gig and the other with myself on horse- back — and we passed joyously over the open plain, covered with long kangaroo grass and flowery herbage. On arriving at the " dimples " we dismounted under the shade of trees, and I alone climbed the hill to find the back pegs of the section, and found a large part of the same was on the hillside, stony and unsuitable for agriculture, and perceived that the lower part was thickly covered with trees ; the view across the plains with the young forest city in the centre and the gulf in the distance, formed a most delightful picture, with which I was sufficiently enraptured. We returned and spent the evening with Mr. Gilles, and I and my host enjoyed some of his splendid hock, over which we had a long chat. Mr. Gilles regretted his bad luck in drawing for his numerous choices for preliminary sections, by which he had not been able to obtain for himself even one section near enough the city on which to erect a suburban residence, and expressed his annoyance that his attention had not been called earlier to Section 295. He then asked me if I Life in South Australia. 139 had any particular desire to retain the section, and proposed to me to withdraw my application, as it might be some time before I could obtain the additional quantity of land and in a manner to suit me. After some consideration, I did not hesitate to comply with his expressed desire, for I had seen that the back and hilly part of the section was not suitable for the plough, and the lower part was thick with trees, which would be expensive to clear. The following day I accompanied the Treasurer to the Land Office and withdrew my land orders, and Mr. Gilles exercised one of his preliminary orders, which he had been under the necessity to reserve for one of the southern reserved districts ; the Commissioner (Mr. J. H. Fisher), and the acting Surveyor-General (Mr. G. S. Kingston), threw no difficulty in the way of the transfer, and the section was marked off and registered to Mr. Gilles, and he and I put our initials on the map, which now seldom sees daylight, but which initials I saw not long ago, on the map being produced in the Supreme Court, on a trial about the boundaries of sections. Some few weeks after this arrangement was effected I formed one of a small picnic party to the " Dimples," as the ladies continued to call the hollows. On the spurs some whitish quartzy-looking stones were picked up, which showed small bright specks of lead, not thought much of at the time. In the following year, 1839, large projecting blocks of what appeared to be limestone, on being broken on the hillside, were found to be internally pure galena ; and now great excitement was caused. A few men were put on by the proprietor at first, under his chief clerk, Mr. Finke. Some of the Adelaide speculators endeavoured to come to terms with Mr. Gilles as to purchase, but he met them by saying that he would not part with the property even if ^30,000 was offered for it. Ultimately six or seven distinct veins or lodes were discovered, and some 20 tons of good lead ore were soon raised, which parcel on reaching home was represented to give seventy-five per cent, of lead with eighteen ounces of silver to the ton. The average published value given was £13 a ton of 21 cwt. On this a London Company was formed, called the Glen Osmond Union Mining Company, with a paid-up capital of ^30,000. At a very high royalty a mining lease was granted to the Company by the proprietor. A captain with a strong body of good miners was soon despatched, under engagements to work a certain time, which engagements were not in all cases fulfilled. Operations were for a few years 140 Early Experiences of carried on in a miner-like manner. The spring indication, which I had seen at surface, was tapped at a shallow depth, and found to be strong enough for washing such of the ore as required to be dressed. Large quantities of ore were raised and shipped, until a smelting establishment was built by the Messrs. Penny, onadjoining land; but unfortunately the Adelaide management got into litigation with the proprietor, which, together with the heavy expenses of management, shortly led to the lease being abandoned by the Company. At the same time sufficient ore had been raised to cover first expenses of sinking two main shafts, driving two principal adits into the hill, and erecting the necessary buildings, machinery, etc., but the stoppage took place before the adits reached the main lodes, and so a promising mine was knocked, as the miners say. Subsequent to the opening of the first lead mine an extraor- dinary bunch of galena was discovered on an adjoining section, known afterwards as the Wheal Watkin's Mine, and many tons of rich lead, rich also in silver, were raised ; but the workings were abandoned when at about forty or fifty fathoms below surface, when the lode became pinched and the ground harder. On other adjoining sections lead lodes were worked a short time ; one, the Wheal Gawler, and a lode near to it, and one in Hardy's Quarry. All these prospects stand over for a future day, if ever wages and expenses permit the workings to be re- sumed. The sum realised on the Glen Osmond mine, as I was informed at the time, amounted to over ^i 3,000 — this fully covered all costs under extravagant management. No doubt the royalty was much too high, which might have been the primary cause of the stoppage. In 1842 the Kapunda Copper Mine was discovered. I extract particulars of this from Button's work. " The first dis- covery of the ore was by the youngest son of Captain Bagot whilst gathering wild flowers on the plain. Shortly afterwards, not far from the same spot, I ascended the top of a small hill to view the surrounding country. One of our flocks of sheep had been dispersed during a thunderstorm, and I had been out nearly the whole of the day in drenching rain in search of them. ,The spot where I pulled up my horse was beside a protruding mass of clay slate. My first impression was that the rock was covered with a beautiful green moss ; but on dismount- ing and breaking off a piece, it proved to be green carbonate of copper. To my neighbour, Captain Bagot, I confided my Life in South Australia. 141 discovery ; the place was on his sheep-run. He also produced a similar specimen, which was found by his son, as related. The two spots were in close proximity : the discoveries were of course kept secret. We applied for a survey of eight acres, in conformity to regulation; the section was advertised, as required, in the Gazette for one month, and we became the purchasers of the same at the upset price of one pound an acre. At one time there were a number of eighty-acre land orders unexer- cised, and any one of them might have been tendered, and have gained the section for the owner of it. We quietly waited for the expiration of the month, and then lodged the money, having trusted to the general depression of the times as prevent- ing any competitors, and we were not mistaken. Having secured the land, the next step was to ascertain the value of the ore, and we sent samples to England, and from Mr. Per- cival Johnston obtained a return of an assay of the average of twenty-three per cent, of copper. We then lost no time in beginning working with a small party of men, and with three miners and a party of friends, ladies included, started in a bullock-dray with a tarpaulin hood, Mr. Menge being in the party. Proceedings were opened by an interesting address on mining in general by him, and the ground was broken by the men. At this time a few Cornish miners were quietly following other pursuits, who gladly resumed mining tools, and com- menced to raise ore on tribute of 3s. 6d. in the pound, to set the interest a-going. They did very well, and raised a quantity of rich ore. The place was a complete wilderness ; the nearest water was half a mile away, and brackish ; we soon succeeded in finding a good spring, and erected a row of stone cottages for the workmen, and they quickly had their families with them. The mine was about forty-two miles from Port Adelaide, and at first no track even had been made between the places. Captain Bagot undertook to select and mark out a line, which he did in a primitive manner by fastening a plough behind the first dray, and by that striking a furrow for succeeding drays to follow. On the plough breaking he had a crooked forked branch cut from a hardwood tree, and with that produced a sufficient scratch to be followed, and so the line was made and adopted, and for a long time used, being worn to a hard sur- face, and remained a good road until road-makers were set to work. "In justice I have to record a most popular act of Governor 142 Early Experiences of Grey in declaring, in July, 1845 ( at tne tUTie when copper and lead ores were promising to be raised in large quantities), all South Australian ports open free of all port charges to ships of all nations without exception. At this time, from recently opened mines, ores had arrived for shipment from Port Adelaide. This free grant was made after the revenue had attained a comparatively flourishing condition, from the suc- cessful occupation of country lands, by an industrious popula- tion lifting the colony from its deep depression to such a state of prosperity as to justify the Governor in establishing such a wise, liberal, and well-timed policy, and which drew freight- seeking ships to our colony. The previous year's revenue, derived from port dues and charges, had amounted to about ^2000. The loss of that amount of revenue was correctly anticipated to be made up in other branches under increasing prosperity. Contracts for the first cartage of ores from Kapunda were fulfilled at 22s. 6d. a ton of 21 cwt. — probably as cheap as it could be carted for the same distance in England. After the richness of the mines became publicly known applicants came forward for a section of one hundred acres of adjoining land, and the section, on being put up for public competition, reached the amount of ^"2210, which was purchased on joint account by Messrs. Bagot and Dutton." From this additional purchase, before the end of the year, ores were raised sufficient to repay the first cost and expenses. " In the year 1840 three miners were employed in the colony ; in the last month of the year twelve men were at work. The gross produce from sales at Swansea amounted to ^6225. " In the year 1845 Mr. Dutton sold his one-fourth interest in the mine, and subsequently Captain Bagot parted with the remainder to an English company, by which company the mine has since been carried on. The fame of South Australian mines soon spread through the neighbouring settlements, and when once it became known that everyone who went there found immediate and profitable employment, we began shortly to receive a large accession to our population, by voluntary free emigration from New Zealand, New South Wales, Port Phillip, and Van Dieman's Land. Tables for 1844 show increase from arrivals, 973; first quarter 1S45, 616; one month, August same year, 500 arrived at Adelaide." Amongst early experiences I cannot properly give the subse- quent transactions of the Kapunda Mining Company. Life in South Australia. 143 The Burra Mine is the next important discovery to be men- tioned, which so largely aided in placing South Australia in the position she now holds. This mine was discovered in the year 1S45, after the previous mines mentioned had got well at work, by a shepherd of the name of Pickett. A rumour of a dis- covery of a monster mine in the Far North, as it was then called, had been for some time rife in Adelaide. Reports were current that this discovery was of such an extent as to eclipse everything which had been seen or heard of, but the locality was wrapped in mystery, and by many was considered to be a hoax. At length it was proved to be a fact. The excitement this discovery caused was unprecedented ; the richness of the ores and the extent of the outcroppings were soon placed beyond a doubt. The tide having turned in favour of pro- sperity, arrivals from England were daily expected ; with a large amount of capital ; and if so the prize would be lost to those first interested, so it was made manifest that nothing short of a special survey of 20,000 acres quickly demanded would secure the prize. The strivings and rivalries and exciting articles and communications in the papers were unexampled for some weeks. At length two Associations were formed. They could not agree to coalesce further than to club their money together to form the necessary fund of ^20,000, required to be deposited to secure the claim, to be after survey subdivided. The two parties of gentlemen between them acquired this splendid property of 20,000 acres, on which was subsequently opened one of the richest copper mines ever worked in the world. Out of the first struggles to form a party with sufficient cash at command, two associations were formed, which by some wag were named " The Nobs and the Snobs ; " not that the men of each party were not, as colonists, equally respectable, but amongst the Snobs were a few retail storekeepers and humble people, with whom the Nobs would not further combine. The survey of the special block being quickly made, and in length lying northerly and southerly, it was divided into two equal parts by an east and westerly line. On the northern half the first great surface block of ore existed — afterwards the Burra Mine. On the southern half had been discovered indications of large copper lodes — afterwards named the Princess Royal Mine. Well, on the fortune of the two great speculating parties being decided by lot, the rich Burra fell to the Snobs ; and, as it afterwards proved, the deceitful Princess Royal to the Nobs. 144 Early Experiences of In the successful Burra Company were a large number of small contributors. In the Princess Royal party were fewer indi- viduals, and amongst them Captain Bagot, Mr. F. S. Button, and other proprietors of the Kapunda mines, together with a few outsiders ; so part of the unsuccessful Association had their own valuable previously-acquired mineral property to fall back on, and the public generally, who had no direct interest, were satisfied with the action of Dame Fortune. The Princess Royal property was for a time worked as a mine, but though large copper lodes were found to exist, and to carry every usual symptom of permanency, the ores proving what the miners call '• dredgy," it was ultimately abandoned as a mine and sold as a sheep-run, and fell into the hands of a fortunate sheep-farmer, Mr. A. McCulloch. Postscript. — -The Glen Osmond Silver Lead Mine has not been worked for many years, but may again be reopened after the decease of the present holder, a very old man, who is the surviving brother of the original owner, the late Osmond Gilles, Fsq. To show the almost unbounded mineral wealth of South Australia, it is only necessary to give the number of the mineral properties which have been opened and partially worked only, from want of capital and the high price of labour, in distinction from such self-paying mines as the Moonta and the Wallaroo, the dividends from which paid to the fortunate shareholders have been almost unexampled ; these mines, as well as most of the numbers given below, are Government property. Number of silver-lead partially-opened mines, ten. Number of copper mines, over ninety. Some of the latter class are still held on lease ; others are open to application. Nearly all these idle mines have been opened and found to contain absolute lodes of rich silver-lead and copper ores. Most of them are now available to be worked with profit, from the railway lines recently opened, and others will be shortly placed in equally favourable conditions, by lines now in pro- gress. CHAPTER III. The Resident Commissioner and the Surveyor-General, in opening the work of the new colony, had first to order and Life in South Australia. 145 arrange the survey of the City of Adelaide and the preliminary districts, extending from the city down to Cape Jervis, in which the preliminary land orders (mostly held by absentees) might be first exercised. No other country land was open for selec- tion until near the end of the first quarter of the year 1838, which was over two years after the colony was proclaimed. The size of all sections surveyed up to this time was to suit the pre- liminary land orders, viz.— 134 acres. After the best sections had been chosen, the rejected ones had to be cut up into So- acre sections, and green slips as they were called ; and then the 80-acre land orders might be exercised. As was natural, all the best sections as to quality of land, supply of water, or locality, had been absorbed by the representatives of the preliminary land-order holders. The authorities had no power to place bona fide farmers, or others having 80-acre land orders, on sections, although purchased and paid for in England, until after preliminary selections had been made. A further great evil shortly arose, viz., the commencement of land speculation in South Australia, by applications for special surveys of 15,000 acres, out of each of which after survey 4,000 acres could be selected and obtained af^i an acre; and thus the number of absentee proprietors was further increased, and the surveying and opening free districts for selection to bond fide applicants for land for immediate agricultural operations was further hindered. I may here also mention that the new colony at first was entirely dependent for supplies of sheep and cattle for con- sumption on such as arrived by sea, nor was there any other introduction of horned stock until the arrival of Mr. Bonney, who brought Mr. Hawden's herd of cattle down the Murray, early in the year 1838. Previous to their arrival fresh meat at one time was 2s. 6d. a pound, even for mutton not of the best quality. Captain Sturt subsequently arrived in August in the same year with stock overland. The mode of landing sheep from ships at anchor was generally to pack them on end as close as possible in the ship's long-boat, and when that grounded some distance from the sand hills to cast them into the sea. Many through drinking salt water died on their road to town ; some were drowned, and both accidents were said to be corrected by muttonising the carcasses. At all events the arrivals were generally grievously affected by scab, so our choice of fresh mutton was very doubtful ; but then we had 146 Early Experiences of occasionally fish and game, the latter consisting principally of kangaroo and opossum. But under all these preliminary trials we were not a discontented community. Energy in action, and patience under unavoidable trials, were the order of the day. A few discontented mortals quickly retreated, and left to those possessing more pluck and perseverance the glory of success- fully establishing one of the finest colonies under the British Crown. Importations of flour and grain were made principally from Van Diemen's Land, at one time at a cost of from ,£So to j£,\oo a ton. The Parliament and Government of the mother country must be justly blamed for the short-sighted and parsi- monious policy they adopted in launching the colony, thereby leading to the most serious of our first troubles. When the Act of Incorporation was granted, it was stipulated that it should not be in force until the sum of ,£35,000 was realised by the sale of land, and an additional sum of ^20,000 by the issue and sale of South Australian bonds, that amount to be invested in the British funds " as a guarantee that the colony would at no time be a charge on the mother country." The negotiation of these bonds at such a time was, as a matter of course, a losing transaction. The above treatment may justly be termed step-motherly. For such hard terms the gentlemen on the Committee for establishing the colony worked hard for three years, and at last accepted them on finding there was no pro- spect of obtaining more liberal treatment. Thus arose the necessity for the forced sales of land in London, and at a reduced price. The South Australian Company and a few fortunate private individuals took advantage of the preliminary sale in England, and thus was created an absentee proprietory. These preliminary sections near the capital cost only 12s. an acre with one town acre thrown in to each, as I have already stated. I do not desire to cast blame on these fortunate pur- chasers who came forward to invest their cash in a speculation which was treated by the authorities as a wild scheme, but to explain the primary mistakes which resulted in the unfortunate crisis of 1839-40. The early settlers who had invested their capital in legitimate pursuits suffered great losses. The delays I have recounted which took place in obtaining suitable land for agricultural purposes caused many who had come out to embark in farming to adopt other pursuits, but when the crisis approached, and after flour had obtained the unheard-of and Life in South Australia. 147 famine price of ^£8 and ^10 a bag, many of those who had any means left, returned to the occupation they joined the colony to embark in, although in most instances with greatly diminished means. I myself closed my town business in 1839 at a great sacrifice, and made arrangements to occupy and reside on my sections, only recently selected, which were situated about twenty miles to the east of the city. I had the first choice in the first special survey after the 4,000 acres had been selected. It may be as well here to give a description of our first ex periences in this line. Having sent on men to prepare timber for building and fencing, I followed as soon as temporary shelter was provided. I give an account of our journey as a fair specimen of what early settlers had to experience. I first despatched two bullock teams with our furniture and fixings as early in the day as pos- sible, and followed some hours afterwards with my family in a roomy waggonette, to which were harnessed three horses, one in the lead and two wheelers — a dangerous rig for the rough and hilly track we had to pursue. In the trap, I being the driver, I had my wife, sister, two sons (three and four years old), one female servant, and our youngest boy in arms : also a man to assist me on the road in procuring timber drags, and in fixing them on to the hind axle of the carriage before I ventured to drive down the steep hills which we had to pass — in those days screw skids had not been invented. This great improve- ment in skids over all other plans which had been previously used in easing loaded vehicles down hills was shortly after in- vented by one of our earliest colonists, viz., Mr. Stephen Hack. The first one which was constructed on his suggestion was made by J. Adamson. To pass over the Mount Lofty Range at that time was no easy task. The first ascent to be made was by either of the spurs between Beaumont and Glen Osmond. I fixed on the one nearest Greenhill, as being most used and having more space for making tacks. I had a staunch team, and with many zigzags I surmounted this first difficulty, my man following behind with chocks to stop the hind wheels when necessary to ease the horses. On the top of the brow, to my surprise and annoyance, I overtook the drays. The day being very hot one of my best leading bullocks dropped, and could not be got up again. I had in consequence to leave my man to assist in yoking up one of the body-bullocks as a makeshift leader in the place of the fallen one, and to continue with the 1. 2 148 Early Experiences of drays to assist the disarranged team ; and I had no alternative but to go on the best way I could, without help or the use of drags. My next serious difficulty was Breakneck Hill, rightly named, as I can speak from experience of broken-necked bullocks in descending, but on this occasion I had to surmount it. I afterwards got on pretty well, down moderate and short pinches, having an excellent leader who would turn to the right or left as sharp as required with slack traces. When I came to the steep and longer descent at Cox's Creek, on which spur trees had been felled and split into palings and shingles, the stumps of course left standing, and sundry rejected bad splitting pieces of timber lying about, I felt I had arrived at my worst trouble. I pulled up and looked on each side hoping to find at hand a suitable timber drag, but was disappointed, and with much trepidation I started the team at a foot's pace, but when, without skid, the pressure came too heavy on my wheelers they began to trot in spite of all my efforts to hold them back, and at length they broke into full gallop. By the sagacity and obedience of my leader I was able to clear the stumps and logs with- out an accident. The females and children fortunately did not scream or utter a word. At the foot of the hill, on pulling up, I found two men on horseback, who had paused in astonishment at seeing us make such a flying descent. Before I could gain my breath or speak to my family they addressed me most abruptly (I could see they were fresh arrivals). They said, ; ' We wish we could hand you over to the police for driving down such a dangerous hill in such a reckless manner to the risk of your passengers' lives, &c, &c." I replied, " I must excuse your ignorance, gentlemen ; the passengers I am driving are my wife and family. I have scarcely recovered from my fright. You have interrupted me and all of us in returning silent thanks for our deliverance from so great a danger. Look at my hands, black with the force I have used." We continued on the track over the natural surface, now steep sideling, now sharp rise or fall, and reached the Onkaparinga River without accident. The cross- ing was too rough, and here one of our back springs gave way, after having stood all the heavy jolts and jars we had previously encountered. A cross-bar cut and fixed, we again passed on, and reached the station at sundown. After a picnic supper we turned in on beds of dry grass, as the drays with bedding and food did not arrive till next morning, when we had a sumptuous Life in South Australia. 149 breakfast. Poultry and dairy cows had been sent up some time before with a small flock of sheep. The kitchen and dairy being finished we soon had our usual comforts. And now the work of fencing was continued, and grubbing trees, and preparing land for corn. An orchard and garden were trenched, to be ready at the right season for plant- ing. I had purchased seed wheat at x$s. a bushel, and having to pay that price for seed, and so much to do in clearing, fencing, and erecting farm buildings, I did not crop more land this first season than what I thought might yield me seed for the following year and enough for domestic use. At this time, 1840, on the first farms established, the pro- prietors, some of them quite unused to manual labour, might be seen undergoing the heaviest work their powers would admit of; their wives and children engaged in unaccustomed em- ployments totally unsuited to their strength — a boy of eight or ten years of age driving bullocks at harrow, occasionally a young girl driving bullocks for her father at plough, or with a sister cross-cutting logs for fencing ; then all had to help at odd times of the day, early and late, at log burning. All this toil was necessary, because labour was scarce and wages high, or money wanting ; and so a variety of hard shifts had to be adopted to accomplish indispensable work. Before I arrived at the farm with my family some preparatory work had been done in fencing and building. For some time an overlander — i.e., a lag of the name of Tom Fuller — with his mate, had been employed in sawing timber for buildings and in splitting posts and rails for fencing, and his work went on until late in December. I am about to give some account of this man, as he was, as I believe, the last of his class in my employment. I had a final settlement with him on Saturday night a few days before Christmas Day. He left my service apparently well satisfied, as he received a lump of money. On the following morning, Sunday, I turned out early. On my walk round the premises I observed one favourite goose was missing. On walking forward to the edge of a small gully, on the opposite side of which Tom's hut stood, at about three hundred yards up the rise, I observed Tom coming out carrying a bundle. I hailed him, but instead of waiting he dropped the bundle and ran to the top of the heavily- wooded range at his best speed, and I after him. On reaching the summit I could see him rushing through the bushes on a slant, to reach the main gully. This gave me a little com- 1 50 Early Experiences of pensating advantage, as I could take a line to head him. I soon found he was blown, and that I was gaining on him rapidly. I was still alone, although at starting I had called aloud to arouse my people. On coming near him at a great pace, my course being down hill, and charging him on his left flank, he suddenly stopped, and taking out of his pocket a large clasp-knife, he said in a loud voice — " Now your life or mine, you b ." My hand was quickly at his throat, and between that and his handkerchief, and down he went, and I on the top of him. In the fall the knife was lost by him, and after a short struggle a labourer whom I had aroused, and who had followed in haste, came up, and shortly after him my old shepherd Miles, who, as usual, had his pocket-pistols with him. So Tom was allowed to get up, and I soon decided to take him to the next magistrate's house, about two miles off. I sent the labourer back for the slaughtered goose, with instructions to meet us at the justice's residence. I had heard that this gentleman had been appointed and gazetted the previous week, and that one of his men had been sworn in as a special con- stable. On my laying the charge before him, he decided to commit the thief to my custody. I declined such a trust, stating I had risked my life in taking him, and I thought it was his duty, as he had a constable in his establishment, to keep him in charge. He then turned to my shepherd, Miles, and charged him in the Queen's name to keep the prisoner secure until he could be handed over to the police, and made out a mittimus accordingly ; to which poor trembling Miles said, "Your worship, what am I to do if he will run away? I am sure I cannot hold him, but I have got my pistols in my pocket; may I shoot him ? " With the utmost gravity the justice replied, " Certainly." After this Tom walked back with us to my residence, and was placed with his guard in the stone kitchen. I took Miles on one side and asked, " Are your pistols loaded?" He replied, "Yes, master; am I to shoot him if he offers to escape?" I said, "If you do except in defence of your life my opinion is you may be hung. To prevent accidents we will withdraw the bullets." In doing this I had more fear for Miles than for Tom Fuller. I added, " Tom must still think they are fully loaded. Keep him safe and give him food." On the way home I had a conversation with our prisoner. On his asking me to forgive him this time, declaring he had not lifted anything of mine while he was workingfor me, Life in South Australia. 151 I declined his request, as his conduct was so bad after my liberal treatment of him. He had the impudence to explain that he and his mates had agreed to have a spree at a public- house some miles away, and now he was very sorry he had robbed me. After dark I heard a commotion in the kitchen, and then a shot fired, and the voice of Miles calling out, " Tom has bolted." I could hear him running, and his little dog yelp- ing with joy; but presently heard the dying yells of the poor faithful animal, which had lain at the kitchen door. Its carcase was found by us in the morning on the track with its throat cut, killed to keep the fugitive's course secret. So much for Tom at present. I ordered the men not to follow him, as that would be useless. A trooper in due time* came out, but Tom was not again captured, as he had plenty of money and was wary enough to resist drink, and so cleared, as I supposed, out of the colony. His taking credit for respecting my goods did not say much for him, as, he being on contract work, I had always money of his in hand, so his conscience could not be credited, but his prudence might. He was not seen again in the colony for some years. As an occurrence of some interest, I have to relate that in the month of September, 1841, I went in company with a Mr. S (a new arrival) and the late Mr. John Emery, to a cattle station on the Light, of which he was the manager, to select a small dairy of cows from the herd of cattle under his charge. We started on horseback from Adelaide late in the afternoon, intending to remain at Gawler Town for the night. On our arrival there we found that the house at which we put up our horses was full, with no beds for us. Accommodation in those days was very scanty, so we had no choice but to sup, bait our horses, and push on by moonlight. About the time the house was closing, we started under the guidance of Mr. Emery, and made the station a little before sunrise. On rousing the people in the hut, we found them a long time in turning out, and then very unusual excitement was exhibited, especially by the stock- keeper, Roach, who pretended that he thought we were black- fellows, and produced a gun with a broken stock, the barrel being severed from the stock, and complained to Mr. Emery that the blacks had been killing calves, and he was now without firearms. He was aware we were coming out, and by orders had mustered the cattle on the previous day, and a large number were in the yards for our inspection. After an early breakfast 152 Early Experiences of the stock-keeper said there was a special mob he wished to get in, and which he had missed the day before, and he hastily mounted his horse and started with the ostensible purpose of bringing them in to give us a larger choice. I saw him start off in an easterly direction from the hut. A large patch of scrub was in sight from the station to the west. The country for some miles was flat ; to the east and north a jumble of hills shut in the prospect, so he was soon out of sight. Having nothing to do until his return, I wandered alone to higher ground to obtain a good view of the country. We had passed through a corner of the western scrub in approaching the station, and I desired to see the extent of it. Looking steadily in that direction, I saw a horseman ride into it as if he came from a north-east direction, and not long afterwards a great smoke arose in the part of the scrub where I had seen the horseman enter. This, at the time, I did not think singular, but as connected with what I have to relate, might have been an important link in bringing to punishment a cruel murderer. But I must mention I did not see the horseman leave the scrub, and when Roach was seen returning, his approach appeared to be from a different quarter, and the distance of the man on horseback, as seen by me, was too great for me to have sworn to his identity. When Roach returned he had no cattle with him, and those already in the yard were sufficient in number and in quality to enable us to select such a draft as was required. Having obtained our quantity we started, after a station dinner, for Gawler Town, leaving the cattle to follow, to be delivered in Adelaide. That night we stopped at Robert- son's Hotel, in Gawler Town, and had a comfortable night's rest. At the breakfast table next morning we met Dr. Moor- house, the Protector of Aborigines, and before we had concluded our meal the kind landlady brought in a little native girl of about twelve years of age, who, before the company, in a mixture of broken English and native words, told a pitiful tale to Mr. Moorhouse. She said that she and her grandfather were sitting down in a scrub eating kangaroo which blackfellows had killed, and had then gone away, leaving her and the old man to follow. Whilst they were " sitting down in scrub a white man on horse, with a gun, said, ' You have killed a calf.' We said, ' No, no spear — eating kangaroo.' White man plenty growl, and then he shoot old man grandfather. I ran and hid in scrub, and then came on to Gawler Town, where white woman gave me tucker Life in South Australia. 153 last night and let me stop for night, and then she tell me Mr. Moorhouse in Gawler, and me come to tell him all about white man shoot grandfather." We did not then understand the locality where the murder had been committed. Mr. Moor- house lost no time in taking police with him and the poor native child, believing her distressing tale, which he found per- fectly correct, as I was made aware of some time afterwards. She charged the stock-keeper, Roach, with the crime, and guided the Protector and the police to the place in the scrub, where they found the body of the murdered old man, partly burned, and Roach was at once taken into custody. This man was from one of the convict colonies. I should have mentioned that we found in the hut two strangers, who said they were out looking for country, and had been at the station the whole of the previous day. The evidence of the child -was unsup- ported. Roach brought forward the two men, who swore that they had been with him the whole of the day, and that he was never out of their company or in that scrub on the day the child swore to ; and so the prisoner was discharged, to appear when called upon, although the child positively and without hesitation said he was the man who shot her grandfather. After his discharge Roach mounted his horse to return to the North, but before he had well passed North Adelaide his horse reared with him and fell back on his rider, and in the fall his neck was broken, and so he died, and met with a punishment he richly deserved, as I have no doubt on my mind he com- mitted a cruel and cold-blooded murder upon a poor, unoffend- ing, helpless old man. This is the case of a barbarous murder of an old man, a native, by a white, which I previously alluded to. My first experience in giving employment to the natives in a regular way was after I left Adelaide and commenced farming in the Mount Barker district. They picked up and bagged potatoes and did other farming jobs. On one of these occasions, after work was finished, I was talking to them at their camp in the dusk of the evening, on the side of the hill above my premises, when a large meteor appeared (the largest I ever saw), which came from the east at an apparent slow pace, showing larger and larger as it approached. I supposed it fell to the ground at or on the east side of Mount Lofty proper, but I was informed it had been seen crossing the plains of Adelaide. At the camp were a large number of blacks, many of them employed by i 54 Early Experiences of neighbouring settlers. They no sooner saw the meteor than they cast themselves with their faces on the ground, uttering one combined and long-continued hideous yell. When the meteor had vanished all I could say did not pacify or relieve them of their fright ; they persisted in saying it was devil-devil, come to kill blackfellows. On rising early the following morn- ing I was greatly surprised to find the camp entirely deserted, nor did I see any of them till months afterwards, when some of them again visited me. They told me in distressing tones that many of the tribe had died through the coming of the big one fire. They undoubtedly had been suffering from some kind of fever, for those who had survived came in a most pitiable state of emaciation. They had suffered far away from the help of white men. I may mention that I have often given them medicine, which they were always eager to take, and so made excellent patients ; the more nauseous the taste, the more they approved of it. This tribe belonged to a piece of country on the banks of the Murray, called by them Wall. We called their chief King John, and the name of his chief lubra was Monarta, which was considered so pretty a name the whites never changed it. King John and Monarta often paid me a visit, and I set apart a small hut for them. He was a very good workman, and kept good order when I had a number of them employed. On one occasion John appeared anxious to tell me something. At last he pointed to Monarta at a distance, and said — " You see Monarta ? " " Yes, what then you mean ? " " Well, by-and- by a piccaninnie come." I then found what had filled his heart with joy. This was Monarta's first promise, and all other children by his other lubras had died. He was doatingly fond of children. I introduce the above particulars to lead to what follows. After they left this time I did not see them for some months, when one day I saw two wretched black women slowly ap- proaching. They did not as usual first visit the kitchen, but passed on at once to John's hut. I sent a female to see what was the matter. On her return she said Monarta was crying, and would not speak ; that her hair was cut short, and there were large gashes on her head. I now went myself and ques- tioned them, asking for John. At last Monarta blurted out — "John no more stop along of me ; he say he kill me ;" and then she put her hands up to inform me who had battered her Life in South Australia. 155 head, and burst into a lamentable cry. After a pause I asked, "Where piccaninnie ? " I had now touched on the cause of all this distress. I got no answer from Monarta, but the old woman said, " Piccaninnie dead ; tumble down in scrub." After much trouble I got out of them that " Monarta walk walking through big one scrub, plenty hot day, no water, child and blanket on her back. John gone long way, child plenty cry, cry all same as wild dog, so she put him down and left him." On my expressing horror at her action, she justified herself by saying, " You see, master, he all same as wild dog." It appeared from the state she was in that John did not accept such a justification of her conduct, but beat her almost to death. It was many months before John became reconciled to her. He and the wreck of his tribe subsequently fell on my hands to procure for them the annual dole of blankets and a few necessaries. The tribe is now extinct, the few remaining alive having joined another diminished tribe. The last time I saw poor John, I was walking along one of our most crowded streets, when I saw two young black men leading an old and blind native, when one of them, on seeing me, must have mentioned my name, for the old fellow cried out, " Where's my master ? Oh, my master, Mr. B ! where is he ? " Now all eyes were on me ; but I could not resist the impulse to go to my old friend, although several gentlemen standing at the door of an hotel were greatly amused as he called out my name loudly. On my approaching him he cried out, " Oh, my master ! my master ! " and, throwing his arms round me, he kept patting me on the back in a most loving manner. I did not heed the laughter of some of the many spectators. I was rather proud of being the cause of the exhibition of so much affection from a poor benighted black fellow-creature. CHAPTER IV. In this chapter I shall describe the progress in farming operations and the successive annual yields of grain as estimated from the number of acres cropped. By this record it will be proved how soon a small band of agriculturists changed the condition of the colony from one of importation 156 Early Experiences of to that of exportation of breadstuffs, after suitable land was procurable. In the year 183S-9 a crop from about 20 acre- was gathered, grown within the city, yield nominal. Harvest 1839-40, about 120 acres were cropped, yield say, 25 bushels to the acre, nearly all in Adelaide or in the district. Harvest 1840-1, the breadth under wheat 1,059 acres, estimated yield 21,180 bushels ; in barley, 388 acres, yielding 7,760 bushels; in oats, 424 acres, yielding 12,720 bushels; under maize, 192 acres, yielding 2,880 bushels. Total acreage, 2,503 acres. At the 1839-40 harvest, I had good crops on my small patches of wheat and potatoes; my seed wheat, which had been raised on town acres, had cost me 15J. a bushel. I had a few bushels of this, my first harvest, beyond what I required for domestic use and seed, for which I got 9.?. a bushel. We now obtained our flour by the use at home of a handmill, which some neighbours had also used, and so commenced independ- ence as to bread-food against imported flour. To turn this mill was a change of work, either before or after ordinary long hours of daily labour. I will give an account of my own experiences in the harvest of 1 842-3, and in the conveyance of the crop to market. Prices had fallen considerably and buyers were scarce. My crop was in condition for hand-reaping before the end of December, but I could not procure reapers before the 24th, as men had been earning large wages on the plains. Harvesting hands had been so scarce that the soldiers had been allowed to lay down their arms and take up sickles, and many soft-handed gentlemen had also turned out to give their doubtful but well-intended assist- ance in the emergency. On the 24th December, 1842, I was able to induce five men to accompany me, and I conveyed them to the farm. I did not allow them to work on Christmas Day, but they had Christmas fare. I engaged to give them 15s. and one bottle of rum an acre, with rations, for hand-reaping. The crop was dead ripe, the heads drooping with the weight of the plump grain. On the 25th a fiery hot wind was blowing, and continued on the following day, when I expected the reapers to start work, but they were missing. I found them at the nearest grog-shop. After some trouble I got them away to start work on the following morning. Before a sickle was put into the crop, the loss in shed wheat was over one bushel to the acre, and a further loss necessarily followed in harvesting. Immediately on my return I took one of the men, the most Life in South Australia. 157 sober of the lot, to see the over-ripeness of the crop, and by what transpired it will be seen how providentially, out of the difficulties of my situation, the idea flashed upon me as to the possibility of thrashing a standing crop of wheat, and which idea, on being worked out, has since wrought such a beneficial result for the colony at large. On taking this man into the crop and pointing out to him its over-ripeness, and how careful they would have to be in per- forming their work in handling the standing crop and in binding, calling his attention to the shed grain on the ground (I was standing a short distance within the crop), and to show how tender the heads were, with the full grain staring us in the face out of the gaping chaff, I passed my left hand with my fingers spread, under, and just below the ears, allowing the straws to pass between my fingers, the ears being close to the palm of my hand. I then struck the heads with a sweep of the edge of my right hand, and held out my open hand for the man to see the clean thrashed wheat in the hollow of it, most of the chaff having been carried away. (I must here mention that before this occurred I had for many weeks been pondering over plans for applying machinery to a standing crop, and had passed many sleepless hours in bed, and had been remonstrated with by my good wife, who said I should lose my senses.) Before I moved from my position in the standing corn, I stood in a sort of amazement, and looked along and across the fine even crop of wheat. The ideas I had in vain sought for now suddenly occurred to me, and I felt an almost overwhelming thankfulness. I did not move, but sent the man for a reap-hook, and caused him to cut me a small sheaf of wheat, which I took into the barn. There, holding a bunch of it in a perpendicular position, I struck the ears with a circular sweeping blow upwards, using a flat and narrow piece of wood, and found the thrashed grain to fly upwards and across the floor ; and thus I satisfied myself that the grain would bodily fly at a tangent up an inclined plain, when struck by beaters, and that a drum, as in a thrashing-machine, would not be required to complete the thrashing, and so felt I had gained the correct idea for a field thrasher, and that a segment below the beaters would be apt to cause the wheat to be carried round, and so be lost. All this occurred in 1842. I afterwards lost no time in exhibiting a rough drawing to many of my neighbours (some of whose certificates I hold, see 158 Early Experiences of appendix), but I got no encouragement, but from my oft recur- rence to the subject was sometimes told I had lost ray senses. The crop was reaped, and the reapers were settled with, and allowed to return home. Before carrying and stacking was undertaken, I had to con- sider how I could get over the thrashing, as a thrashing-machine was not procurable, and the price asked for hand- thrashing was a shilling a bushel, cleaning and bagging extra. Many months before this harvest I had anticipated a great fall in price, as well as the other troubles I have described, and had procured a large number of store and breeding pigs. I decided to have the grain beaten out of the heads of the sheaves only, without unbinding them, and engaged several German women from Hahndorf, with their curious flails, and a number of blacks to supply the thrashers with the sheaves, to remove them as so partly thrashed, and to place them on frames around a large contiguous pig-yard, to be ready to be thrown to the pigs in fattening them. The sheaves were left out in shocks in the field, and were carted into the unskilled thrashers as required, and so the expense of stacking was saved. I counted the cost by this novel process of thrashing, cleaning and bagging, to be about 6d. a bushel. In the absence of a winnowing machine I had the assistance of natives, and got up a good sample by casting the wheat against the wind. Next came the carting the wheat to town over the hills on the natural surface, with very little improvement from the hand of man. Now, bullockdrivers demanded ten shillings a day and expenses, so I undertook to drive one team myself, and started with a driver to conduct a second team. This was my first attempt to pilot a team of eight bullocks over such a chain of hills. I could comfortably handle a four-in-hand team of horses, but I was not up to the skilful management of a team of eight bullocks, although I had, as a matter of course, the handiest cattle for myself. The first rises accomplished successfully, in going down a steep pinch my polers fell, and Larry, a favourite beast, sticking his horns into the ground, went heels and body over head, and his neck was broken. The next job I and my man had to do was to prepare and dress the carcase, to avoid a total loss, and then to seek purchasers amongst the nearest splitters, to whom I had to dispose of the beef at a nominal price, although the bullock was in prime condition. He cost me twenty pounds, so my loss was con- Life in South Australia. 159 siderable. With this delay we were unable to reach Adelaide that day. In making other trips that season I had sundry other accidents, but shortly afterwards improvements in the roads were made. Immediately the thrashing was over, the fattening of the pigs on the partly thrashed sheaves commenced, and so the preparation for the knife and salting trough began. The pigs had water at hand, and whilst feeding themselves were doing- good work in treading their bedding into a macerated bulk, as a valuable return to the land for crop taken off. Here is pre- sented a striking change from famine prices for consumers to unremunerative prices for growers, with the ruinous rates of wages necessitating the introduction of machinery, about which I shall have something to say before I conclude this chapter. I sold my wheat of this harvest, part at four shillings, and remainder at three shillings and sixpence a bushel. I esti- mated that about one-third was left in the sheaves and given to the pigs. It was not long before I commenced to kill and cure hams and bacon, and used a smoking-house. When I had about three tons ready for the market, I carted the same to Adelaide, where, on going wearily about from store to store, I found 1 could get no offer for the whole lot, and less than fourpence per pound for small quantities, and to take part out in stores. I declined these conditions, and when at a loss what to do I met Mr. A. L. Elder, who, on hearing of my unsuccessful attempts to obtain a customer, ordered me to take the lot to his small warehouse, then in Hindley Street, and gave me four- pence a pound, cash, for the lot, which he shipped to the Mauritius. I was glad to hear from him some time afterwards that the shipment met with a good market. I may here mention that at this time prime beef and mutton were procurable at from one penny to three pence a pound. After harvest work was done and I had time to visit Adelaide, I met with the same lack of encouragement wherever I spoke of my discovery for a locomotive thrasher, except from one individual at that time. A sort of club had been formed of town gentlemen, who, with farmers, used to dine together at an ordinary at Payne's Hotel (now known as the Exchange Hotel, in Hindley Street), and here discussions on agricultural subjects used to be intro- 160 Early Experiences of duced. Out of this gathering a committee was formed, called the " Corn Exchange Committee." I can remember some of the names : — Messrs. Alderman Peacock, Bentham Neales, Joseph Johnson (of the Reedbeds), Hamilton, and his partner Henderson, corn merchants, their managing clerk, Thornber, G. Stevenson, Weaver, Southam, Herbert, Robert Smith, Hogarth, and others. The necessity of some contrivance to aid farmers in harvesting having been made so apparent at the previous harvest, the committeemen who had been appointed took the matter up with zeal, and gave notice in the papers that they would be prepared to give a reward for the best in- vention to be exhibited to the committee, and advertised a day for the first meeting to be in the month of September following (1843), so as to allow time for the construction of machines before the coming harvest. At this time more than one machinist was engaged in constructing ordinary fixed thrashing machines, and, in consequence, of all those who were setting their wits at work to bring out a field-machine none gave their energies and thoughts to the principle of a mower or cutter, except myself. I did not waver ; I had placed my ideas and plan before the late Mr. Thomas Hudson Beare, and he was the person to whom I have alluded as the only one who saw the correctness of my plan, and he set to work to oblige me, and constructed for me a working model entirely on my own principle, and was with me when it was exhibited before the Corn Exchange Committee on the appointed day, when a number of models and plans were also presented, but mine was the only one which proposed to deal with the heads only, as reported in the Observer and Register papers. At this meeting Alderman Peacock was in the chair, and the committee passed the resolution at the end of this paper. But there was one person present at the exhibition, neither on the committee nor an exhibitor (Mr. John Ridley), who approved of my principle and afterwards adopted it, and a short time before the next harvest (1843) constructed one machine which embraced my ideas of a horizontal projecting comb, and revolving beaters driven by belts from the carriage wheels. Old colonists will remember that this first reaper was propelled by a pair of horses working behind the machine, harnessed to a long pole ; but even with this awkward rig, the principle of taking the grain and leaving the straw standing was proved to be the right thing for the country and climate. Life in South Australia. 161 Harvest 1843-44. I give the estimated yield of this season to have been 280,000 bushels. I had a fine crop of over thirty bushels an acre. A few standing crops were gathered by Mr. Ridley's first machine, the only one constructed that season. Mr. Ridley after employing it on a few of the standing crops he had purchased, as well as some of his own near Adelaide, was kind enough to send me a man with horses and machine, and by this means my crop was gathered. Prices fell mate- rially after the first field-machine sample reached the market. Several fixed thrashing machines had been constructed, and were at work at the stacks. I may here mention that one of the arguments against the stripper, and which was much dwelt on, was that the crop having to remain until fully ripe, and being harvested and bagged in such a dry state, became flinty. Well, as soon as the way of shipping to England was found to answer, the dryness of our grain became an advantage, as it arrived in such good condition as to maintain the top price in London, as it has always done against the world. It has also been said the land by the use of this system of harvesting is both exhausted and rendered foul. To these complaints it is answered that the fault is in growing wheat crop after wheat crop, which is neither necessary nor wise, and was only adopted as a necessity when the farms were small, and which process now, under more liberal land laws, is inexcusable. December, 1843. — As I have mentioned, I had been favoured by Mr. Ridley with the use of the first machine which was con- structed to thrash a standing crop. I explain I had a large yield, and sold part of it at 3.5-. 6d. a bushel, but could not dis- pose of more than a few loads, and was advised to ship the remainder of the crop I had for sale by a vessel about to start to New Zealand ; and I hurried the stock down and consigned the same through an Adelaide firm to a house in New Zealand. After patiently waiting for the return, which, to my great incon- venience, proved a blank, the report came that the whole cargo was condemned as unsound. A large quantity of smutty wheat being placed on board above mine, the whole was condemned and sold as a damaged cargo, and I got no return, and had only to console myself that the proceeds of the sale were ad- mitted to have covered freight and charges ; and so the bulk of my crop was a total loss of as fine a sample of wheat as was ever shipped. Before the following harvest Mr. Marshal con- structed my first machine, and Mr. Ridley built more than one M 1 62 Early Experiences of machine. Other colonists also took advantage of my public gift of the invention, which I made the day after the Committee gave their decision on the merits of the plans presented. (See Appendix.) To Mr. Thornber, the Honorary Secretary of the Corn Exchange Committee, I entrusted my model, with the expression that it was at the service of the public, and so it has remained. The machine built for me by Mr. Marshal differed from all others at first built, as I dispensed with a drum, and had a long inclined plane, which was in accordance with my first ideas, and has since been generally approached. Copy of Report extracted from Register, September 23, 1842 : — " At a meeting of the Corn Exchange Committee, held at Payne's Hotel on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday even- ings, when thirteen drawings and plans (models) were exhi- bited, it was resolved that this meeting, having carefully examined the models and plans submitted to it, is of opinion that no machine has been exhibited which the Committee feel justified in recommending for general adoption ; but the plan of Mr. Swingler presenting some ideas which the Committee are desirous of seeing developed in a working model, they have awarded him the sum of three pounds to place one at their disposal. " (Signed) Wm. Peacock, " Chairman of Committee." 1 Note. — No notice of any action as to the plan they con- sidered worthy of support was ever made public. A few of the exhibitors shortly after the meeting constructed cutting machines, which were never successfully used. The one designed to gather the grain only, as has been shown, was adopted by Mr. Ridley in the first instance, and its value proved by him. The inventor of it and Mr. Ridley (who con- structed the first machine on the principle) have been spared to rejoice in the yearly-increasing benefit the same has con- ferred on the inhabitants of South Australia. In this chapter, I would wish to contrast 1839-40, 120 acres, yield 25 bushels each acre=3,ooo at 15^. a bushel, ^2,250, with 1874-75, 839,638 acres, yield n bushels 45 lbs.— 9,862,693, at $s. $d. a bushel, ^2,670,729. It must not be forgotten that the first of these crops was from good virgin soil. The second from a large proportion of second and third-rate land, Life in South Australia. 16 j and much of it reduced in productiveness after years of the usual colonial exhausting courses of wheat after wheat, as long as a fractional yield can be got. Remember also that this result was not obtained until after Mr. Strangvvays succeeded in carrying his Land Reform Bill, with the principle of credit to agriculturists, by which the land sharks were baffled, and farmers enabled to obtain larger quantities of land direct from the Government, prices per acre also ruling higher, to the benefit of the land fund. I think it proper here to mention that in the session of 1882 the Parliament, during the ministry of the Honourable J. C. Bray, passed a vote for the sum of ^250 on my behalf, as a reward for the improvements I had introduced in harvesting machinery. This recognition of my claim I here gratefully acknowledge. CHAPTER V. In this chapter I propose to relate the doings of three gangs of desperadoes who, after alternate intervals of hard work and deep drinking bouts, thought to adopt with impunity a course of plunder on the scattered stations newly settled, when there was only a small and recently established police force, whom they lightly esteemed as being inexperienced. They were also •emboldened by the deplorable state of disunion amongst the Government officials, which had been notorious for some time previous. I must first remark that after Magee had been punished with death, and his mates with transportation for life, it in a short time became apparent that such severe examples had lost their effect, especially on the following parties : — First, Green and Wilson, who commenced their career by stealing horses ; then Curran, Hughes, and Fox started, in the most foolhardy manner, on their short course of bushranging. All these men found to their sorrow that an efficient police force had been established. The career of Curran, Hughes, and Fox, who started on their expedition in the neighbourhood of Gawler Town, in which part of the country they had been at work, was as follows : — The first action in their new or renewed pursuit was a visit to the hut of a Mr. Pfender, five miles from Gawler Town, and finding only the wife at home they stuck her up, as they said, 164 Early Experiences of for a drink. This establishment was a sly grog shop. After supplying themselves to their hearts' content, they next demanded money of her. To this she demurred most resolutely, and as she managed to escape and get outside the hut, they fired at her, but did not wound her. They then departed after taking what they chose. Information was quickly given to a policeman in the infant settlement, then at Gawler Town ; accordingly a mounted trooper started during the night to warn people on the few detached stations in the neighbourhood, to put them on their guard. Amongst others he called at Captain Walker's sheep station, not more than three miles from Pfender's residence. Mr. M was then in charge as manager, and from him I obtained the following particulars : — "About 4 a.m. I and the three men, all of them ex-convicts, were aroused by a trooper calling us up to inform us that armed bushrangers were in the neighbourhood, who had, the previous evening, attacked and robbed Pfender's hut. and had fired at his wife. They desired us to be on our guard. I accordingly set a watch until daylight, and made myself as easy as possible. At sunrise the two flocks were sent out, the bullock driver (the third man) also left the hut on his duties, and I was left alone, but I was not favoured with any visitors during their absence. At 10 o'clock, or thereabouts, the three men returned as usual to breakfast, the sheep being left coiling. I observed three other men also with them, named Curran, Hughes, and Fox. I did not take much notice of them, as they had frequently called as they passed to their work, but I observed they had guns in their hands. Even this did not strike me as anything unusual. Shortly after their arrival one of them, Curran, walked into my apartment and seated himself without ceremony. He had still his piece in his hand. He commenced the con- versation by asking me if they could have tucker, to which I replied they could when the men's breakfast was ready. He said, ' Oh ! but we must have something for the road as well.' I now perceived the other men, one at the door of my room and the other at a window, and that they also had their firearms in their hands ; and now my eyes were opened as to their character and business, and I felt my position as stuck up in a civil sort of way, so I asked Curran, in answer to his demand, if they had taken to the bush. He answered, ' Yes,' in a very cool and indifferent manner. I then said, 'Why have you done this ? ' He answered, ' It is all through the cursed drink.' Then Life in South Australia. 165 I asked, ' Well, what do you want of me ? I will give you nothing ; what you get here you must take yourself.' ' Well, we do not want much ; to begin with, where is the damper?' I pointed to a large one on the shelf, which he took down and said, 'Is that all you have got?' I said, 'All that is ready baked.' ' Well, I won't take it all,' and then he cut it in half, and put one part in a bag. Then he demanded tea and sugar, and took part of my stock, and asked for meat. I said, ' There was none cooked, but some in the pot boiling.' ' Well, we will wait till it is done.' During this time they took caps, powder, and shot, half of what I possessed ; so that, under the circumstances, forbearance and generosity marked their conduct. Their conduct was the more surprising as to their coolness, and the little haste they showed, as my men must have told them of the visit of the police, and that a hue and cry had been raised some hours before their arrival. However, they patiently waited till the meat was ready for them, and then they produced a bottle of brandy, and insisted on all hands taking a drain as a parting compliment, and in this manner departed; before which I said to Curran, ' You have told me that drink has brought you to this, and why do you carry it about with you, as your continued indulgence will be likely to bring you into the hands of the police, and to punishment?' Curran then threw the empty bottle away, saying, ' There, that is the last b drop we will get,' and then broke out in violent threats against several settlers, especially against Captain Hall, who had a station near us. Before this I had noticed Fox to be quiet, soft-looking, and half-hearted in the work. I spoke to him aside, and urged him to give his bad companions the slip as soon as possible. This he promised me he would do. They left peaceably, and wished me good morning. ' : When they had disappeared I called the men in, and asked how it happened these fellows came in with them. They excused themselves by saying, ' They joined us while we were out in the bush as we were about to return to breakfast, and admitted to us that they had turned out. On which we exacted from them promises that they would not take more than what they wanted to carry them on with, nor injure any one on the station, or do any mischief, but confine themselves to what they required for the road.' They must have been surprised at my manner towards them on their first arrival, as they would naturally think I would be down on them, as they t66 Early Experiences of term it from the warning I had received from the police. After they had left 1 sent as quickly as possible to GawlerTown information how I had been interviewed : but then this was by the hands of a man who, although in our employment, was one of the same class as the bushrangers ; or, as they say, one who had ' been in trouble,' so that he would not be likely to hurry himself." It will be seen in the course of this narrative how exactly and speedily Mr. M 's warning prediction to these men came to pass, and how soon two of them suffered the extreme penalty of the law. The picture this chapter gives is without exaggeration, and conveys to readers who have followed us in settling in the colony, and to others, some idea of what risks and trying circumstances those of us had to endure who had undertaken to form out-settlements, and what cool courage and tact were often required to be exhibited by pioneers. It may be asserted that if Mr. M had not commanded the respect and good- will of the men under him how extremely probable it would have been that they would have merely absented themselves, and have left the depredators at liberty to sack the hut and to maltreat their overseer. Many may disapprove of their conduct in acting as neutrals on such an occasion, and it may be only those who have been placed in similar difficulties who will be able to appreciate such half-and-half protection as these men adopted towards their overseer ; but it must be remembered that had they behaved in a more decided manner they would have been " bailed-up " themselves, i.e., tied up to trees, and the manager would then have been at the mercy of desperate men excited by resistance, and left without the presence of even friendly neutrals. From my own experience of such characters, I believe that human beings, however low they may have descended in sin and crime, have yet a soft spot in their hearts, however small, which may be worked upon when reason has not been lost by drink. As I was the last person who fell into the hands of these our first bushrangers, and was to some extent the means of their arrest, I will continue the narrative with my own experience in their short detention of me. Their career was a brief one. Some hours after leaving Captain Walker's sheep station four mounted policemen were sent in pursuit of them, but did not succeed in capturing them, although so close on their heels. They next appeared in the neighbourhood of Mount Crawford Life in South Australia. 167 at a temporary station, where a Mr. Crawford with cattle over- land had settled. It so happened that I started from Adelaide a day or two after the bushrangers commenced this tour. On calling at Mr. Crawford's hut I found a man in charge — an old soldier — who surprised me with the information that the night before his hut had been stuck up by three armed men, that they took firearms, ammunition, and rations, and had greatly alarmed him, as he was all alone ; that they stopped for the night, and he pointed out the direction they had taken in leav- ing that morning. As I had not heard of their doings in the neighbourhood of Gawler Town, I did not know what to make of this information. He pointed to a large gum tree about one hundred yards from the hut, and told me they practised their pieces on it, attempting to hit that mark ; but, said he, " They were poor shots, making more misses than hits." The follow- ing morning, on riding a few miles towards Woodside as it is now called, I came upon a party of troopers who were camped there. From them I understood they were after two horse- stealers, and that a reward of two hundred pounds was offered for their apprehension. They were much surprised at my information when I told them what I had heard only a few miles away at Mount Crawford about the bushrangers. I also told them that by what the old soldier told me, I thought they had taken to the overland track, i.e., gone easterly. To this they replied that they were acting under orders, and must con- fine themselves to the course pointed out to them. At this time the officer in command of them, Alford, had left them to obtain fresh orders from head- quarters. I then continued on my own course south through the Mount Barker district to my cattle station, and remained one night there, and was busy in mustering cattle. I afterwards returned towards Adelaide, and about 3 P.M. reached Crafer's old bush pub., intending to refresh myself and feed my horse, as I had been riding him three days, and had travelled many hours a day. As I approached the slab hut I saw a great bustle about the place ; but this was not unusual, as a number of splitters and sawyers employed in this part of the Tiers were in the habit of frequenting that place to knock down, as they called it, their hard-earned cheques — working like horses, and spending like asses. I alighted at the stable door, close to the hut, and drove my tired cob into the stable, calling for the ostler. As no ostler appeared, I pushed my way through the 1 68 Early Experiences of crowded tap-room and bar, all in one, and with some trouble entered the private room. On turning round to give my orders, I saw standing at the door of the room a big fellow with a horse pistol in his hand, which he presented at me and said, " Here's another b — ■ — jimmy ; I'll walk into him." I then heard a voice, which I knew to be Black Dick's, a well-known splitter, from whom I had bought much timber, say, " Let him alone ; he's all right. He carries no blunt with him ; he's just in from the bush." I now found I had stepped into a lion's den, and that these were the veritable bushrangers, whose path I had crossed two days before, now drawn back by the temptation of drink to what proved to be their last carouse. I, however, put the best face I could on the position I found myself in, and said in as jolly a manner as I could command, "None of your gammon, young man ; Mrs. Crafer, send me in bread and cheese and brandy and water, and send Hardyman, the ostler, to feed my horse." I could now see one of the men (Hughes) breaking open a brandy case, and that the landlady and ostler were bailed up behind the counter. I shall never forget the terror- stricken faces of these two persons, both as pale as death. Now a scuffle occurred, and I saw a man bolt out and run past the window and heard a shot fired. Curran, who had bailed up and threatened me, had another prisoner bailed up in the corner of the tap-room out of my sight, who, observing Curran's attention taken off himself, took advantage to make a rush out of the door with Curran after him. I have since been told that one of the tiersmen pushed Curran's arm on one side, thereby probably saving the escaping man's life, as they were so few yards apart. 1 now saw my chance, and pushed my way through the half-drunken crowd, who were enjoying the treat the bushrangers were affording them with stolen goods. On reaching the stable-door I fortunately found my cob coming out ready for me, as he had found no provender. I sprang on his back, and had not time to recover my stirrups, but stuck my spurs into his sides, when Curran, returning from the chase, met me and grabbed, intending to unhorse me. I struck him on the head with the heavy loaded handle of my stockwhip and felled him to the ground. His horse-pistol having been discharged, I think he must have cast it away when he missed his man, or he would have struck me with it if he had kept it, and our positions would probably have been reversed. At this Life in South Australia. 169 time he, as well as all hands, was about half drunk. I then pushed my horse as fast up the hill as he could carry me towards town, feeling as I mounted the rise that a shot might follow me at any moment. When I had ridden about half-way I met Crafer, the landlord, on a fast horse. I told him what was going on, and that the bushrangers were treating themselves and the houseful of tiersmen to the best in his house, and that his wife and servants were bailed up. I urged him to return for the police, and that he was welcome to the reward, as I was sufficiently thankful I had escaped out of their hands unharmed, except by the loss of my lunch. He took my advice and said to me, " What good can I do unarmed against armed men and all their friends, whom they have been treating with my stuff?" My pace was necessarily slow, and he was mounted on a re- markably fast horse, so before I reached town I met Crafer with a party of mounted police at full gallop, who found the bushrangers helplessly drunk, and the handcuffs were put on them without a struggle. On the following morning they were conveyed to Adelaide and by the Police Magistrate committed on a capital charge for trial to the Supreme Court. Here I may mention that on meeting the police I renewed my declara- tion that I should not put in any claim on the reward, and stipulated that I should not be called on to give evidence against them, unless such should be absolutely required. Pru- dence dictated this course, as in the pursuit of my business I was so much exposed to danger from that class of men. I was present at their trial, but was not called as a witness. After sentence had been passed on the bushrangers they were first confined in the insecure gaol of which jolly old Ashton was governor. He had a number of short-sentenced prisoners under his charge, who were marched out daily to work on the roads, and were locked up at night in a wooden building. In a small stone building, called by the prisoners " the stone jug," Cm-ran, Hughes, and Fox were confined. Whilst these men were under the charge of Mr. Ashton he was informed one night by one of the guards, named Kennedy, that he had reason to believe by the riotous conduct of the prisoners after they were locked in for the night that they meditated an outbreak, and that he feared they were filing the rivets of their irons. Mr. Ashton immediately on hearing this report sent to the horse-police barracks for a file of men with loaded carbines. Inspector Tolmer was quickly on the spot i 70 Early Experiences of with his men. After these were placed around the building, the door was opened by himself and the turnkey. The prisoners being cautioned by him (he had at all times a mar- vellous influence over them) and also in dread of the carbines in the hands of the police, they allowed their irons to be ex- amined and the cut rivets renewed, without any resistance, but they were left for the night with extra guards over them. In the morning Mr. Ashton waited upon the Governor, and requested that Curran, Hughes, and Fox, and two other prisoners who had received heavy sentences, might be removed and placed at the horse-police barracks, in charge of the police. This request was complied with, and the five prisoners were removed accordingly, and confined in the sergeants' day- room, to enter which it was necessary to pass through the guard-room. On one side of the day-room temporary beds were made up on the floor for the five prisoners, who were all ironed. They were under the especial charge of Sergeant- major Alford, who had a mattress on the table in the same room, on which he rested at night. In the outer or guard-room, in bunks, slept three or more men with loaded carbines ready, a sentinel also pacing backwards and forwards between the rooms. In the first instance the window of the day-room was not guarded by iron bars. This insecurity, on the report of the inspector, was ordered by the authorities to be rectified, and a smith was sent to do the work. Shortly after this was done, the prisoners were ordered to turn in, and while the sergeant- major was reclining on his mattress, the guard aroused him by touching his leg and whispered to him that the prisoners were filing their irons ; on which he got up quietly and passed into the guard-room, and said to the men, " I will take a drink of water," in a loud voice, to blind the prisoners, so that they should not suspect their actions to have been detected. He then charged the men in a whisper to have their pieces in their hands, and on his making a signal, to rush into the day-room and present their carbines, and on his giving the order, to fire if the prisoners did not surrender. He gave them to under- stand that he would return to his mattress and lie down as if all was right, and allow the prisoners to continue their work until he gave the signal, which he shortly did, by stripping off their blankets by a pull from the ends at their feet. They had, in order to effect their object, covered their heads with their blankets, and drawn up their knees so as to reach the rivets, Life in South Australia. 171 and to disguise the working of the files kept up a loud snoring, feigning sleep. Five loaded pieces being presented at them, they obeyed the order to rise and pass across the room, and seat themselves on a form, where they were kept till morning. Inspector Tolmer had been called in, and in the morning communicated to Mr. Ashton the attempt to escape made by the prisoners. Mr. Ashton arrived with a smith and heavy irons ; the prisoners' lighter irons were taken off, and several of the rivets were found to have the heads filed off, when the heavier were substituted for the light ones. On the beds being searched, the tools they had used were found, and some screws to be put in place of the rivets intended to be removed. The smith who had been previously employed to fix the iron bars on the windows was afterwards charged with dropping the im- plements and screws, the latter being the size of those used by him in fixing the bars. He stoutly denied the charge, but was not believed. The prisoners were well known to have friends and confederates outside who would render them any assistance in their power. The prisoners, up to the night on which they made this attempt, had conducted themselves in a most quiet and orderly manner, in order to allay suspicion ; but now they commenced to behave in a most disgusting and riotous style. Fox and two other prisoners were removed, and Curran and Hughes only were left, who continued their reckless behaviour to the last. The sentence of death was in the case of Fox commuted to transportation for life, but Hughes and Curran were left to suffer the extreme penalty of the law. The Colonial Chaplain (Mr. Howard) visited them in their cell, but for some unac- countable whim they took a dislike to this amiable clergyman, and wished to see the late Rev. T. Q. Stow, who attended them in the barracks and on the gallows, and was on the plat- form when the bolt was drawn. His efforts to arouse them to a proper sense of the awful position in which they stood were wholly fruitless. On the fatal morning, on the executioner entering to pinion them, Hughes refused to submit to him, and addressed him in unmentionable language, calling on him to pull off his mask, and finished by knocking him down, when Mr. Ashton had to inter- fere. After being pinioned Hughes required a lighted pipe to be furnished him, and continued to smoke until he reached the gallows, which was erected in the police yard to guard against t 72 Early Experiences of a rescue. At the gallows, Hughes bent himself so as to catch his pipe, which he cast away, saying " No b man shall smoke my pipe.'' At length Curran, who in action had always taken a leading part, now called on Hughes to be quiet, and die like a man. To the last this most reckless mortal con- tinued his mad career, for at the sound of the withdrawing of the bolt setting free the scaffold-flap he made a spring, and caught with his feet on the sides of the opening, and it was necessary for the hangman to seize his legs to pull him through the opened space ; thus, by resisting his inevitable fate, he lengthened his last sufferings. It is necessary to step a little out of the course of events in order to give Mr. Alford's account of the time I met with his party. He had been hastily despatched with three troopers to catch Green and Wilson, who had first stolen from Mr. John Hallett a quantity of rations. With the stolen rations they crossed the Mount Lofty Range, and visiting Mrs. Murdoch, robbed her of two horses. Mr. Alford and his party had returned from the Wellington Crossing on hearing that the men they were pursuing had crossed, as he deemed it necessary to have the horses shod, and to be well found in rations and outfit for a stern chase through such a desert and unsettled country as they would have to travel. He therefore decided to leave his men where I saw them, and report himself at head-quarters. The day after I saw his men, on his way to town with led horses, he called at a settler's place on the Onkaparinga River, Mr. Richardson's, and there had a drink of milk ; at the same time a young man, a stranger, was supplied with a drink. In that neighbourhood Mr. Alford saw a shepherd, who told him that on his round the day previous he saw three men firing at a gum tree. Mr. Alford continued towards town at a slow pace, and passed Crafers public-house without calling, nor did he see anything remarkable in passing. Before he reached Adelaide he met Inspector Edwards with a party of police, and from him he received information of the outbreak of Curran, Hughes, and Fox, and that there was a reward of ^ioo for the arrest of each of those men, and that he was after them. Mr. A., on seeing their description, declared at once he had seen one of them drinking milk at Mr. Richardson's, and now supposed the whole of them must have been on the road he had followed, and that two might have been before him at Crafer's, and the Life in South Australia. 173 one he saw, whom he pronounced to the inspector to be Fox, would be behind him. Having given to the inspector a report of what he had ascertained of the men he had been after — that they had crossed the Murray — he was ordered to continue on and report himself. This report made at head-quarters, he was instructed to go back the next day to bring in his men, as it was considered Green and Wilson, on fresh horses, had got too long a start to be overtaken. These men having made good their escape from this colony, the Government took the first opportunity by ship to forward to Melbourne information as to the crimes of Green and Wilson, a description of them, and the reward offered for their apprehension, and they were arrested by two of our officers on their way from Sydney. These policemen, namely Corporal Wilkie and Private Higgins, having landed some prisoners who had been transported to Sydney, had to take their passage back to Adelaide via Melbourne. As the vessel was stopping a few days there, these men spent their time on shore, and soon got wind of the reward out for Green and Wilson, and were not long in finding them and taking them before the Police Magis- trate, who remanded them to Adelaide. On their being- charged at the Police Court in Adelaide with stealing Mrs. Murdoch's horses, evidence was wanting to connect them with the stolen animals, and so they were remanded from time to time that the horses might be procured. Nevertheless, Cor- poral Wilkie and Private Higgins received the reward for their arrest. An intelligent and active officer, Sergeant N , was selected, and sent to Victoria to collect evidence and obtain the horses, to complete the case against the criminals, and make perfect the work his predecessors had left undone. He had ample powers given him, and a letter from our Governor to the Officer Administering the Government of Victoria (or Port Phillip, as that settlement was then called), requesting that every assistance might be rendered to him. Sergeant N was accompanied on the expedition by Mr. Lorrimer, then manager of the station from which the horses had been stolen, that he might identify and claim them when found. The sergeant and his companion started for Melbourne in a small vessel, and the passage was most boisterous throughout. On arriving off Port Phillip Heads the tempestuous weather and heavy sea obliged the captain to bear up for Sydney, his i 7^ Early Experiences of final destination, and there our passengers had to land and take their passage back to Melbourne by the first sailing ship bound thither. On arriving at Melbourne the sergeant pre- sented his credentials, on which a mounted trooper was placed at his service. He soon discovered the public-house at which Green and Wilson put up, and where they disposed of the horses, and was informed that three men were engaged in the sale of them, two answering to the description of Green and Wilson, and a third, a man who represented himself to be their master. As to the acting gentleman-master, our officer got a particu- lar description of him, and concluded that he was Morgan, who, having been transported for life from our colony, was reported to have escaped from Van Diemen's Land, and was supposed to have landed at or near Portland Bay. In coming to this conclusion Sergeant N was not supported by the Melbourne police, who held a contrary opinion ; but he acted on his own judgment, founded on the description gained as to the extreme tallness of the man, his pleasant countenance, the colour of his eyes and hair, and the great probability of his having been picked up by his old comrades, Green and Wilson, as they passed through the Portland Bay district. As will be seen in the sequel, the sergeant was correct in his assumption. It now became doubly important that this third man should be secured. From the landlord spoken of he obtained much information, also from the police, and on following this up step by step, he heard that a horse answering the description of one of the stolen ones had been seen in the possession of a sporting innkeeper, well known in all the colonies. On him he waited, and on the question being put to him. " Do you know anything of such and such a horse?" he answered, "I neither know nor care." " Then you may expect to hear from me again," replied Sergeant N . After this our active officer, on a visit to the horse police barracks, seeing the horses brought in from the paddock to be fed, on casting his eyes over them, saw a horse which he thought answered to the description of one of the stolen ones, and asked if that was a police horse? The answer was, " No, that horse belongs to an hotel-keeper, and is sent here to be under treatment by our farrier. His owner is Mr. ." Now, this being the indi- vidual from whom he had received such an unsatisfactory answer to his question, he felt the scent was getting hot. The Life in South Australia. 175 horse was immediately caught, and on the water brush being applied to his long coat, at the place where Mrs. Murdoch's station brand should be, it was visible. On the following morning the overseer confirmed the claim, and the case was taken before the Police Magistrate, and on the razor being employed, the part was shaved and the brand shown perfect. A decision in favour of the claimant was made, and an order given to remove the horse to Adelaide, much to the annoyance of the sporting landlord. This first step successfully gained, and also some information of the probable whereabouts of the other horse, arrangements for a bush trip were made, on which our officer was accompanied by a mounted trooper. The scent being closely followed, the second horse was found in the possession of a sheep farmer, at a station on the river Plenty, and was given up. To make the case complete it was now only necessary to secure the third man, but very slight traces had yet been found of him. After riding many miles and visiting many stations the officers made a station on the Rocky River, at about one hundred miles from Melbourne. To this station the scent had been followed up, however slight and contradictory the evidence appeared. On entering the men's hut, amongst a number of assigned men, Sergeant N discovered him whom he was seeking. On challenging him by the name of Morgan, he denied that was his name, and said he had never been in South Australia. He was now seen with only one arm. Nevertheless, although the sergeant had not heard that he had been so maimed, he took him into custody. It may be mentioned here that it was afterwards reported to our officer that the Melbourne police had some months previously made an attack on a party of bushrangers, and after an exchange of shots the bushrangers had escaped with one of their number wounded. This was now found to be Morgan. At a sub- sequent period he confessed that he was the man whom the police wounded, and said that a shepherd had cut off the shattered part of his arm and bound it up. It was still a green, unhealed wound at the time of his arrest. He had adopted the quiet life of a shepherd in the hopes of recruiting himself and of getting his arm healed. Morgan had to walk to Melbourne, a hundred miles, as Sergeant N was unable to procure any conveyance. In this shattered state, this iron man, as I have before called him, walked the whole distance, and with apparent ease. 1 76 Early Experiences of With this complete array of evidence our officer returned to Adelaide, and arrived at the port early enough to prevent the release of the prisoners. Ill luck fell against them, for on this day only an order had been obtained for their release on small bail. They thus were soon presented again before the Police Magistrate, and committed for trial at the next Criminal Sittings for horse-stealing, where also Morgan was present to be used as a witness. They were in due course tried by Judge Cooper. On the day of their trial I was at the court before the business com- menced. In the absence of any public court-house, the judge had fitted up a large outer room, now part of the Bushmen's Club House. Here, before the doors were opened, I saw the prisoner Morgan in charge of the police, pacing backwards and forwards under a verandah, like a wild beast in a den ; and here an instance of his extraordinary character and hardihood was manifested, for on his perceiving an officer of police in uniform approaching, on recognising him he called out, " Ah, Alford ! " in a jocular manner, holding up the stump of his shattered and unhealed arm, " you cannot handcuff me round a gum tree now, as I have been winged since I saw you," alluding in this joking manner to the horrid position in which he was left — four days and four nights without food or water — after being arrested by Mr. Alford at Encounter Bay. Morgan was at this time still under age, and was at that place and time to appear before the judge, with the probability present to him of return to imprisonment for life. That he should under such circumstances call attention to two such dreadful occur- rences in his short life in this jocular manner is unparalleled. I had it from good authority that after his arrival in Adelaide, when the colonial surgeon examined his arm and found he could not do anything for him, he himself gave the information that, after the bone was shattered, a shepherd cut off with a knife the part of the limb hanging by the sinews. Perhaps the most striking feature in his conduct was that he exhibited no malice in his manner to Serjeant-major Alford, who had been the agent in fastening on him his grievous punishments. Many other circumstances have been related of him ; one I had from good authority, viz., that when at Encounter Bay, engaged at fishery, he was said to have been crossing between the main- land and Granite Island with a whaler, both the worse for drink wadincr alonor the rids?e of connection, when thev both Life in South Attstraha. iyj staggered into deep water. Morgan released himself from the grip of his comrade and was saved, but his mate was drowned. Before this occurrence something similar happened at Adelaide to a man of the same name, and some say it was this Morgan, but for that I have no certain authority ; but there is no doubt that two men crossing the River Torrens when in flood, by a fallen tree, at mid stream wrangled, and both fell in, and here the man of the name of Morgan escaped, and the other was carried away by the flood and perished. It has been supposed, but I think without foundation, that Morgan was a relation of the notorious bushranger Morgan, who so long and with such impunity defied the police of the neighbouring colonies, and was at length shot down in a treacherous manner, as men of his class would say, but a man who outlaws himself must take the consequences. At the Criminal Sittings on the 7th November, 1840, Green and Wilson were brought up for trial as before mentioned, and on the overwhelming evidence produced against them were found guilty of horse-stealing, and sentenced to transportation for life. Morgan was produced as a witness to prove the sale of the horses, but his evidence was not admitted or required. He was subsequently transported as an escaped convict, and it is to be hoped that he fell into good hands, for there was little hope that he would recover from his wound or long survive it. No information has been met with as to what happened to him after he was banished from this colony the second time. CHAPTER VI. I have already mentioned the suspicious and mysterious arrival of Foley, Stone, and Stanley. I propose continuing their histories, in which will be narrated a few more instances of the exciting work which such visitors created for the police as well as for the settlers. In the confession from Foley and Stone, they explained that in coming to this settlement they followed the coast between the Coorong and the sea, and reached the whaling stations at Encounter Bay. Here Foley separated from his travelling companions and went into busi- 1 78 Early Experiences of ness on his own account ; the others made their way to Ade- laide, and there cut the throat of one of the horses, as previously related. It was afterwards proved that Foley rode his own horse — at any rate that horse was not successfully claimed ; the other two men stole the horses they rode from Mr. Henty, of Portland Bay. Foley continued in the neighbourhood of the fisheries, and obtained rations and other supplies in exchange for kangaroos and game. He was not in the habit of making his visits there except when fully armed with a double-barrelled gun, and two brace of pistols. On this and other accounts he was looked upon with suspicion and some dread, and there was a desire on the part of the officers at the fishery to get rid of him ; so a communication was forwarded to the authorities in Adelaide that he was a suspicious character, and would arrive on a certain day in town. The horse he was riding was sus- pected to be a stolen one. To entrap him and induce him to carry a despatch to Adelaide, he was offered a good reward on his delivering a packet to the manager of the South Australian Bank, Mr. E. Stephens. He started without hesitation and in good faith, and arrived late in the evening of the day appointed. He was fully armed as usual. On entering the Bank-yard gate, he dismounted, and unslung his gun from his back, in which manner he was accustomed to carry it, and fastened his horse to the fence, unconscious of the arrangements which had been made for his reception and capture. On knocking at the back door of the manager's residence a servant appeared, of whom he asked if "Mr. Stephens was at home;" and, on being answered " Yes," he delivered his missive. He was asked in to take tea; the invitation was accepted ; he was shown into a room and took a seat, placing his gun near him. In a short time his suspicions were aroused on hearing several persons whispering, and he at once rose, slung his gun, walked out into the yard, and, seizing the bridle of his horse, prepared to mount. At the same moment the reins were grasped by a policeman on the opposite side of the horse, but he threw himself into the saddle, drew a pistol, and presenting it at the man who was detaining him, threatened to shoot him. The pistol was seized by his assailant, and in the struggle it did not explode, but the hammer flew off, and before Foley could draw a second pistol he received a blow from a weapon on the back of his head, which felled him to the ground. Inspector Inman, who was in the house expecting Foley's arrival, on hearing cries of Life in South Australia. 179 murder rushed out and struck the blow. Foley was taken to prison and his wound was dressed. Mr. J. B. Hack was also present in the yard, as he had come by appointment to examine the horse, suspected to be one hehad lost. Foley was detained in prison on a remand on the charge of horse-stealing, and sus- pected to be a runaway convict from Sydney. His conduct, however, in prison was so good that he was engaged by the Government to assist the police in seeking for two men who were suspected to have stolen horses from Mr. Hack, and to have broken into a store, and supplied themselves with rations, and were heard of near the Lake. The men who were supposed to have committed these crimes were Stone and Stanley, who had done so to escape from the province, as they were aware they were enquired after on account of the horses they had stolen to reach this colony, and so wanted similar conveniences to take their departure. I may mention that the man who had the struggle with Foley was an ex-prisoner, and had been ap- pointed acting-gaoler, and afterwards, with Foley, consented to assist in taking his former associates ; but then it was explained that Foley had a private "down" on them, as having stolen from him a favourite kangaroo dog. So it is seen there had been a breach of " honour among thieves," and to assist the police '"'a thief was set to catch a thief," carrying out the old proverb. To take these horse-stealers a strong party was formed, con- sisting of Superintendent Inman, Sergeant Alford, Mr. Stephen Hack, and three policemen, all well mounted and armed, with Foley also on horseback as tracker. The country they were going to scour was the then densely thick scrubby country skirt- ing Lake Alexandrina, where the police would frequently by necessity be separated, and so a strong muster was called for. They were led by Foley to a creek which since the time of their visit has been named the Inman, after the commander of the party. Arrived at this place, Foley gave the information that they were in the neighbourhood of the camping grounds he frequented before he was taken, and that his tent was within a mile or so from them. He made a request to Mr. Inman to be allowed to go with one man to the place to procure his blankets and other things, to which request Mr. Inman replied, " If Sergeant Alford chooses to go with you I will allow him to do so." Mr. Alford did not hesitate. But Foley was told by the Superintendent that he would instruct the Sergeant to shoot him if he attempted to escape, and handed to Mr. Alford an i8o Early Experiences of additional brace of pistols. They accordingly started, the re- mainder of the party waiting till they returned. On their way Foley said to Mr. Alford, " Now I will show you how I foiled those who sought to find out my retreat." On their arriving at a patch of close-growing dwarf teatree scrub, such as was often in that day found in rich bottoms and at the mouth of gullies, Foley pulled up and said, " There in the middle of that clump is my small tent;" but though they were in the saddle Mr. Alford could see nothing but the deep green of the close- growing teatree, with no opening or passage visible ; and so addressed Foley — " Now understand, if you attempt any game on me to escape, I shall obey orders and shoot you. Are there any of your companions here — Stanley, or any other man ? for if anyone appears I shall shoot you first." No, Sergeant," was the reply ; " I am acting honest, as I have promised the Super- intendent. Never fear. We must dismount, and I will show you how to reach my tent." On this he was ordered to dis- mount and show the tent. This he did by spreading the tea- tree, which reached in height to their shoulders, with each hand, as in swimming, and then stepped forward on one foot, and then advanced in the same manner on the other foot in an exact line, calling on Mr. A. to follow, and act in the same way, the plants rising unruffled behind them, not being trodden down, and showing no track. In about ioo yards so passed over, they reached a round place where the plant had been cut and cleared away ; and now appeared a small tent, constructed in the gipsy fashion — a piece of canvas stretched over bent sticks, large enough to allow one man to lie down in, and to hold his necessary traps, which were found safe, the retreat having escaped the eyes of his previous mates. Before these things were rolled up in his blankets he gave to Mr. Alford a Jew's harp, with which, he said, he amused himself during his lonely nights. Foley explained that he never entered or left over the same ground, and, laughing at the Sergeant, said — "You policemen would never have discovered my hiding-place, for I could have shot any one approaching." On their return Mr. Inman continued the search for the horse-stealers, and after some time they found wurlies, which had been recently used, and other traces which led them to be wary. From the life he had led for so many years, Foley's vision and hearing had become so acute and keen that he was able to hear sounds and distinguish objects at almost fabulous distances, as Life in South Australia. 181 exemplified by what follows. He shortly after rejoining Mr. Inman called the attention of the party to sounds of dogs yelping at a distance, but which none of them but himself could hear. He soon, however, led the way in such a direction as brought them to some kangaroo dogs tied up in a thick part of the scrub, and from that spot pointed out footprints leading away, from the appearances of which he felt confident, he said, that those they sought were not far off, and proposed that Sergeant Alford and he should hasten on foot to a sudden rise of ground near, being the commencement of a spur leading to the ranges, and there to look out over the scrub, the others to wait for signals from them. They had no sooner gained the elevation than Foley pointed out the men at a great distance skirting the scrub; but Mr. A. could not for some time see them. They then returned as fast as possible to the waiting party, who had, during their absence, relieved their horses of all the swags to be ready for a gallop, as they supposed the men were off to mount the stolen horses. On Mr. Inman receiving the Sergeant's report he ordered him to mount instantly, and, with one man, to ride in the direction where he had seen the men, first letting loose the dogs. Mr. Alford followed by choice a young dog, which, after sniffing about, at last took a line which ultimately led them into a thick scrub, and then made a pause, and after creeping into it for a short distance, was seen to stop and wag his tail, and so betrayed the hiding place of his master, who was found lying down under the thick bushes. The Sergeant instantly dismounted, and presenting a pistol at Stone's head, called on him to surrender, and rise without touching his gun, on which he was lying. Stone complied, and submitted quietly to be handcuffed. On the Sergeant returning with his prisoner to the officer in command, he was ordered to return with him and one of the policemen to town. Stone was then attached by a chain to his guard's stirrup-iron, the other end locked to his handcuffs, and so marched to town and placed in gaol. The Superintendent of Police with the rest of the party remained to follow up the pursuit of the other man, but were not successful, after several days' search. Stone subsequently made his escape from gaol. Not long after their return to town information was brought to the police that Stanley had been bold enough to pay a visit to Adelaide, where, in a low public house, he was captured by 1 82 Early Experiences of Sergeant Alford, and safely lodged in gaol, where Mr. Alford did not leave him until he saw him shackled to the iron bar in what was called by the prisoners the "stone jug," being a small stone cell or room, the only substantial one in that insecure establishment. The prisoner thus secured, the Sergeant left, to make his report to the Superintendent, who, highly pleased at the capture of such a troublesome customer, returned with the Sergeant to pay a visit to the prison and see all safe, but on arriving there they found the bird had already flown. He had, with some assistance from his fellow-prisoners, managed to break the lock, which enabled him to clear himself from the bar, and had escaped by jumping the low paling fence; and although every effort was made to recover him, he was not again taken, and the colony was relieved of his presence. The Acting-Gaoler for his neglect was dismissed, and his office was permanently filled by Mr. Ashton, who had been in the police force in London, and a better appointment was never made. To return to Foley. The Messrs. Hack were so pleased with the action of Foley in the successful expedition in captur- ing Stone, that they obtained from the Governor his discharge, on a verbal pledge they gave as to his future good behaviour. He was first employed by them to accompany a party to Portland Bay, which was dispatched to bring a herd of cattle from thence, and on that occasion he was so useful, and con- ducted himself so much to the satisfaction of the gentlemen in charge of the party, that the brothers Hack engaged him as their stockkeeper on their special survey of the " Three Brothers." In this employment he continued about two years, until Mr. Stephen Hack paid a visit to England, and took Foley with him as his servant in the year 1840. As connected with his residence in the Australian colonies, it will be in place here to relate some of the accounts that he gave of himself, which I received from the party to whom in a confiding moment he unbosomed himself, and have reason to believe to be generally true. He said his proper name was Lovett; that he had been brought up as a gipsy; that he was transported to Sydney for horse-stealing (he was always fond of a horse) ; that he escaped, and after he had procured a mount, he spent seven years as a solitary bushranger in a small way, occasionally assisting settlers in recovering stock. He then led a lonely life, and only lifted necessaries for his daily wants until he joined Stone and Stanley in their journey to this Life in South Australia. 183 colony ; but he soon separated from these men, and was at deadly enmity with them, and kept a sharp look out, that they might not come upon him unawares and shoot him. He had no intention, he said, of doing anything wrong in this colony. So far as to his own account of himself, which is certainly rendered probable in its main features by his conduct here. I obtained from Mr. J. B. Hack the following character of him — " Foley was a good and efficient hand." Then as to his habits. He had a decided objection to sleep in a hut, but preferred to lie under a few palings or boards, placed against the end of the hut provided for him. He did not much associate with men of the prison class, but seemed to have a great dread of them, especially after it became notorious that he had assisted the police in making captures of such characters, and in doing so had acted on the principle of "dog eat dog." After Foley returned to the old country, we first heard of him exhibiting himself in the costume and character of an Australian stockman, in the horse market in the town of Chichester, in the presence and to the astonishment of the Duke of Richmond, and a large number of county gentlemen and townsmen. Mounted on a suitable horse, he turned and stopped suddenly, as he galloped about, with yells, and with the swinging and cracking of an exaggerated long stock whip, the sounds of which, to English hearers, more resembled the reports of a pistol than the cracks of a whip. He would at one time be galloping as if to head a mob of cattle, then suddenly turning, and with his whip alternately used in the right and left hands, successfully force, as it were, a refractory bullock into an imaginary stockyard ; all this to the great amusement of the Duke and other spectators, many of whom probably considered him out of his senses. The information received of this remarkable man, after. Mr. Stephen Hack's return to South Australia, was at first, and for some time, of a favourable character. He was left at home (as I cannot help calling the dear old country) by his Australian employer, in respectable employment, but probably under police supervision. In the colony it was some time before anything further was heard of him, and then a rumour reached us that he had been hung; but on enquiry it was ascertained that in a brawl he had drawn a knife and stabbed a man, for which he had been tried, found guilty, and sentenced to penal servitude in the mother country ; in which state of 184 Early Experiences of durance he probably will end, or has ended, his days, as his fondness for freedom and the open air was so predominant that I think confinement within walls would be more than he could long exist under. From the known actions of Foley, it must appear that in his character there were many good points, such as under moral and religious training in his youth might have produced a useful and superior member of society. We must now look upon him as a social waif, to be pitied, and yet to be classed as superior to too many of his fellow-creatures more favoured as to the advantages which had been afforded them. He exhibited fidelity when trusted, and showed gratitude for kindnesses conferred upon him. I must here mention an encounter I had with Stone previous to his capture by Sergeant Alford. About twelve months after my arrival I expected a herd of cattle overland from New South Wales, and made an excursion to find a good fattening run as near as possible to the River Murray. After beating about between the hills and the river and not finding anything to suit me, and having gone through a hard day's ride, I turned towards the hills, after skirting part of the shores of Lake Alexandrina, and followed up a creek towards the close of the day, when I arrived in a bend of the same, and decided to camp for the night. I had no sooner made up my mind to do so than I saw on one side of me, about 100 yards off in a small opening in the scrub, a man in the act of covering me with his gun. I immediately held up my hand, and dis- mounted, and commenced to walk towards the man. He was still on his guard, although he did not further threaten me. I was to all appearances unarmed. On his grounding his piece I addressed him in a most unguarded manner by name, supposing him to be Stone. I say unguarded, as if I had .reflected, I most likely would have considered it prudent to have avoided anything like a recognition of him, but the decided tone in which I was enabled to speak disarmed him, and caused him to think he could trust me. The words I used were, "Well, Stone, I am out hunting for a piece of country for a cattle run ; I do not come to disturb you ; have you got any tucker?" His countenance at once became friendly, and he replied, " No ; only a piece of kangaroo." " Well, I have ship biscuits and German sausage, with tea and sugar, in my saddle bags. Shall I camp with you ? " " All right, mate." I next asked him to go with me to the horse to help me, wishing Life in South Australia. 185 him to see I had no arms there. The horse hobbled, we returned to his wurlie ; he carried my saddle, and I the rest of my swag, i.e., blankets, bridle, and saddle bags. While he replenished his fire, I fetched the water from a clear water-hole. The camp was on the creek where Strathalbyn has replaced the then wild bush. We had soon a quart pot of tea boiling, and supped together, and I slept by his side comfortably on a bed of dry fern leaves under the shelter of a few boughs rather artistically put together. The following morning after breakfast, I gave him all my supply of food. He accepted what I willingly gave, and asked for nothing. He told me he should get the blacks to take him across the river in one of their bark canoes. I promised him I would keep secret the course he was taking, and would not divulge the fact that I had seen him until I was satisfied he was safe. I did not then know of any charge against him in this colony, except that he was suspected to have cut the throat of a supposed stolen horse, and also believed to be a runaway lifer, as was afterwards proved. He was evidently in great fear of being enquired after. He was not communicative to me about his antecedents, and I prudently asked him no questions. His conduct in this respect differed much from that of other men of his class with whom I have been brought into contact. I must mention that, unknown to him, I had a brace of small pocket pistols, which I always carried in the bush on such expeditions at that time. I cannot help a remark or two on his remarkable forbearance and self-control. Now, this was a desperate, hunted man, escaping as it might be for his life, and he had only to demand of me my horse and all I had about me ; had I refused there would probably have been a death struggle between us ; but such reflections did not occur to me at that time, as I placed entire confidence in him. Knowing what I was looking for, he directed me to follow up a certain spur of the ranges, and to continue south on the saddle of the ranges, and I would find a good grassy and well-watered extensive gully, well adapted for a fattening run for cattle. I travelled according to his directions, and found what proved to be one of the richest spots I have ever occupied in this colony, now known as Bull's Creek, but I was soon displaced by a special survey. 1 86 Early Experiences of CHAPTER VII. I must relate some circumstances which occurred on this cattle run, pointed out by Stone, during the short time I was allowed to use it. On the arrival of the herd of cattle which I expected from New South Wales, they were placed on this run. Mr. Huon, from whom I purchased the cattle, advised me to engage a man named Hart, whom I found to fulfil all Air. H. had promised. He, however, told me he knew nothing of his antecedents prior to his overtaking and joining his party on the Murray; that he was on foot, and was most probably a run- away, but that he never had a more active and trustworthy man of his class in his employment, and he had always under him a number of assigned or freed men at work for him. I can with perfect truth say that Hart was a good servant, and for one of his class remarkably civil and well-behaved, besides being well up to his business, so I soon placed a confidence in him which I never found abused. My custom was to visit the station at least once a month, and to remain generally a few days. These visits I found to be quite a treat. At first there was also a hut- keeper who had charge of the stores, but after a time Hart proposed to dispense with the hut-keeper, i.e., when there was a vacancy on the man leaving, and offered to perform the double duties for a small advance in his wages, which I agreed to give him. He explained to me he preferred to cook for himself, and I never regretted the change ; the establishment became much more pleasant, and I always found everything in perfect order, the cattle and horses well attended to, my room clean and comfortable, and the cooking and change of food excellent ; then the man was always so cheerful and good tem- pered that I could not avoid liking him well. I mention these details as remarkable, as compared with what I have to relate concerning his antecedents immediately before he joined the party coming down the river, and the horrid crime he had com- mitted a few days previous. How little I could have imagined such an occurrence to have taken place may be felt when I explain that for a treat I took my wife out to spend a few days on the station, Hart being the only person within three or four miles. His clever management and invariably mild and re- spectful manners were such as to have qualified him for filling a situation as domestic servant, even at home. Well, such a Life in South Australia. 187 man as he appeared to be naturally led me to hear from him revelations of his previous life as a prisoner, which he always seemed most anxious to impart. How much of truth he gave me I know not, but the narrative, unquestionably, if believed, was such as to produce a favourable impression. He was about thirty years of age, rather slightly built, and active in his movements. As a youth, he stated, he and one of his master's sons ran away and enlisted in the Royal Artillery, then stationed in Dumbarton Castle, and after undergoing all the hardships of drill, &c, they were guilty of some breach of discipline and deserted, and to escape took away two horses, not intending to steal them, but to aid in escaping. They succeeded in reaching a ship at Greenock, and having exchanged their clothing (for Hart's companion had plenty of money) they managed to secure a passage, but were pursued and taken out of the ship, and handed over to the civil powers, tried, and sentenced to transportation for life. On arriving in Sydney in a transport- ship with a number of prisoners, his comrade, through interest made by his family, soon got assigned to a favourable master, and he saw no more of him. Hart was sent to Norfolk Island, where he was soon selected by the Superintendent, and em- ployed as a domestic servant, and here he became expert, as I found him. He was now very happy, and soon by good con- duct became a favoured man, and promoted to be coxswain in the Superintendent's boat. After some time he was placed in one of the boats employed in receiving supplies from a brig standing off and on. The boat was eight-oared ; he was steer- ing ; one guard (armed) was only in the boat, as the men were picked, and some confidence was placed in them. The brig having taken a long tack as they approached her, the day being calm, advantage was taken of this condition of things. The men were resting on their oars, when the guard was suddenly seized and thrown overboard, and Hart followed, as he was a favourite of the Superintendent, and they would not trust him. The transaction was seen on board the brig, and all way possible w r as made, and both men were saved. The shore was signalled, and although chase was given to the boat, they adopted such a course as did not suit the brig, and so for that time escaped. Amongst the boat's crew was an ex-captain of the Royal Navy, who knew how to adopt all mea- sures calculated to complete their escape ; but ultimately they were taken. Thus far, Hart's tale goes ; but it cannot be all 1 88 Early Experiences of true, as the ex-captain (whose name I suppress, out of regard to his high connections) would certainly have been hung, which event did not take place. That such a man did escape from Norfolk Island is doubtless a fact, and that he afterwards finished his infamous career on the scaffold at Sydney is true — but for a different crime from that recorded by Hart ; also that by the great interest of his family he had been long spared is well known. Hart, however, had introduced him into his own history, I believe, simply to give as much interest to his recital as possible. Hart got away from this colony, and had provided for his escape in more ways than one. I have mentioned what care he took of the horses I had given him to use in his work. I now add other particulars showing how well he laid his plans. His habit was to draw his pay from me monthly, and from the first he returned the greater part to me to deposit the same in a bank for him, but desired me to lodge it in my own name. To this I at first objected, but at length gave way. After a time he asked me to supply him with a stout double-barrelled gun and ammunition, so that he might shoot game. There was already in the hut a rifle, &c, used in shooting cattle for slaughter. He was very successful in bringing in stray cattle for the neigh- bours as well as my own, and frequently got rewards, which he gave to me to be added to his savings; and so he continued to act until he had been with me about eight months. As a fur- ther proof how careful and thrifty he remained, although he had Irequent occasions to visit town on my business, he was at all times sober and respectable in his conduct, as far as I had the means of judging from observation or report. And such uniform, steady, and sober conduct in one of his class was the more remarkable as public houses at that early time were in greater proportion to population than they are at present, and the working population were more generally addicted to intem- perance. I mention these matters, trifling as some may think them, to show how much self-denial and restraint were exercised by Hart in carrying out his plans to get away before he was sought for. The wonder to me is how he waited so long witli such a heavy reckoning to pay if caught. It is also a marvel how arrangements for his capture were so long delayed on the part of the Sydney Government and the friends of his previous master, whom he had murdered. At the time above-mentioned, on one of his attendances in town, he came and informed me Life in Soiith Australia. 189 he had found at the post-office a letter from an uncle of his in good circumstances at the Cape of Good Hope, who had written to him in answer to one he had sent him, and had pressed him to come without delay and live with him. As at that time there was a vessel in Port Adelaide from that colony, I believed his tale. He made a most pressing application for me to excuse him the remainder of his engagement, that he might get to a colony where he would be far away from a prison population, so I consented to his request on the condition that he found a good man to take his place, and asked him if he could name such a one, on which he gave me the name of Bob Moorhead, whom I knew to be a first-class bushman and a good stockkeeper. I accepteddiim as a substitute, so the two men went out to muster the cattle, and I followed. The cattle being found all right, were handed over to the charge of Moor- head, whose previous history I knew so far as that he had gained a conditional pardon and freedom, for his general good conduct as a prisoner, and for the exemplary services he had rendered when accompanying Major Mitchell, Surveyor-General, in his explorations in the Province of New South Wales ; but he was not at liberty to leave the Australian Colonies. Shortly after my return to town after handing over the cattle to the new stockkeeper, Hart waited on me with great glee, to tell me he had succeeded in obtaining the situation of steward on board the ship which had brought his letter from the Cape, to return with her to that port. He was dressed smartly in ship costume, and appeared no more as a bushman. He now received from me his money in sovereigns, about eighty pounds, with the most grateful expressions, not at all called for. After this he frequently managed to meet me, and took every oppor- tunity of addressing himself to me in public places, especially if any policeman was in sight; but he kept on board ship some days before the ship sailed, and I saw him no more. Within a month after this a herd of cattle arrived for me, down the Murray, which I had ordered from the same stockholder who had brought down Hart on his previous trip, and who had recommended me to employ him. From him, to my amaze- ment, I heard the following account of the crime Hart had committed immediately before he joined him. Hart's previous employment had been with a squatter on a cattle station on one of the upper branches of the Murray, who engaged him, knowing him to be a runaway convict. With this employer he i go Early Experiences of had remained about two years, when a herd of cattle were heard of, as going down the main stream of the river. At this time, on his obeying the order to bring his master's horse ready for him to mount, and after he had fastened the horse to the rail in front of the "government house," as the hut used by the owner or manager is called, he entered the room where his employer was sitting after his breakfast, and petitioned him, in return for his services, to give him an old stock-horse with saddle, &c, to enable him to overtake the part)- with cattle going down the river to the new colony. To this his master replied, " No, you rascal, I will send you in to the Government." On this Hart made a jump to a corner where stood a loaded rifle, and shot his employer dead. He then immediately rushed out and mounted the tied-up horse, and rode for his life, but there was no fear of his being immediately pursued, as the assigned and freed men sympathised with him. He had served this employer for nearly two years, and had only received in return rations and bush cloth- ing. One mounted man from the station started immediately to report the circumstance to the nearest police — some miles to the east — while Hart was escaping to the west. These particulars I heard from my friend, who brought me the cattle; also that Hart on overtaking him on his previous trip, when he came within one day's journey of his party, destroyed the horse on which he escaped in a thick clump of bush, and joined him on foot. I felt greatly shocked on receiving such news of a murder com- mitted by a man who exhibited such a different character whilst in my service, and who had been so faithful and true to me ; but I had now the key to explain his action in leaving his money in my hands, and his great care of the horses, especially one of them ; also in his obtaining from me a valuable gun, which he left in the hut, where also were found capacious saddle-bags which he had made, a leather cover for a gun, and other articles useful on a long journey. So I concluded his original intention was to have gone away overland, if the chance of the Cape voyage had not presented itself, which if he had carried out, his conscience would have been clear as to any injury done me in what he would have taken away, viz., the horse, gun, &c, as the money I held would about cover their value. I may men- tion he had frequently offered to buy from me the best of the two horses, but I would not sell him. I must now give an account of Moorhead and his fatal end. I have to relate circumstances of a most shocking nature, for Life in South Australia. 191 he also had committed murder. I have shown that at the muster of the cattle I was alone with these two men, who had been guilty of such heavy crimes, but I must say that from their conduct and language, such actions as I afterwards learned they had been guilty of I could not have imagined to have been perpetrated by either of them. I do not think Hart had made a confidant of Moorhead as to the crime of killing his master when he rode away from the station, or that he told any of the men in the party with whom he came down, as most of them returned to New South Wales to bring down the second mob, as there is no doubt that one or other of them if they had known of the murder he had committed would have jumped at the reward which they would well know would be offered ; for although I have found some honour among men of his class, it is the exception and not the rule. For some time Moorhead went about his work to my satis- faction, but I found him getting more and more morose and melancholy, and, to tell the truth, I myself became somewhat uncomfortable by being alone with him, and in consequence engaged a hutkeeper. But I did not find the stockkeeper to get better in his mind even with company, and fortunately for myself I proposed to him to go into town for a few days, after he had got the cattle together, and see if a change would im- prove him. The news of the crime his friend had committed having been made public, appeared to have stirred up reminis- cences of his own crime, and the two things together had preyed on his mind. Well, he carried out my instructions, and left the station for the town, and put up at an hotel in Grenfell Street, and there remained only a few days, when, as he did not appear at the breakfast-table one morning, a servant was ordered to go to his room, and as no answer was obtained to a summons given to him, and his door was found fast, a forced entry was made, and he was found dead, with his throat cut by his own hand. Recitals of the miserable careers of fellow creatures of the prison class are always painful to give, but in relating occur- rences of the first days of the colony, some of these sad tales should be given, in the hope that the young, by reading these examples taken from real life, may be deterred from deviating, by a first step, from the paths of rectitude. They serve to prove how next to impossible it appears to be to return, and to get rid of evil habits thus acquired. 192 Early Experiences of I had found Moorhead apparently in a most uncomfortable state of mind, commencing from the time the news came down the river from New South Wales, which was soon followed by confirmation by ship, with the notice of the reward of ^"500 offered by the Governor of New South Wales for the arrest of Hart, for the murder of his master. An officer also arrived with a warrant for his arrest. Before this news came down, Moorhead had shown me the conditional pardon on parchment he had gained, granted him by Governor Darling, setting out that he had been sentenced to death in India for the crime of ■ (here was an erasure), which had been commuted to trans- portation for life to Sydney in consideration of circumstances, &c, and on account of his good conduct as a soldier, &c, &c. Moorhead explained that the word had been worn out by being in a fold of the parchment, and confessed he had killed a Las- car in a quarrel about a native woman, and that the man had attempted to stab him, but he wrested the knife out of his hand, and with it inflicted a death wound. He made the above confession to me a few days before he left the station. He also showed me high testimonials from Sydney Government Officials. CHAPTER VIII. Old colonists well remember the difficulties encountered by parties on their way down our great system of water communi- cation from New South Wales with sheep and cattle to stock our newly-established colony. The account given in even a condensed form will necessarily occupy considerable space, and present a succession of thrilling pictures of the sufferings endured by pioneers, and, sad to relate, the necessary slaughter of blacks — banded together in large numbers — in their attacks on travelling Europeans with stock. As an introduction to this subject I will take advantage of Captain Sturt's description of his first contact with natives on the Murray. Immediately after entering the Murray country he found that the natives were much more numerous than on the Murrumbidgee, and it was with great difficulty that they were enabled to pursue their way without coming into collision with them. Captain Sturt's admirable tact, coolness, and presence Life in South Australia. 193 of mind alone saved the party from actual conflict ; but they were at one time upon the very point of an affray, which must have resulted in the destruction of the whole party. I will give the circumstances in Captain Sturt's own words : — " As we sailed down the stream we observed a vast number of natives under the trees, and on a nearer approach we not only heard their war-song, but remarked they were painted and armed as they generally are prior to their engaging in a deadly conflict. Notwithstanding their outward signs of hostility, and fancying friendly natives who had been met with higher up were with them, I continued to steer directly for the bank on which they were collected. I found, however, when it was almost too late to turn into the succeeding reach to the left, that an attempt to land would only be attended with loss of life. The natives seemed determined to resist it. We approached so near that they held their spears quivering in their grasp ready to hurl. They were painted in various ways. Some who had marked their ribs, thighs, and faces with a white pigment in stripes looked like skeletons ; others were daubed with red and yellow ochre, and their bodies shone with the grease with which they had besmeared themselves. A dead silence prevailed among the front ranks, but those in the background, as well as women, who carried supplies of spears, and who appeared to have had a bucket of whitewash capsized over their heads, were extremely clamorous. As I did not wish a conflict with the people, I lowered my sail, and putting the helm to starboard, we passed quickly down the stream in ni id-channel. Disappointed in their anticipations, the natives ran along the bank of the river endeavouring to secure an aim at us ; but unable to throw with certainty in consequence of the onward motion of the boat, they flung themselves into the most extravagant attitudes, and worked themselves into a frenzy by loud and vehement shouting. It was with consider- able apprehension that I observed the river to be shoaling fast, more especially as a huge sandbank, a little below us, and on the same side on which the natives had gathered, projected nearly a third of the way across the channel. To this sandbank they ran with tumultuous uproar, and covered it over in a dense mass. Some of the chiefs advanced into the water to be nearer their victims, and turned from time to time to direct their followers. With every pacific disposition, and an extreme reluctance to take away life, I foresaw that it would be 194 Early Experiences of impossible any longer to avoid an engagement ; yet with such fearful numbers against us, I was doubtful of the result. The spectacle we had witnessed had been one of the most appalling kind, and sufficient to shake the firmness of most men ; but at that trying moment my little band preserved their usual coolness, and if anything could be gleaned from their coun- tenances, it was that they had determined on an obstinate resistance. I now explained to my men that their only chance of escape depended or would depend upon their firmness. I desired that after the first volley had been fired, McLeay and three of the men would attend to the defence of the boats, with bayonets only, while I, Hopkinson, and Harris, would keep up the fire as being more used to it. I ordered, however, that no shot was to be fired, until after I had discharged both my barrels. I then delivered their arms to the men, which had as yet been kept in the place appropriated for them, and at the same time some rounds of loose cartridges. The men assured me they would follow my instructions, and thus prepared, having already lowered the sail, we drifted onwards with the current. As we neared the sandbank, I stood up and made signs to the natives to desist, but without success. I took up my gun, therefore, and cocking it, had already brought it down to a level. A few seconds more would have closed the life of the nearest of the savages. The distance was too trifling forme to doubt the fatal effects of the discharge, for I was determined to take deadly aim, in the hope that the fall of one man might save the lives of many. But at the moment when my hand was on the trigger and my eye was along the barrels my purpose was checked by McLeay, who called to me that another party of blacks had made their appearance upon the left or opposite bank of the river. Turning, I observed four men at the top of their speed. The foremost of them, as soon as he got ahead of the boat, threw himself from a con- siderable height into the water. He struggled across the channel to the sandbank, and in an incredibly short space of time stood in front of the savage against whom my aim had been directed. Seizing him by the throat, he pushed him backwards, and forcing all who were in the water on to the bank, he trod its margin with a vehemence and agitation that were exceedingly striking. At one moment pointing to the boat, at another shaking his clenched hand in the faces of the most forward, and stamping with passion on the sand; his Life in South Australia. 195 voice, which was at first distinct and clear, was lost after a time in hoarse murmurs. Two of the four natives remained on the left bank of the river, the third followed his leader who proved to be the remarkable savage I had previously noticed before we arrived at the scene of action. The reader will imagine my feelings on this occasion. We were so wholly lost in the interesting scene that was passing, that the boat was allowed to drift at pleasure. For my own part I was overwhelmed with astonishment and in fact confused, so singular, so un- expected, so providential had been our escape." Captain Sturt continued his course down the river, and although he met with many more blacks than he did on the Murrumbidgee they showed no indications of hostility. I commence the experiences of parties coming down the river with flocks of sheep with the attack on Messrs. Field and Inman as the most serious, though not the first. This was the first en- counter, however, of the natives of that particular locality with white men, and their assaults for a time assumed the propor- tions of regular combats. On Wednesday evening, April 21, 1841, information was re- ceived in Adelaide that an overland party conducting a large flock of sheep, under the charge of Mr. H. Inman, previously superintendent of police in Adelaide, and Mr. Field (that gentleman being part owner) had been attacked by natives to the east of the great elbow of the River Murray, and that one or more of the persons employed had been wounded, the whole of the whites dispersed, and the sheep, bullocks, dray, and stores had been taken by the natives. It was stated that on the sheep entering the Rufus country a numerous body of blacks made their appearance, and in a most impudent manner commenced disturbing the sheep, and attempting to drive them away. The men of the party, ten in number, were armed, but on the natives presenting an hostile appearance they all fled, leaving the two leaders of the party alone to defend their pro- perty. Mr. Inman had previously been wounded when in the Murrumbidgee country, and in that disabled state was unable to assist Mr. Field, who had to abandon the sheep and make the best of his way to the nearest station, that of Mr. Dutton, at Mount Dispersion, and from thence forward information to Adelaide. Fuller particulars arrived as follows : — At the Darling, and after leaving it, the blacks became troublesome to the party. 196 Early Experiences of On one occasion Mr. Tnman seeing a few blacks ahead of the sheep and approaching, rode forward and had a friendly parley with them. On turning to ride hack to join his company three spears were thrown, one taking effect in his shoulder, one in his arm, and the other fetching him out of his saddle. This was a jagged spear, and entering near the backbone, went in a slant- ing direction through his body, the point appearing below his ribs on the same side. One of the sharp jags had hitched into his backbone, and was so fast that the spear could not be with- drawn, and it became necessary to cut the head from the shaft with a saw close to his body. A sling was stretched across the dray from the side rails, on which he was laid, not one of the company expecting him to survive for any length of time after such a wound, and it was out of the question to delay the journey onwards. After enduring the jolts of the dray in passing over a rough country for two weeks in a recumbent position, he seemed more easy, and on the morning of the day when the successful attack was made on the party, the jag became detached from his spine, the head was extracted, and the wound dressed as his comrades were best able to do it. Vast numbers of the blacks had been about for some days, and were evidently increasing. They were now in the Rufus country. I now quote from Mr. Inman's report : — "On the morning of April 16th ult., when about forty miles on the other side of Lake Bonney, having encamped on the bank of an exceedingly brackish creek, we broke up the camp and pushed on about three miles to breakfast, during which meal the natives presented themselves, in number appearing to be about thirty or forty. They had, since we left the Darling, speared several of our sheep. By what occurred afterwards we found that considerable numbers were in the scrub close behind those who first presented themselves, although unseen by us. They were armed, and evidently meant mischief from their endeavours to conceal their weapons from us in the long grass. They essayed to make friends with us, but we did not like their movements, and warned them off with our hands. Not the slightest violence was offered by us. The natives seeing they were not allowed to enter our camp on pretence of friendship, soon exhibited their determination to gain their object by force, when treachery could not be employed. After breakfast, and before we made a start, the blacks resumed their spears, and making signs Life in South Attstralia. 197 with their hands that they would meet us again on the road or track, immediately made off at a quick pace with an appa- rent intent to cut us off. Our suspicions being thus aroused, the men were ordered to examine their firearms and renew the priming, when the party moved on. We had not pro- ceeded above three miles when we saw the natives ahead of us in the scrub in great numbers. Mr. Field, from the time I was speared on the Murrumbidgee, had altogether conducted the party. The spear-head having been removed, although I was very weak, I mounted my horse. Mr. Field with two horse- men advanced in front of the party, and although very weak I found them, and kept them company. None of the party were aware of the numbers they had to encounter. On our approach to the position occupied by the blacks, they shouted and struck their waddies, and from their movements we soon found out that their object was to oppose our passage. On this Mr. Field ordered the driver of the dray to stop and wait for the sheep. On their coming up the shepherds rounded the sheep, to sup- port the men at the dray. One of the horsemen of the name of George Crow, and the best armed man of the party, was now found to have absented himself, and did not make his appear- ance at all during the fight. This weakened the party consider- ably, as I could not be accounted as a combatant ; the spear- head which I had carried in my body for nearly three weeks was upwards of seven inches in length, so I could be of no use to Mr. Field. The natives, in number about three or four hundred, commenced the attack by issuing boldly from the cover, and waddies flew in all directions. A slow but ineffectual fire from two or three pieces was returned by the men at the dray, the remainder of the fire-arms being so inferior that they would not go off. We were now surrounded. Two shepherds were speared at the dray ; one an old soldier, when defending him- self by clubbing his gun, was carried off, and several spears were run through him. He had the presence of mind to cross his arms over his chest, and was left by them for dead. They first stripped him of almost all his clothing. He, however, managed to travel during seven days, living on roots and on part of a carcase of a wild dog, which he found in a deserted native camp. After this man was carried away, the remainder of the party, after struggling for some time against overwhelming numbers, and finding their firearms all but useless, retreated through the scrub, Mr. Field behind them, who had done his 198 Early Experiences of utmost to save the property, and at length was compelled to abandon all to the natives, who took full possession. He then conducted the retreating men through the scrub until he hit the Murray at some distance from the scene of action, and pro- ceeded onwards alone to procure assistance from the nearest out-stations. "On leaving the place of strife I proceeded alone and shortly picked up the other horseman, and after a week's privation and bodily suffering managed to reach the station of Mr. Hallack, where I was hospitably received ; the shepherds also managed to get as far as the Narcoota Springs, where they were met by Messrs. Hawker and Bagot, who had come out in search of the party and to bring them food. After being refreshed they were conveyed into the station. The shepherd who was carried off and speared had managed to reach the Springs before the shepherds left. He had seven wounds in the body." Thus all escaped with their lives, and the wounded afterwards recovered. Mr. Inman continues — " I beg leave to say that on no occasion during the journey had any act of violence been committed by my men ; on the contrary, they universally treated them with kindness, but still with that caution which was necessary for the safety of the party." I have, through the favour of Mr. T. J. S. O'Halloran, S.M., the use of his respected father's diary, from which I give the ac- count of the proceedings of the first police party under Major O'Halloran, which was despatched by His Excellency Colonel Gawler on the day after the distressing news was published. His Excellency, however, from his embarrassed position, found him- self compelled to recall them when within two days' journey of their destination — that is, from the spot where the greater part of the sheep were supposed still to be alive, and might have been recovered. Major O'Halloran in his diary records : — "On the 22nd of April I started with a police force consist- ing of Inspector Tolmer, Ur. Weston, and thirteen men, sub- officers, and privates. " On the 23rd arrived at Dutton's station, and found Messrs. Bagot, G. C. and J. C. Hawker, Jacob, Hart, and others. Tnruan and his party had arrived only two hours before us, in a very weak and exhausted state, Inman and two of his men severely wounded, he having three spear wounds, and one of the men seven. They are now all doing well, although Inman Life in South Australia. 199 is greatly emaciated, having travelled seven weeks in his wounded state. "Saturday, 24. — Dr. Weston returned to town, having dressed the wounds of the patients. Moved off at 11.30 a.m., guided by the native boy Tommy, for the Nicota Springs. Arrived at 5.30 p.m. Here met Messrs. Jacob and Field, jun. Found the course we took quite dangerous for carts or drays. De- tained waiting for cart with supplies from Gawler. Police- constable McLean arrived, and reported cart coming up drawn by bullocks, horses having been refused. At 1.30 p.m. Cor- poral Prewett arrived with two police-constables, one native, " Sambo," and two of Inman's shepherds, with a cart and three bullocks with provisions from Gawler. After dinner, at 3 p.m., leaving Mr. Jacob, jun., started with Inspector Tolmer, eighteen police-constables, Lieut. Field, jun., two shepherds, two natives, a bullock-driver, twenty-three horses, three bullocks, and two carts. At 5.30 p.m. camped at margin of scrub. Scrubby feed ; no water. " Monday, April 26. — Moved off at 8 a.m. Made the ' Pound ' on the Murray at 4 p.m. " Tuesday, 27. — At 8.30 marched for the North-west Bend. Ordered the Inspectors on the march to drill the men in car- bine and sword exercises, and in the formation of threes charging. Explained to the party my orders from His Excel- lency in presence of Lieutenant Field and Inspector Tolmer. At 4.30 camped about the west end of the bend, and just past a lagoon, where we disturbed some natives who were cooking. " Wednesday , 28. — As I find our flour likely to run short, and our progress is slow, waiting for the dray, I have ordered two of our troopers to return, and by this arrangement our flour may last ten days. Marched at 8.30 a.m.; encamped at 5.15 p.m. Made nineteen miles ; road very heavy ; cart horses knocked up. Encamped at a spot where several parties have been attacked by the natives, and where one European was killed by them, and lies buried between two trees, with ' F ' cut upon one of them. From what I can gather from some of the men who came overland, several blacks had been killed here. Mr. Tooth was attacked and nearly killed. Mr. Eyre was turned back, and obliged to get further strength before he could pass. This night, and for the future, good positions for camping will be selected, and double sentries posted. 2 co Early Experiences of " Thursday, 29. — Left 'Dead Man's Flat/ so named by me, at 8 a.m. Found roads dreadfully heavy. Changed draught horses at midday, hoping to make better progress, but will scarcely make twenty miles. At 9.30 a.m. saw a vast number of native feet-marks along the track. Had to pass a flat seven miles long, which I named the ' Great Flat.' When about half way across saw natives on the opposite bank, who gave us the ' Cooee.' Others, I think, were hiding behind trees, as the voices seemed to be numerous. Encamped for the night on another flat not far from the former, at 4.30 p.m. Distance nineteen miles. I called this ' Pine Flat.' " Friday, 30. — Marched at 8 a.m. About midday a despatch arrived from the Private Secretary by a trooper, ordering me to return with the party to town. (The Major was reported to have said — under the disappointment he felt on receiving this order — to the trooper who brought the despatch, aside, ' Why did not you lose yourself?') Proceeded onwards, however, expecting to find a flat to feed the horses and refresh the party, and despatched Inspector Tolmer in advance to see if he could fine a good flat. On his return he reported that we must pro- ceed several miles further ere we could be suited. At fourteen miles a halt was ordered. At 2.30 p.m. made a movement homeward. Our advance from Adelaide was at our return 161 miles. Lieut. Field proposes to return to-morrow morning to Mount Dispersion, and in that neighbourhood to beat up for volunteers to accompany him back to endeavour to recover the sheep. I will give him, as escort till he gets to his destination, two troopers. It is with extreme pain that I have been obliged to return back to Adelaide when within fifty miles of the place where Inman and Field were attacked ; but I have no alterna- tive, as an old soldier, than to obey His Excellency's orders, who, of course, has his own just reasons for ordering me back, and which it is my duty not to question, but obey. Ordered Police-constables Stuart and Rose to be ready in the morning to accompany Lieut. Field back, and to take sufficient rations for the journey. " Saturday, May 1. — Lieut. Field and the two men left the camp at daybreak. On the 29th as we got to the extreme western end of this long flat we surprised a party of natives, who had a canoe with a fire in it, and a duck, which I suppose they were about to cook. They had also a fishing net, and on seeing us they dashed off in great alarm, and remained in the Life in South Australia. 201 centre of the stream till we departed. At 4.30 p.m. halted for the night in a good reed flat. " Sunday, May 2. — Started at 7.30 a.m. Delayed at a steep hill up which the horses refused to pull, and the cart was drawn up by the men. Some time after this, when riding on ahead of the party a considerable distance, I saw about fifty natives on the opposite bank, who began chattering loudly when they saw me. At the extreme end of Dead Man's Flat the horses again refused to draw the cart up that very steep hill, and the men had to do it. At thirteen miles the horses in the cart were done up, and with a change of horses reached the Bend at 5.30 p.m. "Monday, 3. — Reached the Pound at 11.30 a.m., doing seventeen miles in four hours. Soon after our arrival some natives came over from the opposite side with fish, and were very quiet and well-behaved. At 3.30 p.m., to our astonish- ment, we saw a whaleboat approaching, rowing up the river, and shortly after Mr. Scott and his crew came on shore. He left Pullen's party that day week with supplies for us, and has made his way from the river mouth in seven days. I now gave Inspector Tolmer orders relative to marching into town, and to leave on his way one man at Dutton's Station, and one at Gawler Town, to be ready to convey any orders from His Excellency to Mr. Scott, whom I requested to wait at the Bend to receive instructions from head-quarters. The march through the scrub to the Nicota Springs being a long and fatiguing journey without feed or water I decided, as the heat was now extreme during the day and the moon was about full, to march about sundown, and we left the Pound at 7.30 p.m.. I pushed on ahead of the party for Adelaide, accompanied by Police- constable Cusack. " May 5. — Having slept at Robertson's like a top left at S a.m., arrived at home at 4.30 same day." The only benefit of this toilsome and expensive expedition was the good done to Mr. Inman and his men by the at- tendance of Dr. Weston. It appears that when His Excellency the Governor (Colonel Gawler), received Major O'Halloran's first despatch, which gave the information that the whole of the party had survived the attack, and that Mr. Inman and his wounded men were doing well, after being treated by Dr. Weston, he did not consider himself called upon to allow the police to come into collision with the natives, when the rescue of the sheep was the only object to be gained. 202 Early Experiences of Immediately on the recall of the police party becoming known, a meeting of settlers was held, when it was resolved that a party of volunteers should offer their services to Inman and Field, to go out and endeavour to recover some of the property seized by the blacks. Lieut. Field lost no time in collecting and organising the party of volunteers offered at the public meeting. "May 5, 1S41. — The following volunteer party started from Adelaide (the same day as the return of Major O'Halloran), to endeavour to recover some of the 5,000 sheep, the bullocks, dray, and other property of which the blacks had taken pos- session when they defeated the party of Messrs. Inman and Field: — Lieutenant Field, R.N. (in command), Messrs. G. C. Hawker, John Allan, James Kinchela, Kenneth Campbell, S. Samuel, J. Jacob, and H. Field ; also some shepherds. Five mounted and two foot police were ordered by the Governor to accompany the party to the supposed boundary of the colony, to protect the volunteers, but not to proceed or act beyond the boundary of the province ; also Turner and Ross, Mr. Allan's overseers, in all twenty men." The following narrative is from Mr. James Hawker's diary : — " May 7. — -On arriving at the Pound on the Murray we found Mr. Scott with the surveying boat. He was in charge of a survey party. Lieutenant Field delivered to him a letter from His Excellency Colonel Gawler, instructing him to keep with the force as far as the police were ordered to go, and to render assistance to the party. "May 8. — Left the Pound at 8.30 a.m. Camped at 7.30. Made twenty-two miles. Two blackfellows joined us here. Scott with the boat did not arrive. Having no tents we lit large fires, and cut bushes for screens, huddling together for warmth. "May 9, Sunday. — Off at 7 a.m. Track very sandy. Passed Dead Man's Flat. Found the approach to the river to be so steep that we had to lower the cart down with ropes. Distance travelled, twenty-five miles. As our supporting police force, by orders, had to remain here, it was decided to leave the cart, and each man to take on his horse rations for five days, con- sisting of flour, tea, sugar, taking no meat to avoid overloading our horses. Lieut. Field left a note for Mr. Scott with the non-commissioned officer in charge of the police, instructing him to supply them with rations, and to push on after him. Life in South Australia. 203 "May 10. — Left at 8 a.m. Our party consisted of ten volunteers. Three mounted and two men on foot, employed as paid assistants, were left with our dray. We passed through eighteen miles of dense gum scrub ; total distance, thirty-three miles to camp. Two natives in a canoe made a visit of inspec- tion, but on seeing the watch which had been set, dropped down the river, and remained on the opposite side, where we could see two large native fires. "May 11. — Started at 7.30. Came upon natives fishing. The women, alarmed, swam the river with children on their backs. Camped at twenty-six miles. A large signal-fire to the north-west of us. "May 12. — Off at 7.30. Crossed a salt-water creek and pushed on, hoping to reach the place before dark where the attack on the sheep party was made. Had to camp on a brackish creek. Mr. Field, who had come down with 'the sheep, considered we were not far from the place, and rode on with his brother — Lieutenant Field — and myself, and at two miles arrived at the spot where the sheep had been taken from him. We then returned to the camp. The distance from last camp twenty-eight miles, and from Adelaide 230 miles. "May 13. — This day will decide whether our expedition is to be successful or not. Our only hope is that they will stand, in order that we may show them the use of good firearms. Reached the place of attack about 8 a.m., where the sheep were taken from Messrs. In man and Field. Found the aban- doned dray. On the ground were scattered in all directions tea, flour, fragments of casks and chests. As the tea was not much damaged we secured some part of it, and some tobacco. One wheel was off the dray, and some of the ironwork had been cut away. A little farther back on the overland track, on the bank of a large lagoon, we found two of the bullocks lying dead, and two more on the further bank of the same lagoon. " By forced marches, and after a hurried preparation, we had reached the supposed boundary of the colony in seven days, from thence the volunteer party started carrying only tea, sugar, and flour, camping at night under bushes, our only meat a few wallaby which we succeeded in shooting. The police, in obe- dience to orders, remained here, and we proceeded onwards unsupported. On the evening of the 12th we camped on the creek where the attack had been made on Messrs. Field and Inman. We first found Mr. Field's trunk empty on the track. 204 Early Experiences of The natives had chosen a most favourable spot on which to make the onslaught. It was on a little flat, through the centre of which a gully ran, and was surrounded by a thick scrub. It was when the dray was crossing the gully that the rush was made. The providential release of the spear-head from Mr. Inman's back enabled him to mount his horse, and to this he owed his life. From the hasty departure of the rescuing party we were badly provided with arms. Most of them were rifles, and we had only one powder-flask to three men. Many of the balls fitted very tight, so that speedy or convenient loading was out of the question. The barrels also had become rusty after the dam]) nights to which they had been exposed. At the first discharge two of the pieces became useless, one hammer break- ing, and in another a ball stuck fast when half home. The natives when met were in their war paint, with white bars on their bodies and limbs, giving them the appearance of skeletons. It was found that the horses would not steadily face them, the blacks also yelling in the most hideous manner." I now follow with extracts from Lieutenant Field's official report, which was published in the papers : — " We first found sheep tracks, and on following them down observed natives running through the trees. We soon came to a large body of them concealed in the scrub, waiting our approach. We then formed in line, and rode towards them ; they at the same time boldly approached us to within forty yards, well within spear range, when one of the chiefs gave the signal to attack by sticking a spear in the ground, and with a wave of his hand, they then gave vent to a loud war-ciy, and commenced a dis- charge of spears. The first man who threw a spear I shot through the head, and gave the order to fire, hoping when they saw two or three fall they would retreat, but they still advanced in the form of a crescent, in number at least 200, while many more were seen through the scrub behind. At this time Mr. Hawker called out to me that they were encircling us, and see- ing they were advancing both wings while the centre were attack- ing us, a large lagoon lying in our rear, I ordered the party to follow me and outflank them on the right. While effecting this movement, Mr. Hawker's horse fell across a tree and he was dismounted, at the same time Mr. Jacob's horse received a second spear and was soon unable to carry him farther. He dismounted, and we were all engaged in covering his retreat." [One of the party informed me that before they lost sight of Life in South Australia. 205 Mr. Jacob's abandoned horse he was like a porcupine from the number of spears sticking in his carcase.] "We succeeded in reaching a rising ground, where we formed line while Mr. Jacob mounted behind Mr. Bagot. The affray had now lasted more than half-an-hour, a very few shots were fired without effect, and the last man shot was one of their chiefs. I must here remark that had not the gentlemen displayed much steadiness and coolness Mr. Jacob must have fallen, as it was by frequently coming to the present, but reserving our fire, that we kept the headmost men back, as on those occasions they doubled them- selves up into the smallest possible compass, holding shields before their heads. In covering Mr. Jacob I was struck with a spear in the fore part of the head, but as it passed through a thick tarpaulin hat the wound was but slight ; but the mare I rode was severely speared in the shoulder. When I was struck the natives gave a loud yell, as they did on every occasion when they appeared to gain an advantage. Having retreated a mile we had to halt to sew up the wound in the mare's shoulder, or she must have soon dropped from loss of blood. Then, choos- ing the clearest line to retreat upon, we continued our retreat, and found our cart and the police the following day. I feel convinced that the remainder of the sheep were not far distant, and the natives had assembled to defend them and resist their recovery. I further remark that a very strong party would be required to subdue them without loss of life to the attacking force, as their activity and courage, combined with their numbers and the necessity to attack them in a country un- favourable for horse movements, render them a much more formidable enemy than the colonists have generally any idea of." Having given Lieut. Field's report of the fight and re- treat, I will only add a little more here from Mr. J. C. Hawker's diary: — "On the retreat a number of blacks fol- lowed behind their fighting men, and continued to hand them spears. I consider the total number of them to have been over 300. One native with a white band round his head carried no arms, evidently the chief or leader giving orders. In addition to the number who opposed us were many who were not imme- diately engaged. They were not in the least intimidated by the number who fell, which could not be less than eight. When the ground was clear for us to gallop they kept on after us, and did not seem the least winded. The wish I had written down 206 Early Experiences of in the morning was thus disagreeably realised to our discomfort. Had not Mr. Jacob's horse been speared many more might have been shot ; but still it was the opinion of all of us that it would have been impossible to recover the sheep with our small party, as we had only eight effective men, two of the pieces having become useless early in the fight ; and after rallying the third time, by the loss of Mr. Jacob's horse we were again reduced, and subsequently also by the spearing of Lieut. Field's horse. The ground the encounter took place on was covered with polygnum and scrub, and intersected with creeks. The place had been rightly named by Captain Sturt on his way down the river — ' The Islands.' We rallied three times, and kept our adversaries in check. On our arrival in Adelaide we found that Captain Grey, formerly of the 83rd regiment, had arrived to displace Colonel Gawler." It will be only bare justice to Colonel Gawler to remark that the in- decisive measures adopted by him at this crisis, and so unusual in him, are fully accounted for by the weakened position he felt himself to occupy after the severe censures heaped on him for his vigorous actions in punishing the Milmenura tribes for their murders. A numerous meeting of the inhabitants was quickly held in the Auction Mart, when it was resolved that a respectful memorial should be prepared and presented to His Excellency the new Governor, particulars of which will be given in a subsequent chapter. CHAPTER IX. Before continuing the account of the affrays with the Rufus River natives, I have deemed it expedient to devote a chapter to the relation of the events which led to deposition of Governor Gawler by Captain Grey, which took place on the Toth May, 1841. At that date the volunteer party under Lieut. Field was vainly endeavouring to recover the stolen property of Messrs. Inman and Field. By his early actions Governor Gawler threw life into the service, which soon affected favourably the general business of the colony. The various staffs were strengthened, and the place became much more lively. Life in South Australia. 207 It was soon after the arrival of Colonel Gawler that the erection of substantial public buildings was commenced from the designs and under the superintendence of Captain Frome ; one of the first being the present gaol. Then two bridges were commenced to span the Torrens, substantial, as they ought to have been, but which heavy floods soon carried away. Among other energetic actions of the Governor were the various ex- plorations on which he went to judge for himself the capacity of the colony for settlement. After he had seen as much and had travelled as far as he deemed requisite, he published in- teresting and encouraging reports of what he had seen. He expressed his belief that the portion of the colony he had inspected would carry a large population. I forget exactly the number he ventured to give, but I think it was 200,000. He pronounced it to be a decided mineral country, and rich in argentiferous and auriferous promises. For publishing these opinions he was laughed at by the croakers ; but what has been proved ? His anticipations have been very far exceeded, in spite of many errors and adverse circumstances. In the midst of his active career he received a serious and unlooked-for check before he could carry out his policy to success, which unfortunately "pulled him up by the round turn," as the sailors say. He had exceeded his general powers by overdrafts on the authorities at home, but in an amount only of about ^300,000, small indeed, when compared with the annual interest now being paid on our loans. Flis drafts were dishonoured, he was recalled, and the colonists were ruined. Ultimately, after a fatal delay, the claims were met by a loan and debentures guaranteed by the Imperial Government. All such advances were recouped in a very short time, but the management of the colony was taken out of the hands of the Board of Commissioners in London and transferred to the Colonial Office, Downing Street. The constitution provided under the original founding Act, and to be granted to the colony on the population reaching the number of 50,000, was also forfeited. A greater commercial crash never fell on any painstaking and industrious community than we were called upon to endure when the Governor's drafts were dishonoured. The ruin reached every class, and most of those who had invested the whole of their capital in legitimate pursuits never afterward recovered their lost position or property. The stagnation con- 2o8 Early Experiences of tinued over many months. Same few amongst the recent arrivals were fortunate enough to acquire stock and land at nominal prices, the unfortunate sellers having locked up all their capital. During the time Colonel Gawler administered the govern- ment of South Australia many special surveys were taken up, which were found useful in providing funds at that time, but which exercised a mal-influence in placing so much of the best and well-watered land in the hands of absentees. Amongst others, two special surveys were applied for on Yorke's Penin- sula, which were afterwards abandoned, worse luck for the speculators, as one of them would have embraced Kadina and Wallaroo, and the other the mineral land fronting Spencer's Gulf, including harbours — one in each gulf. I may here mention that the late Mr. Osmond Gilles was one of the sub- scribers to the Association organised to take up the special surveys on Yorke's Peninsula, and also acted for some of his friends in England, and that he read to me one of his en- thusiastic letters to them, in which he predicted that there would be included in the properties a port on each side of the Peninsula with a railroad connecting them (which latter work has since been accomplished). I also remember his angry remarks when the speculations were given up. Some year or two later I heard another remarkable prediction as to the future of Yorke's Peninsula from that eminent mineralogist and geo- logist, the late Mr. Menge. We were resting on one of the hills at the entrance to Glen Osmond, when he pointed across the gulf and said, " Before many years are over, rich copper mines will be worked there, and ships will be in harbours on both sides of the Peninsula to convey the ores away." To which I replied, "How do you know, you have not visited that part, I believe?" "No, I have not, but I pronounce the Flinders Range to be a rich copper- bearing vein of country from the part of it I have examined in the north ; that range in past ages extended to the southern end of Yorke's Peninsula, and a mighty sea-wash long continued, has carried away the same and reduced it to the present level, and copper will be found near the surface." At the time this prediction was made we were still suffering under our first crisis. By the working of mines in fulfilment of his predictions, and by the untiring energy of a small population engaged also in other pursuits, the colony has been IT If ,1 '<■■'.,: ' " ,' Life in South Australia. 209 raised from that crushing depression, which ought never to have been allowed to occur, to its present proud position. We have received accommodation on the most favourable terms to develop those great resources which Colonel Gawler and Pro- fessor Menge rightly perceived the country promised, and yet the first-named was allowed to pass his latter days in obscurity, and die a disappointed man, as many great and good men, benefactors to their fellow-creatures, have done before him. A sad event occurred on the occasion of the Governor's flying visit to the North-West Bend of the River Murray. Some time before he started he purchased from me three horses, the price of which was ^320. On one he rode him- self, on another he mounted a young gentleman, a Mr. Bryan, and on the third one of his staff. On their arrival at the North- West Bend, a camp was formed, from which he started with his visitor, Mr. Bryan, and one attendant, on a flying trip in a northerly direction. He expected to find water on the course he took, but after pushing on many miles without coming to water, he endeavoured to return. Shortly before sunset one of the horses gave up, and they were unable to proceed. After a rest he left Mr. Bryan with the knocked-up horse, and pushed south to reach the Murray River for water to send to the relief of horse and man. The weather was fearfully hot. His Ex- cellency and his attendant, unused to bush deprivations, before they could reach the river were so exhausted that one of the horses was killed and his blood drank. On reaching the camp men and horses were sent on their return tracks, with all that was necessary to save man and horse. On the relief party reaching the place where the unfortunate young gentleman was left, it was found that he had gone. The track of his horse was followed by the mark of his tether rope, which he had dragged, and a long-continued search was made of the scrub for miles in every direction, but no traces of Mr. Bryan were found, and his remains have not been discovered to this day. Some years afterwards, several miles from the place where he was left, the horse was discovered alive, with his hoofs turned up like skates. On Colonel Gawler's return from this unfor- tunate expedition his distress of mind may be imagined, as this young gentleman was a visitor at Government House, and was not lost in the execution of a public duty. Our first Resident Commissioner, Mr. Jas. Hurtle Fisher, held office until the arrival of our second Governor, Colonel 210 Early Experiences of Gawler. One great mistake made during his management of the Crown lands was the sale of the whole of the town acres at a time when so few colonists had arrived. This was done in obedience to instructions emanating from the Commissioners in London. Thus a great sacrifice of public property was made to the advantage of a small number of mere land speculators, and to the disappointment of settlers immediately following. Mr. Fisher was not only head of the Land Department, but also of the Commissariat ; and this brings to my recollection a transaction I had with that department shortly after my arrival, I had purchased stock which arrived in two ships from Twofold Bay, and I was applied to by the Commissioner for some dairy cows for the Government, and was also informed by Air. Fisher that he had purchased in Tasmania a quantity of breeding and store pigs which he wished to dispose of. As I had purchased a large stock of damaged flour and ship biscuit, a double trans- action was carried out by the Commissioner, and an exchange made between milking cows and grunters. To take charge of the cattle and sheep which I had purchased I engaged two young Scotchmen, one of whom was a cousin of an eminent Scotch baronet. Mention is made of these particulars to give a correct account of the diverse materials out of which our community has sprung. The pigs had to be let out and driven to water daily to the river, a distance of about one mile, from whence water for domestic use had to be carted. As I had given employment to the two respectable young Scotchmen, a third, a shipmate of theirs, continued daily to apply for work. He had been clerk in a bank in Scotland, and would take no denial that the establishment would not be likely to have any opening for one of his class. On one occasion he was present when the pigs were let out, and was told there was only the office of pig-minder open, on which he immediately applied for and accepted the appointment, and continued to mind and feed the pigs, and do all such work, chasing them to water and back, and performing all the other uncongenial parts of his duties to his employer's satisfaction, if not to his own ; but no time was lost in procuring more suitable work for him. On a party being organised to go to Sydney to purchase and conduct sheep overland, he was recommended to be employed as a drover, and was engaged. The party was successful in the purchase of sheep, and in the return with them down the Mur- ray River. The young Scotchman succeeded in obtaining, on Life in South Australia. 211 favourable terms, sheep for himself, and was most fortunate in placing them on a good run about one hundred miles to the north of Adelaide, which he took up, where he remained per- severingly for about seven years, and then sold out, realising, as it was said, the large sum of ^25,000, with which he retired from the colon)-. To return to Air. Fisher. On losing his office of Commis- sioner he resumed his profession, and became the leader of our bar, moving many juries by his sensational and touching appeals, and soon had a leading practice. Mr. Fisher was spared in life to enjoy several of the highest appointments obtainable in the colony. Under the first Cor- poration of the City of Adelaide he was chosen to fill the office of Mayor under the Bill of Incorporation established by the Act of Council 4th Victoria, No. 4, the officers being the Mayor, three Aldermen, thirteen Councillors, a Treasurer, Town Clerk, Town Surveyor, and sundry subordinate officers. The allowance to the Mayor provided under the Act was ^300 per annum. Powers were given under the Act to levy rates on the citizens, not to be more frequent than once in each quarter. The inhabitants were hardly numerous enough to bear the pressure of this unwieldy establishment at so early a period. Town offices, Council Chamber, &c, &c, had been rented, and well furnished. The corporate body having had several sittings, a rent day came in due course, and at last, when the Treasurer had not sufficient funds, the landlord walked in and saved the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, &c, from vacating their seats by seizing all the chairs and other furniture for arrears of rent, and shortly after this climax the ponderous body collapsed. The landlord, in accordance with the old saying, finding nobody to kick nor soul to be blessed, consoled himself by the sale of the movables. So ended, after a very brief existence, our first grand Corporation, cut out and constructed on the ancient patterns of the old country. On looking over the names of the civic dignitaries forming that body, it must be admitted that it would be a diffi- cult matter to select more respectable or suitable men to fill such offices now that the city has attained its present import- ance. On the passing of the Imperial Act granting the colony two elective houses, Mr. Fisher was chosen President of the Legis- lative Council, which high office he filled with dignity and sue- 2 1 2 Early Experiences of cess for some years, and had the honour to receive from Her .Majesty the dignity of knighthood. Sir Jas. Hurtle Fisher remained in the colony until his decease at a ripe old age, uni- versally respected. In justice to the memory of Colonel Gawler it is right to give, in considering his sudden recall, the following explanation of the financial difficulties he encountered on his assumption of office as Governor of South Australia, quoted from one of his first despatches to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The despatch is dated January 23, 1839. Colonel Gawler says : — " On arriving here about three months ago I found the public offices with little pretension to system. There were scarcely any records of past proceedings, or of public accounts, or issue of stores. The non-fulfilment of one of the leading principles of the regulations made for the disposal of land, that the surveys should be in advance of the demand, had produced a number of complicated questions which the letter of the law as it stood could not rectify. Sections were only laid out in the plain about Adelaide. Seven other districts remained to be marked out for the choice of preliminary purchasers, who will occupy the greater part of the good land in them. The survey depart- ment reduced to the Deputy-Surveyor, Mr. G. S. Kingston, with one draftsman and one assistant. The population shut up in Adelaide, capital flowing out for the necessaries of life almost as fast as it was brought in from England. The colonial finances in a state of thorough confusion and defalcation. Almost all I have been able to discover definitely of the finances of this period is that the whole of the regulated ex- penditure for the year was drawn and expended in the first quarter." It is natural to suppose that a copy of this despatch would be supplied to the Board of Commissioners, who were then responsible for the management of the finances of the colony ; but it is scarcely probable that Lord Glenelg ever read this despatch. Colonel Gawler held his appointment as Governor from the Crown, but his office of Commissioner from the Board of Commissioners sitting in London. The despatch proves that the home authorities were at an early period made aware of the embarrassed position of their representative on his arrival in the colony, viz., that three- quarters of arrears of liabilities were incurred prior to his Life in South Australia. 213 assumption of his double office. Then, notwithstanding the information so promptly sent, ship-loads of passengers and immigrants continued to arrive, to complicate and add to the Governor's embarrassments. Thus it is evident that the Gover- nor was compelled to stretch his powers to draw on home authori- ties, who must have been kept posted up from time to time of such drafts. We know that the influx of population was not arrested ; and we are not informed that Colonel Gawler received any special instructions in answer to the information he sent as to how he was to meet the emergency of arrears which could not be laid to his door. It appears clear enough to the writer that the Commissioners at home were bound either to have met the difficulties which had occurred through the mistaken opening arrangements, and by their accepting a trust tied down by con- ditions which could not be carried out, or at once, if unable to do so, to have thrown up the work they had undertaken into the hands of the Imperial Government, as they had ultimately to do. The real requirement was a loan of, say, half a million, guaranteed by the Government, to meet arrears and to provide for necessary works. It is, indeed, a wonder to me how the Board of Commis- sioners, good men of business as they were, could have expected successfully to launch and build up a large colony, at such a distance from the mother country, without sufficient capital within reach of their working representative. The fact of the appointment of officers, with the exception of Governor, rest- ing with them, left them solely responsible for the first errors. In reviewing the material losses as well as the loss of time, in respect to public interests, we now see that subsequent pro- sperity has recovered such wastes ; but the sacrifice of the small capitals of the pioneer settlers they have had themselves to bear without compensation. By the Act of 15th August, 1834, the Home Government appointed a Governor, and the Board of Commissioners in London had the appointment of a Resident Commissioner in the colony under whose control the Land Fund was placed. By a clause in the Act a most unfortunate blunder was made, which provided that the whole of the proceeds of the land sales were to be devoted to immigration, without power to apply any portion to defray the expenses of surveys, or for the erection of indispensable public buildings and other works, to meet 2 1 4 Early Experiences of which imperative demands a debt had to be incurred, at a ruinous rate of interest, at the same time that the forced capital which had been raised at a great sacrifice was lodged, at a low rate of interest, in the British funds. The first mistake was a divided Government in the colony : the second, the Governor having to serve two masters, viz., the Home Ministry with the Imperial Parliament, and the Board of Commissioners, no sympathy being felt between the two powers, but on the con- trary, the Commissioners were held in no respect by the Govern- ment as to the principles on which the colony under their management was to be carried out. In this unfavourable state of the affairs of the colony it is quite clear that Colonel Gawler was compelled, in accepting the position, to take upon himself a responsibility, the absolute necessity of which I consider is amply proved by his despatch to Lord Glenelg, from which I have quoted. To make matters worse, Captain Grey was afterwards hastily sent out with inad- equate means and unworkable instructions. Foster, in his History of South Australia, says : — " Captain Grey's duty was not an agreeable one. He had to commence immediately to bring the expenditure of the Government into something like agreement with its income ; on this subject his instructions were specific and stringent. " He had also to stave off as well as he could the creditors of the Government, who held many thousand pounds of dis- honoured Government bills, besides a considerable amount of unsettled claims, until arrangements could be made with the home authorities for satisfying them." Answers from home could not be expected to reach the colony under twelve months, if immediately attended to, the only means of communication being then by sailing ships of the old stamp. In this state of things Captain Grey arrived to displace Colonel Gawler, on the ioth of May, 1841, without notice, and walked into Government House without ceremony, having on the front steps read his commission in the hearing of a very small audience there assembled, and received by them with no marks of approval. Not many months before he had been hospitably received and entertained by Colonel Gawler when he visited the colony after he had accomplished his difficult but successful exploring trip in Western Australia, and spent suffi- cient time here to become acquainted with the value of the Life in South Australia. 215 country and its requirements. Of him it might reasonably have been expected, from his experiences of the causes which had kept back the elder colony of Swan River, and from his subsequent visit to our younger one, that he would have been looked up to by the authorities at home as a traveller of ex- perience, competent to advise the Ministry of Her Majesty as to the capacity and requirements of South Australia ; and in any case, if he came out to accept the government without first giving his opinion, founded on his experience as to the truth of Colonel Gawler's report of the intrinsic value of the undeveloped country of South Australia, or had thrown discredit upon those reports, he is much to blame for the crowning ruin he assisted in bringing on the first inhabitants of the infant colony. I feel I shall be doing right, before I conclude the brief his- tory of Colonel Gawler, to republish the following notice from the Australian Mail of the 15th of June, 1869 : — " George Gawler, born in 1796, was destined for the military service. He joined at an early age the 52nd Light Infantry Regiment, in November, 181 1, and served to the end of the Peninsular War. He was present at the storming of Badajoz, where he led the ladder party of the 52nd stormers, and re- ceived a wound below his right knee, and at St. Munos a wound in the neck. He was present at the battles of Vera, Vittoria, Nivelle, Orthes, and Toulouse, besides various minor affairs. At Waterloo he commanded the right company of his regi- ment. He received the war medal, with seven clasps, as a reward for his services. After the restoration of peace he con- tinued with the regiment, performing his duties with that zeal and intelligence which so largely distinguished the officers of the 52nd, and assisted in making the regiment one of the best in the service. His military career soon closed, but he con- tinued on half-pay until 1850, when he sold his commission with no ordinary feelings of pain. As a civil officer his career commenced under the auspices of his illustrious commander- in-chief, the Duke of Wellington, who interested himself in his advancement, urging that ' Gawler could not act otherwise than wisely, for he never did a foolish thing in his career.' His merits were recognised in 1838 by the appointment of Governor of South Australia, when the Imperial authorities and the ruling classes did not hold in favour the principle on which the colony was founded, not recognising it to be a means to provide homes for the toil-worn sons of England, of those 2 1 6 Early Experiences of unsoiled by crime, and as establishing another market for its exports. " On entering his important, and to him novel duties, he found serious obstacles to be overcome, of sufficient weight to deter an ordinary man, but which Colonel Gawler grappled with with firm determination. It should always be looked upon as a turning point in the history of South Australia in acknowledg- ing the influence he had upon its early struggles. What, then, did he accomplish ? He had no light task to bring order out of the chaotic materials of the early expeditions. There was little or no authority amongst those who attempted a settle- ment between 1836 and 1838. The settlers, disappointed as they were at the delay they experienced in getting their land, were yet without a protecting force, either police or military. The administrative officers were for months disagreeing about their duties and responsibilities, and not only was the Govern- ment destitute of public offices and buildings, but the small population at the time of the Governor's arrival may be described as nomadic rather than as having houses and homes such as could be acceptable to English settlers. Colonel Gawler, by his own confession, admitted that he entered on his government hastily, and without being able to make minute calculations. He accepted his instructions under a strong conviction that the emergency clause in them would always protect him, and that expenses of a special or extraordinary nature might be incurred without previous authority, when justifiable on the ground that delay would be productive of serious injury to the public service. " It is worth while, now that the colony is an established success, to inquire in what state it would have been if these emergency powers had not been liberally given and extensively acted upon. The home authorities did not approve of his actions in the extent to which he relied upon such emergency clauses, although he had in his despatches given full notices of his actions, and the grounds by which he had been influenced. It does not appear that they believed his reports of the value of the country and its prospective importance, although such reports were based on his own personal toilsome excursions, in exploring an extent of country not even yet fully occupied, after a lapse of time exceeding a third of a century since they were made. " Colonel Gawler left the province on the 22nd June, 1841. Life in South Australia. 217 He was presented on his departure with unanimous addresses and a purse containing ^500, contributed by the colonists out of their diminished means, which sum he left to be invested in land on his account, as a connecting link between himself and the colony. The amount raised, considering the depressed state of the inhabitants, was respectable, and was made up by many small contributions from persons who had been greatly reduced by the policy forced on the Home Government by a niggardly Parliament, who could not look into the future and see that the Australian colonies were to become the best cus- tomers for British goods, and so great a safety-valve to relieve the mother country of her teeming population. Following immediately after his recall, a committee of the House of Commons investigated the consequence of his large but not lavish expenditure. The result was a loan from the Consoli- dated Fund of ^155,000 towards the temporary relief of the colony. Mr. G. Wakefield had remarked, ' I cannot imagine the possibility of founding a colony without obtaining money for its first expenses from some other source than itself. At first it has no existence at all, and one might as well propose to manufacture cotton goods without the outlay for the build- ing, machinery, and the raw materials, &x.' The consequences, not only of the temporary relief granted by the British Govern- ment, but also from the carrying out the early policy of Colonel Gawler, have proved all that could have been desired. The land has yielded its increase, not only in rich and abundant crops, but the mines also in silver, lead, and copper ores. " Colonel Gawler, after appeals to Parliament and to suc- cessive Governments in vain, wearied and disgusted with routine and red tape, exercised the right of petition to Her Majesty, but received no other response than a bare acknow- ledgment through the Secretary of State. When he afterwards applied for some honorary title in reward for his long and faithful services, he was absolutely refused, and the grand old soldier had but little to wrap himself in but his martial cloak and a conscience void of offence. Sincerity, earnestness, and devotion marked his career. His last appearance in public in London was at the dinner to Sir James Fergusson, previous to his proceeding to occupy the Governorship of South Australia. He spoke more than once with a vigour which charmed those present, and with an enthusiasm fresh and youthful, of the sub- stantial progress since his time. At this dinner, in honour of 2 1 8 Early Experiences of the newly-appointed Governor, Colonel Gawler quoted the following lines : — ' What constitutes a State? Not high raised battlements or laboured mound, Thick wall or mounted gate ; Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned ; Not bays and broad-armed ports, Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride ; Not starred and spangled Courts, Where low-browed baseness wafts perfumes to pride : ' No ! men, high-minded men, Who know their rights, and knowing dare maintain, Prevent the low-aimed blow And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain — These constitute a state, And sovereign Law, that State's collected will, O'er thrones and globes elate, Sits Empress — crowning good, repressing ill.' " A standard not less high was ever present to his mind, and although his true worth was not recognised largely and pub- licly, it is through such sons that England has reared her Empire, and that her influence the wide world over is regarded as just, wise, and beneficent." I quote a speech which Colonel Gawler addressed to a sorrowing audience of colonists in Adelaide the day before he departed from the colony. He said : — " Gentlemen, it gives me very deep regret, very great pain, to leave the colony with so many accounts, which have arisen under my administration, unsettled ; but I have the fullest confidence that not one account will remain unpaid, because such accounts have been drawn upon my authorities. It has been difficult to explain to you such authorities, which are scattered through the whole of my correspondence during that period. Parties in England have judged of the effect which ought to have been given to these instructions by the standard of what they sup- posed the colony to be, but I have judged of those instructions from what I have known the colony to be, and from what I knew of its requirements ; and from their imperfect knowledge of the colony in England, as opposed to my knowledge of it, these unfortunate difficulties have arisen." "On May the 7th, 1869, at Southsea," says the Australian Mail, " Colonel Gawler died, and his most enduring monument Life in South Australia. 219 will be the colony of South Australia, which he lived to witness a permanent success." I am happy to be able to add, that on a recent occasion the city of Adelaide received, as a present from Colonel Palmer, an excellent oil painting of this good and gallant man, which has been placed in our splendid Town Hall. CHAPTER X. Shortly after Governor Grey's arrival, a numerous meeting of the inhabitants was held in Adelaide, and a committee appointed to present a respectful memorial to His Excellency, urging him to take the promptest measures to protect parties on their way overland with stock. The committee consisted of Messrs. Inman, Kinchela, James Fisher, Captain Ferguson, and Mr. Giles, as chairman. The deputation was politely received by Governor Grey, who expressed his readiness to promote the objects in view, so far as the means at his disposal would permit. He promised to lay the matter before a meeting of his council, and communicate with the chairman of the committee. In his answer he stated that it would be necessary to communicate with the Governor of New South Wales. He was willing to accept the services of the volunteers offered to assist the police, but he could not admit the idea that a military expedition should take place against the natives; but the services of the volunteers would be accepted as special con- stables. That positive instructions had been issued by Her Majesty's Government to treat the aboriginals of all parts of the continent as subjects of the Queen within Her Majesty's allegiance. However, orders were immediately given to the Commissioner of Police to prepare for an expedition to the disturbed district, and a large number of colonists were sworn in as special constables — peace officers to meet victorious blacks with spears in their hands ! Major O'Halloran, Commissioner of Police, was appointed to command this second party, with special orders to protect the lives and properties of the settlers, but was not to levy war or to exercise belligerent actions against the aborigines of Aus- tralia. The Major was supreme in command of the combined party of police and volunteers, but to lie accompanied by the 220 Early Experiences of Protector of Aborigines, Dr. Moorhouse, with some native interpreters. Subscriptions of money and stores were raised by the inhabitants towards the expenses of the expedition. The following gentlemen were sworn in : — Mounted : Cap- tains Beevor, Inman, and Ferguson ; Messrs. Berry, J. C. Hawker, Langhorne, H. Field, Jas. Fisher, Barber, Brown, Whitpine, Tooth, S. K. Langhorne, Daniel, and Oliver. Foot : Messrs. Martin, Gatwood, Dennis, Pavlin, Head, Day, Deprose, Daverell, Taylor, and three men as bullock-drivers. Volunteers, mounted and on foot, 27 ; mounted police, officers and men, 26 ; foot ditto, including four drivers, n ; in all, 64. Volun- teer officers : Mr. J. Beevor, senior officer ; Mr. R. Ferguson, junior do. Commissaries: Mr. J. C. Hawker, senior officer; Mr. G. Daniel, junior do. On the 29th May the drays were despatched, containing camp requirements from Captain Ferguson's store. On the 31st, the greater part of the volunteers, desirous of showing their respect to Colonel Gawler before his departure, mustered and waited on him in a body to bid him farewell. On the 5th June the expedition arrived at the Pound, on the Murray. On the 6th the Major read the Governor's instruc- tions to his command. Mr. Moorhouse, with three natives, who were to be employed as interpreters, had joined, and was present. Some additions to the force having arrived, the total muster amounted to sixty-eight. Two boats, under Mr. Kiffin, were ordered to join the party from Lake Alexandria, in case they required to cross the Murray. I now take advantage of the Commissioner's diary. "June 8///, Tuesday. — Morning bitter cold ; our native inter- preters returned by moonlight from their visit to the tribe in whose country we are now encamped, and state that the natives have promised to come and see us in the morning, and are very anxious that we shall kill all the blacks of the tribe who have got the sheep, that tribe being their enemies (as they pretended). Three of the natives from the river came into the camp at 7.30 A. m. Two of them offered to go with us as interpreters to the tribe who have the sheep. "June <)///, Wednesday. — Three natives, who joined us yesterday, have promised that no injury shall be done to the dray sunk in the river. Mr. Moorhouse and myself put them through an examination after breakfast. " These men commenced their statements by falsely declaring Life in South Australia. 221 that the sheep were near. On being detected they said they meant that the first sheep tracks were near. Now, this was a still grosser falsehood, for the right occurred more than 100 miles from this camp. Much falsehood is apparent throughout their answers. "June lot/i, Thursday. — Several more natives have crossed over to our camp this morning. Feed bad here ; struck camp at 10.30 a.m., and moved on nine miles on account of better feed. One of the volunteers' bullocks lost. "June 11th. — Halted here. Passed a bitter cold night. Foot drill and sword exercise from n till 12.30. The drilling gets on admirably. The boats have not arrived. They ought to have been here. "June 1 2///, Saturday. — Another cold and frosty night. Halted for the day, most anxiously looking out for the boats. Sword and carbine exercise. During the afternoon some more natives joined, but could not get more satisfactory information from them than from the previous examination of the men of their tribe. "June 13///, Sunday. — Halted for the day. The two blacks whom we examined, and who promised to accompany us to the hostile tribe, have disappeared, and told our natives previous to departure, one of them that he was lame, and the other that his children would cry, so that all hope of their usefulness as interpreters has vanished, and their desertion will I fear prove a most serious disadvantage to us. "June \\tli. — Blazed three trees close to the river, and wrote largely upon them — ' Boats to follow on.' I have named this camp Wallaby Flat. Some natives joined us on the march, and one of them said he had seen the sheep three days ago, and that they were numerous, but were afraid of the blacks, who could not manage them. He also stated that the blacks were aware of our approach, and were going up the river, and would not fight us. This blackfellow offered to go with us and show us where the sheep are. The drays did not come up till 6.15 P.M. " 15///, Tuesday. — For the last three days the wind has been fresh and fair for the boats, and yet they have not arrived, though we have halted at various times, in all six days, to enable them to come up. I must now calculate the distance we may have yet to advance, and push on for our destination with all speed possible, to prevent the chance of our provisions 222 Early Experiences of falling short. We are now sixteen days from Adelaide. If the boats do not come up the day after to-morrow, I shall blaze the trees, and order the boats to remain after their arrival at the blazed trees until our return. Two of our Adelaide natives refused to go further, and have remained behind with some of the river blacks. Their loss to us will be great, v for the third black is lazy and stupid, and he was not engaged, but allowed to accompany us as a supernumerary. "June iGl/i, Wednesday. — Moved off at daybreak. Marched through a seventeen-mile scrub, and encamped in a very long polygnum flat, with a long pole stuck up in the centre by natives, at 2.15 p.m. ; distance, twenty miles. Drays up at 4.45. "17///.- — Heavy rain about 4 this morning. Yesterday the Governor's servant, Binstead, was assaulted by one of the river blacks who had joined us. The tents wet through, and as the camp is in low ground, we are surrounded by water. " 18///. — The morning fine and clear. Examined Binstead's charge against the blackfellow and ordered him out of the camp. At 10.45 started. On the march fell in with thirty-one blacks ; saw also others in various directions, and fourteen on the opposite side of the river. All the blacks we have seen are small and by no means powerful. Blazed three trees close to the river, and wrote largely on them, ' Boats return to Bend. Dig underneath/ Buried a bottle containing instructions and information to look out, as natives are numerous and not trust- worthy. Established an alarm post, and ordered extra sentries, five in all, to be placed around the camp during the night. "June igf//, Saturday. — Struck camp an hour before day- break. Moved off with the drays at 8.30 a.m. Bassed Lake Bonney at 10 a.m. About 150 natives are in our rear who say they want to see us fight and kill their enemies, with whom they will also fight. I do not allow them to come near us. We are marching in fighting order with an advance and rear guard ; the drays in the centre. I keep these rascals off, for if we beat the natives they will take their wives, and if we are beaten they will fall upon us. Crossed Lake Bonney and got to the north side of it, and upon a ridge of scrub, the commencement of the country of the hostile tribe, at 1 1 a.m. On looking to the rear we saw a large signal fire just lit by the vagabond blacks be- hind to give notice to those ahead of our approach." I now continue with extracts from Mr. James C. Hawker's diary : — Life in South Australia. 223 " 20th, Sunday. — Off at 9.40. The mounted men had lo halt at about every three miles to allow the drays to come up, the country being boggy. Passed a great many tracks of wild cattle. Large numbers of natives showed themselves on both sides of the river. Efforts were made to induce some of them to come to us, but they remained shy. "June 21st. — Off at 9 a.m. Track better. At 3.30 arrived at a creek running into the river, on the opposite bank of which many natives were assembled ; with them some of the blacks who had been with us and had bolted. They told us that the sheep were still alive, and they would give them up to us ; they also said a party with cattle coming down the river were a few days' journey from us. Camped on the lagoon. "22nd. — The men in bringingin the working bullocks reported they had seen recent footmarks of a number of sheep. Off at 8.30, as the Major desired to recover the sheep without delay. The natives here left us, saying they would join us when we reached the place at which Ave would find the sheep alive, as they would take a shorter cut than we could travel on. At 12 camped, distance eight miles, on a creek which crossed the small flat where Messrs. Inman and Field were attacked, the creek now running good water. After an hour's rest the Major proceeded on with the mounted men." Mr. J. C. Hawker, having charge of the drays, did not ac- company the advance party. In addition to Major O'Hallorairs diary I am indebted to information furnished me by Inspector Tolmer, Sergeant- Major Alford, and Sergeant Naughton, for the following particulars and remarks : — The Major with the mounted men pushed on, hoping to come up to the travelling cattle party as well as the remains of the sheep. After riding five miles they met a white man in a deplorable state, naked, except a blue shirt which he had con verted into trousers hanging from his waist, with a pair of Wellington boots on his feet, but with no other clothing. He reported an attack of the blacks, and that some of the party had been killed. A little further on we met the drays with the survivors of the party, one of them named Miller, the conduc- tor, lying in a dray with five spear wounds in his body. The Major was told that at the time of the attack some of the drovers had been sent back by Mr. Miller to recover and bring up part of the cattle which had gone back, and the weakened advanced party were attacked ; the men being over- 224 Early Experiences of powered, and seeing three of their mates killed, and their overseer seriously wounded, took to the river, and after remain- ing some time in the water, finding the blacks had retired from some (to them) unknown cause, came out of the river, and finding three of the bodies of their dead comrades, they rolled them over the bank, as much out of sight as possible, and has- tened forward on the track. As Major O'Halloran subsequently found one of these bodies shockingly mangled, it must appear that the cause of their suddenly abandoning the ground on which they had defeated the overlanders was, that they had received in the midst of their work the first news from a flying scout of the large number of armed whites who were approaching ; and that afterwards getting further information from the lying spies that the police were still some distance off, they had returned to effect the mangling of the bodies, and, perhaps, at the same time slaugh- tered the remainder of the sheep. Such weak tampering with aboriginals, when combined and with arms in hand, and after murderous conduct, is anything but a policy of mercy, either to the natives or to the settlers, as no grounds ought to be given to the latter to take the law into their own hands. It is a remarkable circumstance that immediately after the arrival of Captain Grey to displace Colonel Gawler, he should have to report to the Imperial Government the non-success of the weak policy he had undertaken to carry out as to the treatment of the natives. He had himself experi- enced in his explorations in Western Australia something of the dangerous character of untamed blacks. I feel it a fair remark to make that as it was taken for granted in his instructions that the aboriginals of all parts of Australia were " subjects of Her Majesty and within her allegiance," that it should have followed that subjects of whatever colour found in arms, and after committing such crimes as these had, should have been promptly treated as subjects in revolt, and have been dealt with accordingly, constables' staves being left at home. I continue this account of Major O'Halloran's expedition, from information given by Mr. Miller, the wounded overseer of Mr. Langhorne's cattle party, and from the diaries and reports of officers. When the attack was made, the overseer had despatched some of the men to the rear to bring up a part of the herd which had separated from the main body. These drovers did not come Life in South Australia. 225 on to the ground where lay their slaughtered mates until the survivors had passed on, but overtook them shortly before they met the relief force. The cattle were then got together with the aid of the relief party, and with the loss of only seventy- three out of the original number of seven hundred, so that Mr. Langhorne had great cause for thankfulness that the police and volunteers arrived in time to save so large a proportion of his cattle, and probably the lives of the whole of his men. When the rear party overtook those who had survived the attack, it was resolved to push on with all speed to reach the nearest stations, as they had no idea of an approaching party. Their firearms were mostly useless, and they had only a few charges of ammunition left ; the blacks had taken from the drays every- thing except part of their flour, and this was all the party had to depend on for the remainder of the journey. I now return to Mr. J. C. Hawker's diary, and continue with the further occurrences of the 23rd of June. " At about 9.30 all the mounted men, and as many of the men on foot as could be spared from the camp, started to scour the country, to see if any of Inman's sheep were still alive, but nothing was found but the stinking carcases of about two thousand sheep, wantonly speared. A camp of about thirty natives was come upon, but the blacks bolted and took to the river, laughing and defying the party to shoot, and remaining within shooting distance, evidently aware of the orders under which the men carried their useless arms — with strict injunc- tions not to fire unless attacked. Amongst this insulting mob was identified one of the natives who had left the party the pre- vious day, promising to procure a conference. The natives who had promised to give up the sheep were amongst the swimming niggers, thus proving their treachery. On the return of the force to the camp, Major O'Halloran took the depositions of Mr. Langhorne, jun., who was with the party when attacked, as well as of the overseer and men, and decided to start the next day to Lake Victoria, and endeavour to make prisoners. " 24^/1. — At 7.30 the party started for the lake — leaving Messrs. Inman, J. C. Hawker, and Field, in charge of the fortified camp — with the men on foot and all Mr. Langhorne's party except three." The Major's diary continues — " On the 26th the mounted force returned. They had divided into two parties at the lake, one party crossing the Rufus, keep- 226 Early Experiences of ing the easterly side, and the other continuing on the near side, in order to intercept the natives, but they had been on the alert, and had reached the farther side of the lake, and eight canoes were seen on the lake crossing the remainder, and so they accomplished their escape. When the party arrived at the junction of the Rufus with the Murray, they found, to their un- speakable horror, the mangled body of a man named Martin, one of the four murdered men who had been placed over the bank by their escaping mates. One of the bodies (the one found) had been brought up by the blacks, and placed on the upper bank, stripped naked ; the skull had been battered with waddies, and exhibited masses of mangled bone, brains, and congealed blood ; the bones of the arms and thighs had been removed ; the sides had been opened, and the vital organs, with the kidney fat, had been extracted. In the hands small green boughs had been placed. All this had been done in derision after the men had been killed with spears, to accom- plish which diabolical act the savages had returned to the spot. By the side of the body of Martin was seen a faithful bulldog named Blucher, which appeared to be wounded. The poor brute, alarmed at the approach of the police, took to the water, giving vent to a most piteous howl, which none of the hearers would be likely to forget. The rescued men said the dog had fought the blacks nobly, and was supposed to have been killed. The metaphorical fiendish display the blacks had time to indulge in may be read to mean that the whites when they intruded on their country had not bodily arms to fight with, or to defend themselves, and had not legs to escape from them, nor brains to cope with them ; and to complete the unheard-of picture, they placed in the powerless hands small branches of green boughs as an emblem of their unarmed helplessness." One of my informants, a very kind-hearted and genuine Englishman, thus expressed himself to me respecting the effect the shocking spectacle had upon him on seeing the derisively mangled body of his countryman. "Before this I never knew what it was to feel bloodthirsty or to desire to take the life of a fellow creature, but this sight caused my blood to run cold ; and I then felt as if my brain was on fire, and that no command would restrain me from wreaking vengeance on such barbarous murderers. I do not know what the Major felt, but I could guess by his distorted countenance, silent as he was, how he felt his false position. I was with him in his raid against the Life in South Australia. 227 Milmenura tribes of natives after the Maria murders, but then his hands were not tied by instructions from the Home Govern- ment, and lie there carried out what proved to be a humane policy, under the orde'rs of Governor Gawler." After a pause, to allow the feelings of the party to quieten, "the Major ordered a grave to be dug, and he performed funeral service over the body. Then a large fire was made and kept over the spot to disguise the grave. A watch belonging to one of the slaughtered men and a few other articles were found lying about, with broken spears, and here fifty-three head more of cattle were recovered." Lake Victoria is twenty miles from the last strong camp, Lake Bonney being fifty-six, and the grave is 233 miles from Adelaide. Continued from the Major's diary : — ■ " The place where Langhorne's overland cattle party were attacked was called Langhorne's Ferry by Major O'Halloran, as he here prepared the body of a dray by covering the bottom, back, front, and sides, with a tarpaulin ; and in that makeshift crossed a party of eighteen men, under Inspector Tolmer, swimming their horses over to the opposite side. He gave the Inspector strict orders to make prisoners, impossible without bloodshed ; to carry out the commands issued by His Excellency Governor Grey to the letter. The inspector, with his party, was directed to proceed a little inland, where some natives were known to frequent, and to force them, if found, towards the junction of the Rufus with Lake Victoria, towards the Major and his party of fourteen, who would be there ready to intercept them ; after which, if time permitted, he would order both sides of the lake to be scoured. The drays and party in charge of them (thirteen in all) were to remain at Langhorne's Ferry till the scouring parties returned. The parties on both sides of the channel (known as the river Rufus, being the connection between the Lake and the Murray) mounted, and commenced operations at about mid-day. The Major's party had not proceeded far in extended order, when one of his scouts gave him notice that about thirty blacks were crossing the lake. Orders were given to pursue. The channel or junction of the lake being waded, the party passed to the New South Wales side, and with speed skirted the lake, when to their regret they found they were too late. They found at the bank of the lake eight canoes, which the blacks had left and 228 Early Experiences of vanished in the scrub. The Major, being thus foiled, turned back and recrossed the channel, which near the junction was found to be fordable. He now extended his men along the banks of the Rufus, in hopes to intercept any blacks that the inspector's party might drive before him. At 2.30 p.m. the inspector came in with his detachment, and reported he had met with no success. The country around was now seen to be in a blaze with signal fires, and finding it would be useless to make any further attempt to secure prisoners, the whole party returned to Langhorne's Ferry, and all hands were carefully employed in searching along the banks of the Rufus towards the lake in hopes of finding the other three bodies of the mur- dered men, which might have been carried by the current then passing from the river to fill up the lake. No more bodies were found, but a musket, uninjured, a morocco cigar case, and other scattered articles, with many broken spears. Trees here were blazed, and on them written, ' Beware of blacks,' to warn the next party of their danger on arriving in the country of these bloodthirsty tribes. The flour and other property of the previous sufferers had been found distributed in all directions on the Murray, Rufus, and lake, thus proving these vagabonds participated in tlfe late dreadful and cruel murders. " The party were ordered to return to the morning camp. Mr. Langhorne this day recovered four more of his cattle, having with the assistance of the relief party ultimately regained all but sixteen head of his number of seven hundred." The party were now 260 miles from Adelaide and (the Major in his diary says) they could not expect' to arrive there under three weeks, which in all would make an absence of nearly seven weeks. He felt much disheartened, after so much anxiety and exertion, that no prisoners had been taken, but he still hoped to be able to do so at or on arriving at Lake Bonney. One great source of consolation to him was that his party had been, under Providence, the happy means of saving the lives of twelve white men, as also the bulk of the cattle for the owner and the colony. He could not speak too highly of the admirable con- duct of the entire detachment since they left town, every duty having been performed with a prompt cheerfulness ; the gen- tlemen volunteers deserving especially his warm thanks for their gentlemanly conduct and strict obedience to orders ; and their admirable example and quickness in learning their military duties had both surprised and greatly pleased him. The party Life in South Australia. 229 returned to the fortified camp, and to the regret of the Major and the party the faithful dog Blucher did not again show him- self. On the 28th of June the whole party left the camp, which the Major named the Hornet's Nest, but the volunteers called it Fort O'Halloran. Their next camp was on the ground where the famous "Blue Beard" was shot some 18 months previously. Sturt mentioned him in his work. He was a very old man, and had a long white beard. It was reported that he was shot in the act of some treachery towards Miller's first party. The Major named this spot " Blue Beard's Den." "July isf, Thursday. — Marched seventeen miles, crossing Lake Bonney. Now out of country of hostile blacks. Captured a number of women and children, who, however, through a misunderstanding of orders by the men in charge, were released, and they escaped. One of them bit a policeman in the leg, and taking his sword about the middle snapped it in two. I was in hopes, by the capture of these women, and by releasing one of them with a message to her tribe, that we might, on promising to release the rest, have secured the three men who joined us in this neighbourhood with the promise of acting as interpreters with the hostile blacks, and who afterwards acted so false and treacherous a part. Looked for and found the bottle buried at this camp for the boats, from which I conclude that the boats have been counter-ordered. Just before dark six blacks fear- lessly came to our camp. They were asked if they were not afraid to come near us ; but they said no — they had done us no wrong, and they knew we would not hurt them. They knew we had caught their women and children and had released them. The men who had deceived us were ahead, and we should see them. I could not find in my heart to make prisoners of them after thus confiding in us. The point of a spear came out of Mr. Miller's groin this evening. " The faithful bulldog Blucher, that we found at Langhorne's Creek guarding the dead body of poor Martin, to our astonish- ment came into camp this evening with the cattle. He is very thin and emaciated ; had a spear wound through his body, and another in the hind leg, on which he is very lame. He has followed us in this state upwards of seventy miles, and appears at present very shy and timid. "July $th. — Dead Man's Flat. — A board on a tree, and on it ' Boats left for the Bend June 25th.' Some hours after arrival 230 Early Experiences of at camping-ground caught one of the blacks who had so grossly deceived us by acting as spy to the hostile tribe ; notified to him in presence of other blacks that he should be taken as prisoner, to Adelaide for the future good conduct of his tribe, for it seems that this fellow and five other men of his tribe were about to attack our cart on the line of our march homeward, and were only prevented by Sergeant Naughton presenting his carbine at them. He was in the cart sick, with Mr. Miller. The blacks doubtless coveted the rugs and blankets that were laid in numbers in the cart to form a soft bed for the wounded overseer. "July 6/7/. — Left for town, giving over the command to In- spector Gordon." Extract from Major O'Halloran's report, published in the Register of July 10, 1841 : — " Unfortunately, after great anxiety, we have failed in making any prisoners, but this has been owing solely to the boats not joining, and for which I cannot account. In a country such as I have gone over, intersected by rivers, lagoons, and creeks, and thick with polygnum scrub and high weeds, it is next to impossible to surprise any blacks, who all know (by scouts and signal fires) of the approach of any party from the time the same makes the river, into which the natives are ready to plunge, and are there secure from all danger. The cruel tribe we are now surrounded by are very numerous, and have doubtless become emboldened by having defeated three successive parties of Europeans, and having also escaped punishment from any detachment. Mr. Inman was attacked three miles from this, and Mr. Langhorne's party fifteen miles east of us ; and this clearly proves that this tribe in the last three instances are the murderers of our countrymen, and the plunderers of their property." I make the two following extracts from the Register : — July 17th. — " The whole of the police party, we understand, returned from the Murray expedition on Wednesday, bringing in custody a native, though with what crime charged we have not heard. It is said the man was fastened to and obliged to follow the dray. He was tied up on his arrival in the Police Barracks, but during the night he contrived to escape, and no tidings of him have been gained." July 24///. — " It will be recollected that one of the objects of the late expedition to the Murray was to protect the party of Mr. Langhorne (reported by him to the Governor), and known to be on the road with a lame herd of cattle. The Mr. Lanirhorne Life in South Australia. 231 who was with the party is indebted as well for his life as for the property to Major O'Halloran's party of police and volunteer gentlemen on the occasion. In knowledge of these facts it was with some surprise we heard it stated on the return of the party that the Mr. Langhome who was with the cattle had refused to supply the expedition with more than one bullock, out of nearly seven hundred saved. We received last week a statement from Mr. J. C. Hawker, who took the trouble to act as commissary to the volunteer force, which we publish without comment. ' One beast only was killed for the police and volunteers. As commissary I represented to Captain Beevor that our rations of salt meat would not last us out if we supplied Mr. Langhorne's men with meat. On which Captain Beevor asked Mr. Langhorne when he would be killing a beast, as some of our men were suffering from scurvy. Mr. Langhorne's answer was, that if we thought we had come out to eat fresh meat all the way in we were very much mistaken, as it would cost him twenty head to last us into Adelaide. Mr. Beevor then asked if he would sell some to him, but he refused to sell any, making several paltry excuses.' The following is the account of the expenses incurred by the volunteer party : — 'To Messrs. August and Cook, flour, rice, &c, ^42; hire of two teams at £S a week, ,£55; bullock driver, &x., £,&; total, ^105. None of this amount was defrayed by Mr. Lang- horne.' " After the return of Major O'Halloran on the 8th of May, 1 84 1, from his second expedition, Governor Grey being in- formed that other parties were on their way down, and made alive to the increased danger they would be likely to encounter from the same murderous blacks who had hitherto had it so nearly all their own way, felt it incumbent on him to send a third party under Sub-Inspector Shaw, and with him Mr. M. Moorhouse as Protector. (Qy. — Of the whites from unjust censures ?) In the Register of September 11, 1841, was published a re- port of that expedition from the Protector of the Aborigines ; also a letter from Mr. E.obinson, who was met by the Govern- ment force at the Rufus Junction, where a conflict took place, when the natives placed themselves between the two parties, and advancing to attack at length met with their deserts. I give an account of this affair from the public records of the time : — 232 Early Experiences of " Yesterday morning Mr. Robinson arrived in Adelaide over- land in advance of his party with stock from New South Wales under their charge, and has furnished accounts of two desperate affrays before reaching the Rufus, from which they safely escaped. We are enabled to present to our readers with full extracts from the official report of Mr. Moorhouse, the Protector of Abori- gines, to His Excellency the Governor. The painfully interesting details which these documents furnish render comment for this week at least unnecessary, as an investigation has been ordered by the Governor to be made by the Bench of Magistrates. It is clear, however, on the surface that no party can for the pre- sent pass safely from New South Wales territory into South Australia unless sufficiently numerous and well armed. "the protector's report. " Lake Bonney, September 4, 1841. "Sir, — I have the honour to inform His Excellency the Governor that the expedition consisting of twenty-nine Euro- peans with three Aborigines, which left Adelaide on the 31st July to meet Mr. Robinson and others on their route from Sydney, is now on its return, having been effectual in rendering all the assistance that was necessary to the parties. I joined the detachment fifty miles from Adelaide on the 4th of August, and with it reached the Pound on the 7th. I had all the party mustered, and read and explained my instructions to them. Several natives were within a mile of the camp, but did not visit us. Our blacks went to them, and returned with some curious reports, that in consequence of a black scout coming down the river, the bulk of the active natives had gone upwards on being called on ' to congregate and attack a party coming down the river with bullocks, sheep, and clothing.' 1 received the report with doubts, but as we travelled along the Murray I noticed an unusual absence of native camps, which soon led me to believe the story. In passing over a distance of over ninety miles we only saw natives on one place, the number being twenty-four — emaciated old men and women unable to travel. " On the 1 8th of August we halted for the night, three miles to the south of Lake Bonney. Our Adelaide natives took three of our party- — myself, Sub-Inspector Shaw, and a volunteer gentleman — to a creek two miles distant from our camp, where we saw 105 blacks, who seemed frightened at our approach, Life m South Australia. 233 and several women took their children on their backs and ran into the water. Some of the men seized their spears and stood firmly by their wurlies. Two of them came to me, whom I had seen on my previous visit, and asked if I did not know them. They showed great anxiety to be on friendly terms with us, and said they could prove that they had not speared white man's property. They said there are three horses near our camp, and we could spear them at any time, but we have not done so, as we wish to be friends with white man. They then took us through a belt of scrub and showed us the horses within 400 yards of a wurlie. " 19///. — When about to march, forty of the natives we had seen last night came up to us, and urged us strongly not to go on, as there was a great number of blacks congregated two days' march ahead, at work preparing spears and other weapons, and they would be sure to attack us. They were ' turla butta ' (full of wrath), and would take our clothing and provisions. I desired one of them to go with us, but he declined. This interview produced a bad effect on the blacks we brought from town. Two of them on the following day turned aside from the track, pretending to hunt, but did not return. Fortunately we had the other fellow on the dray, whom we did not suffer to escape. " 20///. — Halted to rest the cattle, now in the country of the hostile natives, and here had the first instance of aggression I witnessed on the river. The party were all at drill ; the sheep we had with us for food were allowed to graze without a shepherd. When drill was over, and the shepherd went after his sheep, he found one with a spear in its side, and saw the aggressor, but he escaped. We now had some difficulty in keeping our interpreter. As we passed along the river he made many inquiries from natives on the opposite side, and frequently asked me how many sleeps we were from Lake Victoria, because he was told we would be attacked there. He induced three of these blacks to join us, whom we supplied abundantly with kangaroo, and allowed them to sleep at our camp, but charging them not to move about during the night lest one of the four guards might shoot them. Pangi Pangi, our Adelaide black, urged us to keep up drill that the strangers might see the superiority of white men's arms. "On the 25th Sub-Inspector Shaw had a tree marked at a distance of fifty yards, and ordered the men to fire at the mark, 234 Early Experiences of allowing three seconds between each shot. Pangi Pangi said, ' I am glad, and no more frightened.' The three blacks who had been with us several days were terrified and wished to go before us to the lake ' to tell tribe what white man can do with mucketty.' I was glad to let them go. " 27 th. — Now only five miles from the lake I mustered the party and repeated my instructions. Each man was told that no firing could be allowed until the inspector gave the command. I advised them, in case of attack from the natives, to use every exertion to protect the drays. At 9 a.m. we marched, and in an hour we saw two mounted men on the opposite side of the Rufus, whom Ave found to be Mr. Robinson and Mr. Levi, at one mile from Langhorne's Ferry towards the lake. We saluted them heartily, and asked if their party were all safe. They answered ' Yes, both persons and property,' although they had been attacked on the preceding day by a body of 300 blacks, who were repulsed after receiving eight rounds from the overlanders. At the time of the attack they were about two miles from the Rufus, and marched on and encamped at Lang- horne's Ferry. They asked of us where the herds and drays could cross, as they were then looking out for an easy place to cross, and wished to do so immediately. They had found the junction of the Rufus with the lake too wide and deep, and now would take the ferry. We now left them and rode along the Rufus towards Lake Victoria, and greatly to our surprise discovered a large mob of natives running towards us, each carrying his implements of war. We hastily returned to our party. The drays were drawn up on the banks of the river ; the men were formed in a line of two deep to protect the drays. In half an hour the natives were seen in the scrub at about half a mile distant, evidently prepared to commence an attack. I, seeing this, gave the command of the party to Sub- Inspector Shaw, and said he was at liberty to issue such orders as he thought necessary for our safety and of the overland party whom we had been sent out to protect, desiring him not to commence firing until I had spoken to the hostile natives. I ordered Pangi to accompany me in advance. After we had proceeded about three hundred yards, the three blacks who had gone forward at their own request to confer with the advancing tribe left the mob and came to us. I asked them what message they brought. They said the lake people would not listen to them ; they knew the whites had tomahawks, blankets, and Life in South Australia. 235 food, and they would have them at all risks. I took these fellows back and told them to sit down out of the way of the strife. The police party were on the western bank of the Rufus, and Mr. Robinson and his men on the eastern bank, who advanced towards the closing natives and commenced to fire on them ; Mr. Shaw also ordered firing to commence. The natives were almost immediately thrown into confusion, the greater part running into the scrub, and about fifty running into the water to conceal themselves in the thick reeds. Both parties closed on to those in the water. The firing lasted about fifteen minutes, and the result to the natives was, according to my estimate, about thirty killed, ten wounded, and four prisoners taken (one adult male, one boy, and two lubras). Mr. Robinson was speared in the left arm. As soon as there was the least probability of taking prisoners firing ceased. More prisoners " might have been taken if an alarm at the drays had not been given which called the party off from searching the reeds, and in the meantime the natives escaped. "At 11 a.m. the following day the whole of Mr. Robinson's party were safely crossed. The police fully armed, being drawn up, the prisoners were placed in the centre, whom I addressed through the interpreters. I told them they had been advised by their allies not to attack the whites, whose arms were so superior to their own ; that we had not any desire to kill black men, or their lives would have been taken ; that I was empowered to allow the two who were wounded to go to their friends (that was a boy and a woman) ; that the other woman, whose husband had been killed, and who was rescued by the Adelaide black, having consented to become his wife, might go with him to Adelaide ; that I should take the black man, the other prisoner, to Adelaide, and he would be there kept as a hostage, and if the tribe attacked any other party coming down the river, he might be put to death. I then gave the woman and the boy their liberty, and one day's supply of provisions, telling them we wished to be friends with their tribe, and that the prisoner was taken as a pledge of their future good conduct, &c." Mr. Robinson's statement : — "On July 1st, in company with Mr. Warriner (a crack shot with a rifle) and Mr. Barker, I left Gundaguy, on the Murrum- bidgee, with 6,000 ewes, 14 horses, 500 mixed head of cattle, 3 drays, and 26 in party. We were well armed, and had heard 236 Early Experiences of of the attacks on the previous parties. We saw blacks all the way down, but did not allow them to come near us. On ap- proaching the Rums I had remained a day's march behind look- ing for strayed cattle, and saw thirty or forty natives fully armed on the track towards the lake. The blacks on seeing me crossed the Murray. The day following I had gone on ahead to look for a crossing-place. On my return towards the party I saw about 300 blacks, who, perceiving me, formed themselves into a half-circle to oppose the advance of the party. I im- mediately got all the sheep and cattle together, left nine men with the drays, and with the remainder of the party went to the blacks, who by this time had approached near to the sheep, yelling most hideously, and by their gestures evidently intent on an attack on us. They met our approach, on which we commenced firing. After receiving eight rounds the blacks gave way, and we drove them to the bush. During this affair about fifteen were killed or seriously wounded. We then proceeded on and camped. The following morning we were met by the party from Adelaide sent to protect us. We were told by them that they expected an attack that day. I said I thought not, as we had the previous day encountered a large number of blacks, and had beaten them. As we were pre- paring to cross at Langhorne's Ferry one of the Adelaide party came and informed us that the natives in force were ap- proaching through the scrub. The three blacks who had pre- ceded Mr. Moorhouse also told us that the hostile blacks were close at hand, determined to fight and plunder us. We met their advance and fired on them, &c. (as stated by Mr. Moorhouse). The prisoner on a subsequent day attempted to escape, and was not retaken until he had received three gun- shot wounds.'' Register, September iSt/i — Remarks of the Editor : — "The Bench of Magistrates are to assemble on Monday to inquire into the late deplorable rencontre with the natives. The investigation is to be public. As the matter stands at present it is very plain Mr. Moorhouse cannot act as Protector, for it was under his protection they were shot down by dozens, and by his own showing, before they had thrown a spear or committed a single offensive act in his presence." I have quoted the above, as the remarks of the editor will be so completely answered by the unanimous resolution of the bench in justification of Mr. Moorhouse, after an examination Life in South Australia. 237 of himself and others during three days ; extracts from the published reports of which follow : — On Monday, at midday, the Bench of Magistrates sat at the Court-House to investigate the circumstances under which about fifty natives were shot on the Murray by Mr. Robinson's overland party and by that under Mr. Sub-Inspector Shaw, despatched by His Excellency Governor Grey. The Chairman of the Bench addressed Mr. Moorhouse, and informed him that in order to satisfy the public mind in the colony and at home, the Governor had thought it necessary to have an official investigation into the circumstances of the late engagement on the Murray, and requested Mr. Moorhouse to state to the Bench the facts of the case. Mr. Moorhouse's published report was read by Mr. Richman. Mr. Smillie asked Mr. Moorhouse if he adhered to that statement and confirmed it, and that gentleman replied that he did. In answer to other questions Mr. Moorhouse stated — No spears were thrown before the firing commenced. The blacks were approaching in line with spears quivering in their hands poised ready for throwing. A message of defiance had been previously brought by three blacks (allies of the hostile as- sailants) that they were determined to have our property. Captain Sturt — What was the conviction in your mind when you gave over the command of the party? — My conviction was that we were to be attacked ; that if we had allowed them to approach within spear's throw we should all have been cut off. Firing was the only advantage we had to compensate for our small numbers, the muskets being able to kill at a greater distance than their spears. I calculated that one hundred and fifty fighting men who were in front had at least four hundred spears with them, each spear being equal to one gun if within their range. Major O'Halloran — You think their object was to make a rush ? — I think so, and so we all thought. I made signals to them not to approach, but they paid no attention. Dr. Kent — What were your instructions? — They were, in case the natives manifested any hostile intention, to give over the command to Mr. Shaw that he might issue such orders as he deemed necessary for our safety. Captain Sturt — You did not give up the command to Sub- Inspector Shaw till you saw all hopes of an amicable under- standing were at an end ? — -I did not. 238 Early Experiences of Captain Sturt — Can you venture an opinion as to whether Mr. Robinson's party would have driven them off without the assistance of the police? — I think they would have taken his drays and sheep from him. Mr. Moorhouse further stated that about two days afterwards he saw about one hundred blacks with their arms, going down the river, but they offered no further annoyance. Mr. Robinson also underwent a long examination, as also the native interpreter, and confirmed Mr. Moorhouse. The prisoner, Pul Kanta, was examined, and admitted it was their intention to take the sheep, &x. To other questions he would not answer, and was silent when asked if he had fought the whites on the same spot before. Mr. Moorhouse said he did not fire on natives ; he never carried arms when among the natives. It was moved by Major O'Halloran, and seconded by Mr. Eyre, " That the bench of Magistrates, after full and careful examination of all the evidence brought before them relating to the late affray with the natives on the Rufus, and the police and Mr. Robinson's party, are unanimously of opinion that the conduct of Mr. Moorhouse and his party was justifiable, and indeed unavoidable, and that much praise is due to him and the combined party for the great forbearance the force evinced when placed under circumstances of the most trying nature." It must be here noticed that no subsequent censures were uttered or published of this much to be deplored heavy slaughter of natives, rendered necessary after the weak, vacil- lating policy had been so unsuccessful. A resolution was also passed that His Excellency be respect- fully solicited, under the circumstances then elicited, that an armed party should be stationed in the vicinity of Langhorne's Ferry, and also that the native prisoner, Pul Kanta, be placed forthwith under the charge of the Protector of Aborigines, and after receiving from him such instructions as at his command, be set at liberty to return to his tribe. Register, October 2nd, 1841. — "Yesterday Mr. Eyre left town on his road to the Murray, where he is to be stationed as Police Magistrate of the district. Mr. Eyre takes with him the native captured in the late affray on the Rufus, and he trusts through his means to be enabled to open up a friendly com- munication with the hostile blacks." The following is from Mr. Dutton's South Australian, pub- Life in South Australia. 239 lished 1S46 : — " Mr. Eyre held this appointment at Moorundee, 85 miles from Adelaide. Governor Grey made this appoint- ment after many Europeans had been from time to time killed and their property destroyed or plundered ; whilst, on the other hand, whenever the parties of whites had been in sufficient force, great slaughter of the blacks had been committed. The Governor, therefore, had apparently sufficient grounds for going to the expense of the above establishment, even at a time when colonial finances were at the lowest possible ebb." As to this appointment I have no adverse remarks to make, and only desire to bring such an incomplete plan into contrast with the infinitely superior system inaugurated by Archdeacon Hale, and commenced in a great measure with his own private funds, which has since attained a decided success, viz., the Aboriginal Mission at Poonindie, Port Lincoln, founded after the grievous murders committed in that district on different white settlers and their servants by the natives. I may here mention that the Government, after the Mil- menura outbreak, applied the same principle of overawing the natives as they did afterwards in the Rufus affair, having appointed a sort of deputy protector of the lake tribes, who was ordered to reside at Wellington, to keep those tribes in order with carbine, sword, &c, but no attempt was made by Government to instruct or form . any establishment or home in which to train the wandering human beings in habits of in- dustry and civilisation even, not to mention religious training. Of Corporal Mason, the Sub-Protector, it is admitted he ful- filled his limited duties to the best of his ability, his chief influence arising from the miserable dole at distant stated times of blankets and rations, and here the duty of Govern- ment was allowed to end. It is a pleasure to me to record that in this portion of the colony also private benevolence afterwards stepped in to establish an institution and home for the dispossessed aboriginal tribes in the Point Macleay Mission, which, as far as its means extend, is effecting good work, placed as it is on very inferior and unprofitable land. Strangers will naturally ask how is it that a Government composed of professing Christian people has not appropriated and set apart suitable blocks of land of sufficient extent in the several dis- tricts for such establishments ? Well, if such an appropriation of what may be called their own land, say five per cent, of the whole, or even infinitely less, in blocks, and encouragement 240 Early Experiences of had been given by the Government, many other such estab- lishments as the two I have mentioned might have been formed, and have become self-supporting, as Poonindie has been for some time. Eyre, Dutton, Forster, and other writers of the history of South Australia have stated their opinions on the native race, i.e., after the first abortive and insufficient means had been adopted for their amelioration by the Colonial Governments under instructions from England. I first quote from Mr. Dutton : — " The black inhabitant gradually dwindles away before the blighting effects of civiliza- tion, and another half century will most probably also see the end of the Australian aboriginal race." Eyre says : — " It has already been stated that in all the colonies we have hitherto established upon the continent the Aborigines are gradually decreasing in numbers, or have already disappeared, in proportion to the time their country has been occupied by Europeans. We are almost, in spite of ourselves, forced to the conviction that the first appearance of the white man in any new country sounds the funeral knell of the children of the soil." In quoting from writers who record their opinions as to the hopelessness of attempting to ameliorate the condition of the natives, or to save them from certain extinction, I do so to precede the publication of , the very different and satis- factory results which I purpose to show have attended the private establishments (as they may be called) now at work in this colony, and so to set up unanswerable arguments with which to force claims on Government to continue and confirm the appropriation of the land now occupied at Poonindie and Point McLeay, and to obtain much larger and more equitable grants in other localities, which cannot be abrogated or inter- fered with, through or by uncompromising greedy white " subjects of His Majesty." To support this view of our duties I quote from a dispatch of Lord Stanley to Sir Geo. Gipps in 1842 :— "I cannot conclude this despatch without expressing my sense of the importance of the subject of it. My hope is that your experience may enable you to suggest some general plan by which we may acquit ourselves of the obligations which we owe towards this helpless race of beings. I should not without extreme reluctance admit that nothing could be done ; that with respect to them alone the doctrines of Christianity must Life in South Australia. 241 be inoperative, and the advantages of civilisation incommuni- cable. I cannot acquiesce in the theory that they are incapable of improvement, and their extinction before the advance of the white settler is a necessity which it is impossible to control. I recommend them to your protection and favourable considera- tion with the greatest earnestness, but at the same time with perfect confidence ; and I assure you that I shall be willing and anxious to co-operate with you in any arrangement for their civilisation which may hold out a fair prospect of success." Mr. Dutton speaks thus of the Government post at Moo- rundee under Mr. Eyre : — " Mr. Eyre has certainly succeeded in an eminent degree in effecting the object contemplated, as the whole length of the River Murray, from the Great Northern Bend to the coast, is occu- pied at the present moment with sheep and cattle stations, and no single outrage of a fatal nature has since the establishment of that post been committed by the natives ; whilst at the same time a great moral control and influence has been obtained over the more distant and warlike tribes, who were either periodically visited in their own districts by Mr. Eyre, or used to come down to Moorundee to receive the meagre distribution of flour and blankets now and then allowed them by the Govern- ment." As to any of the higher objects, which should have been aimed at through Government posts, Mr. Dutton wrote in 1846:— " Of the protectorate posts in New South Wales,, after costing the large sum of ,£80,000 since 182 1 in keeping up a widely ramified establishment of protectors, that plan has, I believe, been abandoned in despair, as being productive of no good. Had that money been annually dropped into the sea outside the Sydney Heads the loss could not be more regretted than its resultless application in redeeming the savages, and it would have saved both Sir George Gipps and Lord Stanley the trouble of writing the immensity of despatches they did ; and, although the experiments in South Australia have been made on a far more moderate scale, no better results can be shown with us than in the neighbouring colonies ; but the effects of our civilising in- fluence is shown, as Mr. Eyre says, ' in their diminished numbers ; ' nor is it in my recollection that throughout the whole length and breadth of New Holland a single real and 242 Early Experiences of permanent convert to Christianity has yet been made amongst them." This as the result of the protectorate system ! Forster in his later history says : — " The aborigines of New Holland are fast disappearing from the face of the earth. The occupation of the country has in- juriously affected them in many ways without conferring upon them any compensating advantages. It has broken up their tribal arrangements, by which the land was parcelled out into hunting districts that could only be encroached upon by strangers under such penalties as savages are wont to inflict on one another. Civilisation has in fact impressed its vices, with very few of its virtues, and tended to sink to a still lower depth the already degraded inhabitants of the soil. In saying that no advantages have been bestowed on the natives for the loss of their territory, I do not mean to imply that no attempts have been made to benefit them, or that they have been ruthlessly left to perish by the Government and colonists without pro- tection and without sympathy. It was a special instruction of the Home Government on the establishment of South Australia that they should be fi?vfierly cared for ; and for that purpose a Chief Protector of Aborigines was appointed in Adelaide, and Sub-Protectors were sent into the country districts." Yes ; and with such results as before set forth ! Then, under what responsibilities do the inhabitants now remain ? New systems have been adopted, which are calling aloud as successful experiments for the support of every man and woman according to their means and influence. It is almost past credence that at this time a member of Parliament, at the instance of one or more greedy constituents, should have moved in Parliament to deprive the trustees of the Poonindie institution of the right of occupation of the land on which a large number of civilised and Christianised natives are leading a respectable, useful, and happy life — families permanently re- siding in a model village, occupying neat cottages, and in all respects conducting themselves as well or better than any white community in the province. In this mission-township at this time the number of native or half-caste inhabitants is eighty- eight. There are forty-four children regularly attending the school, who are clothed and fed. Medical attendance is also provided gratuitously to all who require the same. No public grant of money has been received since 1866, at which time Life in South Australia. 243 there was a debt owing of over ^800, since paid ; and under the management of the last appointed trustee, G. W. Hawkes, Esq., the mission has not only become self-supporting, but in addition to contributions from the coloured inhabitants to several charitable objects, grants from the profits of the farm and flocks have for some time been made annually to the Point McLeay Mission. The natives when employed on the farm or station receive regular wages. The following amounts of money wages were paid to coloured labourers : — In the year 1875, ^697 7s. nd. ; 1876, ^641 13s. id.; 1877, £l 2 ° 5 s - 8d. The men when not employed on the station take contract jobs of shearing sheep, grubbing, or any other rural work from settlers, sometimes in amounts of ,£50 and £70, and employ under them bush blacks from wild tribes. At this present shearing Mr. A. Tennant has engaged on contract shearers from Poonindie after they had finished their home work ; one or two white men joined this party, a pleasing feature. By Mr. Tennant they were sent up to his station on the Middle-back Ranges, to shear, sort, and pack the wool of four thousand sheep, without superintendence, at 30s. a hundred with rations. This work was also done by black men last season from Poonindie, to the perfect satisfaction of the flock- owner. Tom Adams, one of the men, is allowed to be unsurpassed as a shearer in that district ; and although the quantity shorn in a working day by blacks does not average that made by a white party, the work done by them is equal to or superior in quality. Tom Adams turns out in a day from eighty to ninety. The above particulars I acknowledge with thanks to have received from G. W. Hawkes, Esq., that firm friend of the native races as well as of all benevolent institutions. I conclude this chapter with an appeal to all colonists to exert their influence to procure for the future ample appropria- tion of land on which to establish native missions where now required. CHAPTER XL The advent of Captain Grey as third Governor of South Australia has been recorded, and I propose in this chapter to relate a (ew instances of the cruel wrongs which the pioneers had to endure under the policy which the British Government 244 Early Experiences of instructed its representative to carry out with reference to the financial liabilities of the colony. The first instance will give a brief account of the ruin of the firm of Borrow and Goodiar by the action of Captain Grey's Government in cancelling the large contracts under which that firm were bound by the Government of Colonel Gawler. The bills which they had received on the Home Government in part payment for work done having been also dishonoured, they were suddenly brought to a standstill, and had to meet the claims of their numerous workpeople, their merchants, and bankers, with promises. In this crisis they waited on the Governor, and the case was with great force pressed on His Excellency, who treated them with kind consideration, and in answer gave them full and decided assurances that the claims of the firm should be honourably met, and be submitted to arbitration. With this favourable and gracious reception they left Government House, highly pleased and satisfied, and went direct to the Government Offices and had an interview with Mr. Gouger, the Colonial Secretary, and Mr. Jackson, the Treasurer, to whom they detailed the promising result of their interview with Governor Grey, which was received by these officers with the greatest surprise, and they assured their visitors that the Governor had neither the power nor the means to make good such promises, and that there was no chance of an early settlement of their claims on any terms. And so the result proved, to the total ruin of their extensive business. Their engagements extended beyond the building trade, for they had taken leases of suburban sections, which they had fenced in with a view to the cultivation of wheat, and had sunk their capital in legitimate pursuits likely to result in benefit to the country. It was not until a wearied and lengthened contest that their creditors obtained from the Government a dividend by a compromise, and accepted a portion of the just claims of the firm. I may mention here that during the year 1842 no less than 136 writs were passed through the Sheriff's Court, and thirty-seven fiats of insolvency were issued. In one important respect the disastrous conse- quences of the losses sustained in the colony were made appa- rent on the non-payment of the Government debts, as out of 1915 houses that had been built in Adelaide, 642 were, in December, 1842, totally deserted, and the people spread out in the country districts. One of the ruined pioneers of the colony, who has published Life in South Australia. 245 a brief history of his early career in the Methodist Journal, under the signature " Pioneer," having allowed me to extract therefrom, I take advantage of the privilege, as the ultimate sacrifice of the wreck of his property followed, as in my own case and so many others, when the news was received confirm- ing the second repudiating action of the Home Government. I commence to quote from the termination of " Pioneer's " voyage from home, in order to show how he began from the first, in his colonial career, to go in with all his energies and means as a bona fide pioneer settler, to assist in stocking and cultivating the new colony : — " After the inevitable discomforts of a long sea voyage in the ship Isabella, which Captain Hart, the commander, endeavoured to make as pleasant as possible, we sighted Van Diemen's Land on the 1st January, 1837, and at once sailed up the river Tamar, and grounded in the mud two or three miles from Launceston. We obtained lodgings, and began to make anxious inquiries respecting the new colony. We found that many shipments of sheep had been made to Port Philip (then a new colony, an offshoot of New South Wales). The John Pirie arrived from St. Vincent's Gulf, South Australia, and reported having spoken the Buffalo, beating up the Gulf, so that we had arrived in Tasmania nearly as soon as Governor Hindmarsh and his staff arrived at his seat of government. The Isabella was laid on for the new colony, our destination, and we proceeded at once to make our purchases of stock (for which purpose we had come round), and all that appeared necessary for the occupation of three preliminary sections pur- chased in England. We put on board three hundred and fifty ewes, forty-five wethers, six heifers, one Devon bull, ten work- ing bullocks, two mares, one Timor pony, goats, pigs, poultry, dray, waggon, seed wheat, and provisions for twelve months, with the packages brought with us in the ship. I engaged four bush hands, and a female as washerwoman. Three out of the four were convicts, but there was no choice, and the fencing and other work required men of experience in colonial opera- tions. The woman turned out a confirmed drunkard, and was for years known in the colony as Scotch Bella (who had more interviews in her time than any other man or woman, with the resident magistrate). " We sailed on the 1st of February from the Tamar, and were met by contrary winds and rough weather, during which one 246 Early Experiences of bullock died, and many sheep. At length, on the 9th, we reached Backstairs Passage, and when off Rapid Bay a boat was lowered, and the captain, myself, and one or two more went ashore, found no settlers, but only a few huts. The captain said he would run up the Gulf forty miles, when he expected to find the Buffalo and the body of settlers. We anchored about midnight, but found in the morning we were two or three miles south of the Buffalo at anchor, and the Coromandel also, which latter vessel had arrived before us. A strong, hot north wind was blowing, and to save the lives of as many sheep as possible, the captain landed them opposite the ship. No water was near, and as the sheep-netting was not landed according to promise, we could not make a yard. In consequence the sheep broke adrift in the night, and were most of them irrecoverably lost. The other stock were landed in fair order. A heifer calved a day or two after, and I had the pleasure of milking the first cow of the colony. The settlers were camped over the sandhills, at the present site of Glenelg, and were busily rolling their goods over the sand hummocks. My men at once yoked a team of eight bullocks, and brought our goods from the ship's longboat to the camp we formed near a lagoon. It created quite a sensation in the encampment, as most of the people had not seen a colonial team before. Mr. John Hallett had, however, landed two bullocks and a few wethers before we arrived. In a few days, a vessel from the Cape brought some fine Fatherland cows for the Government, several of which I subsequently bought at auction at an average price of ^"27 each, and subsequently one at £36. We found the colony had been proclaimed over five weeks before we landed, but the survey of Adelaide was not completed. I had brought out two of Manning's cottages. One I first put up at the Bay, and the other I placed at Adelaide, opposite North Terrace. In April I finished the cottage there, and brought up the other from the Bay, and with the two formed a four- roomed habitation. While the Isabella lay in Holdfast Bay, Captain Hart said he wished to return in the ship to procure a freight if he could. Not being able to procure land, except at an exorbitant price, I commenced mercantile business, much against my inclination, and purchased goods out of the Rcgia, the William, etc. I further agreed to take goods from Captain Hart, and pay freight and ten per cent, on the invoice ; also that I would pay for any stock landed in good condition, at Life in South Australia. 247 specified prices ; and we parted, expecting, if Mr. Griffiths, the owner of the Isabella^ consented, to meet again before long. In April a meeting of holders of preliminary land orders was called, at which a resolution was carried to ballot for the locality in which the sections should be selected, which caused my three to be placed in Distriet D, Yankalilla, the survey of which was not made for some two or three years after, before which we had sold the land orders as useless to us. " The town acres, after the preliminary ones had been al- lotted, were offered by public auction, and realised about ^4000, after reserving the 43 7 preliminary (gift) acres belonging to the 134 acres preliminary sections. I became the purchaser of sixty acres of town land for want of other land. I enclosed twelve acres in Lower North Adelaide, and sowed wheat the first season. A sample of the produce was sent home, and excited some notice in Mark Lane. Mr. G. Stevenson also commenced a garden close by, and soon made it one of the show places of the colony. Our bullock-team was fully em- ployed in carting goods from the Port and Bay for the settlers. I have a record of ^"12 for one day's work, when loaded both ways. " On the 6th April the brig William arrived from Tasmania, and reported that the Isabella had sailed the day previous to the William ; that she had on board 400 sheep and twelve bullocks, and four cows for us, besides a variety of goods selected in Launceston, and consigned to me. I this day dined at Mr. Gouger's, the Colonial Secretary, and met Sir John Jeffcott, who had just arrived. He rode with me to some fine country about ten miles south of Adelaide, where we were putting up yards and huts to receive the stock expected. " On the 13th of April I rode to the Bay, and on arriving at our camp found Captain Hart there. I was sorry to hear from him that he had lost the Isabella., which was totally wrecked on Cape Nelson, near Portland Bay, on her voyage hither. The loss was occasioned by the neglect of the mate, who came out with us in the ship from England. She was uninsured, and the captain said he had lost everything, and his friends had turned their backs on him. He described to a friend that he possessed nothing but what he stood up in. He said, Mr. Hy. Jones, who was a passenger with him, had joined him in the shipment. I invited the captain to remain with us, and at the time thought myself very fortunate in being, as I supposed, free from per- 24S Early Experiences of sonal liability. But then there was the disappointment and loss of gain in the stock and goods not coming to hand, all being much wanted." [I may mention here that the captain, who was brought to such a bare position, was the Captain Hart whose after career in this colony was so successful, and who attained a leading political station, and acquired great wealth, whose sons are now carrying on the large export trade in the staff of life, as purchasers and exporters of wheat, which he established.] " In consequence of the difficulty in procuring land and the backwardness of the surveys, a plan was originated called the special survey system by which on ^4000 being lodged with the Colonial Treasurer, a block of 15,000 acres might be selected out of which 4000 acres might be chosen." "After Captain Hart had remained some time with us I entered into an agreement with him to go to Sydney and pur- chase on our account a schooner to trade between that place and Adelaide, and furnished him with funds for that purpose. Not very long after Mr. Jones arrived in Adelaide, and made a claim on me for the value of the lost cargo, stating they had purchased the goods as my agent. As no authority could be produced in writing, no action could lie against me ; but I agreed to an arbitration, and had to pay for the goods, but not the stock. Mr. Jones received about ^700 from me, but Captain Hart refused to receive his share, admitting that it was an unjust claim. My brother joined Captain Hart in Sydney, and they agreed for the purchase of about 800 head of cattle, to be delivered at Portland Bay. About half after their arrival were shipped from thence to Adelaide, but arrived in very bad condition. On the safe arrival of the remainder of our cattle, 400 in number, overland from Portland Bay, conducted by Captain Hart, who, taking Major Mitchell's track towards the River Murray, and then following the course down the same and the track to Mount Barker, arrived safe at the spot where the township now stands. We here formed a dairy station, and made arrangements with the Bank, by which we were able to purchase a special survey, of which we were to take 3000 acres, and a Cattle Company, of which I was a director, the balance, 1000 acres. We were, however, forestalled by a few hours by some speculators from Sydney, who obtained the Treasurer's receipt before my money was tendered. Having made our- selves very certain we should be unopposed, the disappointment was great. Life in SoiUli Australia. 249 " In this emergency we next applied for another survey- south of the Mount Barker block, which we obtained. It was afterwards called Echunga, and there we commenced to improve and fence. We soon had two dairies at work, with seventy cows milking in each — one at Echunga and one on a thousand acres we had taken up on the Little Para, part of a special sur- vey — and also established a cattle run at Yankalilla, for dry cattle and breeding. " In 1839 we built a house at Echunga on the survey, and laid out a garden of twelve acres, to furnish which I sent for a large invoice of trees, &c, from Hobart Town, and it soon be- came very flourishing and productive. I removed my family there in 1840, and to attend to the business in Adelaide rode in by 10 a.m., returned on the following evening, and remained out one day, and so continued to carry on with the country work and the town business. Experience has shown me that the difficulties in which I ultimately became involved had their rise in carrying out my desire to acquire a large landed property. Early in 1840 I had an apparent balance to the credit of profit and loss of ^"30,000, but by 1843 a ^ na d to be sacrificed. The special survey led the way, but the purchase of the land was only a small matter. A large sum was sunk in making the land acquired produce anything ; but these, in common with other heavy business losses, fell on us. Bank assistance was required — very readily granted while the colony flourished, but as sum- marily called in when the crisis came. I sold my Hindley- street property for ^4000, and raised ^1500 on the Echunga property, to pay off claims and in part overdrafts. At length, in 1843, the worst of the storm seemed past; the manager ex- pressed himself much gratified with the exertions I had made to reduce my liabilities with them, and I felt secure I should have the continued support of the Bank. Time was all that was required, but this luxury was not obtainable. Almost every merchant and trader in the community had to make arrange- ments with creditors or to become insolvent. A few days after the satisfactory interview with the manager of my Bank, I was aroused one morning by two men riding into the yard at Echunga, and on asking their business I was informed they were bailiffs come to take possession on behalf of the Bank. At the time there was only one director of the Bank, and an English friend of mine, representing a house in England with whom I hadhad large dealings, and who held a mortgage (as 250 Early Experiences of security for advances) on a portion of the Echunga land, was married to a sister of the Director, and it was determined to obtain my improved property. This could only be done by ray being compelled to insolvency, and this was carried out, and the whole of the Echunga estate passed for a small amount over the mortgage to my English friend and schoolfellow. Judge Cooper was sometimes a guest at Echunga, and little thought when he talked over with me the new insolvency law he was preparing that I should be one of its first victims.'"' So far " Pioneer." In a former chapter I have described my journey with my family over the hills to occupy three sections, which I was glad to take up in the first Mount Barker Special Survey. This was the survey out of which "Pioneer" was choused. Anxious to get into country pursuits in carrying out my original intentions, I lost no time in commencing work on the sections as soon as I got possession, and before I got rid of my town business. As I have described, I had been actively engaged like ' ; Pioneer " in introducing stock into the colony. A few months after I commenced in town, I Avas induced to enter into partnership with a gentleman who arrived from India, who had left the greater part of his capital there to follow him. Immediately before the crisis arrived I was anxious to withdraw from town business, and was advised by a Bank manager to hand over the partnership, stock, and liabilities to my partner ; this was done as suggested. Over 400 head of large cattle were assigned to the manager and a second party whom he named to cover partnership acceptances then current, for the last purchases of cattle made by the firm. Before this was carried out I paid all other partnership claims then due, and lifted one bill for a large amount. I also paid all my private accounts. I agreed to a very low valuation of the cattle, horses, drays, &c. (in a falling market), less than half the cost of the same, with an arrangement that I was to receive out of sales ,£800. On this matter being concluded a complimentary letter from the Bank manager was received by me. At the time this arrangement was made I was not aware that my partner had obtained large advances from the same Bank (in anticipation of the receipt of funds from India), which he had invested in land, &c, in the colony. He was a large share- holder in an Indian Bank which came to grief. Other heavy losses befell him, and his expected funds did not arrive, but the funds from the assigned partnership stock were taken to clear Life in S otith Australia. z b off his private debt to the Bank. Not long after I had assigned the stock I was surprised at my quiet home on a certain day, by the visit of a bailiff, and was served with writs for the unpaid partnership debts, and held in durance vile until the arrival from Sydney of the drawers of the bills, who immediately on landing discharged me entirely. The first insolvent law having been passed, my late partner became one of the first who had to pass through the court, and in his schedule I appeared as a creditor for the amount of ^"8oo, amount of my arranged claim, but I got no dividend, as the insolvent had shortly after again to declare himself. Not to go into minute details of further bitter " experiences " endured by me, I will only add that advantage at this time was attempted to be taken of my weakened state by a new arrival with whom I had been connected in business transactions, and by whom I would have suffered grievous wrong if I had not been favoured by the support of a strong friend, with whose aid I was enabled to force an arbitration, by which I obtained the greater part of my claims, but only on yielding up my com- fortable and well-arranged home ; and I had to turn out with a young family to commence again. The above three instances of " Early Experiences of Colonial Life " in South Australia (to which many might be added), are sufficient to prove that the early colonists are not to be blamed for the first crisis under which they suffered ruin. They did not voluntarily confine their operations to town pursuits, as has been represented by some of those who have furnished histories of pioneer work in the colony, and as Governor Grey also stated in his early despatches. It is only necessary, out of many instances, to give two cases in point to set at re.<:t the cruel and unfounded charges which have been lately made and published, that the ruinous losses the pioneers and others endured arose from their extra- vagance and want of care. First, Mr. B. G arrived from India with his family and a large retinue of Indian servants. He left the greater part of his capital to be realised on and to follow him. He purchased improved sections and a house near Adelaide and joined the Author, as before mentioned, as part- ner in a business to introduce stock, in the year 1839. Several herds of cattle passed through their hands with good profit, a cattle station was formed on Bull's Creek, on which overland cattle were fattened, and the city of Adelaide supplied with 252 Early Experiences of beef, and settlers with stock : several flocks of sheep also were received, chiefly from Tasmania ; these were disposed of (store sheep) at an average price of 38s. a head. Mr. B. G was anxious to begin a breeding sheep station, but the Author on the fact of the price of store-sheep in the older colonies being so low (3s. to 5s. a head) declined to join in the purchase of sheep at the price then ruling in this colony, and left his partner to invest on his own private account. So two flocks were trans- ferred to Mr. B. G at 38s. a head ; before the end of two years the crisis in this colony occurred, and the sheep with their increase were sold by the Government auctioneer, the late Bentham Neales, Esq., and realised 5s. a head only. The continued history of this flock is worth relating, as they had ultimately to be re-sold on the heavy losses of property which befell the purchaser. This gentleman, a retired sea captain, about the beginning of the crisis arrived with a mode- rate capital, which was to a considerable extent in the hands of an Adelaide merchant. He had purchased sections over the hills to the east of Adelaide, and placed the sheep on his property. Not many months afterwards, when acceptances became waste paper, and houses of business were closed on the repudiation by the Home Commissioners of the engage- ments of Governor Gawler, the writer while riding over the Mount Lofty Range, met the above flocks of sheep emerging from a cloud of dust, the owner himself (now Sir W. W. Hughes) on foot, assisting to drive the sheep to the same auc- tion mart in Adelaide, where the same auctioneer resold them at 2s. 6d. a head. Now these two gentlemen did not join the Colony as pioneer settlers, but as capitalists, to invest in an established Colony, of which they had heard such flattering accounts. It may be added of these two gentlemen that the first-named never recovered his position, although he strove hard ; but of the second, that he was afterwards favoured with a most prosperous career. He realised from his wreck of fortune sufficient to purchase a flock of sheep before a great rise took place, and went north with them, and in course of time took up runs on Yorke's Peninsula. On one of these runs, the rich copper mines, Moonta, Wallaroo, &c, of that district, were discovered by one of his shepherds ; mining companies were formed, in which he became a large shareholder ; leases were taken up, and he realised a princely fortune, and has since been honoured with knighthood by her Majesty. Sir W. W. Life in South Australia. 253 Hughes is now residing in England, and is one of the most munificent contributors to our public institutions and charities. So much for the vicissitudes of Colonial life. CHAPTER XII. Having related some of the occurrences during Captain Grey's government it should be mentioned that after he as- sumed the office of Governor of South Australia an Imperial Act was passed which repealed the two former Acts regulating the government of the colony, by which it had been constituted as a separate colony, independent of New South Wales, and its boundaries had been fixed. On the 15th July, 1842, this re- pealing Act was passed — introduced by Lord Stanley, then Colonial Secretary — entitled "An Act for the better govern- ment of South Australia." It abolished the London Board of Commissioners, and in the colony the office of Resident Com- missioner, and by the same Act provision was made for the appointment of a Legislative Council for the colony, to consist of the Governor for the time being and not less than seven other persons, to be nominated members by the Queen, or in such a manner as she might direct. This new Council (of advice, as it was merely) was first established in June, 1843, an d the selection of its members being left to the Governor, Captain Grey, he appointed Mr. Mundy (Colonial Secretary), Mr. Smillie (Advocate-General), Captain Sturt (Registrar-General), as official members, together with four gentlemen not holding Government appointments. The following gentlemen were first nominated, and from time to time changes took place, as they retired : Major O'Halloran, John Morphett, Esq., Jacob Hagen, Esq., Captain Charles Harvey Bagot. The repealed Act which constituted the colony had provided that local government should be conceded when its population reached the number of 50,000 souls. At this time the population of the colony fell far short of the number, thus the promised constitution was lost to the infant province, and under the depression, caused as it was by no deficiency of intrinsic value of the country itself or lack of spirit and energy in the pioneers, the increase of the population from without 254 Early Experiences of was still kept back by the continued want of action and sym- pathy on the part of the British Government, as the repeated pressing applications of Governor Grey on Lord Stanley for a resumption of emigration, and a restoration of the amount of ^84,697, which had been taken from the Land and Emigration Fund, and otherwise applied without reference to the contribu- tors, were totally disregarded. So the unfortunate first settlers, having suffered the loss of the greater part of their capital by Government repudiations, had afterwards to struggle on in country pursuits, after patiently waiting for their land, with a deficiency of working hands, and with the rate of wages at an unusually high figure. The first relief obtained came from the adjoining colonies, especially from Sydney. Succeeding the first beams of prosperity which arose from successful agricul- tural operations, the discovery of the mines soon followed, and aided materially in drawing population — people who joined us at their own expense, and at a time when we were denied them from the mother country, teeming then with populations existing on miserably low wages or as a burden on parochial funds. The large reduction which the Governor made in establish- ments and works, by cutting off two-thirds of Government expenditure, naturally caused an enormous depreciation in every description of property, and the labouring classes found it more and more difficult to obtain employment from impove- rished settlers. At the latter part of 1S41 the Governor had the enormous number of nearly two thousand men, women, and children, thrown upon his hands for support as absolute paupers. This state of things was taken advantage of by some few, who made much gain, not always to their credit. The lawyers, of course, reaped a rich harvest. " The grave question," says Forster, " was forced upon the Governor from whence to obtain the means to support two thousand British subjects, who must either starve or support themselves by rapine and pillage, which they threatened to do in very intelligible language." Captain Grey reduced the wages of the unemployed emi- grants to one shilling and twopence a day, without rations. Great discontent was, as a matter of course, created, and a popular outbreak was more than once anticipated, which the absence of military made serious. The Governor's income was then ^1000 per annum, and to his credit it is recorded Life in South Australia. 255 that in this crisis he contributed over ^400 towards charitable purposes. Mr. Dutton, in a note in his " History of South Australia," states "that in the year 1840 the immense sum of ^£2 7 7,000 sterling was sent out of the colony for the purchase of the necessaries of life." The only way open to the Governor to lower the cost of the police department was to reduce the number as well as pay of the officers and men in the force, and this was done although their work was greatly increased by the outbreak of the natives on the Murray, and through the destitution of the working classes. In reviving the occurrences of this period in our history after the flight of many years, and comparing the then state of the colony with our present position and prospects, and in re- calling the proposal which Captain Grey made in one of his gloomy despatches to Lord Stanley, to dispose of Government House as well as other Government properties to raise funds, in contrast to the favourable opinions so early expressed by Governor J ervois, on his first glance at the country, I can boldly say that history furnishes no parallel to our progress as an infant settlement. At this time our coast-line is the same in extent, and affords only a greater accommodation in the harbours, having been improved since 1841. Our River Murray, a grand natural canal, is without change, except as to the removal of snags. Our land is now, as it was then, unexceptionally the greatest in extent, and of quality equal to that possessed by any Australian community; and to crown all, in spite of much selfish and short-sighted policy on the part of some of our previous legislators, we have arrived at our present position from which to start onwards to attain a state of wealth and influence equal, if not superior, to any other Australian or British colony. I continue the history of the administration of Captain Grey by an extract from Dutton's history: "In November, 1841, Captain Grey heard from England that Colonel Gawler's bills were in course of payment by means of the parliamentary grant voted as a temporary assistance to the colony. On ascertaining this fact, looking at the justice of the still unsatisfied claims for which Colonel Gawler had not drawn bills, and determined to relieve the distress consequent on the non-payment of these claims, he drew upon the Lords of the Treasury for the amounts which were properly substantiated as due. Governor Grey's despatch announcing his having done so gave in full his 256 Early Experiences of motives for incurring responsibility which he was aware at the time had been the cause of his predecessor's recall." These bills of Captain Grey were also returned protested. The disastrous news did not reach the colony before the arrival of the Taglione, in October, 1842, but there was not a single despatch for the Governor on board announcing this fact distinctly. It was on the 24th December following that Governor Grey at length received Lord Stanley's despatch announcing the dishonour of his drafts in the preceding .May. "You have," said Lord Stanley, "now drawn bills on the Treasury in discharge of these claims, and the bills have been dishonoured, and will be returned to you chargeable with interest." Mr. Button continues : "Lord Stanley gave no good reason for refusing to pay those bills, beyond that they were drawn without special authority, but the reasons given in Lord Stanley's des- patch do not justify the course he pursued in refusing to place those few additional thousands of pounds on the same footing as Colonel Gawler's bills, as an attentive perusal of Governor Grey's despatch clearly shows that these claims were composed of precisely similar ones to those which the British Government had thought it incumbent on themselves to pay to support the credit of the Government." Mr. Dutton in a note comments on the remark made by Lord Stanley, " that the outstanding debts of Colonel Gawler were created under the full knowledge of the peremptory orders which Colonel Gawler had received not to draw any further," the fact being "a considerable portion of these claims were for contracts entered upon before the pro- hibition to draw had arrived, but were not due till after that period ; and a large sum was due on account of public buildings in the course of erection, the remainder being for absolute necessaries." Lord Stanley, to meet these dishonoured bills, ordered colonial debentures to be issued, to bear interest at five per cent. To parties in Lngland this may at first sight appear to have been a very satisfactory arrangement, but fresh light will appear on acquaintance with the working of the matter. " In the first place the colonists were kept waiting eighteen months before they got any settlement at all ; then they got the Governor's bills on the Lords of the Treasury, to get which cashed they had to pay the banks live per cent, discount. The bills were sent to England and refused acceptance ; then the lawyers got hold of them. In addition to noting protest there Life in South Australia. 257 was a charge of twenty per cent., also charge for re-exchange. Lawyers in the colony were then ordered to call for an early reimbursement from the unfortunate endorsers, which they could not make except by handing over the debentures bearing five per cent, interest, whilst the Bank interest was from ten to twelve. A child might guess the consequences to nine out of ten of the holders of these bills. Half the amount of the bills gone in expenses, and a final settlement gained after an adver- tisement of the properties of A., B. or C. for peremptory sale." Then properties were mopped up by Bank manager or some of his friends and partners. The new Governor was forced by his instructions to stop public works, except so far as was necessary to complete them to prevent early dilapidation, for which purpose he obtained a temporary loan from the Government of New South Wales of ^3,000. The next downward movement was the stoppage of works of a private nature; the colonists holding large amounts of dishonoured Government bills as well as unsettled Govern- ment accounts, as I have stated, for works done and goods supplied, were made bankrupts; thus a large number of labourers fell upon the Governor for work or food. Necessities more compulsory than his stringent instructions, which he had arrived to carry out, were thus created. A number of over 700 immigrants, most of them good working men, were, under compulsion at first, furnished with work at wages reduced to the lowest point at which they were able to subsist, and were marched out daily under inspectors, the majority employed at road-making on a " Government stroke." In this crisis Captain Grey applied for power and instructions to sell such of the Government properties as might conveniently be disposed of, but he found such a step impossible, as not a fourth part of the value could be obtained for anything offered for sale. He applied to the Bank of South Australia, and was offered ^10,000 at twelve percent, on his personal security! But as such a sum would have been immediately absorbed by liabilities already incurred, and would leave nothing for the legitimate expenses of his own administration, he had ultimately to adopt the same course which led to Colonel Gawler's recall. He drew bills on the Lords of the Treasury, which were also returned dishonoured. After many months of severe suffering for the colonists, and trials and responsibilities for the Governor of no ordinary character, the necessary advances were made s 258 Early Experiences of by the Imperial Government, and from the time of that assistance, too long delayed, the Colony has continued to rise in importance and wealth. With the appointment of Captain Grey as Governor, the management of the colony was taken out of the hands of the Commissioners in London, and we were passed over to the tender mercies of Lord Stanley. The change in Her Majesty's Ministers at the time of the colonial crisis was no doubt an additional agent in prolonging our difficulties. I think it will be fair in this place to quote from Governor Grey's despatch, of the 31st December, 1842, to Lord Stanley, as being a most unfair comment on the action of his predecessor, and an unjust charge against the then small number of colonists It is the following : — ■ " The great majority of the community were interested in the maintenance of the lavish Government expenditure. During the twelve months preceding my arrival about ^150,000 had been procured by drawing bills, which were ultimately paid by the British Treasury, and had been distributed in the form of salaries, allowances, and lucrative contracts amongst a population of 14,061 people, who only contributed ^£30,000 towards their own support ; that is, the British Treasury paid annually to every man, woman, and child in South Australia, upwards of ^"io a head." Could anything be more monstrous or unjust than to charge the then small population of the young colony with the whole amount of the sum named, which had been principally expended on the substantial public buildings erected, or in course of erection, and which so soon proved to be insufficient in size to afford accommodation in which to carry on the Government business of the rising colony. Such statements in a despatch to one of the Secretaries of State may cause surprise, but are quite consistent with the remark Captain Grey was, at the time of his arrival, charged with making, that he was prepared to let Government House as a store. In justice to Captain Grey, an extract from a despatch to him from Lord Stanley, of December 24, 1842, must be given, on the liberty he had taken to pay claims. " The justification which you have urged for the course taken by you is in substance this — that you understand that all the bills drawn by your predecessor were to be accepted at length and paid, and that the claims, in satisfaction of which you were about to draw those bills, were similar to those on account of Life in South Australia. 259 which Governor Gawler drew his bills. It is true that, in order to sustain the credit of the Colonial Government, the Home Government ultimately consented to provide for the payment of all Colonel Gawler's bills ; you were warned not to draw any bills without having previously received authority to do so." Astonishment may well be felt and expressed on the extraordinary obtuseness of Lord Stanley in not perceiving that the question was not merely as to Colonel Gawler exceeding his instructions as to drawing bills, but whether the claims were just, and if the liabilities had been incurred principally in erecting necessary public buildings. However, the severe and unfair censure which Captain Grey received must be accepted as an apology for his strict adherence to orders in other cases, although such a course might withhold justice from struggling colonists. On October 25, 1845, Captain Grey vacated his office as Governor of this colony. Before the expiration of the usual period of gubernatorial exchanges he was hastily ordered by the Imperial authorities to assume the office of Governor of New Zealand, in consequence of the serious outbreak of the Maories in that dependency. These tribes, as they proved in this contest, were of a higher type than any aboriginal inhabi- tants Europeans have attempted to subdue in any part of the world during the last three centuries, and were not to be over- powered or treated as the miserable Australian natives might be ; nor were they to be deprived of their land without com- pensation with impunity. Captain Grey found the task which had been assigned to. him a most onerous and responsible one, as a war had been drifted into between the British and the Maories — one of the little wars from which it is said England is never free. In this instance the Governor, who was an educated soldier, found these natives worthy to cross weapons with the veterans whom he had to send against them, and that they were hard to beat in their wild country and behind their stockades. At the time Captain Grey left his seat of government he had witnessed the commencement of renewed and sound prosperity brought about by the indomitable perseverance of the settlers. When called on, the earth had given forth her increase in food for flocks yielding wool for export, and for the sustenance of increasing herds of cattle ; also from her bowels had com- menced to come yields of silver, lead, and copper ores for 260 Early Experiences of export. The colony commenced its career as an exporting community, and has continued in such a course until it has attained in exports the highest average per head of its inhabi- tants of any community in the world. During Captain Grey's residence here it was not possible for him to become a popular Governor, as his stringent instruc- tions from the Colonial Office had a most crushing effect on the community, and they were carried out by him with firmness and determination. The Governor also stiuck upon another rock — taxation ; one that Governments frequently meet with, even in countries where representation precedes taxation, but in this case there was not even the semblance of representa- tion. The power of the Governor was unchecked by any in- fluence but such as resided in Downing-street, and no sym- pathy existed in the person of the Colonial Secretary of State when that post was filled by Lord Stanley. On the intention of the Governor of imposing heavy and exorbitant port dues becoming publicly known, a public meet- ing was held, and a deputation waited on him, composed of a body of influential gentlemen, who respectfully remonstrated against the proposed measure, urging, as the subjects of Her Majesty residing in the colony of South Australia, that they had no voice through any form of representation, and they entered their protests on behalf of the inhabitants at large against the proposed impost. The reply he gave them, as reported in the papers of the day, was that he would enact taxation before any kind of re- presentation was granted. The deputation left his presence with their feelings con- siderably ruffled, and great indignation spread throughout the province, but the inhabitants on this, as well as on all occa- sions since the foundation of the colony, acted with such restraint as becomes good subjects, and in a short time he withdrew the obnoxious tax. The following short statement will serve to show the condition of the colony in the year 1843 : Over 325,000 acres of land had been alienated from the Crown, of which 28,690 acres were under cultivation ; the population of city and country districts was about 17,366; the live-stock numbered about 331,000 sheep, 1,566 horses, and 29,000 head of cattle. The estimated rental of town property for assessment was ^£50,000. A sav- ings bank had been established. The population was too Life in South Australia. 261 limited for any extensive undertakings, and other circum- stances prevented any rapid accumulation of wealth for the time. The cost of living was, however, very moderate ; beef and mutton were procurable at 2d. to 3d. per pound, and the best flour under ^ioa ton. CHAPTER XIII. On the 25th October, 1845, Lieutenant-Colonel F. Holt Robe, C.B., entered upon his duties as Governor of the colony. During the short time he filled that office he did not appear to realise his true position, or to feel any necessity to be in accord with the people over whom he was placed as Governor. His first unpopular action was to carry a measure to grant aid to religious communions, and to grant land for churches, chapels, and glebes. This Act was passed by the Council constituted as explained in the previous chapter, and gave great offence to the majority of dissenters, and naturally to those who belonged to no religious communion — the first class of people conscientiously objecting to all State aid to religion ; the latter objecting to be taxed for a cause in which they took no in- terest. A memorial numerously signed and supported was presented to the Governor. He received the deputation in a curt manner, and merely replied, " I have no remarks to make, gentlemen," and so dismissed them. A royalty-tax on minerals came next. The Act enforcing this was also passed without any regard to the respectful and urgent protests from the colonists at large. This policy was unjust to those who had purchased land, was bad as affecting further sales of land, and as checking the introduction of capital and emigrants. It is scarcely necessary to say that, as to the grant in aid, those dissenting bodies who opposed it did not avail themselves of it. The Churches of England and Rome, with some of the outside congregations, did receive their share of the grant for the short time it was obtainable. The Governor, with his military training, could not approve of the Black Forest, which, in his time, extended from South 262 Early Experiences of Terrace in an unbroken cover, almost to the sea-shore at Hold- fast Bay, and, indeed, extended into the city itself. This, in case of an invasion from the Gulf, was a most dangerous cover to leave standing. To avoid such a calamity, or for some other conside- ration, this military guardian decided to have the South Park Lands cleared. A notice was therefore published calling for tenders to grub all timber and stumps. One offer was made to do the work, to be entitled to all the timber, and to receive the sum of ^"Soo. This offer was accepted, the late Mr. Mellor, if I remember right, being the contractor. Now a business man will probably ask the question, " What would be the value of the trees and stumps ? " It may be added that a portion of the Black Forest is still standing on the sections belonging to the Messrs. W. and C. Everard, though somewhat thinned. Mining activity had at this time commenced, as shown by the fact that in the year 1847 the value of ores exported exceeded the value of wool exports, and so from that time was regarded as a leading export. This advance was made although the Act imposing a royalty on minerals was in force. On September 22nd, 1847, tne Savings Bank Act was passed, and on the 5th November the first over-sea steamer arrived. The Right Rev. Augustus Short, D.D., of Christ Church, Oxford, was consecrated Lord Bishop of Adelaide in 1847, and arrived in the colony in the month of December in the same year. He was warmly received by members of his own flock, and by colonists of other denominations. Bishop Short held his appointment from the Crown under letters patent. On his arrival Church matters were in a very primitive state. Dr. Short was received as any other priest of his Church would be, without pomp or ceremony. Fortunately for his people, he was endowed with just the faculties and habits re- quired in the work he had to perform, viz., to build up the Church in matters material, and to arrange all things in an independent form, separate from the State. His first great work was to prepare the constitution of the synod, a work he com- pleted well. With the aid of Captain Allen and other liberal men, Dr. Short purchased the fine block of land (52 acres) — most judiciously chosen — adjoining the city, on which to erect St. Peter's College, with a capacious residence for the head master, and accommodation for fifty boarders. A chapel was also built, and school-rooms and every requirement, all of first Life in South Australia. 263 class order. The Rev. J. P. Wilson, M. A. Oxon., was appointed head master in January, 1848, and was succeeded, on his resig- nation, by the Rev. G. H. Farr, M.A., Pembroke College, Cambridge, aided by a full staff of under-masters and a bursar. The institution was under the control of fourteen governors ; the Bishop of the Diocese being ex-officio a Governor and Visitor. The Rev. G. H. Farr held the appointment of head- master for many years, and during his term of office St. Peter's College attained a high position. Several scholars have gained respectable positions in the Universities of the mother country. Two gentlemen in the present ministry were educated at St. Peter's College, viz., the Hon. J. C. Bray, M.P., Chief Secretary, and the Hon. J. W. Downer, M.P., Attorney-General. Charles Mann, Esq., Crown Solicitor, who held the office of Treasurer in a previous ministry, was also educated at St. Peter's. The number of scholars now attending is 150, of whom fifty are boarders. The playgrounds are extensive, and there is also a capacious building used as a gymnasium. The school was opened to receive scholars in February, 1847. The total cost of St. Peter's College, including the chapel, was ^29,814 14s. \d. The foundation-stone was laid on March 24th, 1849, and it was incorporated in the same year. The Rev. F. Williams, M.A., Lincoln College, Oxford, is the present Head Master; Second Master (open); Third Master and Bursar, Rev. J. C. Haynes. The following scholarships and exhibitions are attached to the school : — The Westminster Scholarship, value ^io per annum, tenable for two years ; the Christchurch Scholarship, value ^10 per annum, tenable for two years ; the Allen Scholarship, value ^10 per annum, tenable for two years; the Short Scholarship, value £ 10 per annum, tenable for two years; the Prankerd Scholarship, value ^10, awarded annually for modern languages ; the Bowman Scholarship, value ^10, awarded annually for physical science; the Wyatt Scholarship, value ^10, awarded annually for natural science; the May Scholarship, value ,£10, awarded annually for physical science; the Young Exhibition, value ^"10, awarded annually for mathematics ; the Vansittart Scholarship, value ^"50 per annum, tenable for three years, to board and educate a boy from the Mount Gambier District ; the Farrell Scholarships (4), value ,£50 each per annum, tenable for three years ; two of these are limited to sons of clergymen of the Church of Eng- land, the other two are open. Candidates for any scholarship 264 Early Experiences of must take first or second class honours at the examination then proceeding. Smith History Prize. — E. T. Smith, Esq., M.P., offers an annual prize, value £% in books, for examina- tion in a historical subject to be studied out of school hours. The following donations, from ,£100 and upwards, were received : — William Allen, ,£7,084 4s. yd. ; Society for Pro- moting Christian Knowledge, ,£2,500 ; John Ellis, ^1,222 10s. ; Lord Bishop of Adelaide, £17 S ; ditto from Diocesan Funds, ^£302 15s. id. ; the late M. Featherstonhaugh, ^200; F. H. Dutton, ^135 ; Price Maurice, £100 ; the Hon. G. F. Angas, ^£200; University of Oxford, ,£150; Joseph Gilbert, ^100 ; John Grainger, ^"ioo; J. B. Hughes, ^125 ; Philip Butler, ^"ioo; sundry subscriptions from othercolonists,;£i,299 8s. id. ; total, £ 1 3, 5 93 17 s. gd. Under the auspices of Dr. Short, St. Barnabas Ecclesiastical College has also been built. In North Adelaide was also erected a residence or palace for the Bishop. All these build- ings are monuments of what energy the late Bishop displayed in the building up of a Colonial Church without State aid. It must also be understood that during that period, in addi- tion to the usual hard struggles attending the opening years of a new colony, the ruin of the pioneers had been accomplished. The real condition of the colonists being thus understood, the enduring and extensive works accomplished by Bishop Short will be properly estimated. Dr. Short continued his active services as Bishop during thirty-six years. On his arrival there were only five or six churches, six ordained clergymen, and three or four Sunday school-rooms ; now, upwards of fifty priests, with churches and Sunday school-houses and commodious parsonages. Before the first Bishop of Adelaide resigned his office, he had raised an amount sufficient to erect the present portion of the beautiful cathedral at a cost of ^20,000, the amount required for com- pletion being ;£ 14,000. The foundation stone of the Cathedral of St. Peter was laid on June 29th, 1869, by Sir James Fergusson. The opening of divine services was in 1S77, and it was consecrated on the 1 st of January, 187S. The cathedral is vested in Dr. Short as trustee during his life, and after his death in the synod upon certain trusts. Constitution of Chapter : — The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop, the Very Rev. the Dean of Adelaide, three Arch- deacons ; Vicar-Choral, the Rev. Canon Dendy, D.D. Life in South Australia. 26] BOOK III. CHAPTER I. I now return to narrate a continuation of the painful experi- ences of our early days connected with our contact with the convict element from the older colonies. First I give the career of the cattle-stealers of the Black Forest. The settlers had for some time missed cattle, of which no traces could be found. Many complaints reaching the Govern- ment, Sergeant-Major Alford and another officer were instructed to go out disguised as bushmen and scour the country. After searching the gullies to some distance north of Adelaide, and south as far as the Sturt River, Sergeant-Major Alford, by him- self, made a search of the plains south-west of Adelaide. In passing Ashford he saw the late Dr. Everard, and on asking him if he had seen any suspicious-looking people at any time passing with cattle, the doctor replied that he had seen cattle driven down the Forest track, and pointed to it. On this Mr. Alford proceeded in that direction. Although the sergeant- major had not received any leading information from the doctor, he thought it well to make a search, intending, if he found any traces of cattle-slaughtering going on, to return early in the morn- ing, when the cattle stealers might be at work, and when, with a sufficient force, the whole of them might be caught. He pro- ceeded down a slight track, and after going about a mile and a half, came to a fallen tree across the track, of which he took particular notice, and here he made a turn to the north, intend- ing to make a circular course. After creeping through the thick bush for a mile or so, he heard a dog bark, and then took a direction towards the sound, and soon saw through the thick bush and trees a stockyard and cattle, and men. He then immediately turned away to avoid being seen from the yard, and kept on at a good pace. On clearing the trees he perceived that he was followed and watched by a man on horseback. Without appearing to notice him, Alford kept dodging about as if in search of cattle, and when he saw the 266 Early Experiences of coast clear, set off at full speed to the barracks, where he re- ported himself to Inspector Tolmer, and proposed to go again with one man to lie in wait till daylight, when the suspected persons might be seen at work, and if cattle-slaughtering was going on then to return and obtain a sufficient force to surround the place and capture the lot in the commission of their crime. Having procured a fresh horse, he started from the barracks late at night accompanied by Sergeant N . They crept down the trodden path and passed the fallen tree, continuing on the track, but not intending to approach too near the yard. The sergeant-major's horse neighed, which was answered by another horse close at hand tied to a tree. It was a starlight night, and on looking about they perceived a pair of bullocks in yoke also fastened to a tree, and near them a dray, with casks and a bag of salt in it. They now saw three or four men in a yard, who appeared to be busy at work — they could hear the noise of steeling the knives. They had unintentionally ap- proached too near to hope to retire without giving an alarm, and then the game would be lost. Mr. Alford decided there was nothing for it but to make a rush in order to effect a capture. He therefore whispered to his comrade that he would quietly dismount and creep to the fence, and on his rushing over, his mate was to gallop round to the opposite side. Accordingly he made the rush, calling out, "Men, surround the yard ; shoot down any escaping. Surrender yourselves prisoners or you are dead men ! " He caught one before he could clear the stockyard fence, and told him he would blow his brains out if he did not quietly surrender. Not expecting to find the work begun till early morning, they had only gone out as scouts, and had each one small pistol. Alford's man sur- rendered quietly before the yard could be surrounded by one man, as the Irish soldier did his prisoners. When Alford made his capture, the other three cattle stealers had cleared the fence and bolted. Sergeant N followed one, whom he recognised as Dick Fenton ; but the timber, standing and fallen, gave a chance to the fugitive, who, after being chased some distance, was lost sight of. Our sergeant-major now went to work single-handed with his prisoner, who was the owner of the bullocks and dray, and promised him, if he continued to behave well and give him information, he should have favour shown him ; he was first asked, " How many beasts have been killed this time ? " The Life in South Australia. 267 answer was, " Four; three cut up, lying on the tarpaulins — one not finished dressing." " Have the brands been cut off the skins ? " " No." " Then roll them up and pass them through the fence." This done, he was ordered out of the yard. The horse, belonging to one of the firm, was then tied behind the dray, all ready for a start to the barracks. It would appear that the employment on Sunday had been to salt beef for a shipping order. The sergeant-major having mounted, ordered a start, closely guarding the prisoner, who was driving the bullocks ; he, however, tried a dodge before the forest was cleared, by endeavouring to pass down a wrong track leading south, which was no sooner discovered than the pistol was at his ear, with orders to turn. On the party nearing Dr. Everard's residence, Sergeant N was met on his return, and the party arrived safely at the barracks. But their duty was not com- pleted. Losing no time, before daylight they visited a grog shanty on South Terrace, which, they had been told, was the resort of Gofton, whom they knew to be one of the three who had escaped from the yard. Arrived at the place, one went at the front and the other behind the hut. On a summons being given to open the door, the wife of Brodrip, the proprietor, answered, and declined to give admission. After being told that they were policemen, and asked where her husband was, she said at Thebarton, where he had gone to a party. She still refusing to open the front door, it was burst open. On a light being produced, Gofton, the man they were seek- ing, was found lying on a couch in the tap-room. On being called to sit up, he was asked what he had been at. He said he had been having a spree. " Yes," said the sergeant-major, " I see you have ; your moleskins are bloody, so are your shirt-sleeves, and you are without your coat ; so get up, you are my prisoner ; hold out your hands." The snaps of the hand- cuffs soon sounded. It should be here mentioned that a coat well known to the police as Gofton's, of a peculiar check, was found hanging on the stockyard fence, and was brought away with the skins. Gofton was also taken to the barracks, and thus two out of the four were secured. Dick Fenton was immediately sought after, but he escaped on board ship, assisted, it was said, by an Adelaide publican. As to the fourth man suspected, viz., Stagg, neither of the officers was able to swear to him, and so he was not had up on this charge. Dick Fenton had come overland with Mr. Huon ; though of the prison class, he was a trusted 268 Early Experiences of servant of Mr. Huon, and had been placed by him in charge of a preliminary section on the Torrens, which I had sold to his employer, and towards which he had run when escap- ing from the sergeant. Of course Fenton knew my cattle well, some of which then ran about the Sturt, that is, such as were brought in for sale to the butchers. I had from time to time been losing cattle, which at the time I supposed had strayed, but of which no trace had ever been found, as the skins were, as a rule, destroyed when the cattle were slaughtered by such parties. As Stagg could not be brought up on the cattle stealing charge, there was an inquiry set on foot as to a horse which he was in the habit of riding. Our sergeant-major, pushing his inquiries, found that the South Australian Com- pany had some time previous to this lost a horse somewhat answering to the description of this one, which had escaped immediately on being landed. On this Alford applied for a warrant to arrest Stagg, and waited upon him at a public-house kept by old Anthony Best (who had joined us from Tasmania), where Stagg was known to lodge. Stagg was found at home with other company of the same class. After conversation on various subjects, Mr. Alford said, " Oh, Stagg, our inspector, Mr. Tolmer, wishes you to call on him — you may as well walk down with me." This message not suiting Mr. Stagg, he declined (smelling a rat), and ordered the landlord to bring round his horse. On the landlord doing this, our officer declared the horse to be a stolen one, and charged Best to take him back to the stable and hold him for the Government. Addressing Stagg, he said, " You are my prisoner on the charge of horse-stealing ; and now you must go." On this Stagg drew from his pocket with his right hand a pistol, and also one with his left hand, but before he could cock either of them, as he turned partly round to leave the house, Mr. Alford sprang on his back with his arms round his neck, and after a struggle both came to the ground, and the pistols dropped from Stagg's grasp. The struggle, up and down, lasted for sometime. Stagg was much the stronger and heavier man, but he failed to shake off his capturer, who hung on like grim death until assistance came, for the spectators at the commencement of the fray rendered no help to the officer. On the arrival of additional policemen Stagg was escorted to the barracks of the horse police, where the horse was also taken. The horse was claimed by the manager of the com- Life in South Australia. 269 pany, and Stagg was brought before the police court on the charge of stealing it. As there was some doubt about the identity of the animal, Stagg was released on bail after being committed for trial to the Supreme Court. Before Gofton could be brought to trial on the charge of cattle-stealing, he managed to escape from custody by jumping over the fence around the temporary gaol (made of palings), the guards placed at the corners of the yard with loaded car- bines failing to fire at him. A fast horse, which I may mention I had some time before sold to a man who was afterwards believed to be one of the gang, was tied to a tree between the gaol and the river bank, and was mounted by Gofton, who thus managed to escape. The country was scoured day after day, and Gofton's haunts visited, from which he continued to move until he was traced to the neighbourhood of the North Arm of Port Adelaide. A considerable number of the mounted police under Inspector Tolmer were out patrolling between Port Gawler and the Dry Creek Junction, and about the North Arm of the port. A black tracker was also with the party. Stagg, on the same horse on which Gofton had escaped, had been seen on several occasions riding between Hindmarsh and Dry Creek before the police had been placed on patrol, but had then to cease his visits in taking supplies of food to his partner in crime ; thus Gofton was left to starve. After being brought to a great strait he ven- tured out, and visited a small dairy station towards the hills belonging to a Mrs. Robertson, to whom he applied for a drink of milk and some bread, and had a quart handed to him, which he took off at one drain, and tendered a sovereign in payment. The woman was much surprised at his actions, and information soon reached the police, when Inspector Tolmer, with the black tracker and Sergeant-Major Alford in close attendance, the bulk of the police also following, were led by the black guide to a salt-water creek connected with the North Arm, to which the black had worked the tracks. He led towards the main or Port Creek. Inspector Tolmer and the sergeant- major were on one side of a back water creek, the tracker was on the other side and somewhat ahead, as the two officers had lost ground in crossing. After a time they observed their skilful assistant beckoning to them rather frantically, on which they hastened along, and on getting opposite the black, to their horror he raised a dead body so as to exhibit the shoulders 270 Early Experiences of and bloody head. The officers waded up to their waists through the muddy creek, and found the body to be that of Gofton, who had been shot through the head, the ball entering below the jaw and passing out of the back of the skull. After he was killed he had been dragged by the tails of his overcoat until it had been stripped from the body by the sleeves turning inside out ; the coat had been thrown into the creek, and the body rolled over the bank to the mangroves. In the pocket of the coat a newspaper was found in which was an account of the charge laid against Stagg for horse-stealing. This paper was secured by the inspector ; a piece had been torn from it. On the person of the murdered man was found some money and a strip of silk pocket-handkerchief — trifles as they might be considered by a non-professional, but which with other clues proved sufficient to convict Stagg of the murder of his partner. Inspector Tolmer on his return to town detached Constable Lomas with a warrant to arrest Stagg, who was accordingly taken. The body of Gofton was removed to town and an inquest held, at which Stagg was produced and as usual cautioned. The evidence given was deemed sufficient to commit Stagg for trial, as guilty of the murder. Gofton had for some days lived in a wurley, which was discovered about a quarter of a mile from where the body was found. From thence he hoped to escape by being taken off to a departing ship by a boat. Money it was ascertained had been collected by Stagg from some of the persons who purchased beef from the cattle-stealing gang, to be used for his passage and for the expenses of getting him off; and it was supposed when the chances of success vanished his confederates thought it safer to put him out of the way lest he should split on them, as they say, and they could stick to the money, of which, from information that was afterwards gained, there was a good amount, but this never appeared in evidence. The action of Stagg in taking the life of his friend forms one of the most humiliating pictures of human nature, showing to what depths of iniquity a career of vice may lead, and how one crime leads on to more. Having brought the history of the first gang of cattle-stealers to the death of Gofton, by the hand of his partner Stagg, before I proceed to give an account of the trial and execution of the latter, I will relate so much of his previous career as Life in South Australia. 271 came to my knowledge at the time. He was known to have been transported to Tasmania, according to his own account, for sheep-stealing. A large proportion of the ex-prisoners in giving an early account of themselves claimed either to have been transported for poaching or sheep-stealing, crimes which they seemed to consider quite venial ; and this brings to my remembrance an incident which I met with on my way to London to embark for this colony, which proved that so long as sheep-stealing was punished with transportation, it was sometimes adopted as a means to get a free passage to Australia. On the occasion I have alluded to I called on a friend — a gentleman-farmer in Bedfordshire — to bid him farewell, when he surprised me by saying, " Well, you must be going to a wonderful fine country ; for a man of this parish, who some time ago returned from New South Wales as an expiree, and who brought some money with him, having spent his money, got tired of working at English wages, and so took it into his head to steal a sheep, and was convicted ; but the Government did not indulge him with a second free passage, but sent him to a domestic penal establishment for the term of his sentence." I give this as one of several instances I met with before I left the old country of individuals committing crimes to obtain transportation, and now proceed with the history and the end of Stagg. I knew him as a stockkeeper, frequently remaining in my neighbourhood, and as doing good work for his em- ployers. He then appeared to me as a quiet and civil man, and a fine specimen of a rough, open-hearted Englishman of a Saxon type, ready to oblige anybody. I have to thank Mr. Alford for many of the following par- ticulars, as the report of Stagg's trial given in the Register is very brief, but of that I also take advantage. The ball had entered near the victim's ear, and passed out at the back of his skull. He was found with his arms extended. On his person was found a bag containing twelve sovereigns and three half-sovereigns. In the neighbourhood of the body were footmarks of two persons — some Gofton's, and others those of a man who in walking turned his toes out in an unusual manner. The body had the appearance of having been dead about twenty-four hours. The Inspector stated he had observed that Stagg in walking turned out his feet -'/- Early Experiences of as in the marks left by the man who had been with Gofton at the time of his death, and that about one hundred and fifty yards from the body such tracks led to a tree nearer the wurley where a horse had been tied, and where the rider had previously dis- mounted. Sergeant Dean was subsequently sent out from town with boots found in Stagg's house, and compared them with the footprints near the body, which showed the peculiar manner of walking of the wearer as a splay-footed man, and as treading on one side of each foot. He also compared the boots with the marks seen near the wurley, and found there also an exact correspondence. He also identified a strip — part of a pocket- handkerchief — found near the body, which had been torn from a handkerchief found tied on a bag left by Stagg at the house of Peter Rhodes, at Hindmarsh. Peter Rhodes at the trial stated that Stagg came to his house on the Saturday before the body of Gofton was found, and took some bottles of water. He had a gun with him, and asked for a razor. He left and rode from the house towards Port Gawler. He was riding a horse belonging to Tom Oakley (the horse on which Gofton rode when he escaped from gaol). He was at his house again the next day (Sunday). He told him he had left two guns, and would call for them in a day or two. George Henry, servant to Rhodes, saw Stagg on Saturday. The next day he left a bag, in which he said there were two guns, which was after- wards given to the police. Inspector Litchfield said the bag with the guns was brought to the police-station on the 31st. One end of the bag was tied with a handkerchief; the other end tied with a part of a handkerchief. The barrels were dismounted from the stocks. He examined them, and found one loaded and the other empty. E. Strike, gunsmith, said he knew Gofton and Stagg. They were often together. He was shown the guns found in the bag. One belonged to Stagg ; the other had been Dick Fenton's. T. Oakley said he lent Stagg a horse on the Saturday before the body was found, which he returned on Sunday. Further evidence showed that on the charge in the loaded barrel being withdrawn, two bullets were found wrapped in a piece of newspaper, which was proved to have been torn from a Register of the same date as the paper found in Gofton's pocket, from which a part had been torn. Thomas Bray, bootmaker, identified the boots said to have been worn by Stagg on the Sunday as the pair he Life in South Australia. 273 wore on the Monday morning after the body was found, at which time Stagg bought from him a new pair of boots. Witnesses were called for the defence, endeavouring to prove an alibi, but failed. The jury having retired for a short time, returned and gave a verdict of guilty. Judge Cooper was much affected in passing sentence of death, this being the first occasion on which he had performed that painful duty. Stagg was hung at the new gaol, November 18, 1840, being the first criminal who was executed and buried there. He met his death with quiet firmness, but made no confession. I have given all the material evidence which was produced at the trial, as necessary to precede what I have to relate of Lomas's trumped-up romance, which he some years afterwards volunteered against himself as the murderer, which I propose to give in this chapter, although it took place long after Stagg had been executed for the crime. At the time the sentence was carried out on Stagg, many persons thought there were great reasons to doubt the justice of the sentence, and even the editorial remarks supported such opinions. I had an interview with Stagg after sentence was passed on him, and before he was locked up, which then caused me some un- easiness ; but a number of circumstances which have since ■come to my knowledge have removed from my mind any doubts on the subject. One suggestion I heard was that Gofton took his own life. Now the gun which had been fired was Stagg's, and the one which Gofton may have had with him was brought in by Stagg, and was the one in which the bullets were found, wrapped in a piece of newspaper, as stated. If, as had been suggested, Stagg had found his friend dead by his own hand, he would hardly have been so foolhardy as to have taken away the gun. As to the few words he was allowed to have with me, they were as follows, as near as I can remem- ber : " I am quite content to die, but as an innocent man as to this crime. Do you believe, sir, I would have assisted him to escape, have ridden miles to have given him food, and money to pay his passage, and every way to help him, and after all to murder him ? I am content to die. I have led a bad life, and confess to you I have previously committed ■crimes deserving death. I do not desire to live to continue a bad life. I hope you believe me. I would sooner have died in defending Joe, if it had been necessary. I have been a violent bad man, but I could not kill a friend." He requested T 274 Early Experiences of to see me again before he was executed, but as he was in the hands of a minister of religion, I felt it better not to do so. Private Lomas remained in the police force some time before he obtained his discharge, on the plea that he had by the death of a relative come into some property in England. He was a married man and left his wife behind him. He was not again heard of for some years, and after a time his wife consoled herself by marrying a second husband. Many years after he left this colony the Governor received a despatch from the Secretary of State, giving the extraordinary information that a man of the name of Lomas had confessed that he murdered a man of the name of Gofton, in South Australia. At this time he was confined in a madhouse, but as he had given the information in a most clear and circum- stantial manner, notice was taken of it, and our Governor was directed to make inquiries into the matter. This official communication naturally caused much excitement here. The confession was mixed up with many circumstances which had occurred, and described that on the Sunday evening, the day of the murder, he had been sent by Sergeant-Major Alford from the Little Para to the police camp at Port Gawler for rations ; that on his way he met the man Gofton, and shot him. The Governor, as a matter of course, ordered a full inquiry to be made. Judge Crawford had some time before the arrival of this despatch been appointed second Judge, and he was called on by the Governor to conduct the inquiry. After taking the evidence of Inspector Tolmer and other witnesses, he started out, accompanied by Mr. Alford — at this time Inspector of Police — to the place where the tragedy was enacted. He was taken over the whole of the ground where Gofton had been in hiding, and from thence to the place where his body was discovered. Judge Crawford was informed by Inspector Alford that Lomas's statement as to being sent on the Sunday evening for rations was correct, and he showed Mr. Crawford where Lomas started from, and how far along the track he watched him ; and was taken to the place indicated by Lomas, where he said he met Gofton and shot him. They then measured the distance from that spot direct to the place where the body was found, crossing several small salt-water creeks, and found the distance over three-quarters of a mile, thus proving that it was not possible for him to have conveyed the dead man to the place where the body was found. It was further manifest that Life in South Australia. 275 the Inspector or one of the men must have heard the shot if it had been fired so near the encampment. Judge Crawford, from his careful examination of the ground, and of the evi- dence of the police who were on duty at the time, as well as of the other evidence given at the trial of Stagg, pronounced his opinion that there was not a doubt on his mind but that the confession of Lomas was a gross fabrication, and reported accordingly. A most inexplicable circumstance in the action of Lomas is that of his returning to South Australia after charging himself with such a crime. Information some time after this reached the colony, that Lomas, although he did not succeed in getting out of the mad- house by obtaining a free passage to our colony as a prisoner on a charge of murder, did manage to escape from the asylum in which he was confined, and made straight off to the property he had unsuccessfully claimed, and set fire to the premises. He had been placed in the madhouse on the complaint of the persons whose property he claimed on his arrival in England, and who declined to accept him as heir-at-law. His conduct at that time had been sufficiently wild and eccentric to gain an order for his incarceration. He was tried for arson, and was sentenced to transportation to Western Australia, where, after serving his time, or obtaining a remission, he managed to make his appearance in South Australia, where he found his wife comfortably settled, and she, as may be supposed, declined his protection. He was brought before the Adelaide police^ court for threatening her second husband, and was dismissed on his promising to leave the colony. He returned to Western Australia, where he said he had acquired possession of an island, and where it is to be hoped he will live and die a regular Robinson Crusoe. CHAPTER II. I next give some account of a man who was not a convict before his arrival, but the son of convict parents. His name was Joseph Storey. He was born in Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania. In all matters relating to those of the prison class or breed who joined us from that beautiful island I t 2 276 Early Experiences of feel inclined to keep up its original name, as these persons were amongst early settlers known as Vandemonians. Storey arrived in the colony in 1837, or early in 1838, quite a young man ; he was by trade a shoemaker. He finished a criminal career here on the 24th August, 1841, when his sentence of death was commuted to transportation for life as a burglar and the head of a gang called the " Black-faced Robbers." Shortly after I arrived I was introduced to this criminal, and this, fortunately for me, was the only occasion on which he came in my way, and it certainly did not prove advantageous to him. The colonial Treasurer (the late Mr. Osmond Gilles), whose house adjoined the hut I first occupied at the south-east end of the embryo city, had lost a pair of gray mares. He asked me as a favour to look out for them in my rides, and to order my people to do the same. He soon received information about them, brought by a man from the New Tiers, to the effect that he and his mate, Joseph Storey, had seen two light gray mares passing their hut on the dray track. This man offered for a reward of ^"io to go after them and bring them in, urging that as the horses were travelling on as long as they had watched them, he supposed they would by the time he was speaking be a long way in the wild and unsettled bush. Mr. Gilles sent for me to speak to the man, who admitted he had come from Tas- mania, on which an offer was made to him that if he or his mate, as a guide, would accompany two persons on horseback, who would bring a spare horse for the guide to ride to look for the mares, he should have five pounds on their being recovered. To this he agreed, saying his mate Storey would go, and it was arranged that the start should be as early as possible the follow- ing morning. I was pressed to go as one, as a favour to the owner, and consented, one of Mr. Gilles' clerks being chosen to accompany me. We started before sunrise, leading a spare horse for Storey, and followed the track of the spur then known as Chambers' Hill, and with the directions given found Storey's hut. After taking breakfast with these men, we started under Storey's guidance. The sun was obscured ; the hills were wrapped in foggy clouds, and so remained during the day — very unfavourable for discovering lost horses in a thick forest, where we often had to pass through an undergrowth of dripping shrubs, but highly favourable for the game designed and carried out by our false guide. After beating about for several hours, Storey taking us across deep gullies and over steep-sided spurs, Life in South Australia. 277 I felt it was time to call a halt, to refresh men and horses. We had seen no tracks of horses. On a fresh start it appeared to us we were now taken on a wider course, and apparently across the same ridges and gullies, only more to the eastward. As the sun remained obscured, and we had no compass with us, I took great notice of the ground we passed over, and of the direction of the spurs and watercourses, for I began to suspect we were being " sold." After going over many miles I found my horse showing- signs of distress, and pulled up and dismounted, my companion and Storey doing the same. Watching an opportunity when Storey was some distance from the horse he had been riding, I said to my companion, who was no bushman, and acting under me : " Now is our time; I will mount Storey's horse, you also mount and take my horse by the bridle, and I will treat with Storey." I drew out of my pocket a small pistol, and present- ing it at him as he came up, said : " Now you may make the best of your way home on foot ; you have been leading us about long enough." Then we left him and continued up the spur at the foot of which we had dismounted, believing that the many spurs we had crossed ran from the east side of the Mount Lofty range, and this conclusion we found to be correct, for in less than an hour we attained the top of the main ridge, very wet and somewhat tired, after being in the saddle full twelve hours. Not long after we gained the summit the sun dipped below the bank of clouds, and to our joy we saw beneath us the infant city of Adelaide. On our right and north of us we could see Chambers' Hill, and we had time to make observations, by which we were convinced that the designing Storey had been leading us backwards and forwards in circles over ground entirely to the south of his hut, and so it did not require a con- juror to decide that the direction to expect to find the mares in was to the north of the ground over which he had been mis- leading us, and that the mares had been planted, and might be only a short distance from the confederates' hut. Horses and men weary, we passed down a main spur and direct across the then open plain, and reached home an hour after sunset. On the following day two mounted men were sent out with direc- tions to search only to the north of Storey's location, and to be on the ground so early as to give no time for the mares to be replanted. They were soon found in a snug gully, about a mile from the hut, and so the scoundrels who planted them did not get even five pounds. 278 Early Experiences of The police had plenty of work cut out for them by burglars as well as by cattle-stealers. About this period a gang of four cattle-stealers had been playing their game some time before the police got reliable information as to the principal parties engaged, and the locality where the slaughtering of the stolen beasts took place, as so many of the timber workers were de- riving profit from this sort of crime. The information came to the police in this way. A man known as Black Joe, not a coloured man, but a European of dark complexion and of doubtful character, who kept a coffee-shop and worked a team of bullocks in the Tiers, having lost one or more of his cattle, suspected they had been slaughtered by this gang, and gave the names of four men as the guilty parties, and said one of them was Joseph Storey. He said this gang was in the habit of bringing into certain gullies in the Mount Lofty range, where sawyers and splitters were located, small drafts of cattle, with which they supplied the tiersmen. Their custom was to furnish their confederates, any one of whom, on the mob being brought near his hut, could choose a beast, which was there shot and slaughtered. The skinning being partly accomplished, the part carrying the brand was cut off as quickly as possible, and thrust into a fire ready prepared. Afterwards the whole skin was cut up and burned. The carcass, on being separated into convenient pieces for removal, was carried into the hut of the man to whom the beast had been delivered, and there immedi- ately placed in the salting cask. Acting on this information, Inspector Tolmer and Sergeant- Major Alford, with three troopers, took up a position on a spur or ridge at the back of the New Tiers shortly after sundown, as directed by Black Joe. It was not long before they discovered two fires at a distance in the gully below them. The darkness was increased by a drizzling rain. Two men were ordered to make their way down the spur to the mouth of the gorge and patrol there, and to arrest any men escaping. The officers gave their horses to a third man to hold, and as they thought they perceived a person about the fires, hastily started down the steep side of the spur, but owing to the darkness they soon found it to be more pre- cipitous than they anticipated, and they quickly lost their foot- ing, and after rolling over rocks found themselves at the bottom; but as they had their swords on a great rattle had been made, and they found no one at the fires. Here they waited till morning. On searching the partly-burned pieces of hide they Life in South Australia. 279 could not discover any brand marks in letters, but they secured some pieces with figure brands on them, which were quite plain. They next commenced the search of huts in the gully they were in and in others, and found men at work salting meat, which had been killed over night. Portions of the skins secured were taken to town, and three of the men found salting the beef were taken into custody, and, after the usual delay, were put on their trial, but sufficient evidence could not be brought against them. The cattle were supposed, and with good reason, to have been stolen from the South Australian Company's cattle station at Inverbrackie. Tracks of a small mob were traced from that run to the neighbourhood of the gullies where cattle had been recently slaughtered. The Company's stockkeeper produced in Court their figure brands, which exactly fitted the brand marks on the hide, but as he could not positively swear that the beast or beasts from which the patches of skin had been removed belonged to the Company, the men were acquitted, and escaped punishment. These men were the receivers. Eleven of the jury stood out for conviction against one, but at length gave way. Although the man who had given the information to the police gave the names of four men, Storey being one, sufficient evidence was not obtained to justify the arrest of Storey and his mates, but evidence was got that twenty-two head of cattle had been killed in different places at the back of the New Tiers. The proceedings of the gang were, however, stopped, and a good look-out was kept up in that neighbourhood afterwards. A few months after this, Joseph Storey was arrested and lodged in the old gaol, on charges of various burglaries. He had associated with him three others, of which gang he was the head, and they were called the " Black-faced Robbers." One of the four (Maitland, who arrived as an immigrant) was taken with him, but the evidence as to his identity was not clear enough, and he was discharged. Storey was committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sittings, on a capital charge, but, getting impatient, managed to escape from the insecure make- shift prison, and the police had again to spend much time in search for him. Two of his mates managed to evade the police, and, as was afterwards discovered, cleared out of the province. These four depredators, during the time they were engaged in their nefarious pursuits, occupied huts in the New Tiers, where they assumed the characters of sawyers or splitters, but -their real pursuit was (after the cattle-stealing was put an 280 Early Experiences of end to) to turn out after dark and visit the plains to plunder where they could. On their committing a robbery on a pub- lican at Kensington, of the name of Ball, they were recognised, and it was on his evidence that Storey was committed for trial. At the time Storey's gang were at work as burglars, two youths were also occasionally associated with them. They, however, were caught on charges of stealing in dwelling-houses, in which the others were not implicated, and were committed for trial ; but both managed to escape by jumping the gaol fence, as so many others had done. This was frequently accomplished, although guards were placed, armed with carbines, at the corners of the premises, after this manner : When an escape was to be made, some row was created by the numerous prisoners out in the yard, and then when the attention of the guard was taken up, who was placed to cover a certain part of the fence, that part was rushed by one, or by two, as in this case, and they were soon out of sight down the steep banks of the river, and their passage over the fence perhaps not observed. Postscript. — Storey was subsequently recaptured by Sergeant- Major Alford. In one of the many parties of police who were from time to time ordered out to retake the prisoners who had escaped from the custody of Mr. Ashton, Inspector Gordon was out with Sergeant-Major Alford and three troopers, who, when passing along the top of a high ridge to the north of the New Tiers, discovered Joseph Storey, one of the men whom they were after, scrambling up the opposite ridge. They were near enough as the crow flies to identify him. Mr. Alford, seeing a kangaroo dog following him, took particular notice of the dog, that he might know him on any future day, when he might make use of him. Storey was away out of sight even before they could make their way into the intervening gully. As night was drawing near, the Inspector ordered the return to quarters. On their way back, before they left the ranges, one of the troopers informed Inspec- tor Gordon that he caught sight of a man escaping into the scrub. On his pointing out the spot, the party were ordered to spread, so as to intercept the fugitive. This movement was quickly made, and shortly after the Inspector called out to the Sergeant-Major : " I see a man squatting in the centre of that patch of thick dwarf tea-tree." This was a swamp. The men were ordered to dis- mount and arrest the man, who proved to be one of the youths ; so, although they did not succeed in catching Storey that day, they caught one of the escaped prisoners. His mate was also Life in South Australia. 281 soon afterwards taken, and these two were tried, found guilty, and transported to Sydney. Although these were not, on their arrival, of the convict class, their miserable exit may be justly attributed to the extensive impregnation of evil our community suffered from the large number of convicts sent out to the ad- joining colonies. Great exertions continued to be made to secure Joseph Storey and his two mates. Inspector Tolmer, in one of the police excursions for this purpose, had with him Sergeant-Major Alford and more troopers than usual, so as to thoroughly scour the various gullies in the New and Old Tiers. On reaching the part where the timber-splitting was going on, Mr. Alford was called on one side by a man of the name of Josh. Lines, who was a connection of his. This man said to Mr. A. : "Harry, who are you after?" "Storey." "Well, you will never catch him, there are too many of you, and you make too much noise Avith your swords. I saw Joe this morning close by. You go away and return in an hour, and I will tell you in what hut you will find him, but do not let out I gave you infor- mation, or I shall be killed. He is armed with pistols." Mr. Alford : " Has he a kangaroo dog with him ? " " Yes ; and mind you look out, Harry, as he has threatened he will take your life." Having gained this clue, the Sergeant-Major followed the Inspector and overtook him at Crafer's pub. He then asked his superior officer to allow him to return with two men to follow up some trace of Storey he had gained, to which he consented, and Alford selected privates Dawson and McMahon, with whom he returned to the rendezvous, and met Lines, who said : " All is right, Storey is in Brown's hut ; he has got his dog with him." Arrived at the hut they saw a little boy at the door, and Storey's kangaroo dog not far off. The boy was asked, " Have you seen anybody about to whom that dog belongs?" " Yes," he replied. "Do you know where he is now?" "No." " Has he pistols on him ? " "Yes." "My boy, if you speak the truth I will give you sixpence. Tell me if you know where the man is." "I do not know." "Where are your father and mother ? " " Up the rise, working." " Go and tell them I want them." Mr. A. with the men then searched the hut, but did not find any one within. He then supposed the escaped prisoner might be secreted outside. After exam- ining the floors of the two rooms, to ascertain if under the bed or elsewhere there might be an opening to a cellar, but finding 282 Early Experiences of none, he left one man at the door. With the other one he searched the scrub and ground around the hut. The dog was still hanging about, and would not be driven away. From this the officer concluded that his master was secreted not far off. On the boy returning he said " his father and mother had gone away." Mr. Alford now re-entered the hut, and observing a wide slab shelf above the bed, which he had passed before as too narrow to cover a man, he ordered private Dawson to jump on the bed and see what use it had been put to. On Dawson doing this he cried out : " There is a man lying here.'' "Jump down and both of you cover him with your carbines." The Sergeant-Major also drew a double-barrelled pistol, and cocking and raising it, called out : " Storey, surrender yourself quietly, and first give up your firearms, handling the pistols by the muzzles, and present the butts to me, as you will be shot if you raise your weapons in any other manner." On this summons, and seeing four loaded barrels presented at him, he quietly suc- cumbed, and after giving up his pistols as ordered came down, and was handcuffed. The loaded pistols which were found on him he had stolen after escaping from gaol from an armourer in King William-street. The prisoner was escorted to the horse police barracks, where they arrived a few hours after the In- spector, who was at the time taking a meal, and was called out to see the prisoner in the yard in charge of the two troopers, much to his surprise and pleasure, and exclaimed: "Alford, how did you manage to take him so soon after you left me ? " " Well, Inspector, I had the assistance of his dog." CHAPTER III. After the early experiences colonists had to endure from visitors from the convict colonies, I now give the closing scenes of two of the shipments of convicts, which will add materially to the dark side of the history of the opening days of this colony, which in so many other respects were so bright and pleasing. On the 17 th of April, 1850, the Lady Dennison was chartered by our Government to convey ten long-sentenced prisoners to Tasmania under the charge of three constables. Sixteen pas- sengers were also in the ship. It was afterwards reported that amongst the passengers were some confederates of the convicts Life in South Australia. 28 o on board. Of this unfortunate ship no tidings have ever been heard. It is unknown whether she went down with all hands or was taken by the prisoners ; and, if so, as a matter of course Captain Hammond — her commander — his crew, constables, and passengers, were all killed, excepting any who might have assisted or joined the prisoners. Written information was received by the Government shortly after the discovery of gold in Victoria that one or more of the escaped prisoners had been seen on the Victorian diggings, but no confirmation of such a statement has been made public. To follow the brief and sad account of the missing Lady Dennison, I may with propriety quote the description of the narrow escape the captain of the brig Punch and his pas- sengers and crew experienced, on a voyage shortly afterwards from Port Adelaide to Hobart Town. What took place on board I have learned from a gentleman, one of the cabin pas- sengers, who, shortly after he made the trip, committed the occurrences to paper, and has obligingly allowed me to use the same. " The brig had been chartered by our Government to convey twelve long-sentenced prisoners, to expiate their breaches of the law by penal servitude in Tasmania, or Van Diemen's Land, as it was then called ; but this I did not know till I got on board. At this time, and for a short period afterwards, our prisoners were sent to one of the convict colonies, either to Sydney or Tasmania. In addition to twelve prisoners, the captain accommodated two cabin passengers. I should say three, for a female, the wife of one of the prisoners, was allowed to take a cabin passage, and she brought on board a con- siderable quantity of luggage ; there were also four steerage passengers. " The brig had amongst her prison passengers one at least who had been sentenced to a long term of imprisonment under a first conviction, and so had not joined ours from a convict colony. As I know the respectability of his connections, I do not publish his name, as no good purpose has to be served thereby ; and as I suppose he may have obtained his liberty long before this account appears in print, I trust his bitter experience of the consequences of wrong-doing will have pro- duced a favourable change in him. " On the day the brig Punch was advertised to sail for Hobart Town I found myself under the necessity of visiting 284 Early Experiences of Tasmania without delay. To take advantage of the Punch, I only had time to make hurried business arrangements and to pack up a carpet-bag. Thus prepared I started in one of the Port passenger-carts. On arriving at the bank of the Port Creek, I found the brig already in the stream ready for a start, and was put on board by a Port boatman. On stepping on deck the first thing which attracted my attention and surprised me was to perceive two armed sentries pacing the deck. On entering the captain's cabin, I inquired of him the cause of the sentries being on board, and he, as if it was a matter of no consequence, informed me he had a number of prisoners be- tween decks, but that if I wished for a passage with him I could have half a cabin with a gentleman passenger already on board. I felt rather dashed by the position in which I found myself, but as my business was most pressing I took my pas- sage with a sort of desperation, feeling prepared to defy any ordinary discomforts ; but I certainly little expected what did occur. " I had arrived on board in an excited state from the hurry I had been put to in the short notice I had, and did not feel in my usual spirits, perhaps in part occasioned by this being my first trip on shipboard since my voyage from England, and with a very lively recollection of a narrow escape from wreck on that occasion, causing me to feel an undefined dread of a coming calamity; but I certainly did not anticipate such fright as we experienced, before we arrived at our destination, which was nothing less than an attempt of the prisoners to take the brig, and for which well-laid plans had been made before we left the port of departure, which to the captain, crew, and passengers would have resulted in violent death in the contest, or in walking the plank if the ruffians' designs had succeeded ; but in their attempt to recover freedom they were most provi- dentially frustrated. Our captain was a man over six feet in stature and stout in proportion, with a fist and voice to create dread whenever called into play, so that when the first intima- tion of the prisoners' designs was revealed to us, and arms put in our hands, our courage and confidence in our leader were aroused. Before any alarm was given, I had observed in the captain's cabin a goodly supply of weapons in good order. Our captain had the look of a jolly Irishman, who rather had a taste for a scrimmage. We were soon making good way down the Gulf, having been towed to the Lightship. I was informed Life in South Australia. 285 that amongst the prisoners were several 'lifers/ as they were called, and the remainder transports for seven or fourteen years, and some returned runaway prisoners from the convict colonies, and that many desperate characters were amongst them. On receiving this anything but cheering information, and seeing only three guards in charge of them, the nervous state of feeling which I have described as mine at starting, was not diminished, and I heartily wished myself on shore again ; but this I knew to be an impossibility, as no boat would be allowed to leave a chartered convict ship. " I may mention here, to account for so many criminals being sent away at one time, that runaways from the neighbouring colonies were retained in gaol until after a session, when a sufficient number of sentenced men could be added to make up a number to justify our Government in chartering a suitable vessel. To some readers it may be necessary to repeat that for some years after the founding of this colony, the Govern- ments of New South Wales and Tasmania still received our own sentenced prisoners, and justly so, as we had been supplied with plenty of runaways and expirees from those colonies. Now we have to provide for our own criminals, and laws have been passed by our legislature to forbid the landing of persons of that class on our shores, either from the mother country or from the neighbouring colonies. " I now describe our passage. After leaving Port Adelaide everything seemed to go on favourably. The wind was pro- pitious, and after turning in, I passed a quiet and comfortable night. On passing Kangaroo Island we encountered a much rougher sea. Our brig was a smart craft, and our captain, as he afterwards explained, having the unknown fate of the Lady Dennison present in his mind (which was the convict ship pre- viously despatched from South Australia), had under the condi- tions of his charter made every suitable arrangement to keep secure his prison passengers, and he was resolved, if possible, to avoid the supposed fate of the captain and crew of that lost ship. The 'tween decks were fitted up in a substantial manner, the chain cable so arranged that refractory prisoners could be made fast to it by shackles, and also his cabin was well fur- nished with loaded firearms, cutlasses, &c. The cook was an old servant of the captain's, and had made many trips with him. When we were well at sea he came to the master with an appearance of having something serious to say. On being 286 Early Experiences of asked : ' Well, cook, what do you want? ' he replied : ' Captain, I don't like your lady passenger, Mrs. B , the wife of one of the prisoners. She has a good deal of luggage in her cabin, and I think there is something suspicious about it. I noticed one of her trunks as being very heavy, and putting this and that together, I feel I must tell you what I have on my mind. I have an engagement with a young woman ashore in Adelaide to marry her, and she was quite upset when I parted with her. I told her we were only bound on a short trip, but she kept on crying, and at last said : " You will never come back, nor will the brig ever reach Hobart Town, as I have overheard a con- versation between the passenger (Mrs. B , whose service she had just left) and one of her friends to that effect." ' On receiving this vague tale the captain became more than ever on his guard, and on hearing on a subsequent night an unusual noise among the prisoners, he went, accompanied with the guards and part of the crew, all armed, and shackled the worst of the men to the chain cable. The prisoners had the appear- ance of men under the influence of drink, which must have been smuggled to them. To explain how this might have been done, I must state that an arrangement had been carried out soon after starting of bringing three or four of the prisoners on deck for air and exercise, and on these occasions the prisoner B had been granted the privilege by the guards and the good-natured captain to hold a few minutes' conversation with his wife in her cabin. Before the captain went below after hearing the noise, Mrs. B begged of him, in an excited manner, not to do so, but he did not feel inclined to follow her advice, and, after securing some of the prisoners, turned in for the night, but like a miller, who is said to sleep with one eye open, he was alive to the slightest noise. When he was ruffled he was a sort of demon, but when things were going on smoothly, he was quite amiable and anxious to make all hands happy. We had not long retired again to rest, before midnight, when, the sea had become very rough, and the brig laboured heavily; but above the noise of the elements a cry of one of the guards was heard. The crew and myself and the other cabin passenger had been supplied with arms, and told to keep our- selves in readiness, and we were all soon on deck. We found the guards doing their best to beat the prisoners back from escaping up the main hatch, which was half open. Our captain was at the opening roaring with such vehemence and language Life in South Australia. 287 as I never heard before, ' that he would cleave in two any man who dared to come within his reach.' After a short struggle the revolting prisoners were driven back, and every man chained to the cable, with the threat from the captain that on any fresh attempt every blessed man should go over the side fast to the cable. On the following morning the captain, accompanied by the cook, visited Mrs. B in her cabin, and addressed her in these words. He was very polite in his rough way : — " ' Mrs B , I am sorry to intrude on you so abruptly and early in the day. My only excuse is my anxiety for the safety of my ship and passengers.' " ' Captain, I do not understand you. What can I do to secure the safety of your ship ? what can you mean ? ' " ' Well, madam, it is no use mincing matters. I will be plain, and not keep you in further suspense. I have sufficient grounds to know that there is a conspiracy between you and your husband and the other prisoners to take the ship.' " On hearing this, Mrs. B became as white as death, and quickly exclaimed : ' It is false, it is a lie ! I know nothing of such a conspiracy ; it is cruel to bring such a charge against me — an unfortunate woman,' and, with a woman's last resource, she burst into tears. " The answer she got was : " Madam, I must be firm ; and so I have at once to demand of you the keys of your trunks.' " At this she became abusive and refused to comply, and when she was told the cook would be ordered to break them open, she produced the keys. On the heavy suspected trunk being opened, pistols ready loaded, with cutlasses,