On the first of October, we took in fifty-one bales of wool at Mr. Ross’s (Meilman), and remained alongside this station until Monday morning, the 3rd, when we proceeded down the river, touching at Messrs. Grant’s, who had some wool awaiting transport on the banks. The Captain’s previous arrangements prevented, however, his taking these bales on the present trip. Leaving this station (Bombany), Messrs. Grant and their friends being on board, the Eureka managed to tilt some of her load into the water, from whence it was rescued, not without considerable labour. It appears the two vessels had been kept on a level by two spars, one of which having been moved, the strain on the other became too great, and it snapped, thus destroying the equilibrium of the barge. In the evening, we reached Euston, the Commissioner’s station, where we halted for the night; the little steamer Mary Ann, which passed us during our difficulties, being anchored a short distance ahead. It seems, from the owner’s account, that she had reached Maiden’s Punt, about 250 miles beyond Swan Hill, without a check. At Euston, the Crown Commissioner, Mr. Cole (styled by some of our party “King Cole”) received us with his wonted urbanity; and some dancing was achieved in his quarters. The functions of this officer consist in superintendence of the lands belonging to the Crown, on which he is bound to prevent all trespass in the way of cutting timber or depasturing cattle. He is also authorized to prevent the intrusion of people on the lands of their neighbours; to estimate the capabilities of the land for grazing purposes; and he has allotted to him a certain force of police—white or native troopers—to assist him in his duties, which comprise those of a magistrate with extraordinary powers, together with a general supervision of an extensive district. The salary of these officers in New South Wales is £500 a year, and there are not less than fourteen of them.
Mr. Cole accompanies us to the Darling; which, after taking in 100 bales of wool the previous day, we reached on the evening of the 6th—having left McGrath’s before dawn in the morning, and Mildura (Messrs. Jamieson’s) about four p.m.
The weather, which yesterday was cold and boisterous, is now again “Australian,” and I have no recollection of a finer morning in any climate than to-day. Personally, perhaps, as in some degree invalided for the last five years, I feel more the luxury of this matutinal freshness; having passed, I am told by my next neighbour, Mr. Grainger, who sleeps in the berth under me, a most uneasy night; which I can attribute only to the deleterious effects of the tea, of which, contrary to my usual abstinence, I last night imbibed rather more than one-third of a cup.[25] It is very annoying to be subjected thus to the caprices or the malicious propensities of cooks, stewards, or others whose duty it may be to infuse these our evening potations; and most unjust that the innocuous or even the independent members of society should be exposed to the chance of a nightmare or an apoplexy by such proceedings. Nor can the evil be without remedy; for, without coinciding with the Rev. Sydney Smith, “That a bishop must be burnt before railway accidents are prevented;” or agreeing with Mr. D’Israeli, “That an architect should be sacrificed to ensure a National Gallery worthy of a great nation;”[26] I must be pardoned for the suggestion, that society generally—and all are concerned in the suppression of such annoyances—might visit with a kind of moral decimation, all the perpetrators of these iniquities.
The country, as we approach South Australia, is now improving in appearance, as the waters having receded, the forest appears more open, and even the “Mallee scrub” is less monotonous than before. We learn, however, that this subsidence has not taken place on the upper part of the river, the Murray having risen some feet at Maiden’s Punt, probably from the floods on the Campaspe and Goulburn, for as yet the Alpine snows have not contributed their quota to the stream. With respect to the “Mallee,” which covers so large a portion of the vicinity of this river, it may not be uninteresting to mention that there is a root of a particular kind of this shrub well-known to the natives, which, being cut into strips and placed in a pannikin or other vessel, has the property of exuding water from within, which, slowly dripping out of the wood, is thus preserved for the thirsting traveller.
Friday, October 7th.—We reached the Darling last night, at eleven p.m., notwithstanding the cloudiness of the sky; and about one, despatches, papers, &c., came on board for His Excellency and some members of our party. The news does not seem of importance, the South Australian journals being too much occupied with our trip, and the English, especially the beautifully Illustrated London News, with the mimic war at Chobham.
This morning (Saturday), the steamer took in some tons of wood and nine bales of wool, which, besides some sheep skins and tallow, completes the cargo to 441 bales, of an average weight of 300lbs., and an aggregate value of £9,000 or £10,000, with which we trust her owners will for the present remain satisfied. We are now steering on for Mooruna, the station of the Crown Commissioner of the Albert District, where we are to leave Mr. Cole—having dropped the Messrs. Jamieson, with most hearty farewells, at the Darling junction. One of these gentleman, the Mr. Hugh Jamieson, who has accompanied us thus far on our expedition, has been successfully exerting himself in moving addresses to His Excellency and Captain Cadell, which, with Sir Henry Young’s rejoinder, are as follows:—
“Address presented by the Murray Settlers of New South Wales and Victoria to Sir Henry Young, when approaching the boundaries of South Australia, on his return to Adelaide, in the Lady Augusta, steamer.
“To Sir Henry Edward Fox Young, Knight, Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia, &c., &c., &c.
“May it please your Excellency—
We, the undersigned, proprietors of stock in New South Wales and Victoria, resident on the Murray and surrounding districts, hail with satisfaction the present opportunity afforded us by the safe return to this part of the Murray of the Lady Augusta steamer from her inauguration voyage from the Goolwa to beyond Swan Hill, and beg to congratulate your Excellency on your safe return to the frontiers of your own Province; and respectfully desire to convey to your Excellency some record expressive of our opinion with reference to the opening up of these extensive districts, by means of inland steam navigation, throughout the interior of Australia.
“We deem it unnecessary, on this occasion, to enlarge on the importance of this enterprise, the great public and varied interest therein involved, and the very evident advantages to arise from it; but would desire to convey to your Excellency our unanimous opinion, and just appreciation, of the liberal and enlightened policy of the Legislature of South Australia in encouraging so highly important an undertaking; and, at the same time, we would desire to express to your Excellency our acknowledgments, not only for the persevering exertions and valuable support which the enterprise has all along received from your Excellency, at the seat of your own Government, but also for the favourable manner in which you have brought under the consideration of the Home Government, the Governor-General in Sydney, and the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria, the importance of the early establishment of steamers on the Murray, on a scale commensurate with the requirements of so large a river.
“As the successful accomplishment, so far, of the first voyage of the steamer Lady Augusta permits us to look forward, with some confidence for the future, to the easy transit of goods and produce, to and from South Australia, by means of steam navigation, we may here, perhaps not improperly, retrospectively allude to the difficulties and tedious delays we have all, for so many years, encountered in reaching a market for our produce; and, in doing so, we are unwilling to forego the pleasure of assuring your Excellency that we shall ever look back with satisfaction to the time when, in these remote parts of the Colony, and surrounded by many discouraging circumstances, we had, in the year 1850, the strongest proofs afforded to us of the interest taken in the Murray and its navigation by finding your Excellency undertake and accomplish, at considerable personal exertion and inconvenience, a voyage of exploration, in an open boat, from the junction of the Darling with the Murray to the Goolwa.
“We would only, further, beg to express to your Excellency that we recognize, with much satisfaction, the permanent honour, which in after years, must attach to you, for having so successfully aided the accomplishment of the Murray navigation; and we would offer you our cordial expression of hope, that, whether you may be resident in this or in other and more distant parts of the world, you may, for many future years, learn, with equal interest, the permanently beneficial results of the Murray navigation; convinced, as we are, that these results will prove highly important, not only to the best interests of your own Province, and to the Australian Provinces generally, but also to England, and other parts of the world; affecting, as they most indisputably will do, thousands of the population who may, in future years, make choice of Australia as the land of their adoption.
D. Fletcher, J.P. H. Jamieson, J.P. J. Lecky Phelps, J.P. Sylvester & Smith Edward Lintott James A. Liscombe Joseph J. Phelps N. Chadwick James Hamilton William Ross John Grant John Grant, jun. Simon Grant Edmund Morey, J.P. Bushby Jamieson Thomas McPherson John McNichol Crozier & Rutherford Andrew Beveridge Peter Beveridge George Beveridge Albion Gibbs J. J. Keene K. Nox R. H. Jones James Rutherford M. McGrath James McGrath Thomas McGrath Henry Williams George B. Fletcher James McLeod
“On board the Lady Augusta,
River Murray, near the junction of the Darling,
October 7, 1853.”
Reply of His Excellency Sir Henry Young to the foregoing Address.
“Gentlemen—I have the honour to acknowledge, and to thank you for, the Address which you have presented to me.
“The steam navigation of the great River Murray and its tributaries—of which this voyage has been the auspicious commencement—is an object of such general and permanent importance, that, had any exertions to promote its prosecution been awanting on my part, I should have considered the omission a dereliction of my duty.
“It is a great gratification to me that you have appreciated the utility of the enterprise, and have been enabled to witness its accomplishment.
“My earnest hope and belief are, that it will realise for the future all the great and permanent advantages which are so reasonably to be anticipated.
“I feel highly honoured by the obliging terms in which you have expressed yourselves in regard to myself personally, and
“I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, “Your very obedient and faithful servant, “H. E. F. Young.
“River Darling, October 7, 1853.”
At the same time was addressed to Captain Cadell the following letter, from the same place:—