From Enniskillen the regiment proceeded to Newry, and not long afterwards from thence to Dublin. This station was very popular with the officers, from its very extensive circle of good society. At this time I had turned my thoughts towards the Australian Colonies, and sought advice from Sir Thos. Brisbane, in whose brigade I had formerly served. He strongly recommended New South Wales, of which colony he had recently been Governor. It may here be mentioned that when an honorary member of the 8th mess in Lower Canada, when encamped on the frontier of the United States, his conversation frequently turned upon the subject of astronomy, and he expressed a wish, when his military services were not required, to proceed to New South Wales, for the purpose of observing the transit of the planet Venus. This wish was gratified; and he caused the observatory at Parramatta, near Sydney, to be erected for that purpose.
During the year 1829, I came to the decision of retiring from the army, after a military service of upwards of twenty-two years. I was permitted to sell a company, but was delayed for four months, during the last illness of His Majesty George IV., as no commissions could be issued until the following reign. It is hardly necessary to say that parting from many old and valued friends was very painful to me, and previous to my departure the Colonel of my regiment, the late Hon. Sir George Cathcart, accompanied by the two Majors, waited on me and presented me with a handsome silver breakfast service in the name of the regiment.
The colony of Western Australia was being formed at this time; and the large concessions of land offered to the settlers by the Government on easy terms induced me to select that colony for my future residence. Two officers of the Rifle Brigade, Captains Molloy and Byrne, proposed to accompany me. And it was agreed that they should join me in purchasing a ship, to be loaded with wooden houses and boats, and to convey the three parties and their establishments to the new settlement.
I proceeded to Gothenburgh, in Sweden, for that purpose, where a fine ship of 500 tons was purchased, and during her repairs a cargo of wooden houses was framed and loaded. I then proceeded with a fine Swedish crew to Christiansand in Norway, where a large number of boats were shipped. The character and scenery both of Sweden and Norway reminded me of Nova Scotia, from their extensive pine forests, numerous lakes, and granite rocks. Intemperance was prevalent from the use of ardent spirits, the climate being cold; and the observation occurred to me that in warmer, wine-producing countries intoxication is much less frequent.
The ship proceeded to Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, and I by Post-Office Packet to Harwich, on the coast of England. I travelled from thence into Derbyshire, where the family of my affianced wife resided at Holme Hall, and was there happily married. I had been desirous of avoiding the frequent inconvenience of moving about with a family while in the army, and my wife was willing to share my fortunes in Australia.
From the delay referred to, arising from the King’s illness, I did not arrive in Western Australia until June, 1830. The passage from England was favourable, although tedious, only touching at the Cape de Verde Islands. And on arrival at the anchorage at Fremantle, I and my wife were hospitably received at the house of Mr. George Leake, the leading merchant at that time.
An entirely new career now lay before me, but I had health and strength for the undertaking. I was fortunate in finding shelter in a colony only founded the previous year. My less fortunate predecessors at an earlier period, finding neither houses or sheds, had to resort to tents; and their handsome furniture, including satin and gilt chairs, harps, grand pianos (some of them afterwards gutted to make cupboards, &c.), lay exposed to all weathers on the beach. My first object was to find land for a homestead within a moderate distance from Perth, the capital. But such lands had all been already selected; and although I was entitled according to regulations to select 27,000 acres, in virtue of property and servants introduced, I found it necessary to purchase 5,000 acres on the Swan River, about nine miles from Perth. The Governor, Sir James Stirling, had a summer residence adjoining this land, the use of which he offered to me until I could erect some temporary accommodation, and the offer was thankfully accepted.
The purchased land was on the navigable part of the River Swan for boats, and my luggage and stores were conveyed to it by contract.
I had brought out as servants nineteen souls, including one family; and now hard work was to be done, in which I took my full share. In a short time, temporary accommodation, including a small cottage, store, and huts for the men, were erected; the luggage and stores under shelter, and a commencement made in clearing land for tillage.
Troubles had to be surmounted at an early period. Not many months had elapsed when an alarm of fire was given at a late hour one evening, during my absence at Perth, and the store, containing from twenty to thirty tons of provisions, luggage, furniture, &c., was in a blaze. As the roof was of thatch and the building contained some gunpowder, it was dangerous to attempt saving anything—all was destroyed. The dwelling was within thirty feet of it, but the wind blew from it, and a providential shower of rain then falling saved that building. The origin of the fire was not discovered, but a discontented servant was suspected. His passage from England had been provided, and he was under a written engagement, at moderate wages, to serve for three years; this he endeavoured to break without repaying his passage-money. However, he was discharged, but was afterwards convicted, in another service, on a felonious charge and transported.