SWAN RIVER. , 7 



they would have fallen and crushed that splendid piece of masonry 

 as he used to call the chimney. 

 H. M. Ship Sulphur came in about this time, bringing an order 



to Dr. S to return to head quarters, and in his stead we had 



a Mr. G , a fellow passenger of ours on board the Warrior; she " 



also brought down six months' provisions for this part of the colony. 

 Unluckily for us we began to run rather short of cash, although 

 Government is not pressing for immediate payment ; six months 

 however passed and a Merchantman came but we received no let- 

 ters. We laid out all the money we had except two pounds which, 

 with short allowance, gave us another six months' provisions, fully 

 expecting the next arrival would bring us letters, but we were not 

 to be so fortunate, and an accident which happened to a part of our 

 stock, and which I am about to relate, rendered us, upon the next 

 arrival, more than ever in distress. — Our old enemy, the sea, which 

 had before washed away our deals, now undermining the sand, com- 

 pletely buried a cask, containing all the stock of meat which we 

 had laid in at the last opportunity, and all our efforts to find it were 

 in vain ; our vexation at this was extreme, for we had nothing to 

 look forward to but to live on the means of the country. Our ex- 

 pectations being very much damped by frequent disappointments, 

 and a vessel having hove in sight, we rowed off to her before she had 

 anchored, to see if she had brought us any news ; but, alas ! no 

 tidings, and, to add still more to our calamitous situation, on re- 

 turning home, the boat was upset on the bar, luckily no lives were 



lost, but the boat has never been recovered ; J had just put her* 



in thorough repair, and had spent a great deal of time and trouble 

 on her. In this destitute situation we determined upon parting 

 with Pearce till we should receive news from home; we applied to 



Capt M who very kindly took him and, at the same time, 



offered his boat if we should like to go up the country to our large 

 grant. We accepted his offer for more reasons than one ; the first 

 was, that we should have land less wooded, which would allow us 

 to be much more expeditious in digging, and thereby enable us to 

 have a crop of Indian corn the ensuing summer ; and the second 

 reason was, it w^ould enable us to get clear of being frequently invi- 

 ted by our friends and never being able to give an invite. The day 



after we had made this determination, M. L came riding up to 



the door as usual, and saw that gloominess was the order of the day, 

 he asked what was the matter, we then told him how we were situ- 

 ated, and that we were going up the river, to live upon what the 

 country afforded ; he volunteered to make a second party in his 



