BY JAMES BACKHOUSE WALKER, 81 



Lieutenant-Governor Collins was altogether disappointed Collins to 

 with the condition of Bowen's colony, and made a very Kin^, 29th 

 unfavourable report on it to Governor King. The site was f|?i'"'^^'^' 

 quite unsuitable ; the landing-place on the creek was 

 choked with mud, and only accessible at high tide ; the 

 stores were placed on a low position, and likely to be 

 flooded by any heavy rain ; tlie land was by no means 

 first class ; and the rivulet, on which they depended for C.)llins to 

 their fresh water, and which in September had been a Hobait, 31st 

 running stream, was in February dwindled to a few pools '^"'^' ^^^*" 

 of dirty water. The indifferent capabilities of the place Coiiins to 

 had not been made the most of. No grain had been King, '29th 

 sown, 8nd no Government land had been even prepared Febiuaiy, 

 for sowing. Dr. Mountgai'ret, and Clark and Birt, the ^^'^'^• 

 free settlers, had each about five acres ready, but they 

 had no seed, so Collins had to supply them vrith suf- Collins to 

 ficient to crop their land. The five months' occupation Hobait, 31st 

 had been wasted ; there was nothing to show but a few ■^"'^'' ■^'^^'*^" 

 wretched huts, cottages somewhat better for the officers, 

 and a few acres of land roughly cleared of trees and 

 scrub. The people were in a miserable condition, having Collins to 

 been for some time on two-thirds of tlie standard rations, Hobart, 3rd 

 so that Collins had to supply them with food, and even ^ugiist, 1804. 

 to remove their starving pigs to his own camp to save 

 their lives, A more dismal failui-e for a new colony 

 could scarcely be imagined. It is difficult to decide how Collins to 

 far Bowen was to blame for this wretched state of things. King, 29th 

 The human material that had been given him to mould I'ebruary, 

 into shape was desperately bad. Collins says that the 

 officer in charge on his arrival (probably Lieut. Moore) 

 described them " as a worthless and desperate set of 

 wretches;" and this language does not appear to have 

 been too strong. The Sydney authorities seem to have 

 taken the opportunity of Bowen's settlement to rid them- 

 selves of their worst criminals, including the mos^t tur- 

 bulent of the United Irishmen, who had lately given so 

 much trouble b}" their rising in the older colony. Even 

 the soldiers of the New South Vi''ales Corps, sent to curb 

 these undesirable colonists, were lazy and mutinously 

 inclined. It is a satisfaction to know that Collins 

 eventually shipped the whole lot back to Sydney — both 

 soldiers and convicts, with but few exceptions — so that 

 they never liad any part in the nev/ Hobart. 



Collins did not interfere with Bowen or v.ith Lieut. Ibid. 

 Moore in theii- command, but left them in uncontrolled 

 cliarge. Indeed, he seems to have been only too anxious 

 to wash his hands of Bisdon and all its works. Governor 

 Bowen and the Risdou officers, however, made the best 

 of their circumstances, and, if we can trust the chaplain's 



