George Fletcher Moore

“ Made a famous dinner of ducks, and slept on the ground all night—and slept well.
6th.—Conjecturing that this is probably identical with the Swan River, we advanced over a hilly and barren country, and again heard the natives. After crossing a very rocky district, the country changed its character, and we suddenly found ourselves on a promontory, abruptly sinking into a large and beautiful valley.
This view elevated our spirits again; "Worcestershire," cried one; "Shropshire," cried another; "Kilkenny for ever," roared out Sheridan. ”

“ The indefatigable little warbler, or razor-grinder, is singing its sweet notes at nine o'clock p.p., by beautiful moonlight; it is a very fearless little bird, associating with all the farm and domestic animals, watching attentively for flies, at which it springs with unerring aim, twittering out every now and then, by way of interlude or for the sake of good digestion, some of its sweetest notes. ”

“ This is an excellent settlement for labourers, if they would honestly preserve their engagements. Government seem desirous to establish a colony on the most thrifty scale, and every part of it should be uniform and consistent with the general plan. If an officer holding a high office under Government receives but 300l. a-year, it is out of all proportion to give from 24l. to 36l. a year, and diet, to a menial. We are in great want of stock; and have been wofully disappointed at not having an expected supply from Van Diemen's Land. ”

“ From one sow I have had thirty pigs—the only stock which has multiplied with me—and a much larger number I could not support. It is easy for a person at home to say, "You can keep pigs and poultry without limit as to numbers," but they must be fed in summer at considerable expense; and as our fences are generally bad, the pigs eat down the wheat and destroy the gardens, and the poultry soon devour their own value in grain. ”

“ Purchased flour at 7d. per pound, and American pork at 8l. per cask—what a price your Irish pork and butter, leather, and shoes, would produce here! No shoes in the whole colony, except a few made in India, not worth a farthing. Another sow has farrowed in the bush; only four youngsters alive—how provoking !
23rd.—Purchased a cow for 2l. 10s. My stock of black cattle now consists of ten, great and small, with a prospect of increase. Heard that many settlers are expected, and, consequently, that our land will rise in value. ”

“ Summer is our worst season, as vegetation on the dry grounds is then at a stand, and there are few facilities for irrigation. Nine months of our year are like your best summers, and the remaining three are very warm; a land breeze, however, springs up every night at about ten o'clock, and blows very fresh, making a grand roaring in the trees. Thermometer now (nine o'clock P.M.) 84°—was 94° at two.
10th—Pigs, pigs, pigs—an addition of six—total, twenty-eight.
I wrote shortly after my arrival here, recommending a speculation in slop clothes, Irish pork, and butter ”

“ Mr. Brockman has had fifteen acres in culture—a great quantity, under existing circumstances—and he as well as others have happily experienced that the sandy soil, at first despised, produces as well as stiff clay soil, and with infinitely less trouble. The present prices of hay are 5l. here; 8l. at Perth; and 10l. per ton at Fremantle.
You will have had, before this reaches you, all the information you sought as to the Avon River. I fear that there is no large navigable river on this coast, as far as it extends. The Swan serves the purpose of a canal, but the frequent flats are obstacles ”

“ Dale's grant, and on our way passed a hut, in which five of the natives concealed themselves; saw some turkeys; bathed in the Avon, in which we observed something stirring, which we conjectured to be a platypus, but naturalists have not yet ascertained that it exists here.
Returned by the river on the plain, and noticed a kind of thorn—a species, I think, of the Mespilus; and a shrubby tree, bearing fruit like the sloe. Dined on kangaroo stew. My young pet, poor "Hop," looks sickly, and will probably die. ”

“ As to the nature of the soil, the salt district may at some future period become valuable, but it is not useful for present purpose; there is a great deal of light sandy land, and also of stiff clayey soil, which requires, in the language of holy writ, to be subdued, before it becomes in a state to receive seed. ”

“ Came to a better tract, near or about which my grant may be supposed to lie—not far from a rising ground called Mount Shole, from the likeness which it is supposed to bear to the bald head of a gentleman of that name. The plains are of stiff clay of different colours, with some varieties of sandy loam. Here the river dividing into two branches, we had to choose one which runs westerly: we followed until we arrived at a wet valley, not unlike that near the "Echo, [1] " and as full of springs. ”

“ Like puss in a sack, we had been endeavouring to poke out our heads, but in vain; each hill tempted us to push onwards and upwards in hopes of liberation, but we only found another and another tempting us forward to incur a fresh disappointment.
16th.—Came to another rich valley, where we caught a kangaroo; arrived at Mount Bakewell, which is covered with long grass, principally of the poa species; searched for a stream, and found the river Avon, which in some places is 40 yards in breadth, but is in this place broken into several channels ”

“ More pigs to-day—total 32. They are a very troublesome stock.
Killed two cockatoos at one shot, and caught a small turtle. After these exploits, I tried to make a door, and with much labour planed one side, and shall put it up in this state tomorrow. Time is so precious that I cannot afford any portion of it for planing the other side.
I find that a surprising number of persons on their way to this settlement have been frightened out of their intentions by the people at the Cape, who seem to act as if they thought every injury which they inflict on us were a positive gain to themselves. ”

“ Let such stay away: better to have their room than their company.
I have finished my door, and actually ornamented the show side with the aid of a bead-plane; and ground some of my own wheat in my steel mill, which grinds well and fast. I had been apprehensive on finding my store of flour so low, but now I have as much as relieves me from all danger of want. Flour is at present 7d. per pound; but the usual price, when there is a supply from the Cape or Van Diemen's Land, is 3d. per pound. ”

“ We examined our charts, and felt confident that the Avon and the Swan are identical.
After a march of five miles across the swamp, and over a bare and sandy soil, and having reached our N.N.W. limit, we turned east, and crossed a flat sandy tract, surrounded by hills; pushed on for a valley, and on reaching it, found that we had almost imperceptibly crossed the Darling Range. From a high hill we got an open view of the plain studded over (in one direction) with lakes, which we supposed to be salt ”

“ Johnny has gone to Guildford for 2 cwt. of wheat for the pigs; this with garden vegetables will keep them in condition. James (not in the sulks at present) has been mowing in the distant field.
27th.—A great change in the weather; it being now cloudy and threatening rain, with high wind. Black servants, I find, are very serviceable in this colony; on them we must eventually depend for labour, as we can never afford to pay English servants the high wages they expect, besides feeding them so well. The black fellows receive little more than rice—their simple diet. ”

“ Soil worse and worse: rather melancholy, remembering that my grant is situated somewhere on this day's progress.
22nd.—Started at seven a.m.; came to a long, deep, and narrow lake of fresh water, four miles in length, and eighty or a hundred yards in breadth, with an amazing number of ducks on it. Sheridan's calculation was quite Irish—"a thousand, sir, a hundred thousand, would'nt be missed out of them." Dale shot a black swan, and I swam for it, and tried the depth in several places, which I ascertained to be about six feet. The soil about it is indifferent. ”

“ Ten guineas per barrel have been paid for Irish pork, and Mr. Labertouche must have made a considerable profit by sending his vessel here always at this time or a little before it.
My outfield of wheat is almost a failure, but wherever there were ashes a good patch appears. Half an acre of my Indian corn looks only middling, but will probably improve; Swedish turnips, rape, and mangel-wurzel look well; every kitchen vegetable is promising. ”

“ Some people (whom we are much better without) have left this place without giving it a fair trial. We want quiet, hard-working, practical people—not gentlemen, nor adventurers: by gentlemen, here, I mean those who consider themselves degraded by pursuing any useful occupation. ”

“ Yet it has its pleasures too; but people should prepare themselves for what it really is, and therefore I show more of the unfavourable side, and expose the truth in its most undisguised and unflattering state, leaving people to draw their own inferences. There is one point which I recommend to every one coming out; namely, the purchase of cattle from the Cape. Good ponies are very reasonable there also. ”

“ Any one bringing out servants should accurately enumerate in their indentures every article, and how much of it each should get. Many, who on landing would have been startled at the idea of taking four glasses of spirits every day, soon reconcile themselves to this excess, if they be indulged by their masters: in laborious and warm work, however, such as mowing, a large allowance of grog is not unreasonable. ”

“ The day had been rainy, which rendered it difficult to light a fire, so that we were exceedingly uncomfortable; but the evening became moderate, and the genial warmth of a blazing fire made us soon feel comparatively happy. Here some of the party began to make small huts, like the wigwams of the natives, which often afterwards proved useful; the process of forming which is very simple. Blackboy poles are stuck in the ground, forming three-fourths of a circle, and meeting in a common point at top; these are covered with grassy tops of the blackboy: it is a good temporary shelter in rain. ”

“ We are now in the hottest month of the year, enjoying a delicious breeze, with the thermometer at 77°. It is true that when there is neither breeze nor cloud to darken the sun's noontide rays, the heat is very great ”

“ The excellent crops that have been harvested this year (equalling if not exceeding the best in England) , have inspired us all with confidence; but, from want of labourers and cattle, few have cultivated extensively. ”

“ An awful responsibility would rest on me were I to hold out inducements to any one, when success depends so much on the taste, physical adaptation, amount of capital, &c. It costs a considerable sum to bring out and to support the emigrant until he can support himself. ”

“ Two or three stout hard-working brothers, or a father with a family able and willing to assist, with some money, are sure of establishing themselves in rough comfort and plenty in a very few years; but there must be no squeamishness as to fare. ”

“ I exchanged two pair of small linen trousers (which had been made for the boy who came out with me) for a cock of hay, and have a grand project in my head of bartering some chickens (when hatched) for a kid which one of my neighbours expects soon to have born to him.
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4th.—I am helping Mackie to cut an avenue from his place to mine; many settlers are doing the same kind of thing, which makes our houses appear much closer than we before supposed. ”

“ This cave is supposed to have been a place of worship; yet I know not why, as the natives do not appear to have any object of veneration, nor is there any indication of a path leading to it.—Made by our estimation thirteen miles, and halted near a small stream to make a stew of our cockatoos, but found a grievous want of our plates, which had been left at York, from a prudential desire to lighten our baggage ”

“ Dale, an officer in the 60th Regiment, the first who had penetrated beyond the Range, was selected to point out the most direct practicable route; and it was deemed a good opportunity to combine with the expedition an exploratory excursion for some distance in a S.S.E. and N.N.W. direction from Mount Bakewell, the centre of York district, where it was intended to form the settlement; the river Avon was supposed to run direct in this line. ”

“ Dale fired, but missed the poor animal.
7th.—Arrived at land much dug by the natives, several of whom we heard, but they in general kept out of view; reached Lennard's brook, which at once struck us all as being the Avon. This we had much difficulty in crossing, as it is deep and strong in current, but we walked through it three or four miles higher up the river. Rich grasses grow on the lands here. ”

“ The walnuts, however, have totally failed, and I have only eight out of fifty almond trees, and but one healthy-looking orange tree; strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, all failures.
28th.—Despatched James this day with potatoes, cauliflowers, turnips, and cabbages, to market. A servant of the Governor passed to-day, and told a fine budget of news, about an attack of the natives on the Government House. I do not believe it; but the natives have undoubtedly made sad havoc among the flocks of sheep in the neighbourhood; they took eleven from Mr. ”