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| View of Frederick Town, King Georges Sound, at the expiration of the first year of its settlement Feby. 7th 1828 / N.D. and I.S.N. |
BY GEORGE FLETCHER MOORE, ESQ.
Written in September 1843.
1831.
The convict establishment having been previously withdrawn from King George's Sound, that place was included within the jurisdiction of the Governor of this colony.
The first agricultural society was established at Perth, Mr. Moore being Secretary.
September 6th. — The first body of settlers went over the hills by the guidance of Mr. Dale, and established themselves in and about York, the government party being under the immediate charge of Mr. Bland.
A more established survey was made of the country to the south and north of York by Mr. Dale accompanied by Messrs. Moore and Thompson, and one soldier.
Discovery of the Dale river, of Toodyay valley, Brockman river, Norcott river, Lennard's brook, &c.
The number of ships arriving in the course of the year was 17.
160 acres of wheat were reaped.
About 200 acres of land were under cultivation which were mostly turned up by the spade and the hoe, there being few working cattle of any sort as yet in the colony.
Several murders and serious outrages had been committed by the natives in the course of the year.
An overland journey to King George's Sound was accomplished by a party with Captain Bannister after enduring considerable difficulty and privations for a period of full seven weeks, owing to a mistake in their course.
1832.
January. — First sitting of the Legislative Council, consisting of the members of the Executive Government.
February. — First court established for the trial of civil cases, Mr. Moore being appointed Commissioner. Great scarcity of provisions felt about this time ; salt pork £10 a barrel, wheat 35s. to 40s. a bushel, flour 10d. a lb., fresh meat 1s. 10d. per lb., fresh butter 7s. per lb.
May. — A manuscript newspaper published at the price of 3s. 6d. a No.
Gaze (a settler) murdered in the Canning district by Yagan and a party of natives.
June. — Cattle driven away from the Swan and killed by the natives; upwards of 200 pigs killed on the Swan River by the natives. General meeting of the agriculturists held at Guildford to take into consideration the continued serious depredations and aggressions of the natives, at which resolutions were passed of abandoning the colony, if active measures were not taken by the Government to protect life and property. A small number of police organised.
July. — Public meeting at Perth, and resolution passed to call upon Captain Stirling, the Governor, to proceed to England, and represent the case of the colony to the Home Government.
September. — Captain Stirling sailed for England in H.M.S. Sulphur.
Captain Irwin sworn in as acting Governor.
Military patrols established.
November. — Yagan and two others who were concerned in the murder of Gaze taken prisoners and sent to Carnac Island as a place of reformation and punishment.
Erection of a water-mill commenced by Mr. Reveley in Perth.
December. — First printing-press arrives from England. Soldier's wife speared on the Canning.
Escape of native prisoners from Carnac Island.
About 440 acres of grain were reaped.
13 ships arrived during the year, bringing only 14 passengers, and leaving estimated cargo £26,481.
1833.
First printed newspaper published.
Jenkins, a soldier, speared by the natives at Clarence.
First barracks built in Perth.
Fresh meat 1s. 6d. per lb.
Assault by Yagan on a white woman.
April. — First attempt to publish a vocabulary of the native language.
Cattle from a farm on the Swan driven off and killed by natives.
May. — A body of natives detected in breaking into a store at night in Fremantle.
Murder of two white men called Velvick near Bull's Creek by a large party of natives headed by Yagan and Midgegoroo. Midgegoroo taken and shot.
June. — Classical school opened in Perth.
Cattle driven off from North Fremantle by the natives, and killed.
A number of sheep driven from the Canning by natives and killed.
A number of sheep driven from a farm on the Swan by the natives.
A number of pigs killed by the natives on the Swan.
Yagan and Ijan shot by two boys called Keats, one of whom was killed by the natives on the spot.
August. — Foundation of Officer's Quarters, laid at Perth.
Windmill completed at Point Belches.
A young whale first killed.
Formal interview with some leading natives at Perth, and an amicable understanding established with them.
September. — Captain Daniell, of the 21st, assumes the reins of government.
Captain Irwin proceeds to England on leave of absence.
October. — First races at Fremantle.
Great want of circulating medium.
Prospectus to form a barter company.
Death of several cattle and sheep from poisonous plant near Guildford.
Contract price of fresh, meat 1s. 2d. per lb.
Unaccountable numbers of a species of gallinule suddenly appear and commit great depredations on the crops in the colony.
Principal anchorages marked out by buoys and beacons, by Captain G. Lambert, of H.M.S. Alligator.
Only about 600 acres under grain-crop, from the great difficulty of procuring grain at seed time.
Few statistical returns can be obtained for this year.
21 ships arrived during the year, bringing 73 passengers, and leaving estimated cargo £48,013.
Occasional gratuitous issues of flour had been made to the natives in the several located districts on the part of the Government, with a view to establish a better understanding, and to encourage a more friendly and peaceable disposition towards the settlers; but this course was not found to be attended by any beneficial results, or to produce any durable good effect.
1834.
January. — Ferries established at Fremantle, Preston Point, Mount Eliza, and Guildford.
One-pound notes issued from the Commissariat Office in consequence of the scarcity of specie.
Tender accepted for erecting the Commissariat Store for £2,930.
Excursion made by G. F. Moore, Esq., to ascertain the conjectured identity of the Swan and Avon rivers.
March. — Several outrages committed by natives.
Loss of a number of sheep by poison at a farm on the Swan River.
April. — Foundation-stone of the Commissariat Store in Perth laid by Captain Daniell.
Mill at Point Belches broken into by the Murray River natives, and about 1,000lbs. weight of flour stolen; four of the natives taken by Captain Ellis, and being identified as concerned in the robbery, three of them were punished by flogging.
A quantity of wheat stolen from Mr. Burges' farm on the Swan by the natives.
May. — Larkin, a soldier, killed by the natives in the barracks at the Upper Swan.
June. — Some sheep speared on the Canning, and the shepherd attacked, by natives.
Several goats and pigs speared on the Swan.
A quantity of potatoes stolen by natives from a house on the Swan.
July. — An attack made on Mr. Bland's cart by natives on the York road, near Green Mount, and Mr. Souper severely wounded in the arm; but the attack was repelled.
N. B. It was near the same spot where, some time before, a similar attack was made on another cart, when Beacham was killed, and Chipper severely wounded.
Treacherous attack by the natives at the Murray River on Nesbit and Barron, when Nesbit was put to a most shocking death, and Barron barely escaped with his life, having three spears sticking in his body.
N. B. Badge had been killed and Mossell wounded some time previously by the natives of the same district. The soldiers on that station had been obliged to change their post for one of greater security, and the settlers contemplated the abandonment of that part of the settlement.
August. — A number of sheep and goats lost by a sudden illness on a farm on the Swan River.
Return of His Excellency the Governor, Captain Sir James Stirling, to the colony.
Sept. — The Legislative Council chamber opened to the public during sittings.
Erection of a new Government House proposed on the old site.
Mr. Layman wounded by natives near the Murray River.
October. — Return of the Monkey from an ineffectual search for any survivors, from the supposed wreck of the Mercury.
Extensive and more regular organisation of the police corps for the protection of life and property against the attacks of the natives.
Foundation-stone of new Government House laid by Lady Stirling.
Sir James Stirling being on an exploring excursion in the vicinity of the Murray River, accompanied by a few gentlemen, and attended also by five of the police, the police fell in with a large body of natives, whom they recognised as the most notorious offenders in that district. A spirited encounter commenced between them, in which the police were worsted, three out of the five being unhorsed by the first volley of spears which was showered upon them ; and it is probable that they would all have been killed but for the opportune arrival at that moment of Sir James Stirling and some of his party, who rescued them by opening an, immediate fire upon their opponents. It is supposed that about ten of the natives were shot; but Captain Ellis, of the police, had received a spear wound in his temple, of which he died in a fortnight after wards; and Private Hefferon was severely wounded in the arm.
This dangerous tribe, which had hitherto been so unruly, have thenceforward become remarkably peaceable and friendly, and there is no doubt that this severe example was mainly instrumental in promoting the peace and tranquillity of the entire settlement.
A notion got up at King George's Sound to which only sixteen signatures were affixed, praying for convicts to be sent to that part of the colony. This measure met with universal reprobation from every other person in the colony.
December.— Institution commenced by the Government at Eliza Bay, under the superintendence of Mr F. Armstrong, with the object of civilising the natives.
37 bales of wool exported.
The entire amount of Government expenditure for the civil service of this year was £12,175 13s. 10d., out of which only the sum of £5,290 19s. 6d. was furnished by the parliamentary grant, the balance being provided from colonial resources.
The number of acres under crop was 910.
Horned cattle 500, horses 162, sheep 3,500.
18 ships arrived during the year, bringing 142 passengers, and leaving estimated cargo £36,942.
Horses, 125; cattle, 562; sheep, 10,641; goats 69; pigs, 105; dogs, 69.
Sources:
- Brief Chronicle of the Principle Events Which Have Occurred, Connected With the Colony of Western Australia (1843, September 27). Inquirer (Perth, WA : 1840 - 1855), p. 4.
- View of Frederick Town, King Georges Sound, at the expiration of the first year of its settlement, Feby 7th 1828 / N.D. and I.S.N. (Attributed to Isaac Scott Nind. Nind wrote 'The general appearance of the country, although of a barren nature, is very picturesque. The hills behind the settlement are studded and capped by immense blocks of granite, and are strewed with a profusion of beautiful shrubs, among which the splendid Banksiae grow to a large size, and the Kingia and Xanthorrhoea or grass-tree are abundant'."); Courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
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