in the same neighbourhood, but so laborious were his professional duties that he had no time to improve or develop his land. The properties of Mr. Tanner and Mr MacDermott were particularly well advanced, while Captain Meares had shown as much energy as a settler as he had displayed when a cavalry officer.
Higher up the river were the establishments, attractive in their sequestered nooks, of Dr. Harris, Messrs. Andrews, Yule, Lennard, Brockman, Moore, Tanner, Shaw, Brown, Burgess, Bull, Leake, Macke, and Irwin. All had perseveringly laboured in their fields, and infused such spirit into their agricultural and pastoral pursuits as to encourage settlers throughout the colony. To them the improved condition of affairs in 1834 is largely due. To-day, while more of this country is denuded of trees, it presents not so pleasant an appearance, nor does it show such entertaining examples of the peaceful pastoral arts. The way, so far as dwellings go, is almost more deserted now than then, and many of the old farms have been allowed to drift back to the untilled condition of prehistoric days. The home-life, the mutual goodwill, the eager desire to advance, the rural peacefulness, the symbols of man's handiwork, are not now as then.
Two roads connected Perth with the Canning district. One of them ran from the horse ferry over the Swan at Mount Eliza; the other approached the river via Guildford. Both were good bush roads, suitable for cart traffic. The principal proprietors on the Canning in 1835 were Major Nairn, Messrs. Phillips, Davis, Bull, Yule, Hester, Gregory, Bickley, Leroux, Drake, Morgan, and Captains Bannister and Pegus. Major Nairn was, according to one writer, the most successful cultivator of all these. He had purchased an estate from Mr. Phillips, and was boldly enterprising in its improvement, and also in introducing live stock from Van Dieman's Land and India. He had been associated with the 46th Regiment for nearly half a century, and now in his new capacity was as good a husbandman as any settler in the colony. Kelmscott existed almost only in name, for though several capitalists had taken up their residences there in earlier years they had by this time removed, owing, probably, to the situation being too remote from the markets.
The road from Guildford to York was rendered extremely circuitous, caused by rocks, trees, and streams. It was substantially the same as that cut by Mr. Dale. About midway between Guildford and York on an isolated farm, an inn, built early in 1834 or late in 1833. It was already known as the Halfway House. The town locations of York were fifty acres each, and were surveyed near the base of Mount Bakewell. Messrs. Bland, A. Trimmer, and Heale were the largest settlers; the two first-named possessed a flock of 1,500 sheep. Sir James Stirling states that at the end of 1835 these gentlemen were in a most prosperous condition, and opined that did Mr. Bland live he would become man of great wealth. The Governor further writes that he was doing his utmost to promote investments of money in sheep, in consequence "of the extraordinary profits which sheep farming there is expected to yield." Colonists with land at York were striving to form a company to purchase sheep to stock the Avon district.
Messrs. Peel, Hall, and Captain Byrne (late of the Rifle Brigade) were the chief settlers on the Murray. They were congregated a few miles inland. Few other grantees lived on their selections, principally because of the hostile and determined character of the Murray River natives. These three gentlemen were making improvements, and Mr. Hall was showing singular firmness and intrepidity in residing among the blacks away from the other settlers. He mingled with the natives, and spent days in the bush alone with them, and thus acquired a knowledge of their habits and language. With their aid he was conducting comparatively large fishing operations.
Augusta, with its few cottages and luxuriant fields, its background of dense woods, and, past the shore-line, the roaring roll of the Southern Ocean, was quite a romantic place. The cost clearing their plots had at first been discouraging to settlers, but when fine crops of wheat, barley, Indian corn, oats, and potatoes sprang from the ground, they viewed their surroundings with more confidence. Captain Molloy, Mr. Turner, the Messrs. Kellum and the Messrs. Bussell still formed the main stays of the district. Captain Molloy had served in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo, and now devoted his attention in this remote part of the world to agriculture and to grazing. He possessed in 1835 a fine productive garden at Augusta. The Bussell family, consisting of the widow of a clergyman and her five sons and three daughters, were plying their secluded toil about twelve miles up the Blackwood. The eldest son was a graduate of Oxford, and often was he to be seen attending to his agricultural and pastoral duties with a book of Horace or some other famous classical work in his hand. The daughters were as useful in the pioneer labours as the sons, and it was largely through their aid that this excellent family became so primary a factor in the development of the south-west districts of the colony. The Messrs. Chapman had a selection higher up the Blackwood. The population of the Augusta district at the beginning of 1835 was estimated to be one hundred. They lived in almost uninterrupted friendliness with the natives. A movement was on foot in England, started by a lady friend of one of the settlers, to collect subscriptions for the erection of a church at Augusta.
King George's Sound still remained in a state of torpor, although some of the settlers, particularly Sir Richard Spencer and the Messrs. Cheyne, were striving to improve their holdings. The people looked fervently to the opening up of roads inland which should lead to pastoral and agricultural areas, while they advocated the formation of a whaling company. Whalers and sealers continued to put into the Sound.
The condition of society in the whole of Western Australia at this period was decidedly agreeable, and bespoke a greater refinement than is usually to be found in new countries. The excellent education of the chief settlers, and the amiable accomplishments of their families, gave such opportunities for reciprocal communion as to afford delight and edification, and to render their situation almost enjoyable. Hospitality was as characteristic of the settlers as formerly, and the current of goodwill flowed with unabated continuity. Lady members of certain families were as helpful in advance work as the males, and many are the stories which might be told of their self-sacrifice and courage. Although they had been bred in luxury they quickly adapted themselves to the conditions of colonial life. While they became interested in colonial aspirations they did not forget, says one writer, to sedulously cultivate the elegancies of life, and their moral courage and unmurmuring perseverance were denominated as noble and elevating.
On 19th August, 1834, Captain Stirling returned from England. Captain Daniel occupied the position of Lieutenant Governor until May, 1834, when, owing to ill-health, he was relieved for a fortnight by Captain Picton Bete. The arrival of the Ambassador was made almost a gala occasion, and many people went off to his vessel—the James Paterson—to welcome him back.
