of June and August were introduced, they do not seem to have suffered in health from their exposure. Captain Stirling draws special attention to this in his despatches, and mentions that from the "inconvenience which a large portion of the settlers suffered—from want of dwellings, and exposure to the night air for weeks together,—the opinion is universal that the climate is favourable to health in a very uncommon degree." This opinion was borne out to a remarkable extent in the ensuing few years, and colds and fevers were almost unknown.
Mr. Roe, with his assistants, made a survey of allotments in Perth and Fremantle during July and August, and in September the records show the first were assigned. In that and following months numerous lots were taken up, some in fee simple. On the 5th September, 1829, F. C. Irwin, John B. Wittenoom, May Hedges, George Leake, and P. P. Smith received the pioneer lots. On the same days lots were sold at Fremantle to William Lamb, John Hobbs, Lionel Samson, and Thomas Bannister. Other lots were taken up in 1829 in Perth, by John Septimus Roe on 3rd November, Charles Simmons, M.D., on 24th October, William Shaw on 8th October, John Morrell on 8th October, John Tichbon on 17th October, Thomas Davis on 17th November, William Hokin on 17th October, Thomas Bannister on 21st October, James Henry on 28th November, James MacDermott on 8th October, Samuel Cox on 27th October, Richard Jones on 22nd October, Hugh MacDonald on 27th October, David Paterson on 2nd November, George Embleton on 3rd November, William Leeder on 8th October, Henry Trigg on 14th October, William Nairne on 28th November, Robert Lyon on 7th November, and C. Browne on 8th October. Several of these gentlemen took up two, three, and more lots.
The only lot taken up in 1829 in Fremantle, in addition to those already mentioned, was by John Bateman.
Not only did the Surveyor-General survey the sites of Perth and Fremantle during the first three months, but he also made a running survey of the surrounding country. Before coming out Captain Stirling had been permitted a priority of choice of country for his grant, which was made in return for his services on behalf of the Swan River country. Late in September the first grants of land were allotted, and the people moved to the sites and commenced the erection of temporary buildings. Governor Stirling wrote the Home Government that "in November the country on the banks of the Swan and Canning Rivers, extending between the sea and the mountains, and to the distance of 50 miles to the southward of Perth, was thrown open." Over this wide area the pioneers roamed, seeking for the particular spots where they might begin their work. Although this country was thrown open, a considerable portion of it was unknown. The original grants were made on the Swan and Canning Rivers, and no difficulty was experienced by the settlers in taking up their residence. In some the natives may have inspired fear, but the first settlers removed to their grants regardless, as Governor Stirling wrote, "of any danger from the natives, who, indeed, were found to be so harmless, that single individuals even who had traversed the country, and particularly among the mountains, had never met with any interruption, nor sustained any insult or injury at their hands." This was an excellent beginning. It was only after they had been unwisely and unsystematically treated that reprisals began.
The warmth of spring enabled the pioneers to more closely explore the woods. In September a multitude of wild flowers of every imaginable colour adorned the banks of the Swan, and afforded unspeakable delight to the people. The variety of these flowers was sufficient to astonish even those who were most fanciful and hopeful of the Swan River country. They nestled on the banks, covered the hills, dotted the plains and vistas, and lent such a lovely air to the scene that the imaginative among them might well consider the Swan River country a huge garden. Some of the flowers rose but a few inches above the ground, others several feet, while the shrubs and climbers were almost as brilliantly decorated as the smaller plants. Although these flowers had not the depth of colour possessed by the wild flowers of England, they outshone them in brightness and lividness. These, with the rapidly increasing volume of sound sent forth by the birds, the indescribable language of the woodlands, rendered the settlers more content, but still anxious of the outcome of their enterprise.
The first grants, as shown in the records of the Western Australian Lands Department, were made on the 29th September. The original recipients on that date were :—R. H. Bland, 8,000 acres; Peter Brown (Colonial Secretary), 5,000 acres; Charles Boyd, 640 acres; Mark John Currie (Harbour Master), 2,564 acres; T. W. Dance (of Sulphur), 5,000 acres; William Dixon, 2,268 acres; Sir James Hume (Bart.), 2,666 acres; George Leake, 14,887 acres; Peter A. Lantour, 10,000; John Whatley (M.D.), 1,500 acres; John S. Roe, 3,100 acres; Lieutenant-Governor Stirling, 4,000 acres; William Shaw, 1,000 acres; Lionel Samson, 4,696 acres; and Charles Ridley, 1,750 acres; all on the Swan River. They had chosen places where the soil appeared most promising, and where they could partake of the advantage of river transit.
The other assignments during 1829 were :—H. C. Fremantle (Captain of Challenger), 5,000 acres in interior, 30th September; Thomas Bannister (Militia), 2,000 on Canning River, 14th November; Henry Camfield, 1,000 acres on Swan River, 13th November; M. C. Carew, 100 acres on Helena River, 15th November; John Alexander Dutton, 3,600 acres on Canning River, 14th November; P. H. Dod, 1,000 acres on Swan River, 7th November, and 1,000 acres on Swan River, 14th December; John O. Davis, 7,026 acres on Canning River; R. Dawson, 1,280 acres on Canning River, 9th November; James Drummond (agriculturist, &c.), 1,000 acres on Swan River, 6th November, and 100 acres on Helena River, 19th November; Joshua Gregory, 1,000 acres on Swan River, 6th November; John Hobb, 4,000 acres on Canning River, 9th November; W. Lamb, 8,119 acres on Swan River, October; Peter A. Lantour, 100 acres on Helena River in November; R. Wardell, 1,000 acres on Swan River, November; Daniel Scott, 4,000 acres on Swan River, October; William K. Shenton, 100 acres on Helena River in November; W. H. Mackie and F. C. Irwin, 200 acres on Swan River; and P. Rogers, 4,000 acres on Canning River in November.
The names of officers of the Navy and Militia appear in this list and show that they availed themselves of the offer of the British Government to take up land in lieu of pensions or pay.
During the month of September, while parts of the Swan River country were ringing with the sounds of civilisation, two other vessels landed their burdens on the shores. These were the Thomson, on the 20th September, with Government stores, seven head of cattle, six sheep, and one lamb, and the Amity, which put in two days later, freighted with Government stores. During this month, too, the second exploration party, since settlement, went out, it was commanded by Lieutenant William Preston, R.N.,
