APPENDIX 1. John Garrett Bussell to Sophia Hayward November 1832. My dear Miss Hayward, It is now evening. I am many miles from any civilized habitation in the depths of an unmeasured forest; my attendants are preparing for me a screen of boughs to keep off the wind. I am seated by some rapids on an unknown river, and am probably supposed to making notes of procedure, being on public service. The rest of the party, fatigued with unwonted exertion, have not yet raised themselves from the reclining posture which they adopted at their first halting. I suffer little inconvenience for I am now an old bushranger. The moon, a small crescent, begins to assume a yellow tinge. I conclude therefore that the sun is setting, an operation of Nature indiscernible on these wood-burthened hills. A huge pile is now sending up volumes of smoke, much to the discomfiture of a host of mosquitoes: it will presently burst into flame and yield the light that the fading orbs of Heaven deny. Some coffee boilers are arranged on a smaller and more approachable fire. I shall soon be summoned to the repast. But this procœnium requires explanation. It was late on Saturday the 2nd of November 1832 when I had retired from coffee with Alfred and was preparing to pass the rest of the evening in quiet with my lamp and books, that the distant plash of oars interrupted as calm a scene as your fancy can well portray. Pearce my servant from the common house distant about thirty yards from my own private cot, or library, or cell, or study, or magazine, or bed-chamber (either form will be equally applicable) was sounding a bugle, our usual mode of greeting strangers. We, that is Alfred, Pearce and myself, had been a long time alone in the woods, or as we say here in the bush, severed some fourteen miles from the rest of the civilized world. We expected that a ship had arrived at Port Augusta from England; all was therefore excite ment. Even I, the Philosopher himself, rose with less than wonted dignity from my seat and dismissed for the night the Empress Theodora, Justinian, Belisarius and Antonia (I was reading The Decline and Fall) and followed Pearce through a small field of wheat to the landing place which he manifested to the approaching crew with a blazing torch. The night was pitch dark. The reach of the Blackwood, opposite to which our house has been erected, is wide and about three-quarters of a mile long; in consequence of this on a still night the oar may be heard at a great distance, but the boat was now nearing us, the rowers had ceased their labors, the painter was thrown on shore, and made fast round some pins at the root of a tree appropriated to that purpose. First those stout companions, the guns, were handed out and taken up; then followed the usual greeting. The arrivals were Charles, Mr. Green, a young surgeon and medical officer of this station, Mr. Killam, a colonist of Augusta, and Mollony, a soldier. Long since, and before the boat touched the bank, the question Is there a ship in?' had been answered by a packet held out to catch the ruddy gleam of the beacon. This was a moment of some anxiety. Charles called me on one side, told me he had received nothing; that he had opened a letter addressed to me, which he feared contained ill news. He had stopped, however, when he came upon subjects which he considered sacred. He need have said no more, and I need have read no more. I knew all. I gave Pearce the packet to lay on my table and led my company up to the house, gave them supper, dampers-a sort of bread-pork, cockatoos, coffee. I was now told that the Government Resident, Captain Molloy, was anxious that I should conduct an excursion to the Vasse immediately if possible and according with my convenience. Four soldiers were to attend me and would reach my house on Monday the next day, with some settlers, on the chance of my assent. I seemed to laugh at the short notice, remaining undecided: and meanwhile retired for a few minutes to my own room, to read three letters, my mother's, Capel's and yours. I cannot say the perusal raised my spirits, but I returned to my company; an opportunity of calling forth my energies was offered. I decided on going to the Vasse. The vessel that had arrived at Augusta had sailed again. She had come from Swan River and was on her passage to King George's Sound, at which port she was about to leave my old friend and fellow-recluse, Macleod, Lieut. of the 63rd, as Government Resident. He had left the Swan for that purpose, and finding Charles and Vernon at Augusta he had persuaded the latter to accompany him. Vernon, not loath to take advantage of so good an opportunity of seeing a place that had been much talked of, was therefore absent from our party. It was necessary for Charles to return to Augusta, and as two are hardly enough to leave alone in the bush, I appointed one of the men to remain with Alfred and Pearce as guards of my premises. Eight days I was to be absent; in ten the vessel was to return to receive my report and journal, and I trusted also a letter that I might prepare for you. It was very late when I retired to my hammock on Saturday. I had been too much excited even then to sleep. On Sunday the party arrived, and I was occupied in preparations and in reading letters. On Monday at 12 o'clock I had reached the northernmost reach of the Blackwood by boat, and I was marching, compass in hand, with ten days' provisions at my back. My companions little knew what was weighing on my mind, as I broke them a path through the tangled undergrowth. My leisure on this march is devoted to you. Wednesday evening. I believe within a very short distance of the Vasse. The kangaroo is in the swamp, If water there our search reward, Down with our knapsacks on the sod Our guns lean charged with ample load If danger aught there be. See how these murky woods throughout Our jolly fire glares: Full readily the way-worn rout An evening meal prepares. |