(Transcribed and Typed by Pat Glenie. Spelling and punctuation is not mine). April 1985. THE DIARY OF CHARLOTTE A BESLEY 1st January 1887 Bleak Hive, Port Augusta. Saturday 1st January 1887. Wishing you a very bright prosperous and happy Year. The day dawned very pleasantly but afterwards became extremely warm. We all drove to church about ten and met a number of people returning who told us that the priest had been called away two hundred miles and that we would not have service either today or tomorrow. It is rather sad to begin the New Year so, but it cannot be helped. We then drove home and adjourned to the drawing room where we read our Mass prayers, Papa, the boys and I reading aloud alternately. Then after dinner Charlie Hancorne came up and read a lecture on the Music of Ireland to us and I am sorry to say that Papa and I fell asleep but only for a few minutes. It was so hot and we were lounging so comfortably. About four o'clock the children and I packed a hamper while the boys got the buggys ready and we drove down to Port Patterson and boiled the kettle and had tea on the beach, after which Papa set the children racing for small moneys and we bigger ones walked down to a boat and sat and talked a while. Then returned home as we had come out. Jim driving some of the children and I in a buggy with one horse and Papa behind in his own big tilted one and a pair of horses. We sang the whole way home regardless of dust which kept coming in our mouths, and took our hats off the better to enjoy the cool air. The sky is very starry now and the moon is just crescent or horned. Charley Hancorne rode Kimberley all by himself. Mr. Haining came up in the evening, and Uncle Field arrived by the Ten Train, so I gave him his supper and retired to Blanket Street, Bedfordshire. Sunday 2nd January 1887. Still Warm. Mamma drove to her church at Eleven, and we all with Uncle Field read our Mass prayers from the "Crown of Jesus" same as yesterday. During the afternoon Jim drove all the children out and Charley Hancorne and I went for a walk round part of Cudmore's Hill and home to tea. When it got quite cool after tea Ma and boys walked down to our old house and back. Then we sat and talked under the verandah until suppertime. Mr. Bryant and Mr.Haining came up after church and remained with us until about eleven. Uncle has been telling us all about the large fire in Rundle Street on Xmas Eve. He saw it all. It seems as tho the Academy were fated to fire having been burned down three years running and this time it was said to be fireproof, only a trap door had been left open and the flames got in there. I began to read "The Chaplain of the Fleet" by Besant and Rice. I cannot read long this weather without going to sleep. Monday 3rd January 1887 (Lovely morning but intensely hot day) We were all up very early and left here for a picnic at Wilmington before seven. Charley in front driving Katie Donaldson, Mr. Haining and Jim, Papa driving Charley Hancorne. Arch and I in our buggy drove a little slower than the others although our horses Kimberley and Nectar were much better and then again we drove to Mrs.Latorffs farm and she showed us through her house and gave us some cake and sugar beer which was beautifully cool and we enjoyed it. Then we drove to Mr. Fitzgeralds camp. He was away but Harry Cleveland unlocked his door and helped the boys to make tea and get lunch and they waited on us and had it not been so hot we would have enjoyed it immensely. Very hot indeed returning and we reached home about seven in the evening. Then after a wash all had tea and sat out under the verandah and talked. Tuesday 4th January 1887. Pleasant day. I keep forgetting that I want to keep this margin for weather only. Uncle Field left here by yesterdays train for Teetulpa gold-fields which are his present headquarters. The boys are very busy at the Banks just now and especially today as it is the 4th of the month. Mamma took little Clare into Port this afternoon and had two of her teeth drawn. She behaved so bravely and did not cry or scream, but stood between the chemists legs while he drew them out without a murmur, only turned deathly white, so Ma gave her some money with which she bought four dolls, one for Livy, and one for Rosie Donaldson, and two for herself. She is such a good and kind child it would be impossible not to love her. I stayed at house all day and made myself a black under-skirt with steels in it, and in the evening read a little while. A duststorm rose in the evening. What a pity it is we cannot have the least wind without sand too. received a photo and note from Donny McDonald from the N. Territory. Papa also got Mr. Reginald Verdons photographs and a letter from him. I have received 24 cards this season and some are handpainted some with German verses and all are very pretty indeed. I sent several dozen away. It is quite a task choosing and sending Xmas and New Year Cards. Wednesday 5th January 1887. Hotter than ever today. It is most trying. Last evening Jim had been burning rubbish in the back yard and had not quite put the fire out, so during the night it caught the partission fence between the garden and yard and burned about a yard of it when fortunately our black boy Jimmy saw it and put it out else I feel sure we would have been burned out for it was so windy. Sewing most of the day and I generally water the garden in the evening. I like hosing the beds. Then in the evening I did some mending while Jim read aloud to us. He reads very badly tho for his size. I'm afraid his heart is not in his lessons at all and he thinks of little else than horses. Papa washed some more Teetulpa dirt and got 2 grains of gold out of it. He wanted to show Jim the process of washing dirt for gold. Thursday 6th January 1887. Extremely hot all day and evening. Busy working all the morning and sewing in the afternoon. About four o'clock I walked down to Hainings only resting a few minutes at Stubb'ses on the way for it was so dreadfully hot walking. Mrs.Haining is in Town and her baby has been so very ill, tho it is out of danger now but very weak still. Poor Millie Anderson has had a rather trying time of it as head nurse and housekeeper. I stayed until about ten and then walked home alone in the moonlight. Millie showed me all her photographs and Xmas cards and a number of other things, and then we sat on the balcony and talked a long time. It was much better than inside. Charley Hancorne was here when I got home. He had been here most of the evening with Mamma and the boys and was just going down for me when I came in. I pretended that I was angry with him for a little while but did not keep it up for long. I often have fun all to myself like that with him and I know he thinjks I'm bad tempered and all the time it is only jesting, and when I think he does not see it of course I sham crossness all the more and he calls me Scotty. Very often when trying to look back I can hardly keep from laughing. Friday 7th January 1887. Hot winds as well as heat today. I finished making my red Turkey Twill morning gown. It is a nice loose cool thing. It is most trying to work in this heat for one has so little energy left to do anything. This country should never have been taken from the Blacks, that is the Far North, for it only fit for them to live in. Marked a lot of things for Jim. He has to get a new rig-out each time he comes home, but I suppose most boys are alike and lose their collars, cuffs handkerchiefs etc. Mr. Fitzgerald came here about eight o'clock. He had then driven up from Limestone Well and after he had tea he read aloud some political news to Ma and I. He is great on Home Rule for Ireland and feels sure they will get it, and Gladstone carry the day. Saturday 8th January 1887. Very very very hot all day and night. I ironed my white dress and made a white vest for my shot silk. Last evening we had some mosquitoes which sang all night and kept trying to get under the net. It was so terriably hot that I could hear Papa and the boys walking about upstairs all night. They, or I think anyone else could not sleep. Of course I had no ride today as I usually do on a Saturday. I thought a habit much too thick to put on.