__________________________________________________________________________________ PRG 101/1/2 Diary of Arthur Hardy volume 2, February 1845, 12-29 January 1847, 29 April 1848 - 16 June 1850, comprising a record of two trips to Port Lincoln (1845 and 1847) and his trip to England aboard the 'Medway', his activities while there and his return trip to South Australia on the 'Mary Ann' (1848-1850) Transcribed by Barbara Wall, Volunteer at the State Library of South Australia, 2012 Bound volume with ‘Arthur Hardy Adelaide South Australia’ written on verso of third flyleaf. ‘Loan 2’ written on spine. The diary begins in February 1845 and ceases in June 1850. Contents Trip to Port Lincoln 1845 p. 1 Trip to Port Lincoln 1847 p. 2 Trip towards England 1848 p. 8 [page 1] Trip to Port Lincoln Feby 1845 Went for a trip in the Cutter “Midge” to examine the country around Spencersf Gulf. the party consisted of E. J. Kirsopp E. P. S. Sturt1 C. J. F. Campbell2 J Fletcher and Gardiner – We visited Port Lincoln and the country about the Swamp where the Hawsons3 reside visited C. J . Driver Govt Resident & his wife went from Port Lincoln to Franklin Harbor from thence to Lipsons Cove & went inland a few miles scrubby country called in at Althorpe Island on our return where we found the grave of a Sealer who had been murdered by his mates & stopped at Rapid Bay on our return and visited Jones’s Station and arrived at Adelaide after a very pleasant trip of three weeks. [page 2] Trip to Port Lincoln 1847 Jany 12th By invitation of Mr T Buer4 Depy Surveyor General I took a passage with Mr Hy Price5 in the Government Cutter “Lapwing” Smith Master bound to Port Lincoln We got on board at 9 P.M. calm & did not weigh Wedy 13th got underweigh at daylight towed to the red buoy (½ a mile) & got on the bank, a breeze sprung up at 11 AM got off & beat down the Harbour got outside at 2 P.M. wind shifted to the S.E. at Sundown Mount Lofty bore due East (memo vessels should keep close to the Eastern shore) Thursday 14th at daylight off Rapid Bay ran down under Kangaroo Island off Point Marsden at 11 A.M at 4 PM off Althorpe appearance from South a saddle on the Island at dark abrest the Wedge shortened sail for the night Friday 15th at daylight off Thistle Island (the anchorage at Althorpe for small vessels is at North side sheltered by a reef from N W. end of the Island) entered Boston Bay 1 Evelyn Pitfield Shirley Sturt (1815-1885), brother of explorer Charles Sturt, had properties at Willunga and Mount Gambier. He later became a police magistrate in Victoria 2 Charles James Fox Campbell was a pastoral pioneer. He had a house on the Torrens at Campbelltown. 3 The Hawson family were the earliest pioneers on Eyre Peninsula. They founded Polda Station. 4 Thomas Buer 5 Henry Price (1819-1885), with his wife Isabella Young, was a pioneer of the Port Lincoln district. His sister Martha married Arthur Hardy in 1850. PRG 101/1/2 Hardy diary volume 2 transcript Page 1 of 89 __________________________________________________________________________________ [page 3] at 10 A.M. saw “Petrel” at Anchor bound to Adelaide She lost a man overboard yesterday ran up to the Anchorage off the Police Station at noon & landed Price In afternoon Buer & myself landed & dined with Mr & Mrs Price & Miss Young went on board at 10 P.M. Saty 16th Buer went on shore early surveying I went on shore at Noon called on Captn & Mrs Bishop & at Drivers he was not at home saw Mrs Driver who asked me to dinner but I was engaged met Price & went on the board with him to lunch dined at Price’s slept on board. Sunday 17th Went on shore with Buer called on Driver met T Smith there dined at Price’s with Buer slept on board. Monday 18th Went on shore with Buer Price ill, lunched there Price could not start into the Bush. Sent off dray to North walked to Curtain Point no sign of the Albatross Buer & Mr Peter started I waited for Price got his mare & rode into town found “Lapwing” getting under weigh to go fishing sent the mare back & went on board ran down [page 4] to South Entrance where we had seen the Petrel & anchored for the night caught four snapper & one shark – there was a fine echo from a musket Tuesday 19th got underweigh & ran down to Snapper Rock off the entrance no sport at 10 A.M got under weigh & ran down to Louthe6 Bay anchored off red rocky headland went in boat & caught 30 fine snapper. Wedy 20th caught 47 large snapper salted them got underweigh at 10 AM & beat up to Port Lincoln –(a reef off North entrance & another to S. of Round Island) got to Anchorage at 3 P.M. went on shore & found Price recovered dined there played whist slept on board fine weather thus far Thursday 21st a splendid day caught a lot of herrings over the side went on shore & lunched at Price’s intending to start to the station but the horses were lost dined at Price’s & slept there Friday 22d after breakfast started for the station near the swamp met Mr T Hawson who had some specimens of Copper ore & said Mr Buer would be in tomorrow went on thro’ the Meadows to “Charlton” a station about 1½ miles off the [page 5] road to the Westward lunched there & saw some of my lambs crossed over & cut the Pillaworta Road7 about half a mile North of Gawler Pond – rode on to Biddles Station & saw the hut where the five people were murdered by the blacks & the gallows on which the murderers were hung Station deserted at present. after a smoke pushed on for three miles & then left the Pillaworta Road & steering N.W. about 3 miles got to the head station Saw one flock of Ewes & the young Ewes on [. .] (Goulds lot) both looking well pretty station slept there. Saty 23d looked round the station garden &c and after breakfast I started on our return at about two miles from Biddles overtook Buer & Peter. rode on about two miles past Biddles & then left the road steering S.E. to Higgins station stopped there & lunched After lunch passed the place where Browns hutkeeper was murdered (Brown was murdered on the run [?] near Gawler Pond) arrived at Brown’s station (fortified) from s thence to Port Lincoln took tea at Price’s found Cha Hawker 6 Now Louth Bay. 7 Near Tumby Bay. PRG 101/1/2 Hardy diary volume 2 transcript Page 2 of 89 __________________________________________________________________________________ [page 6] Mr Gower & Mr Gimmell there tuned the Piano forte which had arrived per Albatross had plenty of music &c went on board to sleep. Sunday 24th Went on shore to dinner at Price’s at 3 walked to Curtain Point & saw Palmyra landing sheep spent the evening at Price’s sacred Music went on board in evening Monday 25th went on shore early put a string on Piano for Mrs Price spent the day there very pleasantly Buer came to dinner had plenty of music Tuesday 26th the Petrell8 arrived – Price Mrs Price Miss Young Peter Chas Hawker & Mr Gower joined us on a Picnic to Stamford Hill on which Flinders monument is built we lunched there. on our return we beat up Port Lincoln proper a splendid Harbour. returned to Boston Bay & landed the party took tea at Prices plenty of music as usual. Wedy 27th After breakfast went on shore & paid Bills &c lunched at Price’s & at 4 P.M. got underweigh for Adelaide Mr Price as passenger ran out & passed Palmyra at Anchor off Snapper rock beat down between the “Unknown” & “Dangerous” [page 7] reefs towards Thistle Island Thursday 28th in sight of the Thistle all the morning almost calm at noon a breeze sprung up from the S.E. fetched to Eastward of Wedge Island at Sundown half a mile to leeward of the reef to the North of Althorpe Island ran thro’ between Althorpe & the two Islands, up helm, fine breeze. Friday 29th at daylight off Point Marsden ran up the Gulf with a fine breeze at 5 P.M passed the Light ship beat up the Harbour & got aground at the Red Buoy near the Port, our boat pulled up I found Wakeling’s Jim Baileys store & all that row of buildings totally destroyed by fire Police & soldiers (such as were not too drunk) playing on the ruins – went up to town & closed a very pleasant trip – Trip towards England 1848 p. 8 [page 8] April 29th Having been in the Province of South Australia since the 12th Feby 1839 I 9 engaged my passage per Juno Steamer to Sydney intending to proceed to England from thence in the ship “Medway” round Cape Horn accompanied by my friend Moritz Mendell. A large party of friends invited us to a farewell dinner at Coppins Hotel I was so much pressed with business of my own & from commissions for other people that I 10 could not get to the party until 9 oclock Having previously said good bye to Louisa rs her children & M Newenham Old Charley Campbell broke the last link which bound me to town & all farewells having been taken (but the few who were to accompany us on board) he drove me & Alfred down to the Port with several other friends, Charley s there left us Alfred Cha Fisher Shayle [?] & some others remained on board the Pilot having miscalculated the tide so that we cannot sail until 11 A.M.