12th - 23rd December, 1836

Editors Note: For the next two weeks the Buffalo worked its way across the Great Australian Bight, heading for Port Lincoln, where they would inspect a prospective site for the Capital of the new colony and meet with other ships bound for South Australia. Much of the journey was uneventful, but two incidents are recorded by Hindmarsh.

Governor Hindmarsh continued his care for his animals

Thursday, 15th December 1836: After many days, little Wilbur the runt pig is up and about and showing every sign of good health and vigour. As there is now no longer danger from draughts for the poor little chap I have ordered full sail for the first time in some weeks. (Some of the passengers had the bad grace to suggest "for the first time in many weeks", but surely not)

Naturally the ship surged forward with a vigour matching Wilbur's and the passengers and emigrants seemed cheered. I am gratified to see their care and concern for the little piglet.

And the Governor's sense of humour was not to the taste of the passengers.

Wednesday, 21st December 1836: Dear me, you have to watch what you say. At the entrance to Spencer's Gulph stands Cape Catastrophe, named by Flinders after, I assume, some dreadful occurrence on board his ship (although from what my Father, who knew Flinders as a young officer on board the Bellerephon, told me, the biggest catastrophe Flinders might have seen was the gin running out).

I suggested to the crew, who believe me a capital fellow, that we could rename it and change its name from one catastrophe to another, naming it Cape Hindmarsh, after my wife. They all laughed and we thought no more of it.

Of course, one of the passengers overheard a half of this conversation and before you could say knife, word had got around the ship  that I intended rewriting one of Flinder's nomenclatures after myself. Moreover, it is common knowledge about the ship that I have a list of great English sea captains that I intend to use as a guide to the naming of the Colony. The names on the list include, it is said, Nelson, Cook and, laughably, Hindmarsh. "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity" was the tone of the conversations I overheard, I am afraid.