Friday, 29th June, 1838

I took great pleasure, last night, in sitting with the Stevensons and Strangways and drafting a letter reprimanding Tom Gilbert for his actions over the business with the mails.


The man struts about the town with his chest blown out like the cock o' the walk, insisting he be referred to - and, indeed, deferred to - as "Postmaster General", a title from which he clearly derives much satisfaction. First in line with his hand out for his £100 a year, yet first to scuttle off to a public meeting the moment his pride is wounded. And, what is more, happy to take the letter I sent him explaining the business on board the Pelorus - official Government correspondence - without my permission and hand it over to Fisher to use against me. 

Well, that rooster is about to find himself plucked!

It was Mrs Stevenson, bless her heart, who pointed out that he was not, in point of fact, ever appointed "Postmaster General".  If you view the original Gazetting of his appointment it was as "Postmaster for the Colony". The appellation "General", that he sets such store by, was entirely his own addition and of his own devising. Clearly the man is set fair to be taken down a peg or two. Two dozen if needed.

We spent a delightfully malicious evening, telling him that we would have dealt with the matter earlier, but had more important matters to deal with; that I have let slide the matter of his calling himself "Postmaster General" since it seemed so important to him; and that if the Government wishes someone to explain their actions they would prefer to choose a person who was reliable. Along the way we managed a few swipes at Fisher, saying that we understood that Gilbert had improperly followed the Resident Commissioner's sinister advice. A proper broadside, strong and hot.

Strangways - ever the nervous ninny - counselled caution,  saying that it would not do to put people off side. But Margaret Stevenson, for whom God be thanked, had a word to say here. "They have already had you recalled," she said. "Short of hiring assassins to murder you in your bed what more can they do?" 

And of course she was right. They have done their worst and have nothing left in their armoury. Or as Mrs Stevenson put it, rather prettily, I thought, "If you have no buttons left on the table to bet, then you are no longer obliged to play the game." She gave a smile and patted me on the hand. "Freedom, your Excellency, is just another word for having nothing left to lose."

The result is that not only will Tom Gilbert be handed a copy of the letter for his very own, but tomorrow it will be published in the newspaper for the entire town to read. And that will be a parting shot for them to remember me by.

Thursday, 28th June, 1838

It has been decided that the Marines will return, with me, on board the Alligator to London.

That this will, unfortunately, leave the Colony undefended against invaders, native 
uprisings, revolutionary insurgents and all sorts of naughtiness is an unfortunate side-effect, but cannot be helped. Perhaps once people realise this they will thank me for pushing forward plans for the Police Force that, according to Mr Fisher, I did so much to delay. 

If it was left to Fisher there would be no defence of the Colony at all and if a French ship sailed up the Gulph they would be met with a disorganised rabble, wielding pitchforks and throwing rocks.

I say "the Marines". In fact, all but one of the Marines. This Saturday, Marine Joe Davis will marry Miss Keziah Teakle, daughter of Alexander, a Stonemason, and Anne and will be staying on in the Province as a family man. He will need to smarten up his ideas and his ways, I think, as a married man, but at heart he is a good 'un and I expect he will do well.

(Further Undated Note)

Today I proclaimed the Ports of Victor Harbor and Kingscote. Not that I think them worth a pinch of spit as Harbours, but it will benefit the people who need to land goods at these places.

(Additional Undated Note)

I knew it was coming. Light is packing up his sextant and going home. He has announced that he will resign as Surveyor General rather than accede to the Commissioner's conditions.

Wednesday, 27th June, 1838

I find it difficult to describe in words the unalloyed glee I feel when I think of the decision I have made with regard to the Acting Governorship.

Of course, what is needed is someone level headed, sensible, experienced and capable of working effectively with a variety of people. Light would be the obvious choice, I suppose, though in his state of health I doubt that he would accept.

I have decided, however, to promote the cause of none other than - and I cannot help but grin as I write this - our Advocate General, George Milner Stephen. A perfectly proper choice, since Fisher's refusal to attend regular Council meetings and my departure leaves the Advocate General as the senior Council member.

Some might object, saying that he is completely unqualified for the position, temperamentally unsuited for the position, utterly inexperienced and a nincompoop into the bargain.

And, by Heaven, they would be right!

But what makes him entirely unsuitable as a choice makes him uniquely placed to be the perfect farewell gift from me to Fisher, Mann and Brown. I foresee that he will make their lives a living Hell and within a fortnight they will rue the day they decided to remove yours truly from office!

Of course, he will only be in the position for two or three months and can hardly manage to do lasting damage to the Colony, but the havoc I predict he will wreak amongst the Company Men in that short time will be sweet to see. I have said before that a little of Milner Stephen goes a long way. Let them experience just how little and how far!

I shall have him gift wrapped!


(Undated Marginal note)

Light is not taking the news from London well. Like Widow Harvey's baby, he has spat out the rusk and his bottom lip has dropped. I expect a tantrum of awesome magnitude.

Tuesday, 26th June, 1838

With only three weeks before I have been instructed to sail for London there is much to be done and affairs here in the Province to be wound up. Mrs Hindmarsh has decided that I shall go on ahead and she shall stay here in Adelaide until all is finished before returning to London with the girls. Johnny seems to intend staying on in Van Dieman's Land at present.

Of course my wife has made it clear that in her absence I am to behave and not allow myself to be led astray by "loose women", something I do not see as at all probable, but which Mrs Hindmarsh, it seems, believes to be a distinct possibility.

Preparing for Home

With the arrival of Lord Glenelg's dispatch informing him of his recall as Governor, Hindmarsh's diary changes format once again.

The regular weekly digest entries cease and, for the last three weeks of the diary, as Hindmarsh prepares to leave the Colony and make his way back to London, it is made up of short notes and reflections, some dated and some not. The dated of the undated entries can be deduced in most cases and have been added here.

Sunday, 24th June, 1838

Well. The axe has fallen.

Last Wednesday the Rapid arrived in port from England, bearing a dispatch from Lord Glenelg. In it, he tells me that he has advised Her Majesty that I am relieved of the Governorship of the Government of the Province of South Australia. He has made it clear that he was reluctant to do so, but that the insistent representations of the Colonization Commissioners, based upon information given them by the Resident Commissioner, Mr Fisher, left him no choice. He went on to say that nothing had occurred in the proceedings of my Governorship to detract from the opinion he entertains of my character as an officer and a gentleman.

In short, I've done nothing wrong, but the niminy piminy Commissioners back in London have been stirred up by Fisher, the foul excrescence, and have been rushing about like headless chooks, thinking me a Bounty Bastard Bligh or a Caligula.

Buffoons!!

FIsher, helped by his London patron, Torrens, has garbled quotations from letters and dispatches, distorting and suppressing facts stated in them and have asserted as true what they must have known was absolutely and positively destitute of truth. The result is that the Commissioners were stirred up like a lot of maiden aunts and Lo! I am recalled!

I have finally been allowed to see a list of the crimes I am alleged to have committed. They are:

1. I interfered with the choice of site for the Capital. 
2. I was responsible for the delay in proclaiming the Port. 
3. I was guilty of an act of trespass when some of the Buffalo sailors cut trees on Mr Fisher's land to make rafters for Government House. 
4. I had presumed to complain when Mr Fisher refused to allow a patch of swampy ground near the river to used as a part of the Government House Domain. 
5. I had named places in the Province 
6. I had endangered the safety of the Province by rejecting plans for a Police Force proposed by the Commissioners 
7. I had drawn upon the Treasury and thrown the finances into disarray. 
8. I had misled the Board of Commissioners with regard to the Buffalo and the expenses associated therewith. 
9. I had interfered with the Royal Mail. 

The first thing to say about these is they demonstrate how long Mr Fisher can store up a grudge. Cutting trees on Mr Fisher's land? It was four gum trees, I first learned of it after it happened and it was eighteen months ago! Move on man! Put it behind you! And coming from a man whose personal workers have made a career out of cutting down trees like the Devil himself, this seems a little rich!

Some of these are outright lies. It is a matter of public record that we only have a Police Force because I set it running after Fisher refused to fund it. What Mr Fisher means when he says I rejected plans proposed by the Commissioners is that I rejected HIS plans and enacted better plans proposed by others. Yes, I drew upon the Treasury, but only to buy food for the Colony. And again, coming from the man who went shopping with Company money for ponies at £500 a pop this seems rather strong.

I delayed the proclaiming of the Port? If I recall, I wanted to proclaim it, was ready to proclaim it, was about to proclaim it, but was told I could not proclaim it, because Mr Fisher believed that he could do a better job and stuck a spanner in the works. I delayed proclaiming the Port, he says, but he was the one delaying me because he declared that it was his duty to name the location. So it seems I took too long, because it was his job to name the place. But when I pushed it through and proclaimed it, then I am told I should not have done so, because I am guilty of naming places in the Province. He really cannot have it both ways.

Yes, I kept the Buffalo here longer than planned, but only because I had nowhere else to live and nowhere else to place villains.

And I DID NOT interfere in the choice of the site for the Capital. I was perfectly happy with the choice of the site. I worked with Light to make his choice of the site move forward. If I am guilty of anything I am guilty of trying to keep the peace at home, because it was Mrs Hindmarsh who wanted to Capital moved!

Still, in a private letter Glenelg has let a number of hints drop, suggesting that he is all too aware of what has been happening and that it does not reflect upon me and suggesting that he is similarly all too aware of Mr Fisher's tomfoolery and will ensure that before too long a time passes, Mr Fisher will have his wings clipped.

I leave the Colony in about three weeks, travelling to Sydney on board The Alligator.

As yet I do not know for certain who will replace me as Governor, but I have been instructed to appoint someone to act temporarily in the position until the new man arrives.

I think the news is too fresh in my mind to really declare my feelings regarding the situation. No doubt it will become clear to me.

The Rapid arrived in Port as a sort of Flying Dutchman, bearing nothing but ill tidings. It brought back to our fair shores the decidedly unfair Durward Kingston, as if we did not have troubles enough already. Kingston, who seemed surprised that the Colony had even survived, let alone flourish, without him, arrived to give us the benefit of his presence and his wisdom. So it seems we can all rest easy in our beds now.

Now I think of it, surely a ship bearing Kingston is more Ship of Fools than Flying Dutchman?

As I recall, the official reason for Kingston being sent back to England was to inform the Commissioners of Light's difficulties with the Survey and to secure extra funding and surveying staff. (The real reason, of course, was that everyone had had enough of the little blighter.)

So successful was he in his representations that he has returned to inform Light that there will be no more staff, no increase in funds and, as a bonus, that Light is to cease using his preferred trigonometric survey method and complete the survey using a far quicker, but far less accurate running survey.

Now Light is not a well man and as his health has worsened so has his temperament. He is increasingly petulant and disagreeable, given to volcanic outbursts and the darkest of sulking. Well, if I spent much of my day exhausted and spitting up blood, then I might lose the sunny disposition I am noted for as well.

The result is that Light has torn his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and has been walking out into the city wailing loudly and bitterly.

Oh, we all have many reasons to thank Lieutenant Field, in command of the Rapid, who sailed from London to Adelaide without pitching Kingston overboard.

And to complete my joy, on Thursday, Charlie Howard darkened my doorstep to tell me how he is progressing on the preparation of his Hymn Book. He showed me his manuscript and gave me a guided tour of the many wonders of his work, with a view, I think, of securing funds.

I noted, but refrained from comment upon one hymn "To be Sung Before the Sermon":

Now may the gospel's conqu'ring power

 Be felt by all assembled here

So shall this prove a joyful hour

And God's own arm of strength appear.

A Howard sermon "a joyful hour"? The man is fooling no-one but himself. If Bob Cock advertised goods in this manner he would find himself in court on a charge of uttering falsehoods.

A Paper found between the pages of Hindmarsh's Diary

A Call To Action

By the Sons of Lee

The failure of Benthamite Utilitarianism to produce lasting, meaningful political and social change, charged with the tortured cry from the heart of the Romantic soul, places post-Malthusian industrial society in a debilitating crisis that exposes the rotten hollow at its spiritual core.

We call on Artists to rise up and put their sketchbooks and watercolours to good use in the service of the cause of the betterment of Civilisation!

Let there be no more pretty landscapes! No more still life paintings with spaniels! It is the duty of the artist to record, with a clear and dispassionate eye, society as it is, in order to build society as it may become!

JUDGE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED ALSO!

We call on Artists to record the truth they see around them as they truly see it. If they should paint a pretty landscape let it be seen that there was a pretty landscape before them. If there be a spaniel then let it be because a spaniel was present.

And let them paint without bias, interpretation or judgement. But this lack of judgement is, itself, a judgement!

Arise, fellow artists and do not judge! Only then can you pass judgement!

Those who look on our work can see the truth clearly laid before them. To them we say:

LOOK ON OUR WORK OH WATCHER AND DESPAIR!

We call for the Equality of Man.

We call for Women's Rights.

We call for the Equality of the Coloured Races.

We call for Free Love Between the Sexes.

The Equality of Man

We demand that it be recognised that all men across Europe - Germans, Italians, Danes, Dutch, Greeks, Magyars, even probably the French and possibly the Irish, are capable of being held as equals with Englishmen. 

Let it be understood that the advantages of English society and culture that are a native Britons birthright might be attained by those from elsewhere in Europe or even America by dint of exertion and effort.

Women's Rights

We demand that it be recognised that women have a right to exist as the helpmeet and companion of man.

Let it be understood that those tasks natural to a woman such as cooking, cleaning, washing, sewing and child rearing are to be held as having equal dignity and value as tasks carried out by any other menial labourer

Equality of the Coloured Races

We demand that it be recognised that the worth of a member of the coloured races is not dependent on the colour of his skin, but on his aptitude, diligence and loyalty as a servant. All members of the coloured races are equally capable of working as valuable servants to the white race.

Let it be understood that a servant's worth will reflect the example set by his master and hence it follows that all members of the coloured races who are servants of Englishmen will be the most capable.

Free Love Between the Sexes

We demand that it be recognised that the old ideas of vice and sin be swept away and a new ideal of the relationship between the sexes be allowed.

Let it be understood that the world must allow that a boy and a girl should be free to hold hands without shame and even be able to give each other a hug without being treated as moral outcasts.

Arise and March into a Better World!