Undated Diary Entry (Probably 1st July, 1838)

Behold, I tell you a mystery!

The whole town is abuzz with gossip, rumour and chatter regarding the Lord Goderich and what took place on the voyage out.

It was a matter of public knowledge that the voyage was not a happy one and was so reported in the newspaper when the ship finally arrived in April.

(The following cutting has been pinned to the page - Editor's note)

---

THE LORD GODERICH.

THIS long-expected vessel has at length arrived after a tedious passage of six months. The detention was occasioned principally by some unpleasant differences between the passengers and the captain. In order to settle them, the ship put into Bahia, and proceeded afterwards to Rio de Janeiro, under the charge of Lieutenant Edwards of H.M.S. Samarang, then at the former port. At Rio, the differences were considered so serious, that Mr. Hesketh, the English Consul there, thought it his duty to put the ship and passengers under the superintendence of Mr. Wethem, master's assistant of H.M.S. Lyra. 

We regret to learn that these unhappy differences continued throughout the entire voyage; and that actions and counter actions in the Courts of the province have already been commenced by the parties who consider themselves aggrieved.

The Canton was expected to sail on December 1st, and may be hourly expected.


Well, what with "unpleasant differences" and extra officers on board and legal threats the whole matter was sufficiently spiced to excited the interest of all.

Then, about a week ago, some of Lord Goderich passengers held a dinner to praise the Captain of the ship, Andrew Smith. It was reported thus:

(The following cutting has been pinned to the page - Editor's note)

DINNER TO CAPTAIN SMITH.

ON Monday last a dinner was given at Port Adelaide to Captain ANDREW SMITH, of the Lord Goderich, by several gentlemen passengers on board that vessel, in testimony of their respect

and esteem for his character and conduct. About twenty gentlemen sat down to an excellent dinner of three courses provided by Mr. Anthony of the Port Adelaide Hotel—a new undertaking which promises to furnish the visitants of the Port with that accommodation which has been so long a desideratum. The chair was taken by Mr. A. H Davis, Captain Mordaunt, of the Canton, acting as Vice-President. The following toasts were drank during the evening:— 
" The Queen." 
" His Excellency the Governor and the Naval Service."
 " Prosperity to South Australia, wisdom in her councils, and unanimity among her colonists." 
The Chairman proposed the health of Captain Smith, to whose character he paid a just tribute. 
" Our Native Land."
 The Vice-President prefaced the health of "The Duke of Wellington and the Army" by an allusion to the day, which was the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo.
 Mr. Whettem—" Dr. Garde and the officers of the Lord Goderich."
 " Our Visitors and the Commercial Marine of England." 
The Chairman then alluded to the circumstances under which they were assembled, and pro-posed " Mr. Anthony, and success to the Port Adelaide Hotel." 
Several other toasts were drunk, and some excellent songs sung, when the Chairman and some others having retired, Captain Mordaunt was called to the chair, and the meeting did not break up till a late hour.
[Mr. Whettem's letter in our next.]


All this sounds like a cheery, if drunken evening and the glow of human friendship was shining out like a good deed in a naughty world, Except that this had already appeared in the other paper:

(The following cutting has been pinned to the page - Editor's note)

[ADVERTISEMENT.]

____

To the Editor of the Southern Australian.

Adelaide, June 22, 1838. 

SIR, Having been informed that a dinner has been given to Mr. ANDREW SMITH, Master of the barque Lord Goderich, by the passengers of that vessel, we consider it due to ourselves to state that we were not of the party, nor in any way connected with the transaction, and would feel obliged if you would make the circumstance public.

We remain. Sir,

Your obedient servants,

 F. WICKSTEED, 

W. SANDFORD, 

CHAS. FENN,

D. M'NISH, 

E. C. GWYNNE,

S. FAIRLIE, 

B. SHAW, 

W. SHAW, 

R. J. BRADSHAW

CABIN PASSENGERS

all of which suggests, at the very least, dissension in  the ranks. And indeed the whole thing seems to have boiled over onto the fire with these two letters appearing in yesterday's paper:

(The following cuttings have been pinned to the page - Editor's note)

To the Editors of the South Australian Gazette, 
GENTLEMEN— Having seen in the columns of a newly arisen paper of this date an article headed "An Advertisement" directed to the editor of that paper, and signed by F. Wicksteed, W. Sandford, Charles Fenn, D. M'Nish, E. C. Gwynne, S. Fairlie, B. Shaw, W. Shaw, and R. J. Bradshaw, the purport of which was to assure the public that they were in no way connected with a dinner given as a tribute of grateful respect by some of the passengers by the Lord Goderich to Captain Andrew Smith, I must in reply state that the individuals above mentioned, whose transcendent virtues and highly moral character could not brook the idea that a shade of suspicion should rest on the public mind that they could possibly dine with Captain Smith and the friends who met with him around the social board on the evening of the 18th inst. were not the subject of a moment's consideration with those who there met, and whom I doubt not would, with myself, have deemed it a disgrace rather than an honor to have been found in their company. As for myself, a sea voyage has told me a tale never heard before; and perchance some of the immaculate nine alluded to before might, if they cast a wandering look back to the night of the third of March last, recall to their minds that shameful scene of disgraceful drunkenness which only ended in the melancholy and awful death of one mixed with them in that truly wretched case of degrading intoxication; and yet they would not dine where they were not wanted or would have been allowed to enter. Let it suffice to say, if the table round which we met had been indeed so highly honored as to have been spread for their entertainment, it would not have resounded with the hearty good-will that greeted the meeting of Captain Smith and his friends.

Your most obedient servant, 
STEPHEN WHETTEM, R.N. June 23, 1838.

To the Editors of the South Australian Gazette.

 GENTLEMEN — l observe in the last week's number of the Southern Australian an impertinent advertisement in reference to a dinner given to me by several gentlemen who were passengers on board the Lord Goderich, under my command, bearing the signatures of F. Wicksteed, W. Sandford, Charles Fenn, D M'Nish, E. C. Gwynne, S. Fairlie, B. Shaw, W. Shaw, R. J. Bradshaw. I beg to state that it is perfectly true none of those persons were present on that occasion, and it is equally true that their presence was neither desired nor solicited, and I value my own character too much to have condescended to sit at the same table with them after my long experience of their habits

 and manners.

I am, Gentlemen, 

Your obedient servant,

 ANDREW SMITH. 

Port Adelaide, June 28, 1838.

So now we have " shameful drunkenness", "wretched intoxication", "melancholy death" and persons whose "habits and manners" are so awful that a Master of a Merchant ship will not "condescend to sit at the same table with them" and the question must be asked (and most in town are asking): "What in Heaven's name happened on that voyage!!!??"

(The following seems to be a later addition to the above, possibly 6th July - Editor's note)

And to add to the fun Stevenson has shown me letters that he has received, but not yet published. I transcribe them here:

First, this from Charles Fenn, a passenger on board the Lord Goderich

 To the Editors of the South Australian Gazette. 

GENTLEMEN

I am surprised to find from the last number of your paper that you should have degraded your journal to a vehicle of private abuse by inserting the abominable calumnies of Captain Andrew Smith and Mr. Stephen Whettem. 

With regard to the letter bearing the signature of the former individual, I need only say that his "habits and manners" on board the Lord Goderich have probably been his greatest enemies, as you may possibly be aware that, on account of his conduct on ship-board, the Consul at Rio de Janeiro ordered him to pay £200 to the person who superseded him in his authority over the passengers. Perhaps it is on account of his character having cost him thus much that he sets so high a value upon it. 

Referring to Mr. Whettem's letter I regret that I can attribute no "transcendent virtues" or " highly moral character" to that individual; did the law allow it, possibly "I could a tale unfold." I believe, however, that none of the calumniated nine would ever have endeavoured under the cloak of religion to undermine the springs of female virtue. 

A sea voyage appears to have had a very peculiar and mysterious effect upon Mr. Whettem, and, according to his own account, has added considerably to his stock of knowledge. He says that it " has told him a tale never heard before." What the tale thus curiously revealed is I am at a loss to determine, as Mr. Whettem appears to have secreted it in one of the most obscure of the countless chambers of his brain. 

As a party wholly unconnected with anything that occurred upon the 3rd March last, and, therefore, having no inducement to deceive, I should be glad if I had the opportunity of removing from the minds of your readers the erroneous impressions which Mr. Whettem's letter is calculated to convey. 

Perchance it would have been as well if Mr. Whettem had possessed the delicacy to draw a veil over the faults of one who is now no more; but as he has chosen most unequivocally to accuse others of a participation in that fault, and even to attribute to them in some way the cause of a very melancholy event, it becomes a duty to state the truth. 

In the first place it is by no means certain that the death of the unfortunate individual alluded to was accidental, as Mr. Whettem is well aware that there were a number of circumstances which would incline to an opposite opinion. 

In the next, I can only say that I am not aware of any " shameful scene of disgraceful drunkenness" which took place on board the Lord Goderich on the 3d March. If there were any such scene, Mr. Whettem's advice applies equally to one who contributed to the dinner to Captain Smith on the 18th inst. as well as to the " immaculate nine." 

As to my knowledge that person, although shielded by Mr. Whettem, was one of those who were last in the company of the deceased. If it be considered necessary to defend the advertisement referring to the dinner to Captain Smith, to which I affixed my name, wherein the majority of the cabin passengers stated that they were no parties to the transaction, it will be enough to say that, from my knowledge of the character and conduct of Captain Smith, I should be exceedingly sorry if it were supposed that I had subscribed to " a tribute of grateful respect" for that individual, or had associated myself in any way with the party who assembled upon that occasion. 

As for Mr. Whettem he must surely have forgotten that not three months since he was found guilty of a gross assault before the Criminal Court, and sentenced to a fine of £10. Where characters are so expensive it is well for their owners to prise them highly. 

I am, &c, 

CHARLES FENN. 

And this, from, of all people, the Wesleyans, who seem intent on sticking their oar in.

To the Editors of the South Australian Gazette. 

GENTLEMEN

I shall feel obliged by your inserting in the next number of your paper a copy of the enclosed resolutions. 

I remain, Sirs,

 Your obedient servant, W. LILLECRAPP. 

Adelaide, 5th July, 1838. 

At a Meeting of the Trustees, Leaders, and Local Preachers of the Wesleyan Methodist Society, held on Monday last the 2d instant, It was resolved — 

That the attention of this Meeting having been called to a letter signed by Mr. Whettem, inserted in the last number of the Gazette, they feel bound to express their deep regret that one who has occupied their pulpit should have manifested such a spirit, and this meeting would record their entire disapprobation of the language of the letter referred to. 

That this resolution be inserted in both the newspapers. 

By order of the Meeting, 

W. LILLECRAPP, 

Secretary. 

Adelaide, July 5, 1838.

The whole business becomes more juicy by the moment and is the talk of the town.


 Sadly, and imagine my frustration, by the time the truth comes out I shall have sailed. I have asked Mrs Hindmarsh to keep me informed of developments after I leave, but I hold out no great hope that she will bother.

Saturday, 30th June, 1838

Like dominoes toppling one after the other, Durward Kingston's return on the Rapid has caused problem after problem.

First, he came with the news that there would be no further funds, nor further staff, for Light to complete the survey. And once Light received the news that the Commission required that he use a quicker, less accurate method to finish the thing, he resigned as Surveyor General, stating that he would rather not do the job at all than do it badly. This left the position of Surveyor General vacant and who pushed his way to the front of the queue, claiming that he would lead the Province out its difficulty? Why, none other than Durward Kingston!

The rest of the Surveying Party seemed to believe that Kingston would be hard pressed to lead a group in silent prayer, because as one, they doffed their caps, said "No Thank you!" and resigned en masse.

So now the Company has a half finished survey and no surveyors, save Kingston, to complete the job. And the general consensus is that Kingston's skill would be stretched to breaking point mapping the hairs on a baboon's arse.

Light and Finniss, it seems, are planning to establish a private surveying company, employing a number of experienced surveyors who have recently made themselves available to be engaged. It seems that Light has suggested that he would be willing to continue the work, but at a price that would probably drive the Company into the arms of the bailiffs.

So the Company finds itself with one surveyor who can't manage the job; unable to afford to engage the private company that can; and unwilling to engage Light because, of course, he would do the job on his terms and not theirs.

Fisher must be at his wit's end - which, if we're honest, is not that long a trek - because he had the unmitigated temerity to send ME a note asking if I had any suggestions.

As it happens, I have a great many suggestions for Mr Fisher, but sadly, none of them relate to the current situation. Some, I surmise, may even be physically impossible, though I am willing to see him test this theory

Instead, I found satisfaction in answering him in the following terms.

"My Dear Fisher;

It seems clear that the situation with the survey party places you in quite the pickle and if it occurred three, or even two weeks ago I, naturally, would have been delighted to offer a solution to a difficulty which appears to have you flummoxed.

Sadly, as you may be aware, I have been recalled to London and I am afraid that all my time is taken up with preparation for my imminent departure. I simply cannot spare the 20 or 30 minutes it would take to solve this puzzle that is clearly too much for you.

The only suggestion I can offer is that you speak with Mr Milner Stephen. He will be acting in the role of Governor after I depart and, no doubt, will have many interesting and original ideas to bring to bear on the crisis in which you find yourself.

I am, Sir, Yours &c...."

Let him stick that up his pipe and smoke it.

A Paper found between the Pages of Hindmarsh's Diary

GOVERNMENT NOTICE

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE

June 28th, 1838

THE Postmaster of Adelaide having recently pursued a course of conduct which requires from the Government a censure as public as his behaviour was notorious, lest such an example should have the effect of destroying the necessary authority of the Government, his Excellency directs the following letter to Mr. Gilbert to be published for general information of the public officers and servants, as a means of deterring them while in its service from pursuing a course which is at all times embarrassing to a Government, but more especially to the Government in a new colony where its functions are first called into being. 

The Governor does not intend to convey a censure to the public officers generally, from many of which he has received ready support. But having frequently felt his Government embarrassed by the hostility of persons who are supported by its patronage, his Excellency takes this opportunity of declaring his determination to visit the first instance of such reprehensible conduct with the punishment that it obviously deserves. 

By His Excellency's command, 

T. B. STRANGWAYS, 

Colonial Secretary. 

_______________________________

Colonial Secretary's Office, June 28, 1838.

Thos. Gilbert, Esq. Postmaster, Adelaide.

Sir— I have submitted to his Excellency your letter of the 16th instant, stating your motives for having laid before a meeting of the opponents of the Government, summoned by yourself with the avowed intention of censuring an act of tbe Governor, official documents addressed to you by his Excellency's command ; and in replying to it I am to inform you that its receipt would have been earlier acknowledged had not more important matters engaged his Excellency's attention. 

The motive assigned by you for producing my letter of the 11 th instant to that meeting, viz— "you produced the letter which you received from me explanatory of the reasons for opening the mails, not for the purpose of being commented upon, but in order to show the meeting in a manner more clear and correct than any private explanation of your own could have conveyed, the precise grounds, as related by myself, and which you thought it but just and liberal towards those concerned in the transaction should be given, knowing as you did that a strong feeling in the mind of the public existed with regard to it", might under other circumstances have been satisfactory. 

But upon a review of the fact of that meeting having been effected by your own instrumentality and of your having attended it as a Government officer, with those documents in your hand, without the previous sanction of the Government, under which you hold your office, the Governor does not consider your explanation of such flagrant conduct by any means satisfactory. 

And I am to intimate to you that when the Government thinks it necessary to consign the explanation or defence of its measures to any of its officers, it will prefer selecting gentlemen in whose ability and good faith it can place reliance. In a report of the proceedings of that meeting, which remains uncontradicted by you, it appears you informed that meeting that you had waited upon the Advocate General and myself for the purpose of receiving an explanation, &c. Whether such a circumstance be important or otherwise it is not necessary for his Excellency to express an opinion; but it is my duty to state that you neither saw nor communicated with me upon the subject, nor did you leave any message at my office. And I am informed by the Advocate General that you did not, as stated in your reported speech, call upon him. 

In another part of that report a Mr. E. Stephens is made to ascribe wilful mis-statements, upon the evidence of a misquoted private conversation of the Advocate General with him, to a passage in my letter of the 11th instant relative to that officer's temporary appointment of Postmaster General. If, therefore, your disposition had been as 'just and liberal' towards the Government as the passage before quoted implies, you would scarcely have allowed such a statement of mine, as the chief executive officer of the Government, to be so pointedly contradicted in your presence, especially as you had received my letter a day or two previous to the meeting, and had therefore ample time to make yourself acquainted with the fact of the Advocate General's appointment had you doubted the accuracy of my information. 

And at least you ought to have had the delicacy to remind the meeting (when you observed that the chief decision rested upon the fact of whether you were or not holding the office of Postmaster General) that you never had received such an appointment. But as the habit of styling your self Postmaster General (and which his Excellency has countenanced in the belief that you derived gratification from using the superior title) may at length have affected your recollection, his Excellency directs me to refer you to the second number of the official Gazette, where you will find yourself appointed simply a Postmaster of the Province. 

Connected with your avowal that you found 'all the letters and papers correspond with the certificates of the Postmasters,' your conduct in drawing up a protest against the opening of the mails by the Postmaster General cannot be reconciled with the feeling of 'justice and liberality towards those concerned in the transaction' which you profess ; nor was it respectful towards the head of the Government, by whose authority it was done. And if you sought merely your own protection you would have secured it more certainly by obtaining the official advice of the law officer of the Crown, whose opinion would have guided the conduct of the Government in any ' proceedings in the case' that might have been adopted. 

Or you might have respectfully remonstrated with the Government for what you may have considered an interference with your office, and such a remonstrance would have received immediate attention. But though you find every paper correct you make public the circumstance you alone could have known of, thereby exciting, as you say, ' a strong feeling in the mind of the public' (although his Excellency appointed you a Magistrate for the purpose of preserving by your power and example peace and harmony in the community) ; you detail the circumstances to the avowed editor of a newspaper which you knew to be hostile to the Government, and the result in your protest, and a meeting of the opponents of the Government, not called by the Sheriff, held at night in a public-house, and which you, though a Government officer and Justice of the Peace, attend and take a part in. 

For your support of the Government, his Excellency does not ask ; for were it afforded with no better judgment than appears to have influenced your conduct in the present matter, it would not be very valuable. Nor does the Government wish to restrain its officers from expressing in private their opinions of its measures; but the Government has a right to expect that persons who are deriving their maintenance upon its patronage should have the decency to refrain from acts of opposition, as the Government neither forces employment upon them, nor desires them to continue in its service when their official duties cannot he discharged with self satisfaction. 

His Excellency being of opinion that your conduct throughout this matter has been influenced by the sinister advice of others, is unwilling to visit it with any further mark of his disapprobation beyond this letter of reproof. But the Governor cautions yourself and the other officers of the Government (from some of whom be has met with embarrassing opposition), not to pursue for the future a similar course, or his Excellency will consider it his duty to her Majesty's Government to obtain the services of gentlemen in the public departments who can, without violence to their consciences, work hand in hand with the local constituted authorities. 

I have only to remark, with reference to the signature of your letter, that you have selected an unseasonable period for assuming the title of ' Postmaster General,' which, under the circumstances, wears an insubordinate appearance ; but for the reasons before stated, bis Excellency is unwilling to ascribe improper motives to you in using it. 

I have the honor, &c, 

T. B. STRANGWAYS, Colonial Secretary. 

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.