Voyages to India, China, and America: with an Account of the Swan River Colony

W.S. Bradshaw

CHAPTER V.

VOYAGE TO SWAN RIVER.

My health being completely re-established, I resolved upon a trip to the Swan river colony with two cousins, one of whom had been several years in the colony. Early in November 1843, we started for London, to proceed by a ship which was to sail on the 11th of December. The weather being foul on going down channel the captain put into Falmouth, where we spent our Christmas. Everything being ready and the pilot on board, with a fair wind, the good ship Trusty under command of Captain Elsdon,

62

weighed anchor at 7 o’clock a. m., on the 26th of December 1843, and quitting Falmouth proceeded under all sail for the Swan river settlement, where we arrived after a tolerably pleasant voyage on the 30th of May following.

Though I kept a daily journal of our proceedings, yet as the little incidents which then appeared interesting to many, may not be deemed so now, and as the labours and the amusements of those on board were very much of a routine character, I shall merely remark respecting them that our labours principally consisted in keeping the decks clean, a good look out for squalls, and keeping our sails, rigging, and timbers in a thorough sea-going state—to be prepared for whatever might happen—and our amusements in

telling long yarns, singing love and martial ditties over our can of grog—and cracking hard biscuits. My friends, however, must not suppose that we were altogether heathens, for with the exception of

63

three Sundays—on two of which the weather was extremely boisterous, Divine Service was regularly performed either by the captain or chief mate—all the crew and passengers invariably attending.

The life of a sailor or passenger on an Eastern voyage being always a monotonous one—the same objects day after day being ever present to his view —it wras with something like real pleasure that we heard the second mate, from his airy residence aloft, proclaim the glad tidings of land a’head. A few days further progress brought us to an anchor, immediately opposite to, and five miles from the town of Fremantle—when we, the passengers, instantly packed up our trappings, went ashore, each proceeding to his intended location in the York district—the road leading us over plains thickly covered with wood and scrub, and over a hill called Green Mount, from which we had a splendid view of Melville Water and the city of York. But for a full

64

description of the towns in the colony, and the colony itself, I have to request attention to the following pages.

Swan River colony in Western Australia is so called from a number of black swans seen by the first settlers.

The principal sea-port town, Fremantle, is small, containing but a few public buildings and private houses. From the town there is a fine view of the sea. The soil is of a light, sandy nature, and when manured and worked answers well for gardens. The houses are well built; some of stone, others of brick, with verandas. The scenery improves as you ascend the river to the town of Perth, where there is an exceedingly pretty view, and a large sheet of water like an extensive lake. There is a rocky bar across the mouth of the river a few feet under water, which prevents ships sailing up to Perth. This obstruction the colonial government have taken steps to remove by blowing it up

65

at low water in the summer months. The town of Perth is prettily situated on rising ground, with a gradual slope to the river. The streets are well arranged at right angles, the houses are well built of brick and stone are spacious and airy, with neat verandas round them. From the town the inhabitants have a fine view of an extensive sheet of water called Melville Water, where there is often a regatta and pleasant pic-nics. All the residents of Perth have good sized gardens and vineyards attached to their homesteads. There is one pretty mount called Eliza, over the river. A good spring is constantly flowing down this mount; near the base of which are several pretty cottages and vineyards, with a fine variety of fruit. There are several fine public buildings in Perth, such as the government offices, barracks, court house, a church, and three chapels. Guildford is the next town of importance, and is prettily situated on the river Swan. There are ...

Freotopia

This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 6 September, 2023 and hosted at freotopia.org/books/bradshawws.html (it was last updated on 6 September, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.