Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/55

CHAPTER III T H E I- O U N D E R S 1836-7 Arrival of first ships— Instructions to Colonel Light— His career, his explorations — Port Adelaide River— Holdfast Bay — Pioneers' Camp— River Torrens discovered— Colonel Light chooses a site for the capital — Arrival of Governor Hindmarsh — The proclamation — Disagreement between Governor Hindmarsh and Colonel Light— A public meeting — The city laid out by Light— First allotment of town acres— Nomenclature of streets. jlP^"*- **- HE founders of South Australia began their enterprise by invoking the blessing of Almighty God. Eight vessels were en route for this country in a straggling procession at the same time, and the first to arrive was the Djtke of York, commanded by Captain Morgan, which anchored in Nepean Ba-, Kangaroo Island, on July 27, 1836, three days before Governor Hindmarsh left England. There were on board Mr. Samuel Stephens, the agricultural manager for the South Australian Company, 29 laborers, and eight passengers of independent means. A magnificent rainbow appeared in the heavens, and was taken as a good omen. At 2 p.m. the passengers were landed, preceded by Mr. Stephens, who was the first of the pioneer immigrant party to actually set his foot on the shores of the Province they had come to establish. Then all reverently joined in reading the Church of England .service, and Captain Morgan offered an extempore prayer of thanksgiving for the prosperous voyage. No more beautiful beginning could be recorded. On the same day that Captain Hindmarsh sailed, another vessel, the Lady Mary Pelham, joined the pioneer ship in the island bay. The John Pirie did not arrive until August 16. There lived on Kangaroo Lsland at this time a few sealers, whalers, and convicts. Mr. Stephens erected, where he landed in Kingscote Harbor (named after a director of the Company), a mud fort, mounted a battery, and hoisted the Union Jack. The Rapid, bearing Colonel Light (the Surveyor-General) and his officers, arrived in Nepean Bay on August 20. On board, besides the Colonel, were Lieutenant Field, R.N.; J. S. Pullen, afterwards Vice-Admiral ; W. Hill, Vm. Jacob, and G. Claughton, 29