THE
STATE AND POSITION
OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA;
COMMONLY CALLED
THE SWAN-RIVER SETTLEMENT.
By CAPTAIN FREDK CHIDLEY IRWIN,
OF H. M. 63RD REGIMENT; LATE COMMANDANT OF THE TROOPS, AND
ACTING GOVERNOR OF THE COLONY.
LONDON:
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., STATIONERS’ COURT;
AND J. CROSS, 18, HOLBORN.
MDCCCXXXV.
London: Printed by Mills and Son,
Gough-square, Fleet-street.
TO GENERAL
THE RIGHT HON. SIR GEORGE MURRAY,
G. C. B., &c., &c., &c.
- Sir,
In doing myself the honour of dedicating this publication to you, I am influenced not only by feelings of personal respect, but also by considerations of a public nature.
To your discrimination, when presiding over the Colonial Department, the Settlement of Western Australia owes its origin. After years of misrepresentation, the peculiar excellence of the soil and climate is now confessed; and experience is daily proving the singular fitness of that region for supporting a flourishing community.
Among the distinguished services which you have rendered to your country in the Field, the Senate, and the Cabinet, the formation of a Colony which seems destined to rise to no ordinary eminence, will not be regarded by posterity as the least valuable.
With a grateful recollection of the uniform kindness I have experienced at your hands, since the period of my appointment to the command of the troops employed in establishing the Settlement,
I have the honour to be,
- Sir,
- Your very faithful
- And obedient servant,
- F. C. IRWIN.
- And obedient servant,
London, July 14th, 1835.
CONTENTS.
Introduction—Motives of the Writer—Sources of Information—Description of the Country, Soil, Climate, Natural Productions, Pasturage, Seasons—Favourable Reports of the Interior—Fisheries—Harbours—Political and Commercial Advantages—Table of Sailing Distances, &c. |
page 1 |
The Aborigines: Food, Clothing, Huts, &c.—Character—Natives of the Murray River—Recent Encounter—Mounted Police—Tendency of Penal Settlements—Native Claims—A Treaty recommended—Appeal for Missionaries |
22 |
Misstatements in recent Publications—Mr. Peel’s Grant—Causes of early Failures—Origin of many injurious Reports—Instance of a Settler seriously misled by them—Want of Money—High Prices of Provisions—Want of Storehouses—Free Grants, Tendency of—Remedies in Progress |
32 |
First Difficulties of the Colony surmounted—Fremantle—Perth—Guildford—Land and Water Communication—Canal—Principal Farms on the Swan River—The Canning—York District—Murray River—Port Leschenault—Vasse’s Inlet—Port Augusta—The Blackwood—King George’s Sound |
48 |
General State of Society—Indentured Servants—Aborigines—Native Institution—Sagacity of Two Natives—Intercourse among the Agriculturists—Female Society—Settlers &c. in the Towns—Free Institutions—Trial by Jury |
76 |
Latest Accounts—Agricultural Society’s Report—Increase of Stock—Superior Breeds—Sheep Farming—Wool—Wheat—Kaffre-Corn—Oat-Hay—Hops—Fruits—Vegetables—Timber-Trees &c.—Bees—Flour-Mills—Brewing—Revenue, &c., &c |
85 |
India—Colonization Company formed at Calcutta—Views of the Shareholders—Loss of the Mercury—Interest excited at Calcutta and Madras—Rearing of Horses for the India Market—Remount of British Cavalry at Madras, procured from Sydney—Position of Swan River—Its superior Advantages for that Traffic |
97 |
Colonization—Colonel Napier and the “Self-supporting Principle”—Mistaken Policy pointed out—Article on Colonization in Archbishop Whately’s Work |
103 |
A few concluding Hints to Emigrants |
113 |
No. I. Table of Variations of the Thermometer and Barometer, at Perth |
125 |
No. II. Meteorological Journal of King George’s Sound |
126 |
No. III. Reports of Physicians |
ib. |
No. IV. Captain Preston’s Report on the Harbours &c. |
128 |
No. V. Swan-River Mission |
132 |
No. VI. Proposals for the Erection of a Church and Parsonage at Augusta, Western Australia |
134 |
No. VII. Native Institution |
ib. |
No. VIII. Extraordinary Recovery of a Child by two Swan-River Natives |
136 |
No. IX. Government Notice |
139 |
No. X. Profits of Sheep Farming |
140 |
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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