Was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field.
This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing
forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to
name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June.
Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the
equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler
were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude
which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet
the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our
departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we
might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to
enter - and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should
shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our
behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving
the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which
lay before us.
On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented
for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On
the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by
auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited
time at my disposal would permit.
The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many
little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could
not sooner set aside.
Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been
most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more
severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply
rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily
arranged - the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all
loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the
length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be
solved.
In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our
preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for
interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men
hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness,
and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased,
fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed
and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the
expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds.
Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in
South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was
therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since
that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured
at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things
were proportionably expensive.
