In giving the promised account of the journey of the three special constables in pursuit of and to arrest young Morgan (who was one of the three men who entered the dwelling of Mr Sheriff Smart with a murderous intent), an account of Morgan's origin and family should be first given.

He was reported to be one of seven children, whose father and mother had been transported to Tasmania for crimes committed at home. He was a remarkably fine young man, under age at the time he was sought for, of a pleasing countenance, fine figure, and over six feet high, and it was said that his brothers and sisters were equal in stature and in good looks. As he will appear again in succeeding chapters as having passed through a most extraordinary career, it is necessary to impress on my readers the above description of him, as leading to feelings of regret that so fine a man should have been born and brought up under such unfavourable circumstances.

The following is Mr Alford's account : —

''Our party of three specials was speedily formed, with the addition of one native blackfellow as our guide. Our outfit was a blanket each, with biscuits, tea, and sugar, and a little bacon, for 8 or 10 days, and one glass bottle each in which to carry our water. The arms supplied were one old musket, one horse pistol, and a pair of pocket barkers. We received minute instructions as to our course, &c., and started on, to us, an unknown country, with none but native blacks and as such useless for us to follow. Our instructions were to make the whaling stations at Encounter Bay and to keep the gulf in sight, and we had a warrant to bring in Morgan alive or dead. The direct distance as now travelled by a good road is 65 miles. The course we were ordered to take, with the numerous bends we had to make to head creeks and deep gorges, would not be less than 95 miles, I should say more. Our first day's journey we finished at a deep creek, where we fortunately found good water.

''Our bottles had been exhausted some miles back. The next morning, after an early breakfast, our black guide exhibited great uneasiness, and objected to the course we proposed to take, and kept pointing more inland, giving us to understand by signs we should not find water in the direction we wished to go. We persisted in our course, and the native soon took an opportunity to abandon us to our fate. We were told before we started that on rounding Cape Jervis we should see the Pages, three small islands a few miles off the south coast, and nearly opposite the western horn of Encounter Bay. After we sighted them from a high and precipitous shore, we had to fight our way through many miles of dense scrub ; but, fortunately, we had to cross plenty of gullies, in which we found ample supplies of good water. In eight days from starting we made Hack's Whaling Station, our food exhausted and our strength gone, as may be readily understood by those who know the country over which we had made our weary way.

''Before I proceed further I must hark back and say a little more about our difficulties on our outward tramp. The horrors of our return journey being now so deeply impressed on my memory that more trifling matters are easily forgotten. I came into the whaling station barefoot, having long before worn the soles off my boots on the rocky country over which we had passed, my feet were blistered and bleeding. Our provisions had been scanty enough, and not of such a nutritious character as to keep up strength and stamina. Having reported ourselves to Captain Hart, in command of the station (who had not long before been wrecked on the same coast, but further to the east on Moonlight Point), we were supplied with all we required, and enjoyed a few days' rest. On making enquiries we found that our man was in the neighbourhood, planted and well armed, and further that the whalers were in sympathy with him, so that we were advised to adopt stratagem, and that our lives would be in danger if the object of our visit was known or suspected. We therefore agreed upon the story that we had come down to be ready to receive cattle which were expected to be landed at the Bay.

"After a few days of rest, spent in making cautious enquiries, we heard that Morgan was hiding at a spot about midway between the two whaling stations, so as to obtain his supplies of provisions from his friends in the two parties. Many escaped prisoners were working as whalers. After we had received the above information as to Morgan's position, we proceeded to the next station, viz., Wright's, and here our mate H——— discovered a runaway lifer from Van Die-men's Land, in which island he (H———) had resided. We decided to use this man as a decoy duck. After threatening him with arrest, although we had no warrant for such a threat and no power or authority from the Government of Tasmania for such action, our decoy duck consented to our terms. We had determined to grab our man, and were not particular as to the means we employed. We promised the lifer we would let him go free if he honestly assisted us in securing Morgan. This he agreed to do.

"He commenced by advising us to return to Hack's station, and he would accompany us, and would point out the hut which Morgan would visit for his supplies that night. This course was pursued, and we were planted by him in a position commanding the hut. He then left us, telling us to give him (Morgan) time to become settled before we stirred. Our confederate proved true to us by refraining from giving counter information, which might have cost us our lives. Having waited a sufficient time, and with darkness shrouding us, we crawled quietly to the hut, and rushing in found Morgan reclining in a bunk. We were able to seize him before he could rise and reach his gun, which was beside him loaded, and his capture was made and handcuffs on him in almost no time. As he was only a youth, though over 6 feet high, and I was the youngest of the party, the post of being handcuffed to him was assigned to me, the votes being two to one against me.

"We now made an immediate start back to Wright's Station, from which establishment we had to get our supplies for the return march. The office (i.e. alarm) had soon been given to his friends (as the fraternity say), our real characters were quickly circulated, and we were saluted in anything but polite language. As we fastened away a gun was fired to call for aid from Granite Island, from whence some men pushed off in a boat with the intention to intercept us. As we succeeded in heading them, language not to be repeated was roared after us. Oh, you —— —— ; this is your —— game of landing cattle, &c., &c., to which we replied we were well armed and would sell our lives dearly. Having arrived safely at Wright's, I was relieved, and Morgan was braceletted and otherwise secured. Here we remained the following day.

''We had been sworn in as special constables and were yet only amateur policemen, but we were elated and eager for work in our new profession, so made enquiries as to prior entanglements of other individuals, and heard of two young men as being in that quarter who were wanted in Adelaide, and who had committed a trifling robbery. Thinking we were doing our duty we arrested them, although we had no warrant, but as they were green and young beginners in the course of crime they quietly submitted. We had now each a prisoner to guard, and with whom to make our way back to the settlement. These young men, however, gave us no trouble, and on the way their conduct was good.

"The following day we started, taking provisions only sufficient to last us five or six days, hoping to reach our destination in that time by adopting a direct course, as preferable to our coasting track. Morgan, putting on an appearance of good and quiet behaviour, offered to pilot us by a short and easy cut. The provisions and swag were equally divided between the two fresh prisoners and the guards, Morgan being free of any load. To him I was again coupled with the steel cuffs. Unfortunately for all parties, we followed the guidance of Morgan, who kept as much easting as possible. We soon lost sight of the sea.

"We travelled for two days, having departed from the sea on our left, and after tramping many miles, on ascending highland we discovered the lakes at the mouth of the River Murray to our right. We now perceived our error in trusting to Morgan, who was leading us into a trap.

"We called a halt and encamped for the night. Up to this time I had been coupled to Morgan. I was considerably below him in stature and strength, and thus it may be imagined what punishment I endured in working through scrub and over rough ground. Having secured our chief prisoner for the night, we lay on the range till morning, when we decided to tack back to obtain a sight of the sea. This course we continued on all that day, but no sea was discovered.

"At night we camped at a tea-tree swamp, near the range now called Mount Magnificent. At this time we had remaining food sufficient for two days only ; for the whole party. The usual securing of Morgan being made, we remained for rest. Early next morning Morgan refused to budge a step, and we had to remain that day, as he said he was ill. We discovered he had been saving some of his biscuits in his pockets, of which we deprived him. That night we camped on the same ground.

"The following morning, after an early breakfast, we called on Morgan to get up and walk. This he declined to do in most foul language, calling on us to shoot him, as he might as well be shot as be taken in to be hung. Our reply was we had a warrant to take him in dead or alive, and that we should so act. After waiting patiently, time enough for him to relent, and finding him still obdurate, we decided to make him fast to a young gum-tree by passing his arms around it, and then locking his wrists with the handcuffs. This was the only, course open to us, unless we set him free, or complied with his demand to put a ball through him, to either of which alternatives, we decidedly objected. With some struggling we so fastened him that he had only just room to move round the tree, a position which shocked us to leave him in. We informed him he could not be released under four days at least, and must be that time without food and water, and so left him.

"In two hours we returned to him, begging him to consent to travel, his answer, as before, was that of a desperate and determined man — he would not move. In such a dreadful predicament we finally left him ; but our own position was critical enough, with short allowance for one day, and an unknown distance to encounter, which in our state might take three days to cover. We had no known place before us to reach nearer than Adelaide, and felt we might sink by the way. As to Morgan, we found he was not to be daunted. His intention was after we left him to break the handcuffs ; but they proved too strong for him.

"We pushed on as rapidly as possible, and, fortunately took and kept a correct course, and, though late, the same day made the Onkaparinga River at the Horseshoe, and here to our great joy we found the camp of a land selector, who was there for the night on his way south. From him we obtained refreshment and food, and here we remained.

"We were too much exhausted to make a very early start next day, but, weary and foot sore, at night reported ourselves at Government House, to Governor Hindmarsh. His horror and excitement at our sad tale was great. He immediately called a Council when it was decided to establish a regular police force, and to appoint a superintendent. A horse was purchased at an enormous cost, a superintendent was appointed, and all arrangements made to despatch him and the officials back to the prisoner, with supplies necessary. A —— (i.e. myself) and H—— appeared, but I could not attend muster, and so we departed and made the Horseshoe, where we encamped for the night. Here I remained, the Superintendent and H—— making an early start to reach the prisoner, expecting to find him either dead or gone.

At the end of the fourth day of Morgan's self-imposed awful confinement he was found by them alive. Having released him and refreshed him with weak spirit and water and food, the party encamped there for the night. Morgan confessed in pitiful terms his regret at his obstinate conduct, and described his sufferings as something fearful what with the wild-dogs at night, which he had to keep off by kicking and tramping round the tree, and the flies and mosquitoes on his face and raw wrists, such miseries may be imagined but not described. He had frantically struggled to snap his shackles, but they were too strong and only cut deeper and deeper into his flesh.

Well, marvellous to relate, this man of iron, after one night's rest at the Horseshoe and a moderate supply of food, walked the whole distance into town, and arrived by the end of the second day. And now he was committed for trial on a capital charge. An account of his trial and what followed must be related in subsequent chapters.

I may here mention that the new colony at first was entirely dependent for supplies of sheep and cattle for consumption on such as arrived by sea, nor was there any other introduction of horned stock until the arrival of Captain Sturt and Mr. Bonney, who brought Mr. Hawden's herd of cattle down the Murray, early in the year 1838. Fresh meat at one time was 2s. 6d. a lb. for mutton, not of the best quality.

The mode of landing sheep from ships at anchor was generally to pack them on end as close as possible in the ship's long boat, and when that grounded some distance from the sand hills to cast them into the sea. Many through drinking salt water died on their road to town ; some were drowned, and both accidents were said to be corrected by muttonising the carcasses. At all events the arrivals were generally grievously affected by scab, so our choice of fresh mutton was very doubtful ; but then we had occasionally fish and game, the latter consisting principally of kangaroo and opossum.

But under all these preliminary trials we were not a discontented community. Energy in action, and patience under trials unavoidable, were the order of the day. A few discontented mortals quickly retreated and left to those possessing more pluck and perseverance the glory of successfully establishing one of the finest colonies under the British Crown.