The Resident Commissioner and the Surveyor-General in opening the work of the new colony had first to order and arrange the survey of the City of Adelaide and the preliminary districts, extending from the city down to Cape Jervis, in which the preliminary land orders (mostly held by absentees) might be first exercised, as I have previously explained. No other country land was open for selection until near the end of the first quarter of the year 1838, which was over two years after the colony was proclaimed.

The size of all sections surveyed up to this time was to suit the preliminary land orders, viz. — 134 acres. After the best sections had been chosen, the rejected ones had to be cut up into 60-acre sections and green slips as they were called ; and then the 60-acre land orders might be exercised. As was natural, all the best sections as to quality of land, supply of water, or locality, had been absorbed by the representatives of the preliminary land-order holders. The authorities had no power to place bona fide farmers, or others having 80-acre land orders, on sections, although purchased and paid for in England, until after preliminary selections had been made.

A further great evil shortly arose, viz. — the commencement of land speculation in South Australia, by applications for special surveys of 15,000 acres, out of each of which after survey 4,000 acres could be selected and obtained at £1 an acre ; and thus the number of absentee proprietors was further increased, and the surveying and opening free districts for selection to bona fide applicants for land for immediate agricultural operations was further hindered.

In consequence, the inhabitants were for the first three years wholly dependent on importations of flour and grain, principally from Van Diemen's Land, at one time at a cost of from £80 to £100 a ton. The Parliament and Government of the mother country must be justly blamed for the short-sighted, and parsimonious policy they adopted in launching the colony, thereby leading to the most serious of our first troubles.

When the Act of Incorporation was granted, it was stipulated that it should not be in force until the sum of £35,000 was realised by the sale of land, and an additional sum of £20,000 by the issue and sale of South Australian bonds, and that amount to be invested in the British funds "as a guarantee that the colony would at no time be a charge on the mother country.''

The negotiation of these bonds at such a time was, as a matter of course, a losing transaction. The above treatment may justly be termed step-motherly. For such hard terms the gentlemen on the Committee for establishing the colony worked hard for three years, and at last accepted them on finding there was no prospect of obtaining more liberal treatment.

Thus arose the necessity for the forced sales of land in London, and at a reduced price. The South Australian Company and a few fortunate private individuals took advantage of the preliminary sale in England, and thus was created an absentee proprietory. These preliminary sections near the capital cost only 12s. an acre, with one town acre thrown in to each, as I have already stated.

I do not desire to cast blame on these fortunate purchasers who came forward to invest their cash in a speculation which was treated by the authorities as a wild scheme, but to explain the primary mistakes which resulted in the unfortunate crisis of 1839-40.

The early settlers who had invested their capital in legitimate pursuits suffered great losses. The delays I have recounted in obtaining suitable land for agricultural purposes caused many who had come out to embark in farming to adopt other pursuits, but when the crisis approached, and after flour had attained the unheard-of and famine price of £8 and £10 a bag, many of those who had any means left returned to the pursuit they joined the colony to embark in, although in most instances with greatly diminished means.

I myself closed my town business towards 1839 at a great sacrifice, and made arrangements to occupy and reside on my sections, only recently selected, which were situated about 20 miles to the east of the city. It may be as well here to give a description of our first experience in this line.

Having sent on men to prepare timber for building and fencing, I followed as soon as temporary shelter was provided. I give an account of our journey as a fair specimen of what early settlers had to "experience." I first despatched two bullock teams with our furniture and fixings as early in the day as possible, and followed some hours afterwards with my family in a roomy waggonette, to which were harnessed three horses, one in the lead and two wheelers — a dangerous rig for the rough and hilly track we had to pursue.

In the trap, I being the driver, I had my wife, sister, two sons (three and four years old), one female servant, and our youngest boy in arms ; also a man to assist me on the road in procuring timber drags, and in fixing them on to the hind axle of the carriage before I ventured to drive down the steep hills which we had to pass — in those days screw skids had not been invented. I must here mention that this great improvement in skids on all other plans which had been previously used in easing loaded vehicles down hills was shortly after, invented by one of our earliest colonists, viz., Mr. Stephen Hack. The first one which was constructed on his suggestion was made by J. Adamson.

To pass over the Mount Lofty Range at that time was no easy task. The first ascent to be made was by either of the spurs between Beaumont and Glen Osmond. I fixed on the one nearest Greenhill, as being most used and having more space for making tacks. I had a staunch team, and with many zig-zags I surmounted this first difficulty, my man following behind with chocks to stop the hind wheels when necessary to ease the horses.

On the top of the brow on the first saddle, to my surprise and annoyance, I overtook the drays. The day being very hot one of my best leading bullocks dropped and could not be got up again. I had in consequence to leave my man to assist in yoking up one of the body-bullocks as makeshift leader in the place of the fallen one, and to continue with the drays to assist the disarranged team ; and I had no alternative but to go on the best way I could, without help or the use of drays. I could not leave the horses, to cut young saplings for that purpose and to attach them to the drag chain.

My next serious difficulty was Breakneck Hill, rightly named as I can speak from experience of broken necked bullocks in descending but on this occasion I had to surmount it. I afterwards got on pretty well down moderate and short pitches, having an excellent leader who would turn to the right or left as sharp as required with slack traces. I bought him from Captain Hindmarsh when he left.

When I came to the steep and longer descent at Cox's Creek, on which spur very fine trees had been felled, and split into palings and shingles, the stumps of course left standing, and sundry rejected bad splitting pieces of timber lying about, I felt I had arrived at my worst trouble. I pulled up and looked on each side hoping to find at hand a suitable timber drag, but was disappointed ; and with much trepidation I started the team at a foot's pace, but when the pressure came too heavy on my wheelers they began to trot in spite of all my efforts to hold them back, and at length they broke into a full gallop. By the sagacity and obedience of my leader I was able to clear the stumps and logs without an accident. The females and children fortunately did not scream or utter a word.

At the foot of the hill, on pulling up, I found two men on horseback ; who had paused in meeting us in astonishment at such a flying descent. Before I could gain my breath or speak to my family they addressed me most abruptly (I could feel they were fresh arrivals). They said, ''We wish we could hand you over to the police for driving down such a dangerous hill in such a reckless manner to the risk of your passengers' lives, &c., &c. I replied, ''I excuse your ignorance, gentlemen ; the passengers I am driving are my wife and family. I have scarcely recovered from my fright. You have interrupted me and all of us in returning silent thanks for our deliverance from so great a danger. Look at my hands, black with the force I have used.''

We continued on the track over the natural surface, now steep sideling, now sharp rise or fall, no pick or shovel having yet been used, and reached the Onkaparinga River without accident. The crossing was too rough, and here one of our back springs gave way, after having stood all the heavy jolts and jars we had previously encountered. A cross-bar, cut and fixed, we again passed on, and reached the sections at sundown.

After a picnic supper we turned in on beds of dry grass, as the drays with bedding and food did not arrive till next morning, when we had a sumptuous breakfast. Poultry and dairy cows had been sent up some time before with a small flock of sheep. The kitchen and dairy being finished we soon had our usual comforts. And now the work of fencing was continued, and grubbing trees, and preparing land for corn. An orchard and garden were trenched, to be ready at the right season for planting. I had purchased seed wheat at 15s. a bushel, and having to pay that price for seed, and so much to do in clearing, fencing, and erecting farm buildings, I did not crop more land this first season than what I thought might yield me seed for the following year and enough for domestic use.

At this time, on the first farms established, the proprietors, some of them quite unused to manual labor, might be seen undergoing the heaviest work their powers would admit of, their wives and children engaged in unaccustomed employments and totally unsuited to their strength ; a boy of eight or ten years of age driving bullocks at harrow, occasionally a young girl, driving bullocks for her father at plough, or with a sister, cross-cutting logs for fencing ; then all had to help at odd times of the day, early and late at log burning. All this toil was necessary because labor was scarce and wages high, or money wanting, and so a variety of hard shifts had to be adopted to accomplish indispensable work.

Before I arrived at the farm with my family, some preparatory work had been done in fencing and building. For some months an overlander, i.e. a lag, of the name of Tom Fuller, with his mate, had been employed in sawing timber for buildings and in splitting posts and rails for fencing, and his work went on until late in December. I am about to give some account of this man, as he was, as I believe, the last of his class in my employment. I had a final settlement with him on Saturday night, a few days before Christmas Day. He left my service apparently well satisfied, as he received a lump of money.

On the following morning, Sunday, I turned out early. On my walk round the premises I observed one favorite goose was missing. On walking forward to the edge of a small gully, on the opposite side of which Tom's hut stood at about 300 yards up the rise, I observed Tom coming out carrying a bundle. I hailed him, but instead of waiting he dropped the bundle, and ran to the top of the heavily-wooded range at his best speed, and I after him. On reaching the summit I could see him rushing through the bushes on a slant, to reach the main gully. This gave me a little compensating advantage, as I could take a line to head him. I soon found he was blown, and that I was gaining on him rapidly. I was still alone, although at starting I had called aloud to arouse my people.

On coming near him at a great pace, my course being down hill ; and charging him on his left flank, he suddenly stopped, and taking out of his pocket, a large clasp-knife, he said in a loud voice — ''Now your life or mine, you b——.'' My hand was quickly at his throat, and between that and his handkerchief ; and down he went, and I on the top of him. In the fall the knife was lost by him, and after a short struggle, a laborer whom I had aroused and who had followed in haste, came up, and shortly after him my old shepherd Miles, who as usual had his pocket-pistols with him. So Tom was allowed to get up, and I soon decided to take him to the next Magistrate's house, about two miles off.

I sent the laborer back for the slaughtered goose, with instructions to meet us at the Justice's residence. I had heard that this gentleman had been appointed and gazetted the previous week, and that one of his men had been sworn in as special constable. On my laying the charge before him, he decided to commit the thief to my custody. I declined such a trust, stating I had risked my life in taking him, and I thought it was his duty, as he had a constable in his establishment, to keep him in charge. He then turned to my shepherd Miles, and charged him in the Queen's name to keep the prisoner secure until he could be handed over to the police, and made out a 'mittimus' accordingly ; to which poor trembling Miles said. ''Your worship, what am I to do if he will run away. I am sure I cannot hold him, but I have got my pistols in my pocket, may I shoot him ?'' With the utmost gravity, the Justice replied, ''Certainly.''

After this Tom walked back with us to my residence, and was placed with his guard in the stone kitchen. I took Miles on one side and asked, ''Are your pistols loaded ?'' He replied, ''Yes, master ; am I to shoot him if he offers to escape?'' I said, ''If you do except in defence of your life my opinion is you may be hung. To prevent accidents we will withdraw the bullets.''

In doing this I had more fear for Miles than for Tom Fuller. I added, ''Tom must still think they are fully loaded. Keep him safe and give him food.'' On the way home I had a conversation with our prisoner. On his asking me to forgive him this time, declaring he had not lifted anything of mine while he was working for me, I declined his request, as his conduct was so bad after my liberal treatment of him. He had the impudence to explain that he and his mates had agreed to have a spree at a public-house some miles away, and now he was very sorry he had robbed me.

After dark I heard a commotion in the kitchen, and then a shot fired and the voice of Miles calling out, " Tom has bolted.'' I could hear him running, and his little dog yelping with joy ; but presently heard the dying yells of the poor faithful animal which had lain at the kitchen door. It's carcase was found by us in the morning on the track with its throat cut, killed to keep the fugitive's course secret. So much for Tom at present. I ordered the men not to follow him, as that would be useless. A trooper in due time came out, but Tom was not again captured, as he had plenty of money and was wary enough to resist drink, and so cleared out of the colony. His taking credit for respecting my goods did not say much for him, as, he being on contract work, I had always money of his in hand, so his conscience could not be credited, but his prudence might. He was not seen again in the colony for some years, at which time he went in for higher game, and returned bringing stolen horses overland, and even then got off clear, as will be related hereafter.