Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/102

 76 ADELAIDE AND 'ICINITY The citizens Several new buildings were added to those already erected at Port Adelaide, which, however, attracted a very small projiortion of the inflowing population. The creek, or river, was improved. The South Australian Company, which had purchased numbers of town allotments there, and, so it is said, at the date of foundation was largely interested in having the capital established on its sandy and svvani[)y reaches, constructed a roiid to the Port in 1840, and erected a suitable wharf and warehouse. The occasion of the opening of these was a notable one in the history of Port Adelaide, for it pnictically heralded the birth of the present town. Mr. H. Hussey, who was a frequent visitor to the Port, in " Colonial Life and Christian Experience," says that the early residents had novel experiences. The tide rose to such extraordinary heights that it caused sometimes distressing, and sometimes laughable, trials to them. When St. Paul's Church was opened, the people went to the service dry shod and unsuspicious. While it was proceeding, the water rose higher and higher, until it burst over an embankment which had been made for such a contingency, and by the time the service was concluded, the church was surrounded by the tidal waters, so that the outcoming j^eople could not get away. They were kept waiting in a cold west wind until Cajnain Lipson, the Harl)ormaster, sent boats to rescue them. So unsuitable was Port Adelaide as a town site that a large part of its area had to be filled up with earth imported from beyond its bounds. Several of the early houses stood on piles, and immense sums of money had to be expended by the Government, the municipality (when it was established), and private subject to the tidal waters. People sometimes rowed in boats to the doors of shops to make purchases. Mangrove bushes occupied the ])lace of future wharfs. On Wednesday, October 14, 1840, the Company's wharf, warehouse, and road were thrown open to the public by Governor Ciawler. Some 5,000 people attended— a third of the whole poi)ulation. Mr. H. Hussey, who was present, says that about 750 vehicles travelled down the road from Adelaide— pony-carts, wagons, bullock-drays, and a coach ("Young Queen," the first in the Province)— and that horsemen and pedestrians joined in the gay procession. It was, as )et, the greatest gala day in the history of the Province. The people assembled on the wharf, which was christened McLaren Wliarf, a name which it still holds, in honor of the manager of the Company. A banquet was spread in the warehou.se, where there was plenty of eating and drinking and speaking, and a i)rimitive regatta afforded some pleasure to the sightseers. Although the day ojXined brightly, ominous-looking clouds began to ri.se later on, and a gale of wind sprang up. The people hurried back to the capital. " Parasols, umbrellas, hats, and bonnets were carried by the gusts of wind far and wide ; and as it was useless to attempt to regain a retreiit from .some powerful enemy." The clouds of dust were so dense that only occii-sionally could a glimpse be obtained of the vehicles. It was an inglorious ending to an auspicious celebration. Hut these booms, explorations, public works, dignities of citizenship, births of
 * )eople in making the town habitable. PLven the floors of houses built on piles were
 * )os.se.ssion of them, the drivers of the vehicles proceeded on their way as though beating