Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/57

 The Founders ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 31 Light subsequently derived a considerable income from its revenues. He received a high- class education, and was often a guest at Carlton House. F.ntering the military service as a cavalry officer, he served as lieutenant of the 4th Light Dragoons in the Peninsular War. He was employed in the Intelligence Department of the army, and, mixing with Spanish families, obtained valuable information concerning the movements of the French. According to Napier's " Peninsular War," on one occasion he rode forward to ascertain the strength of the French army, which was appearing in the distance. He approached to within 100 yards of the enemy's front, was fired at, and, being well mounted, pretended to be wounded. With body swaying about as if mortally wounded, he cantered wildly along tht; line from flank, to flank, counting the regiments as he passed. His strategy saved him from further attack; he gradually increased the distance laetween him and the French, and then setting spurs to his horse, galloped back to the British lines. By timely warning he also saved a British division from ca2)ture. Lieutenant Light returned to England after the peace, and, when Napoleon escaped from Elba, was appointed Brigade-major to the Heavy Brigade. He left the army shortly after the battle of Waterloo, and married a daughter of the Duke ot Richmond, Sir Charles Napier marrying the other daughter ; but his married life was not happy, and he was separated from his wife. Captain Light, with Sir Robert Wilton, proceeded to Spain, aided in the revolutionary war, and was made a colonel in the Spanish forces. Next he accepted service in the navy of the Pasha of Egypt, where he made the acquaintance of Captain Hindmarsh, who at this time was engaged in the same service. Immediately upon his arrival at Kangaroo Island, although in ill health, Colonel Light proceeded upon his work of inspection with the thoroughness that was consistent with his character. He applied to his duty as pioneer the same comprehensive and penetrating judgment that he had used in the army. He examined the locality on the island chosen by Mr. Stephens, and quickly decided that it was unsuitable to the purposes of the original and central settlement. He sailed over to and named Rapid Bay on the mainland, and then examined the east coast of Gulf St. Vincent, studying its local features, and catching occasional glimpses of promising inland country. The wild flowers were just coming into bloom, and, conspicuous in brilliant coloring or delicacy of tint and structure, added beauty to the landscaj^e. On September 24 Colonel Light arrived opposite an extensive flat, where mangroves edged the water-line of an inlet. Lieutenant P^ield entered this inlet on the following day, and on the 26th the Surveyor-General also went in. After passing the channel, the latter observed what he called a wide river running a considerable distance inland, which at first he took to be the harbor mentioned by Captain Jones ; but a hurried examination led him to erroneously conjecture that he would ha'e to look elsewhere for that much-advertised spot. On the 28th, Mr. Pullen followed up another channel of the same inlet, of which he gave a favorable report, and was thus the first to enter the southern reach of the present harbor of Port Adelaide. Captain Jones had written that there was ample fresh water in this river, and also an island in the inlet ; but as Colonel