Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/69

 CHAPTER IV THE BUILDERS 1837-8 First Buildings in Adelaide — Dissension and bad management — Threatened disaster and quarrelling officials Colonel Light resigns; his death and reputation— Governor Hindmarsh recalled — G. M. Stephen acting Governor Colonel Gawler appointed new Governor— His career — Perplexities — Port Adelaide^Experiences of immigrants — Crime — First hanging — A police force— Explorations— The South Australian Company — Churches The natives peaceable. HEN the site of the capital was positively settled, many people moved their tents and weatherboard huts from Holdfast Bay, but a complete exodus took place after the allotment of city land had been made. All this time several of the pioneers had been residing on Kangaroo Island, and they, too, shifted their quarters to Adelaide. They made an odd picture as they labored over the plain separating the seaboard from the Torrens. According to Mr. John Wrathall Bull, there were only two horses in the Province in January, 1837, one the property of the South Australian Company, the other of Mr. John Morphett. By absurd management, also, there were very few oxen for transport purposes. As there were so few conveyances the men had to roll, carry, or truck their goods over the sand hills and across the plain. Those who had much were employed for several days, and those poorly off were quickly out of the trouble. Some of the settlers intended to build their homes on the town acres, while others preferred to reside on their rural selections, so as to be near their agricultural, dairy, and pastoral ernployments. The former could at once proceed to erect their houses, but the latter had to wait still longer. The first buildings in Adelaide were modest, and picturesquely situated. Permission was given to the public on March 28, 1837, to cut down and grub up trees in the public streets, but those within 16 feet of the frontage were excepted. During the next few 43