Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/80

 54 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Builders and the total cost of this work was about ^800. But this rude wharf was not altogether satisfactory. The boats could only approach it at high tide, and then there was danger of the goods being submerged and damaged. As the boats had to be rowed or towed several miles, and as the tide waited for no man, delay was frequently experienced in getting them to the wharf Hullock-drays were used to remove the goods, and sand hills had to be crossed. In 1838 a few wooden buildings dotted the .sand here and there, one of which was dignified with the name of Customs House. There were a few offices for Jigents. and one or two public-houses. After the site of Adelaide was fixed on the Torrens, colonists exultantly praised its selection, because its public-houses would be removed from the contagion of the seafaring nien who frequent a seaport town, but on this point it is to be assumed that people in P^ngland were misled. In maps circulated there the Torrens was portrayed as an expansive sheet of water with vessels riding majestically at anchor under Government House. When those who had seen this plan arrived in the Province, they were disappointed to come to anchor in so ordinary a place as Port Adelaide or Holdfast Bay, or to observe the Torrens as a very humble little stream choked with reeds. The river was not then so pretentious as now. Among the new arrivals were people from New South Wales and Tasmania. Unfortunately, a few convicts were attracted, and they caused considerable annoyance to the colonists. They stole with impunity, and were addicted to drink. Governor Hindmarsh had a few marines from the Buffalo on shore, and used them as a body guard. For some time they acted the part of police, but if report be true, they should have been among the first to be locked up. They were almost as drunken as the convicts, and one settler records the circumstance of meeting three of them at night in the o|x:n in charge of a prisoner. The four men were so drunk that they could not keep awake, and so they slept the night through, and in the morning the marines presented their prisoner for trial. On one occasion, when what were known as Vandemonian (Tasmanian) convicts openly threatened the authorities, the Riot Act was read by the Advocate-General. This did not produce the desired effect, and Governor Hindmarsh ordered the marines to fire ui)on them, and a few were wounded, arrested, and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment. Drink was so abundant, licences were granted with so litde discrimination, and the wages obtained by these dangerous men were so high, that they could give themselves up to long periods of debauchery. Shortly after the riot episode the Government store was broken into, and firearms and ammunition were stolen. Three men entered the hut of the Sheriff, Mr. S. Smart, and fired at and slightly wounded him. A few settlers were sworn in as special constables, and two of the men, including Michael Miigee who fired the shot, were captured, while one, named Morgan, escaped to Encounter Hay. Miigee was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged, while three constables were deputed to proceed to PIncounter Bay to capture Morgan, dead or alive. The three constables who pursued Morgan, captured him, with the aid of another convict, near the whaling stations at Elncounter Bay. Two other men, who were wanted