Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/89

 CHAPTER V THE CITIZENS 1838-41 New Surveyor-General — Land alienation — Agriculture — Pastoral pursuits — Land speculation — Exploration and tragedy — Stirring courage at Port Lincoln— Governor Gawler's perplexities— Public works expenditure and boom— City crowded— Province inflated— Corporation established— Its first deliberations — Appearance of city — Hindmarsh, Thebarton, Kensington, Kent Town, Hackney, North Adelaide, Glenelg, and Port Adelaide— Ominous rumors— The Governor's bills dishonored, and Gawler re-called — Captain Grey becomes Governor— Disaster and panic — Retrenchment and exodus of people— Imperial Government guarantees bills. HEN Governor Gawler arrived in the Province the country immediately surrounding Adelaide was partly taken up and occupied by settlers. The surveys were proceeding slowly, but the initial difficulties had been overcome. A considerable area had still to be marked out before the land purchases already made could be satisfied. Governor Gawler was given, by the Colonising Commissioners, a free hand to re-organise the survey staff, in order to expedite the surveys. In filling the dual positions of Governor and Commissioner of Crown Lands, he was responsible both to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and to the Colonising Commissioners. A man of keen observation and penetration, he attacked with vigor the problem which the Province presented. The Duke of Wellington, under whom he served for many years, had such a high opinion of his judgment and general merits, that he declared that Gawler could not make a mistake. Upon the retirement of Colonel Light, Mr. G. S. Kingston became Acting Surveyor-General, but soon after Captain Sturt arrived overland from New South Wales he was appointed to the office. The popular explorer advocated the rapid opening up of the lands by agriculturists and horticulturists, and was a firm believer in the resources of the inland country. Shordy after his arrival in August, 1838, he lectured before about 63