Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/90

 64 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The citizens 1 2 interested persons ; and, from his knowledge of other parts of Australia, expressed the conviction that, because of droughts, the western plains of the range running near the coast of Gulf St. Vincent were unsuitable for farms. Cai)tain Sturt's charge of the Survey Office was of short duration, for, on October 2, 1839, he was succeeded I)y Captain Frome, who added to the strength of the staff 1)- bringing sappers and miners to the Province. Governor Gawler infused some of his own strenuous spirit into local affairs. He had the survey of country lands pushed on more rapidl)-, and enabled the original purchasers to take up their sections. I'lncouragement was immediately given to this class of colonists, and some temponir)' relief was afforded to the congestion in Adelaide. Within a few- months new purchases were made, and a boom set in, which caused the situation to become more perple.ving. Everything hitherto had been out of proportion, and Governor Gawler found that when he infused italit into one department he created new and pressing comi)lications. The people had waited so long for land that they now excitedly went to the extreme, and took up more than they required for developmental purposes. Since the foundation upwards of 250,000 acres had been sold by 1839, and in that year alone 170,841 acres were disposed of. As each exploring party returned from the country, aj)plication was made for special surveys, under which large areas in isolated districts could be taken up. Messrs. F". H. Dutton, I). Macfarlane, and Captain F"inniss, of New South Wales, applied in January, 1839, for the first special survey — an area of 4,000 acres. Other ajiplications were registered in quick succession, and the best of the lands within a reasonable distance of Adelaide were exploited. The plains to the north, the country beyond the hill.s, and the suitable territory running south along the coast, were occupied or merely purchased and held on the chance of a rise ; for, unfortunately, a portion of these new areas was taken up largely for speculative purposes. The land around Adelaide being brought under cultivation, it was demonstrated that those who doubted the value of the soil were in error, though there were experienced men among them. Where in the previous year cattle and sheep could stray, in 1840 there were promising paddocks of wheat, some of which yielded from 30 to 40 bushels to the acre. In 1839, 443 acres were cultivated; in 1840, 2,823 acres; and in 1841, 8,168 acres. In the last year, and in 1842, land some distance from Adelaide on the Gawler Plains and among and beyond the eastern hills was upturned by the plough, and the returns were so satisfactory that South Australia already gave promise of proving a wheat-producing country. An extensive area was taken up by pastoralists. Sheep stations were established m various districts, so that, besides attracting speculators, the boom brought legitimate investors to the Province. In that it served an excellent purpose. Several of those who excitedly purchased land (jut of all proportion to their requirements, in calmer moments, and in the re-action which is so inexorable in its arrival, bitterly regretted it ; but they