Page:History of West Australia.djvu/259

 Rh

under the auspices of the Camden Harbour Pastoral Association, which was formed in Melbourne in July of that year. The Government received strange applications for special land privileges. One Victorian gentleman, Mr. Larnach, after applying for an immense area in the south-east, near Esperance Bay, asked, should he and his companions be successful in traversing the country between Exmouth Gulf and the Glenelg River with 2,000 sheep before 1867, that they be awarded 1,900,000 acres on lease with the right of pre-emption, but without claim to priority of selection. Governor Hampton was not able to go beyond the regulations, and therefore refused.

The Camden Harbour Association (limited liability) was floated with a capital of £20,000 in £100 shares. The secretary and treasurer was W. Harvey, Flinders Street, Melbourne, and the provisional committee consisted of W. T. Sellars, J. H. Wood, C. S. Affleck, A. Mattingly, W. Harvey, S. Hart, and J. Meadew. The declared object was "to settle the very superior well-watered pastoral and agricultural country around Camden Harbour by placing one head of cattle on every 1,000 acres." It was considered that £20,000 would secure 4,000,000 acres, and would stock that area with 4,000 breeding cattle. One share entitled the holder to a free passage in a first-class ship to Camden Harbour; to one year's rations there; and to a lease for twelve years of 20,000 acres, with twenty head of cattle to stock the same, at no rent for the first four years. If any applicant for shares was not approved of, the deposit was returned; no person could take up more than five shares. A pre-emptive right was declared to be allowed on the area leased, a statement which was incorrect. On 29th July, 1864, a meeting of about 100 persons was held in Melbourne, under the chairmanship of the Hon. J.P. Fawkner, when considerable information, much of which was incorrect, was tendered, and it was announced that certain applications for land by members of the association had been granted by the Western Australian Government. The rules of association were confirmed at a meeting of depositors on 8th August. On this occasion Mr. Harvey, in answer to questions, gave additional misleading information. He said that Camden Harbour was 270 miles from Perth, when it is more than five times that distance; that settlers could go back 270 miles from the coast; that for the first forty miles the country was well grassed and lightly timbered, when ranges 3,000 feet high had to be crossed to reach level, salt bush lands. Mr. Harvey altogether ignored the existence of mountainous country near the coast, and ingeniously removed the range of hills many miles inland for the convenience of shareholders. By 31st December the Western Australian Government had received seventy-three applications from Victorians for land near Camden Harbour. Each applicant asked for 100,000 acres, and promised to land from forty to 150 sheep. Thirty-nine persons offered to convey 100 horses, or 100 cattle, or sheep. One, G. Urquhart, St. Kilda, applied not only on his own behalf, but for seven more Urquharts (all minors) besides. A. Mackintosh, Greenhills, and seven minor members of his family did likewise, and so on. Shipowners, barristers, and other professional and commercial people sought to obtain land. The brilliant expectations of this band, it is unnecessary to say, were not realised.

The first vessel to sail from Melbourne under the auspices of the Camden Harbour Association was the Stag on 16th November, 1864. She reached her destination on 16th December with sheep, cattle, and horses, and such sturdy young settlers as Messrs. E. T. Hooley, A. J. McRae, J. Hindhaugh, T. C. Murray, and Ellwood. A more inappropriate season than December, 1864, could probably not have been chosen. It was a time of drought; the heat was intense, sometimes registering before sunset 125 degrees in the shade; and the tall waving pasture which explorers depicted had disappeared. The land contiguous to Camden Harbour was burnt and parched, and destitute of grass and water. Grave mistakes had been made; the shareholders were misled and the association had not taken the trouble to examine this country before embarking the stock, nor were they wise in choosing the time of year to found their settlement. The young men, when they appreciated their unenviable situation, set about making the best of it. Messrs. Hooley, McRae, Hindhaugh, and Ellwood struck for the Glenelg in hopes of finding fresh water to relieve the famishing stock. They discovered to their surprise that the Glenelg was a tidal river. On the return journey Mr. Ellwood became fatigued under the extreme heat and excessive exercise, and it was with difficulty that his companions encouraged him to proceed. All were thirsty, and more or less suffering. In the gloaming a bronze-winged pigeon was seen to rise a little distance away, and going thither a beautiful pool of fresh water was found. By morning they reached the Harbour in safety, and learnt that Mr. Murray had hit upon a splendid spring half a mile from the shore.

Two other vessels of the Company with stock and settlers put into Camden Harbour within a few days. The stock, including over 4,500 pure merino ewes, was driven to the scant pasture round Mr Murray's spring. But misfortune now came, and the sheep began to die off at the rate of 120 a night. The cause of this mortality—imputed to a poisonous weed—was not found, but the disconsolate pioneers determined to remove further inland. They fixed upon a spot where was ample old grass and good water, but even here there was no diminution in the mortality. A fall of heavy tropical rain brought up luxuriant grass, and still the sheep continued dying in hundreds. Messrs. Hooley, McRae, Hindhaugh, and Ellwood explored the north-east along the Prince Regent's River, but discovered no better location for a station. They agreed with Captain Grey that the scenery was grand and inspiring, but they found the country so rough that there were no allurements to a struggling pastoralist. Disaster was ruthless, and every week's end chronicled further loss of one kind or other. At the end of three months only 1,554 sheep survived; in August all were dead. The pitiless hand of nature has consummated many such stories, and the pathos of the condition of the immigrants can be imagined. They were without a leader, without concentration or combination of effort, and, hemmed in by solitude, it was hugely disheartening to observe their worldly possessions succumb in a luxuriant enough country, and have hopes long fondled dispersed. In January and February seventy-two people left Camden Harbour in the Stag and Tien-Tsin. Three men had died a few days after arrival. One party in the Calliance had its awakening in an even more perilous situation. This vessel left Melbourne with numbers of settlers and stock. During the voyage up the western coast she struck on a reef not marked on the chart. She got off with difficulty, and arrived at Camden Harbour on Christmas Day, 1864, two days after the accident. After discharging the cargo she was moved in shore to ascertain the extent of damage, but a puff of wind piled her on a reef. A boat sent from the Calliance for assistance was capsized in a squall and Captain Edwards was drowned. The members of the crew of the wrecked vessel were sent to Perth on the Tien-Tsin.

Governor Hampton decided to despatch a Government Resident and other officials to administer the affairs of the new territory. Mr. Robert John Sholl was appointed Resident Magistrate, or