Part 3

The citadel of Corfù was strong, but its value as a military post was doubtful, as fleets could easily pass into the Adriatic unperceived during the night. The chief products of the island were olive oil and wine. At this time a violent earthquake took place in the middle of the night. I was awakened from a sound sleep by the shaking of my bed; the church bells were ringing from the concussions; and the inhabitants were screaming and rushing into the streets. Many walls were fractured, but no houses were overthrown at Corfù. This shock, however, was very powerful throughout the Ionian Islands, and nearly 800 houses were overthrown or seriously damaged by it at Zante. Shortly afterwards, Colonel Sir Patrick Ross was desirous of making an extensive tour, to occupy a year, through Egypt, Nubia, Palestine, Asia Minor, Constantinople, Thessaly, Macedonia, and Peloponnesus, and invited Colonel Duffy, Dr. Cartan, and myself to join him. We all agreed to do so, and our plans being arranged, we applied to the Lord High Commissioner for leave of absence. He declined to grant it, to our great regret, on the ground that, as the proposed tour would be through countries subject to Turkey and Greece, and the latter country being then in a state of insurrection, we should be subject to insults, which might embarrass the English Government.

The Greek insurrection having now become very general, the inhabitants of Zante manifested a strong disposition to join in the revolt. The 8th Regiment was suddenly ordered to embark for that island, having only four hours’ notice. The officers had only time to pack up their portmanteaus, leaving the remainder of their luggage behind, and some officers who had been out shooting were obliged to embark in their shooting-dresses.

The regiment arrived at Zante after a passage of eight days in a ship densely crowded, which had to put back to renew its supply of water. It rained nearly the whole time, and the heat below being intolerable, the greater number remained on deck night and day. At this time the insurrection was in full activity, and the Zantiates in a state of great excitement. Shortly afterwards a cannonading was heard at sea, and a Turkish ship of war came in sight, chased by sixteen Greek armed merchant ships. The Turk, having been crippled in his rigging, found that he could not weather a certain headland, and observing the red coats of a few soldiers, who had been sent there to maintain the quarantine laws, he ran his ship ashore to obtain their protection. He had fought a most gallant action. For nearly two hours those sixteen ships had in succession been pouring in broadsides, raking in crossing his bows, firing again on the opposite side, and again raking in crossing his stern, and yet he never struck his colours. When the cannonading had ceased, the peasantry commenced firing on the Turk with their long muskets. And when the soldiers were pushing them back—forming a cordon—they began firing on the troops. I happened to be there mounted as a spectator, and recommended the young officer to collect his men on a neighbouring hill, and defend himself as well as he could, while I galloped into town, four miles distant, for reinforcements. These soon arrived, and quickly dispersed the mob. Three soldiers, however, had been killed and their bodies barbarously mutilated.

When the report reached Corfù, Sir Frederick Adam came down, declared martial law, and held a Court of High Commission under the Venetian laws, which had been guaranteed to the Islanders; and after a very patient investigation, selected four of the principal ringleaders, who were hung two hours after sentence was passed.

The Ionian Greeks had always been in the habit of carrying long muskets and pistols, even when pursuing their daily labour. Sir Frederick Adam immediately issued a proclamation for disarming the population. In every district, town, and village the inhabitants were ordered, under severe penalties, to bring in their arms, which were piled in heaps and burned in the presence of English officers appointed for that purpose. A few years previously, the French, with a garrison of three regiments, had attempted the same thing and failed.

Some time afterwards I was seated at a window overlooking the bay, and heard a distant heavy cannonading; presently a perfect cloud of ships came in sight with all sail crowded, which proved to be Greek armed merchantmen, numbering ninety sail. They were pursued by the Turkish fleet, consisting of sixty men of war, including four sail of the line and twelve heavy frigates. Just as the two fleets were abreast of the bay, a violent squall of wind came on, and the Turkish fleet entered the bay, allowing the Greeks to escape. This they should not have done, as, in such weather, heavy ships possess very decided advantages.

About this time, Major-General Sir John Malcolm, K.C.B., arrived at Zante from Persia, at which Court he had been British Minister. He accepted an invitation to become an honorary member of the mess of the 8th Regiment, and remained about a fortnight. He related many interesting particulars respecting his journey across the Syrian Desert to Cairo in his own curricle, he being the first person who had ever travelled this route by such a conveyance. He said he had encountered no difficulties, and had found it a most convenient and comfortable mode of travelling.

The Zante currant is a most valuable product, and is there extensively cultivated. There are two parallel ranges of limestone hills in that island, and the valley between is a rich black loam, varying from three to four miles wide, and twenty-five miles long, or from seventy-five to 100 square miles. This valley is wholly cultivated for that plant. When the fruit is ripe, oblong patches of ground, about twenty feet by thirty, are carefully levelled, wetted, plastered over, and when dry, swept clean from dust; the fruit is spread to dry on these in single layers, and awnings are drawn over them at night to protect them from the dews. The black surface attracts the heat; the fruit is generally dry and fit to pack for market in about ten days, in hogsheads weighing 1,000 lbs. (a milliardo), and is usually repacked in England in small boxes.

After passing a year at Zante, the military authorities were desirous of removing the 8th Regiment to Cephalonia, but the necessary shipping not being available, Captain Hamilton of the “Cambrian” Frigate, volunteered to take them there, inviting half the officers into his own cabin, the remainder being guests in the wardroom.

The regiment landed at Argostoli, the capital of the island, situated on a fine harbour—Colonel Charles Napier being then Commandant. It is the largest of the Ionian group, and produces the Zante currant, wine, and olives. An elevated range of hills divides the island from north-east to south-west, cutting off the two sides from intercourse with each other, there being neither roads across the range or wheel carriages. Colonel Napier, with his usual energy, caused a fine road of easy gradients to be made over the range, and induced some of the inhabitants to introduce wheel carriages, greatly to their own benefit. There is a remarkable _Cyclopian_ wall, with twelve projecting towers, across the neck of a peninsula, about a quarter of a mile in length, in the northern part of the island. One stone measured nineteen feet long, four feet deep, and four feet high. Three courses of the wall and towers, twelve feet high, remained perfect. It was probably about 3,000 years old.

A party, including myself, proceeded to visit Ithaca, a narrow channel of about seven miles separating it from Cephalonia. This visit was full of interest.

Ithaca is a small island in shape like an hour-glass. The far-famed castle of Ulysses is situated on this elevated narrow neck, and commands a most magnificent view, second to none in the eyes of persons of classical tastes. From that spot you behold Sappho’s Leap (Cape Leucadia); the River Meander, on the Coast of Epirus; Cape Lepanto; the snow-capped mountains of Albania—Mounts Parnassus, Pindas, and Olympus; the Suitors’ Island, Ulysses’ Cave, and the spot where the Fountain of Arethusa is situated in Ithaca. Of the ruins of Ulysses Castle there are still considerable remains. The walls are Cyclopian, the stones of which weigh generally eight or ten tons each, and form all sorts of angles so admirably joined together as to present a level outer surface, with very small openings at the joints, and without any cement, somewhat like a tesselated pavement. This is the most antique description of Cyclopian wall. Those of more recent periods are cut square or oblong with smooth faces, and in the most recent the edges are levelled.

It was an ancient custom of the Greeks to bury their dead wearing their trinkets, and coins were placed in their mouths to pay their ferry across the Styx to Charon. These were of gold, silver, or copper, according to the position in life of deceased. A place of interment was discovered not far from the castle; it was a bare, smooth, sandstone rock of considerable extent. The graves were excavated about three feet deep, and the stone slabs covering them were so accurately fitted, the joints also being covered with grass, that it required the most skilful and practised eye to detect them. An English officer stationed on the island had made a most valuable collection of these articles. He separated from his most choice assortment the coins of the period of Alexander the Great, as being “modernissimo”—too recent to deserve a place in it.

Shortly after returning to Argostoli, a severe shock of an earthquake took place. The regiment was standing in a line on parade, and the line had a serrated appearance. The tiles on the roofs of houses were moving, and a mounted officer had to dismount his horse which was trembling in every limb. The damages occasioned, however, were not very serious.

About this time, Lord Byron arrived at Argostoli in his yacht from Italy, accompanied by Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Trelawney, Count Gamba, and an Italian medical gentleman. He retained his yacht for about three weeks, and frequently entertained the officers of the regiment on board, sometimes until late hours. He was very temperate on such occasions; drinking claret and water, or soda water. His conversation was usually full of interest. Trelawney used to relate many of his wild stories during his residence for some years in Arabia, amongst the Wahabee tribes. One evening some one referred to Lord Byron having swam across the Hellespont, from Sestos to Abydos; but Trelawney made light of it, and challenged Lord Byron to swim with him across the channel from Cephalonia to Ithaca. The challenge was accepted, but afterwards Trelawney drew back. At the end of three weeks, Lord Byron discharged his yacht, and took a villa about four miles from the town. He usually rode in in the afternoon, and took his wine at the mess, after which he frequently joined small parties of officers in their rooms to smoke cigars. Lord Byron received a letter from Lady Byron at his villa, when two of the officers were with him, informing him of the illness of his daughter Ada. He shed tears on that occasion, and appeared to be deeply affected.

At the mess the conversation usually turned upon the Greek insurrection then raging, and the character of their leaders. These were generally unprincipled men, who had numerous followers while they obtained abundance of plunder; but when that attraction failed they were deserted for more fortunate commanders. Numerous bodies, in the field one day, were scattered the next; and the central Government had no organized force on which they could rely.

Lord Byron was fully satisfied as to the correctness of this description. He said, however, that he felt so deeply interested in their cause from admiration of the ancient glories of their race, that he had determined to place himself and all his means at their disposal. As to the manner, however, in which he could best accomplish his object, he was desirous of receiving advice. The general opinion was that he should raise a permanent force, to be regularly paid and trained, to be always held at the disposal of the central Government.

Some time previous to this, the Suliotes, an Albanian tribe of Greeks, obtained information that Ali Pasha of Yanina was preparing to burn their villages as a punishment for some outrage they had committed; the whole population, therefore, abandoned their homes, and took refuge in Cephalonia. The small Peninsula of Asso was assigned for their temporary residence, and there they encamped. Their number, including women and children, was about 2,000, and they could muster above 400 fighting men. These readily entered into Lord Byron’s service, and formed the nucleus of the force he afterwards placed at the disposal of the Greek Government. They were remarkably fine men, and their costume was quite picturesque.

Dr. Kennedy, the staff surgeon at Cephalonia, was very desirous of delivering a course of lectures on the “Evidences of Christianity” in the presence of Lord Byron, who accepted his invitation for that purpose; and Colonel Napier offered one of his rooms for the occasion. There were only eight persons invited to be present—namely, Colonel Napier, Lord Byron, Dr. Kennedy, Colonel Duffy, Lieutenant Kennedy of the Royal Engineers, Dr. Cartan, a Commissariat Officer, and myself. The Doctor’s lectures were most interesting and valuable, and Lord Byron occasionally argued on various points. He did not believe, however, in prophecy, in miracles, or in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; and at the conclusion of the third lecture he excused himself from further attendance, complimenting Dr. Kennedy by saying that _he was the most gentleman-like Christian with whom he had ever held a discussion upon the subject_. The other persons named continued their attendance to the end of the course of eight lectures.

At this time I obtained leave of absence to England, and Lord Byron entrusted me with the manuscript of the last portion of any poem he ever wrote, namely, the three last cantos of “Don Juan,” to be delivered to Sir John Cam. Hobhouse. I had a handsome portable brass bedstead which Lord Byron was desirous of having, and on that bedstead he died, in the fortress of Missalonghi, opposite the coast of Cephalonia, which withstood a long siege by the Turks.

It may here be mentioned the very general opinion held as to the character of the belligerents. The Greeks were considered a lawless race, in whose veracity or integrity no reliance could be placed. The Turks, on the contrary, although sometimes fanatical, were held to be a people of integrity, on whose word you might rely. Neither, however, were wanting in bravery.

The 8th Regiment was ordered home, and was stationed in the Citadel of Plymouth in the year 1826, where I rejoined it. While there, the great storm took place, by which twenty-seven ships were wrecked in Plymouth harbour, and the military barrack partially unroofed. At one spot eight ships were so jammed together that it was difficult to distinguish the wreck of one from the other. The storm commenced towards evening with great fury, and while I was on my way to the mess-room I met an old brother officer hurrying to get on board his ship before dark, as it was to sail next morning for Demerara. I persuaded him to dine with me at the mess, and that night his ship parted in two at the water-line, the upper works being new.

During the next year the regiment proceeded to Glasgow. At a previous period it had been employed there in suppressing some riots, and had fallen into bad odour. This had not then been forgotten. Great distress, however, prevailed at this time, and the officers and men subscribed a day’s pay towards their relief, which created a most amicable feeling towards them.

After passing a very agreeable year in Glasgow, the regiment proceeded to Londonderry, in the north of Ireland. While there, the great Ordnance Survey of Ireland, under Colonel Colby, R.E., was in progress; and a _base line_ eight miles long—said to be the longest ever previously accomplished—was then completed. As a great scientific work it is very remarkable. It was necessarily on a dead level, bearing east and west, and was constructed by a combination of different metals, sliding in grooves, so that their expansion or contraction, caused by changes of temperature, indicated the true medium.

The great length of this line enabled the surveyors to take very distant bearings with perfect accuracy. At the same time, Mr. Drummond, of the Royal Engineers, discovered the celebrated light named after him, by means of which, exhibited from the summit of a high mountain in the County Tipperary, its accurate bearing was taken from the base line—a distance of 150 English miles. By this means, also, a bearing in Scotland was obtained for the first time, thus tying in the surveys of Scotland and Ireland. The survey of Ireland was constructed on a very large scale, and included the acreage of arable, pasture, mountain, and bog lands, besides being a geological survey. And it is a curious fact, that when the periodical work of twenty or thirty parties were sent in, the chief engineer sitting in his office could detect the slightest error in any one of them, and send it back for correction, so that the whole should tie in with the most perfect accuracy.

Leaving Londonderry, the regiment was next quartered at Enniskillen, situated on Loch Erne. The scenery in this neighbourhood is beautiful, and the hospitality of its numerous gentry could not be surpassed. Sir Henry Brooke, Bart., had a splendid mansion, including forty bedrooms. There were fox-hounds and harriers, and the hunting parties generally included three or four ladies. There was excellent shooting, and any number of guns with gamekeepers; good salmon and trout fishing, with plenty of tackle; and billiard tables. There was a succession of company during the season, each party being invited for three or four days, with horses and carriages for their use. The tenantry had been living on the estate for three or four generations, many of them wealthy, and to crown all the host and hostess were most amiable and accomplished persons.

A general order to the troops serving in Ireland was issued at this time, directing an officer and two sergeants from each regiment to proceed to Dublin to be instructed in the broadsword exercise, which they were afterwards to teach to the officers and men of their respective regiments. I volunteered to proceed on this duty, and became an honorary member of the mess of the Rifle Brigade. A very eminent swordsman, Mr. Michael Angelo, was the instructor at the Riding School of the Royal Barracks. The instruction lasted for four months, and was a very fine exercise, bringing every muscle into action. But the regimental drills afterwards were very troublesome, and occupied much time.

From Enniskillen the regiment proceeded to Newry, and not long afterwards from thence to Dublin. This station was very popular with the officers, from its very extensive circle of good society. At this time I had turned my thoughts towards the Australian Colonies, and sought advice from Sir Thos. Brisbane, in whose brigade I had formerly served. He strongly recommended New South Wales, of which colony he had recently been Governor. It may here be mentioned that when an honorary member of the 8th mess in Lower Canada, when encamped on the frontier of the United States, his conversation frequently turned upon the subject of astronomy, and he expressed a wish, when his military services were not required, to proceed to New South Wales, for the purpose of observing the transit of the planet Venus. This wish was gratified; and he caused the observatory at Parramatta, near Sydney, to be erected for that purpose.

During the year 1829, I came to the decision of retiring from the army, after a military service of upwards of twenty-two years. I was permitted to sell a company, but was delayed for four months, during the last illness of His Majesty George IV., as no commissions could be issued until the following reign. It is hardly necessary to say that parting from many old and valued friends was very painful to me, and previous to my departure the Colonel of my regiment, the late Hon. Sir George Cathcart, accompanied by the two Majors, waited on me and presented me with a handsome silver breakfast service in the name of the regiment.

The colony of Western Australia was being formed at this time; and the large concessions of land offered to the settlers by the Government on easy terms induced me to select that colony for my future residence. Two officers of the Rifle Brigade, Captains Molloy and Byrne, proposed to accompany me. And it was agreed that they should join me in purchasing a ship, to be loaded with wooden houses and boats, and to convey the three parties and their establishments to the new settlement.

I proceeded to Gothenburgh, in Sweden, for that purpose, where a fine ship of 500 tons was purchased, and during her repairs a cargo of wooden houses was framed and loaded. I then proceeded with a fine Swedish crew to Christiansand in Norway, where a large number of boats were shipped. The character and scenery both of Sweden and Norway reminded me of Nova Scotia, from their extensive pine forests, numerous lakes, and granite rocks. Intemperance was prevalent from the use of ardent spirits, the climate being cold; and the observation occurred to me that in warmer, wine-producing countries intoxication is much less frequent.

The ship proceeded to Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, and I by Post-Office Packet to Harwich, on the coast of England. I travelled from thence into Derbyshire, where the family of my affianced wife resided at Holme Hall, and was there happily married. I had been desirous of avoiding the frequent inconvenience of moving about with a family while in the army, and my wife was willing to share my fortunes in Australia.

From the delay referred to, arising from the King’s illness, I did not arrive in Western Australia until June, 1830. The passage from England was favourable, although tedious, only touching at the Cape de Verde Islands. And on arrival at the anchorage at Fremantle, I and my wife were hospitably received at the house of Mr. George Leake, the leading merchant at that time.

An entirely new career now lay before me, but I had health and strength for the undertaking. I was fortunate in finding shelter in a colony only founded the previous year. My less fortunate predecessors at an earlier period, finding neither houses or sheds, had to resort to tents; and their handsome furniture, including satin and gilt chairs, harps, grand pianos (some of them afterwards gutted to make cupboards, &c.), lay exposed to all weathers on the beach. My first object was to find land for a homestead within a moderate distance from Perth, the capital. But such lands had all been already selected; and although I was entitled according to regulations to select 27,000 acres, in virtue of property and servants introduced, I found it necessary to purchase 5,000 acres on the Swan River, about nine miles from Perth. The Governor, Sir James Stirling, had a summer residence adjoining this land, the use of which he offered to me until I could erect some temporary accommodation, and the offer was thankfully accepted.

The purchased land was on the navigable part of the River Swan for boats, and my luggage and stores were conveyed to it by contract.