Chronicle of Early Days
Articles in the Daily News March 1929
by Miss D. C. Cowan
Part 1: Wedding Festivities At Bunbury In 1842. Couple Rode Away On Horseback (reference)
None of the professions in Western Australia can produce a finer honor roll than the Civil Service has during its first century. Its officers during that period have been men who upheld the best traditions of the United Kingdom, whence they came.
In the Centenary year the Civil Service should draw up a chronicle or roll and embody in it the names of all the early and too often "forgotten worthies." The late Mr. George Eliot belongs in this category.
Among the passengers of the "Parmelia" the Western Australian "Mayflower"— was Mr. Eliot, a relative of Sir James Stirling, the pioneer Governor. Mr. Eliot saw the colony's foundation flag unfurled, the frail tented camps, the vicissitudes and the pluck of the earliest pioneers while struggling for existence at Garden Island, and near the South Head, Fremantle, and he also saw unfolded the varied historical pageants of some five or six decades. Being a man of birth, education, observation and charming manners, he was well qualified to describe such events, and in due course he filled journals with pages of carefully written data. But, alas, these were private, not official, document, and in his old age, perhaps fearful that some passages might cause pain, or be misconstrued or misunderstood, with the kindly thoughtfulness for which he is still remembered, Mr. Eliot gave explicit instructions, that all such journals should be destroyed at his death, and the daughter to whom he gave the charge honorably carried it out, though with regret.
Some years prior to his death Sir Alexander, and Lady Onslow had begged Mr. Eliot to allow selections from his journals to be copied for the information of future generations here, but he decided not to accede to their suggestion, with what loss to State records! A few interesting books from his library are held, however, yet by his descendants, and included amongst others an old Greek testament, the Universal History of 1778, and an Ovid dated 1735.
FEW DETAILS NOW
Lately, through seeing an account of Mr. Eliot's charm of manner in Lady Broome's book, and being native born, I sought further official information concerning Mr. Eliot's life, but found there are now few accurate particulars to be gleaned and the following comprise most of them.
Mr. George Eliot was born at Peperharow, Surrey, in 1816. He was the fourth son of the Rev. L. W. Eliot, M.A., who was Rector of Alford and 60 years Rector of Peperharow.
Mr. Eliot, when thirteen years of age, was brought by his relative, Sir James Stirling, to this State on the "Parmelia" in 1829. On that historic voyage he was taught French by Mrs. Roe, wife of Captain Roe, Surveyor-General, and two fellow passengers were William Stirling and Andrew Stirling. Andrew afterwards lived with him at Bunbury. When the Governor returned to England in 1832 on a short visit Mr. Eliot accompanied him, and also returned with him. In the year 1840 he was made Government Resident at Bunbury in the Wellington District, being then only 24 years of age. He showed marked ability as a magistrate and remained 39 years to this position.
Two years earlier in December, 1838 (about the 17th of that month) he started from Williams to Leschenault in the south-west of the colony, and was lost in the bush for some three weeks or more, with only three days' provisions. As a result he and his black negro servant suffered severely and were fortunate in finally reaching safety.
Captain George Grey, later the famous colonial statesman, was then exploring in Western Australia, and he set out on a relief expedition to find Mr. Eliot. The following account of his efforts occurs in Grey's Journals of the North-West (1842) in Volume 1, page 310:—
MR. ELIOT IS LOST
“In consequence of a conversation I have had with his Excellency the Governor, on the morning of the 8th January I received, in the afternoon of that day, a letter from the Colonial Secretary, stating:
"That from accounts which have been received from the Williams and Leschenault, there appeared to be every reason to believe that Mr. George Eliot, who left the former place for the latter on the 17th December, had lost, his way, as no accounts of his arrival have been received from the Leschenault, the Williams, or any other Place.”
“Under such circumstances his Excellency, the Governor is anxious that a party in search of him should be despatched from Perth, and he has instructed me to inform you that, if you could form such a party from your own establishment, you would be rendering a service to the local government.”
"As I had at this moment no matter of importance to occupy my party, I resolved to follow that course which the calls of humanity pointed out to me, and within an hour from the receipt of this letter, Mr. Walker and myself were ready to proceed.”
"Before entering into details of this expedition, it is requisite to give a short outline of the circumstances under which we started. The Williams River, from which Mr. Eliot had proceeded, is distant about 70 miles from Leschenault in a direct line. The Williams is in the Interior, and the Leschenault on the sea coast, and between the two places lies the Darling Range, a high chain of mountains, which had never before been crossed at this point. Now, under ordinary circumstances, Mr. Eliot might have been expected to have reached Leschenault in three or four days. He had therefore only carried with him a supply of provisions calculated to last for that period. His party consisted of two men besides himself, and he had with him a mare and filly. His absence had, however, now unaccountably extended to a period of twenty days; and the only rational conclusion that could be arrived at was that he had either been murdered by the natives or had lost his way.”
"The Williams is distant from Perth, to direct line about 120 miles, and I had thus a considerable journey to perform before I could get upon Mr. Eliot's tracks; and as this was the bad season of the year, there was but little hope that we should be able to follow them for any great distance, if we ever succeeded in finding them... I still felt warm hopes for his ultimate safety. He was well acquainted with the bush, having been ten years in the colony; and the same articles of food which formed the subsistence of the natives would at least enable him to maintain life for a considerable period..."
(Captain Grey reached Pinjarra on January 11 and explored until January 23.)
"January 23, 1839: Our route this morning was along the estuary of the Leschenault. About five miles from this place, we fell in with a party of natives, who informed us that a few days before Mr. Eliot and those with him had arrived there in perfect safety and my anxiety on this point was therefore set at rest. We passed the bar of the Collie River, which was almost dry, and halted for breakfast on the banks of the Preston, about one mile from the home where I expected to find Mr. Eliot.
"No sooner was breakfast despatched than I set off to see Mr. Eliot in order to hear the history of his adventures, which were not a little surprising. He had, as I before stated, started on the 17th of December from the Williams, with only three days' provisions, and owing to some mistake, had taken a s.s.w. course, and gone off in the direction where we first saw his tracks, and had pursued this route for three days, when, seeing nothing of the coast, he suspected he must be wrong, and endeavored to make a due west course; but from the impassable nature of the mountain range at this point, was unable to do so. About this period also, owing to his powder-horn having been placed too near the fire, it was accidentally blown away, and he was thus left totally without protection. His own courage and resolution, however, never failed, and he still made the best of his way to the southward, seizing every opportunity of making west. For twelve days he pursued this course, subsisting on native roots and boiled tops of grass trees. About the sixth day he fell in with some natives; but they ran away, being frightened at the appearance of white men, and he could thus obtain no assistance from them. At this period the filly strayed away from the mare and was lost. His men behaved admirably; and on the fourteenth day the party succeeded in reaching Augusta, having previously made the coast at the remarkable white-sand patch about fifty miles to the eastward of it.
SEARCH SUCCESSFUL.
"Notwithstanding the hardships and sufferings they had undergone, this party were but very little reduced in strength, and after recruiting for a few days at Augusta, returned along the coast to Leschenault, where I had the pleasure of seeing them all in good health and spirits."
"January 24: I passed the night at the house of Mr. Bussell, a settler, who has the best and most comfortable establishment I have seen in the colony..."
"January 26: Mr. Eliot joined us on our route to Perth... On the morning of January 29 we reached Pinjarra; on the 30th Mr. Eliot and myself rode as far as the Canning, and early on the 31st we had the pleasure of entering Perth together."
"In the W.A. Government Gazette for February 23, 1839; It is stated:—"Lieut. Grey's official report on country traversed by him when in search of Mr. Eliot is published by direction of the Governor (John Hutt), for general information... His track may be seen by any gentleman wishing to examine it on application at the Surveyor-General's office."
Miss Eliot, however, still remembers how her father often described the terrible seventeen days in the bush when he was accompanied by an African negro servant, and his little favorite dog. The dog was drowned by a sudden big wave breaking on the Augusta beach and washing it away, both the owner and his negro servant being too weak to save it, and the sight added to their misery. While lost they were forced to live on native roots. In later life Mr. Eliot was told by his medical adviser that his health had been seriously injured by the terrible time of privation and semi-starvation.
In 1840 Mr. G. Eliot was appointed Government Resident at Bunbury, where in 1842 he married Miss Louisa Clifton, daughter of the Commissioner of Australind. The delightfully written vivid pages of the bride's diary are still extant, fortunately, and from them are extracted the description of Mr. and Mrs. Eliot's home at Bunbury in 1842, and of the wedding ceremony at Australind. Governor Hutt signed the special licence, also Mr. Peter Brown, the Colonial Secretary; and it is a most solemn document.
Part 2: A Youthful Passenger In The Parmelia. Mr George Eliot's Destroyed Diaries (reference)
In the first part of this article which was published yesterday, Miss Cowan told some of the adventures of Mr. George Eliot, who came to Western Australia in the Parmelia at the age of 13 years. He was later appointed Government Resident at Bunbury.
Mr. Eliot married Miss Louisa Clifton, daughter of the Commissioner in Australind, in 1842, and his wife left behind her vivid impressions of her life in letters and her diary.
(June 17, 1842.—Extract from Mrs. Eliot's letter to her brother, Waller Clifton, in England.)
"For the first time I am left to my own resources. I must first describe to you my position. I am sitting at my desk, or the table in our drawing-room (so-called), which is a small snug little room opening onto the verandah, and from the open door and window near it I command as I sit the most lovely view, you can imagine. The hill slopes very steeply down from the edge of the verandah. All around the foot of it, and on its sides and on the flat, which extends to the estuary's mouth, are interspersed trees and shrubs. The blue waters of Koombanah Bay beyond, and rugged, sandy coast stretching into the far distance, so that our sea horizon is not very extensive, though most lovely.”
"This plain is intersected by a narrow road and pathway to Bunbury, and along these we sometimes see the laborers and occasionally a cart drawn by bullocks. These, with the exception of the dreadful black creation, are almost the only signs of moving life around, unless a boat from Australind to the point (Bunbury), or from thence to Australind, reminds us that the growing town of Bunbury is near at hand.”
"The walls of our sitting room are whitewashed with a little pink color in it, the pointed thatched roof its ceiling; a boarded floor—no carpet, of course; sofa under the front window covered with green chintz, and green window curtains. A rug of red drugget, which A. sent out to mamma—a very old servant; a fireplace for wood as I sit upon the right hand, with a mahogany mantelpiece. Between the fireplace and window behind me a large mahogany chiffonier, with three shelves for books; a large cupboard underneath; four wicker armchairs and a table with a brown and crimson cover in the centre of the apartment.”
"This is a portrait of our sitting room. A door nearly opposite the fireplace leads into our bedroom, and a door opposite to the front door opening onto the back verandah and leading to the kitchen, outhouses, etc. My bedroom is very small, but large enough to contain my old Somerset House four-post bedstead, which papa kindly gave us, and with white furniture looks very nice and most luxurious in this quarter of the globe; a dressing table, chest of drawers, washing stand of mahogany complete the furniture of this cottage room. Leading from it is my little boudoir, containing all my concerns, which I find a great comfort. Then George has a little dressing room detached from our bedroom, and Andrew has a little room corresponding to George's, and one corresponding to my boudoir is to be the spare room. This is our cottage. I have been minute in describing it that you may form some idea of the best colonial residence in the district.”
"It is so exquisitely situated that it is a pretty object from every point of view, and when we have a green trellis work around the verandah, and a few creepers twining round the posts, it will look still more rural. Then the air is so delightful; the door is always open, except when the cold winds blow, which we have not yet felt.”
THE WEDDING DAY.
"But I must recall the last few weeks and tell you something of the wedding day.”
"The last week at home was, as you may well believe, one of great bustle and excitement, completing all my arrangements and sending away all my things, Monday and Tuesday writing cards, and preparing for the breakfast, etc. Andrew, Mr. Northey and Mr. Wollaston came up on the Tuesday. Could you have seen the custard making, planning the table, etc., you would have been amused.”
"The night was very stormy, such thunder and lightning, rain and wind as would surprise you. The thunder here is most magnificent; it seems to fly like the wind from one quarter of the heavens to the other. I did not expect that the event of the next day could take place. Had I felt disposed to sleep the jarring of the elements would have chased repose away. The morning was ushered in by still more boisterous winds and rains. I rose tired and wearied by excitement; a broken pane of glass in my window admitted the rushing, piercing wind, and I dressed, shivering with cold and nervousness, not believing that the ceremony could take place. The estuary looked during the storms as if wrapped in its winding sheet. However, all said it must be proceeded with whatever was the consequence.”
"Thanks to the dear girls and kind friends, I was beautifully dressed in a white merino dress beautifully made by Mrs. Williams, a white satin bonnet and most elegant fall (veil), Mary's needlework, and a really splendid embossed white china crepe shawl, the gift of dear George, and white satin shoes made in Australind; the same orange flowers Eleanor and Chrissy wore, and collar and cuffs, Ellen's tasteful work.”
"Papa conducted me to the drawing room, and, being all assembled, from thence to the survey drawing room, which was carpeted with sailcloth for the occasion and furnished with cushions and table. George, with Andrew and Augustus Northey, received us there. Rachel and the two other girls dressed in blue dresses and straw bonnets looked lovely. We walked back buffeting with the winds to the drawing room, and there, after a time, received almost all the settlement. After partaking of an excellent breakfast I retired, exchanged by white dress for a green cloth habit and cap of the same veil, and, having taken leave of dearest mamma, returned to the drawing room, at the door of which our horses were waiting. I sent for papa, upon which all the gentlemen arose, came out. I mounted, and we left amidst loud hurrahs and every mark of interest, which George acknowledged by bowing, and we proceeded on our cold long ride on the never-to-be-forgotten Koombanah Road.
FORD TOO DEEP.
"The ford being too deep for us, a boat was at the Collie with two men, who ferried us across, while our horses were ridden through the ford, and they nearly had to swim. A shower overtook us as we landed on the opposite bank, the wind blew tempestuously, and we were obliged to take shelter for some time under some thick trees and bushes.”
"I wished you could have seen us as we stood shivering and talking over our strange position. Our horses again saddled, we remounted, were almost blown away as we wound along the shores of the estuary until we struck into the bush for the ford of the Preston. We arrived at home just at dark, having escaped many severe squalls that fell heavily elsewhere. It is a ride of ten miles, and took us nearly three hours. A blazing fire awaited us, though George's housekeeper had not expected us, and we felt thankful on having, under all circumstances, been favored with so prosperous and comparatively not unpleasant journey."
"The day went off beautifully, and after we left the festivities were continued till past midnight."
Many years later Mr. Eliot became Government Resident at Geraldton, where he was extremely popular, and he was considered one of the best magistrates the colony ever had. He was expected to do much official entertaining, and amongst other important personages he entertained Sir Frederick and Lady Broome, when the former was Governor, and en route to open the new telegraph line at Northampton.
In her book "Letters to Guy" Lady Broome describes this ceremony, and also gives a special passage describing the charming Resident (Mr. G. Eliot). She later wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Eliot, sending them a copy of the book with her name inscribed therein. This is still in the possession of the Misses Eliot.
This is the passage: —
"Then I was very happy in the next carriage, because my charming driver — the Resident Magistrate—knew every leaf and flower, and could tell me their names and all about the birds. This carriage of ours was simply a mass of nosegays."
He died in October, 1895, at Perth, of pneumonia.
