hands of Providence, in bringing about the speedier establishment of the
province of South Australia, I am thankful that I have been permitted to
witness the happiness of thousands whose prosperity I have unconsciously
promoted. Wherever I may go, to whatever part of the world my destinies
may lead me, I shall yet hope one day to return to my adopted home, and
make it my resting-place between this world and the next. When I went
into the interior I left the province with storm-clouds overhanging it,
and sunk in adversity. When I returned the sun of prosperity was shining
on it, and every heart was glad. Providence had rewarded a people who had
borne their reverses with singular firmness and magnanimity. Their
harvest fields were bowed down by the weight of grain; their pastoral
pursuits were prosperous; the hills were yielding forth their mineral
wealth, and peace and prosperity prevailed over the land. May the
inhabitants of South Australia continue to deserve and to receive the
protection of that Almighty power, on whose will the existence of nations
as well as that of individuals depends!

Not having had time as yet to attend to my own private affairs, I was
unable to leave Adelaide for a few days after the departure of Mr.
Piesse. A similar cause prevented Mr. James Poole, who was to act as my
assistant, from accompanying the drays. On the 12th Mr. Browne arrived in
Adelaide, when he informed me that he had remained in the country to give
over his stock, and to arrange his affairs, to prevent the necessity of
again returning to his station. He had now, therefore, nothing to do but
to equip himself, when he would be ready to accompany me. When I wrote to
Mr. Browne, offering him the appointment of medical officer to the
expedition, I was personally unacquainted with him, but I was aware that
he enjoyed the respect and esteem of every one who knew him, and that he
was in every way qualified for the enterprise in which I had invited him
to join. Being an independent settler, however, I doubted whether he
could, consistently with his own interests, leave his homestead on a
journey of such doubtful length as that which I was about to commence.
The spirit of enterprise, however, outweighed any personal consideration
in the breast of that resolute and intelligent officer, and I had every
reason to congratulate myself in having secured the services of one whose
value, under privation, trial, and sickness, can only be apprecia