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On this Page 8
PROCLAMATION DAY, 1836.
By the Rev. John Blacket.
In an article in The Register on Monday
we saw, in imagination, South Australia
in its virgin state, and a -few heroic
pioneers living in tents and huts made
with rushes on the banks of the Sturt at
Holdfast Bay. It was a time of uncer
tainty and auxiety. They could not
anticipate the future. They hud under
taken a great experiment, and had no
assurance of its micro*. Like Abraham,
they had heard a call to go out of the
homeland to 'a placn that they would
receive for an inheritance.' and they
?wen^ out. not knowing whither they
^'i',,, Cn^ uP°n lllpir own resources
at Holdfast Bay. liow eagerly they looked
for the arrival of the Governor: how often
they climbed to the t»p of the highest
sandhill to scan the ocean in search of
a sail. On Sunday, December 11,. 1836,
service -was being held in the tent of
jeorge Strickland Kingston. The Co
lonial Storekeeper (Thomas Gilbert, after
whom Gilbert street, Adelaide, is named)
was reading prayers, and a sermon was
to have followed; but by some means an
intimation was Riven to the congrega
lon that a large ship was sailing into
;he Bay. Curiosity was aroused: probably
it was H.M.S. Buffalo, bavins on
board Governor Hindmarsh. Grmlu
nlly the congregation dwindled away, and
hurried to the beach. The vessel proved
to be the Emma, xoming from Kangaroo
Island. It must have' been on this
occasion that the prayer book and book
of sermons were laid aside, and Kingston
said to Gilbert— 'Come. Gilbert, it's no
use us staying here,' and both went to the
beach to join the throng.
Buffalo at Port Lincoln.
The time was drawing near for the
Governor's arrival. On December 24,
1836, the Buffalo, having on board the
Governor and some of the officers of the
new province, sailed into Port Lincoln
Harbour. Governor Hindmarsh and
George Stevenson were roused to enthu
siasm by the view. They found the
Cygnet lying in Spalding Core, having
on board Capt. Lipson, the pioneer har-
bournaster. The captain boarded the
Buffalo, and handed to Governor Hind
marsh a letter from Col. Light, affirming
that the better site for the City of Ade-
aide would be on the eastern shores of
St. Vincent's Gulf. Knowing from the
letter that the colonists were eagerly ex-
pecting his arrival; Governor Hindmarsh
at once set sail for Holdfast Bay, followed
by the Cygnet.
December 28. 1836.
Early in the morning of December 28
Robert Gouger was going out. as usual,
to release his goats, probably climbing to
some eminence to look out over the ocean.
Ie saw two large vessels entering the
Bay. They were the Buffalo and Cygnet
from Port Lincoln. All was now excite
ment and hurry. The pioneers were in
a condition of glad anticipation. Be
fore 8 o'clock a message came to
Robert Gouger's tent asking him to go
immediately on board the Buffalo. There
he found the Governor, and all the ship's
party in good health, full of hope, and
anxious to give the province an official
start. It was agreed that the proclama
tion should be read at once. All the offi
cers were to go ashore, and the ladies
were to follow them. At 1 o'clock the
party left the Buffalo. After being car
ried ashore from the boats they proceeded
to Robert Gouger's tent, the ladies then
going on to John Brown's tent until the
Governor had taken the oath of allegiance.
At 3 o'clock the marines from the Buffalo
were drawn up in line, and the whole of
the pioneers encamped at tha Bay As
sembled in front of Gouger's tent. George
Stevenson read the proclamation; the
marines fired a feu de joie; the Buffalo
thundered forth a broadside; and South
Australia was proclaimed a British pro
vince.
The Proclamation Dinner.
Dinner followed. In George Strickland
Kingston's tent a table was extemporised
consisting of boards placed upon casks.
Salt beef, salt pork, and a Hampshire
ham graced the table— the best bill of
fare the pioneers could produce. The
meal over Sir John Hindmarsh stood upon
a chair, and gave the first toast: — 'The
King.' The National Anthem followed,
the tune being started by Osmond Gillies
(Coloniel Treasurer), after whom Glen
Osmond is named. The pioneers, for.
getting that William was now on the
throne, sang, as they had been accustomed
to sing in the old land, 'God save great
George, our King.' The rent of the
day was spent in festivities, kept up to
a late hour. What a fairy scene it must
have been at night time, reminding one
oif the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.
Around the spot where the Old Gumtree
stands were 30 or 40 tents and rush huts,
several of them pitched or built under
trees. Delightfully weird they must have
looked at night time, dimly illuminated,
with perhaps a burning log outside, with
a kettle hung over it.
Pioneer Stalwarts.
Let us look for a moment ant some of
the stalwarts who, on this auspicious oc
casion stood around Governor Hindmarsh.
First we note James Hurtle Fisher, the
Resident Commissioner, able, determined,
resourceful, .combative. George Steven
son, the Governor's Private Secretary, and
first editor of The Register, a man of
commanding ability, with a mind as capa
cious as his body. Osmond Gilles, our
pioneer Treasurer, who used to tell how
carefully he guarded the financial re
sources of the colony, consist
ing of eighteenpence! Robert
Gouger, to whosoe memory a
monument ought to be raised, and whose
portrait might well be hung in our Art
Gallery. In spite of rebuff, opposition,
and keen disappointment in the founding
of South Australia, Gouger stood at the
helm. It was largely through his efforts
that the Province of South Australia
came into existence. Gouger street, Ade
laide, bears his name. Gouger was not
only persistent, but I think sensitive
and quick tempered. An English writer
who had made a study of Gouger, affirmed
that he was a shrewd, intelligent, obser
vant man, faithful in small duties ai
in great, conscious always of the obliga
tion of Christianity combined with high
morality. He was inspired by a strong
sense of duty in all the exacting labours
he undertook, buoyed up by a yearning
aspiration io serve hjs fellow creatures,
especially the struggling poor; adven
:urous even to recklessness, in any cam*
ie espoused, prodigal of time and encrpy
in every movement to which he was
pledged. Another stalwart was John
Brown, the Immigration Agent, nn oppo
nent of State-aid to religion, nnd for
some years Editor of The Adelaide Times,
jreorge Strickland Kingston, the Deputy
Surveyor, for many years Speaker of tl-o
House of Assembly, s man whn did
good service to posterity by keeping a
register of the rainfall, making it pos
sible to compare meteorological conditions
today with those of pioneer times. Men
tion must further be made of Thomas
Gilbert, a man of excellent character;
John Morphctt (afterwards Sir John), a
colossal figure in the Province for more
than 50 years; Robert Thomas, the
rounder of The Register, of whom Kir
George Grey spoke in very hi«h term*.
Speaking generally of the founders of
our State, Sir George Grey stated that
South Australia was established on a
peculiar system which had brought*
very superior class of men in almost evfry
rank of life— a number of clever men—
of really proficient 'men— in proportion to,
the population. Sir George said that '
in no part of the world in which he
had been (and he bad been in many*
had he seen a finer and more able set
of men and women for founding a settle
ment. A study of the development of
our State for the first 21 years demon
strates the exactitude of Governor Grey's
judgment. .
Sir James Hurtle Fisher's Reminiscences.
Speaking of Proclamation Day some
years after it had passed by, and of ttio
circumstances connected with it, of
which I have spoken. Sir James said:—
'Here we stood,' on Proclamation Day.
'fresh ? from the toseings of the ocean,
surrounded by great novelties of uncer
tain omen, amid stern cores nn'J eager
questionings. Here we stood, now look
ing back with tender, pcrhapt iniisnant
thoughts, of the. homes we had left; nnw
looking forward, peering into the dark
future for the homes we Bought. Her*
*e stood, and under the formalities of
that memorable hour swore allegiance to
our Sovereign, vowed fidelity to our com
mon interest as an organized community,
and looked up to the Lord and King of
all nations to shield and bless us.'
Continued on Next Page.
none Help
MR. THOMAS'S TENT AND RUSH HUT AT GLENELG.
The hut was orloinally a bedroom, and Mr. Thomas's daughters vacated it to m ake room for tha Stanhope printing
ffns*. on which the proclajnation of Sooth Australia was printed,

SOUTH AIBTRAUAl WfB^
?' ?'? ' — ??...' : , v: ' v * ? '.X.,.,1
. Continued -from Previous Page.

PROCLAMATION DAY, 1836.
'The Old Gum Tree.
When dealing with Proclamation Day
it is fitting that reference should
be made to the Old Gunitree that will be
on object of great interest at this year's
celebration. The tree assumed to be the
one under which the proclamation was
read stood on property owned by Mr
John Hector, of the Savings Bank. An
old document says:— 'Whereas the said
John Hector is seized in fee simple
of and in the piece of land hereinafter
described, being the site on which the
said province of South Australia was pro
claimed . . . and whereas the said John
.Hector 13 desirous of conveying the said
piece of land to the Mayor, Alderman,
Councillors, and Burgesses of the Town of
Olenelg, in order that the tree standing
therein may be preserved and protected
so long as the same shall exist to com
memorate such proclamation. . . . This
indenture witnesseth. that in pursuance of
the said agreement, and in consideration
of the sum ? of ten shillings of lawful
British money paid by the said Mayor
... to the said John Hector, the said
John Hector doth bargain, sell, and re
lease unto the said Mayor ... all that
piece or parcel of land, portion of that
section of land containing 134 acres.'
Question of Identity.
What about the identity of the tree,
and of its immediate surroundings? Mrs.
Robert Thomas, who knew the original
tree well, says that it was 'a huge one.'
Another lady pioneer, a daughter, I think,
of Sir James Hurtle Fisher, says the tree
was 'a .large one.' Mrs. Helen Mantegani
(a colonist of more than 84 years and 96
years at the time of her death),- speak-
ing of the proclamation ceremony (at
which she was present as a child of 11
years of age) towards the closa of her life
Baid:— 'The Old Gumtree is not the Pro
clamation Tree. The real tree was Dearer
to the beach by 50 or 100 yards.' That
is a considerable distance. Mrs. Mante
gani goes on to say, 'it was a beautiful,
largo, shady tree, and most likely suffered
the fate oE being cut down for the splen
did wood it contained. The pioneers as
sembled under the tree close to the tent
of Mr. Gouger- After the proclamation
was read it iras nailed to the tree.' The
tree was named by Mr. Robert Thomas
'Temple Bar,' this pioneer having lived
neat Temple Bar in London. Mrs. Manto
gani was the youngest daughter of Robert
Thomas, and in her- young days often
played under the tree. In 1S66 a 'Colonist
of 1S36,' writing to The Register, ridi
culed the assumption that the Proclama
tion Tree waB'the identical tree under
the shade of which the pioneers gathered
when the province was proclaimed. 'How
the old stump, now bearing the inscrip
tion 'fixed upon it, came to be identified
with the proclamation,' he was at loss to
.know. He affirmed that the notion 'must
have arisen with some one who knew
nothing of the matter.' He thought that
perhaps it was simply chosen as Proclama
tion Tree 'because of- the peculiarity of
its. appearance.' In his opinion Eome
- one must, have been anxious to secure to
the Town oE Glenelg the reputation , of still
possessing such a remarkable tree as the
, real proclamation tree, and seized upon
this one. 'Had the real tree been pre
served,', said he, 'as it ought to have
been, it would most likely have been still
in full vigour.' This was in 1868.
'Colonist of 1S30,'. further stated that he
had been. informed that the identical tree
'had been cut down some years before
- the colony had reached its majority,' and
he thought that was most likely, the case,
few then being aware of the interest,' at
taching to it. ?
An Historical Problem.
Here,' then, we are face to face with &
difficulty. The position is this, that a
; .writer to The Register 57 years ago, sign
ing himself a 'Colonist of 1836,' not only
denies that the Proclamation Tree is the
real tree, -but calls into question the
locality-fixed upon as, the site upon which
our province 'was proclaimed. In addi
tion to this Mrs. - Mantegani pays - that
the real: three 'was SO to 100 yards nearer
the beach.' .Can this historical problem
be satisfactorily solved? ' A* few. weeks
ago I spent, some time upon the ground
studying the' problem by the aid of cer
tain geographical features to which I had
a clue from a close study of the early his
tory of our State; The expedition was
an interesting one. from the mouth of
the Patawalonga to the Old Gum Tree, and
then across to the Start- River.' From
early records it is evident that Governor
,. Hindmarsh, the Resident Commissioner
..(James Hurtle Fisher), George Steven
son, the Rev. C. B. Howard, and others
landed by the mouth of the Patawalonga.
They could not have landed further -north,
as their progress would have been barred
by the Patawalonga. It is further evi
dent that Robert Gouger/s tent was about
a mile from the landing place of which
I have spoken, and not far from the little
Sturt River. In fact an early document
states that Governor - Hindmarsh landed
on the beach at Start's River, but this
? could not be; Sturt's River does not run
directly on to the beach. What the
writer bus in view is evidently the landing
party coming into contact with. Shirt's
River on the spot where the proclama
tion was read'. The geographical features
of the case point to -the Old Gum Tree as
being the site (or very close to.tho site)
where the province was proclaimed. Mrs.
Mantegani says the site waa 50 or 100
yards nearer the beach, but this, I think,
is an error. There are other considera
'?tions. The original Proclamation Tree is
represented by the first immigrants as be
ing a 'large one.' Mrs. Mantegani says
that as a child she climbed it as far as
she dared, as well as played under it.
That being so, there must have been sbme
. thing, peculiar in its growth. To -a cer
' tain extent the tree must have been in a
recumbent position to allow a girl of about
12 years of age to climb it at all. But
the. most striking evidence in favour of
the tree is that incidentally supplied by
George Stevenson, who read the
. proclamation in close association with it.
He was not present when the province
reached its majority, and the plate was af
fixed, having passed away about a year
prior to that event. Thirteen years after
the .founding ceremony, George Stevenson
stated that' he ai Clerk of the Executive
- Council read the proclamation to about
200. persons 'standing around or in the
shade' of a gum tree' on the plains of
Glenelg 'still to be seen' (that was in
' 1840). Stevenson went on to say that 'it
was a large crooked arch, remarkable for
' its appearance.' Unmistakably this testi
mony,- when our province was only 13
years of age, points to the Old Gumtree
that we see to-day as being the identical
tree . around . which the pioneers . of , 1S38
gathered - when the proclamation was read.
bo also does the fact that Robert Thomas
named jt 'Temple Bar,' no doubt on ac
count of its arched form. Let the visi
tors to the Old Gumtree this year re
member that when standing by it they are
actually in the vicinity of what, when
the colony; was founded, was a 'meadow
covered with pasture of a richness hardly
to be surpassed;' a locality 'like a beauti
ful-park, some of the trees being large
and old, chiefly teatree, eheaoak, and
Rum.' They are very near the spot where
Robert Gonger's tent stood, and where
the ? first Christmas service was heM in
the tents of George Strickland Kingston,
and where. the province was proclaimed.

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