February

Thursday 1. Feby. 1821!!!
The Female Convicts were removed this Day from the Old to the New Factory at Parramatta; there being 109 Women – and 71 Children accommodated therein. — The Honble. The Commissioner of Enquiry, Mr. Secry. Scott, Mr. Secry. Goulburn, Major Druitt, the Resident Magistrate at Parramatta &c. &c. having accompanied me from the Govt. House to the New Factory at Ten OClock to see the Women lodged therein. —

The Commissioner and a large Party of Gentlemen dined with us afterwards at Government House, the former having returned to Sydney the same Evening.

Friday 2. Feby. 1821!
We returned from Parramatta to Sydney this forenoon; Major & Mrs. Macleod having accompanied us.

Saturday 3. Feby. 1821!
Lieutenant John Campbell, the Senior Lieut. of the 48th. Regt., departed this Life in the afternoon of the present Day, after a very long illness. —

Monday 5. Feby !
The Commissioner of Enquiry, & Mr. Secry. Scott, dined with us this day, at Mrs. Macquarie's Invitation, and we had a large Party of Ladies & Gentlemen to meet them –; and Mrs. M. got up a very pretty little Dance in the Evening.

Wednesday 7. Feby !
The Commissioner &c. dined with us today, to take his farewell Public Dinner with us; having had all the Civil Naval & Military officers of the Colony residing at Sydney to meet him, 73 Gentlemen having sat down to Dinner – there being no Ladies present.

Commissr. Bigge made a very handsome, complementary, & gratifying Speech to me, on my Drinking his Health.

L.M.

Thursday 8. Feby. 1821!
This being the day appointed for the Commissr. of Enquiry embarking on his return to England, on board His Majesty's Store Ship Dromedary, he Breakfasted with us at Government House this morning, and afterwards held a short Levee to receive the compliments of the Civil, Naval & Military officers, and other Gentlemen at Government House, and to whom he addressed a short but very appropriate Speech. —

At 11,OClock the Commissioner &c. left the Govt. House, and Embarked at the Government Stairs (otherwise called Mrs. Macquarie's) under a Salute of 13 Guns from the Battery; the Two Flank Companies forming a Lane within the Domain from the Government House to the North Gate, and the Male Orphan Boys extending the Line from thence through Lachlan's Garden for the Commissioner to walk through to the Govt. Barge – which conveyed him on board the Dromedary. — I accompanied on board, but returned again immediately on shore. —

Capt. Skinner of the Dromedary having invited me to dine on board that ship today to meet the Commissioner, I went on board, accompanied by the Gentlemen of my Family for that purpose at ½ past 5 OClock. — After Dinner the Commissioner and Mr. Scott accompanied me on shore to see and take Leave of Mrs. Macquarie, expecting to sail at Day-break in the morning. — they staid to Drink Tea & Coffee with us and then reimbarked. [sic]

Friday 9. Feby. !!!
The Dromedary being prevented from sailing today, from the wind being contrary, The Commissr. & Mr. Scott landed after Breakfast – and spent the Day with us – reimbarking [sic] at 8.OClock in the Evening after having dined with us. — Mrs. Macquarie & Mrs. Macleod and all our Party, including Lachlan, accompanied the Commissr. &c. &c. in my Barge to alongside the Dromedary and there took leave of him once more, making sure of his getting away on the following morning.

The Commissioner made a pretty little Present to Lachlan. —

Saturday 10. Feby. 1821!
After Breakfast this morning Mrs. Macquarie, Lachlan & myself in one Carriage, and Major and Mrs. Macleod in the other, set out to the South-Head to see the Dromedary going out, but on our arrival at Macquarie Tower we found the Dromedary had not been able to get out – and saw her at Anchor near the Sow and Pigs.

We sent off Lt. Macquarie immediately to the Commissioner to ask him to dine with us at Point Piper, where we should be happy to see him between 4 and 5,OClock this afternoon. We then returned to Sydney. —

At ½ past 3 we set out for Point Piper, accompanied by Col: Erskine, Mr. Secry. Goulburn, Major & Mrs. Macleod, in the Barge and arrived there at ½ past 4. – We dined soon afterwards. — The Commissr. having had a Party to dine with him on board, was not able to join us till after Dinner, but he remained with us till our departure from thence at 8,OClock – when we again took leave and parted. — It rained heavy and we did not get Home till 9,OClock. We were saluted from Capt. Piper's Battery with 17 Guns, on our arrival and departure from Castle Piper !

Sunday 11. Feby. 1821 !!!
This morning at 7,OClock The Dromedary got under weigh and attempted to work out of the Heads, but in doing so, she unfortunately struck on the Sand-Bank extending to the Northward of the Sow and Piggs [sic] – where she continued striking for nearly an Hour before she got clear of the Shore – immediately on receiving accounts of this unfortunate accident I sent down every possible assistance to The Dromedary to extricate her – which was happily effected without the Ship's sustaining any Damage. —

I went down between 2 & 3 OClock in the afternoon to the Dromedary to congratulate the Commissioner &c. &c. on their [***] escape, and staid about Half an Hour on board – when I returned Home — It now blows a strong Southerly wind – and precludes the possibility of their going to Sea!

Monday 12 Feby. 1821 !!!
The Dromedary still remains at Anchor near the Sow and Pigs waiting for a fair Wind. —

At Noon this day anchored in Sydney Cove the Ship Prince of Orange Commanded by Capt. Thos. Silk, with 135 Male Convicts from England – whence she sailed on the 8th. of October, having lost one Convict on the Passage; Dr. Rutherford R. Navy being the Surgeon Supdt.; and the Guard consisting of 26 Soldiers of the 24th. Regt. being commanded by Lieut. Clunie of the 17th. Regt. of Foot. —

I have received no Dispatches by this Ship. —

Tuesday 13. Feby.
This day Frederick Goulburn Esqr. – Colonial Secretary – and Edward Riley & Thomas Mc.Vitie Esquires – both Merchants of Sydney, were sworn in (by myself) as Magistrates of Sydney – and of the Territory also. —

In compliment to Commissr. Bigge Mrs. Macquarie & myself, accompanied by Mr. Secry. Goulburn, Major & Mrs. Macleod, Dr. Stephenson 48th. & Lt. Campbell 59th. Regt. and Lt. Macquarie called on board the Dromedary to take him to dine with us (Camp Fashion) at Vaucluse.

He accordingly accompanied us – and also Capt. Cruize & Ensign Haggerstone, to dine there; Capt. Skinner joining us from the Dromedary soon after Dinner. — We remained at Vaucluse till Sunset – when we had Tea & Coffee, and repaired once more on board the Dromedary – where we remained for about Half an Hour – and then took leave of our friends – who hope and expect to have a fair wind and to be able to sail early tomorrow morning. — Mr. Secry. Scott being a little indisposed, did not accompany us on Shore to Dine with us at Vaucluse. —

Wednesday 14. Feby. 1821 !!!
This morning at 8,OClock The Dromedary cleared the Heads of Port Jackson – and proceeded on her Voyage to England with a fine fair Breeze; having weighed anchor at 6,O'Clock. — I received a Farewell Note from the Commissr. by the return of the Pilot. —

This forenoon anchored in the Harbour the Private Merchant Ship Midas, Mr. Joseph Underwood Commander and Owner, with a large Cargo of Merchandise from England – whence She sailed on the 15th. of August – but touched at the Cape and the Derwent.

I took a ride in the Carriage with Mrs. Macquarie & Lachlan to Belle Vue from whence we saw the Dromedary at ½ past 5 this afternoon at the distance of about 30 miles, with all sail set – and with a fine fair Wind prosecuting her Voyage. —

L.M.

Sunday 18. Feby. 1821!
The Ship Almorah, Commanded by Capt. Winter, sailed this morning for Madras, having the several Detachments belonging to the 1st. 17th. 24th. 30th. 34th. 46th. 53d. 59th. 69th. & 89th. King's Regiments in India on board, consisting of 8 Commissd. Officers 122 Noncomd. Officers & Soldiers, 22 Women & 28 Children, all under the command of Brevet Major Whetstone of the 53d. Regiment. —

The Ship Prince Regt. (wt. Dr. Taylor R.N. on board!) sailed on the same day for Batavia!

Monday 19. Feby. 1821 !!!
This afternoon anchored in the Harbour The Ship Lord Sidmouth Transport, commanded by Capt. Muddle, with 160 Male Convicts from England, Dr. Roylance R.N. being the Surgeon Supdt., and the Guard consisting of 34 Soldiers of the 1st (or Royal) Regt. being commanded by Capt. Moore of the 45th. Regiment. — The Lord Sidmouth Sailed from Cork on the 4th. of Novr. last, being a Passage of only 3 months & 15 Days ! —

Thursday 22. Feby.. !!!
I this day Purchased Doctor Wentworth's House in Macquarie Street, Sydney for the sum of Fifteen Hundred Pounds, for which I gave him a Draft on the Police Fund. —

L.M.

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Diary 1 March 1820 - 8 March 1821.
Original held in Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A774 pp.202-209. [CY Reel 301 Frames #610-619].