The Life of Edward John Eyre, Late Governor of Jamaica

Front matter

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Dedication

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TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY AND TALBOT.

My Lorp,

Chapter I

PAGE Tue Eyre family—Anccdote concerning the founder of the "Eyre family—Pedigree—Anecdote recorded in an ancient manuscript preserved by Mr. Piercy—Rev. Anthony Fountayne Eyre, Canon of York Cathedral—Edward John Eyre’s childhood—Fishing adventure—Up in the air—Charles and Alfred Tennyson—At Sedbergh—Gves to Australia—Nearly drowned in an attempt to save two travellers—Anecdotes of other escapes from drowning when a child—As a colonist— First march as an “ overlander ’—Appointed resident magistrate at the Murray River and Protector of the Aborigines—

Mr, Kingsley’s opinion of Mr. Eyre . : . F mare

Chapter II

Public attention in Adelaide directed to overland communication between Southern and Western Australia—Mr. Eyre proposes expedition to interior—Appointed leader of party—The start-—Dangers and privations—Mr. Eyre struck down by illuess—Party falls back on Port Lincoln for supplies—A boy speared by natives—His gallant behaviour—Mr. Eyre’s defence of the aborigines—Push towards the head of the great Australian Bight—Leaves party in camp, and procceds alone —Loses four horses—Returns—Reduces strength of party— Christmas Day—New Year's Day—Moves onwards—One of the party gives up in despair—AYain retraces his steps— Fowler's Bay—Arrival of letters—Bitter disappointment— Mr. Eyre determines upon sending all back save Baxter —The separation—They make ready for their long journey —Preparations completed—Return of Mr. Scott—Letters begging Mr. Eyre to give up attempt to force his way to King George’s Sound—Determines to adhere to his purpose —lLeft alone . : : . 3 ‘ 7 ‘ . 19

Ri : CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

Mr. Eyre and Baxter start on their journey—Sufferings from sand and horseflies—Want of water—No food for horses—

‘Baxter and native boys left behind—Terrible thirst—Mr. Eyre’s courage—Water at last—Party come up—Further sufferings—Mr. Eyre left alono—Provisions begin to fail— Obliged to abandon baggage—Deésperaie position—Baxter's courage gives way—Gloomy anticipations—Some of the horses abandoned—Mr, Iyre feeds on roots of gumscrub— They spear o sting-ray fish—Fish makes then) seriously il]— Sick horse killed for food—Mr. Eyre and Baxter seized with dysentery from eating putrid ficsh—Baxter's last night on earth—His cruel murder—Iscape’ of the murderers—Mr. Eyre left alone—His awful position—Tho murderers on his track—Determines to shoot them—Wylie proves faithful— Narrow escape of his life—Tries to bury his murdered companion—They move forward—Another sick horse killed for food—Utterly prostrated—All hope abandoned—Sudden surprise—A boat in sight—Intense excitement at sight of whaling vessel—Fears that she may weigh anchor before they can reach her—They struggle onwards—Signals of distress— Saved . . . are 5 ee . 7 - 46

Chapter IV

Mr. Eyre determines to start again—Takes farewell of Captain Rossiter—His kindness—Abundance of luxuries—Mr. Eyre gets ill in consequence of exposure—Pitiless rain—Obliged -to halt—Painful thoughts—Desolate country—Horses again begin to knock up—Traces of natives—Stopped by a river-— Succeed in crossing it—Horses frightened—Baggage nearly destroyed by fire—Marching in water—Rest—Fearful diffculties—Three days of fatigue, suffering, and disappointment —Sight King George’s Sound hills—Joy—Wylie recognises : country—Acta as guide—Leads them into great danger—!' Unlucky attempt to cross King’s River—Horses turned adrift —Baggage left—Mr. Eyre pushes on—Sights Albany—His reflections—Gratifying reception—Hears he has long been given up for lost—Results of his march eo a” ay 88)

CONTENTS. Rill

Chapter V

Mr. Lyre returns to England—At the Cape of Good Hope— Brings home two aboriginal boys —Presented to Her Majesty —Sir James Clark’s letter to Sir Roderick Murchison—Mr. Eyro appointed Lieut.-Governor of New Zealand—Arrives at Wellington—Is married to Miss Ormond—Invited to become Superintondent—Declines—Karthquake — Mr. Eyre'’s noble beliaviour—Ascends the highest peak of the Kaikorns mountains—Startling adventure—One of his party dashed to pieces’ in the descent—Quits New Zealand—Returns to England— Appointed Lieut.-Governor of St. Vincent—Labours hard to effect a radical change in the constitution of the colony—A magazine on fire—Gallant conduct of Mr. Eyre—Sir W. Colebrooke’s opinion of Mr. Eyre+-Address of the Legislative Council to Mr, Eyre—Leaves St. Vincent—Becomes Lieut.- Governor of Antigua—Is equally beloved—Returns to England—Appointed to succeed Governor Darling os sate Govornor of Jamaica. . e 8 . : - 94

. CHAPTER VI.

Theo state of the island of Jamaice and its society—Sir Oharles Metculfe—Former insurrections—Smollett’s account of the insurrection of 1760—The revolt of the Maroons—Alison’s account of the insurrection of St. Domingo—Object of referring to these accounts—Emancipation and the negro—The island in a state of retrogression—The negroes misled by designing egitators—Causes which brought about insurrection of 1865—Mr. Eyro and the House of Assembly—Unpopularity —Cause—Is appointed Captain-General and Governor, General-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral of the island of Jamaica—Bitter offence taken in consequence—Governor Eyre has many supporters—Approval of the Inglish Government of all his acts —Governor Eyre’s peculiar positish—Mr. G. W. Gordon— Removed from the commission of the peace—Prior removal — Mr. Gordon a disgrace to the House of mac Mami: of his style of oratory . . ° . ° . - 109

Chapter VII

Dr. Underhill’s most injudicious letter—Mr. Cardwell:forwards it to Governor Eyre to report upon—Collects opinions from xIv CONTENTS, every source—Several very important facts established —Iix-- tracts from reports received—Mr. Hosack, Finance Minister— The Rev. Samuel Oughton, Baptist minister—The Bishop of Kingston—Archdeacon Stewart—The Rev. James Willinams— The Rev. T. Orgill—Archdeacon Rowe—The Rev. Mr. Sheam ~—The Rev. C. A. Angell—The Hon. Mr. Westmoreland— The Hon. Sir Bryan Edwards—Mr. Salmon—The-Hon. L. G. Bowerbank—-Dr. Underhill’s own opinions gathered from a book published by himself in 1861—Dr. Underhill’s book full of contradictions—Jamnaica, prior to the insurrection—Dr. Underhill’s letter full of misstatements—Results of inquiry—Mr. Gordon’s seditious preachings—A black clergyman’s opinion of Dr, Underhill’s letter Clie ae es .

CHAPTER VII.

First fruits of Dr. Underhill’s letter—Her Majesty’s reply to certain petitioners declared to be “a lie”-—-G. W. Gordon continues his agitation amongst the negrocs—Publication of | the Queen’s advice to the “starving people of St.-Anne’s” —This course approved of by Mr. Cardwell—Designing demagogues make use of Dr. Uuderhill’s letter— Preaching sedition—I!egal drillings—Arms and ammunition being collected

AGK

. 131

—Governor Eyre writes to Home Government in July that \ he anticipates an insurrection—Justifiable grounds for coming to such a conclusion—Reports from all parts of the country— Extracts furnished—Mr. Salmon, custos of St. Elizabeth— Mr. Hudson, magistrate of Spring Valo—Mr. Greaves, mnagistrate in the Strype Savannah— Mr. Raines Smith—Mr. Vickers, custos of Westmorcland—Mr. Manley, and many others—T wo vessels of war ordered to cruise round the island —Alarm of European inhabitants—Mr. G. W. Gordon urges on the excited negroes “ to do as the Haytians did”—Inflam-, matory harangues—Gordon tries to purchase a Confederate schooner, the ‘ Happy-go-Lucky,’ with arms and stores—Lieut. Edenborough anxious to appear before the Royal Commission— Unfortunate accident prevents him—Despatch of Mr. Cardwell —Extract from log of the schooner ‘ Happy-go-Lucky ’"—Other conspirators—Gordon’s proclamation—Governor Eyre in momentary expectation of an outbreak be ‘ ;

.174

CONTENTS.

_ OHAPTER IX.

Rescue of s prisoner by negroes—Despatch to the Governor— Insolent and defiant conduct of negroes—Outbreak at Stony Gut—Police overpowered and made prisoners—Governor Eyre loses no time—Troops despatched—Captain De Horsey’s alacrity—Fears of another outbreak of negroes—Court House at Morant Bay—Gloomy. forebodings—Volunteers called out— G. W. Gordon absent from weeting—Ominous warnings—The alarm—The rebels attack—The Riot Act read—One of the Volunteers seriously injured—Order to fire—Negro3s overpower small body of Volunteers—Retreat to the Court House—Firing into the windows—Court House set on fire—Determination of negroes 10 massacre all the whites—Frightful scene inside the Court House—Molten lead falls on the victims—Consultation— Sudden charge from Court House to School House—Roof of Court House falls in—School House set on fire—Unfortunate victims compelled to leave—Frightful scone—Bloody massacre—Awfal deaths of the Baron Von Ketelhodt, Captain Hitchins, and others—Governor Eyre’s prompt measures—Insurrection spreads in all'directions—Murder of Mr. Cockrayne —Miurder of: Mr. Hire—Destruction of property—Governor Eyre summons 4 council of war—Martial law declared—~Fearful state of affairs—Mr. Eyre’s coolness gnd self-possession— Brigadier-General Nelson—The Maroons—Operations attended with. success—Arrest of G. W. Gordon—Taken to Morant Bay—Court-martial—Finding—Sentence—Execution

CHAPTER X.

Absurdity of comparing a negro insurrection to an English out- , break—Martial law and its continuance—Some curious facts after martial Jaw had ceased—Probability of fresh outbreaks —Evidence on the subject—Paul Bogle’s letter—Singular documents from rebel negroes—Communication to Mr. Lynch— Also one to the Custos of Kingston—Endeaveur to burn down the Court House at Clarendon—Governor Eyre writes to General O’Connor—Magistrates write from Montego Bay reporting nightly meetings for illegal drill—Character of the rebellion—-Number of troops in the island—Success of Governor Eyre’s measures—Organization and cumbination of the negroes—The objects of G. W. Gordon and his dupes~Governor

PAGE xvi CONTENTS.

PAGE Eyre the means, under God’s providence, of saving the island of Jamaica—Opinions of the colouists—Even Mr. Eyre’s former enemics rally round him—Legislative Assembly, and the great changes Governor Eyro succeeded in effecting at last —Mr. Eyre’s speech—Address from Legislative Council—Address from House of Assembly . ‘i ‘ ; 7 . 217

CHAPTER XI.

News reaches England—Universal approbation of Mr. Lyro’s conduct—Mr. Cardwell’s flattering despatch—A movement ‘made by a small section of the community—Mecting at Exeter Hall—Disgraceful placards posted about the streets—Mr. Eyre insulted in the grossest way—Deputation to Mr. Cardwell— Demands for a Commission of Inquiry into Mr. Eyre’s conduct —FEarl Russell’s Government grants the request—The reason why—Karl Russell’s speech in the House of Commons in defence of Lord Torrington in a precisely similar ‘case—His refusal then to sanction a Commission—An association formed by private persons, styled the “Jamaica Committee” —Its objects—The Royal Commission leaves England—The Inquiry—The Report—Remarks thereon—Mr. Cardwell’s despatch removing Mr, Eyre—Foeling of indignation throughout the island when tho news became known-—Governor Keyre’s services to his country—His reward—Prepares to leave Jamaica—His departure—Painful but gratifying scene —Concluding rémarks on the persecution Mr. Eyre has‘ been ‘subjected to since his arrival in England oe 287

Appendix

A. Evidence in case of G. W. Gordon—B. Professor Tyndall’s reply to the Jamaica Committee—C. Report of a meeting of the Eyre Defence Committee at Willis’s Rooms, with speeches of the Earl of Shrewsbury, Sir Roderick Murchison, General Sir William Gomm, and Professor Tyndall.—D. Lettors from Mr. Thomas Carlyle to Mr. Hamilton Hume, also extracts feom letters of Mr. Alfred Tennyson and the Bishop of Jamoaica, &c.—E. Extracts from Jamaica papers regarding Governor Kyre's departure from the island—F, Addresses to Mr. Eyre, and his reply, containing a full and perfect vindication of hisconduct .. pom oe . 257

EDWARD JOHN EYRE.

Chapter I

BeroreE placing on record the services rendered to this country by the late Governor of Jamaica, it may be advisable to devote a few pages to a short history of his family and of his early life. It becomes absolutely necessary to speak of the former, since those persons who have so virulently assailed Mr. Eyre’s character’ have also represented him as a man of no birth and without connections, That’ he is a “self-made” man no one can deny, and no doubt he himself is proud of having earned so honourable a distinction; but doubtless he is also proud of belonging to a time-honoured and ancient family.*

* Members of the different branches of the Eyre family have intermarried at various times with the families of De Padley, itz- William, Plumley, Woftley, De Willington, Reresby, Gorman Pole, Neville, Wastenys (Sir H., Bart.), Markham, Clifton (Sir G., Burt.), Babington, Neaton (Sir J., Bart.), Digby (Sir J., Bart.), Packington (Sir J., Bart.), Lyster, Cooke (Sir L., Burt.), Hickman (Sir W.. Bart.), Skeffington (Earl Massereno), Turner, Bury, Thornhill, Dodsworth, Chambers, Bootle, Wainright, Armytage (Sir G., Bart.), Hay Drummond (Earl Kinnoul), Fountayne, Pierrepoint (Earl

. B

Local tradition states that at the battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror was found lying on the ground breathless by the founder of the Eyre family in Eng- Jand—who dismounting, unloosed the bars of the King’s helmet so that he could breathe, upon which the Conqueror cried out, “ De l'Eyre ;” he then mounted the King upon his own horse, and fought the rest of the day himself on foot. After the battle, William ordered his deliverer to be searched ‘for, when he was found lying on the field with his leg cut off. The King ordered him at once to be taken care of, aud said, “ Henceforth thou shalt be called De I’Eyre, because thou hast given me the air I breathe,” and he gave him for his crest a leg in armour cut off above the knee as his was. Also, he gave him lands in Derbyshire, which were called “ Hope,” because he had hope in his greatest extremity when he was lying on the battlefield dangerously wounded. The arms of the family corroborate this legend, for they bear on a field, argent, a chevron, sable, charged with three quatrefoils, or; and the chevron, say the heralds, “is given for assisting a king,”—-while the motto, S¢ je puzs, attests their Nor- - man or French origia. At any rate, the De l’Eyres, as they signed themselves in old charters still extant, were for centuries a powerful family, spreading over that part of Derbyshire which is near the Peak, over Hallamshire, and towards Sheffield. One of the race was lord of thirty manors, and the head of the family

LIFE OF EDWARD JOUN EYRE. 3 was usually knight of the shire. The estate of “ Hope” continued.in the family until the period of the Civil Wars, when the then head of the family, Sir Gervas Eyre, Governor of Newark Castle, sold it to raise the last loan ever contracted for King Charles the First. He was soon after killed by the waft of a cannon-ball whilst riding outside the gates of Newark, in company with his officers, surveying the neighbourhood. The local historians of the day speak of him as a man of irreproachable character, the best horseman in King Charles’s army, and add, “that had the king had many such soldiers as’ Sir Gervas Eyre, he had neither lost his crown nor his life.”

Sir Gervas Eyre married Elizabeth Babington, of Rampton, in the county of Nottingham, by whom he had several children.

‘His second son, Anthony Eyre (the eldest died an infant), married twice ; first, Lucy, daughter of Sir ‘John Digby, Baronet, of Mansfield Wood House, in the county of Nottingham, by whom he: had one daughter; and, secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Packington, Baronet, of Westwood, in the county of Worcester. 2 3

Gervas Eyre, son by this-latter marriage, married Catherine, daughter of Sir Henry Cooke, Baronet, of Wheatley, in the county of York.*..

* Tha following singular anecdote, from an ancient manuscript, _ has been preserved by Mr. Piercy, which is well worthy of perusal,

4 LIFE OF EDWARD JONN EYRE,

Their youngest son, Charles Eyre, became a physician, settled at Doncaster, and married Elizabeth, daughter of John Fountayne, Esq., of Melton-on-theand highly illustrative of the state of the times when it occurred. It is written in o clear and beautiful hand by Diana, wife of William Chambers, Esq., of Ruppon, one of the descendants of the same family, and is as follows :—

“ Anthony Eyre, Esq., of Laughton-en-le-Morthen, and also of Kiveton Park, by‘his two wives had seven sons and gave to either three or four of them handsome fortunes, ye others he brought up to some profession and good business; hia third son (from whom sprang our ancestors) had his estate in ye West-Riding of Yorkshire, at’ Kiveton and in that neighbourhood ; Rotherham, ye nearest market town, after’ Laughton-en-le-Morthen, four miles from Kivelon, was reduced in the civil wars in Charles ye First's reign to a pretty large village town, Mr. Eyre's scat was at Kiveton, he had also lands in and about Laughton, and was Lord of ye Manor there. Some centuries before King Charles’ reign, a descendant from ye eldest branch of ye Mr. Eyre’s, married a young lady with a good estate, and very large house at Bampton, in Nottinghamshire, upon which Bampton was made ye family scat, Kiveton and his estato there (but not Laughton) was yn sold, and purchases made about Bainpton. Their eldest scn, and grandsons, always married into good families, and had genteel, sometimes large fortuncs with their wives, Ye eldest branch of that family, who was married to a lady of distinction and had had some children, when ye rebellion broke ‘out, -went himself a volunteer in ye King’s army, and a younger brother yt did the same, bravely lost his life in an engagement at, or near Nottingham!’ The clder Mr. Eyre was a considerable sufferer by ye parliament partye, not only plundcring his house, but ulso by damage done to his tenants, and £8,000 (intended fora purchase near Bampton) that he and a trusty servant hid underground in ye orchard, on a bright moonlight night, he was robbed on by a labourer yt saw them from ye top of the church steeple; he had

1 This was at Newark.

LIFE OF EDWARD JONN EYRE. 5

‘Ne F Hill, near Doncaster, whose mother was the daughter, and ought legally to have inherited the estates of Sir Nicholas Carew, of Beddington Park, in Surrey, her been suspected by living extraordinary well without work, but was soon reduced to poverty, and when near death confessed ye fact. My Grandfather, Gervas Eyre, ‘married Catherine, sister to Sir George Cooke, Bart. of Wheaticy, Yorkshire, at ye age of 19, so early a marriage being desired by his mother, a widow, ho being her only son; and ber daughters she married early in their teens, As soon as he came of age, he was chose a member of parliament for ye county of Nottingham ;.and distinguished himself in ye house asa sensable, unprejudiced speaker, would accept no place from ye ministry, yt he might be free to speak and vote, as appeared to him best for his Queen (Ann) and country. My grandfather had a great impediment in his speech, but I was told by a gentleman yt sat in ye house with him, yt he would speak without any hesitation by tossing up an apple or an orange, and if by chance he dropped it, gave a full pause, till he got another out of his pocket. He died at ye age of 32 or 3 of ye smallpox when he was at London attending parliament, and was buried at Rampton. He was kind to ye industrious poor, was a cheerful and agreeable companion, ya death was much lamented both by ye rich and poor. He left 5 sons, viz.: Anthony, Henry, George, Charles, and Gervas, and 4 daughters, Elizabeth, Diana, Catherine, and Dorathe. My grandmother was with child when he died, but died of grief for his loss soon after him. The labour came upon her but could not be delivered. She spoke to my father yn but 13 or 14 years old, yt he would request his trustees to let ys overplus of his estate from what was spent and in his education and maintenance and repairs for tenants might go till of age, for ye use of his brothers and sisters, who otherwise would be very scantily provided for; my father’s ready compliance with this, she told him gave her great pleasure and satisfaction ;

1 This person was Gervase Eyre, Esq,, of Rampton , who was baptized there 20th August, 1669, High Sheriff for Nottinghamshire, and M.P. for the same county from 1698 to his death on the 16th Feb., 1703. His wife died 7th Nov,, 1804, father, since neither he, nor his brother who succeeded him, left any male heirs.

Dr. and Mrs. Eyre, of Doncaster, had one son, the Rev. Anthony Fountayne Eyre, Canon of York Cathedral, who married twice ; first, Susannah, daughter of Kenrick Prescot, Esq., by whom he had four children, all of whom died “unmarried ; ; and, secondly, Honor, daughter of the Rev. Godfrey Wolley, and sister of Admirals Thomas and Isaac Wolley. By this second marriage, in the old residence house at York, the father of Edward John Eyre was born.

He was christened Antliony William, the first name having been borne, alternately with’ Gervas, by the head of the Eyre family, in memory of Anthony Babington, from whom the’ Eyres inherit it by the marriage of Sir Gervas Eyre with Miss Babington. Anthony William Eyre also became a clergyman, and she prayed for ym all, but in g particular manner for blessings on * my father, and dyed composed yo next day. My futher did not only perform his promise to his mother, but was in many respects very kind to ym all after he was of age, but met with ungrateful returns from all but one brother, and his youngest sister. My grandfather kept a large stud of race horses, which was a great oxpense to him. Ye expense of his elections would not have hurt his family, but ye numbers of ye low class of freeholders yt frequented his house was a considerable charge to him. I have heard me father say, this made him decline ye solicitation to stand a candidate in ye neighbourhood where he liyed, and though he was fond of a race horse, ye inconvenient exponse he might by degrecs be drawn into by keeping any, prevented his indulging himself in that pleasure.”

held various cures and préferments, amongst others . Stillingfleet, near York, and, at a later period, the vicarage of Hornsea and the rectory of Riston, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. These two latter preferments he held at the time of his death in 1848. He married Sarah Mapleton, the daughter of a physician in Bath, who is mentioned frequently by De Quincey in his Autobiography. Dr. Mapleton was a clever man, and one of his sons, Captain David Mapleton, R.N., was noted for his gallantry and daring. He was gazetted again and again for acts of bravery before he was one-and-twenty, and especially distinguished him- ‘self in cutting out boats under Sir Thomas Cochrane, afterwards Lord Dundonald. David, one of his sons, and a nephew, the son of his elder brother, Captain William Mapleton, R.A., were also well known as gallant and scientific naval officers. The last served in one or two Arctic expeditions with considerable credit. On all sides, therefore, Edward John Eyre came of a brave, energetic, determined race of men, and early in life he formed the resolution that he too would, if possible, distinguish himself.

Ee was the third son (the eldest died in infancy, the second at the age of fifteen), and showed no peculiar talent or bias towards any study or employment in his childhood. He was always fond of, and apt at arithmetic and algebra; devoted to carpentering, turning, and fishing, giving up all his half and whole holidays to these pursuits when able. He was a grave, quiet, selfcentred, composed boy ; remarkable only for the dogged resolution with which he pursued any amusement, study, or occupation he had once begun.* His memory was in childhood defective ; but no youngster worked more thoroughly at school than he did, and all his masters predicted his future eminence in life. “He will.one day be a blazing star in the literary horizon,” was the grandiloquent speech in which one of his earliest tutors announced the improvement he had made during the half-year. Under this master ‘it was that he learned to lay down maps and calculate heights and distances— knowledge that was to be so useful to him in after-life.

In his boyhood he occasionally, with his brother, spent his holidays at his uncle’s, the Rev. Charles ’ Wolff Eyre, rector of Hooten Roberts, near .Doneaster. During these holidays, a gentleman of the neighbourhood took the two lads out fishing ; it was a sunny day, and they had no sport; at last he unthinkingly said, “I wish we were on the other side of the river under those trees; I dare say there are fish there.” He had scarcely uttered the words, when he heard a splash, and to his horror beheld the boy Edward, then about twelve years old, in the river. From infancy he never saw anything but the object he

* How forcibly, in after-life, his “ dogged resolution” carried him successfully through unheard-of difficulties, dangers, and privations, will be shown when reference is made to bis South Australian explorations, had in view, and took no heed of any obstacles in the way of his attaining it. The gentleman had said there would be fish on the other side ; of course he must get them; it never occurred to him that he might be drowned in the attempt, seeing that he could not swim a stroke. His elder companion had some difficulty in dragging him out safely, which he did eventually however, vowing mentally that’‘‘ he would never again take Edward Lyre out fishing ”’—a vow he religiously kept.

At Thorparch, whilst spending another holiday with -his grandmother and aunt, he caught a severe fever, contracted by sleeping in damp clothes. In order to lose no time in dressing in thg morning to go out fishing, he used, unknown to any one, to take off the clothes he had worn at dinner in the evening, and put on the -wet clothes he had worn in his fishing expeditions during the day, and which his family imagined were drying by the kitchen fire, and thus equipped, even to his boots, he was in the habit of creeping into bed.

Another of his holidays was spent with his brother and sisters at West Ella Park, near Hull, the property of Major Richard Sykes. Here he was missed one day for some hours, and being sought, was at last found perched on the very top of one of the highest trees in the park. He had got up, partly by swarming, but when he wanted to get down, he found the boughs were many of them too rotten to bear his weight ; so with characteristic coolness he calculated that he would infallibly be missed and looked for, and that the wisest thing he could do was to. remain quiet on his tree until assistance came. As he foresaw, search was made for him, but as he was at this period always alarfning his family by getting into scrapes and risking his life, they resolved to punish him. Some time necessarily elapsed before three ladders could be procured and spliced together, so as to reach his perch at the top of the tree ; and whilst this was doing, Major Sykes, his family, and guests, the rest of the Eyre children, and all the servants, went to the tree where _ the young adventurer was pilloried and joined in laughing at him. The punishment was efficacious; he felt the ridicule of his position so keenly, that it cured him of his inveterate habit of climbing.

He was not in early life what is termed ‘a bookish boy.” He did his work regularly to the best of his ability, and always held a foremost pace in his glass. He was quite on a par with boys of his own age in classics, and in advance of them in mathematics ; but his work over, he preferred a long solitary ramble, a climb, fishing, shooting, skating, or any ‘active exercise to reading; but whatever he once began, he never left until he mastered tt,

He was successively at school at Thorparch, near ‘ Rotherham, at Grantham, at Louth, and at Sedbergh,*

* A well-known Yorkshire foundation school near the Inkes.

where he had ample opportunities of indulging his passion for angling, and climbing difficult and dangerous - rocks. From Grantham he went to the grammar school of Louth, in Lincolnshire, which Charles and Alfred Tennyson had left a year or two before. Their fame as poets was still traditionary in the school, and . Edward Fyre seemed to feel a kind of noble envy, at once proud of the fact that two of “our boys” had actually published a volume of poems, for which a bookseller gave them ten pounds, and gricved he could not emulate them. Even then he craved distinction. He learnt much at Sedbergh. Many of his ‘schoolfellows had a studious turn, and there he acquired some knowledge of chemistry, and occupied himself in making an electrical machine. He had also a turn for mechanical employments, and was handy at all kinds of carpentry; this was very useful to him in after-life. He learned a little of astronomy, and used to try in the holidays to teach his sister to know the Greater and the Lesser “Bear, and the names of many other stars. Neither then foresaw that in sik or seven years from that time, or even earlier, he would be threading ‘his way through an interminable untracked wilderness by calculating the altitudes of the stars. When at sixteen he left Sedbergh, it was a difficult question to decide what he should be. His masters had, one and all, advised a college life, where, as they said, his talents insured him distinction and a fellowship. A constitutional delicacy of the chest, however, forbade his following any sedentary profession. His own wishes pointed to the army, but that was thought too expensive a profession; and, though the‘ kindness of Lord Brougham had given his father a good living, that of Hornsea~cum-Long-Riston, in -Holderness, Yorkshire, there was no spare cash in the family, who bad always lived'in the rank of gentlefolks, and had only that which enabled them to maintain their position. His name, however, was:put down for the purchase of a commission, and the purchase money was lodged. :

At this juncture, a friend silvised his going out as a settler to Australia, where, at that time, there was an excellent opening for industrious, active young men. And so, at the early age of seventeen, with a good outfit, several introductions, and about 400/. in his pocket, he went forth from his father’s house to seek his fortune in a new world.

He proceeded first to Sydney, and afterwards joined a settler in that colony, paying for his board, to enable him to acquire a, ‘practical experience as’ a colonist. Whilst living with this gentleman on the River Hunter, it happened that two men arrived one evening on the opposite side of the river from a very considerable distance. They were without food, and, as the river was highly flooded, sweeping along in a furious, beiling stream, carrying huge logs and trees with it, there was no possibility of the men “crossing, or of any assistance being given to them that night. The following _ morning the river was higher and more furious than ever, and the question was, what should be done to aid the two men. At that time, Mr. Eyre, who was scarcely eighteen, could not swim; but, as none of those who could would face the raging stream, he volunteered to put on a mackintosh swimming belt, and try to carry @ rope across. ; . One end of a very long rope was accordingly tied under his arms, and the other made fast to a tree on the bank, whilst several men stood by to pay out the rope as he progressed. He plunged in and struck out manfully for the other side, as the current swept him rapidly down-stream. At first he progressed very satisfactorily; but after passing the middle of the - stream, the curve of the rope below him, pressed by ‘the current, kept dragging him back, and his utmost exertions could not enable him to reach more than three-fourths of the way across. He was then completely exhausted. The party on shore, noticing this, hauled in the rope to drag him back ; but when about half-way, the rope got entangled in the projecting part of a tree that had lodged in the river: here he stuck for some time, the rushing stream bubbling over bim and all but drowning him. Eventually he managed to work himself free, and was dragged ashore almost dead. The men were obliged to remain starving until the river subsided. He learnt to swim almost immediately afterwards.*