October

Octr. 9.
Saturday. I spent a very pleasant Day on an Excursion to Elephanta Caves, along with Col. Balfour and some other Brother Officers.

Octr. 10.
Sunday. — Early today Died a very particular and much esteemed Friend of mine, Captain James Sparks of the Bombay Regt., Judge Advocate and Commissary of Stores; — I attended his Funeral in the Evening. — He left a Beautiful Widow and two young children behind him. — He was exceedingly regretted, and his poor Young widow is quite disconsolate on her irreparable and heavy loss. —

Octr. 15.
Friday. This day early in the Morning the 77th. Regiment removed from the King's Barracks in Bombay to Cantonments on the Island of Coolabah (alias Old Woman's Island) and occupied the Pendals or Barracks there; — The 2d. Bombay Regt. commanded by Colonel Frederick, removed at the same time from the Cantonments on Coolabah to the King's Barracks in Bombay.

It being found inconvenient, on account of the distance of the Officers Quarters from each other on Coolabah as well as other circumstances, the Regimental Mess was this day dissolved and the officers are now to live in small partial Messes as it suits their convenience. — Captain Dunlop, Doctor Anderson and myself have formed a snug little Mess, and I doubt not we shall live happy and economically in it; — Mr. Anderson some time ago Purchased a very neat House or Bungaloe [sic] contiguous to the Barracks in which he and I live together – Capt. Dunlop has a House at some distance from ours, and my Old Chum the Honble. Lieut. Cochrane lives near us in a Mess with Capt. Gray &c. ; — Our Lieut. Colonel and Major both live in Cantonments: — the latter has his wife with him, a very agreeable pleasant Woman. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No. 1: 15 December 1787 – 24 March 1792.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A768 pp.186–188. [Microfilm Reel CY299 Frames #99–100].