October

Octr. 7.
Monday. We dined and Supped this day with Mr. & Mrs. Halliday in the Country. —

Octr. 9.
Wednesday. We dined today with Mr. & Mrs. Morris. — My dearest was obliged to come home in the Evening being indisposed. —

Octr. 14.
Monday. We dined and Supped with Mr. & Mrs. Sandiford. —

Octr. 15.
Tuesday. We dined and Supped with Mr. & Mrs. Simson —

Octr. 18.
Friday. We dined and Supped this day with Mr. Seton and a large Party at his House in the Country. —

Octr. 22.
Tuesday. Colonel Balfour was pleased to give Mrs. Macquarie and a number of her friends a very agreeable and pleasant Party this day at Parell–House; we dined and Supped there and spent the day very merrily and sociably — Mrs. Stirling, Mrs. Halliday and Mrs. Woodington were the only Ladies – Mrs. Morley and Mrs. Geo. Simson were invited but sent Excuses. —

Octr. 24.
— Having made up this day a correct Statement of my affairs and accounts with the Regiment and the whole World, I find I am less than Five Thousand and two Hundred Bombay Rupees in Debt; but it is to be remembered that the greatest part of this Debt is contracted since my marriage, in purchasing and paying for Plate, Household Furniture, and Stores and Liquors for House–keeping. — All the money I was worth in the World, (which was only One Thousand Pounds Sterling) before my marriage, having been settled on my dear and beloved Spouse, of course what ever money I have laid out or expended since, is a Debt incurred, which I must, now pay off by degrees the best way I can. It is no small comfort to reflect that we are now complete in every article of Plate, Furniture, Wines, Liquors and Stores, that is, or will be for some time to come, wanted for House–keeping; and also, that I pay no interest for this money I owe, as I have upwards of the amount, always in my hands, of Cash belonging to the Regiment, my own Company and absent individuals; and hope, in the course of a short time to clear off the amount of what I am now in Debt by rigid and strict but genteel economy in our manner of living; which, I trust and hope, after we give a few Entertainments to our friends, that have been so very polite and attentive in entertaining us after our marriage, that we shall be able to accommodate not only to our income, but also save a little of it to discharge this Debt. — I am happy in having it in my power to declare, that from what I have yet seen and observed of my sweet dear Partner's disposition, I am confident it will [be] my own fault and not her's, if our living exceeds our present income, tho' so circumscribed, being only about Five Hundred Rupees per month. —

Octr. 26.
Saturday. We dined and Supped this day with Mr. and Mrs. Crokatt. —

Octr. 30.
Wednesday. We dined and Supped with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, at the Mount in the Country. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No. 2: 26 March 1792 – 28 December 1794.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A768 pp.142–147 [Microfilm Reel CY299 Frames #266–268].