September

Septr. 1.
I wrote to Genl. Maclean via Madras Pr. Nancy.

Septr. 4.
Thursday. This day the Bombay Fleet of Indiamen, consisting of the following ships, arrived from England, having sailed from thence on the 2d. of May – vizt. Bridgewater, Commodore Parker; Raymond, Capt. Smedley; True Briton, Captain Ferrar; Woodford, Captain Lenmore; Albion Capt. Wells; and Duke of Montrose, Capt. Bart. [sic] —

These Ships left England in company with Forty sail of India Ships for China, Bengal, Madras and Bencoolen; and were convoyed by the Suffolk 74, Commodore Renier [sic], and Swift Sloops of War. The two latter Ships are gone to Madras. — Lord Hobart who is appointed Governor of Madras, and to succeed Sir John Shore as Governor General of India, is come out with his family and suite, on the Boddam Indiaman to Madras.

The War still rages in Europe; and the Troubles and violent attrocities [sic] in France continue unabated. —

There are a number of new Corps raising in England and Scotland, and a great augmentation is made to the old Regiments. — The Militia in England, and all the Fencible Regiments in Scotland, are embodied. —

I am much chagrined and disappointed at my Brother Charles's not coming out in this Fleet, as I fulled [sic] hoped and expected he would have done, from the strict injunctions I sent him to that effect; and, I confess I am very much displeased with him for allowing any inducement or consideration to detain him at home, after what I had written to him; and, I am the more concerned as, his not coming out at this particular period, may prove very injurious to his interest and future prospects in life. — He is now, and has been, for near twelve months back, the eldest Ensign in the 77th. Regiment, and as there are, by the promotion of Lieut. Cochrane and Lt. Crew, two Lieutenancies vacant in the Regiment, at this moment without purchase, he of course would succeed to one of them immediately on his arrival here; — I should be able to get him very soon the charge of a Company, and, in time, perhaps, he might through my interest, succeed to one of the Regimental Staff appointments.

All these good prospects he has lost and sacrificed, by accepting of a Lieutenancy in a new Regiment, raising in Scotland by the Earl of Breadalbane; who offered him, along with that Step, to make him Paymaster of the Regiment, and which he has accordingly accepted of and is now recruiting in Scotland for Lord Breadalbane's Regiment. —

This was, to be sure, a very tempting offer to a young Ensign; and it is not to be wondered at, that he should accept of it, when it is also considered, that another allurement was held out, which was, that he would stand very near at the head of the Lieutenants in the Regiment, and thereby, soon succeed to a Company in it; and to enable him to raise his men for the Company, should he be so fortunate as to succeed to it, he has drawn Bills upon me for Three Hundred Pounds, which the Agents Messrs. Cox and Greenwood, were kindly pleased to advance to him on my account. — I shall think the money very well bestowed if he succeeds to a Company; if he does not, I shall be very angry with him for not coming out. — What is most provoking, is, that, Charles came up to London in December last with the full resolution and intention of coming out to join his Regiment. — He had taken his Passage on the True Briton Indiaman and paid his passage money to the Captain; and after waiting for the Fleet for three months in London, and just as he was preparing to go down, with the Purser, to Portsmouth to join it, the foregoing offer was [word omitted] to him by Lord Breadalbane which overturned all his plans: — I wish to God what he has done may turn out well, and equal to his sanguine expectations – if so, I shall be satisfied; but, I should have been a great deal better pleased, if he had come out this Season.

I had the pleasure of receiving a great number of letters from my Friends; all of whom, I am happy to say, are well and happy. — My Uncle Lochbuy has got a fine young family of two fine Boys and three Girls. — He is Major in the West Fencible Regiment; but was going to set about raising men for a Majority in the Duke of Argyle's new raised Regiment. — My friend Genl. Maclean is well, but has lost Five Thousand Pounds lately by the failure of the House of Messrs. Muir and Atkinson of London. — I have good accounts of my Mother, Sister and Brothers, being all well and happy.

I have had the pleasure of receiving letters from the following friends and Relations by this Fleet vizt. Brother Charles; Uncle and Aunt Lochbuy; General Maclean; Mr. Maclean of Torloisk; Cousin Archibald Maclaine; Mr. Lundin of Auchtermerney; Major General Marsh; Messrs. Cox & Greenwood; Captain Montresor; Major Charles Erskine, Lieut. Archd. Campbell 77th. Regt. (Melford); Lieut. McCrea 77th. Regt.; Doctor Hector Maclean; Mr. Dond. Macdonald of Glasgow; and Mr. Wm. Andrew Nesbitt late of Bombay.

My Aunt Mrs. Maclaine of Lochbuy, has been kindly pleased to send me a very handsome elegant Breast–Pin or Locket, containing her own and my Uncle's Hair, beautifully set in it. — I received also, my Silver Watch I commissioned by Captain Gray in 1792, and also some Silk and Cotton Stockings sent me out by my Brother. —

Captain Charles Gray of the 77th. Regiment (being the only officer of the corps that is come out,) arrived in this Fleet. —

We dined today at Mr. George Simson's, where I was in hopes, in the morning, to have carried my Brother Charles with me. —

Septr. 6.
Saturday. I wrote by this day's Post to Madras, the following letters intended to go by the Nancy Packet, which is to touch there on her way from Bengal to England; vizt. — Brother Charles, to urge him to effect an exchange immediately with some Lieut. of the 77th. Regt. now at home and to come out to India as soon as possible; Genl. Maclean, Genl. Marsh, and Messrs. Cox & Greenwood, all respecting my Brothers coming out; I also wrote to Captain Montresor in answer to a very friendly letter I received from him, resigning the Paymastership of the 77th. Regiment in my favor.

Septr. 8.
Monday. This being the anniversary of our Nuptials, we intended to have had some friends to celebrate the day at home with us; but, having been invited ten days before, by Major and Mrs. Oakes to dine with them, we did so accordingly and spent a very happy day. —

Septr. 11.
Thursday. I dined this day with Mr. Forbes, at the Sans–souci–club, at Sorabjee's Bungalo on Malabar Hill. —

Septr. 14.
Sunday. I this day wrote a letter to my Brother Charles; which Mr. Morris was so obliging as to enclose in the Company's dispatch overland via Bussorah, Per the Antelope Cruizer, which sailed out of the Harbour late in the Evening. —

In this letter I urged my Brother to come out to India as soon as possible, and by the easiest and best means he could. — I have advised him to effect an exchange into the 77th. Regiment immediately if he can; and even if he should be so fortunate as to succeed to a Company, in Lord Breadalbane's Regiment, to try by all means to effect an exchange with some Captain at home belonging to any of the India Regiments; and if he cannot with a Captain, even to exchange with some Lieutenant, rather than stay at home on Half Pay, or, return to Mull as a farmer; which, I have reprobated in the strongest manner, and assured him, I would have nothing further to do with him if he did not come out to India. —

Septr. 21.
Sunday. We dined this day with Mr. And Mrs. Tate at their Country House at Love-Grove; where we spent a very pleasant day indeed.

Septr. 22.
Monday. In the Regimental Orders of this day, Colonel Balfour was pleased to announce Captain Montresor's resignation of the Paymastership in my favor, and General Marsh's approval of my succeeding him in that office; so, that I am henceforward the fixed and permanent Paymaster of the 77th. Regiment. —

Septr. 24.
Wednesday. In the General Orders of this day, the 77th. Regt. is ordered to hold themselves in readiness to embark on the Raymond and Montrose Indiamen, as soon as those Ships can be ready; in order, to relieve the 75th. Regiment, in the Province of Malabar; – the rest of the Troops in that Province are to be relieved also, by Corps in the course of the ensuing season, and as soon as they can be conveniently, agreeably to the recommendation of Colonel Howson to the Government of Bombay, and which they have adopted. —

I have written of this day's date and Dawk to Bengal, to Captain Auchmuty to report the above new arrangements to him as Adjutant General to His Majesty's Forces in India. — I have at the same time requested of him to signify to Sir Robert Abercromby, that it is my wish, should it prove agreeable to him, to go down the Coast with the 77th. Regiment, in order to retain the Paymastership of the Regiment, which I must relinquish, if I do not go with it. — I have, therefore, requested permission to be allowed to go down with the Regiment, and to appoint Captain Dunlop to act for me as Major of Brigade at the Presidency, he having been so obliging as to offer to do my duty for me here, providing it is agreeable to Sir Robert Abercromby, which I hope and trust it will; and it is much for my interest, for many reasons, to go down the Coast and leave Bombay; where, I find my expences, far exceeds my present income; and, on the Malabar Coast, I hope, we shall be able to live within our income. —

Septr. 30.
Tuesday. We had the following friends to dine with us today – vizt. Col. & Mrs. Kerr, Mrs. Coggan, Miss Chatfield, Major & Mrs. Oakes, Lt. Robt. Gordon, Lt. Cook; Mr. & Mrs. Shaw; Capt. & Mrs. Mackenzie; Lt. P. Mackenzie; Col. Nicholson; Commodore Thistleton; Captain Burt of the Montrose; Captain Smedley of the Raymond; and Doctor Anderson. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No. 2: 26 March 1792 – 28 December 1794.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A768 pp.184-202 [Microfilm Reel: CY299 Frames#338-#347].