December

Decr 1.
Tuesday. — The Milford Country Ship sailed this day for England. — Mrs. M. and myself wrote Letters by her to all our friends at Home. —

Decr 3.
Thursday. — This Government received late last Night Dispatches from the Supreme Government at Bengal, which contain orders to have a Detachment of Troops and Stores immediately prepared on the Malabar Coast to be ready when called for to Co–operate with one from Madras for the Reduction of the Dutch Fortress of Columbo; and all other settlements belonging to that Nation on the Island of Ceylon; – which orders were this immediately day communicated by the Bombay Government to Colonel Balfour Commanding the Forces under this Presidency. — The 77th. Regt. is to be employed on this Service, and I am rejoiced to find that my worthy good friend Colonel Petrie is nominated to command the Bombay Detachment ordered for this Service. — The Expedition against Columbo is to be commanded by Colonel James Stuart of the 72d. Regt. – a very old and experienced gallant good officer. —

The news of this intended Expedition, tho' so pleasant to me, is far from being acceptable to my poor dear Jane; who dreads my going again on Service – and leaving her so soon.

I dined today at the Sans Souci Club with Mr. George Simson. —

Decr 5.
Saturday. — I wrote this day to Colonel Petrie, Dr. Anderson, and other friends of the 77th., announcing to them the agreeable intelligence of our being ordered on the expedition against Columbo. — My Letters went by a Dispatch Boat which sailed this day for Malabar. —

I dined today with Col: Balfour. —

Decr 7.
Monday. — I wrote this day to Major Auchmuty and Capt. Hall at Calcutta, in reply to Letters received from them by last Post. — I enclosed the former his accot. currt. with me, made up to the 24th. of this month inclusive. —

Decr 11.
Friday. — The Nimble Brig sailed this day for Malabar and Pondicherry. I wrote Letters by her to Col: Petrie and Dr. Anderson; and also to Lieut. Colonel Stirling commanding at Pondicherry, sending him his Commissions thither by the Nimble. —

Decr 12.
Saturday. — I wrote again today by the Madras Post to Lt. Col: Stirling, enclosing a Letter from my dear Mrs. M. to Mrs. Stirling – with the Receipt of the Capt. of the Nimble for their Commissions.

Decr 18.
Friday. — I wrote Letters of this date, to go by the overland dispatch, to my good and worthy old friend Genl. Allan Maclean, and my Brother Charles. — I repeated my former offer to my Brother of allowing him to draw upon me for Four Hundred Pounds to enable him to effect an Exchange into one of the Regiments in India. —

Decr 19.
Saturday. — The Swift Cruizer, commanded by Capt. Billamore, sailed this day for the Malabar Coast – and from thence to cruize off Columbo. — My amiable and greatly beloved Brother–in–law Lieut. Jarvis of the 36th. Regt. availed himself of this opportunity of proceeding to join his Corps, which he has reason to suppose will be employed on the Expedition against Columbo. — His Sister was most sensibly and deeply affected at parting with him; but I hope soon to meet him again at the siege of Columbo. —

I wrote Letters by the Swift to Lt. Col: Petrie, Dr. Anderson, and Lt. Shaw of the 77th. —

Decr 20.
Sunday. — The Intrepid Cruizer sailed this day for Bussorah wt. overland Dispatch.

Decr 23.
Wednesday. — My dearest Jane has, for this last week past, had a return of her Cough – tho' in a light degree. — She does not sleep so well as she did – and her appetite is not near so good as it was. — Her spirits are also very low, but I attribute this in a great degree to her apprehensions and anxiety respecting my being about soon to leave her on the intended Expedition. — It has been recommended by her medical Friends that she should daily drink a little warm milk from the Cow or Buffalo; I therefore walk out with her every morning at Sunrise to the Esplanade where they milk the Buffaloes – and where she regularly takes a Tumbler–ful [sic] of warm milk fasting. — She likes it and it seems to agree very well with her.

After many schemes and projects being mutually proposed and agitated by my dearest Jane and myself, in regard to her settlement and place of residence during my absence on the Expedition now to take place; it is now at length resolved that my beloved wife shall remain at Bombay till the Service is over, and that she shall reside and live alternately with Major & Mrs. Oakes – and Colonel and Mrs. Kerr – both of which Families have given her the most kind and most pressing invitation to live with them during my absence; – and as Colonel Kerr's Family live in the Country, she has agreed to pass half of her time with them – and the other half at Major Oakes's in Town. — At first my darling Jane entreated and begged very hard to be allowed to go with me on the Expedition – and to share the toils and hardships of a Soldier's life during a Campaign. — It was with great difficulty I was able to Persuade her to abandon this plan – but her own good sense and Judgement at last pointed out the impropriety of it, and induced her to give up the point. — Her next plan was to return to Calicut – and there – as being so much nearer Columbo – remain until my return; – but this also appeared to me to be a very lonely and awkward situation for her to be in – perhaps for several months – and it was accordingly likewise abandoned. In short, no place, on mature reflection, appeared so eligible and proper for her to live at – during my absence – as at the Presidency – where she is surrounded by numerous friends and acquaintances that tho' – at present I am grieved to say – her Health is far – very far from being good. —

I wrote this day to my friend Capt. Donald Cameron at Surat to beg that he would purchase there for me a good Surat Milch Cow and send it down by the first good opportunity to Mrs. Macquarie; it having been lately recommended to her by her Physician to keep a Cow for her own use – and to drink some warm milk from it regularly every morning early. —

Decr 27.
Sunday! — This afternoon The Panther Cruizer arrived and anchored in Bombay Harbour from Bengal, having on board the Honble. Jonathan Duncan Esqr. Governor of Bombay; to which situation he has lately been appointed from Home – through the interest of his friend and Patron Marquis Cornwallis. — Mr. Duncan had been for many years in the Bengal Civil Service – and for some time past Resident at Benares. — His character for superior talents, honor, and integrity, stand very high indeed – and this first recommended him to the Patronage and notice of the Noble Marquis when Governor General of Bengal. —

Governor Duncan landed at Six O'Clock, and was sworn in immediately by the Acting governor Mr. Griffith. —

Decr 28.
Monday. — I waited on Governor Duncan this morning along with Colonel Balfour, who introduced me to him. — He received us in a very civil polite manner, conversed with us some time, and invited us to dine with him on the Day following.

Mr. Duncan is rather a good looking man – and does not appear to be above Forty or Forty two Years of age, which is a young period of life to be appointed to so high and very distinguished important Situation. — His Salary as Governor is a Lack of Rupees – or £12,500 – Sterling Pr. Annum. —

Decr 29.
Tuesday! — I received Letters by this day's Tappal from Madras, from Mr. Julius Griffith (Secretary to the deceased) at Pondicherry, giving me the melancholy accounts of the Death of our much and greatly esteemed friend Lieut. Colonel Stirling of the 74th. Regt., who died at Pondicherry very suddenly and unexpectedly on the 5th. Instant of a bilious Fever – sincerely lamented by all who knew him. — My dear Mrs. M. was very much affected at hearing of our friend Colonel Stirling's Death, as she always had a very sincere regard for him, and a great intimacy had always subsisted between her and poor Mrs. Stirling. —

I dined today with Governor Duncan. The Governor came in the Evening to visit Mrs. Oakes and Mrs. Macquarie.

I find my friend Sir John Mc.Gregor Murray (the chief of the Clan Mc.Gregor) Mily. Audr. General at Bengal, has been so good as to recommend me to Governor Duncan's notice and good offices. —

Decr 30.
Wednesday. — I wrote Letters by this day's Tappal to Sir John Mc.Gregor Murray at Bengal, and to Mr. Julius Griffith at Pondicherry in reply to those recently received from them. —

Decr 31.
Thursday. — I am now very busily employed writing Letters to our Friends at Home, and preparing Field Equipments preparatory to my departure for the Coast. —

As the time of my departure draws near – it being now within a very few days – my darling Jane feels more and more uneasy – and it goes deep into my Heart to see her thus miserable and unhappy. — She is most earnest in her entreaties and solicitations that I should avail myself of my situation on the Staff as Major of Brigade at the Presidency, and not to go on the Expedition to Columbo at all, as, she says she cannot survive my absence a second time, and she poor dear Soul, conceiving my character cannot suffer from remaining at the Presidency, where I have a Public Duty as Major of Brigade to the King's Troops to perform. — These, poor dear Girl, are fair arguments enough for her to use – but alas! – they will not satisfy the malicious World; and however wretched it makes me to part and thus so soon leave her a second time – yet, Honor – Honor calls – and I must obey!

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No.3: 29 December 1794 – 27 September 1799.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A769 pp.114–127 [Microfilm Reel: CY299 Frames #445–451].