July

July 1.
Tuesday. — Do. — Do. — Do.

July 2.
Wednesday. — Do. — Do. — Do.

July 3.
Thursday. — Do. — Do. — The Governor & Family dined at Mr. Seton's. —

July 4.
Friday. — Nothing Extraordinary. —

July 5.
Saturday. — The Governor entertained a large Company of 32 Ladies & Gentlemen at Home today. —

July 6.
Sunday! — The Lt. Governor Mr. Seton Entertained The Governor and a very large Party of Ladies & Gentlemen this day at Dinner. —

July 7.
Monday. — Nothing Extraordinary. — I dined today with Capt. & Mrs. Skelton.

July 8.
Tuesday. — Nothing Extraordinary. — I dined today with Lt. Col: Reynolds. —

July 9.
Wednesday! — The Governor having now finished all his business at Surat and settled and arranged everything respecting the new Government & Police of it, has resolved on returning by Land to Bombay, it being now too far advanced in the Season to proceed thither by Sea. —

The Governor intending to set out tomorrow, the principal part of his Baggage and that of his Suite was sent off this morning to Nowsarrie the first stage before us. —

I accompanied The Governor this forenoon to visit the Great Bengal Shroff (or Banker) Tirwaddie. — The Governor and Family dined today with The Lieut. Governor Mr. Seton, who had a large Party, and gave us a most sumptuous and Splendid farewell Dinner.

In the Evening the Governor attended by his Suite visited all the principal Ladies at Surat and took leave of them.

July 10.
Thursday! — At 9,O'Clock this morning The Governor accompanied by Mr. Grant, Mr. De Souza and myself, set out from Surat after Breakfast, with an Escort of Sepoys, for Bombay; being attended by Mr. Seton and the principal Civil and Military Gentlemen of Surat as far as Soocheen – the residence of a Petty Rajah named Ballameah, and about 8 miles from Surat. — Here we halted for about an Hour at the Rajah's house, where we took some Refreshment, and leave of our Surat Friends. — We then pursued our Journey to Nowsaurie where we arrived and halted at 4. P.M. – Disce. from Surat 19 miles. — Halted here all Night. —

July 11.
Friday! — We did not set out from Nowsaurie till Noon today, and only got as far as Gundavie where we arrived at Sunset; the distance 12 miles from last Stage. —

July 12.
Saturday! — Set out at 9. a. m. from Gundavie, and arrived at 6. P.M. at Bulsaur – distance 16 miles. —

July 13.
Sunday! — Set out at 9. a. m. from Bulsaur – and at 4 P.M. arrived at the Portuguese Settlement of Damaun, where we were most hospitably entertained by the Portuguese Governor, and lodged in a House belonging to him for the night. — distance from last Stage 16 miles. —

July 14.
Monday! — Left Damaun at Ten O'Clock this morning and reached Omergong at 4. P.M. Distance from our last Stage 18 miles. —

July 15.
Tuesday! — Set out from Omergong at 9. a.m. and arrived at Dannoo at 5. P.M. distance 19 miles. —

July 16.
Wednesday! — Left Dannoo at 1. P.M., having to wait so long until our Baggage and Horses had been sent across the Dannoo River. — At 8. P.M. Arrived at Nundygong on the Banks of the Sautpauttee–River; distance from our last Stage 14 miles – and a very bad stage. — Our accommodation here was also very bad indeed. —

July 17.
Thursday! — We set out from the Village of Nundygong at Day–break this morning to endeavour to get across the great and broad River Sautpauttee before the Tide set in; but we were unfortunately too late to do so, the Tide having flowed in before we reached the usual Ford for Crossing it. — We were therefore obliged to wait until Boats could be got for Crossing it, which took a very long time – there being very few Boats and the River very rapid. —

We sent our Horses & Baggage in charge of our Servants first over, and Crossed ourselves last about 2. P.M. It raining very heavy we only went as far as the Village of Seergong about 2 miles from the South Bank of the River, where we halted for this Day; Disce. only from last Stage 4 miles. —

July 18.
Friday! — Left Seergong at 9. a.m. and arrived at 3. P.M. at Duntoora [?] on the Banks of the Arnaule [?] River, Disce. from last Stage 14 miles. —

July 19.
Saturday! — At 10. a.m. Left Duntoora and Crossed the River Arnaule in Boats to Agapee on the South Bank. Here the River is three miles broad, and about half way across we were overtaken by a most violent Squall of Wind and heavy rain, by which our Boat was very near upset, in which case we must all have perished – but luckily we got safe to the other side, tho' we lost both our Sails and Mast. —

From Agapee on the beautiful Island of Basseen, we travelled across the Island to the Town of Basseen, where we did not arrive till 10,O'Clock at Night, notwithstanding the distance from Agapee was only 12 miles. —

But there had been for some days before such an immense fall of Rain, that the whole Country was covered with water, particularly that part of the Island we passed over, being through Batty–fields; which in places were so much inundated that our Palanquin–Bearers were very often up to their Shoulders in Water for a mile at a time. —

At Basseen (which is a Mahratta Town and Fort) we put up for this Night at an old Portuguese Church, a little out of Town, the Padree [sic] of which was very Civil to us. —

July 20.
Sunday! — Having sent round our Horses to go thither by Land, and also the principal part of our Baggage, we Embarked at 10,O'Clock this morning for Tannah on the Island of Salsette, to which we had a most beautiful romantic Sail whilst passing through the narrow sound formed by the Island and the Main Land: – the Country being Hilly and very beautifully wooded on both sides, and abounding in fine wild Scenery – with an immense number of very grand Cascades running down from the Tops of the highest Hills. —

We arrived at Tannah Fort at 3. P.M.; Distance from Basseen Fort 20 Miles. — We pit up at the House of Mr. Corkran the collector and Judge of Salsette, with whom and his very agreeable Lady and Family, we dined and passed a most agreeable Day and Night. —

July 21.
Monday! — After Breakfasting with the Ladies and Mr. Corkran we took leave of them – and set out from Tannah at 10,O'Clock. —

It rained very heavy the whole Day, and we had a very disagreeable wet Journey of it across the Island of Salsette to Sion Ferry, where we crossed to the Island of Bombay. —

At Sion we found the Governor's and Mr. De Souza's Carriages waiting for us, in which we drove to Parell where we arrived at 5. P.M. — Distance from Tannah to Parell being 19 miles. — Thus the whole Distance by Land from the City of Surat to the Government House at Parell being 183 miles. — It rained almost constantly all the 12 Days of our Journey, which made it very unpleasant, as it obliged us to travel much the greater part of the way in our Palanquins, and prevented our riding but seldom on Horse–back; this precluded our seeing much of the country we passed through which was a very great disappointment, as it is a most beautiful rich Country all the way from Surat to Bombay.

Having dined with the Governor at Parell, I came home to my own House in Town at Night, and found every thing there in good order for my reception. —

July 22.
Tuesday! — I this day resumed my Duties as Major of Brigade – and Actg. Dy. Paymr. Genl. King's Troops. —

The Hon'ble The Governor came into Town in the morning to hold a Council – and Dined and slept in Town. — I this Evening wrote Letters to Colonel Cliffe the King's Adjt. Genl. at Calcutta, both Officially and Privately, to announce my arrival at Bombay.

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No.4: 28 September 1799 – 11 September 1801.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A769 pp.54–66 [Microfilm Reel: CY299 Frames #565–571].