February

Feby. 1.
Friday. — My Brother and myself dined today at the Tan — (a famous Eating House for Fish and a boiled Round of Beef —) in St. James's Market, in company with Lord Harrington and a pleasant select Party of Friends who occasionally frequent this celebrated House. —

Feby. 2.
Saturday. — My Brother and myself dined today with Lord & Lady Banbury.

Feby. 3.
Sunday. — We dined this day with Major & Mrs. C****. [indecipherable] —

Feby. 4.
Monday. — I dined with the London Staff Club at Willis's Tavern; this being our set day of Monthly meeting. — My Brother dined with his friend Genl. Campbell.

Feby. 5.
Tuesday. — We both dined with Mr. & Mrs. Farquhar at their House in Portland Place.

Feby. 6.
Wednesday ! — Genl. Baird and myself took an early Dinner today with the Honble. Genl. Lumley, and afterwards accompanied them to the Play to see the celebrated young Boscious ! —

My Brother dined with Genl. Dickson.

Feby. 7.
Thursday. — This being the set day of the monthly meeting of our Bombay Club, I carried my Brother Charles to dine with me there, and introduced him to the principal Members. —

Feby. 8.
Friday. — My Brother and myself dined this day with my good old friend and Brother Staff Colonel Harnage, who entertained us in a very elegant manner.

Feby. 9.
Saturday. — I had the pleasure of dining this day with Sir Charles & Lady Price and their amiable Family at their House in Bedford Square, where I spent a very pleasant day, with a gay genteel Party. —

My Brother dined with Genls. Campbell & Dickson.

Feby. 10.
Sunday. — We both dined with our good Friends the Miss Stewarts in Albermarle Street.

Feby. 11.
Monday. — Having long promised my much esteemed and excellent Friend General Baird to visit and pass a couple of days with him at Cochester [sic] where he now commands a Brigade; I availed myself of the present opportunity of doing so in Company with my Brother, who is obliged to go to that District to see his friends of the 1st. Battn. of the 42d., at present Quartered at Weely [sic] Barracks about ten miles from Colchester. My old Brother Staff in Egypt, Major George Molle of the 9th. Foot being now in Town, and having proposed to make one of our Party, we most readily agreed to admit him. — We took an early Breakfast at my Lodgings, and having previously bespoke a Roomy Post Chaise, we set out in it at 9, O'Clock for Colchester, where we arrived at 6, O'Clock in the Evening, and put up at the best Inn in Town. —

Being too late for Genl. Baird's Dinner, we ordered one at the Inn; announcing to him however immediately our arrival in town. He desired in return that we would come to sup with him after the Play — whither he was just going — and recommended to us to join him there as soon as we had dined. — We did so accordingly, and the General received us most kindly in his own Box. — We were all highly gratified wit the Play, which was performed by officers belonging to the Regiment now in Colchester. — After the Play, we accompanied Genl. Baird home to Supper, and spent a most pleasant Evening with him; not returning to the Inn till rather a late hour. —

The General asked us all three in the kindest manner to live with him during our stay at Colchester, which Major Molle and myself very readily agreed to do; but my Brother was obliged to deny himself the pleasure, being under a necessity of proceeding to see his Friends at Weeley-Barracks early the next morning; where he had also some Regimental business to settle.

Feby. 12.
Tuesday. — My Brother set out for Weeley-Barracks at Day-break this morning. Major Molle and myself Breakfasted with our friend General Baird, and afterwards accompanied him to the Parade to look at his Brigade which is a remarkable fine one indeed, composed of the 8th., 59th., 67th. & 69th. Regiments; all in high order. —

On the Parade I met Lieut. Genl. Sir James Hy. Craig, who commands the Eastern District, and whose Head Quarters is at Colchester. — He was very glad to see me, and engaged me to dine with him the day following. —

After Guard — mounting and the Parade being dismissed, I took a long Ride along with General Baird & his Staff into the neighbouring Country; the General having most kindly mounted both Molle and myself from his own Stud. — After a long and very pleasant Ride we returned Home to pay some Visits in Town.

I called upon Sir James Craig, as soon as I returned from my Ride, and had a long conversation with him (as my Colonel) on the subject of my going to join the 86th. in India by this Spring Fleet, which he is very anxious I should do. — It was therefore with great reluctance that he at length agreed to forward a Letter from me to the Duke of York, soliciting a further Leave of absence for six months on account of my Private affairs and present weakly state of Health. — It was evident that Sir James did not mean to support my application with his interest and good offices, as he advised me strongly against making it at all. Indeed he went so far as to say that, he was sure it would offend the Duke of York — and that His R. H. would not grant me a further Leave of absence. Being however convinced that Sir James offered me this advice entirely from selfish motives, and conscious that I had very strong claims for the indulgence now solicited, I persisted in his forwarding my application, which he at length agreed to do, tho' with a very bad grace, by this Night's Post. —

Major Molle and myself dined with General Baird and spent a very pleasant social Day. —

Feby. 13.
Wednesday. — Major Molle and myself set out this morning in a Post Chaise on a visit to the Honble. Major Genl. John Hope and our other friends at Weeley-Barracks, where we arrived at 8, O'Clock. — We overtook my Brother Charles yet in Bed at the Quarters of Lieut. Colonel Stirling Comg. the 42d. Regt. ; with whom and his honest old wife we Breakfasted most heartily after our morning's ride. — The Highland Brigade, consisting of the 42d., 91st. & 92d. Regts., commanded by the Honble. Genl. Hope, having been for some time past quartered at Weeley. — They Paraded at 9, O'Clock, and had a short Field-Day, at which I attended while it lasted; and after the Parade was dismissed, Molle, my Broyr. and myself went to pay our respects to Genl. Hope at his own Quarters, where he received us in a most friendly manner, and introduced us to his young wife whom he has only very lately married; — being one of the Miss Wedderburns, and Sister to Mrs. P. Dundas.

My Brother having finished his business with the 42d., and having visited all our Friends there, we set out from Weeley at Noon and arrived at Colchester at 2, O'Clock. — We called immediately on our friend Genl. Baird, and announced to him our intention to return again to London the following morning. — He wished us very much to remain with him for a couple of days longer, and which we regretted we could not do.

We staid with Genl. Baird the greater part of the afternoon, then took our leave of him, and returned to the Inn to dress for Dinner. — We all three, according to Engagement, dined with Sir James Craig and his Staff among whom is my old friend and acquaintance Lieut. Colonel Hugh Mack Gordon, who is Asst. Adjt. General in the Eastern District. Sir James gave us a most excellent Dinner, and entertained us till a late Hour at Night — when we took leave and returned to the Inn. —

Feby. 14.
Thursday. — Major Molle, my Brother and myself set out this morning soon after Daylight from Colchester in a Post Chaise, and arrived in London between 4 and 5, O'Clock in the afternoon.

I found a number of Letters on my Table on my arrival at my Lodgings in Town, and among them one from Genl. Calvert the Adjt. Genl. of the Forces, conveying to me His Royal Highness The Commander in Chief's commands to proceed to join my Regt. in India by the earliest opportunity that might offer for that Country. — But as this Letter was dated some days back, I entertained sanguine hopes that the application I had sent to H.R.H. through Sir James Craig might still avail in procuring me a further respite. — I thought it best, however, in the mean time to submit to the orders received with a good grace and accordingly answered the Adjt. Genl.'s Letter immediately, saying that I should proceed to India by the first Fleet for that Country agreeably to the commands of His Royal Highness. —

As soon as I had dispatched this Letter to the Horse Guards, I went to wait upon, and report my arrival from Colchester to the Earl of Harrington. — I shewed him the Orders I had just received, at which His Lordship expressed his sincere regret, being extremely unwilling to lose me; and was pleased to say, of his own accord, that he would do everything in his power to prevent my going and would use his best endeavours to prevail on the Duke of York to cancel the orders I had just received. —

On this I took leave of His Lordship impressed with the deepest gratitude. — This being the set day of the monthly meeting of The Highland Society for the present season, my Brother Charles accompanied me to dine there with our Countrymen now in London. —

Feby. 15.
Friday. — My Brother and myself paid a number of Visits to our friends in Town this morning after we had Breakfasted.

My Brother engaged himself to dine with his friends Genls. Campbell and Dickson at a Coffee-House; and I dined, by long special invitation, this day with the Revd. Mr. Glass, one of His Majesty's Chaplains, at the mess of the other King's Chaplains at St. James's — where a Table is daily Provided for them at the expence of His Majesty.

Feby. 16.
Saturday. — We dined quietly at a Coffee-House together. —

Feby. 17.
Sunday. I dined at Mr. Colman's; my Broyr. dining with Genl. Campbell.

Feby. 18.
Monday. — I dined with Mr. & Mrs. Simson in Portland Place, and spent a most pleasant agreeable day. — My Brother dined with some of his Friends at a Coffee-House. —

Feby. 19.
Tuesday. — We both dined with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, and had a Dance in the Evening at this most agreeable House. —

Feby. 20.
Wednesday. — My Brother and myself had the honor of dining this day with Lord &Lady Harrington and Family. —

Feby. 21.
Thursday. — We dined with Genl. Balfour.

Feby. 22.
Friday. — Dined at the St. Alban's-Hotel.

Feby. 23.
Saturday. — Dined with Col: & Mrs. Oakes.

Feby. 24.
Sunday. — Dined at Mr. Colman's. —

Feby. 25.
Monday. — Dined with my Broyr. at Coffee-House.

Feby. 26.
Tuesday. — Dined together as above. —

Feby. 27.
Wednesday. — I dined at Mr. Simson's, and my Broyr. dined with a Party of his Friends at a Coffee-House. —

Feby. 28.
Thursday. — My Brother and myself dined with Lord & Lady Banbury. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No. 6 1804 - 16 March 1807.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A770 pp.161-178. [Microfilm Reel CY300 Frames#322-331