Kangaroo Island in 1837

TRANSCRIPTION Letter D Mc

Thoughts suggested, by the arrival of Mr & Mrs Giles, and family, at Kangaroo Island.

What is life?  A journey, a voyage, a pilgrimage.  With these figures, so applied, we are familiar, but this very circumstance tends to prevent that interest, which they might otherwise excite, and that improvement which they might otherwise impart.

We get familiar with the word, – we lose sight if the idea.  The ear is pleased, but the mind is not exercised; or rather, the ear is operated upon, the imagination is pleased, with the mere figure; but the heart is unaffected, and the mind, in operative. – the Moral is unhindered – unperceived perhaps, would be disliked.

The habit of paʃsing from words, to ideas – of acting, on the well known, elementary truth, that the former, are signs of the latter, is a most important step, to mental improvement; and yet, how frequently, is this truth repeated, and not over mental faculty in exercise, except the memory; and words, mere words, the object, as to which, this solitary faculty is exercised.

When will – I do not say – young miʃses and school boys – but – full grown men, and women, habituate themselves, to the practice, of paʃsing from words, to ideas?

 Sometimes, we are placed in circumstances, favourable for appreciating the propriety, of particular figurative expreʃsions, and profiting by them.

Your arrival on this shore, far distant from the land of our fathers, has I doubt not, been followed, by the offering up, of “the sacrifice” “of praise, giving thanks unto his name” who rules in the raging of the sea, and who holds the Wind, in his fist. – may I suggest, that that event, may be improved, as a means of impreʃsing our minds, with the propriety of these figures – the journey – the voyage, of life, and of good old Jacob’s comparison.

We are on the Road to Eternity – we have embarked on a voyage, characterised by viciʃsitudes, more numerous than those to which the sea itself, (the emblem of change) is subject.  No pilgrim in ancient days, when pilgrimages were in fashion, ever traveled, half so far, as we have done. In our circumstances, how natural the reflection, that, as we have removed, from our part of the world, to another. - another far, far distant from the scenes of youth, and early life; the period will soon come, when we remove from One World, to another - from that world, which was the scene of the Youth of our existence, to that, prepared for our maturity. How important the transition!

In the heavenly Canaan, the pilgrims Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have long since arrived - their track is marked – they traveled thither, by faith (faith in God, and specially in the Meʃsiah) let us follow, in the footsteps of their faith, and patience, and we shall “sit down,” with them, and enjoy eternal rest.

Then, shall the viʃsicitudes of the journey of life, - the dangers of the voyage, and the inconveniences of the pilgrimage, be, as a dream, when one awakes.

David McLaren

Kingscote, Kangaroo Island

14th December 1837.

Reflections by Anthea Taylor:
seems to be a bit philosophical and pondering on life.  Is it possible that these were notes for a eulogy?  It is dated Kingscote 14 December.  On 28-29 November McLaren was at Encounter Bay with Sir J W Jeffcott who acted as Coroner for the inquest into the death of Jeremiah Calnan on 28 November.  Jeffcott was drowned at the Murray mouth on 12 December.  His body was never recovered but I wonder whether they had some sort of service?  Or was McLaren moved to ponder on the meaning of life after this loss? - Anthea Taylor.