Edward Bate Scott

At the age of 16 years, he emigrated on Duke of Edinburgh to New South Wales, where he had a letter of introduction to John Macarthur, alas dead by the time Scott arrived.

[1] After a short time in Sydney he joined his brother John Mansel Scott, Master of the Revenue Cutter Ranger, at Port Phillip, then went to a station at Mount Macedon to experience sheep and cattle farming.

Back in Adelaide in 1840, Eyre was organising an expedition to find an overland route to Western Australia, and invited Scott to join him as travelling companion and second in command, sharing in all expenses (apart from a £100 grant from the Government).

While Eyre was exploring, Scott was in charge of the depot, collected botanical and geological specimens, and took the routine observations three times a day.

On 21 or 22 August Eyre wrote: — "Not having seen the native for the last two days I thought I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott.

Scott hired an open boat from Dr. Harvey and with two men[1] sailed her through a gale to Glenelg walked to Adelaide, and reported to Governor Gawler with Eyre's specimen collections, letters and despatches.

Gawler placed a cutter, (presumably Water Witch, with its own crew) at his disposal and sailed her back to Port Lincoln with the required stores.

He decided to reduce the size of his party, sending two back to Adelaide in the cutter, leaving Scott, the overseer Baxter, one man and two native assistants.

[7] This journey helped establish Moorundie (often spelled "Moorundee") as the first European settlement on the River Murray in South Australia, and Eyre (who had explored the area in 1839) was appointed there as the Resident Magistrate and Protector of Aborigines.

[8] He assisted Eyre in founding the Government station at Moorundie, which was established by Governor Grey to protect "overlanders" from the hostile attacks of the natives.

[1] He established a cattle station at North West Bend (near the current-day Morgan), but lost money on the project, as did later lessees and owners Philip Levi and Charles H.

They headed inland again, to Ki station, 20 miles (32 km) below Euston, New South Wales, where they worked for three years, but were driven back to Adelaide by drought around 1866.

[7] He was appointed acting Protector of Aborigines in 1867; in the first 6 months he travelled 2,355 miles (3,790 km) on inspection tours of the 58 depots of this department.