ed which put an end to any reasons why I should stay in
Victoria awaiting the military appointment which had been promised me.
The finances of the colony were in a low state, retrenchment was
imperative, and the Premier, Graham Berry, set to work to carry it out
with a heavy hand. The public services suffered heavily, and amongst them
the military vote heaviest of all. Instead of any new military
appointment being made, a large percentage of the officers serving were
retrenched. I felt bitterly disappointed, but I could not blame my
friend, General Scratchley; in fact I could not blame anybody.

My friends, or at least some of them, advised me to continue my
theatrical efforts. They even offered me a tempting rise on my last
salary and fairly long engagements, but I was in no way keen. I had tried
it only as an experiment, and the ways of the theatre were not alluring
to me, and especially after having gone through them personally. There is
a good deal of fun to be got out of it, but few people know how hard one
has to work, and what a slave to duty one has to become in order to rise
to the top of the tree.

There was nothing for it now but to return home. I said good-bye to all
my friends and left for Adelaide, South Australia, en route for
Scotland.

CHAPTER XVI

AS POLICEMAN IN ADELAIDE

On arrival at Adelaide I called on the Governor of South Australia, then
Sir William Jervois, the distinguished Engineer officer, who, with
General Scratchley in Melbourne, was advising the Australian Colonies
with regard to the land defences. As I was shown into the private
secretary's room I was more than surprised to meet his son, Captain John
Jervois, who had been a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich,
with me. We had a long chat. I told him of my varied experiences, some of
which naturally amused him much.

His father, the Governor, happened to be away, but he said he would
arrange for me to see him the next day. Next morning I received a message
from him to say that his father would be glad to see me, and would I
lunch with them? I did so, and after lunch His Excellency, Sir William,
asked me to his study. His son had told him all about me. Sir William
informed me that one of the forts which he had designed for South
Australia, Fort Glanville, had just been completed, that it had become
necessary to raise a small artillery unit to man it, and that he thought
I was just the man to raise and command it.