London it would be easy for Vere to learn about Cambridge’s meth- ods and plans.

Most Lot owners were absentee landlords with no interest other than to collect rent from their tenants. Cambridge was a business- man intent on earning a living from his land. He encouraged settlers to buy their farms, paying with lumber cut down and delivered to his sawmill in Murray River. He built ships at Murray River and sailed them to England loaded with lumber, which was in great demand at that time. So he offered 100 acres of land plus assistance with seed and tools for the first year, with the opportunity to sell your lumber to pay for your farm. There was the added incentive of work in his sawmill or shipyard if you wanted it.

The offer certainly seemed to appeal to Vere and so he prepared to move. Once the decision was made of where to go and how to get there, the final months before the departure would be devoted to cut- ting ties and disposing of property. Vere and Elizabeth would not be able to take much with them, so all of their household items would have to be disposed of in preparation for sailing in the spring of 1813. The last item of business would be saying farewell to friends and the family members they were still on good terms with. This would be Elizabeth’s family for the most part, and it would be a sad parting as they would know that they would probably never see each other again.

Vere and Elizabeth were not typical pioneer prospects. They had none of the skills required for survival in the wilderness. Vere had never been involved with physical labour and had spent most of his life doing intricate work in metal engraving. It’s doubtful if either of them had ever seen a garden, let alone a farm. They were setting off

on a journey that would be completely foreign to their normal way of life.

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