William Pullen

<p>William J.S. Pullen, ca 1880.Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B5851</p>

William John Pullen was born in about 1813 and spent some years in the navy, before resigning and joining the South Australian Company as an officer and assistant-surveyor.  He sailed on the Rapid with Colonel William Light. His diary reveals him to be a well-educated and thoughtful young man, who clearly enjoyed the adventure of exploring a new country. Along with Light and another officer/surveyor William Field he examined the coastline up the Gulf of St Vincent from Rapid Bay searching for fresh water and for the harbour that had been noted by a certain Captain Jones some time earlier. He remained in South Australia for some years, settling near Encounter Bay, before returning to the navy. He qualified as a master mariner in 1844 and was promoted to the rank of commander in 1850. From 1852-4 he took part in the search for John Franklin in the Arctic.  He retired after a long career with the rank of vice-admiral and died in 1887.