Company, although many later came to applaud his action. Under pressure of being sacked, and well before the expiration of his contract of seven years, Stephens resigned his position in 1837 to be replaced by David McLaren. Explorer Regarded as a good judge of land and agricultural prospects, many colonists eagerly sought his advice, including McLaren. He then concentrated on exploration of the colony for the purposes of land speculation and development, much of which activity was undertaken in conjunction with John Morphett, and in company with his friend John Hill. In this role he was an intrepid and fearless explorer of the colony. For example, in March–April 1839, in company with McLaren, aboard the Nereus, he explored Coffin Bay and Venus Bay on Eyre Peninsula. In August–September 1839, in company with John Hill, utilising the chartered brig Rapid, they were the first Europeans to explore the hinterland of Streaky Bay and Denial Bay. In October–November 1839 he joined John Morphett on his Riverland and Lake Victoria expedition, along with immigration agent John Brown (1801–79). In 1839 he was appointed inaugural treasurer of the committee to found the Botanical and Horticultural Gardens. In October 1839 he was an inaugural committee member of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society. Accidental death In January 1840 he joined a small party of four horsemen which included John Morphett to inspect the proposed Wellington Special Survey on the River Murray on behalf of the London-based Secondary Towns Association. During their return to Adelaide Stephens, who had ridden ahead, was killed while descending a steep spur known as Gleeson's Hill at Mount Osmond, on the brink of the Mount Lofty Ranges, when his horse stumbled and rolled over him. Some contemporaries said the accident was caused by recklessness, but that was doubted by others, who said that Stephens had only one month earlier dismounted and led his horse at that same hill for fear of an accident. He was survived by his wife Charlotte Hudson Stephens, née Beare (1788 – 16 December 1875), a fellow-immigrant on the Duke of York. References English emigrants to colonial Australia Settlers of South Australia South Australian Company Colonial Managers Explorers of South Australia Deaths by horse-riding accident Accidental deaths in South Australia 1808 births 1840 deaths 19th-century Australian businesspeople