In January 1830 the 'Eagle' (owned by James Solomon and later Charles Pratt) arrived at Gage Roads from Gravesend via St Jago and St Paul Island. James Maclean Dempster was a member of the ship's crew. Later James Dempster was employed as captain of the 'Eagle' by trader Charles Pratt. In the course of him employment, he sailed to ports in Java, Mauritius, New South Wales and Van Diemens Land. On 14 September 1836 at Fremantle James Dempster married Ann Ellen Pratt, daughter of his employer Charles Pratt. It was said that her father allowed the marriage to prevent Dempster from revealing his liquor smuggling to the authorities. In March 1837, Dempster and Pratt were among 12 people who established the Fremantle Whaling Company. It proved unprofitable, operations ceased a year later. In August 1837 James and Ann Dempster moved to 'Addington' in the Avon Valley. Soldiers of the 21st Regiment were stationed there. Dempster supplied stores to the soldiers. During this period James Dempster was speared in the leg by an aborigine in the course of protecting his flock from one of their raids. In early 1839 Dempster and his family moved back to Fremantle - he intended to assume command of a ship. In September 1839 James Dempster rescued the passengers and crew of the barque 'Lancier'. The barque was wrecked off Fremantle, between the Stragglers and Mewstone. He also provided food and shelter for the now destitute survivors. For his efforts he was presented with a covered silver bowl, which was later to become a family heirloom. Ann died 6 August 1880. James remarried Hester Frances Shaw in December 1880. (Hester Shaw was born in 1838.) James McLean Dempster died in 1890 aged 79 years.