the eureka stockade-第12部分

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mplied　to　with　willing　obedience。　　The　result；　is；　that　I　have　been　able　to　bring　about　that　order；　without　which　it　would　be　folly　to　face　the　pending　struggle　like　men。　　I　make　no　pretensions　to　military　knowledge。　I　have　not　the　presumption　to　assume　the　chief　command；　no　more　than　any　other　man　who　means　well　in　the　cause　of　the　diggers。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　see　the　best　among　us　take　the　lead。　　In　fact；　gentlemen；　I　expected　some　one　who　is　really　well　known　（J。　B。　Humffray？）　to　come　forward　and　direct　our　movement！　　However；　if　you　appoint　me　your　commander…in…chief；　I　shall　not　shrink；　I　mean　to　do　my　duty　as　a　man。　　I　tell　you；　gentlemen；　if　once　I　pledge　my　hand　to　the　diggers；　I　will　neither　defile　it　with　treachery；　nor　render　it　contemptible　by　cowardice。〃


Brave　Peter；　you　gave　us　your　hand　on　the　Eureka；　and　left　there　your　arm：　an　incontestable　evidence　of　Lalor's　Pledge。

Manning　then　proposed　Raffaello；　and　pointed　at　his　scars　as　an　evidence　of　his　tiger…pluck　against　the　hated　Austrian　rule；　which　was　now　attempted；　in　defiance　of　God　and　man；　to　be　transplanted　into　this　colony。

I　declined；　because；　during　the　past　winter；　I　had　over…tasked　my　physical　strength；　and　did　not　possess　that　vigour　essential　to　such　an　emergency。　Confidence　is　the　bond　necessary　between　the　soldier　and　his　officer。　It　was　my　decided　opinion；　however　much　a　foreigner　may　be　respected　on　the　gold…fields；　that　the　right　man　should　be　taken　from　among　Britons。

Vern　here　began　a　portentous　lecture　on　military　science；　military　discipline；　military　tactics；　and　other　sorts　of　militaryism；　but　his　English　was　so　wretched；　his　ideas　so　sky…blathering；　his　martial　ardour　so　knocking　down；　that　no　one　could　make　anything　out　of　his　blabberdom。

Of　this　I　have　perfect　recollection。　　He　was　boasting　eternally　of　his　German　rifle…brigade！　　500　strong。　　That　he　had　this　brigade　he　urgently　asserted；　but　where　it　was；　that's　the　rub！

No　possible　inquiry　from　Lalor　could　get　at　the　bottom　of　Vern's　prodigal　brigade。　　Is；　then；　the　grand　secret　buried　within　Vern's　splendid　chest？　No；　I　mean　to　reveal　it　at　four　o'clock；　Saturday；　December　2nd。

Carboni　Raffaello；　who　had　heard　heaps　of　cant　in　old　Europe；　did　count　for　nothing　the　oceanic　military　knowledge　of　Vern；　in　spite　of　his　big　trail…sword；　that　made　more　jingling　than　enough。

I　commended；　in　high　terms；　the　conduct　of　Lalor　during　the　morning；　and　it　was　my　impression　that　he　possessed　the　confidence　of　the　diggers　and　should　be　their　Commander…in…chief。

Thonen　seconded　the　motion。　　The　first　'unnamed；'　shewed　approbation；　and　the　appointment　was　carried　by　a　majority　of　eleven　to　one。

Peter　Lalor　thanked　the　council　for　the　honour　conferred　on　him；　assured　the　members　that　he　was　determined　to　prepare　the　diggers　to　resist　force　by　force。

It　was　perfectly　understood；　and　openly　declared；　in　this　first　council…of…war；　that　we　meant　to　organise　for　defence；　and　that　we　had　taken　up　arms　for　no　other　purpose。

The　council　adjourned　to　five　o'clock　in　the　evening。




Chapter　XXXVII。



Lalor　Stump；　Bakery…Hill。


Brave　LALOR　Was　found　'all　there；'　With　dauntless　dare；　His　men　inspiring；　To　wolf　or　bear；　Defiance　bidding；　He　made　us　swear；　Be　faithful　to　the　Standard；　　）　For　Victory　or　Death！　　　　　　　　　）　（bis）

…

On　that　Thursday；　November　30th；　more　memorable　than　the　disgraced　Sunday；　December　3rd；　the　SUN　was　on　its　way　towards　the　west：　　in　vain　some　scattered　clouds　would　hamper　its　splendourthe　god　in　the　firmament　generously　ornamented　them　with　golden　fringes；　and　thus　patches　of　blue　sky　far　off　were　allowed　to　the　sight；　through　the　gilded　openings　among　the　clouds。

The　'SOUTHERN　CROSS'　was　hoisted　up　the　flagstaffa　very　splendid　pole；　eighty　feet　in　length；　and　straight　as　an　arrow。　　This　maiden　appearance　of　our　standard；　in　the　midst　of　armed　men；　sturdy；　self…overworking　gold…diggers　of　all　languages　and　colours；　was　a　fascinating　object　to　behold。　There　is　no　flag　in　old　Europe　half　so　beautiful　as　the　'Southern　Cross'　of　the　Ballaarat　miners；　first　hoisted　on　the　old　spot；　Bakery…hill。　The　flag　is　silk；　blue　ground；　with　a　large　silver　cross；　similar　to　the　one　in　our　southern　firmament；　no　device　or　arms；　but　all　exceedingly　chaste　and　natural。

Captain　Ross；　of　Toronto；　was　the　bridegroom　of　our　flag；　and　sword　in　hand；　he　had　posted　himself　at　the　foot　of　the　flag…staff；　surrounded　by　his　rifle　division。

Peter　Lalor；　our　Commander…in…chief；　was　on　the　stump；　holding　with　his　left　hand　the　muzzle　of　his　rifle；　whose　but…end　rested　on　his　foot。　A　gesture　of　his　right　hand；　signified　what　he　meant　when　he　said；　〃It　is　my　duty　now　to　swear　you　in；　and　to　take　with　you　the　oath　to　be　faithful　to　the　Southern　Cross。　　Hear　me　with　attention。　　The　man　who；　after　this　solemn　oath　does　not　stand　by　our　standard；　is　a　coward　in　heart。

〃I　order　all　persons　who　do　not　intend　to　take　the　oath；　to　leave　the　meeting　at　once。

〃Let　all　divisions　under　arms　'fall　in'　in　their　order　round　the　flag…staff。〃

The　movement　was　made　accordingly。　　Some　five　hundred　armed　diggers　advanced　in　real　sober　earnestness；　the　captains　of　each　division　making　the　military　salute　to　Lalor；　who　now　knelt　down；　the　head　uncovered；　and　with　the　right　hand　pointing　to　the　standard　exclaimed　a　firm　measured　tone：

〃WE　SWEAR　BY　THE　SOUTHERN　CROSS　TO　STAND　TRULY　BY　EACH　OTHER；　AND　FIGHT　TO　DEFEND　OUR　RIGHTS　AND　LIBERTIES。〃

An　universal　well　rounded　AMEN；　was　the　determined　reply；　some　five　hundred　right　hands　stretched　towards　our　flag。

The　earnestness　of　so　many　faces　of　all　kinds　of　shape　and　colour；　the　motley　heads　of　all　sorts　of　size　and　hair；　the　shagginess　of　so　many　beards　of　all　lengths　and　thicknesses；　the　vividness　of　double　the　number　of　eyes　electrified　by　the　magnetism　of　the　southern　cross；　was　one　of　those　grand　sights；　such　as　are　recorded　only　in　the　history　of　'the　Crusaders　in　Palestine。'




Chapter　XXXVIII。



Un　Bon　Calcio；　E　La　Canaglia；　Stronga　Va　Come　La　Paglia。


The　drill　afterwards　was　gone　through　with　eagerness。

Another　scene；　though　of　a　different　kind　all　together；　was　going　on　at　a　corner　of　the　above　picture。

Judas　Iscariot；　'Goodenough；'　was　among　us；　in　the　garb　of　a　fossiker；　he　appeared　to　me；　then；　to　be　under　the　influence　of　drink；　so　Vandemonian…like　were　his　shouts　about　standing　up　and　fighting　for　rights　and　liberties；　and　burning　down　the　camp　in　a　blaze　like　the　late　Eureka　Hotel。

Mind　good　reader；　I　tell　you　no　joke；　I　am　not　in　humour　just　now　to　spin　a　yarn。I　wished　to　shame　the　fellow　for　his　villainy　on　such　a　solemn　occasion。　　The　fellow　persisted　in　his　drunken　shouts。　　I　lost　my　temper；　and　gave　the　scoundrel　such　a　respectable　kick；　in　a　less　respectable　region；　with　a　most　respectable　boot　of　mine；　that　it　served　me　right　when　both　my　new　watertight　boots　were　robbed　from　my　shins　by　Goodenough's　satellites　on　the　subsequent　Sunday；　at　the　Ballaarat　Camp。

The　Thursday's　sun　is　setting：　　we　returned　to　the　Eureka。　　I　had　to　attend　the　'Council　for　the　Defence。'




Chapter　XXXIX。



Disciplina；　Suprema　Lex　In　Bello。


In　the　afternoon；　our　camp　on　the　Eureka　was　enclosed　in　by　slabs；　near…handy　thrown　down　at　random。　　All　diggers　who　had　been　able　to　procure　fire…arms　kept　coming　in；　in　right　earnest；　and　formed　new　divisions。　The　pikemen　grew　stronger　and　stronger。　　Drilling　was　tolerably　progressing。　We　were　of　all　nations　and　colours。　　Lalor　gave　me　his　consent　and　order　to　direct　all　foreigners　in　their　respective　language；　however　little　they　knew　of　the　English；　to　fall　in　in　divisions　according　to　the　arms　they　had　got；　and　here　I　solemnly　declare；　to　whomsoever　it　may　concern；　that　up　to　four　o'clock　of　Saturday　there　was　not　one　single　division　distinguished　by　nationality　or　religion。

The　armed　men　numbered　now　（six　o'clock）　about　five　hundred。

Vern's　gall　was　fermenting；　but　on　PETER　LALOR　being　proclaimed　Commander…in…chief；　the　appointment　was　ratified　by　hurrah！　from　the　diggers。

There　was　such　a　decided　intention　to　do　'something'　with　the　strong　arm；　and　at　once；　that　I　was　called　on　the　stump。　　I　requested　the　diggers　to　give　us　time　for　deliberation；　and　pledged　my　word　that　I　would　inform　them　of　the　result。　　'Go　a…head！　　Great　works！'　was　the　shout。




Chapter　XL。



Beati　Qui　Sunt　Pacifici；　Quoniam　Filii　Dei　Vocabuntur。


It　was　dark：　　myself　took　the　light　in　the　council　room。

Father　P。　Smyth　and　Mr。　George　Black　were　present；　both　looking　serious　and　anxious。

All　of　us　were　much　concerned；　and　felt　the　responsibility　of　our　position。　By　this　time　the　diggers　from　all　parts　had　swelled　to　the　number　of　eight　hundred。　　They　were　not　clamorous；　they　wanted　to　know　what　was　determined　on　by　the　leaders。

Proposed　by　Black；　seconded　by　Manning。。。That　a　deputation　from　the　armed　diggers；　should　be　forthwith　sent　to　the　Camp

1。　　To　demandthat　was　our　temper　in　those　daysthe　immediate　release　of　those　diggers　who　had　been　dragged　to　the　lock…up　in　the　morning　hunt；　for　want　of　the　licence。

2。　　To　demand　from　Commissioner　Rede　a　pledge　not　to　come　out　any　more　for　licence…hunting。

Two　of　us　were　to　form　the　deputation；　and　proceed　at　once。

Father　Smyth　proposed　Mr。　Black；　Lalor　proposed　Signor　Raffaello：　agreed　to　unanimously。　　This　news；　being　made　public　to　the　diggers；　was　well　received　by　all；　and　the　council　kept　sitting　until　our　return。

The　deputation　was　accompanied　by　Father　Smyth。　　It　was　a　starry　night；　and　rather　cold；　the　moon　shone　in　all　its　southern　splendour。　On　approaching　the　main　road；　the　noisy　band　of　Row's　Circus；　and　the　colonial　cursing　and　shouting　from　inveterate　grog…bibbers；　forced　into　my　mind　the　meditation；　'Unde　bella　et　pugna　infer　vos？'　etc。James；　chap。　iv。

We　met　here　and　there　several　groups；　who　were　anxiously　discussing　the　events　of　the　day；　and　the　probable　consequences。　　Mr。　Black　kindly　and　plainly　informed　them　of　our　mission。　　On　reaching　the　bridge；　we　found　it　guarded　by　the　police。　　Father　Smyth　had　an　easy　pass；　and　went　by　himself　to　speak　first　at　head…quarters；　for　the　safety　of　our　persons。




Chapter　XLI。



The　Eureka　Stockade。　The　Consequen