the eureka stockade-第22部分

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nths　in　gaol。

It　were　odious　to　say　many；　many　other　things。




Chapter　LXXII。



Is　There　A　Mortal　Eye　That　Never　Wept？


On　Sunday　afternoon；　we　witnessed　a　solemn　scene；　which　must　be　recorded　with　a　tear　wherever　this　book　may　find　a　reader。

The　sun　was　far　towards　the　west。　　All　had　felt　severely　the　heat　of　the　day。　　The　red…coats　themselves；　that　were　of　the　watch；　felt　their　ardour　flagging。　　Of　twelve　prisoners；　some　gazed　as　in　'a　fix；'　and　were　stationary；　others；　'acursing；'　swept　up　and　down　the　prison；　the　rest；　cast　down；　desponding；　doing　violence　to　themselves；　to　dam　their　flooded　eyes。　　I　was　among　the　broken…hearted。

Mrs。　Hayes；　who　in　the　days　of　her　youth　must　have　made　many　young　Irish　hearts　ache　'for　something；'　had　brought　now　a　bundle　of　clean　clothing；　and　a　stock　of　provisions；　to　make　her　husband's　journey　to　Melbourne　as　comfortable　as　possible。　　There　she　was；　holding　her　baby　sucking　at　her　breast；　her　eyes　full　on　her　husband；　which　spoke　that　she　passionately　loved　him。　　Six　children；　neatly　dressed；　and　the　image　of　their　father；　were　around。　　Timothy　Hayes　forced　himself　to　appear　as　cheerful　as　his　honourable　heart　and　proud　mind　would　allow。　　He　pressed　his　little　daughter；　who　wanted　to　climb　his　shoulder；　he　pronounced　his　blessing　on　the　younger　of　his　sons。　　The　eldest　（twelve　years　old）　was　kissing　his　father's　left　hand；　bathing　it　all　the　while　with　such　big　tears；　that　dropped　down　so　one　by　one；　and　so　after　the　other！

Good　boy；　your　sorrows　have　begun　soon　enough　for　your　sensible　heart！　Strengthen　it　by　time　with　Christian　courage；　or　else　you　will　smother　it　with　grief；　long　before　your　hair　has　turned　grey！　　There　are　too　many　troubles　to　go　through　in　this　world。　　Take　courage；　there　is　a　God；　and　therefore　learn　by　heart　the　Psalm；　'Beatus　vir　qui　timet　Dominum。'　My　head　has　still　the　red　hair　of　my　youth；　and　yet　I　am　a　living　witness　of　many　truths　in　that　Psalm；　meditate；　therefore；　especially　on　the　last　verse；　ending　'Desiderium　peccatorum　peribit。'

Had　I　in　younger　years　cultivated　painting；　I　feel　satisfied　that　I　could　produce　now　such　a　tableau　as　to　match　any　of　my　countryman；　Raffaelle；　so　much　an　all…wise　Providence　has　been　pleased；　perhaps　for　the　trial　of　my　heart；　to　endow　me　with　a　cast　of　mind　that；　on　similar　occasions　as　the　solemn　one　above；　whenever　my　electric　fluid　is　called　into　action；　it　is　actually　a　daguerreotype。



Chapter　LXXIII。



Amare　Rimembranze。


At　four　o'clock　on　Tuesday　morning；　we　were　commanded　to　fall　in；　dressed　and　hobbled　as　we　were。　　Captain　Thomas；　with　the　tone　and　voice　of　a　country　parson；　read　to　us　his　'Order　of　the　day；'　to　the　effect　that　we　were　now　under　his　charge　for　our　transit　to　Melbourne；　that　if　any　of　us　stirred　a　finger；　or　moved　a　lipespecially　across　the　diggingshis　orders　were　that　the　transgressor　should　be　shot　on　the　spot。　　This　arrangement；　so　Austrian…like；　and　therefore　unworthy　of　a　British　officer；　did　not　frighten　us；　and　I　cried；　loud　enough；　〃God　save　the　Queen！〃

Inspector　Foster　sprang　up　to　me　with　his　hopping　leg；　put　on　me　tighter　darbies；　and　together　with　the　mulatto…rebel　put　us　in　front　of　the　cart；　giving　strict　orders　to　shoot　us　both　down　if　we　attempted　to　turn　our　heads。　　'Veritatem　dico；　non　mentior'；　and　so　Messrs；　Haynau；　Jellachich；　and　Co。；　from　that　morning　my　hatred　for　you　is　on　the　decline。

They　rode　us　through　the　main　road　as　fast　is　it　was　safe　for　the　preservation　of　our　necksthe　only　thing　they　wanted　to　preserve　inviolate　for　head…quarters。

Though　it　was　clear　daylight；　yet　I　did　see　only　one　digger　on　the　whole　of　the　main　road。

On　passing　through　the　Eureka；　I　got　a　glance　of　my　snug　little　tent；　where　I　had　passed　so　many　happy　hours；　and　was　sacred　to　me　on　a　Sunday。　There　it　lay　deserted；　uncared　for！　　My　eyes　were　choked　with　tears；　and　at　forty　years　of　age　a　man　does　not　cry　for　little。




Chapter　LXXIV



Della　Vita　Lo　Spello　Dal　Mondo　Sciolto；　Al　Mondo　Vivo　Perche　Non　Son　Sepolto。


We　were　soon　in　Ballan。　　Good　reader；　please　enter　now　within　my　mind。　The　lesson；　if　read；　learned；　and　inwardly　digested；　will　be　of　good　use　for　the　future。　　The　troubles　of　this　colony　have　begun。

It　is　eight　o'clock　of　a　fine　morning；　the　spring　season　is　in　its　full：　the　sun　in　his　splendour　is　all　there　on　the　blue　sky。　　Nature　all　around　is　life。　　The　landscape　is　superb。　　It　reminded　me　'della　Bella　Cara　Itallia'。　　The　bush　around　was　crammed　with　parrots；　crows；　and　other　chattering　birds　of　the　south。　　They　were　not　prevented　from　singing　praises　each　in　its　own　language　to　the　Creator；　and　all　was　joy　and　happiness　with　them。　　Unfortunately　those　lands　lay　uncultivated　by　the　hand　of　man；　but　were　not　left　idle　by　nature。　　Lively；　pretty　little　flowers　of　the　finest　blue；　teemed　here；　there；　and　everywhere；　through　the　splendid　grass；　wafed　to　and　fro　by　a　gentle　wind。

Look　now　at　the　foot　of　the　picture。

There　were　thirteen　of　us　all　healthy；　honest；　able…bodied　men；　chained　together　on　three　carts。　　A　dozen　of　dragoons；　strong；　sound…looking　men；　were　riding　on　horseback　as　sharp…shooters；　in　all　directions；　before　our　carts　in　the　bush。　　Their　horses　were　really　splendid　animals。　　A　score　of　troopers　of　the　accursed　stamp　we　had　then　on　Ballaarat；　sword　unsheathed；　carbines　cocked；　kept　so　close　to　our　carts　that　one　of　these　Vandemonians　was　half　jammed　on　riding　by　a　large　gum…tree；　was　thrown　from　his　horse；　and　disabled；　but　not　killed。　　We　are　at　last　in　Ballan；　for　change　of　horses。　　Captain　Thomas　and　a　stout　healthy…looking　man；　with　a　pair　of　the　finest　black　whiskers　I　ever　saw；　in　the　garb　of　a　digger；　who　gave　such　orders　to　the　coachman；　as　were　always　attended　to；　with　the　usual　colonial　oaths　as　a　matter　of　course；　were　regaling　themselves　with　bottled　porter　on　a　stump　of　a　tree　outside　the　public…house。　　The　dragoons　and　troopers　had　biscuit；　cheese；　and　ale　served　to　them；　though　paid　for　by　themselves；　before　our　teeth。

There　was　no　breakfast　for　the　poor　state　prisoners；　in　chains；　and　lying　on　the　bare　ground。　　They　had　some　trouble　before　they　could　obtain　from　the　red…coats　watching　over　them；　and　blowing　heaps　of　smoke　from　stump　pipes；　a　drop　of　cold　waterI　mean　actually　a　drop　of　cold　water。

Good　reader；　you　know　WHOM　I　did　bless；　whom　I　did　curse。




Chapter　LXXV。



Petite；　Sed　Non　Accipietis；　Quia　Petistis。


The　following　document；　which　does　honour　and　justice　to　its　writer；　J。　Basson　Humffray；　to　4500　of　our　fellow…miners　of　Ballaarat；　who　signed　it；　to　the　state　prisoners　themselves；　is　now　here　transcribed　as　necessary　to　the　purpose　of　this　book。


THE　BALLAARAT　DELEGATES；　AND　THEIR　INTERVIEW　WITH　HIS　EXCELLENCY　SIR　CHARLES　HOTHAM；　K。C。B。；　&c

The　public　has　already　seen　the　written　reply　of　His　Excellency　to　the　petition　from　Ballaarat；　signed　by　nearly　4500　of　the　inhabitants　of　that　important；　but　'officially'　ridden　place。

We　deem　it　our　duty　to　the　public；　and　especially　to　those　whose　delegates　we　are；　to　state　the　main　reasons　urged　by　us　for　a　general　amnesty；　and　to　make　some　general　remarks　thereon；　and　also　upon　the　reply。　　We　have　delayed　doing　this；　as　we　expected　to　have　returned　immediately　to　Ballaarat；　and　we　did　not　wish　to　forestall　our　intended　statement　at　a　public　meeting；　which　would　have　been　held　on　our　return；　but　as　circumstances　interfere　with　this　arrangement；　we　now　give　our　report。

We　were　very　kindly　and　respectfully　received　by　His　Excellency。

We　thought　it　right　to　state　that　we　repudiated　physical　force　as　a　means　of　obtaining　constitutional　redress；　believing　that　the　British　constitution　had　sufficient　natural　elasticity　to　adapt　itself　to　the　wants　of　the　age；　and　would　yield　under　proper　pressure。　　But　the　arming　of　the　diggers　of　Ballaarat；　however　reprehensible　it　might　have　been　in　itself；　claims　to　be　judged　on　special　grounds；　inasmuch　as　they　had　special　provocation。　The　diggers　of　Ballaarat　were　attacked　by　a　military　body　under　the　command　of　civil　（！）　officers；　for　the　production　of　licence…papers；　and；　if　they　refused　to　be　arrested；　deliberately　shot　at。　　The　diggers　did　not　take　up　arms；　properly　speaking；　against　the　government；　but　to　defend　themselves　against　the　bayonets；　bullets；　and　swords　of　the　insolent　officials　in　their　unconstitutional　attack；　who　were　a　class　that　would　disgrace　any　government；　by　their　mal…administration　of　the　law。

The　diggers　did　not　take　up　arms　against　British　rule；　but　against　the　mis…rule　of　those　who　were　paid　to　administer　the　law　properly；　and　however　foolish　their　conduct　might　be；　it　was　an　ungenerous　libel　on　the　part　of　one　of　the　military　officers　to　designate　outraged　British　subjects　as　'foreign　anarchists　and　armed　ruffians。'

The　diggers　were　goaded　on　to　take　the　stand　they　did　by　the　'digger…hunt；'　of　the　30th　November；　which；　we　are　sustained　in　saying；　was　a　base　piece　of　gold　and　silver　lace　revenge。　　Facts　will　no　doubt　appear　by…and…bye；　elucidating　and　confirming　this　statement。

We　reminded　His　Excellency　of　the　fact；　that　the　public　had　asked　for　or　sanctioned　a　general　amnesty；　and　although　we　were　prepared　to　admit　that　it　was　unbecoming　the　dignity　of　any　government　to　give　way　to　what　was　termed　'popular　clamour；'　yet；　in　this　case；　the　good　and　the　wise　amongst　all　classes；　forming　a　very　large　proportion　of　the　inhabitants；　had　asked　for　it；　and　we　thought　the　general　wish　should　not　be　lightly　treated。　　His　Excellency　observed；　〃Certainly　not。〃　We　argued　that　an　amnesty　would　restore　general　confidence；　and　secure　support　to　the　government　in　any　emergency；　and；　even　supposing　there　was　any　one　in　the　movement　who　sought　to　overturn　the　government；　instead　of　overturning　corruption；　and　establishing　a　better　system　of　administration；　a　general　amnesty　would　silence　such；　as　the　great　majority　of　the　diggers　were　content　to　live　under　British　law；　if　properly　administered；　and　every　one　knows　there　has　been　much　to　condemn　in　the　administration　of　the　laws；　on　the　Ballaarat　gold…fields　especially；　and　we　endeavoured　to　impress　upon　the　mind　of　the　Lieutenant…Governor；　that　it　was　equally　true　that　the　majority　of　those　w