the eureka stockade-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　the　level　of　a　scribbler；　thus　affording　to　be　audacious　because　anonymous；　the　British　press　in　the　southern　hemisphere　will　be　brought　to　shame；　and　Victoria　cannot　possibly　derive　any　benefit　from　it。

Let　the　above　observation　stand　good；　I　proceed　with　my　work。

'The　Age'　was　then　just　budding；　and　was　considered；　on　the　diggings　the　organ　of　the　new　chum　Governor。　　'The　Age'　soon　mustered　a　Roman　courage　in　the　cause　of　the　diggers；　and　jumped　the　claims　both　of　The　Herald　and　'The　Argus'；　and　though　the　'own　correspondent；'　under　the　head　of　Ballaarat；　be　such　a　dry；　soapy　concern　that　will　neither　blubber　nor　blather；　yet　'The　Age'　remained　the　diggers'　paper。

The　'Ballaarat　Times'　was　all　the　go；　on　the　whole　extent　of　the　diggings。　Soon　enough　the　reporter；　aye；　the　editor　himself；　will　both　appear　'in　propria　persona'。




Chapter　XVII。



Arcane；　Impenetrabili；　Profunde；　Son　Le　Vie　Di　Chi　Die　L'Esser　Al　Niente。


When　our　southern　sky　is　overloaded　with　huge；　thick；　dark　masses；　and　claps　of　thunder　warn　us　of　the　pending　storm；　then　a　gale　of　wind　is　roaring　in　space；　doing　battle　with　the　bush；　cowing　down　man　and　beast；　sweeping　away　all　manner　of　rottenness。　　This　fury　spares　not；　and　desolation　is　the　threat　of　the　thunder。

A　kind　Providence　must　be　blessed　even　in　the　whirlwind。　　Big；　big　drops　of　rain　fight　their　way　through　the　gale；　soon　the　drops　muster　in　legions；　and　the　stronger　the　storm；　the　stronger　those　legions。　　At　last　they　conquer；　then　it　pours　downthat　is；　the　flood　is　made　up　of　legions　of　torrents。

Is　the　end　of　the　world　now　at　hand？　　Look　at　the　victorious　rainbow！　it　reminds　man　of　the　covenant　of　our　God　with　Noah；　not　far　from　this　southern　land。　　The　sun　restores　confidence　that　all　is　right　again　as　before；　and　nature；　refreshed　and　bolder；　returns　again　to　her　work。

Hence；　the　storm　is　life。

Not　so　is　the　case　with　fire。　　Devouring　everything；　devouring　itself；　fire　seems　to　leave　off　its　frenzy；　only　to　devour　the　sooner　any　mortal　thing　that　comes　in　the　way　to　retard　destruction。　　A　few　embers；　then　a　handful　of　ashes；　are　the　sole　evidence　of　what　was　once　kingly　or　beggarly。

Fire　may　destroy；　consume；　devour；　but　has　no　power　to　reduce　to　'nothing。'

Hence　the　calamity　of　fire　is　death。

The　handful　of　ashes　lie　lifeless　until　a　storm　forces　them　into　the　living　order　of　nature；　which；　when　refreshed；　has　the　power　to　ingraft　those　ashes　to；　and　make　them　prosper　with；　the　grain　of　mustard　seed。

Hence　death　is　life。

Such　is　the　order　of　Providence。　　Now；　good　reader；　watch　the　handful　of　ashes　of　what　was　once　Bentley's　Eureka　Hotel。




Chapter　XVIII。



Pecunia　Omnia　Vincit。


In　the　dead　of　the　night　after　the　burning　of　the　Eureka　Hotel；　three　men　had　been　taken　into　custody；　charged　with　riot；　and　subsequently　committed　to　take　their　trial　in　Melbourne。

I　think　the　diggers　at　this　time　seriously　contemplated　to　burn　down　the　Camp；　and　thus　get　rid　in　a　blaze　of　all　their　grievances。

A　committee　for　the　defence　of　these　men；　met　at　the　Star　Hotel；　and　sent　round　to　all　the　tents　on　Ballaarat　for　subscriptions。　　I　contributed　my　mite；　and　then　learned　that　VERN；　KENNEDY；　and　HUMFFRAY　were　the　triumvirate　of　said　committee。

The　following　placard　was　posted　throughout　the　goldfields：…


500　POUNDS　REWARD

for　the　discovery；　apprehension　and　conviction　of　the　murderer　of　James　Scobie；　found　dead　near　the　late　Eureka　Hotel；　etc。；　etc。


At　one　and　at　the　same　time；　also；　the　following　placards　were　posted　at　each　prominent　gum…tree　on　the　goldfield：…


500　POUNDS　REWARD

increased　by　Government　to

1；600　POUNDS！！

for　the　apprehension　and　conviction　of　the　robbers　of　the　Bank　of　Victoria。


A　desperate　deed　was　committed　in　broad　mid…day；　Monday；　October　16th；　in　the　Ballaarat　township。

Four　men　in　the　garb　of　diggers；　wearing　sou'…wester　hats；　and　having　crepe　over　their　faces；　entered　the　Bank　of　Victoria；　and　succeeded　in　carrying　off　property　in　notes　and　gold；　to　the　amount　of　about　15；000　pounds。

Who　would　have　told　me　then；　that　soon　I　should　be　messmate　to　those　unknown　audacious　robbers；　in　the　same　gaol！！

Let's　go　to　the　public　meeting　in　the　next　chapter。




Chapter　XIX。



Una　Scintilla；　Sparasi　La　Bomba；　Spalanca　A　Multitudini　La　Tomba。


The　following　story　was　going　the　rounds　of　the　Eureka。　　There　was　a　licence…hunt；　the　servant　of　the　Rev。　P。　Smyth；　the　priest　of　the　Catholic　church；　Bakery…hill；　went　to　a　neighbouring　tent　to　visit　a　sick　man。　While　inside；　a　trooper　comes　galloping　up　at　the　tent…door；　and　shouts　out；　〃Come　out　here；　you　dd　wretches！　there's　a　good　many　like　you　on　the　diggings。〃　　The　man　came　outside；　and　was　asked　if　〃he's　got　a　licence？〃　The　servant；　who　is　a　native　of　Armenia；　answers；　in　imperfect　English；　that　he　is　a　servant　to　the　priest。　　The　trooper　says；　〃Damn　you　and　the　priest；〃　and　forthwith　dismounts　for　the　purpose　of　dragging　Johannes　M'Gregorius；　the　servant；　along　with　him。　　The　servant　remonstrates　by　saying　he　is　a　disabled　man；　unable　to　walk　over　the　diggings。　This　infuriates　the　trooper；　he　strikes　and　knocks　down　the　poor　disabled　foreigner；　drags　him　about；　tears　his　shirtin　short；　inflicting　such　injuries　on　the　poor　fellow；　that　all　the　diggers　present　cried　out　〃shame！　shame！〃

Commissioner　Johnson　rides　up；　and　says　to　the　crowd　about　him；　that　he　should　not　be　interrupted　in　the　execution　of　his　'dooty。'　The　priest　hears　of　his　servant's　predicament；　comes　to　the　spot；　hands　a　five…pound　note　to　Johnson　as　bail　for　his　servant's　appearance　the　next　day　at　the　police…office。

The　following　morning；　Johannes　M‘Gregorius　is　charged　with　being　on　the　gold…fields　without　a　licence。　　The　poor　foreigner　tries　to　make　a　defence；　but　was　fined　five　pounds。　　Commissioner　Johnson　now　comes　in　and　says；　M‘Gregorius　is　not　charged　with　being　without　a　licence；　but　with　assaulting　the　trooper　Lordridiculous！　　This　alters　the　case。　　The　trooper　is　called；　and　says　the　old　story　about　the　execution　of　'dooty；'　that　is；　licence…hunting。

A　respectable　witness　takes　his　oath　that　he　saw　the　trooper　strike　the　foreigner　with　his　clenched　fist；　and　knock　him　down。

The　end　of　the　story　is　in　the　Ballaarat　tune；　then　in　vogue：　　〃Fined　5　pounds；　take　him　away。〃




Chapter　XX。



Public　Meeting　Held　at　the　Catholic　Chapel；　Bakery…hill；　Wednesday；　October　25th。


After　a　good　deal　of　pretty　intelligible　talk　about　the　'helpless　Armenian；'　the　trooper　Lord；　and　our　respected　priest；　Thomas　Kennedy；　pouncing　on　the　thing　of　the　day　proposed：

〃That　it　is　the　opinion　of　this　meeting　that　the　conduct　of　Mr。　Commissioner　Johnson　towards　the　Rev。　Mr。　Smyth　has　been　calculated　to　awaken　the　highest　feeling　of　indignation　on　the　part　of　his　devoted　flock：　　and　to　call　upon　the　government　to　institute　an　inquiry　into　his　（gold…lace）　character；　and　to　desire　to　have　him　at　once　removed　from　Ballaarat。〃

Carried　unanimously。

The　priest　was　requested　to　address　the　meeting。

Father　Patricius　Smyth；　a　native　of　Mayo；　looks　some　thirty…five　years　old；　and　belongs　to　the　unadulterated　Irish　castehalf…curled　hair；　not　abundant；　anxious　semicircular　forehead；　keen　and　fiery　eyes；　altogether　a　lively　interesting　head。　　He　is　a　Latin　and　Celtic　scholar；　and　that　excuses　him　for　his　moderate　proficiency　in　modern　languages。　　He　was　educated　at　Maynooth；　the　eye…sore　of　Sabbatarians；　and　therefore　believes　it　incontestable　that　the　authority　conferred　on　him　by　the　Bishop　must　needs　be　derived　from　God；　because　the　Bishop　had　been　consecrated　by　the　Pope；　whoinasmuch　as　a　second　branch　of　the　Prince　of　the　Apostles　never　was　heard　of　at　the　time　of　St。　Augustinis　the　successor　of　St。　Peter；　the　corner　stone　on　which　OUR　LORD　did　build　the　Christian　church；　and　our　Lord's　warrant　is　written　in　St。　John；　chapter　xiv；　24：　　'Sermo　quem　auditis　non　est　meus；　sed　ejus　qui　misit　me；　nempe　Patris。'　　And　so　Father　Smyth　feels　himself　entitled　to　adopt　what　was　said　of　the　Divine　Master；　'Docebat　enim　eos　ut　habens　auctoritatem；　non　autem　ut　scribae。'　　St。　Matthew；　chap。　vii；　29。　Hence　his　preaching；　though　not　remarkable　for　much　eloquence；　does　not　lull　to　sleep。　　There　is　no　cant；　and　strange　as　it　may　appear；　there　is　little　argument　in　his　short…framed　sentences；　because　they　are　the　decided　opinion　of　his　mind　and　the　warm　expression　of　his　heart；　anxious　for　the　salvation　of　his　flock；　as　he　believes　he　will　be　called　to　account　if　any　be　lost。　　He；　out　of　civility；　may　not　object　to　hear　what　Paley　or　Butler　has　to　say；　but　he　scorns　any　conversation　with　Voltaire；　and　would　see　the　fellow　burnt；　as　in　the　times　of　old。　　His　character　was　never　impeached；　because　his　conduct　is　an　example　to　all　of　the　strength　of　his　faith。　　Either　at　the　altar　or　at　the　table　he　forgets　not　that　he　belongs　to　the　priesthood　of　Ireland；　the　'proved　gold'　of　the　Catholic　church。　　His　song　is；　'Erin；　my　country；'　and　'I　love　thy　green　bowers；'　is　the　end　of　his　story；　which　is　a　hint　to　me　that　this　is　not　the　place　to　say　more　for　the　peace　of　John　Bull。　　Hence　Ireland　produced　a　Daniel　O'Connell；　but　has　not　yet　got　the　repeal。

Father　Smyth；　in　addressing　the　meeting；　spoke　with　coolness　and　forbearance；　yet　commendatory　of　the　constitutional　manner　in　which　his　congregation　sought　redress　from　the　government；　for　the　insult　offered　them；　through　his　person；　in　the　abuse　of　his　servant　by　the　trooper　Lord。　　On　concluding　his　address；　he　was　warmly　cheered；　when　the　reverend　gentleman　and　his　friends　adjourned　to　the　parsonage；　to　partake　of　some　refreshments。




Chapter　XXI。



Public　Meeting　Held　on　Bakery…hill；　November　llth。


Political　changes　contemplated　by　THE　REFORM　LEAGUE。

1。　　A　full　and　fair　representation。Don't　you　wish　you　may　get　it？

2。　　Manhood　suffrage。Thanks　to　the　Eureka…boys；　it　costs　now　one　pound。　Cheap！

3。　　No　property　qualification　of　members　for　the　Legislative　Council。The　identical　thing　for　'starring'　on　stumps　to　a　fellow's　heart's　content。

4。　　Payment　of　members。That's　the　accommodation！

5。　　Short　duration　of　Parliament。Increase　the　chances　of　accommodation；　that's　it。

What　was　the　freight　per　t