the eureka stockade-第9部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　Camp　was　prepared　to　stand　for　the　Colonial　Secretary　Foster！　　Yes；　you　may　judge　of　the　conduct　of　some　officers　sent　to　protect　the　Camp　by　the　following：

On　Tuesday　Evening　（November　28th）；　about　eight　o'clock；　the　Twelfth　Regiment　arrived　from　Melbourne。　　The　expert　cleverness　of　the　officer　in　command；　made　the　soldiers；　riding　in　carts　drawn　by　three　horses　each；　cross　the　line　exactly　at　the　going…a…head　end　of　the　Eureka。　　An　injudicious　triumphant　riding；　that　by　God's　mercy　alone；　was　not　turned　into　a　vast　funeral。

From　my　tent；　I　soon　heard　the　distant　cries　of　'Joe！'　increasing　in　vehemence　at　each　second。　　The　poor　soldiers　were　pelted　with　mud；　stones；　old　stumps；　and　broken　bottles。　　The　hubbub　was　going　on　pretty　desperate　westward　of　the　Hill　and　WE　had　hard　work　to　preserve　the　peace；　but　at　the　upper　end　of　the　Hill；　the　game　was　going　on　upon　a　far　more　desperate　scale。　　It　appears　that　a　party　of　Gravel…pits　men　had　been　in　the　bush　for　the　purpose。　They　stopped　a　cart；　pulled　the　soldiers　out；　robbed　them　of　their　ammunition　and　bayonets；　in　short；　it　was　a　hell　of　a　row。　　All　of　us　camping　on　the　Hill　were　talking　about　this　cowardly　attack；　when　a　detachment　of　said　soldiers　came　up　again；　and　the　officer；　a　regular　incapable；　that　is；　a　bully；　with　drawn　sword　began　to　swear　at　us；　and　called　all　of　us　a　pack　of　scoundrels。　　He　was；　however；　soon　put　to　rights；　by　the　whole　of　us　then　present　offering　ourselves　to　look　out　for　the　missing　soldiers；　and　eventually；　one　of　them　was　discovered　in　a　deserted　tent；　another　was　found　in　a　hole　lower　down　the　Warrenheip　Gully；　and　so　on。　This　disgraceful　occurrence；　coupled　with　the　firing　of　guns　and　pistols；　kept　up　the　whole　of　the　night；　did　not　give　us　cheering　hopes　for　the　next　day。




Chapter　XXVI。



The　Monster　Meeting。


Bakery…hill；　Wednesday；　November　29th。


（Letter　continued。）

〃All　the　diggings　round　about　were　deserted；　and　swelled　the　meeting；　the　greatest　I　ever　witnessed　in　this　Colony。　　At　two　o'clock　there　were　about　ten　thousand　men　present！　　The　Report　of　the　Deputation　appointed　by　the　League　to　wait　upon　his　Excellency；　relative　to　the　release　of　the　three　prisoners；　M‘Intyre；　Fletcher；　and　Yorkie；　was　listened　to　with　great　anxiety。〃


George　Black　was　the　man　of　the　day；　and　was　received　by　the　people　with　three　hearty　cheers。

From　his　outward　appearance；　one　would　take　him　for　a　parson；　a　Christian　one；　I　mean；　not　a　prebendary　or　a　bishop。　　His　English　is　elegant；　and　conscious　of　having　received　an　education；　and　being　born　a　gentleman；　he　never　prostitutes　his　tongue　to　colonial　phraseology。　　His　reading　must　have　been　sober　from　his　youth；　for　in　conversation　he　indulges　in　neither　cant　nor　romance；　though；　in　addressing　the　people；　he　may　use　a　touch　of　declamation　stronger　than　argument。　　From　the　paleness　of　his　cheeks；　and　the　dryness　of　his　lips；　you　might　see　that　the　spirit　was　indeed　willing；　though　the　flesh　was　weak。　　The　clearness　of　his　eyes；　the　sharpness　of　his　nose；　the　liveliness　of　his　forehead；　lend　to　his　countenance　a　decided　expression　of　his　belief　in　the　resurrection　of　life。　His　principles　are　settled；　not　so　much　because　that　is　required　for　the　happiness　of　a　good　conscience；　but　because　the　old　serpent　has　crammed　the　ways　of　man　with　so　many　deceits　in　this　world　of　vanity　and　vexation　of　spirit；　that　a　heart　of　the　honesty　of　George　Black；　cannot　possibly　have　any　sympathy　with　the　crooked　ways　of　rogues　and　vagabonds；　and　so　he　is　afflicted　at　their　number　and　audacity；　especially　in　this　Colony。　　His　disposition　of　mind　makes　him　enthusiastic　for　the　virtuous；　his　benevolent　heart　prevents　him　from　proceeding　to　extremities　with　the　vicious。　　Hence　the　Diggers'　Advocate；　of　which　he　was　the　editor；　though　conducted　with　ability；　failed；　because　he　thought　that　gold…diggers　interested　themselves　with　true　religion；　as　laid　down　in　Saint　James'　Catholic　Epistle；　but　he　made　a　greater　mistake　in　not　taking　into　consideration　that　men；　though　digging　for　gold；　do　still　pretend　to　some　religious　denomination　or　other。　　However；　let　him　now　address　the　Monster　Meeting。




Chapter　XXVII。



Divide　Et　Impera。




（Letter　continued；）

〃Mr。　Black　explained　the　results　of　his　mission　by　stating；　that　the　Deputation　was　received　by　the　Governor　with　much　courtesy　and　urbanity；　and　that　personally　his　Excellency　had　no　objection　to　grant　the　public　prayer。　He　further　stated；　that　so　far　as　he　had　an　opportunity　of　judging　of　the　Governor's　disposition；　his　Excellency　was　in　favour　of　the　people；　but　that　he　was　so　surrounded　by　injudicious　advisers；　as　to　leave　him　entirely　impotent　in　state　matters。　　The　great　objection　his　Excellency　seemed　to　entertain　against　the　Deputation's　claim；　was　what　is　termed　want　of　courtesy　in　wordingfor　it　must　be　understood　that　the　Committee　sent；　not　to　petition　and　pray；　but　demand　the　release　of　the　state　prisoners；　and　the　word　demand　was　said　to　operate　more　against　the　Deputation　than　the　very　object　of　their　mission。　　Upon　hearing　all　these　reasons；　it　was　proposed　to　adopt　the　form　of　a　memorial；　and　petition　the　Governor；　but　this　proposition　was　furiously　scouted；　on　the　ground　that　it　did　not　comport　with　the　dignity　of　the　League；　first　to　demand　and　afterwards　to　pray。

〃Kennedy；　along　with　the　music　of　his　rubbing　the　nails　of　the　right　hand　against　those　of　the　left；　blathered　away　in　a　masterly　style　for　the　benefit　of　the　League。

〃It　was　evident　that　there　was　a　'split'　among　the　three　Delegates；　yet　Mr。　Humffray；　who　had　been　received　by　His　Excellency；　in　an　interview　as　a　private　digger；　found　favour　among　the　assembly。　　J。　B。　Humffray　plainly　explained；　and　calmly　made　us　understand；　that　Sir　Charles　was　with　us；　and　was　determined　to　put　an　end　to　our　grievances；　and　that　he　had　appointed　to　this　effect；　a　Commission　of　Inquiry；　of　popular　men　well　known　to　us；　and　His　Excellency　had　made　up　his　mind　to　'act　accordingly。'　The　feverish　excitement　was　subdued；　and　three　hearty　cheers　were　given　for　the　New　Chum　Governor；　amid　the　discharging　of　several　guns　and　pistols。〃


I　must　here　interrupt　the　meeting；　drop　the　letter；　and　hereby　assert：…

lst。　　Peter　Lalor　and　myself；　had　never　addressed　any　of　the　meetings；　before　this　monster　one。

2nd。　　Having　made　up　my　mind　to　return　to　Rome；　the　following　Christmas；　in　accordance　with　my　brother's　desire；　I　had　to　attend　to　my　work；　hence；　I　had　never　taken　any　part　in　the　agitation　and　to　my　knowledge；　Peter　Lalor　neither。

3rd。　　I　never　was　present　at　the　Star　Hotel　and　therefore；　personally　I　know　nothing　of　the　boisterous　Committee　of　the　vaunting　Reform　League　held　there。

Corolarium。I　am　not　dead　yet！




Chapter　XXVIII。



L'Union　Fait　La　Force。


We　had　better　proceed　with　the　meeting　first；　and　with　the　letter　afterwards。

Peter　Lalor　proposed　the　following　resolution：…

〃That　a　meeting　of　the　members　of　the　Reform　League　be　called　at　the　Adelphi　Theatre；　on　next　Sunday；　at　2　o'clock；　to　elect　a　Central　Committee；　and　that　each　forty　members　have　the　power　to　elect　one　member　for　the　Central　Committee。〃

Being　an　old　acquaintance　of　Peter；　I　supported　the　above　resolution。　He　gave　me　his　hand　and　pulled　me　up　on　the　platform；　from　among　the　multitude。　The　whole　of　that　Wednesday　morning；　my　tent　on　the　Eureka　had　been　a　regular　Babel。　　Foreigners　from　all　quarters　of　the　globe　and　of　the　diggings；　came　to　inquire　from　me　what　was　the　matter　concerning　so　much　excitement　as　then　prevailed　on　Ballaarat。　　I　translated　for　them　the　news　from　our　'Ballaarat　Times'；　or　from　The　'Geelong　Advertiser's'　clever　correspondent。　　Thus；　and　thus　alone；　I　became　honourably　their　delegate；　and　subsequently　interpreter　to　Lalor；　the　Commander…in…Chief；　and　I　hereby　express　the　hope　that　in　time；　Peter　Lalor；　though　mutilated；　may　find　at　Toorak；　a　little　more　credit　for　his　testimony　than　did　that　infernal　spy；　Goodenough。　　Anyhow；　for　the　present；　'Le　Pere　Duprat'；　a　well…known　old　hand；　and　respected　French　miner　on　Ballaarat；　who　was　with　me　within　the　Eureka　Stockade；　and　whose　proposed　plan　for　the　defence；　I　interpreted　to　Lalor；　is　a　living　witness　to　the　above。　　We　must；　however；　attend　to　our　Monster　Meeting。




Chapter　XXIX。



Heu　Mihi！　Sermo　Meus；　Veritas。


My　friends　had　requested　me　to　come　forward　at　the　meeting；　and　here　is　my　speech　according　to　notes　I　had　previously　taken　in　my　tent。

Gold…laced　Webster；　I　challenge　contradiction。

I　came　from　old　Europe；　16；000　miles　across　two　oceans；　and　I　thought　it　a　respectable　distance　from　the　hated　Austrian　rule。　　Why；　then；　this　monster　meeting　to…day；　at　the　antipodes？　　We　wrote　petitions；　signed　memorials；　made　remonstrances　by　dozens；　no　go：　　we　are　compelled　to　demand；　and　must　prepare　for　the　consequences。

The　old　style：　　oppressors　and　oppressed。　　A　sad　reflection；　very　sad　reflection；　for　any　educated　and　honest　man。

For　what　did　we　come　into　this　colony？　　'Chi　sta　bene　non　si　move；'　is　an　old　Roman　proverb。　　If　then　in　old　Europe；　we　had　a　bird　in　hand；　what　silly　fools　we　were　to　venture　across　two　oceans；　and　try　to　catch　two　jackasses　in　the　bush　of　Australia！

I　had　a　dream；　a　happy　dream；　I　dreamed　that　we　had　met　here　together　to　render　thanks　unto　our　Father　in　heaven　for　a　plentiful　harvest；　such　that　for　the　first　time　in　this；　our　adopted　land；　we　had　our　own　food　for　the　year；　and　so　each　of　us　holding　in　our　hands　a　tumbler　of　Victorian　wine；　you　called　on　me　for　a　song。　　My　harp　was　tuned　and　in　good　order：　cheerfully　struck　up；

'Oh；　let　us　be　happy　together。'

Not　so；　Britons；　not　so！　　We　must　meet　as　in　old　Europeold　styleimproved　by　far　in　the　southfor　the　redress　of　grievances　inflicted　on　us；　not　by　crowned　heads；　but　blockheads；　aristocratical　incapables；　who　never　did　a　day's　work　in　their　life。　　I　hate　the　oppressor；　let　him　wear　a　red；　blue；　white；　or　black　coat。And　here　certainly；　I　tackled　in　right　earnest　with　our　silver　and　gold　lace　on　Ballaarat；　and　called　on　all　my　fellow…diggers；　irrespective　of　nationality；　religion；　and　colour；　to　salute　the　'Southern　Cross'　as　the　refuge　of　all　the　oppressed　from　all　countries　on　e