the eureka stockade-第16节

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！


aturday　four　o'clock　any　how。




Chapter　XLVI。



Non　Irascimini。


Saturday　morning。　　The　night　had　been　very　cold；　we　had　kept　watch　for　fear　of　being　surprised；　every　hour　the　cry；　was　〃The　military　are　coming。〃

Vern　had　enlarged　the　stockade　across　the　Melbourne　road；　and　down　the　Warrenheip　Gully。

Suppose；　even　that　all　diggers　who　had　fire　arms　had　been　present　and　plucky；　yet　no　man　in　his　right　senses　will　ever　give　Vern　the　credit　for　military　tactics；　if　that　gallant　officer　had　thought　that　an　acre　of　ground　on　the　surface　of　a　hill　accessible　with　the　greatest　ease　on　every　side；　simply　fenced　in　by　a　few　slabs　placed　at　random；　could　be　defended　by　a　handful　of　men；　for　the　most　part　totally　destitute　of　military　knowledge；　against　a　disciplined　soldiery；　backed　by　swarms　of　traps　and　troopers。

Such；　however；　was　our　infatuation；　that　now　we　considered　the　stockade　stronger；　because　it　looked　more　higgledy…piggledy。




Chapter　XLVII。



Non　Nobis；　Non　Nobis；　Sed　Pax　Vobiscum。


It　was　eight　o'clock。　　Drilling　was　going　on　as　on　the　previous　day。　Father　Smyth　came　inside　the　stockade：　　it　was　my　watch。　　He　looked　very　earnest；　a　deep　anxiety　about　the　hopelessness　of　our　struggle；　must　have　grieved　his　Irish　heart。　　He　obtained　permission　from　Lalor　to　speak　to　those　under　arms；　who　belonged　to　his　Congregation。　Vern　consented；　and　Manning　announced　it　to　the　men。　　Father　Smyth　told　them；　that　the　government　Camp　was　under　arms；　some　seven　or　eight　hundred　strong；　that　he　had　received　positive　information；　that　government　had　sent　other　reinforcements　from　Melbourne；　which　would　soon　reach　Ballaarat；　warned　them　against　useless　bloodshed；　reminded　them　that　they　were　Christians；　and　expressed　his　earnest　desire　to　see　all　of　them　at　Mass　on　the　following　（Sunday）　morning。

Father　Smyth；　your　advice　was　kindly　received；　if　it　did　not　thrive；　was　it　because　you　sowed　it　on　barren　ground？

The　following　document　may　in　time　help　to　bring　forth　truth　to　light：…


Colonial　Secretary's　Office；　Melbourne；　lst　December；　1854。　Rev。　　Sir；

In　acknowledging　the　receipt　of　your　letter　of　yesterday's　date；　I　am　desired　by　his　Excellency　to　thank　you　for　the　earnest　efforts　which；　in　your　professional　calling；　you　are　making　to　allay　the　disturbances。　　Unless　the　government　enforce　the　laws　which　may　be　in　operation；　disorder　and　licentiousness　must　prevail。

You　know　a　commission　is　issued　for　the　purpose　of　inquiring　into　the　state　and　condition　of　the　digging　population：　　until　they　make　their　report；　the　laws　his　Excellency　found　in　force　must　be　obeyed。

I　have　the　honour　to　be；　Rev。　　Sir；　Your　most　obedient　servant；　J。　MOORE；　A。C。S。　The　Rev。　　Patrick　Smyth；　Catholic　Priest；　Ballaarat。




Chapter　XLVIII。


The　Things　We　Ardently　Wish　For　In　This　Life；　Either　Never　Come　To　Pass；　Or　If　They　Do　It　Is　Too　Late。　　Hence；　'Better　Late　Than　Never。'


The　whole　of　the　morning　passed　off　as　quietly　as　any　well　wisher　to　our　cause　could　desire。　　Towards　twelve　o'clock　it　was　our　decision　that　licence…hunting　was　over；　for　the　day　any　how；　since　no　digger　recollected　a　search　for　licence　taking　place　on　a　Saturday　afternoon。　　Our　talk　was　of　the　coming　meeting　of　the　reform　league　at　two　o'clock　on　Sunday；　at　the　Adelphi；　as　announced　at　the　monster　meeting　on　Wednesday。

The　impression　was　almost　general；　that　'Charley'　would　soon　dismiss　the　hated　brood　of　our　commissioners；　and　things　would　then　be　'all　right。'　'Off　to　get　a　bite；'　was　the　pass…word。

I　assert　as　a　matter　of　fact；　and　a　living　eye…witness；　that　between　one　and　two　o'clock　on　Saturday；　December　2nd；　1854；　the　Eureka　stockade　was　comparatively　deserted。　　Those　who　remained　（some　one　hundred）　were　such；　as　either　had　a　long　distance　to　go　to　reach　their　tents；　and　the　day　was　very　hot；　or　such　as　had　no　tent　or　friend　on　Ballaarat。　　I　took　notice　of　this　very　circumstance　from　my　tent；　the　second　from　the　stockade；　on　the　hill；　west；　whilst　frying　a　bit　of　steak　on　the　fire　of　my　tent　chimney；　facing　said　stockade：　　Manning　was　peeling　an　onion。　　I　transcribe　the　above　from　the　identical　note　I　had　taken　down　on　my　diary；　at　the　identical　hour　aforesaid；　and　can　afford　to　challenge　contradiction。




Chapter　XLVIX。



Taedet　Animam　Meam　Vitae　Meae。


The　news　of　our　private；　though　never　acknowledged；　disbandment　must　soon　have　reached　the　Camp。

THE　LORD　GOD　OF　ISRAEL　UNRAVEL　THE　MYSTERY。

What　a　nonsense　of　mine　to　endeavour　to　swell　up　the　Eureka　stockade　to　the　level　of　a　Sebastopol！！

Good　reader；　I　have　to　relate　the　story　of　a　shocking　murder；　a　disgrace　to　the　Christian　name。

I　am　a　Catholic；　and　believe　in　the　life　everlasting。　　On　the　day　of　judgment　it　will　go　milder　with　the　Emperor　Nicholas；　than　with　the　man　whoever　he　may　be；　that　prompted　and　counted　on　the　Eureka　massacre　on　the　Sunday　morning；　December　3rd；　1854。

At　four　o'clock；　the　diggers　crowded　again　towards　the　stockade。　The　divisions　of　Ross　and　Nealson　had　returned　from　their　excursions　and　were　under　arms。　　The　scene　became　soon　animated；　and　the　usual　drilling　was　pushed　on　with　more　ardour　than　ever。

John　Basson　Humffray；　of　whom　nothing　was　seen　or　heard　since　the　previous　Wednesday；　now　introduced；　through　a　letter　in　his　own　handwriting；　addressed　'To　the　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　armed　diggers；　Eureka；'　a　Doctor　Kenworthy；　as　surgeon；　because　he　（Humffray）　feared　that　a　collision　between　the　diggers　and　the　military　would　soon　take　place。

Peters；　the　spy；　was　at　the　same　time　within　the　stockade。

The　'surgeon'　had　his　Yankee　face　under　a　bell…top　（French　hat）：　　he　entered　into　conversation　with　me　in　person。　　I　had　my　sword　in　hand；　and　was　on　watch。　We　began　to　talk　about　MAZZINI　and　Captain　FORBES：　　this　latter；　a　brave　American　officer；　fought　in　the　late　struggle　at　Rome　（1848）。　I　perfectly　recollect；　that；　pointing　with　a　smile　to　our　barricade；　I　told　this　Kenworthy；　we　had　thrown　them　up　for　our　defence　against　licence…hunting。　　There　is　a　living　witness　to　the　above　circumstance；　a　countryman　of　mine；　whose　name　I　do　not　remember　just　now；　but　he　wore　at　the　time　a　red　shirt；　with　picks　and　shovels　all　over　it。

Previous　to　this；　Vern；　whose　silly　vanity　would　by　no　means　allow　him　to　put　up　with　his　not　having　been　elected　Commander…in…Chief；　all　on　a　sudden　cried　out　in　his　sort　of　bombast；　〃Here　they　are　coming；　boys：　　now　I　will　lead　you　to　death　or　victory！〃actually　a　band　of　men　was　tramping　full　speed　towards　the　stockade。




Chapter　L



Narravere　Patres　Nostri　Et　Nos　Narravimus　Omnes。


Was　it　then　the　long；　long…looked　for　German　Rifle　Brigade？　　Here　is　it's　four…horned　nameI　copy　from　a　slip　of　paper　I　wrote　in　pencil　on　that　very　Saturday；　as　the　name　was　too　long　and　difficult　for　me　to　remember'The　Independent　Californian　Rangers'　Revolver　Brigade。'

I　should　say　they　numbered　a　couple　of　hundred；　looking　Californian　enough；　armed　with　a　Colt's　revolver　of　large　size；　and　many　had　a　Mexican　knife　at　the　hip。

Here　is　the　very　circumstance　when　M‘Gill　made　his　appearance　for　the　first　time　within　the　stockade；　I　recollect　perfectly　well　the　circumstance　when　a　Mr。　Smith；　of　the　American　Adams's　Express；　was　holding　the　bridle　of　the　horse；　from　which　said　M‘Gill　dismounted。

James　M‘Gill　is　of　the　breed　on　the　other　side　of　the　Pacific。　　He　is　thought　to　have　been　educated　in　a　military　academy；　and　certainly；　he　has　the　manners　of　a　young　gentleman　of　our　days。　　He　is　rather　short；　not　so　much　healthy…looking　as　wide　awake。　　'What's　up？'　is　his　motto。　　This　colony　will　sober　him　down；　and　then　he　will　attend　more　to　'what's　to　be　done。'　His　complexion　bears　the　stamp　of　one　born　of　a　good　family；　but　you　can　read　in　the　white　of　his　eyes；　in　the　colouring　of　his　cheeks；　in　the　paleness　of　his　lips；　that　his　heart　is　for　violence。　　When　he　gets　a　pair　of　solid　whiskers；　he　may　pass　for　a　Scotchman；　for　he　has　already　a　nose　as　if　moulded　in　Scotland。　　He　speaks　the　English　language　correctly；　and　when　not　prompted　by　the　audacity　of　his　heart；　shows　good　sense；　delicate　feelings；　a　pleasing　way　of　conversation。　　His　honour　was　impeached　by　Vern；　who　never　came　up　to　the　scratch；　though；　witness；　Mr。　John　Campbell；　of　'The　Age'　office。

When　a　man　is　dead；　there　and　then　he　is　himself　the　horrible　evidence　of　corruption；　but；　as　long　as　he　lives　there　is　hopes　for　fair　play；　and　hear　his　evidence　on　the　resurrection　of　life：　　hence　the　moral　courage　to　assert　the　truth；　shuts　out　the　physical　strength　for　blather　to　shampoo　the　lie；　and　an　honest　upright　man　of　education　and　a　Christian　leaves　'duelering'　to　fools。

M‘Gill　is　not　wicked　in　heart；　though　he　may　not　yet　have　settled…principles。　If　this　world　be　such　a　puzzle　even　for　grey…heads；　who　have　seen　enough　of　it；　what　then　must　it　be　for　one；　come　out　of　College　and　learning　life　on　the　gold…fields？　　Hence；　if　I　say　that　he　helped　with　others　to　draw　the　chestnuts　out　of　the　Eureka　Stockade；　for　some　old　Fox；　I　cannot　offend　him。Who　was　the　accursed　old　Fox？　　Patience；　there　is　a　God。　When　I　was　in　gaol；　I　was　not　vexed　at　hearing　him　at　liberty　and　happy：　I　could　not　possibly　wish　my　misery　to　any　on