the eureka stockade-第20节

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Solicitor　Lynn　told　me；　'in　propria　persona'　in　the　Ballaarat　prison；　that　he　would　take　care　to　bring　forward　evidence　of　the　above；　as　he　had　heard　it　himself；　that　such　was　the　case；　but　I　forgot　to　fee　this　Lynn；　and　so　he　left　me　to　the　chance　of　being　'lyn…ched。'




Chapter　LX。



The　Southern　Cross；　In　Digger's　Gore　Imbrued；　Was　Torn　Away；　And　Left　The　Digger　Mourning。


The　following　Letter；　from　the　able　pen　of　the　spirited　correspondent　of　the　'Geelong　Advertiser'　who　most　undoubtedly　must　be　a　diggerthat　is；　one　of　ourselves；　from　among　ourselves；is　here　transcribed　as　a　document　confirming　the　truths　of　this　book：…


THE　EUREKA　MASSACRE　＇From　a　Correspondent。＇　To　the　Editor　of　the　'Geelong　Advertiser'　and　Intelligencer。　Bakery…hill；　December　3rd；　1854。

Friday　you　know　all　about；　I　will　pass　that　over；　and　give　you　a　faint　outline　of　what　passed　under　my　own　eyes。　　During　Saturday；　there　was　a　great　deal　of　gloom　among　the　most　orderly；　who　complained　much　of　the　parade　of　soldiery；　and　the　same　cause　excited　a　great　deal　of　exasperation　in　the　minds　of　more　enthusiastic　persons；　who　declared　that　all　parties　ought　to　show　themselves；　and　declare　whether　they　were　for　or　against　the　diggers。　Then　came　a　notice　from　the　Camp；　that　all　lights　were　to　be　extinguished　after　eight　o'clock；　within　half…a…mile　from　the　Camp。　　At　this　time　it　was　reported　that　there　were　two　thousand　organised　men　at　the　Eureka　barricade。　　I　was　sitting　in　my　tent；　and　several　neighbours　dropped　in　to　talk　over　affairs；　and　we　sat　down　to　tea；　when　a　musket　was　heard　to　go　off；　and　the　bullet　whizzed　close　by　us；　I　doused　the　light；　and　we　crept　out　on　our　hands　and　knees；　and　looked　about。　　Between　the　Camp　and　the　barricade　there　was　a　fire　we　had　not　seen　before；　and　occasionally　lights　appeared　to　be　hoisted；　like　signals；　which　attracted　the　attention　of　a　good　many；　some　of　whom　said　that　they　saw　other　lights　like　return　signals。　　It　grew　late。　　TO…MORROW；　I　FEAR　ME；　WILL　PROVE　A　DAY　OF　SORROW；　IF　THE　AFFAIR　BE　NOT　SETTLED　BEFORE　THEN。　　I　and　R　lay　down　in　our　clothes；　according　to　our　practice　for　a　week　past；　and　worn　out　with　perpetual　alarms；　excitement；　and　fatigue；　fell　fast　asleep。　I　didn't　wake　up　till　six　o'clock　on　Sunday　morning。　　The　first　thing　that　I　saw　was　a　number　of　diggers　enclosed　in　a　sort　of　hollow　square；　many　of　them　were　wounded；　the　blood　dripping　from　them　as　they　walked；　some　were　walking　lame；　pricked　on　by　the　bayonets　of　the　soldiers　bringing　up　the　rear。　　The　soldiers　were　much　excited；　and　the　troopers　madly　so；　flourishing　their　swords；　and　shouting　out〃We　have　waked　up　Joe！〃　and　others　replied；　〃And　sent　Joe　to　sleep　again！〃　The　diggers'　Standard　was　carried　by　in　triumph　to　the　Camp；　waved　about　in　the　air；　then　pitched　from　one　to　another；　thrown　down　and　trampled　on。　The　scene　was　awfultwos　and　threes　gathered　together；　and　all　felt　stupefied。　I　went　with　R　to　the　barricade；　the　tents　all　around　were　in　a　blaze；　I　was　about　to　go　inside；　when　a　cry　was　raised　that　the　troopers　were　coming　again。　　They　did　come　with　carts　to　take　away　the　bodies；　I　counted　fifteen　dead；　one　G；　a　fine　well…educated　man；　and　a　great　favourite。　　＇Here；　I　think；　the　Correspondent　alluded　to　me。　　My　friends；　nick…named　meCarbonari　Great　works。　　＇I　recognised　two　others；　but　the　spectacle　was　so　ghastly　that　I　feel　a　loathing　at　the　remembrance。　They　all　lay　in　a　small　space　with　their　faces　upwards；　looking　like　lead；　several　of　them　were　still　heaving；　and　at　every　rise　of　their　breasts；　the　blood　spouted　out　of　their　wounds；　or　just　bubbled　out　and　trickled　away。　One　man；　a　stout…chested　fine　fellow；　apparently　about　forty　years　old；　lay　with　a　pike　beside　him：　　e　had　three　contusions　in　the　head；　three　strokes　across　the　brow；　a　bayonet　wound　in　the　throat　under　the　ear；　and　other　wounds　in　the　bodyI　counted　fifteen　wounds　in　that　single　carcase。　Some　were　bringing　handkerchiefs；　others　bed　furniture；　and　matting　to　cover　up　the　faces　of　the　dead。　　O　God！　sir；　it　was　a　sight　for　a　sabbath　morn　that；　I　humbly　implore　Heaven；　may　never　be　seen　again。　Poor　women　crying　for　absent　husbands；　and　children　frightened　into　quietness。　I；　sir；　write　disinterestedly；　and　I　hope　my　feelings　arose　from　a　true　principle；　but　when　I　looked　at　that　scene；　my　soul　revolted　at　such　means　being　so　cruelly　used　by　a　government　to　sustain　the　law。　A　little　terrier　sat　on　the；　breast　of　the　man　I　spoke　of；　and　kept　up　a　continuous　howl：　　it　was　removed；　but　always　returned　to　the　same　spot；　and　when　his　master's　body　was　huddled；　with　the　other　corpses；　into　the　cart；　the　little　dog　jumped　in　after　him；　and　lying　again　on　his　dead　master's　breast；　began　howling　again。was　dead　there　also；　and；　who　escaped；　had　said；　that　when　he　offered　his　sword；　he　was　shot　in　the　side　by　a　trooper；　as　he　was　lying　on　the　ground　wounded。　　He　expired　almost　immediately。　　Another　was　lying　dead　just　inside　the　barricade；　where　he　seemed　to　have　crawled。　　Some　of　the　bodies　might　have　been　removed　I　counted　fifteen。　　A　poor　woman　and　her　children　were　standing　outside　a　tent；　she　said　that　the　troopers　had　surrounded　the　tent　and　pierced　it　with　their　swords。　　She；　her　husband；　and　children；　were　ordered　out　by　the　troopers；　and　were　inspected　in　their　night…clothes　outside；　whilst　the　troopers　searched　the　tent。　　Mr。　Haslam　was　roused　from　sleep　by　a　volley　of　bullets　fired　through　his　tent；　he　rushed　out；　and　was　shot　down　by　a　trooper；　and　handcuffed。　　He　lay　there　for　two　hours　bleeding　from　a　wound　in　his　breast；　until　his　friends　sent　for　a　black…smith；　who　forced　off　the　handcuffs　with　a　hammer　and　cold　chisel。　　When　I　last　heard　of　Mr。　Haslam；　a　surgeon　was　attending　him；　and　probing　for　the　ball。　R；　from　Canada；　＇Captain　Ross；　of　Toronto；　once　my　mate＇　escaped　the　carnage；　but　is　dead　since；　from　the　wounds。　　R　has　effected　his　escape。　　＇　Johnny　Robertson；　who　had　a　striking　resemblance　to　me；　not　so　much　in　size　as　in　complexion　and　colour　of　the　beard　especially：　Poor　Johnny　was　shot　down　dead　on　the　stockade；　and　was　the　identical　body　which　Mr。　Binney　mistook　for　me。　　Hence　the　belief　by　many；　that　I　was　dead。＇　V　is　reported　to　be　amongst　the　wounded　＇Oh！　no　his　legs　were　too　long　even　for　a　Minie　rifle　＇。　　One　man　was　seen　yesterday　trailing　along　the　road：　he　said　he　could　not　last　much　longer；　and　that　his　brother　was　shot　along…side　of　him。　　All　whom　I　spoke　to　were　of　one　opinion；　that　it　was　a　cowardly　massacre。　　There　were　only　about　one　hundred　and　seventy　diggers；　and　they　were　opposed　to　nearly　six　hundred　military。　　I　hope　all　is　over；　but　I　fear　not：　　or　amongst　many；　the　feeling　is　not　of　intimidation；　but　a　cry　for　vengeance；　and　an　opportunity　to　meet　the　soldiers　with　equal　numbers。　　There　is　an　awful　list　of　casualties　yet　to　come　in；　and　when　uncertainty　is　made　certain；　and　relatives　and　friends　know　the　worst；　there　will　be　gaps　that　cannot　be　filled　up。　　I　have　little　knowledge　of　the　gold…fields；　but　I　fear　that　the　massacre　at　Eureka　is　only　a　skirmish。　I　bid　farewell　to　the　gold…fields；　and　if　what　I　have　seen　is　a　specimen　of　the　government　of　Victoria；　the　sooner　I　am　out　of　it　the　better　for　myself　and　family。　　Sir；　I　am　horrified　at　what　I　witnessed；　and　I　did　not　see　the　worst　of　it。　　I　could　not　breathe　the　blood…tainted　air　of　the　diggings；　and　I　have　left　them　for　ever。

You　may　rely　upon　this　simple　statement；　and　submit　it　if　you　approve　of　it；　to　your　readers。

I　am；　Sir。




Chapter　LXI。



Ab　Initio　Usque　Ad　Finem　Horribile　Dictu。

…

Avanit　Il　Tuo　Cospetto；　Dio　Potente！　Grida　Vendetta　Il　Sangue　Innocente。


I。　　Document。

As　I　want　to　be　believed；　so　I　transcribed　the　following　document　from　'The　Argus'　of　Friday；　December　15th；　1854。Gordon　Evans；　one　of　H。M。　Captains　in　the　Eureka　massacre；　now　acts　in　the　capacity　of　magistrate！

DEPOSITION　OF　HENRY　POWELL。

The　deceased　deposed　to　the　following　effect：My　name　is　Henry　Powell；　I　am　a　digger　residing　at　Creswick…creek。　I　left　Creswick…creek　about　noon　on　Saturday；　December　2nd。　I　said　to　my　mates；　'You'll　get　the　slabs　ready。　　I　will　just　go　over　to　see　Cox　and　his　family　at　Ballaarat。'　I　arrived　at　Ballaarat　about　half…past　four；　or　thereabouts。　I　saw　armed　men　walking　about　in　parties　of　twenty　or　thirty；　went　to　Cox's　tent；　put　on　another　pair　of　trousers；　and　walked　down　the　diggings。　　Looked　in　the　ring　（the　stockade）。　　After　that；　went　home；　went　to　bed　in　the　tent　at　the　back　of　Cox's　tent；　about　half…past　nine。　　On　Sunday　morning　about　four　or　half…past；　was　awoke　by　the　noise　of　firing。　　Got　up　soon　after；　and　walked　about　twenty　yards；　when　some　trooper　rode　up　to　me。　　The　foremost　one　was　a　young　man　whom　I　knew　as　the　Clerk　of　the　Peace。　　He　was　of　a　light；　fair　complexion；　with　reddish　hair。　　He　told　me　to　〃stand　in　the　Queen's　name！　　You　are　my　prisoner。〃　I　said　〃Very　good；　Sir。〃　　Up　came　more　troopers。　　I　cannot　say　how　many。　Believe　about　twenty　or　thirty。　　I　said；　〃Very　well；　gentlemen　（！）　don't　be　in　a　hurry；　there　are　plenty　of　you；〃　and　then　the　young　man　struck　me　on　the　head　with　a　crooked　knife；　about　three　feet　and　a　half　long；　in　a　sheath。　　I　fell　to　the　ground。　　They　then　fired　at　me；　and　rode　o