the eureka stockade-第27节

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After　mass；　I　returned　to　my　cell；　and　was　let　out　again　for　half　an　hour　among　all　sorts　of　criminals；　some　convicted；　some　waiting　their　trial；　in　the　large　yard；　to　eat　our　dinner；　and　again　shut　up　in　the　cell　till　the　following　Monday。




Chapter　LXXIX。



'Souvenirs'　De　Melbourne。


Five　things　I　wish　to　register：　　the　first　for　shame；　the　second　for　encouragement；　the　third　for　duty；　the　fourth　for　information；　the　fifth　for　record。

1。　We　were　one　afternoon　taken　by　surprise　by　the　whole　gang　of　turnkeys；　ordered　to　strip；　and　subjected　to　an　ignominious　search。　　The　very　private　parts　were　discovered　and　touched。　　'Veritatem　dico；　non　mentior。'

2。　Manning　felt　very　much　the　want　of　a　chew　of　tobacco。　　He　and　Tuhey　would　make　me　strike　up　some　favourite　piece　out　of　the　Italian　opera；　and　the　charm　succeeded。　　A　gentle　tap　at　the　door　of　our　cell　was　the　signal　to　get　from　a　crack　below　a　stick　of　tobacco；　and　then　we　were　all　jolly。　　We　decreed　and　proclaimed　that　even　in　hell　there　must　be　some　good　devils。

3。　Mr。　Wintle；　the　governor；　inclining　to　the　John　Bull　in　corporation；　had　preserved　even　in　a　Melbourne　gaol；　crammed　as　it　is　at　the　end　of　each　month　with　the　worst　class　of　confirmed　criminals；　his　good；　kind　heart。　　With　us　state　prisoners；　without　relaxing　discipline；　he　used　no　crueltyspoke　always　kindly　to　uswas　sorry　at　our　position；　and　wished　us　well。　　He　had　regard　for　me；　on　account　of　my　bad　health；　that　I　shall　always　remember。

4。　Some　day　in　January　we　received　a　New…Year's　Presentthat　is　a　copy　of　the　indictment。　　I　protest　at　once　against　recording　it　here：　　it　is　the　coarsest　fustian　ever　spun　by　Toorak　Spiders。　　I　solemnly　declare　that　to　my　knowledge　the　name　of　Her　Most　Gracious　Majesty　was　never　mentioned　in　any　way；　shape；　or　form　whatever；　during　the　whole　of　the　late　transactions　on　Ballaarat。　　I　devoured　the　whole　of　the　indictment　with　both　my　eyes；　expecting　to　meet　with　some　count　charging　us　with　riot。　The　disappointment　was　welcome；　and　I　considered　myself　safe。　　Not　so；　however；　by　a　parcel　of　shabby　solicitors。　　They　said　it　would　go　hard　with　any　one　if　found　guilty。　　The　government　meant　to　make　an　example　of　some　of　of　us；　as　a　lesson　to　the　ill…affected；　in　the　shape　of　some　fifteen　years　in　the　hulks。　　They　had　learned　from　Lynn　of　Ballaarat　that　there　were　no　funds　collected　from　the　diggers　for　the　defence。　　'Cetera　quando　rursum　scribam'and　thus　they　won　some　200　pounds　out　of　the　frightened　state　prisoners；　who　possessed　ready　cash。

〃What　will　be　the　end　of　us；　Joe？〃　was　my　question　to　the　nigger…rebel。

〃Why；　if　the　jury　lets　us　go；　I　guess　we'll　jump　our　holes　again　on　the　diggings。　　If　the　jury　won't　let　us　go；　then〃and　bowing　his　head　over　the　left　shoulder；　poking　his　thumb　between　the　windpipe　and　the　collarbone；　opened　wide　his　eyes；　and　gave　such　an　unearthly　whistle；　that　1　understood　perfectly　well　what　he　meant。




Chapter　LXXX。



The　State　Prisoners。　（From　'The　Age'；　February　14th；　1855。）


The　following　is　the　copy　of　a　letter　addressed　by　the　state　prisoners　now　awaiting　their　trial　in　the　Melbourne　Gaol；　to　the　Sheriff；　complaining　of　the　treatment　they　have　received：…


Her　Majesty's　Gaol；　Melbourne；　February　6th；　1855。　To　the　Sheriff　of　the　Colony　of　Victoria：…

SirAs　the　chief　officer　of　the　government；　regulating　prison　discipline　in　Victoria；　we；　the　undersigned　Ballaarat　state　prisoners；　respectfully　beg　to　acquaint　you　with　the　mode　of　our　treatment　since　our　imprisonment　in　this　gaol；　in　the　hope　that　you　will　be　pleased　to　make　some　alteration　for　the　better。

At　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning　we　are　led　into　a　small　yard　of　about　thirty　yards　long　and　eight　wide；　where　we　must　either　stand；　walk　or　seat　ourselves　upon　the　cold　earth　（no　seats　or　benches　being　afforded　us）；　and　which　at　meal　times　serves　as　chair；　table；　etc。；　with　the　additional　consequence　of　having　our　food　saturated　with　sand；　dust；　and　with　every　kind　of　disgusting　filth　which　the　wind　may　happen　to　stir　up　within　the　yard。

We　are　locked　in；　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　four　or　five　of　us　together；　in　a　cell　whose　dimensions　are　three　feet　by　twelve；　being　thus　debarred　from　the　free　air　of　heaven　for　sixteen　hours　out　of　the　twenty…four。　The　food　is　of　the　very　worst　description　ever　used　by　civilized　beings。　　We　are　debarred　the　use　of　writing　materials；　except　for　purposes　of　pressing　necessity；　are　never　permitted　to　see　a　newspaper；　and　strictly　prohibited　the　use　of　tobacco　and　snuff。　　We　have　been　subjected　to　the　annoyance　of　being　stripped　naked；　a　dozen　men　together；　when　a　process　of　'searching'　takes　place　that　is　debasing　to　any　human　being；　but　perfectly　revolting　to　men　whose　sensibilities　have　never　been　blunted　by　familiarity　with　crimean　ordeal　of　examination；　and　the　coarse　audacity　with　which　it　is　perpetrated；　as　would　make　manhood　blush；　and　which　it　would　assuredly　resent；　as　an　outrage　upon　common　decency；　in　any　other　place　than　a　prison。　　And　again；　when　the　visiting　justice　makes　his　rounds；　we　are　made　to　stand　bareheaded　before　him；　as　ifetc。

We　give　the　government　the　credit　of　believing　that　it　is　not　its　wish　we　should　be　treated　with　such　apparent　malignity　and　apparent　malice；　and　also　believe　that　if　you；　sir；　the　representative　of　government　in　this　department；　had　been　previously　made　acquainted　with　this　mode　of　treatment；　you　would　have　caused　it　to　be　altered。　　But　we　have　hitherto　refrained　from　troubling　the　government　on　the　subject；　in　expectation　of　a　speedy　trial；　which　now　appears　to　be　postponed　sine　die。

We；　each　of　us；　can　look　back　with　laudable　pride　upon　our　lives；　and　not　a　page　in　the　record　of　the　past　can　unfold　a　single　transgression　which　would　degrade　us　before　man；　or　for　which　we　would　be　condemned　before　our　Maker。　And　we　naturally　ask　why　we　should　be　treated　as　if　our　lives　had　been　one　succession　of　crime；　or　as　if　society　breathed　freely　once　more　at　being　rid　of　our　dangerous　and　demoralising　presence。　　Even　the　Sunday；　that　to　all　men　in　Christendom　is　a　day　of　relaxation　and　comparative　enjoyment；　to　us　is　one　of　gloom　and　weariness；　being　locked　up　in　a　dreary　cell　from　three　o'clock　Saturday　evening　till　seven　on　Monday　morning　（except　for　about　an　hour　and　a　half　on　Sunday）；　thus　locked　up　in　a　narrow　dungeon　for　forty　consecutive　hours！　We　appeal　to　you；　and　ask；　was　there　ever　worse　treatment；　in　the　worst　days　of　the　Roman　inquisition；　for　men　whose　reputation　had　never　been　sullied　with　crime？

We　therefore　humbly　submit；　that；　as　the　state　looks　only　at　present　to　our　being　well　secured；　we　ought　to　be　treated　with　every　liberality　consistent　with　our　safe　custody；　and　that　any　unnecessary　harshness；　or　arrogant　display　of　power；　is　nothing　more　or　less　than　wanton　cruelty。

Some　of　us；　for　instance；　could　wile　away　several　hours　each　day　in　writing；　an　occupation　which；　while　it　would　fill　up　the　dreary　vacuum　of　a　prison　life；　as　would　the　moderate　use　of　snuff　and　tobacco　cheer　it；　and　soothe　that　mental　irritation　consequent　upon　seclusion。　　But　that　system　of　discipline　which　would　paralyse　the　mind　and　debilitate　the　bodythat　would　destroy　intellectual　as　well　as　physical　energy　and　vigour；　cannot　certainly　be　of　human　origin。

Trusting　you　will　remove　these　sources　of　annoyance　and　complaint；

We　beg　to　subscribe　ourselves；　Sir　Your　obedient　servants。　＇Here　follow　the　names。＇

…

Sheriff　CLAUDE　FARIE；　Inspector　PRICE；　Turnkey　HACKETT；　they　will　praise　your　names　in　hell！




Chapter　LXXXI。



Quem　Patronem　Rogaturus。


The　brave　people　of　Melbourne　remembered　the　state　prisoners；　forgotten　by　the　Ballaarat　diggers；　who　now　that　the　storm　was　over；　considered　themselves　luckily　cunning　to　have　got　off　safe；　and　therefore　could　afford　to　'joe'　again；　the　red…streak　near　Golden…point；　having　put　every　one　in　the　good　old　spirits　of　the　good　old　times。


Yourself　devoting　to　the　public　cause；　You　ask　the　people　if　they　be　'there'　to　die：　Yes；　yes　hurrah　the　thund'ring　applause；　Too　soon；　alas！　you　find　out　the　lie！　Cast　in　a　gaol；　at　best　you　are　thought　a　fool；　Red　hot　grows　your　foe；　your　friend　too　cool。

An　angel；　however；　was　sent　to　the　undefended　state　prisoners。　　Hayes　and　myself　were　the　first；　who　since　our　being　in　trouble；　did　grasp　the　hand　of　a　gentleman；　volunteering　to　be　our　friend。

JAMES　MACPHERSON　GRANT；　solicitor；　is　a　Scotchman　of　middle…size；　middle…height；　and　the　whole　makes　the　man；　an　active　man　of　business；　a　shrewd　lawyer；　and　up　to　all　the　dodges　of　his　profession。　　His　forehead　announces　that　all　is　sound　within；　his　benevolent　countenance　assures　that　his　heart　is　for　man　or　woman　in　trouble。　　He　hates　oppression；　so　say　his　eyes。　　He　scorns　humbug；　so　says　his　nose。　　His　manners　declare　that　he　was　born　a　gentleman。

I　very　soon　gave　him　hints　for　my　defence；　quite　in　accordance　with　what　I　have　been　stating　above；　and　his　clerk　took　the　whole　down　in　short…hand。　He　encouraged　me　to　be　of　good　cheer；　〃You　need　not　fear；〃　said　he；　〃you　will　soon　be　out；　all　of　you。〃

God　bless　you；　Mr。　Grant！　　For　the　sake　of　you　and　Mr。　Aspinall；　the　barrister；　I　smother　now　my　bitterness；　a