the eureka stockade-第8节

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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　ton；　of　this　sort　of　worn　out　twaddle　imported　from　old　England？

How　much　does　this　new　chum's　bosh　fetch　in　the　southern　markets；　and　in　the　Victorian　market　particularly？

For　my　part　I　decline　to　answer；　because　I　want　to　attend　at　the　meeting。　J。　B。　Humffray；　is　the　Secretary　of　the　League；　his　name　is　going　now　the　round　of　the　diggings；　I　wish　to　see　the　man　in　person；　is　he　a　great；　grand；　or　big　man？　that's　the　question。

When　you　seen　JOHN　BASSON　HUMFFRAY；　you　have　at　once　before　you　a　gentleman；　born　of　a　good　old　family；　his　manners　confirm　it；　and　his　words　indicate　an　honest　benevolent　heart；　directed　by　a　liberal　mind；　entangled　perhaps　by　too　much　reading　of　all　sorts；　perplexed　at　the　prosperity　of　the　vicious；　and　the　disappointment　of　the　virtuous　in　this　mysterious　world　of　ours；　but　could　never　turn　wicked；　because　he　believes　in　the　resurrection　of　life。　He　is　looking　some　thirty　five　years　old；　his　person　is　well　proportioned；　but　inclining　to　John　Bull's。　　His　prepossessing　countenance　is　made　up　of　a　fine　forehead；　denoting　astuteness；　not　so　much　as　shrewdness；　how；　when　and　whither　to　shift　his　pegs　in　the　battle　of　life；　of　a　pair　of　eyes　which　work　the　spell；　of　a　Grecian　nose；　of　a　mouth　remarkable　for　the　elasticity　of　the　lips；　that　make　him　a　model　in　the　pronunciation　of　the　English　language。　　His　voice；　that　of　a　tenor；　undulating　and　clear；　never　obstreperous；　enables　his　tongue　to　work　the　intended　charm；　when　his　head　puts　that　member　into　motion；　but　the　semi…earnestness　of　his　address；　his　cool　sort　of　John　Bull　smile；　betray　that　his　heart　does　not　go　always　with　his　head。　　Hence　he　has　many　enemies；　and　yet　not　one　ever　dared　to　substantiate　a　charge　against　his　character；　he　has　as　many　friends；　but　not　one　friend；　because　it　is　his　policy　ever　to　keep　friendly；　with　redcoats　and　gold…lace；　at　one　and　the　same　time　as　with　blueshirts　and　sou'…westers。

As　I　cannot　possibly　mean　any　thing　dishonourable　to　our　old　mate；　John　Basson　Humffray；　I　ma