the eureka stockade-第9节

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As　I　cannot　possibly　mean　any　thing　dishonourable　to　our　old　mate；　John　Basson　Humffray；　I　may　here　relate　what　his　foes　do　say　of　him。

Suppose　any　given　square　and　the　four　pegs　to　be：


C…D　｜　　　　　　　｜　｜　　　W　　　｜　｜　　　　　　　｜　B…E

C。；　that　is；　the　Camp；　E。；　that　is；　the　Eureka；　D。；　that　is；　the　doodledom　of　red…tape。；　and　B。；　that　is；　blue…shirts。

Let　W。；　that　is　work；　be　the　central　point　at　C；　E；　and　D；　B。　　Now：　　John　is　sinking　at　Eureka　with　the　red　cap；　and　Basson　cracks　some　yabber…yabber　at　D；　that　is；　getting　a　sip　of　Toorak　small…beer；　as　aforesaid。　　Again：　　when　Basson　puts　on　a　sou'…wester　to　go　through　the　main…drift　with　blue…shirts；　then　John　feels　entitled　to　tramp　up　to　Camp；　and　there；　somewhere　not　far　off；　toast　on　the　fourth　of　July　a　Doctor　Kenworthy；　soon　after；　however；　said　Johnny　bends　his　way　to　shake　hands　with　Signor　Raffaello；　at　the　old　peg　Eureka；　and　helps　him　to　rock　the　cradle。　　Further；　to　give　evidence　of　his　consistency；　Humffray　himself　will　express　his　sorrow　to　Peter　Lalor　for　his　loss　of　the　left　arm　at　the　same　peg　Eureka；　and；　to　atone　for　past　transgressions；　he　will　soon　after　call　in　both　the　prodigal　John　and　yabbering　Basson；　and　with　his　whole　heart　and　voice；　strike　up；　'God　Save　the　Queen；'　at　peg　Camp。　　As　for　bottoming　his　shaft　at　the　central　point　Work；　that's　a　different　thing　altogether；　and　yet　it　must　be　admitted　that　he　is　'all　there'　in　his　claim；　when　the　hole　is　bottomed；　especially　if　a　drive　is　to　be　put　in　with　his　quill。　　Sum　total：He　was；　is；　and　ever　will　be；　John　Basson　Humffray；　Esquire；　of　Ballaarat；　'Honi　soi　qui　mal　y　pense'；　because　his　friends　want　him　in　St。　Patrick's　Hall。




Chapter　XXII。



Strike　Off　A　Medal　In　Commemoration。


We　are　on　Bakery…hill；　though；　attention。　　Immediate　objects　of　the　Reform　League。

I。　　An　immediate　change　in　the　management　of　the　goldfields；　by　disbanding　the　Commissioners　（undoubtedly　the　unanimous　demand；　or　'desire'if　the　word　suit　better　the　well…affectedof　all　blue…shirts）。　　Three　cheers　for　Vern！　Go　it　hearty！　　Fine　fellow！　　Legs　rather　too　long！　　Never　mind。

II。　　The　total　abolition　of　the　diggers'　and　storekeeper's　licence　tax。　（Ah！　ah！　prick　John　Bull　at　his　pounds；　shillings　and　pence；　that's　the　dodge　to　make　him　stir。）

Three　cheers　for　Humffray！　　Hurrah！

The　whole　of　the　grand　talk　of　these　Bakery　reformers　leagued　together　on　its　hill；　can　properly　be　framed　in；　on　a　'copper；'　thus　doing　justice　to　all。

Image。　LET　a　course　of　action　be　decided　on　and　carried　out　unswervingly　until　the　heel　of　our　oppressors　be　removed　from　our　necks。　DON'T　LET　THE　THING　DROP　THROUGH；　for　want　of　co…operation　and　support　NOTA　BENE。　2s。　6d。　gentleman's　ticket。　No　admission　for　ladies　at　present。　　'Durum　sed　levius　fit　Patientia。'　REMEMBER！　GOD　HELPS　HIM　WHO　HELPS　HIMSELF　（to　the　2s。　6d。）　DO　NOT　LET　the　word　'British'　become　a　bye…word。　AND　ABOVE　ALL　LEAVE　OFF　SINGING　'Britons　never；　never　shall　be　slaves；'　until　you　leave　fondling　the　chains　which　prove　the　song　a　lie；　a　mockery；　a　delusion；　a　snare。　　Great　works！




Chapter　XXIII。



Ortica　ensis：　　Prima。


Here　is　a　plant　of　Cayenne　pepper；　growing　in　those　days　on　Ballaarat：　it　withered　some　three　months　in　limbo；　but。。。oh　yes；　butt　at　it　again。


'Ballaarat　Times'；　November　18；　1854。

〃THE　REFORM　LEAGUE。

〃There　is　something　strange；　and　to　the　government　of　this　country；　something　not　quite　comprehensible；　in　this　League。　　For　the　first　time　in　the　southern　hemisphere；　a　Reform　League　is　to　be　inaugurated。　There　is　something　ominous　in　this；　the　word　'League；'　in　a　time　of　such　feverish　excitement　as　the　present；　is　big　with　immense　purport　（indeed！）　Indeed；　it　would　ill　become　'The　Times'　to　mince　in　matter　of　such　weighty　importance。　　This　League　is　not　more　or　less　that　the　germ　of　Australian　independence　（sic）。　　The　die　is　cast；　and　fate　has　stamped　upon　the　movement　its　indelible　signature。　　No　power　on　earth　can　restrain　the　united　might　and　headlong　strides　for　freedom　of　the　people　of　this　country；　and　we　are　lost　in　amazement　while　contemplating　the　dazzling　panorama　of　the　Australian　future　（Great　works）。　　We　salute　the　League　＇but　not　the　trio；　Vern；　Kennedy；　Humffray＇；　and　tender　our　hopes　and　prayers　for　its　prosperity　＇in　the　shape　of　a　goodly　pile　of　half…crowns＇。　　The　League　has　undertaken　a　mighty　task　＇the　trio'll　shirk　it　though＇；　fit　only　for　a　great　peoplethat　of　changing　the　dynasty　of　the　country　（Great　works）。　　The　League　does　not　exactly　propose；　nor　adopt　such　a　scheme；　but　we　know　what　it　means；　the　principles　it　would　inculcate；　and　that　eventually　it　will　resolve　itself　into　an　Australian　Congress。〃　（Great　Works！！）


Vote　for　HUMFFRAY　to　be　Auctioneer；　KENNEDY　to　be　Bellman；　VERN　to　be　Runner；　of　the　'Starring　league。'




Chapter　XXIV。



Ortica　ensis：　　Secunda。


Out　came　the　'Ballaarat　Times'；　Saturday；　November　25；　1854。　　Work　was　stopped　at　every　hole：　　the　miners　left　the　deep　and　mobbed　together　round　any　reader　of　the　full　report　of　the


Trial　of　MR。　AND　MRS。　BENTLEY；　Hanse；　and　Farrel；　FOR　THE　MURDER　OF　JAMES　SCOBIE。　　Supreme　Court；　Melbourne。　　GUILTY！　of　Manslaughter。　Mrs。　Bentley　scot…free。

His　Honour　considered　their　conduct　was　wanton　and　reckless。　　He　should　mark　his　sense　of　the　outrage　of　which　they　have　been　found　guilty；　by　passing　on　each　of　them　a　sentence　of　THREE　（！）　YEARS'　IMPRISONMENT　WITH　HARD　LABOUR　ON　THE　ROADS。

Great　Works！


Trial　of　Fletcher；　M‘Intyre　and　Westerby；　for　BURNING　THE　EUREKA　HOTEL。　　Supreme　Court；　Melbourne。　Criminal　Sittings。　　GUILTY；　with　a　recommendation　to　mercy！！

The　Foreman　of　the　Jury　appended　the　following　rider　to　the　verdict：

〃The　jury　feel；　in　giving　their　verdict　against　the　prisoners　at　the　bar；　that　in　all　probability；　they　（the　jury）　should　never　have　had　that　painful　duty　to　Perform；　if　those　entrusted　with　the　government　offices　at　Ballaarat　had　done　theirs　properly。〃

His　Honour　said：　　THE　SENTENCE　of　the　Court　is；　that　you；　M‘Intyre　be　confined　in　H。M。　gaol；　at　Melbourne；　for　THREE　MONTHS；　but　I　shall　not　subject　you　to　labour。　（Great　works！）　　You；　Fletcher；　to　four　months；　and　you；　Westerby；　to　six　months　confinement。。。　。。。The　Executive　was　sufficiently　strong　to　punish　those　who　outrage　the　law！　（Great　works　at　Toorak！）


…

La　vita　in　grammatica；　Facil　declinazione；　La　vita　poi　in　pratica；　Storta　congiugazione：　Della　vita　lo　spello　dal　mondo　sciolto；　Al　mondo　vivi；　poiche　non　sei　sepolto。




Chapter　XXV。



Epistolam　Hanc　Misi；　Tunc　Bene；　Nunc　Valde　Ad　Opus。


Prepaid。　To　W。　H。　ARCHER；　Esq。　Acting　Registrar　General；　Melbourne。　Ballaarat　Gold…fields；　Eureka；　November　30；　1854。


My　dear　Mr。　Archer；

I　was　in　some　anxiety　about　you；　not　receiving　any　answer　to　my　letter　of　the　17th　October；　and　especially　to　that　of　the　22nd　ditto。　　I　was　at　Creswick's　Creek；　when　I　was　informed　that　Father　Smyth　had　a　letter　for　me；　and　last　Monday　I　returned　to　Ballaarat；　where　I　received；　through　Messrs。　Muir　Brothers；　your　letter　of　the　20th　October。　　I　am　heartily　glad　to　learn　that　you　are　well；　and　now　I　suppose　a　few　lines　from　me　are　as　welcome　to　you　as　ever。

Somehow　or　other；　verging　towards　the　fortieth　year　of　my　age；　having　witnessed　strange　scenes　in　this　strange　world；　very；　very　different　from　my　dream　of　youth；　I　feel　now　more　disposed　to　the　sober　reality　of　the　things　of　this　life。

However　desponding　and　humiliating　may　be；　as　it　really　is；　the　sad　reflection；　that　at　the　enormous　distance　of　sixteen　thousand　miles　from　dear　homes　and　dearer　friends；　people　should　be　called　upon　to　assemble；　NOT　to　thank　God　Almighty　for　any　special　mercy；　or　rejoice　over　the　first　good　harvest　or　vintage　on　this　golden　land；　but　melancholy　is　it　to　say；　for　the　old　purpose；　as　in　olden　times　in　the　old　country；　'FOR　THE　REDRESS　OF　GRIEVANCES；'　and　so　yesterday　we　had　a　monster　meeting　on　Bakery…hill；　and　I　was　the　delegate　of　upwards　of　one　thousand　foreigners；　or　'aliens；'　according　to　the　superlative　wisdom　of　your　Legislative　Council。

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　a