The Eureka Stockade Part 16

The following doc.u.ment 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 Pa.s.s, Or If They Do It Is Too Late. Hence, 'Better Late Than Never.'

The whole of the morning pa.s.sed 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 Sat.u.r.day 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 pa.s.s-word.

I a.s.sert as a matter of fact, and a living eye-witness, that between one and two o'clock on Sat.u.r.day, 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 circ.u.mstance 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 G.o.d 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 ma.s.sacre 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 Ba.s.son 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 circ.u.mstance, a countryman of mine, whose name I do not remember just now, but he wore at the time a red s.h.i.+rt, 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 name--I copy from a slip of paper I wrote in pencil on that very Sat.u.r.day, 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 circ.u.mstance when M`Gill made his appearance for the first time within the stockade; I recollect perfectly well the circ.u.mstance 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 pa.s.s 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 a.s.sert 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 G.o.d.-- 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 one; but his boast on Ballaarat that his friend Dr. Kenworthy had procured him a 'written free pardon'

did smother me with bitterness.

Chapter LI.

Tota Domus Duo Sunt, Iidem Parentque Jubentque!

A confusion ensued which baffles description; marching, counter-marching, orders given by everybody, attended to by n.o.body. This bl.u.s.tering concern, when brought forward on the stage at the State Trials, appeared so much to the heart's content of his Honour, of his and my learned friend Mr. Ireland, that I must offer it here, 'nolens volens', for the confirmation of the Cracker-of-high-treason-indictments' approbation.