Lost Lenore Part 49

To sink our shaft to any advantage, we needed a crowbar. There were some very large stones in the ground that could not be moved without one. A crowbar was an article we did not possess; and as we could not find one at the two or three stores established on Slaty Creek, I walked over, one evening, to Creswick Creek--a distance of some three or four miles--intending to purchase one there.

By the time I reached the towns.h.i.+p, made my purchase, and started towards home, it had got to be ten o'clock. About half a mile from Creswick, on the road homeward, I had to pa.s.s a camp of native blacks.

These people, in morality and social habits, are upon a scale, perhaps, as low, as humanity can reach. The sole object of their existence is, to obtain strong drink. For that, they will sometimes work at gathering bark and poles; or they will look about for stray specks of gold--in places where the miners have been working, and which have been abandoned.

Any one, who understands the strength of their aversion to labour, may form some idea of the desire these blacks have for drink: when it is known that they will sometimes do the one for the sake of getting the other!

An Australian native black, after becoming degraded by intercourse with the whites, will sell his mother, sister, or wife, for brandy!

The party, whose camp I was compelled to pa.s.s, had evidently met with some success, in their various ways of obtaining brandy during that day, for from the noise they were making, I judged that all, or nearly all of them, must be in a state of intoxication.

Not wis.h.i.+ng to be annoyed, by their begging for tobacco--which I knew they would be certain to do, should they see me--I resolved to keep out of their way. Instead of following the direct path--which led on through the place where they had erected their "_mia-mias_" or huts--I made a detour of their encampment. After pa.s.sing well round it, I turned once more towards the road to Slaty Creek, which, after a time, I succeeded in regaining.

I had scarce got well upon the track, when I was confronted by a big "black fellow," apparently beside himself with drink.

As a general rule, the native blacks, seen roaming about the _gold-fields_ of Victoria, are seldom guilty of malignant violence towards the whites; but the man, whom it was now my misfortune to meet, proved an exception to this rule: for the reason, no doubt, that he was maddened with alcohol.

As he approached me, I saw that he was brandis.h.i.+ng a "waddy waddy," or club. I strove to avoid him; but found, that although mad with drink, he was active upon his limbs, and able to hinder me from making a retreat. Had I attempted to run away, I should have been brought to a stop--by a blow from his "waddy waddy."

I saw that my best chance of safety would be in standing firm, and defending myself.

The fellow made two desperate lounges at me with his club, which, with some difficulty, I managed to dodge--and all the while that he was delivering his murderous a.s.sault, he kept shouting to me, in his native gibberish--apparently making some important communication, but the nature of which I had not the slightest idea.

Just as I was beginning to consider the affair serious, and was preparing to act on the offensive, the black made a third blow with his waddy waddy. This I was unable, altogether, to avoid; and the club struck heavily against one of my legs.

Irritated by the pain produced, I could no longer control my temper; and, grasping the crowbar with both hands, I aimed a blow at the black fellow's head.

I did not strike with the intention of killing the man. I only knew that my life was in danger; and that I was suffering great pain from the wound I had received. This, however, had irritated me beyond the power of controlling myself; and, no doubt, my whole strength was given to the stroke.

The crowbar descended upon the black fellow's naked crown; and never shall I forget the horrible sound made by the cras.h.i.+ng in of his skull.

It was not only horrible, but sickening; and for a moment, completely unmanned me. It was not the mere thought, that I had broken a man's head, that unmanned me, for I had both witnessed, and taken part, in many a sanguinary scene before that--without feeling any such remorseful emotion. It was the horrid sound--caused by the cras.h.i.+ng in of his skull--that not only overcame me, but, for a time, rendered me faint, sick, and disgusted with the world, and all it contained.

That sound echoed in my ears for hours afterwards; and, ever since that time, I have carefully avoided being near any place where a "free fight"

was about to take place--lest it might be my misfortune to hear a similar sound.

The day after, it was reported, that the blacks were entertaining themselves with a funeral. I did not learn the particulars of the ceremony; but, presume it was similar to a funeral I had witnessed among a tribe of the same people on Fryer's Creek, in July, 1853. One of their number had been killed, by another of the tribe; and, on the next day, I was present at the performance of their funeral rites, over the remains of the murdered man.

A grave was dug, about five feet deep--into which the body was lowered, and a sheet of bark laid over it. The earth was then filled in; and while this was being done, by one man, two others stood inside the grave, stamping upon the dirt, and treading it down, as firm as they could make it!

What could have been their object in thus _packing_ the dead body, I never understood, unless it was done, under the impression, that the corpse might come to life again, without this precaution being taken to keep it under ground!

Volume Three, Chapter II.

FARRELL AND HIS WIFE, ONCE MORE.

Three weeks "prospecting," at Slaty Creek, convinced me that it was not the place for a gold-digger to make his fortune, without the severest labour; and for this reason, I left it--returning to Ballarat.

On arriving at the latter place, I went to see my old Californian acquaintance, Farrell. The instant I set eyes on him, and he on me, his features plainly proclaimed that he had something to tell me, which he deemed very amusing.

"Farrell," said I, "you are working a rich claim; I see fortune written on your face."

"Nothing of the kind," he answered; "I have just finished a tolerable spell of digging, it is true; and shall start for home to-morrow. But it ain't that; I have better news still."

"Better news? What can it be!"

"I've seen Foster, and my wife. Ha! ha! they've been living in sight of my tent for the last four months; and I never knew they were there until two days ago!"

"Then you have seen Foster?"

"Certainly, I have!"

"What did you do to him?"

"Nothing. Fate is giving me all the revenge I want; and I would not interfere with her designs--not for the world. In saying that Foster is the most miserable object I've seen for many years. I speak only the truth. He has a rheumatic fever, and hasn't been able to stir out of his tent for six weeks. He will probably never go out of it again--that is, alive. Now, I call that fun; isn't it?"

"Not much for Foster, I should think. But how came you to find them?"

"I was in my tent, one morning, when I heard a woman talking to my partner, who happened to be outside just by the door. The woman was wanting to get some was.h.i.+ng to do. She said, that her husband had been a long time ill; and that they hadn't a s.h.i.+lling to live upon. I thought her voice sounded familiar to me; and, taking a peep out of the tent, I saw at once it was my runaway wife! I waited till she walked away; and then, slipping out, I followed her to her own tent. She went inside, without seeing me; and then I stepped in after her, and stood quietly surveying the guilty pair.

"My wife went off into a fit of `highstrikes,' while Foster lay trembling, like a craven, expecting every moment to be killed. `Don't be frightened,' said I, `I haven't the slightest intention to put you out of your misery. I like revenge too well for that. You have some more trouble to see yet, I hope; and I'm not going to do anything that might hinder you from seeing it.

"I waited till my wife became sufficiently composed to comprehend what was going on; and then, after thanking her for the kindness she had done me--by relieving me of all further trouble with her--I bid them `good day,' and walked off, leaving them to reflect upon the interview.

"To-day, I have just been to visit them again; and the want and misery, they appear to be suffering, gave me no little pleasure. They looked as though they had not had a morsel to eat for a week; and I could not see a sc.r.a.p--of either bread or meat--in their tent.

"I told them, not to give themselves any further uneasiness, on my account, for I wasn't going to molest them any more. `I've made a little fortune here,' said I, `and intend starting for New York State to-morrow. Have you any message to send to your friends?' I asked of Foster. The poor devil could not, or would not, make me a reply. `Have _you_, Mary,' said I, turning to my wife. She could only answer with sobs. `It is a miserable, wretched life, at the best, on these diggings,' I remarked. I am going to leave it, and once more seek happiness in my native land. Excuse me, Mr Foster, and you, Mrs F., for not helping you in your distress. I know that there is an All-wise Creator, who will reward both of you, as your conduct deserves; and it would be presumptuous in me to take any of the work out of his hands. I leave you here, with full confidence in the belief, that divine justice will be impartially administered to all.

"Now that was what I call good talking,--what do you say?"

"Very good, indeed," I answered. "But are you really going to leave them in that manner?"

"Certainly, I am. I never intend to see either of them again. When I was coming away from their tent, my wife followed me out, went down on her knees, and piteously entreated me to aid her, in returning to her parents. She declared, that she never knew my worth, until she had foolishly lost me; and that she now loved me more than ever she had done--my little finger, more than Foster's whole body--which it would not have been difficult to make me believe. She said, she would not ask me to let her live with me again; but, that if I would give her money to return home, she would pa.s.s the remainder of her days in praying for me.

"No, Mary," said I, "do not think so unjustly of me, as to suppose I could do that. I love you too well, to stand in the way of your receiving the reward you have deserved; and, besides, you should not desert Forter, whom you have followed so far--now that the poor fellow is in affliction. My affection for you is too sincere, to think of allowing you to commit so great a wrong?

"Having delivered this exordium, I turned and left her. Now that is what I call revenge. What's your opinion?"

"What is revenge to one man, may not be to another," was my answer. "If it pleases you to act so, of course, I have nothing to say against it."

"And what would _you_ do?"

"I should give the woman some money, enough to enable her to return to her parents. As for the man, I should leave him to his fate."

"Then you would act very foolishly,--as I would, if I followed your advice. The woman having got home, would be there to annoy me. I wish to go back to my native place; and be happy there for the rest of my days. How could that be--living along side a wife who had so disgraced me?"

I could say nothing more to dissuade Farrell from his purpose; and we parted company--he shortly after starting for Melbourne, to take pa.s.sage for New York.

The after-fate of his faithless wife, and her wretched paramour, some other must record: for, from that hour, I never heard of either of them again.