the eureka stockade- 第13部分

11。　　12。　　There　were　two　other　individuals　of　the　John…bull　caste；　perhaps　cross…breed；　who　had　taken　up　arms　in　the　cause　of　the　diggers；　because　their　sly…trade　was　flagging；　but；　as　a　rotten　case　abides　no　handling；　I　will　let　them　pass。

Manning；　handed　over　to　Lalor　the　motion　drawn　up　in　my　tent。　　Here　it　is：…

Proposed　by　John　Manning；

Seconded　by　Carboni　Raffaello；

I。　　That　Peter　Lalor　has　acted　worthy　of　the　miners　of　Ballaarat；　in　organizing　the　armed　men　on　Bakeryhill；　against　the　wanton　aggression　from　the　Camp　this　morning。

II。　　That　he　be　desired　to　call　in　all　captains　of　division　now　present　on　the　spot；　as　well　as　other　persons　of　importance；　well…known　good…wishers　to　the　cause　of　the　diggers。

III。　　That　said　parties　constitute　the　council…of…war　for　the　defence。

IV。　　Lalor　to　be　the　president　pro。　tem。

V。　　That　he　proceed　at　once　to　the　election　of　the　Commander…in…Chief；　by　the　majority　of　votes。

Lalor　tore　up　immediately　the　slip　of　paper　containing　the　above　motion；　because　he　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　leave　written　things　about　in　a　public　store。　　I　transcribe　it　from　the　scrap　left　among　the　papers　in　my　tent。




Chapter　XXXVI。



Quousque　Tandem　Abutere；　Toorak；　Patientia　Nostra？


Lalor　rose；　and　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I　find　myself　in　the　responsible　position　I　now　occupy；　for　this　reason。　　The　diggers；　outraged　at　the　unaccountable　conduct　of　the　Camp　officials　in　such　a　wicked　licence…hunt　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　as　the　one　of　this　morning；　took　it　as　an　insult　to　their　manhood；　and　a　challenge　to　the　determination　come　to　at　the　monster　meeting　of　yesterday。　　The　diggers　rushed　to　their　tents　for　arms；　and　crowded　on　Bakery…hill。　　They　wanted　a　leader。　　No　one　came　forward；　and　confusion　was　the　consequence。　　I　mounted　the　stump；　where　you　saw　me；　and　called　on　the　people　to　'fall　in'　into　divisions；　according　to　the　fire…arms　they　had　got；　and　to　chose　their　own　captains　out　of　the　best　men　they　had　among　themselves。　　My　call　was　answered　with　unanimous　acclamation；　and　complied　to　with　willing　obedience。　　The　result；　is；　that　I　have　been　able　to　bring　about　that　order；　without　which　it　would　be　folly　to　face　the　pending　struggle　like　men。　　I　make　no　pretensions　to　military　knowledge。　I　have　not　the　presumption　to　assume　the　chief　command；　no　more　than　any　other　man　who　means　well　in　the　cause　of　the　diggers。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　see　the　best　among　us　take　the　lead。　　In　fact；　gentlemen；　I　expected　some　one　who　is　really　well　known　（J。　B。　Humffray？）　to　come　forward　and　direct　our　movement！　　However；　if　you　appoint　me　your　commander…in…chief；　I　shall　not　shrink；　I　mean　to　do　my　duty　as　a　man。　　I　tell　you；　gentlemen；　if　once　I　pledge　my　hand　to　the　diggers；　I　will　neither　defile　it　with　treachery；　nor　render　it　contemptible　by　cowardice。〃


Brave　Peter；　you　gave　us　your　hand　on　the　Eureka；　and　left　there　your　arm：　an　incontestable　evidence　of　Lalor's　Pledge。

Manning　then　proposed　Raffaello；　and　pointed　at　his　scars　as　an　evidence　of　his　tiger…pluck　against　the　hated　Austrian　rule；　which　was　now　attempted；　in　defiance　of　God　and　man；　to　be　transplanted　into　this　colony。

I　declined；　because；　during　the　past　winter；　I　had　over…tasked　my　physical　strength；　and　did　not　possess　that　vigour　essential　to　such　an　emergency。　Confidence　is　the　bond　necessary　between　the　soldier　and　his　officer。　It　was　my　decided　opinion；　however　much　a　foreigner　may　be　respected　on　the　gold…fields；　that　the　right　man　should　be　taken　from　among　Britons。

Vern　here　began　a　portentous　lecture　on　military　science；　military　discipline；　military　tactics；　and　other　sorts　of　militaryism；　but　his　English　was　so　wretched；　his　ideas　so　sky…blathering；　his　martial　ardour　so　knocking　down；　that　no　one　could　make　anything　out　of　his　blabberdom。

Of　this　I　have　perfect　recollection。　　He　was　boasting　eternally　of　his　German　rifle…brigade！　　500　strong。　　That　he　had　this　brigade　he　urgently　asserted；　but　where　it　was；　that's　the　rub！

No　possible　inquiry　from　Lalor　could　get　at　the　bottom　of　Vern's　prodigal　brigade。　　Is；　then；　the　grand　secret　buried　within　Vern's　splendid　chest？　No；　I　mean　to　reveal　it　at　four　o'clock；　Saturday；　December　2nd。

Carboni　Raffaello；　who　had　heard　heaps　of　cant　in　old　Europe；　did　count　for　nothing　the　oceanic　military　knowledge　of　Vern；　in　spite　of　his　big　trail…sword；　that　made　more　jingling　than　enough。

I　commended；　in　high　terms；　the　conduct　of　Lalor　during　the　morning；　and　it　was　my　impression　that　he　possessed　the　confidence　of　the　diggers　and　should　be　their　Commander…in…chief。

Thonen　seconded　the　motion。　　The　first　'unnamed；'　shewed　approbation；　and　the　appointment　was　carried　by　a　majority　of　eleven　to　one。

Peter　Lalor　thanked　the　council　for　the　honour　conferred　on　him；　assured　the　members　that　he　was　determined　to　prepare　the　diggers　to　resist　force　by　force。

It　was　perfectly　understood；　and　openly　declared；　in　this　first　council…of…war；　that　we　meant　to　organise　for　defence；　and　that　we　had　taken　up　arms　for　no　other　purpose。

The　council　adjourned　to　five　o'clock　in　the　evening。




Chapter　XXXVII。



Lalor　Stump；　Bakery…Hill。


Brave　LALOR　Was　found　'all　there；'　With　dauntless　dare；　His　men　inspiring；　To　wolf　or　bear；　Defiance　bidding；　He　made　us　swear；　Be　faithful　to　the　Standard；　　）　For　Victory　or　Death！　　　　　　　　　）　（bis）

…

On　that　Thursday；　November　30th；　more　memorable　than　the　disgraced　Sunday；　December　3rd；　the　SUN　was　on　its　way　towards　the　west：　　in　vain　some　scattered　clouds　would　hamper　its　splendourthe　god　in　the　firmament　generously　ornamented　them　with　golden　fringes；　and　thus　patches　of　blue　sky　far　off　were　allowed　to　the　sight；　through　the　gilded　openings　among　the　clouds。

The　'SOUTHERN　CROSS'　was　hoisted　up　the　flagstaffa　very　splendid　pole；　eighty　feet　in　length；　and　straight　as　an　arrow。　　This　maiden　appearance　of　our　standard；　in　the　midst　of　armed　men；　sturdy；　self…overworking　gold…diggers　of　all　languages　and　colours；　was　a　fascinating　object　to　behold。　There　is　no　flag　in　old　Europe　half　so　beautiful　as　the　'Southern　Cross'　of　the　Ballaarat　miners；　first　hoisted　on　the　old　spot；　Bakery…hill。　The　flag　is　silk；　blue　ground；　with　a　large　silver　cross；　similar　to　the　one　in　our　southern　firmament；　no　device　or　arms；　but　all　exceedingly　chaste　and　natural。

Captain　Ross；　of　Toronto；　was　the　bridegroom　of　our　flag；　and　sword　in　hand；　he　had　posted　himself　at　the　foot　of　the　flag…staff；　surrounded　by　his　rifle　division。

Peter　Lalor；　our　Commander…in…chief；　was　on　the　stump；　holding　with　his　left　hand　the　muzzle　of　his　rifle；　whose　but…end　rested　on　his　foot。　A　gesture　of　his　right　hand；　signified　what　he　meant　when　he　said；　〃It　is　my　duty　now　to　swear　you　in；　and　to　take　with　you　the　oath　to　be　faithful　to　the　Southern　Cross。　　Hear　me　with　attention。　　The　man　who；　after　this　solemn　oath　does　not　stand　by　our　standard；　is　a　coward　in　heart。

〃I　order　all　persons　who　do　not　intend　to　take　the　oath；　to　leave　the　meeting　at　once。

〃Let　all　divisions　under　arms　'fall　in'　in　their　order　round　the　flag…staff。〃

The　movement　was　made　accordingly。　　Some　five　hundred　armed　diggers　advanced　in　real　sober　earnestness；　the　captains　of　each　division　making　the　military　salute　to　Lalor；　who　now　knelt　down；　the　head　uncovered；　and　with　the　right　hand　pointing　to　the　standard　exclaimed　a　firm　measured　tone：

〃WE　SWEAR　BY　THE　SOUTHERN　CROSS　TO　STAND　TRULY　BY　EACH　OTHER；　AND　FIGHT　TO　DEFEND　OUR　RIGHTS　AND　LIBERTIES。〃

An　universal　well　rounded　AMEN；　was　the　determined　reply；　some　five　hundred　right　hands　stretched　towards　our　flag。

The　earnestness　of　so　many　faces　of　all　kinds　of　shape　and　colour；　the　motley　heads　of　all　sorts　of　size　and　hair；　the　shagginess　of　so　many　beards　of　all　lengths　and　thicknesses；　the　vividness　of　double　the　number　of　eyes　electrified　by　the　magnetism　of　the　southern　cross；　was　one　of　those　grand　sights；　such　as　are　recorded　only　in　the　history　of　'the　Crusaders　in　Palestine。'




Chapter　XXXVIII。



Un　Bon　Calcio；　E　La　Canaglia；　Stronga　Va　Come　La　Paglia。


The　drill　afterwards　was　gone　through　with　eagerness。

Another　scene；　though　of　a　different　kind　all　together；　was　going　on　at　a　corner　of　the　above　picture。

Judas　Iscariot；　'Goodenough；'　was　among　us；　in　the　garb　of　a　fossiker；　he　appeared　to　me；　then；　to　be　under　the　influence　of　drink；　so　Vandemonian…like　were　his　shouts　about　standing　up　and　fighting　for　rights　and　liberties；　and　burning　down　the　camp　in　a　blaze　like　the　late　Eureka　Hotel。

Mind　good　reader；　I　tell　you　no　joke；　I　am　not　in　humour　just　now　to　spin　a　yarn。I　wished　to　shame　the　fellow　for　his　villainy　on　such　a　solemn　occasion。　　The　fellow　persisted　in　his　drunken　shouts。　　I　lost　my　temper；　and　gave　the　scoundrel　such　a　respectable　kick；　in　a　less　respectable　region；　with　a　most　respectable　boot　of　mine；　that　it　served　me　right　when　both　my　new　watertight　boots　were　robbed　from　my　shins　by　Goodenough's　satellites　on　the　subsequent　Sunday；　at　the　Ballaarat　Camp。

The　Thursday's　sun　is　setting：　　we　returned　to　the　Eureka。　　I　had　to　attend　the　'Council　for　the　Defence。'




Chapter　XXXIX。



Disciplina；　Suprema　Lex　In　Bello。


I