the eureka stockade- 第6部分

Here　is　a　short　resume　of　events　which　led　to　the　popular　demonstration　on　Tuesday；　October　17th；　1854。

Two　men；　old　friends；　named　Scobie　and　Martin；　after　many　years　separation；　happened　to　meet　each　other　in　Ballaarat。　　Joy　at　the　meeting；　led　them　to　indulge　in　a　wee　drop　for　'Auld　lang　Syne。'　　In　this　state　of　happy　feeling；　they　call　at　the　Eureka　Hotel；　on　their　way　home；　intending　to　have　a　finishing　glass。　　They　knock　at　the　door；　and　are　refused　admittance；　very　properly；　on　account　of　their　drunkenness。　　They　leave；　and　proceed　on　their　way；　not；　perhaps　without　the　usual　colonial　salutations。　At　about　fifty　yards　from　the　hotel；　they　hear　a　noise　behind　them；　and　retrace　their　steps。　　They　are　met　by　persons；　unknown；　who　inflict　blows　on　them；　which　render　one　insensible　and　the　other　lifeless。

A　coroner's　inquest　was　held　on　the　body；　the　verdict　of　which　was；　〃that　deceased　had　died　from　injuries　inflicted　by　persons　unknown；〃　but　public　feeling　seemed　to　point　to　Mr。　Bentley；　the　proprietor　of　the　Eureka　Hotel；　who；　together　with　his　wife　and　another　party；　were　charged　with　the　murder；　tried　at　the　police　court；　and　acquitted。

The　friends　of　deceased；　considering　that　both　the　inquest　and　the　trial　were　unfairly　conducted；　agreed　to　meet　on　Tuesday；　October　17th；　on　the　spot　where　the　man　was　murdered；　and　devise　measures　to　discover　the　guilty　parties；　and　to　bring　them　to　justice。

Accordingly；　at　an　early　hour；　the　hill　on　which　is　situated　the　Eureka　Hotel　was　thronged　by　thousands；　so　great　was　the　excitement。

THOMAS　KENNEDY；　was　naturally　enough　the　lion　of　the　day。　　A　thick　head；　bold；　but　bald；　the　consequence　perhaps　not　of　his　dissipation；　but　of　his　worry　in　by　gone　days。　　His　merit　consists　in　the　possession　of　the　chartist　slang；　hence　his　cleverness　in　spinning；　a　yarn　never　to　the　purpose；　but　blathered　with　long　phrases　and　bubbling　with　cant。　　He　took　up　the　cause　of　the　diggers；　not　so　much　for　the　evaporation　of　his　gaseous　heroism；　as　eternally　to　hammer　on　the　unfortunate　death　of　his　country…man　Scobie；　for　the　sake　of　'auld　lang　syne。'

When　pressed　by　the　example　of　others　to　burn　his　license；　at　the　subsequent　monster　meeting；　he　had　none　to　burn；　because　he　had　a　wife　and　four　children　dependent　on　him　for　support；　and　therefore　I　do　not　know　what　to　say　further。

These　and　other　resolutions　were　carried　unanimously：…

〃That　this　meeting；　not　being　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　the　proceedings　connected　with　the　death　of　the　late　James　Scobie；　have　been　conducted；　either　by　the　magistrates　or　by　the　coroner；　pledges　itself　to　use　every　lawful　means　to　have　the　case　brought　before　other；　and　more　competent　authorities。

〃That　this　meeting　deems　it　necessary　to　collect　subscriptions　for　the　purpose　of　offering　a　reward　for　the　conviction　of　the　murderers；　and　defraying　all　other　expenses　connected　with　the　prosecution　of　the　case。〃




Chapter　XV。



Nam　Tua　Res　Agitur；　Paries　Cum　Proximus　Ardet。


The　one　pervading　opinion　among　the　multitude　of　miners　and　others　who　had　been　attracted　thither；　appeared　to　be　that　Bentley　was　the　murderer；　and　loud　were　the　cries；　the　hooting；　and　groans　against　him。　　It　would　appear　that　the　Camp　authorities　contemplated　some　little　disturbance；　and　consequently　all　the　available　force　of　police　and　mounted　troopers　were　on　guard　at　the　hotel　and　made　a　very　injudicious　display　of　their　strength。　　Not　only　did　they　follow；　but　ride　through；　the　crowd　of　people　at　the　meeting；　and　it　is　to　this　display　of　their　strength　that　must　be　attributed　the　fire；　and　other　outbursts　of　indignation。　　Miners　who　have　stood　the　working　of　a　Canadian　or　Gravel…pit　shicer；　scorn　danger　in　any　form。

The　crowd；　excessively　irritated　on　seeing　the　large　display　of　the　hated　police　force　began　to　shout　and　and　yell。　　Presently；　a　stone　came　from　the　mass；　and　passing　near　the　head　of　one　of　the　officials；　broke　a　pane　of　glass　in　one　of　the　windows　of　the　hotel。　　The　sound　of　the　falling　glass　appeared　to　act　like　magic　on　the　multitude；　and　bottles；　stones；　sticks；　and　other　missiles；　were　speedily　put　in　requisition　to　demolish　the　windows；　until　not　a　single　pane　was　left　entire；　while　every　one　that　was　broken　drew　a　cheer　from　the　crowd。　　The　police；　all　this　time；　were　riding　round　and　round　the　hotel；　but　did　not　take　any　vigorous　measures　to　deter　the　people　from　the　sport　they　appeared　to　enjoy　so　much。　　The　crowd　advance　nearernear　enough　to　use　sticks　to　beat　in　the　casements。　　They　make　an　entrance；　and；　in　a　moment；　furniture；　wearing　apparel；　bedding；　drapery；　are　tossed　out　of　the　windows；　curtains；　sheets；　etc。；　are　thrown　in　the　air；　frightening　the　horses　of　the　troopers；　who　have　enough　to　do　to　keep　their　saddles；　the　weather…boards　are　ripped　off　the　side　of　the　house；　and　sent　spinning　in　the　air。　　A　real　Californian　takes　particular　care　of；　and　delights　in　smashing　the　crockery。

Mr。　Rede；　the　resident　Commissioner；　arrives；　and　endeavours　to　pacify　the　people　by　speechifying；　but　it　will　not　do。　　He　mounts　the　sill　of　where　was　once　a　window；　and　gesticulates　to　the　crowd　to　hear　him。　　An　egg　is　thrown　from　behind　a　tent　opposite；　and　narrowly　misses　his　face；　but　breaks　on　the　wall　of　the　house　close　to　him。　　The　Commissioner　becomes　excited；　and　orders　the　troopers　to　take　the　man　in　charge；　but　no　trooper　appears　to　relish　the　business。

A　cry　of　〃Fire！〃　is　raised；　a　horse　shies　and　causes　commotion。　　Smoke　is　seen　to　issue　from　one　of　the　rooms　of　the　ground…floor。　　The　police　extinguish　it；　and　an　attempt　is　made　to　form　a　cordon　round　the　building。　　But　it　is　too　late。　　Whilst　the　front　of　the　hotel　occupies　the　attention　of　the　majority　of　the　crowd；　a　few　are　pulling　down　the　back　premises。

Mr。　Rede　sends　for　the　detachment　of　the　gallant　40th　now　stationed　on　Ballaarat。

A　shout　is　raised：〃The　40th　are　coming。〃

〃Don't　illuminate　till　they　come。〃

〃They　shall　see　the　sight。〃

〃Wait　till　they　come。〃

Smash　go　the　large　lamps　in　front　of　the　hotel。　　The　troopers　ride　round　and　caracole　their　horses。

〃Where's　the　red…coats？〃

〃There　they　come；　yonder　up　the　hill！〃

〃Hurrah！　three　cheers。〃

The　40th　arrive；　they　form　into　line　in　front　of　the　hotel；　swords　drawn。　〃Hurrah！　boys！　no　use　waiting　any　longer。〃〃Down　she　comes。〃　The　bowling　alley　is　on　fire。Police　try　to　extinguish　the　flamesrather　too　warm。It's　too　late。The　hotel　is　on　fire　at　the　back　corner；　nothing　can　save　it。〃Hip；　hip　hurrah！〃　is　the　universal　shout。

I　had　opportunities　enough　to　observe　in　London；　that　a　characteristic　of　the　British　race　is　to　make　fun　of　the　calamity　of　fire；　hence　I　did　not　wonder；　how　they　enjoyed　this；　their　real　sport　on　the　occasion。

A　gale　of　wind；　which　blowed　at　this　exact　time；　announcing　the　hurricane　that　soon　followed；　was　the　principal　helper　to　the　devouring　of　the　building；　by　blowing　in　the　direction　most　favourable　to　the　purpose。

The　red…coats　wheel　about；　and　return　to　the　Camp。　　Look　out！　the　roof　of　the　back　part　of　the　hotel；　falls　in！　　〃Hurrah！　boys；　here's　the　porter　and　ale　with　the　chill　off。〃

Bottles　are　handed　out　burning　hotthe　necks　of　two　bottles　are　knocked　together！Contents　drunk　in　colonial　style。Look　out！　the　roof；　sides　and　all　fall　in！An　enormous　mass　of　flame　and　smoke　arises　with　a　roaring　sound。Sparks　are　carried　far；　far　into　the　air；　and　what　was　once　the　Eureka　Hotel；　is　now　a　mass　of　burning　embers！

The　entire　diggings；　in　a　state　of　extreme　excitement。The　diggers　are　lords　and　masters　of　Ballaarat；　and　the　prestige　of　the　Camp　is　gone　for　ever。




Chapter　XVI。



Loquar　In　Amaritudine　Animoe。　　Meoe


Now　my　peace　of　mind　being　destroyed；　I　had　recourse　to　the　free　British　press；　for　information；　wishing　to　hear　what　they　said　in　Melbourne。　　At　this　time　the　Morning　Herald　was　in　good　demand；　but　the　'Geelong　Advertiser'　had　the　swayn　on　the　goldfields。　　Geelong　had　a　rattling　correspondent　on　Ballaarat；　who　helped　to　hasten　the　movement　fast　enough。　　As　I　did　not　know　this　correspondent　of　the　'Geelong　Advertiser'　personally；　so　I　can　only　guess　at　his　frame　of　mind。　　I　should　say　the　following　ingredients　entered　into　the　factory　of　his　ideas：…

1st。　　The　land　is　the　Lord's　and　all　therein；　but　man　must　earn　his　bread　by　the　sweat　of　his　brow。　　Therefore；　in　the　battle　of　life；　every　man　must　fight　his　way　on　the　old　ground；　〃help　yourself　and　God　will　help　you。〃

2nd。　　In　olden　times；　wherever　there　was　a　Roman　there　was　life。　　In　our　times；　wherever　there　is　a　Britain　there　is　trade；　and　trade　is　life。　　But　with　the　lazy；who；　either　proud　or　mean；　is　always　an　incapable；　because　generally　he　is　a　drunkard；　and　therefore　a　beggar；　there　is　no　possible　barter；　and；　inasmuch　as　man　does　not　live　on　bread　alone；　for　a　fried　sole　is　a　nice　thing　for　breakfast；　so　also　it　must　be　confessed　that　the　loaves　and　fishes　do　not　condescend　to　jump　into　one's　mouth　all　dressed　as　they　ought　to　be。　　Thereforeand　this　is　the　zenith　of　the　'Geelong　Advertiser's'　practical　correspondentbe　not　perplexed；　if　the　loaves　and　fishes　wont　pop　fast　enough　into　your　mouth　particularly；　let　Mahomed's　example　be　instantly　followed：　　go　yourself