the eureka stockade-第10章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
