the eureka stockade-第20章

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　of　bones；　neglected　beard；　sun…burnt；　grog…worn；　as　dirty　as　a　brute；the　known　cast；　as　called　here　in　this　colony；　of　a　'Vandemonian；'　made　up　of　low；　vulgar　manners　and　hard　talk；　spiked　at　each　word；　with　their　characteristic　B；　and　infamous　B　again；　whilst　a　vile　oath　begins　and　ends　any　of　their　foul　conceits。　　Their　glory　to　stand　oceans　of　grog；　joined　to　their　benevolence　of　'shouting'　for　all　hands；　and　their　boast　of　black…eye　giving；　nose…smashing；　knocking　in　of　teeth；　are　the　three　marks　of　their　aristocracy。　Naturally　cowards；　they　have　learned　the　secret　that　'Pluck；'　does　just　as　well　for　their　foul　jobs。　　Grog　is　pluck；　and　the　more　grog　they　swallow；　the　more　they　count　on　success。　　Hence　their　frame；　however　robust　by　nature；　wears　out　through　hard　drink；　and　goes　the　way　of　all　flesh；　rarely　with　grey　hairs。　　It　is　dangerous　to　approach　them；　they　know　the　dodge　how　to　pick　up　a　quarrel　for　the　sake　of　gratifying　their　appetite　for　fighting。　　You　cannot　avoid　them　in　this　colony；　they　are　too　numerous。　I　saw　hundreds　of　these　Vandemonians；　during　my　four　months　in　gaol。　Their　heart　must　be　of　the　same　stuff　as　that　of　vultures；　because　they　are　of　the　same　trade。　　In　a　word；　they　are　the　living　witnesses　among　us；　of　the　terrible　saying　of　Isaiah；　'The　heart　of　man　is　desperately　wicked。'

Through　such　did　Satan　plant　his　standard　to　rule　this　southern　land；　before　Christ　could　show　his　Cross；　hence；　before　famous　Ballaarat　could　point　at　a　barn；　and　call　it　a　church；　on　the　township；　old　Satan　had　three　palaces　to　boast　of；　the　first　of　whicha　match　for　any　in　the　worldhas　made　the　landlord　as　wealthy　and　proud　as　a　merchant…prince　of　the　City　of　London。　'Non　ex　illis　Mecoenates；'that's　the　secret　how　this　land　has　produced　so　many　first…rate　bullock…drivers。

The　scene　at　the　Prince　Albert　is　now　more　interesting。




Chapter　LIV。



In　Vino　Veritas。


The　Vandemonian　was；　of　course；　accompanied　by　nine　more　of　his　pals；　all　of　them　armed　to　the　teeth　with　revolvers；　swords；　pikes；　and　knives。

Carl　Wiesenhavern；　a　man　of　noble　character；　and；　therefore　a　man　who　hates　knavery；　and　has　no　fear　of　a　knave；　answered　with　his　peculiar　German　coolness；　〃Here　I　am；　what　do　you　want？〃

〃Nobblers　round；〃　was　the　eager　reply。

〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　replied　Wiesenhavern；　〃you　shall　have　it　with　pleasure。〃

〃We　got　no　money。〃

〃I　did　not　ask　for　any：　　understand　me　well；　though；〃　pointing　at　each　of　them　with　the　forefinger　of　his　clenched　right　hand；　〃you　will　have　a　nobbler　a…piece；　and　no　more：　　afterwards　you　will　go　your　way。　　Are　you　satisfied　with　my　conditions？〃

〃Yes；　yes！　we　agree　to　that：　　go　on　you　b。〃

Wiesenhavern　scorned　to　notice　the　fellow；　and；　according　to　the　old　custom　of　the　house；　placed　two　decanters　of　brandy；　together　with　the　tumblers；　on　the　bar；　saying；　〃Help　yourselves；　gentlemen。〃

They　fell　at　once　upon　the　brandy；　and　their　mean　rascality　was　shown　by　some　seizing　the　glass　and　covering　it　with　the　full　hand　to　conceal　their　greediness。　　Nobbler…drinking　is　an　old　colonial　habit；　it　gives　pluck　to　the　coward　when　he　is　'up　to　something；'　so　happened　it　with　these　fellows。

〃Well；　landlord；　your　brandy　is　d…d　goodthe　real　sort　of　stuff；　and　no　by　mistake。　　You　shouted　nobblers　round　for　all　handsthat's　all　right；　it's　no　more　than　fair　and　square　now　for　the　boys　to　shout　for　you：〃　and；　with　a　horrible　curse；　〃Fill　up　the　bottles；　let's　have　another　round。〃

Wiesenhavern　kept　himself　quiet。　　One　of　the　ruffians　showed　his　intention　to　enter　the　bar；　and　play　the　landlord　within。　　Wiesenhavern　coolly　persuaded　him　back　by　the　promise　he　would　fetch　from　his　room；　〃something　rowdy；　the　right　old　sort　of　stuffChampagne　Cognac；　'tres　vieux'。〃　The　fellows　presumed　their　'bouncing'　was　all　the　go　now；　and　laughed　and　cursed　in　old　colonial　style。

Wiesenhavern　fetched　his　pistols；　and　his　partner；　Johan　Brandt；　a　double…barrelled　gun。　　Now　Mr。　Brandt　is　one　of　those　short；　broad…shouldered；　sound；　dog…headed　Germans；　with　such　a　determinate　look　when　his　otherwise　slow　wrath　is　stirred　up；　that　it　is　not　advisable　to　tackle　with　his　fists；　and　much　less　with　his　rifle。　　Wiesenhavern；　with　that　precision　of　manners；　which　always　gains　the　point　on　such　occasions；　placed　a　decanter　full　of　brandy　on　the　bar；　and；　with　cocked　pistols　in　both　hands；　said；　〃Touch　it；　if　you　dare；　if　any　one　among　you　got　the　pluck　to　put　in　his　tumbler　one　drop　out　of　that　bottle　there；　he　is　a　dead　man；〃　and　Mr。　Brandt　backed　him　by　simply　saying：…

〃I'll　shoot　the　fellow；　like　a　dog。〃

What　was　the　result？　　Of　course　the　same；　whenever　you　deal　with　knaves　and　you　make　them　understand　what　you　mean。　　They　were　cowed；　and　as　by　this　time；　the　high　words　had　called　in　several　old　customers　of　the　house　who　wished　well　to　it；　because　they　knew　it　deserved　it；　so　the　ruffians　had　to　cut　for　fear　of　their　own　dear　lives。

Then　it　was　related　with　sorrow；　that　several　similar　bands　were　scouring　the　gold…fields　in　all　directions　and　in　the　name　of　the　committee　of　the　Eureka　stockade；　under　cover　pressing　for　fire…arms　and　ammunition；　plundered　the　most　respectable　stores　of　all　they　could　lay　their　hands　upon。

One　instance；　as　reported　there　and　then　by　parties　who　had　just　witnessed　the　transaction。

A　similar　gang；　four　strong；　had　entered　the　store　of　D。　O'Conner；　on　the　Golden　Point；　and　asked　in　the　name　of　the　committee；　powder　and　shot；　but　the　vagabonds　did　not　care　so　much　for　ammunition　for　their　guns；　as　for　the　stuff　for　their　guts；　what　tempted　them　most　was　fine　good　Yorkshire　hams；　and　coffee　to　wash　it　down。　　In　short；　they　ransacked　the　whole　store；　and　each　took　care　of　'something；'　the　best　of　course；　and　therefore　the　cash…box；　worth　some　twenty　pounds　was　not　forgotten。

The　above　are　facts。　　I　do　not　assert　that　such　were　the　orders　of　the　committee；　got　up　after　four　o'clock　of　same　Saturday　at　the　Eureka　stockade。　　I　had　no　part　or　portion　in　the　committee；　and　know　nothing　of　it　personally。




Chapter　LV。



Non　Sit　Nobis　Vanum；　Mane　Surgere　Ante　Lucem。


I　ran　up　to　the　stockade　to　remonstrate　with　Peter　Lalor；　for　whom　I　had　too　much　respect　to　think　for　one　moment；　that　he　had　any　hand；　and　much　less　that　he　had　sanctioned；　such　suicidal　proceedings。

Thanks　to　the　password；　I　entered　within　the　stockade。　　It　must　have　been　not　far　from　midnight。　　I　found　everything　comparatively　quiet；　the　majority　were　either　asleep　of　warming　themselves　round　the　big　fire。　　I　spoke　in　German　face　to　face；　for　the　last　time；　with　Thonen。　　M‘Gill　and　two…thirds　of　the　Independent　Californian　Rangers'　Rifle　Brigade；　in　accordance　with　the　avocation　expressed　in　the　title；　were　out　'starring'　to　intercept　reinforcements　reported　on　the　road　from　Melbourne。　　Nealson　and　his　division　were　off　for　the　same　purpose。　　Was　their　lot　that　of　Lot's　wife？

Sir　Charles　Hotham　must　have　possessed　the　rod　of　Moses　to　convert　the　quartz　of　Victoria　into　red　coats；　as　numerous　as　the　locusts　that　plagued　Pharaoh's　land。　　The　Local　Court　of　Ballaarat　should　recommend　His　Excellency　to　carry　out　the　'abolition　of　shepherding　at　Sebastopol。'

I　asked　Thonen　to　see　Lalor。　　I　was　answered　that　Peter；　from　sheer　exhaustion；　must　rest　for　an　hour　or　two；　and　was　asleep。

Myself　not　having　closed　an　eye　since　Thursday；　I　felt　severely　the　want　of　sleep。　　Is　not　sabbath…keeping　our　day's　cant　in　the　English　language？　Anyhow　it　must　be　admitted；　in　justice　to　both　silver　and　gold　lace；　that　they　take　it　in　good　earnest：　　to　keep　the　sabbath　is　a　holy　and　wholesome　thing　for　them。　　I　do　not　remember　what　was　my　frame　of　mind　at　the　time　I　wished　Thonen　good　night；　very　probably；　〃Enough　for　the　day；　the　morrow　will　have　its　own　troubles：〃　at　any　rate；　Thonen　gave　word　to　the　'outposts；'　chiefly　Californians　to　let　me　pass　to　my　tent：　　and　having　thrown　myself　on　my　stretcher；　with　every　thing　quiet　round　about；　I　soon　fell　asleep。

On　the　afternoon　of　Sunday；　the　following　notice　was　posted　up：…


V。　R。　NOTICE。　No　light　will　be　allowed　to　be　kept　burning　in　any　tent　within　musket…shot　of　the　line　of　sentries　after　8　o'clock　p。m。　　No　discharge　of　fire…arms