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第22章

the eureka stockade-第22章

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een concealed under a heap of slabs; was in the agony of death; a stream of blood from under the slabs; heavily forcing its way down hill。

The tears choke my eyes; I cannot write any further。

Americans! your Doctor Kenworthy was not there; as he should have been; according to Humffray's letter。

Catholics! Father Smyth was performing his sacred duty to the dying; in spite of the troopers who threatened his life; and forced him at last to desist。

Protestants! spare us in future with your sabbath cant。  Not one of your ministers was there; helping the digger in the hour of need。

John Bull! you wilfully bend your neck to any burden for palaver and war to protect you in your universal shop…keeping; and maintain your sacred rights of property; but human life is to you as it was to Napoleon:  for him; fodder for the cannon; for you; tools to make money。  A dead man needs no further care; and human kind breeds fast enough everywhere after all; 'Cetera quando rursum scribam'。

On my reaching the stockade with a pannikin of water for Teddy; I was amazed at the apathy showed by the diggers; who now crowded from all directions round the dead and wounded。  None would stir a finger。

All on a sudden a fresh swarm of troopers cleared the stockade of all moving things with the mere threat of their pistols。

All the diggers scampered away and entered all available tents; crouching within the chimneys or under stretchers。  The valorous; who had given such a proof of their ardour in smothering with stones; bats; and broken bottles; the 12th Regiment on their orderly way from Melbourne on Tuesday; November 28; at the same identical spot on the Eureka; now allowed themselves to be chained by dozens; by a handful of hated traps; who; a few days before; had been kept at bay on the whole of the diggings; by the mere shouting of 'Joe!'  A sad reflection; indeed; a very sad reflection。

Myself and a few neighbours now procured some stretchers; and at the direction of Doctor Carr; converted the London Hotel into an hospital; and took there the wounded。

Said Doctor Carr despatched me to fetch his box of surgical instruments from Dr。 Glendinning's hospital on Pennyweight…hill; a distance of a full mile。

I hastened to return; with Dr。 Glendinning himself; and I did my best to assist the helpless; and dress their wounds。

IMPORTANTI must call the attention of my reader to the following fact: When I entered the stockade with Dr。 Carr's surgical box; Mr。 Binney; an old acquaintance since the times of Canadian Gully; took me warmly by the hand; and said; 〃Old fellow; I am glad to see you alive! everybody thinks (pointing to a dead digger among the heap) that's poor Great Works!〃

The state of mind in which I was; gave me no time to take much notice of the circumstances; and must have answered; 〃Thank God; I am alive;〃 and proceeded to my duty。

The identical Mr。 Binney; of the firm of Binney and Gillot; now storekeepers on the Ballaarat township; is a living witness to the above statement。

Solicitor Lynn told me; 'in propria persona' in the Ballaarat prison; that he would take care to bring forward evidence of the above; as he had heard it himself; that such was the case; but I forgot to fee this Lynn; and so he left me to the chance of being 'lyn…ched。'




Chapter LX。



The Southern Cross; In Digger's Gore Imbrued; Was Torn Away; And Left The Digger Mourning。


The following Letter; from the able pen of the spirited correspondent of the 'Geelong Advertiser' who most undoubtedly must be a diggerthat is; one of ourselves; from among ourselves;is here transcribed as a document confirming the truths of this book:…


THE EUREKA MASSACRE 'From a Correspondent。' To the Editor of the 'Geelong Advertiser' and Intelligencer。 Bakery…hill; December 3rd; 1854。

Friday you know all about; I will pass that over; and give you a faint outline of what passed under my own eyes。  During Saturday; there was a great deal of gloom among the most orderly; who complained much of the parade of soldiery; and the same cause excited a great deal of exasperation in the minds of more enthusiastic persons; who declared that all parties ought to show themselves; and declare whether they were for or against the diggers。 Then came a notice from the Camp; that all lights were to be extinguished after eight o'clock; within half…a…mile from the Camp。  At this time it was reported that there were two thousand organised men at the Eureka barricade。  I was sitting in my tent; and several neighbours dropped in to talk over affairs; and we sat down to tea; when a musket was heard to go off; and the bullet whizzed close by us; I doused the light; and we crept out on our hands and knees; and looked about。  Between the Camp and the barricade there was a fire we had not seen before; and occasionally lights appeared to be hoisted; like signals; which attracted the attention of a good many; some of whom said that they saw other lights like return signals。  It grew late。  TO…MORROW; I FEAR ME; WILL PROVE A DAY OF SORROW; IF THE AFFAIR BE NOT SETTLED BEFORE THEN。  I and R lay down in our clothes; according to our practice for a week past; and worn out with perpetual alarms; excitement; and fatigue; fell fast asleep。 I didn't wake up till six o'clock on Sunday morning。  The first thing that I saw was a number of diggers enclosed in a sort of hollow square; many of them were wounded; the blood dripping from them as they walked; some were walking lame; pricked on by the bayonets of the soldiers bringing up the rear。  The soldiers were much excited; and the troopers madly so; flourishing their swords; and shouting out〃We have waked up Joe!〃 and others replied; 〃And sent Joe to sleep again!〃 The diggers' Standard was carried by in triumph to the Camp; waved about in the air; then pitched from one to another; thrown down and trampled on。 The scene was awfultwos and threes gathered together; and all felt stupefied。 I went with R to the barricade; the tents all around were in a blaze; I was about to go inside; when a cry was raised that the troopers were coming again。  They did come with carts to take away the bodies; I counted fifteen dead; one G; a fine well…educated man; and a great favourite。  'Here; I think; the Correspondent alluded to me。  My friends; nick…named meCarbonari Great works。  'I recognised two others; but the spectacle was so ghastly that I feel a loathing at the remembrance。 They all lay in a small space with their faces upwards; looking like lead; several of them were still heaving; and at every rise of their breasts; the blood spouted out of their wounds; or just bubbled out and trickled away。 One man; a stout…chested fine fellow; apparently about forty years old; lay with a pike beside him:  e had three contusions in the head; three strokes across the brow; a bayonet wound in the throat under the ear; and other wounds in the bodyI counted fifteen wounds in that single carcase。 Some were bringing handkerchiefs; others bed furniture; and matting to cover up the faces of the dead。  O God! sir; it was a sight for a sabbath morn that; I humbly implore Heaven; may never be seen again。 Poor women crying for absent husbands; and children frightened into quietness。 I; sir; write disinterestedly; and I hope my feelings arose from a true principle; but when I looked at that scene; my soul revolted at such means being so cruelly used by a government to sustain the law。 A little terrier sat on the; breast of the man I spoke of; and kept up a continuous howl:  it was removed; but always returned to the same spot; and when his master's body was huddled; with the other corpses; into the cart; the little dog jumped in after him; and lying again on his dead master's breast; began howling again。was dead there also; and; who escaped; had said; that when he offered his sword; he was shot in the side by a trooper; as he was lying on the ground wounded。  He expired almost immediately。  Another was lying dead just inside the barricade; where he seemed to have crawled。  Some of the bodies might have been removed I counted fifteen。  A poor woman and her children were standing outside a tent; she said that the troopers had surrounded the tent and pierced it with their swor

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