the eureka stockade-第24章

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e　made　its　appearance　on　the　hill；　and　drew　up　in　a　line　on　the　either　side　of　the　stockade；　the　officer　in　command　appeared　to　be　haranguing　them。　　I　was　standing　about　three　hundred　yards　from　them；　several　other　people　being　near　at　hand。　I　saw　three　troopers　leave　the　ranks　and　advance　towards　me；　when　one　of　them　who　rode　considerably　ahead　of　the　other　two　arrived　within　hailing　distance；　he　hailed　me　as　a　friend。　　Having　no　reason　to　think　otherwise　of　him；　I　walked　forward　to　meet　him。　　After　he　had　lured　me　within　safe　distance；　namely　about　four　paces；　he　levelled　his　holster　pistol　at　my　breast　and　shot　me。　　Previous　to　this；　and　while　advancing　towards　each　other；　he　asked　me　if　I　wished　to　join　his　force；　I　told　him　I　was　unarmed；　and　in　a　weak　state　of　health；　which　must　have　been　plain　to　him　at　the　time；　but　added　that　I　hoped　this　madness　on　the　part　of　the　diggers　would　soon　be　over；　upon　that　he　fired。〃

…

The　trooper　be　dd；　but　I　congratulate　poor　Frank；　of　the　good　town　of　Bedford；　for　'this　madness　on　the　part　of　the　diggers'　procuring　him　400　pounds　sterling　from　Toorak；　so　that　he　can　afford　to　spare　me　the　trouble　of　encroaching　any　further　into　his　'statement。'　　Great　works！


III。　　Document　more　important；　by　far。

On　the　28th　November；　when　some　military　and　ammunition　came　on　the　ground；　the　detachment　was　set　on　at　Eureka；　near　the　site　of　the　stockade；　and　in　the　hubbub　consequent　the　troops　were　somewhat　at　fault；　and　the　officer　in　command　called　at　the　London　Hotel　to　inquire　the　way　to　the　Camp。　　The　owner　of　the　hotel；　Mr。　Hassall；　on　being　asked；　came　out　of　his　establishment　to　point　out　the　way　to　the　officer　in　command　of　the　detachment；　while　so　doing　he　received　a　ball　in　his　leg；　and　was　for　a　while　laid　up　by　the　wound。　　After　a　long　time　of　suffering；　and　a　great　loss　of　money　directly　and　indirectly；　he　applied　for　compensationwith　what　success　may　be　seen　from　the　following　letter　just　come　to　hand：…

…

Colonial　Secretary's　Office；　Melbourne；　26th　October；　1855。

Gentlemen。The　memorial　of　the　miners　on　behalf　of　Mr。　B。　S。　Hassall；　wounded　during　the　disturbances　at　Ballaarat；　having　been　by　the　governor's　directions　referred　to　the　board　appointed　to　investigate　such　claims；　the　board　reported；　that　from　the　evidence；　it　appears　impossible　Mr。　Hassall　could　have　received　his　wound　from　the　military；　and　that　they　could　not　see　anything　to　justify　their　recommending　any　compensation　for　him。　His　Excellency　cannot　therefore　entertain　the　petition　as　he　has　not　power　to　award　compensation　except　on　the　recommendation　of　the　board。

I　have　the　honour　to　be；　gentlemen；　Your　most　obedient　servant；　J。　　MOORE；　A。C。S。　（To）　SAMUEL　IRWIN；　and　A。　C。　BRUNNING；　Esqrs。


…

'Great　works'　this　time　at　Toorak；　eh！　oh！　dear。

So　far　so　good；　for　the　present；　because　spy　'Goodenough'　wants　me　in　the　next　chapter。




Chapter　LXIII。



Et　Scias　Quia　Nihil　Impium　Fecerim。


It　was　now　between　eight　and　nine　o'clock。　　A　patrol　of　troopers　and　traps　stopped　before　the　London　Hotel。

Spy　Goodenough；　entered　panting；　a　cocked　pistol　in　his　hand；　looking　as　wild　as　a　raven。　　He　instantly　pounced　on　me　as　his　prey；　and　poking　the　pistol　at　my　face；　said　in　his　rage；　〃I　want　you。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃None　of　your　dd　nonsense；　or　I　shoot　you　down　like　a　rat。〃

〃My　good　fellow　don't　you　see？　　I　am　assisting　Dr。　Carr　to　dress　the　wounds　of　my　friends！〃I　was　actually　helping　to　bandage　the　thigh　of　an　American　digger；　whose　name；　if　I　recollected　it；　I　should　now　write　down　with　pleasure；　because　he　was　a　brave　fellow。　　He　had　on　his　body　at　least　half…a…dozen　shots；　all　in　front；　an　evident　proof；　he　had　stood　his　ground　like　a　man。

Spy　Goodenough　would　not　listen　to　me。　　Dr。　Carr。　spoke　not　a　word　in　my　behalf；　though　I　naturally　enough　had　appealed　to　him；　who　knew　me　these　two　years；　to　do　so。　　This　circumstance；　and　his　being　the　very　first　to　enter　the　stockade；　after　the　military　job　was　over；　though　he　had　never　before　been　on　the　Eureka　during　the　agitation；　his　appointment　to　attend　the　wounded　diggers　that　were　brought　up　to　the　Camp；　and　especially　his　absence　at　my　trial；　were　and　are　still　a　mystery　to　me。

I　was　instantly　dragged　out；　and　hobbled　to　a　dozen　more　of　prisoners　outside；　and　we　were　marched　to　the　Camp。　　The　main　road　was　clear；　and　the　diggers　crawled　among　the　holes　at　the　simple　bidding　of　any　of　the　troopers　who　rode　at　our　side。




Chapter　LXIV。



Sic　Sinuerunt　Fata。


On　reaching　the　Camp；　I　recognized　there　the　identical　American　Kenworthy。　I　gave　him　a　fearful　look。　　I　suspected　my　doom　to　be　sealed。

The　soldiers　were　drinking　'ad　libitum'　from　a　pannikin　which　they　dipped　into　a　pail…bucket　full　of　brandy。　　I　shall　not　prostitute　my　hand；　and　write　down　the　vile　exultations　of　a　mob　of　drunkards。　　It　was　of　the　ordinary　colonial　sort；　whenever　in　a　fight　the　'ring'　is　over。

Inspector　Foster；　commanded　us　to　strip　to　the　bare　shirt。　　They　did　not　know　how　to　spell　my　name。　　I　pulled　out　a　little　bag　containing　some　Eureka　gold…dust；　and　my　licence；　Mr。　Foster　took　care　of　my　bag；　and　just　as　my　name　was　copied　from　my　licence；　a　fresh　batch　of　prisoners　had　arrived；　and　Mr。　Foster　was　called　outside　the　room　where　I　was　stripping。　　Now；　some　accursed　trooper　pretended　to　recognize　me　as　one　of　the　'spouts'　at　the　monster　meeting。　　I　wanted　to　keep　my　waistcoat　on　account　of　some　money；　and　papers　I　had　in　the　breast　pocket；　my　clothes　were　literally　torn　into　rags。　　I　attempted　to　remonstrate；　but　I　was　kicked　for　my　pains；　knocked　down　in　the　bargain；　and　thrown　naked　and　senseless　into　the　lock…up。

The　prison　was　crammed　to　suffocation。　　We　had　not　space　enough　to　lie　down；　and　so　it　was　taken　in　turns　to　stand　or　lie　down。　　Some　kind　friend　sent　me　some　clothes；　and　my　good　angel　had　directed　him　to　bury　my　hand…writings　he　had　found　in　my　tent；　under　a　tent　in　Gravel…pits。

Fleas；　lice；　horse…stealers；　and　low　thieves　soon　introduced　themselves　to　my　notice。　　This　vermin；　and　the　heat　of　the　season；　and　the　stench　of　the　place；　and　the　horror　at　my　situation；　had　rendered　life　intolerable　to　me。　　Towards　midnight　of　that　Sunday　I　was　delirious。　Our　growls　and　howling　reached　Commissioner　Rede；　and　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　doors　were　opened；　and　all　the　prisoners　from　the　Eureka　stockade；　were　removed　between　two　files　of　soldiers　to　the　Camp　store…house　a　spacious　room；　well　ventilated　and　clean。　Commissioner　Rede　came　in　person　to　visit　us。　　Far　from　any　air　of　exultation；　he　appeared　to　me　to　feel　for　our　situation。　　As　he　passed　before　me；　I　addressed　him　in　French；　to　call　his　attention　to　my　misery。　He　answered　very　kindly；　and　concluded　thus：…

〃'Je　ne　manquerai　pas　de　parler　au　Docteur　Carr；　et　si　ce　que　vous　venez　de　me　dire　e　trouve　vrai；　je　veux　bien　m'interesser　pour　vous。'

〃'Vous　etez　bien　bon；　Monsieur　le　Commissionaire；　repondis…je。'

〃'Il　faut　donc　que　j'aie　eu　des　ennemis　bien　cruels　au　Camp！　Avaient…ils　soif　de　mon　sang；　ou　etaient…ils　de　mercenaires？　　Voila　bien　un　secret；　et　je　donnerai　de　coeur　ma　vie　pour　le　percer。　　Dieu　leur　pardonne；　moi；　je　le　voudrais　bien！　mais　je　ne　saurai　les　pardonner　jamais。'〃




Chapter　LXV。



Ecce　Homo。


On　Monday　morning；　the　fresh　air　had　restored　me　a　little　strength。　We　had　an　important　arrival　among　us。　　It　was　the　Editor　of　'The　Times'　newspaper；　arrested　for　sedition。　　All　silver　and　gold　lace；　blue　and　red　coats　in　the　Camp　rushed　in　to　gaze　on　this　wild　elephant；　whose　trunk　it　was　supposed；　had　stirred　up　the　hell　on　Ballaarat。

Henry　Seekamp　is　a　short；　thick；　rare　sort　of　man；　of　quick　and　precise　movements；　sardonic　countenance；　and　one　look　from　his　sharp　round　set　of　eyes；　tells　you　at　once　that　you　must　not　trifle　with　him。　　Of　a　temper　that　must　have　cost　him　some　pains　to　keep　under　control；　he　hates　humbug　and　all　sort　of　yabber…yabber。　　His　round　head　of　tolerable　size；　is　of　German　mould；　for　the　earnestness　of　his　forehead　is　corrected　by　the　fullness　of　his　cheeks；　and　a　set　of　moustachios　is　the　padlock　of　his　mouth；　whose　key　is　kept　safe　in　his　head；　and　his　heart　is　the　turn…key。　　When　his　breast　is