diff options
Diffstat (limited to '40003-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 40003-0.txt | 3355 |
1 files changed, 3355 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/40003-0.txt b/40003-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..415a810 --- /dev/null +++ b/40003-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3355 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40003 *** + +[Illustration: ROBERT O'HARA BURKE. + +_From Photo_--HILL, Melbourne.] + + + + + AUSTRALIAN HEROES + + AND + + ADVENTURERS. + + + LONDON: + WALTER SCOTT, 24 WARWICK LANE, + AND MELBOURNE. + 1889. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +This book is the first of a series which the Publisher intends to issue, +illustrative of life and adventure in the Australian Colonies and the +Islands of the Pacific. It has been carefully compiled from reliable +sources of information--viz., _Wills's Diary_, _King's Narrative_, +_Howitt's Diary_, Wood's _Explorations in Australia_, Withers's _History +of Ballarat_, Sutherland's _Tales of the Gold-fields_, Raffello's +_Account of the Ballarat Riots_, McCombie's _History of Victoria_, etc., +etc. Most of these books are very expensive or out of print, and +therefore not easily procurable at the booksellers. + +In the succeeding volumes of the series it is proposed to +give--"Buckley, the Runaway Convict, and his Black Friends," "John +Batman, the Founder of Melbourne," "Fawkner, the Pioneer," "Early Days +of Tasmania," "Botany Bay Tales," "Remarkable Convicts," "Notorious +Bushrangers," "Brave Deeds," "Squatting Tales," "Remarkable Personal +Adventures," "Curious Anecdotes," etc., etc. + + MELBOURNE, 1889. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +Burke and Wills--Two Heroes of Exploration. + + CHAPTER I. PAGE + ACROSS AUSTRALIA 7 + + CHAPTER II. + THE RETURN JOURNEY 21 + + CHAPTER III. + SUFFERINGS AND DEATHS OF THE TWO LEADERS 34 + + CHAPTER IV. + SEARCH PARTIES, AND CONCLUSION 48 + + +Old Times on the Gold-Fields. + + CHAPTER I. + THE CONVICT'S STRATAGEM 63 + EARLY DISCOVERIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES 66 + HARGRAVES, THE PIONEER MINER 69 + AN ABORIGINAL DISCOVERER 77 + + CHAPTER II. + GOLD IN VICTORIA 80 + JAMES ESMOND, THE VICTORIAN PIONEER 81 + OTHER PIONEERS 85 + + CHAPTER III. + EFFECT OF DISCOVERIES 89 + CANVAS TOWN 94 + RAG FAIR 95 + NEW CHUMS AND OLD CHUMS 96 + + CHAPTER IV. + SLY GROG SHANTIES 100 + + CHAPTER V. + THE DIGGER'S LICENSE 105 + DIGGER-HUNTING ANECDOTES 109 + + CHAPTER VI. + BEGINNINGS OF REVOLT 116 + AN IRISH GALLANT 117 + REFORM LEAGUES 120 + + CHAPTER VII. + THE EUREKA HOTEL MURDER 125 + A LOYAL TOAST 130 + BURNING THE LICENSES 131 + THE LAST DIGGER-HUNT 134 + + CHAPTER VIII. + THE EUREKA STOCKADE 136 + STORMING OF THE STOCKADE 141 + EXCITEMENT IN MELBOURNE 145 + WRONGS RIGHTED 149 + + +[ILLUSTRATION: MAP ROUTE.] + + + + +Australian Heroes and Adventurers. + + + + +BURKE AND WILLS. + +TWO HEROES OF EXPLORATION. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_ACROSS AUSTRALIA._ + + +There stood for twenty years, at the intersection of Collins and Russell +Streets, the only monument which the city of Melbourne can boast of. +Increasing traffic has recently necessitated its removal to a small +reserve opposite our Parliament Houses, where it occupies a most +commanding position at one of the chief entrances of the city. It is the +lasting memorial of two men and the expedition they led across the +continent of Australia. It stands in silent and solemn grandeur amidst +the noisy turmoil of a busy thoroughfare--two massive figures gazing +earnestly and longingly, seemingly in a solitude as complete as the +deepest seclusion of the lonely plains of the interior, where the +heroes whose memory they perpetuate met their fate. No inscription tells +the curious visitor or wayfarer who they are, or records the deeds that +have gained them such a high place in the estimation of the citizens of +Victoria. The story is an old one in these days of rapidly passing +events, but we think it will bear repetition, and, therefore, in the +following pages we will do our best to relate the events that led to the +erection of so magnificent a memorial. + +From the days of the first settlement of New South Wales at Port Jackson +in 1788, down to the present time, the laudable desire of bettering +their condition, enhanced by the adventurous spirit moving in their +breasts, has prompted the colonists of Australia to organise parties for +the exploration of the unknown interior of their vast continent. In not +a few instances the explorer has been the precursor of the squatter and +the selecter of settlements and civilisation. The journey of Oxley, in +1818, led to the discovery that the Macquarie and other rivers ended in +large reedy marshes. This discovery gave rise to the belief in an +immense inland sea, into which all the rivers of the interior emptied +themselves. But subsequent travellers in search of this supposed inland +sea dissipated the belief in its existence. In 1828 Sturt reached the +"great salt river," called the Darling, which has since filled such an +important part in facilitating the carriage of our staple product to +the ocean. In his next journey Sturt went down the Murrumbidgee and the +Murray as far as Lake Alexandrina. His description of the country +surrounding the lake--plenty of green pastures and abundance of +agricultural land of the most fertile kind--induced the squatters to +send down their emaciated flocks from the parched plains of Riverina, +and also led to the emigration of numbers of farmers and vine-growers +from overcrowded Europe, who founded the Colony of South Australia. +Mitchell, in 1836, descended the Darling, crossed over the Murray, and +entered into what is now the Colony of Victoria. He named it "Australia +Felix," because the country which met his view delighted him with its +beautiful scenery, and its congenial climate presented such a pleasant +contrast to that of the land he had just travelled over. Pioneers from +Port Jackson and Van Diemen's Land migrated to this newly-revealed +district. The productiveness of its soil, and the subsequent discovery +of gold, soon attracted a great number of adventurers and immigrants to +the happy clime. In an incredibly short period the district grew into a +rich and prosperous colony, and Melbourne, its mighty capital, took rank +amongst the chief cities of the world. + +The success attending the early exploring expeditions equipped by the +mother colony seems to have incited the colonists of Victoria to emulate +the doings of their neighbours. In 1859 a patriotic offer was made by +an enterprising citizen of Melbourne--Mr. Ambrose Kyte--to contribute +£1000 towards defraying the cost of fitting out an expedition to explore +the vast interior of Australia. This generous offer was accepted. The +project was taken up by the Royal Society of Victoria, and the sum of +£3400 was raised by public subscription. The Government voted £6000, and +granted an additional £3000 for the purchase of camels in India. Thus +originated, under the most favourable auspices, the Victorian Exploring +Expedition, which is now more commonly known, owing, no doubt, to its +calamitous termination, as the "Burke and Wills' Expedition." + +The Exploration Committee had some trouble in obtaining a suitable +leader. Several well-known explorers were written to, but each of them +declined. At last the appointment was given to Mr. Robert O'Hara Burke, +a man of approved ability, and in himself actuated by an enthusiastic +desire to perform the hitherto unaccomplished feat of crossing our vast +continent from sea to sea. + +Mr. Burke was an Irishman, born in 1821, and was, therefore, only forty +years old at the time of his melancholy end. He had served in the +Austrian Cavalry, and also in the Irish Mounted Constabulary, previous +to his arrival in Van Diemen's Land, in 1853. After performing services +as Acting Inspector at Hobart Town and as Police Magistrate at +Beechworth (Victoria), he was granted leave of absence in order to go +to England, where he hoped to obtain a commission in one of the +regiments embarking for the seat of the war then waging between England +and Russia. Being unsuccessful, owing to the termination of the war, he +returned to Victoria, and shortly received an appointment as one of the +superintendents of the Victorian Police Force, which position he held +until the setting out of the exploring expedition. Mr. Burke diligently +prepared himself for the journey across the continent. He examined the +records of previous expeditions for the personal experiences of former +explorers, as well as for knowledge of the interior already at hand. He +also made severe walking tours, in order to qualify himself physically +for the unusual hardships accompanying such a journey. The following +characteristic letter, written whilst _en route_, will show his +determination to succeed in his undertaking:-- + + "ON THE DARLING, _4th October 1860_. + + "MY DEAR S----, + + "I received your letter, and was glad to hear of the safe + arrival of your friend B----. We have been resting here a few + days, awaiting the arrival of the baggage, which has just come + up. To-morrow we proceed on, and I shall not delay anywhere + until I reach Cooper's Creek--being an Irishman I must add, + unless I can't help it. + + "I leave the hired waggons and my own behind. The accursed + impediments, the ruin of so many expeditions, I am determined + shall not ruin me. + + "We all march on foot three or four hundred miles at all + events, and the camels and horses will have to carry our weight + in provisions. + + "We have already done so for the last forty miles. You should + have seen old B----'s face, upon my announcing that all the + officers would have to act as working men, and that we should + only carry 30 lbs. weight of baggage for each man. + + "Loading camels and then marching twenty miles is no joke. The + first two days of it nearly choked poor B----, and I think he + will not be able to stand it much longer. + + "I am still confident of success, and willing to accept the + alternative of success or disgrace, although failure is + possible. This self-imposed task (as you justly call it) is no + sinecure, and I think will take the sting out of me if I see it + out. Good-bye, my dear S----. + + "From yours, ever sincerely, + + "R. O'HARA BURKE." + +In William John Wills we see the real hero of the expedition. He was an +Englishman, born in Devonshire, and at his untimely end was but +twenty-seven years of age. He was endowed with an unquenchable thirst +for knowledge. It manifested itself on the voyage out, where, in +addition to his other studies, he acquired a knowledge of the science of +navigation. After his arrival in Victoria, in 1853, his taste for +science, which was also accompanied by a naturally courageous and +enterprising spirit, displayed itself. At first he obtained an +appointment in the Survey Department. He gained a knowledge of +astronomical and other sciences to which the Observatory is +dedicated, and was then admitted, through the influence of the +Surveyor-General, into that establishment as an assistant. As early as +1855 the friends of young Wills had frequently heard him speak of his +intention to explore the unknown interior of Australia, and to be one of +the first to reach the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria. In 1856 a +proposal was mooted to send out an expedition, and, on hearing of this, +Mr. Wills walked from the river Wannon to Ballarat, a distance of ninety +miles, to offer his services; but the project was abandoned. His +scientific attainments had qualified him for an important post in the +expedition of 1860, and he joined it in the capacity of astronomical and +meteorological observer. Of his fitness for exploring, the Rev. Julian +Woods writes--"Having studied every journal connected with Australian +exploration, and become, as it were personally acquainted with all our +discoverers, I conscientiously say I have not met with so courageous, so +noble, so fine an explorer as William John Wills." + +[Illustration: WILLIAM JOHN WILLS. + +_From Photo_--HILL, Melbourne.] + +The other officers of the expedition were:--Mr. Landells, who had +brought the camels to the colony, and was appointed second in command; +Dr. Herman Beckler, botanist and medical adviser of the expedition; and +Dr. Ludwig Becker, artist, naturalist, and geological surveyor. There +were eleven subordinates, including three Hindoo camel-drivers. + +On the 20th August 1860 the expedition left Melbourne. During the +morning of its departure crowds of holiday folks were to be seen +wending their various ways to the Royal Park, on the northern outskirts +of the city. It was late in the afternoon before the picturesque groups +of camels and horses, with their keepers and the baggage, were arranged +in marching order. Then Mr. Burke, on a little grey horse, took up his +position at the head of the procession. When it was about to start, the +Mayor of Melbourne mounted one of the drays and delivered a short +speech, wishing them God-speed. Mr. Burke uncovered, and replied, in a +clear voice that was heard all over the crowd:--"Mr. Mayor, on behalf of +myself and the expedition, I beg to return you my most sincere thanks. +No expedition has ever started under such favourable circumstances as +this. The people, the Government, the Committee--all have done heartily +what they could do. It is now our turn! and we shall never do well till +we justify what you have done in showing you what we can do." Then, +amidst the loud cheering and acclamations of the spectators, who +numbered fully ten thousand, the brilliant cavalcade was put in motion. +It was truly a fine, imposing spectacle, and the applauding cheers of +the enthusiastic citizens were prolonged till the procession had faded +away in the dim distance. + +The progress of the explorers through the settled districts to the river +Darling was very slow, and even before they reached Menindie serious +dissensions had broken out in their camp. On arriving at that +township Burke dismissed the foreman, and Mr. Landells resigned his +position and left the party. Mr. Wills was then appointed second in +command, and instead of Mr. Landells, Burke placed in charge of the +camels a man named Wright, whom he had picked up at a sheep station. + +[Illustration: COOPER'S CREEK.] + +The Exploration Committee had instructed Burke to establish a depôt on +Cooper's Creek, and make a line of communication between it and the +Darling. When the explorers reached that river the spring season was far +advanced, and soon the fervid rays of the sun would wither the green +grass and dry up the water-courses; therefore Burke decided to push +forward to the creek without delay. But some of the camels were unfit to +proceed immediately, so Burke divided his party, and with seven of his +companions and Wright, who offered to show him a direct and well-watered +track, set out from Menindie on the 19th of October. + +They accomplished more than half of the journey, and having been +fortunate in finding good feed and water on the way, Burke sent Wright +back to the encampment on the Darling with instructions to bring the +rear party with the heavy supplies on by easy stages to Cooper's Creek. +On the 11th of November, thirteen days after despatching Wright, Burke +and his party arrived safely at the creek. They then travelled slowly +along the banks of the stream, recruiting the animals and looking around +for a camping-ground. On the twenty-first they pitched on a suitable +locality, and there established the main depôt. + +Whilst awaiting the arrival of Wright with the remainder of the company, +frequent excursions were made in order to find a route to the north. On +one of these excursions, Mr. Wills travelled ninety miles without +finding water; their camels escaped from them, and he and his companions +were forced to return on foot. Fortunately for them they found a pool on +their way back to the depôt, but the camels were never recovered. On +another occasion Wills and King got into a stony desert. The knowledge +obtained by means of these and other short excursions was not of an +encouraging nature to the explorers. + +After waiting at Cooper's Creek for more than a month, the advance party +grew tired of their life of inaction, and made preparations for the +journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria. As Wright did not come forward as +expected, Burke got impatient, and decided to subdivide the few men he +had with him as follows:--Four men were to remain at the depôt, one of +them named William Brahé in command; and were to construct a stockade +while waiting for Wright, and when he had arrived they were to seek a +more available and direct route to the Darling. The rest of the little +party--Burke, Wills, King, and Gray--were to push forward to the Gulf, +and were to take with them six of the camels, one horse, and three +months' provisions. + +On 16th December the little band of explorers bade their companions +good-bye, and started northwards. As they proceeded, Burke and Wills +walked ahead, while Gray and King followed behind, leading the horse and +the six camels. Burke himself seldom wrote, but Wills, every evening +after taking astronomical observations, wrote his diary, and then read +it to Burke, who made such alterations in it as he thought necessary. +Their allowance of provisions were a pound of flour and a pound of meat +daily, with a little rice occasionally, and the party camped out every +evening without tents. In his admirable history of the _Exploration of +Australia_, a work published in 1865, and containing, in addition to the +adventures of the explorers, a very lucid description of the physical +features of the continent, so far as they had been made known by the +journeys and discoveries previous to the year 1863, the Rev. Mr. Woods +writes in reference to this journey:--"No doubt this self-denying mode +of proceeding was very heroic and courageous, but was it necessary? It +certainly does seem a pity that after the great care taken to equip the +party adequately, that its main work should have been done by a feeble +party, badly provisioned, and subject to the disadvantage of crossing +the country on foot. The work was done, it is true, but done in an +imperfect way. No one could expect four poorly-fed men to manage six +camels, to force their way through untrodden scrubs, and yet keep a +journal and make observations. No one could expect it, and it was not +done. The journal left is most incomplete, and to this day several +portions of the route are still matters of dispute." + +For some distance the exploring quartette travelled over well-watered +country. Numerous parties of natives were met with, but they were +friendly to the whites. Mr. Wills writes of a tribe of these:--"They +pestered us to go to their camp and have a dance, which we declined. +They were very troublesome, and nothing but a threat to shoot them will +keep them away. They are, however, easily frightened; and although +fine-looking men, decidedly not of a warlike disposition. They show the +greatest inclination to take whatever they can, but will run no +unnecessary risk in so doing. They seldom carry any weapon except a +shield and a large kind of boomerang, which I believe they use for +killing rats, etc. Sometimes, but very seldom, they have a large spear; +reed spears seem to be quite unknown to them. They are undoubtedly a +finer-looking race of men than the blacks on the Murray and Darling, and +more peaceful; but in other respects I believe they will not compare +favourably with them. They appear to be mean-spirited and contemptible +in every respect." After the explorers had passed through this fertile +country, they had to cross about twenty miles of stony desert. On the +other side of it they came upon an earthy plain of about nine miles. +Then another nine miles of travelling through swampy plains brought them +to the banks of a magnificent stream. The four men followed up this +creek from point to point of the bends, and on the 7th of January camped +well within the tropics. Afterwards they entered upon immense fertile +plains, with innumerable creeks coursing through them, on the banks of +which gum and box-trees and splendid grass grew luxuriantly. Pigeons and +wild ducks were also found in abundance. For five days the travellers +marched over these flourishing plains. Then they crossed over a series +of low sandstone hills, and after passing over a stony plain came upon a +range of mountains, which they called the Standish Ranges. On 27th of +January the explorers reached Cloncurry Creek, one of the derivative +streams of the river Flinders. They had afterwards to travel over swampy +ground; the camels could not be got along, so all of them were +abandoned. On the 9th of February, King and Gray were left behind with +the bulk of the provisions, while Burke and Wills, taking the horse with +them to carry supplies sufficient for three days, pushed forward towards +the sea. They had to cross over patches of swampy ground; a great deal +of it was so soft and rotten that the horse got bogged, and it was only +by digging him out that he could be extricated. After great difficulty +and delay they managed to do this. Then they came across some +tableland, and beyond that a plain covered with water, which in some +places reached up to their knees. After wading through several miles of +this swamp, they came again to dry land. Further on they met a few +natives, who, on seeing the explorers, decamped immediately, leaving +behind in their hurried departure some yams, which were at once +appropriated to appease the sharp hunger of Burke and Wills. A small +distance beyond they reached a narrow inlet on the shore of the Gulf of +Carpentaria. A forest of Mangroves intercepted their view of the open +sea beyond, so the two heroic men attempted to advance through it. The +horse had by this time become too weak to advance further, therefore +they hobbled him, and hastened forward without him. But the two gallant +fellows were soon obliged to relinquish their attempt to pierce the +thick undergrowth. They could not obtain a view of the open ocean, +although they made every effort to do so. 'Tis true their mission was +accomplished; they had crossed the continent to within a mile or two of +its northern shore--the victory was gained! But now the necessities of +the case compelled the triumphant explorers to immediately hurry back to +Cooper's Creek. + +[Illustration: J. A. KING.] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_THE RETURN JOURNEY._ + + +The two leaders returned to King and Gray on the 12th February 1861. The +explorers soon afterwards recaptured all the camels, which had been +greatly improved in condition by their rest. The remainder of the return +journey was singularly disastrous. At first the progress was very much +retarded by the incessant rain that deluged the whole country. Sickness +commenced with Gray, and then Burke suffered a severe attack of +dysentry, owing to his having eaten of the flesh of a large snake that +he had killed. Their provisions became sadly reduced, and one camel, +then another, had to be killed, in order to eke out their scanty +supplies. On 6th of March one of the camels became bogged, and they were +compelled to leave it. On the 20th, 60 lbs. of baggage were abandoned. +They killed another camel on the 30th, and on the 6th of April they +killed the horse, which had by this time become so weak that it could +scarcely stand upright. By the 13th of April they had got back again to +the Stony Desert. All were now nearly exhausted by their continued +privations, but they slowly marched on in the hope of meeting +assistance before they reached the depôt. On the 16th they, with poor +Gray strapped to the back of a camel almost as emaciated as himself, +managed to travel seven miles; but during the night the unfortunate +fellow succumbed under his extreme sufferings. His surviving companions, +too, were all so weak in body that they could scarcely scratch a grave +in the desert deep enough to cover his body. These three gaunt, +emaciated, and sorrow-stricken beings rested but for a day, and then +started afresh on their lonesome and weary journey, abandoning +everything except the two camels, the fire-arms, and a little meat. On +the 20th they made a tremendous effort by travelling all night, Burke +riding one camel, and Wills and King the other. All next day they +struggled manfully on, expecting soon to rest their aching limbs and +worn-out bodies in the camp at Cooper's Creek. But on reaching the place +where they had left the depôt party, instead of seeing the white tents +of the camp gleaming in the rays of the declining sun, they saw nothing +but the stockade now deserted by its former occupants. _There was no one +there!_ On looking eagerly around their eyes fell on the word DIG, cut +in the bark of a tree. They anxiously turned up the soil, and unearthed +a small parcel of provisions and a bottle containing a letter from +Brahé, in which the disappointed men read with sinking hearts that he +and his party had left the depôt _only that very morning_. The document +ran thus:-- + + "Depôt, Cooper's Creek, _April 21st, 1861_. + + "The depôt party of the V.E.E. leaves this camp to-day to + return to the Darling. I intend to go S.E. from camp 60 deg., + to get into our old track near Bulloo. Two of my companions and + myself are quite well; the third, Patten, has been unable to + walk for the last eighteen days, as his leg has been severely + hurt when thrown by one of the horses. No one has been up here + from the Darling. We have six camels and twelve horses in good + working condition. + + "WILLIAM BRAHE." + +This was appalling news to the brave explorers, who, with their more +than four months' severe travelling and unparalleled privations, were +almost paralysed, and so exhausted that the slightest exertion produced +in their pain-racked bodies such sensations of torture and utter +helplessness as to render them more fit for a hospital than any further +efforts on their part whatever. We will now leave the three abandoned +men to recover from the first shock of their bitter disappointment, +while we relate the circumstances that prevented the depôt party +remaining at their post. + +Previous to departing from Cooper's Creek, Burke sent a despatch to the +Exploration Committee. In it he writes:--"I have every confidence in +Brahé. The feed is good. There is no danger to be apprehended from the +natives. There is nothing, therefore, to prevent the party remaining +here until our return, or until their provisions run short." Burke's +verbal instructions to Brahé were very indefinite. He led him to +understand that the depôt party should remain at Cooper's Creek for +three months, and that if the advance party did not return within that +time the camp could be broken up, and Brahé and his party would be at +liberty to quit the creek. + +Brahé waited for four months and five days. The natives were troublesome +for the most of the time, and confined the party to the camp. The men +began to sicken and complain of scurvy, and as Wright with the rest of +the company and provisions did not make an appearance, Brahé deemed it +prudent to retrace the route from the Darling. His party went very +slowly the first day, and camped a few miles down the creek. Had the +ill-fated explorers of Burke's party known this and followed on their +track, in all probability the fatal consequences of this desertion would +have been avoided. It is deplorable to think that the three haggard men +did not know that the other party were so near, and that after partaking +of a hearty supper they slept all that night within a few miles of their +returning companions. + +Burke, Wills, and King rested for a couple of days at the abandoned +depôt. The change of diet worked wonders in improving their strength and +cheering their depressed spirits, and on the 23rd of April they felt +equal to the task of resuming their journey. Burke's plan was that they +should make for Adelaide, by way of Mount Hopeless (an ill-omened name), +where there was a large sheep station, and which he thought could not be +further than one hundred and fifty miles off. Wills urged that they +should return the way they came; the distance to the Darling certainly +was greater, being three hundred and fifty miles, but they were sure of +feed and water all the way. Unfortunately for them all, as events +afterwards proved, Wills yielded to Burke's decision, and the little +party started for the mount. As they were about to leave the depôt, +Burke deposited in the cache a letter from which we extract the +following:--"We have discovered a practical route to Carpentaria, the +chief portion of which lies on the 140th meridian of east longitude. +There is some good country between this and Stony Desert. From there to +the tropics the country is dry and stony. Between the tropics and the +gulf a considerable portion is rangey, but is well watered and richly +grassed. We reached the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria on the 11th of +February." Their starting day was fine, and the agreeable warmth of the +weather lent fresh hopes to the three men as they marched slowly along +the green banks of the creek. They were still further elated by meeting +with a few well-behaved blacks, who gave them good supplies of fish in +exchange for some straps and matches. On the sixth day they had a +mishap--one of the camels became bogged beside a water-hole. They +attempted to place boughs and timber beneath him, but he sank too +rapidly; and being of a sluggish, stupid nature, could not make +sufficiently strenuous efforts towards extricating himself. They then +let in water from the creek so as to buoy him up and soften the mud +around his legs, but it was of no avail; the brute lay there as if +enjoying himself. The next day they shot the beast dead, cut off as much +of his flesh as they could, and then dried it in the sun. The following +day the natives very liberally presented them with a quantity of fish +and cake; the explorers returned the compliment by giving them +fish-hooks and some sugar. After leaving the blacks, the three men +struck a southerly branch of Cooper's Creek, which they traced down till +its channel broke up into small water-courses, and was at last lost in +the sand. Then for two days they travelled, looking around for some +other stream, but finding none, Burke and Wills left King with the +camel, and pushing ahead, found that the soil became loose and cracked +up; and as it appeared to be more parched further south, they returned +to King. + +The prospects of the little party now looked gloomy. Their provisions +were rapidly diminishing; their clothing, and especially their boots, +all going to pieces; and their only remaining camel, which had been +ailing for some time, now showed signs of being done up. But the two +leaders determined to examine the creek more closely, and after a +short rest they set out again. + +[Illustration: ON THE MARCH.] + +They came across some natives who were fishing. The blacks, probably +moved by the forlorn appearance of Burke and Wills, gave them half of +the fish just caught, and promised further supplies if they would come +with them to their camp. On reaching it the almost destitute explorers +were treated most generously--lumps of nardoo cake and handfuls of fish +were forced on them till they could positively eat no more. The +hospitable blacks also offered them some stuff composed of dried stems +and leaves of shrubs, which, when chewed even in small quantities, was +highly intoxicating. The poor travellers could only show their gratitude +to the benevolent blacks by tearing off and giving them two pieces of +cloth from their tattered macintoshes. Burke now returned to King, while +Wills continued for seven miles along the creek until it tended +northwards; then he returned, passing through the blacks' camp on his +way to rejoin his companions. The natives invited him to stay, and he +was again hospitably entertained. After supplying him with fish and +nardoo cake, they brought him a couple of rats baked in their skins. +Poor Wills must have been hungry, for he says "the rats looked nice and +were most delicious." Supper over, one of the natives offered to share +his gunyah with the weary traveller, and all of them were very attentive +in bringing wood and keeping up the fire during the night. Early next +morning Wills parted from his black friends. + +When he rejoined Burke and King he found them jerking the flesh of the +camel, for the poor beast had become so weak and helpless that they had +been obliged to shoot it. The three men now despaired of reaching the +settled districts. The only prospect before them was to wander about the +creek, living like the blacks until the arrival of a relief party. So +Burke and King went in search of the natives' camp for the purpose of +ascertaining where the seed grew from which the natives made their +bread, and also to find their mode of preparing it. Wills remained +behind jerking the camel's flesh. In his diary he cheerfully writes that +he must devise some means of trapping the birds and rats, but expresses +deep regret at being obliged to hang about the creek after having made +such a dashing trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +On reaching the spot where the blacks had camped, Burke and King found +the place deserted, so they came back to Wills. The three dejected men +moved irresolutely in the direction of where the blacks had been. Then +Burke thought it better for one of them to go back and stop with the +things for a few days, so that he might get the benefit of the remains +of the camel's flesh, whilst the other two should go forward in search +of the blacks and the nardoo. Accordingly, Burke and King took four +days' provisions and left Wills at the junction, preparing for a final +effort on their return. The two unfortunate men could not find the +blacks, so it was settled that the party should abandon their cumbrous +baggage and make another effort to reach Mount Hopeless. + +The next day, 17th of May, King found the nardoo plant. This discovery +revolutionised the feelings of the weary explorers. Poor Wills, cheerful +even in this extremity, records the fact with the observation that they +were now in a position to support themselves without the aid of the +blacks. Collecting the seeds was a slow and troublesome work, and the +three men were fully occupied in it for seven days. + +This plant, the seeds of which answer the purposes of flour among the +natives, grows in little tufts close to the ground. It resembles clover, +but is quadrifoliate instead of trifoliate, and its leaves are covered +with a silver down, which is also found on the seeds when fresh. These +grow upon separate short stalks springing from the roots, and are flat +and oval. The gathering of them is generally done by the native women, +who, after cleaning the sand from them and pounding them between two +stones, bake the flour into cakes. + +The little party travelled for three days, tracing a water-course until +it lost itself in the flat country. Travelling then became very +fatiguing; over dreary plains they struggled along almost exhausted. At +last, from sheer exhaustion, they were obliged to relinquish the attempt +to reach the mountain. They took an hour's rest, and then wearily +retraced their steps. + +In two days they reached the nearest water of the creek, and lay down +their worn-out bodies under the cool shade of the box-trees growing on +its fertile banks. For a meal, they boiled some of the nardoo seeds, and +then made for the main creek. They came across some native huts, in one +of which they found a pounding-stone left by the blacks. The poor +explorers found the work of pounding the seeds so very slow and +troublesome that they were compelled to mix half flour with the +badly-ground seeds. The three men afterwards went back to their last +camp and brought up all the dried meat they had planted there, and then +remained at the deserted gunyahs, gathering and pounding nardoo seeds, +and living as best they could. Whilst the poor fellows are thus living +on the lower part of Cooper's Creek we will leave them, and turn back in +order to find out the causes of Wright's delays. + +When Wright returned to Menindie he heard that McDonall Stuart, the +South Australian explorer, had almost crossed the continent. Wright +thought his leader ought to know of this, so that if his own route +should fail he could turn westward, strike Stuart's track, and continue +the exploration northward. Two of the men and a native were sent out in +the vain hope of overtaking Burke and informing him of this new +discovery, but they lost their way, and sent the native back to +Menindie with a slip of paper imploring assistance. A relief party was +sent out by Wright. The two men were found living with the blacks about +one hundred and ninety miles away, and were brought back to Menindie on +19th of December. Wright now proved his utter unfitness for his +responsible position by remaining on the Darling for more than a month +after the return of this party. On 26th of January he set out for +Cooper's Creek, but proceeded so leisurely that it was the 12th of +February before he reached Torowotto, the place where Burke and he had +separated three and a half months before. It was now the hottest time of +the year, and the summer sun had dried up all the surrounding country +excepting the permanent creeks. Dr. Beckler and three of the men became +seriously ill with the scurvy, and Wright erected a tent for them at +Koorliatto Creek, about twenty miles from Bulloo. He then made for +Bulloo, and from thence attempted to reach Cooper's Creek, a distance of +between seventy and eighty miles; but in consequence of the hostility of +the natives he was unable to finish his journey, and was forced to +return. Dr. Beckler and the three men were removed to Bulloo, and +reached it on the 21st of April, the day on which Burke and his two +companions arrived at the deserted depôt. A few days afterwards two of +the sick men died. The natives had by this time become very troublesome, +and the party were compelled to build a stockade. At last they had to +open fire upon them in order to disperse them. Rats also abounded at the +place, and did considerable damage, even attacking the men. + +On the 29th of April Wright was astonished to see Brahé and the +returning depôt party, and to hear from them that they had neither seen +nor heard anything of the advance party for more than four months. On +the evening of the same day Dr. Beckler died, and next day was buried. +Wright was undecided how to act--first he thought of returning to +Menindie, and turned back to Koorliatto Creek; but when there he thought +it possible that the advance party might have returned to the depôt, so +he and Brahé left his party in the encampment and made for Cooper's +Creek. + +On the 8th of May, while Burke and his two companions were down at the +lower part of the creek making for Mount Hopeless, Wright and Brahé +arrived at the depôt, and seeing the place undisturbed they concluded +that the advance party had perished in the journey northwards. Wright +and Brahé made a terrible blunder in not digging to see if the +provisions deposited by Brahé had been removed. After a careless look +around they returned to the encampment at Koorliatto, and then the whole +party set out for the River Darling. Their progress was slow, and +another fatality occurred near Torowotto. On the 6th of January, Patten, +who had been gradually sinking since he left the depôt with Brahé, +succumbed under his privations. Wright's party reached the Darling on +the 18th of June, and immediately sent despatches to the Exploration +Committee, begging that search might be made for the advance party. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_SUFFERINGS AND DEATHS OF THE TWO LEADERS._ + + +We will now take up the thread of the narrative from where we left the +enfeebled explorers (Burke, Wills, and King) at the deserted gunyahs. +They adopted the life of the blacks, and managed to subsist on the +nardoo, although it was very innutritious. More than a month had elapsed +since they had left the depôt, and Burke thought that a relief party +might have reached that place in the interval. Wills now volunteered to +return and deposit, in place of Burke's former note, a letter stating +that the party were living on the lower part of the creek, and also to +bury there the field-books of the journey to the Gulf. He expected to be +away for eight days, and took with him three pounds of flour, four +pounds of pounded nardoo, and one pound of dried meat. + +During his absence Burke and King had the following adventure with the +blacks (we have copied the account of it from King's narrative):--"A few +days after Mr. Wills left, some natives came down the creek to fish at +some water-holes near our camp. They were very civil to us at first, +and offered us some fish; the second day they came again to fish, and +Mr. Burke took down two bags, which they filled for him; the third day +they gave us one bag of fish, and afterwards all came to our camp. We +used to keep our ammunition and other articles in one hut, and all three +of us lived together in another. One of the natives took an oil-cloth +out of this hut, and Mr. Burke seeing him run away with it, followed him +with his revolver and fired over his head, and upon this the native +dropped the oil-cloth. While he was away, the other blacks invited me +away to the water-hole to eat fish; but I declined to do so, as Mr. +Burke was away, and a number of natives were about who would have taken +all our things. When I refused, one took his boomerang and laid it over +my shoulder, and then told me, by signs, that if I called out for Mr. +Burke as I was doing he would strike me. Upon this I got them all in +front of the hut and fired a revolver over their heads, but they did not +seem at all afraid until I got out the gun, when they all ran away. Mr. +Burke, hearing the report, came back, and we saw no more of them until +late that night, when they came with some cooked fish and called out, +'White fellow!' Mr. Burke then went out with his revolver, and found a +whole tribe coming down, all painted, and with fish in small nets +carried by two men. Mr. Burke went to meet them, and they wished to +surround him, but he knocked as many of the nets of fish out of their +hands as he could, and shouted out to me to fire. I did so, and they ran +off. We collected five small nets of cooked fish. The reason he would +not accept the fish from them was that he was afraid of being too +friendly, lest they should be always at our camp." While Burke was +cooking some of the fish during a strong wind, the flames caught the +gunyah, and spread so rapidly that the two men were unable either to +extinguish them or to save any of their things, except one revolver and +a gun. + +How the heroic Wills fared on his lonely journey is described in the +following extracts taken from his diary:-- + +On the 27th of May he came upon three black gins and some children +collecting nardoo, which was so abundant in some places that the ground +was quite covered with it. The native women directed him to their camp, +and he was soon afterwards overtaken by about twenty blacks, who were +bent upon taking him to it, promising him nardoo and fish. One carried +his shovel, another insisted in such a friendly manner on taking his +swag that Wills could not refuse. They were greatly amused with various +little things he had. In the evening he partook of a supper of fish and +nardoo, and one of the old men shared his gunyah with poor Wills. The +night was very cold. Next morning he left the friendly blacks. During +the day he felt very unwell. On the 29th the tottering man saw some +crows quarrelling about something near the water. He found it to be a +large fish. The crows had eaten a large portion of it, but he, finding +it fresh and good, decided the quarrel by eating the remainder of it. +The fish proved a valuable addition to his otherwise scanty meal of +nardoo porridge. That night he slept in a very comfortable mia-mia, +about eleven miles from the depôt. On the 30th of May he reached his +destination, but found no trace of anybody except the blacks having been +there, although Wright and Brahé had visited the place only twenty-two +days before, at the time when Burke and himself were being treated so +generously by the blacks on the lower part of the creek. He deposited +the journals and a notice stating the wretched condition of himself and +companions. Next day he started on his return journey, although his +exertions had made him very tired and weak. In the evening he camped +under some bushes in a sheltered gully, thinking he would reach the +blacks' camp next day. But next day he felt altogether too weak and +exhausted, and had extreme difficulty in getting across numerous small +gullies, and soon was obliged to stop and rest himself. The following +morning at 6.30 he again started, thinking to breakfast with the blacks, +but found himself so very much fatigued that he did not arrive at their +camp till ten o'clock; but his expectations of receiving a good +breakfast were disappointed, for the camp was by this time deserted. He +rested here awhile, and breakfasted off a few fish-bones which the +blacks had left. The disappointed man then started down the creek, +hoping by a late march to reach his companions, but soon found this was +out of the question. By good luck he came across a large fish, about a +pound and a half in weight, being choked by another which it had tried +to swallow, but which had stuck in its throat. The hungry man soon made +a fire, and had both fish cooked and eaten. He was awakened next morning +by the encouraging sounds of cooeys, then fancied he saw smoke in the +distance; and was afterwards set at ease by hearing a cooey from one of +his former black friends, who also continually repeated assurances of +bread and fish. With some difficulty the weary man managed to ascend a +sandy path leading to the natives' camp. He was conducted by the chief +to the fire, where there was a large pile of fish cooked in the most +approved style. He imagined it was for general consumption by the +half-dozen natives who had gathered round; but it turned out they had +all eaten, and expected Wills to dispose of it all. He set to work at +the task, and to his own astonishment accomplished it by keeping two or +three blacks steadily at work extricating the bones for him. Fish +finished, then came a supply of nardoo cake and water, till he was so +full that he was unable to eat any more. The native who called Wills to +the camp allowed him a short time to recover himself, and then filled a +large bowl with raw nardoo flour, and mixed it into a thin paste. This +mixture is a most insinuating article to the blacks, and esteemed by +them as a great delicacy. They then invited Wills to stop, but he +declined; although, he says, he would have liked to have stopped and +lived with them in order to learn something of their ways and manners. +He continued his return journey, and on the 6th of June reached Burke +and King. + +The three men had been so well treated by the blacks that they now +decided on shifting their camp nearer to them, and set out with such +things as they could carry, but found themselves very weak, in spite of +the abundant supplies of food they had lately had. Poor Wills could +scarcely get along, although carrying the lightest swag (about 30 lbs.). +They found that the blacks had decamped from the place where Wills had +last seen them, so they moved on to the camp near the nardoo field. The +almost exhausted men managed to reach the nardoo field, but, greatly to +their disappointment, no blacks were there. The explorers took +possession of the best mia-mia and rested. + +Until the 24th of June these unfortunate men lived on the field, going +out daily to gather the nardoo, and then returning to the hut in order +to clean and pound the seeds. After eating the last piece of dried +camel's flesh, they found that although the nardoo was in abundance, it +was so innutritive that by itself it could not support them. Wills it +would not sustain at all, and the poor young man wrote in his diary: "I +am determined to chew tobacco and eat less of the nardoo." Burke, after +a few days, showed signs of caving in. King managed to live on the +nardoo; it seemed to agree with him better than with his companions. +However, Wills became so weak as to be unable even to crawl about, and +on the 24th wrote: "Little chance of anything but starvation unless we +get hold of some blacks." + +The little clothing they had could not keep out the cold, and during the +nights they suffered terribly from it. Wills' wardrobe consisted of a +wide-awake hat, merino shirt, regatta shirt without sleeves, remains of +a pair of flannel trousers, and a waistcoat, of which he had managed to +keep the pockets together. His companions were better off. The three men +had with them for bedding--two small camel pads, some horsehair, two or +three little bits of rag, and pieces of oil-cloth saved from the fire. + +It is impossible to imagine the state of mind these three unfortunate +men were then in. The expedition that ended so disastrously for them had +started ten months before with the most brilliant prospects, and now +three of its members were on the point of starvation and dying of +fatigue. Unless they received assistance very soon, the three men must +undoubtedly perish. After consulting together it was agreed that Wills +should be left alone in the gunyah, while his two companions went in +search of the blacks. With great reluctance the two men packed up food +enough to last them a couple of days, but hesitated at leaving their +dying companion. They repeatedly desired his candid opinion, and he +again and again urged them to go, saying, "It is our only chance." After +placing the nardoo and firewood near his bed, Burke and King sorrowfully +took leave of him; and then, tottering along like two worn-out +beggar-men, they set out in search of succour. + +Wills maintained the uniformity of his cheerful disposition, and the +last entry in his diary, written without a complaint a few days before +he expired, moves us to admiration of his fine, manly qualities. Here it +is:--"I am weaker than ever, although I have a good appetite and relish +the nardoo much, but it seems to give us no nutriment, and the birds +here are so sly as not to be got at. Even if we could get fish, I doubt +whether we could do much on that and nardoo alone. Nothing now but the +greatest good luck can save any of us. As for me, I may live four or +five days if the weather continues warm. My pulse is at forty-eight and +very weak, and my legs and arms are nearly skin and bone. I can only +look out, like Mr. Micawber, for something to turn up. Starvation on +nardoo is by no means unpleasant, but for the weakness one feels and the +utter inability to move one's self. As for my appetite, it gives me the +greatest satisfaction. Certainly, fat and sugar would be more to one's +taste; in fact, these seem to be the great stand-by in this +extraordinary continent. Not that I mean to deprecate farinaceous food, +but the want of sugar and fat in all substances obtained here makes them +become almost useless to us as articles of food without the addition of +something else." Soon after (perhaps a few hours) the departure of his +companions, the hand of death put an end to the sufferings of poor +Wills. It was a terribly hard fate for one so young and full of promise +to meet there in the lonely wilderness, without the sympathetic and +encouraging presence of a friendly voice to break the mournful silence, +with no gentle hand to administer the last kind soothing offices of +humanity. + +Let us now follow the two remaining sufferers. In travelling the first +day Burke seemed very weak, and complained of great pain in his back and +legs. Next day he seemed better, and said he thought he was getting +stronger; but on starting did not get more than two miles, when he found +he could go no further. King persisted in his trying to go on, and +managed to get him along several times, until Burke was almost knocked +up. He said he could not carry his swag, and threw all he had away. King +did likewise, and took nothing but a gun, some powder and shot, a small +pouch, and some matches. They did not go far before Burke said they +should halt for the night. King prevailed on him to go a little further +on to a less exposed spot, where they camped. King searched about and +found a few small patches of nardoo. He collected and pounded some of +the seeds, and with a crow which he had shot, the two worn-out men made +a good evening's meal. From the time they halted Burke grew worse, and, +although he ate his supper, said he felt convinced he could not last +many hours. He gave King his watch and pocket-book, and also wrote some +notes. He then said, "I hope you will remain with me here till I am +quite dead. It is a comfort to know that some one is by; but when I am +dying it is my wish that you should leave my pistol in my right hand, +and that you leave me unburied as I lie." That night he spoke very +little. On the following morning he was speechless, or nearly so, and +about eight o'clock he expired. Thus the gallant Burke ended his brave +and noble career. King saw there was no use remaining there any longer, +and wandered about in the most forlorn condition. "I felt very lonely," +he says. We can well imagine that, and everything around must have sadly +reminded him of his late companions in misfortune. He wandered up the +creek in search of the natives, and at night usually slept in deserted +wurleys belonging to them. Two days after leaving the spot where Burke +died he came across some gunyahs, in one of which the natives had left a +bag of nardoo sufficient to last the hungry man a fortnight. After +remaining there two days he returned to Wills, taking back with him two +crows which he had shot. + +On his arrival King found that his fellow-sufferer, whom he had grown to +love so dearly, was lying dead in the hut, and that the natives had been +there and taken away some of the clothes. He buried the corpse, and +remained a few days. Then, as his stock of nardoo was getting low, and +he was unable to gather any more, he tracked the natives that had been +in the camp by their footprints in the sand some distance down the +creek, shooting crows and hawks on the road. Soon he came up to the +blacks, and afterwards kept with them until rescued by the relief-party. +How he lived we learn from his own narrative:-- + +"The natives, hearing the report of the gun, came to meet me, and took +me with them to their camp, giving me nardoo and fish. They took the +birds I had shot, and cooked them for me, and afterwards showed me a +gunyah, where I was to sleep with three of the single men. The following +morning they commenced talking to me, and putting one finger on the +ground and covering it with sand, at the same time pointing up the +creek, saying, 'White fellow,' which I understood to mean that one white +man was dead. From this, I knew that they were the tribe who had taken +Mr. Wills's clothes. They then asked me where the third white man was, +and I also made the sign of putting the fingers on the ground, and +covering them with sand, at the same time pointing up the creek. They +appeared to feel great compassion for me when they understood that I was +alone on the creek, and gave me plenty to eat. After being four days +with them, I saw that they were becoming tired of me, and they made +signs that they were going up the creek, and that I had better go +downwards; but I pretended not to understand them. The same day they +shifted camp, and I followed them; and on reaching their camp, I shot +some crows, which pleased them so much that they made me a shelter in +the centre of their camp, and came and sat round until such time as the +crows were cooked, when they assisted me to eat them. The same day one +of the women, to whom I had given part of a crow, came and gave me a +ball of nardoo, saying that she would give me more, only she had such a +sore arm that she was unable to pound. She showed me a sore on her arm, +and the thought struck me that I would boil some water in the billy, and +wash her arm with a sponge. During the operation the whole tribe sat +around, and were muttering one to another. The husband sat down by her +side, and she was crying all the time. After I had washed it, I touched +it with some caustic, when she began to yell and ran off, crying, +'Mokow! mokow!' (Fire! fire!). From this time she and her husband used +to give me a small quantity of nardoo both night and morning, and +whenever the tribe were about going on a fishing excursion, he used to +give me notice to go with them. They also used to assist me in making a +shelter whenever they shifted camp. I generally shot a crow, or a hawk, +and gave it to them in return for these little services. Every four or +five days the tribe would surround me, and ask whether I intended going +up or down the creek. At last I made them understand that if they went +up I should go up the creek, and if they went down, I should also go +down; and from this time they seemed to look upon me as one of +themselves, and supplied me with fish and nardoo regularly. They were +very anxious, however, to know where Burke lay, and one day when we were +fishing in the water-holes close by, I took them to the spot. On seeing +the remains, the whole party wept bitterly, and covered them with +bushes. After this they were much kinder to me than before, and I always +told them that the white men would be here before two moons; and in the +evening, when they came with nardoo and fish, they used to talk about +the 'white fellows' coming, at the same time pointing to the moon. I +also told them they would receive many presents, and they constantly +asked me for tomahawks, called by them 'bomay ho.' From this time to +when the relief-party arrived, a period of about a month, they treated +me with uniform kindness, and looked upon me as one of themselves. The +day on which I was released, one of the tribe who had been fishing came +and told me that the 'white fellows' were coming, and the whole of the +tribe who were then in camp sallied out in every direction to meet the +party, while the man who brought the news took me over the creek, where +I shortly saw the party coming down." + +[Illustration: AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES.] + +[Illustration: NARDOO PLANT.] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_SEARCH PARTIES AND CONCLUSION._ + + +We must now turn back to the time when Wright reached the Darling. As +soon as it was known that Burke and the advance party had not been heard +of for five months after leaving Cooper's Creek, great consternation was +felt throughout all the colonies, and relief parties were organised and +equipped with praiseworthy alacrity. A small contingent, under Mr. A. W. +Howitt, was furnished by the Royal Society of Victoria, and started from +Melbourne early in July to examine the banks of Cooper's Creek. On the +14th of August, McKinlay was sent out by the South Australian +Government, with instructions to reach Cooper's Creek by way of Lake +Torrens. Before the end of the same month, two other expeditions--one +under Landsborough, and another under Walker--had set out to explore the +region round about the Gulf of Carpentaria. These expeditions all +prosecuted their search with eagerness, and through their +instrumentality our geographical knowledge of the interior was +greatly extended; but Mr. Howitt's party was the only one that +succeeded in getting facts about the fate of the explorers. + +[Illustration: BURYING THE BODY OF POOR WILLS] + +From his diary we learn that, with the assistance of Brahé, the depôt +was reached on the 13th of September, and although this ill-fated place +appeared to them to be still undisturbed, they succeeded in finding King +on the fifteenth. He had been living with the blacks for more than two +months, and now presented a melancholy appearance--wasted to a shadow, +and hardly to be distinguished as a civilised being but by the remnants +of clothes upon him. The poor fellow was sitting in a hut, while the +natives were all gathered round, sitting on the ground and looking on +with a most gratified and delighted expression. + +After remaining two days to recruit King, Howitt and four of the men set +off with the intention of burying the body of poor Wills. They found the +corpse covered with sand and rushes just as King had left it, and when +they had carefully collected the remains they interred them where they +lay. Mr. Howitt showed their respect by conducting over the grave a +short funeral ceremony. Afterwards the party heaped sand over the grave +and laid bushes upon it, that the natives might know by their own tokens +not to disturb the last repose of a fellow-being. To mark the spot the +following inscription was cut on a tree close by:-- + + +--------------+ + | W. J. WILLS. | + | XLV. YDS. | + | W.N.W. | + | --A. H.-- | + +--------------+ + +Mr. Howitt deferred his visit to Burke's remains, hoping that King would +be able to accompany him thither; but finding it would not be prudent to +remove King for two or three days, he unwillingly took such directions +as King could give, and started up the creek in search of the spot where +Burke had died. After travelling eight miles they found his remains +lying among tall plants under a clump of box-trees. The bones were +entire, with the exception of the hands and feet, and the body had been +removed from the spot where it first lay, and where the natives had +placed branches over it, to about five paces distant. The revolver, +loaded and capped, was lying close by, partly covered with leaves and +earth, and corroded with rust. A grave was dug, and the remains of the +brave explorer, wrapped in the Union-jack, were gently placed therein. +On a box-tree at the head of the grave Mr. Howitt cut the following +inscription:-- + + +------------+ + | R. O'H. B. | + | 21/9/61. | + | A. H. | + +------------+ + +The relief-party now went in search of the natives who had been so +hospitable to the unfortunate explorers. On coming up to the blacks, Mr. +Howitt displayed to their astonished gaze some of the things he intended +to give them as a reward for their kindness. They examined the knife and +tomahawk with great interest, but the looking-glass surprised them most. +On seeing their faces reflected in it some seemed dazzled; others opened +their eyes like saucers and made a rattling noise with their tongues, +expressive of surprise. After a friendly palaver, Mr. Howitt gave them +some sugar to taste. They made some absurd sleights-of-hand, as if in +dread of being poisoned, and only pretended to eat it. They were then +made to understand that the whole tribe were to come up to the camp next +morning to receive the presents. On the following day, at ten o'clock, +the friendly blacks appeared in a long procession, and at about a mile +off commenced bawling at the top of their voices. When collected +together, just below the camp, they numbered between thirty and forty, +and the uproar they made was deafening. With the aid of King Mr. Howitt +got them all seated round him, and then distributed the +presents--tomahawks, knives, necklaces, looking-glasses, combs, etc. The +blacks behaved as if they had never before experienced such happiness. +The piccanninies were brought forward by their parents to have red +ribbons tied round their dirty little heads. One old woman, who had been +particularly kind to King, was loaded with presents. Fifty pounds of +sugar was divided amongst them, and soon found its way to their mouths. +Every one had a share in a Union-jack pocket-handkerchief, which they +were very proud of. On fifty pounds of flour being given to them, they +at once called it "white fellow nardoo." The blacks were made to +understand that these things had been given to them for having fed King. +Mr. Howitt then took leave of the delighted fellows, and as he had now +accomplished the object of his journey, he bent his course homewards. + +[Illustration: "THEY FOUND THE REMAINS UNDER A CLUMP OF BOX-TREES."] + +On his arrival at Melbourne the sad story which he had to tell moved the +minds and hearts of all, and deep grief prevailed throughout Australia. +In Victoria the sorrow was intense, and it was agreed that the bodies of +the two gallant explorers who had forfeited their lives in the nation's +service should be brought to Melbourne and accorded a public funeral. +Mr. Howitt was sent on the painful mission of bringing down their +remains, and returned with them at the close of the year 1862. On the +21st of January 1863 the mournful ceremony took place. By common consent +the greater part of the shops in the city were closed, although no +official announcement had been made intimating that the day should be +held sacred to the memory of Burke and Wills. The remains of the +explorers had been lying in state at the Royal Society's Hall for a +fortnight, and were now placed in handsome coffins and conveyed to the +grave, which is near Sir Charles Hotham's monument. They were +accompanied to their last resting-place by the leading gentlemen of the +colony, and a procession which extended a distance of more than +half-a-mile; while the street pavements were densely thronged with +spectators. The Very Rev. the Dean of Melbourne conducted the funeral +service, after which three volleys were fired. The melancholy honours +awarded to the brave explorers having been paid amid general mourning, +the crowd dispersed and left the heroes in their quiet graves. + +Honours of a more substantial kind were not forgotten. To the nearest +relatives of Burke and Wills a large sum of money was voted by the +Government, and King received a grant that enabled him to live +comfortably for the rest of his life. + +After the rewards had been given there was a less pleasing duty to be +done. It was generally agreed that, with proper precautions, the +disastrous termination of the expedition could have been avoided. The +Government appointed a committee for the purpose of sifting out the +truth, and its members examined every person in any way connected with +the expedition. The following is a summary of their report:--That in +dividing his party at Menindie, Mr. Burke acted most injudiciously. He +made an error of judgment in engaging Mr. Wright, though a pressing +emergency had arisen for the appointment of someone. Mr. Burke evinced +more zeal than prudence in finally departing from Cooper's Creek +without having secured communication with the settled districts, and +also in undertaking so extended a journey with an insufficient supply of +food. The conduct of Mr. Wright appears to be reprehensible in the +highest degree. The exploration committee committed errors of a serious +nature in not urging Mr. Wright's departure from the Darling. The +conduct of Mr. Brahé in abandoning the depôt may be deserving of +considerable censure; but a responsibility far beyond his expectations +devolved upon him, and his powers of endurance gave way when pressed by +the appeals of a sick comrade, who died shortly afterwards. Many of the +calamities might have been averted, and none of his subordinates could +have pleaded contradictory orders, had Mr. Burke kept a regular journal +and given written instructions to his officers. The report ends +thus:--"We cannot too deeply deplore the lamentable result of an +expedition undertaken at so great a cost to the country; but while we +regret the absence of any systematic plan of operation on the part of +the leader, we desire to express our admiration of his gallantry and +daring, as well as the fidelity of his brave coadjutor, Mr. Wills, and +their more fortunate and enduring associate, Mr. King; and we would +record our deep sympathy with the deplorable sufferings and untimely +death of Mr. Burke and his fellow-comrades." + +Two years later a monument was erected in honour of the memory of Burke +and Wills. It is a beautiful statue in bronze, based on granite. The +sculptor was Mr. Charles Summers, an eminent Australian artist. The +materials are also Australian--the bronze is composed of copper from +Adelaide and tin from Beechworth, and the granite was taken from the +Harcourt quarries. The bronze figures of Burke and Wills stand about 12 +feet high, and are mounted on a granite pedestal, which is 15 feet high +and 11 feet by 7 feet square at base. The attitude of the explorers is a +very suitable and effective one. Wills is in an easy sitting posture, +and Burke is standing erect with his right arm resting on his comrade's +left shoulder. He is viewing the country towards the left, and is +apparently drawing the attention of his companion to some of its +particular features. Wills, with book on his knee and pencil in hand, is +just about to make a note of them. The sides of the pedestals are +adorned with bronze bas-reliefs, which represent:--(1) The starting of +the expedition from the Royal Park, Melbourne; (2) the return of Burke, +Wills, and King to Cooper's Creek from Carpentaria; (3) the blacks +weeping over the dead body of Burke; and (4) the finding of King by +Howitt's search party. + +On the 21st of April 1865 this stately monument was unveiled in the +presence of vast numbers of people by Sir Charles Darling, Governor of +Victoria. After the uncovering ceremony was performed, Sir Charles +Darling delivered the following address, which is condensed from the +_Argus_ of the 22nd of April:-- + +"At the conclusion of the cheering His Excellency said, 'Ladies and +Gentlemen, Inhabitants of Victoria, I need not tell you that the sounds +which are still reverberating are the echoes of what may be well termed +a national honour to the illustrious dead. To make that honour as +complete and perfect as we can, you have assembled in the vast numbers +which meet the eye in every direction, and I accepted the position which +I now occupy in the appointed ceremonial. On the 20th of August 1860 a +gallant company, now known to all posterity as the "Burke and Wills +Exploring Expedition," set forth, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of +assembled thousands of their fellow-colonists, to win their way from the +southern to the northern shore of the Australian continent. (Cheers.) A +year had nearly passed away when the fact was entertained beyond a doubt +that the victory had been nobly won, but that the leaders, in the +exhausting struggle, had fallen almost in the hour of triumph. In the +manner of their deaths, it seems to me that the distinguishing +characteristics of each were strikingly illustrated. The calm and +philosophic Wills begins his last letter to his father in these +words--"These are probably the last lines you will ever get from me; we +are on the point of starvation, not so much from the absolute want of +food, but from the want of nutriment in what we get;" and he concludes +it with the tranquilly-expressed opinion and assurance, "I think to live +about four or five days; my spirits are excellent." Two days later, +probably but a few hours before his death, the last words recorded in +his journal are literally a scientific dissertation upon the nutritious +nature of the food--the nardoo plant--by means of which they had for +some time protracted their existence. "Place," said the expiring Burke, +instinctively recurring to his early military days, and, as I doubt not, +with the picture of a fallen warrior upon the battle-field vivid in his +imagination, "place my weapon in my hand, and leave me unburied as I +lie." Such was the fate of the men whom this day we mourn and honour. +Then came the universal sorrow, the public funeral, the national +provision for the living, and, lastly, this monument in memory of the +dead. It cannot be said with truth that the people of Victoria have +raised this monument in any boasting or vain-glorious spirit. It had its +origin in a far more noble source. It is designed as the imperishable +record of a deed which, not only on account of its intrinsic importance, +but also of the high qualities which it developed in those who have +achieved it, is justly believed to be worthy of high honour in the +present generation and of future generations. (Cheers.) When, hereafter, +shall be narrated the history of the sorrowful, yet successful +adventure which this statue is intended to commemorate, it will be +forgotten, or remembered only with regret, that there was once cavil and +contention whether a sounder judgment, or--as men who have learned to +believe that the issue of great events are little under the control of +human wisdom may prefer to call it--a more fortunate judgment might not +have been exercised, and a broader beam from the light of experience +brought to bear both upon the inception and the execution of the +exploring enterprise. Nor should we, assembled as we are, not to discuss +the merits of the project, but to pay honour to the memory of those who +conquered the difficulties which beset it, forget that, if it be true +that amongst those difficulties were the want of previous training for, +and special adaption to, the perilous task, so much more were the glory +and credit of the victory enhanced. Nor will the sad tale of the fate of +these men be without its beneficial influence upon the intellectual +training and moral elevation of our people. For, oft as it shall be +told, and ofttimes it will be told upon this very spot, Australian +parents, pointing to that commanding figure, shall bid their young and +aspiring sons to hold in admiration the ardent and energetic spirit, the +bold self-reliance, and the many chivalrous qualities which combined to +constitute the manly nature of O'Hara Burke. (Cheers.) While gazing on +that more lowly and retiring form, they may teach them to emulate the +thirst for science, the deep love of the Almighty's works in nature, +the warm and filial family affections, the devotion to duty, +self-control and submission of his own judgment to authority which he +regarded as rightly conferred and exercised, and which, if I read the +history of his brief career aright, pre-eminently marked the character +and conduct of William Wills. (Cheers.) Better for themselves, and might +haply have averted their melancholy end, if in Burke there had been more +of that practical wisdom which we call prudence, and a larger measure of +self-assertion and desire to sustain his own opinion, in the character +of his unfortunate companion. Better, I have said, for themselves, but +not for the cause of discovery and civilisation, for which they laid +down their lives; for who can doubt that the knowledge of the country +eastward of the line of the successful exploration, which has been +acquired by the expeditions sent forth under the auspices of this and +the sister colonies, to endeavour to solve the mystery of their fate, is +immeasurably greater than could have been reasonably expected to follow +for many years to come, had Burke and Wills returned to enjoy the +peaceful laurels they had won? United in undying fame, all that was +mortal of them now rests in the same hallowed grave. Well we know that +"neither storied urn or animated bust" can "back to its mansion call the +fleeting breath." "Honour's voice" cannot, indeed, "provoke the silent +dust;" if it could, well might their dust breathe again, and be eloquent +to-day. But what man can do has now been done. There in the quiet +cemetery will be placed the "storied urn." Here in the thronged city we +have raised the "animated bust." It shall serve to unite also in +honoured memory the names and effigies--the very form and semblance of +these now celebrated men, whose great exploit has shed such lustre upon +the records of exploration and discovery in this our age, and engrafted +so large a share of interest and glory upon the earlier annals of +Victoria.'" + +[Illustration] + + + + + OLD TIMES ON THE + + GOLD-FIELDS, + + INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF + + THE BALLARAT REBELLION. + + + + +Old Times on the Gold-Fields. + + "Gold, Gold, Gold, Gold-- + Bright and yellow, hard and cold." + + --TOM HOOD. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_THE CONVICT'S STRATAGEM._ + + +The earliest discoverer of gold in Australia is unknown to fame. +Probably he was one of that class of colonists whom Barrington, the +pickpocket, poet, and historian, describes in the oft-quoted couplet:-- + + "True patriots we, for be it understood, + We left our Country for our Country's good;" + +and who were employed on the roads of the colony and on the selections +of its settlers in doing the rough work incidental to the opening of a +new country. For the first report of the existence of the precious metal +we are indebted to the cunning of a convict, who attempted to regain +his liberty by the following stratagem. It is related by Governor Hunter +in his journal of Transactions in the Colonies. In August 1788, a report +was current in the settlement which for some time appeared credible. It +ran thus:--A convict named Dailey had discovered a piece of ground on +which was a considerable quantity of yellow ore. Specimens of the stuff +were examined by the Lieutenant-governor (in the temporary absence of +the Governor), and found to contain several particles of gold. The +convict was interrogated, and so plausible was his tale that the +officials fully believed it, and doubted not that the man had discovered +a valuable field. He was disinclined to make known its whereabouts until +the Governor's return, when he promised to give full particulars of the +discovery, provided he and a certain female prisoner should be liberated +and given berths in one of the ships then on the point of sailing for +England. But the Lieutenant-governor, impatient at the reservation of +the convict, told him that unless the alleged discovery was +substantiated the reward should be of rather a disappointing and +irritating nature. Fearing punishment, the convict relaxed a little, and +said that the mine was on the lower part of the harbour near the +seashore, and offered to lead the officer to the place. Accordingly an +officer and three or four soldiers embarked with the discoverer. He took +them down the harbour and landed them near a wood which he said was +only a short distance from the mine. He led the party into some dense +scrub, and when in the thick of it, managed to give them the slip. The +cheat then made for the camp as quickly as his legs would take him round +the bay, and got back early in the afternoon. He at once informed the +camp officials that the officer was now in possession of the gold-mine. +Shortly afterwards he sneaked away from the camp to a place of +concealment. Meanwhile the party in the scrub waited some time for their +guide, and then spent hours in holloing and in beating the bush for him. +At length the officer decided to return, and as the wily convict had +persuaded him to send back the boat, the party were obliged to march on +foot round to the camp, where they arrived at dusk, and learned with +chagrin of the trick played upon them. In a few days starvation brought +the convict from his lair. He was promptly punished for his deceit, +although he still asserted the truth of his story. An officer was again +sent with him to find the mine, and this time the convict was so +frightened at the officer's threat to shoot him if he attempted to +practice another dodge, that he acknowledged he knew of no mine at all. +On being questioned about the ore produced, the convict confessed he had +filed down part of a yellow metal buckle, mixed with it some gold filed +off a guinea, blended both with some earth, and made the conglomeration +hard as rock. + +Colonel Munday relates that in 1823 a convict (one of an ironed gang +working on the roads near Bathurst) was flogged for having in his +possession a lump of rough gold, which the officer in charge imagined +must have been the product of watches or trinkets stolen and melted +down. Indeed, the toiling prisoners of the early days often picked up +bits of gold, but as they could never find any other than the first +small specimens, their claims for reward were disregarded and their +alleged discoveries disbelieved. Long before the actual working of the +gold-fields scientific adventurers had predicted the existence of gold +formations in the mountain ranges explored by them, and geologists who +had never visited Australia had expressed their conviction that the +Australian Cordillera must be auriferous because of the remarkable +similarity of their characteristics and those of other well-known +gold-bearing regions. + + +EARLY DISCOVERIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. + +The honour of making the first report that was published lies with Count +Strzelecki, for in 1839 he mentioned in the report of his exploration of +New South Wales, under the heading "Gold," of "an auriferous sulphuret +of iron, partly decomposed, yielding a very small quantity or proportion +of gold, sufficient to attest its presence, insufficient to repay its +extraction." At the request of the Governor, who was afraid of the +consequences of awakening the attention of the colonists and the +thousands of convicts to the presence of the alluring metal, the Count +did not at the time make public his discovery and belief. + +Two years later the Rev. W. B. Clarke, an enthusiastic geologist, who +for a long time had been engaged in the laborious work of studying the +structure of Australia, found gold in the basin of the Macquarie. He +exhibited his specimens to his friends, to the Government, and also +communicated the facts of his discovery to scientific friends in +England. Subsequent years of exploration increased his conviction as to +the auriferous nature of the mountain ranges, and at various times from +1842 to 1847 he published declarations of the existence of gold-fields. +But no one attempted to profit by his disclosures, for the authorities +still considered it unsafe to disturb the easily excited feelings of the +dwellers in the penal settlement. When Count Strzelecki returned to +England he took with him specimens of the rocks which he had examined. +His theories, together with those of the Rev. W. B. Clarke, respecting +the gold-bearing nature of the Australian ranges, excited the attention +of Sir Roderick Murchison, and in 1844 this eminent scientist described +to the Royal Geographical Society the comparison between the formation +of the Australian Cordillera and that of the Ural Mountains, which he +himself had explored between the years 1841 and 1843. He stated that +although no gold had been detected in the mountains of Australia, yet +they possessed all the auriferous indications of the well-known +gold-fields of Russia. In 1846 he again strongly expressed his belief in +the richness of the Australian ranges, and recommended the tin miners of +Cornwall who wanted employment to emigrate to New South Wales, and there +to search for gold instead of tin. + +In addition to the above-named discoveries others were reported to the +Colonial Government; but as it offered no inducement to a continuance of +investigation, and as the discoverers either deemed it of little +practical importance or lacked the public spirit necessary for a +sustained effort to arouse the colonists, the "lucky finds" benefited no +one but the finders themselves. A known instance of the latter is that +of an old shepherd named McGregor. He excited a little temporary +curiosity when, laden with "treasure trove," he travelled by the +mail-coach to the metropolis. After this event subsided the gold-finder +was unheard of for a long time, excepting for the rumour of his refusing +a tempting offer of an enterprising jeweller as an inducement to +disclose the locality of the treasure ground. But as McGregor "made +money" without any other ostensible means than that of shepherding and +gold-finding, his rise to wealth may be taken as an evidence of his +success in the latter occupation. + +Several stories can be told of these solitary seekers of the precious +metal; but the pursuit was usually deprecated by men of good standing, +for they believed that on the presence of gold becoming widely known +their own little world would be turned upside down. Some persons who +successfully prosecuted further researches were pronounced as enemies to +the colony when they dared to disclose the facts publicly. + +But although the clamours of science and enterprise were silenced for +the time, and gold, sent as specimens of the richness of the country, +sceptically received and even said to be jewels and watches hidden by +thieves and melted by bush fires, yet the fact of the existence of +auriferous ground became at length so evident that the New South Wales +Executive requested the English Government to send out an efficient +geologist to examine the country. For this purpose Mr. Sutchbury, an +eminent scientist, left England in September 1850. + + +HARGRAVES, THE PIONEER MINER. + +While these discoveries were agitating the minds of a section of the +agricultural and pastoral community, the one person who by his +perseverance and intelligence initiated the practical working of the +gold-fields of Australia was, like the father of Norval, tending his +flocks and herds, and living quietly as a squatter near the town of +Bathurst. The alternative droughts and floods occurring between the +years 1844 and 1848 ruined many Australian settlers, and forced others +to change their mode of life. Edward Hammond Hargraves was one of these +latter unfortunates. He had been remarkably prosperous before this +disastrous period, and even after it had sufficient to clear himself +from debt. The discovery of rich mines in California about this time +induced him to endeavour to regain his former fortune by searching for +gold in the valley of the Sacramento. There he spent nearly two toilsome +years seeking the precious metal. His industry was poorly rewarded. +During summer the life at the diggings was tolerable, but in the winter +the cold was very severe, and Hargraves' party suffered intensely. Even +with every particle of clothing they possessed heaped upon them they had +extreme difficulty in keeping the warmth in their bodies whilst +sleeping, and in addition to this there was the danger of the tent being +borne down by the weight of snow upon it, and the risk of being rudely +aroused by the rough paw of any grisly bear that might take it into his +ursine head to leave the surrounding forest in search of food. The +rigours of the climate, added to their bad luck, so dispirited the party +that at the close of the cold season they separated. Hargraves, with a +heavy heart and a light pocket, made for San Francisco. All the hopeful +imaginings which had warmed his blood when he embarked for the +gold-country had now been entirely dissipated by the grim realities of +mining life. + +As he journeyed downwards towards the seaport, probably whilst +reflecting on the vicissitudes of life in general and of his own in +particular, he was struck with the appearance of a deep gulch in the +Sierras, which awakened old memories, and it dawned upon him that the +features of the surrounding country were remarkably similar to those of +the valleys near his old home in New South Wales. His two years' toiling +had not weakened his energy nor dulled his observation, but it had made +him more practical. He examined closely the formation of the surrounding +gold-bearing districts, and found that the rocks and even the soil +corresponded in many respects to the Blue Mountains of Australia. The +many resemblances between the two places impressed him firmly with the +belief in the existence of a gold-bearing region in New South Wales. + +But his belief did not dissuade him from making another trial at the +Californian diggings. In company with a friend he made several trips up +the Sacramento, and succeeded in finding some payable ground; but +visions of the secluded valleys near his old home constantly haunted his +mind, while the rumours he had heard of the finding of treasures in the +recesses of the Blue Mountains vivified his imaginings and renewed his +old desire of retrieving his fallen fortunes. He disclosed his thoughts +to his mate, and attempted to convince him of the gold-bearing nature +of the hills near Bathurst. But all the dilations of Hargraves were +wasted on his companion, who expatiated upon the foolishness of +forsaking substantial profits for the sake of shadowy prospects, and +pointed out to the enthusiast that the geologists of Australia had +already searched the mountains thoroughly, and that if fortunes could +there be made by opening up a gold-field they would have done so long +before. Hargraves argued that the object of the geologists in examining +the ranges was merely to verify scientific principles, and to further +scientific knowledge; but that to open up a payable gold-field men of a +very different stamp were needed--namely, prospectors with a practical +knowledge of the modes of extracting the gold, and with will and +capability to delve with the pick and to wash the gold-sprinkled earth. +Arguments, however, proved unavailing; therefore Hargraves left his +mate, and all alone shaped his course for New South Wales. + +Hargraves reached Sydney in January 1851. He called on his former +friends, and finding himself unable to keep silent on the subject that +was ever in his thoughts, he related his experiences in California and +made his propositions; but they were looked upon as visionary, and when +he wished to borrow a little money in order to carry them out, his +request was coldly received. Of all Hargraves' acquaintances only one +sympathised in any manner with his enthusiasm, and not one of them would +lend any help towards working out his schemes. Determined that his +purpose should not be frustrated, Hargraves resolved, with manly +self-reliance, on going alone to the district that scientists had +pronounced to be auriferous. The few pounds required to buy a horse and +for the expenses on the way he obtained by promising cent. per cent. +interest on the loan, and repayment of the whole within a few months. + +Early in February he set out upon his lonely journey. Every hour brought +before him the old familiar scenes which reminded him of his former +squatting life. Every step onward quickened his feelings and increased +his hopes of regaining fortune by bringing him nearer to the Eldorado +that was so rich and bountiful in his imagination. + +On the eleventh of the month the solitary horseman arrived at a small +inn on the slope of the Blue Mountains. He hinted to the lady the object +of his journey. She became interested in the handsome and travel-stained +enthusiast, and at his request allowed her son to guide him to various +creeks in the vicinity. + +Early the next morning Hargraves, accompanied by the boy, left the inn. +After a long journey through the bush they came to Summerhill Creek. +This was the destination of our gold-fields' pioneer. A good look around +confirmed his anticipations, and with glowing feelings he gazed at the +realities of what had haunted him in his visions. Then, in order to +relieve the intense strain which his mind had continuously endured for +the past few months, he lay quietly down on the banks of the quiet +creek. After a short rest, he took pick and trowel in hand, and +prospected along the water-course. Five panfuls of earth and gravel were +in a short time collected, and in four of them he found gold. Much +elated at this result, and as the day was now drawing to a close, he +decided to return to the inn and renew his searches on the morrow. + +When he reached the inn he very carefully wrote an account of his doings +and discoveries during the day, for well he knew that besides being a +fortunate one for himself, the 12th of February 1851 would be a +memorable day in the annals of Australia. + +The next day he further examined the creek, and for the two following +months he continued his prospecting with unflagging industry. His +researches were crowned with indubitable success. He saw enough of the +precious metal to convince him of the richness of the gold-field, and +also discovered indications of its presence in many surrounding places. +Then, feeling satisfied that the object of his expedition was +accomplished, even beyond his expectations, he returned to Sydney for +the purpose of obtaining a reward for his discoveries, and making them +known to the public. + +The Government of New South Wales received with suspicion the +discoverer's statement that he could point out a rich gold-field within +the boundaries of the colony. The many pretended gold discoveries had +made them chary of belief in such reports, besides which the convict +element was still a cause of fear; while, above all, it was thought that +the existence of genuine gold-fields in the Blue Mountains would long +since have been discovered and made known by the many geologists and +other scientists who had explored the ranges. + +But Hargraves was too sensible a man to be discouraged by the rebuffs of +a Conservative Government. He saw the importance of his discovery, and +by dint of personally interviewing the Colonial Secretary, he drew from +that gentleman a recognition of it; and with characteristic caution and +shrewdness obtained a guarantee of the Government reward in the event of +its proving valuable. Then he undertook to disclose the secret to the +Government geologist, and also persuaded persons to accompany him to the +scene of his discoveries. The latter he accomplished by delivering a +lecture at the town of Bathurst, and by forming companies of miners, to +whom he took upon himself to give a Government authority to dig for the +precious metal. The excitement raised in the town spread through the +surrounding districts, and very soon numbers of shepherds were allured +from the green pastures unto the "yellow sands." This rushing away from +the ordinary employments was expected to entail great losses to the +stockholders, while it was feared by the more timid that the scenes once +enacted at the Californian diggings would soon be acted over again on +these fields. + +The Government geologist was in due time despatched to test the value +and importance of the alleged discoveries. He fully confirmed the truth +of the statements made by Hargraves, and advised the Government to +engage the pioneer to carry out their measures, because the experience +and knowledge in mining matters which he had acquired in California +would make him specially valuable at the time of the opening up of fresh +diggings. + +Before the end of May, one thousand men were on the spot selected by +Hargraves, and the extent and rich productiveness of the gold-fields had +become so widely known that hundreds flocked daily out of Sydney. The +Government, after some vain efforts to check this rush, wisely desisted +from the attempt, and proceeded to establish regulations to preserve +good order at the diggings. They issued licenses, without which it was +illegal to dig or search for gold, and also enforced, with the aid of a +body of foot and mounted police, obedience to the laws. + +Hargraves was appointed a Commissioner of Crown Lands for the purpose of +searching, on behalf of the Government, for further fields of employment +for gold-diggers. In addition to his salary as Commissioner, he was +at once rewarded £500 for his valuable discoveries; and subsequently, +when the magnitude of their importance had become more generally +realised, this amount was increased by grants from the New South Wales +and Victorian Governments, and by testimonials from the citizens of +Sydney and Melbourne, to the handsome extent of £15,000. + +[Illustration: A BUSH FIRE.] + +Edward Hammond Hargraves was presented to the Queen in 1853 as the +Australian gold discoverer. The liberal rewards and honours bestowed +upon him are but an infinitesimal portion of the wealth and fame which +have accrued to the colonists through his discovery. And it is mainly +owing to the thoughtfulness, cleverness, and enterprising perseverance +of Hargraves, that in an extremely short period Australia has taken an +advanced position among the nations of the world. + + +THE ABORIGINAL DISCOVERER. + +The excitement which Hargraves' revelations had raised abated a little +early in June, for the weather was cold, wet, and inclement, and the +digger's life was thus rendered miserable. The rains flooded the creeks +and drenched the diggers, the floods effectively preventing all from +gold-hunting. Many on the gold-fields became disheartened, and returned +to Sydney with such gloomy reports that for a time the rush from town +was wholly checked. Towards the close of June, however, a shepherd +picked up gold in the neighbourhood of Turon river. News of this rapidly +spread round the district, and in a few days hundreds were on the spot +hunting greedily for further treasures. + +The next "lucky find" was a magnificent one. Near the scene of this new +rush an aboriginal, obtaining a brief respite from minding his master's +sheep, took a tomahawk in hand and amused himself by playing the +geologist. He wandered about chipping the rocks and examining the +country adjacent to the sheep run. A glittering, yellow substance +sticking out of a rock attracted his attention. Applying his tomahawk, +he struck off a portion, when a lump of the metal so coveted by the +white fellow was revealed to his delighted gaze. The intelligent black +darted away to bring his master to behold the golden prize. Shortly +afterwards he and his master (Dr. Kerr) arrived at the spot. By working +laboriously with a sledge-hammer, and breaking the gigantic mass into +three pieces, they managed to disembowel quartz and gold weighing over +two hundredweight. Out of these lumps the mammoth treasure-trove of one +hundred and sixty pounds of pure gold was obtained, which on being sold +realised the magnificent sum of £4160. + +This "Kerr Hundredweight" eclipsed anything ever previously seen in the +shape of nuggets. The rumour of its dazzling proportions attracted the +notice of adventurers, and increased tenfold the stream of +fortune-hunters that flowed towards the Turon mines. The district soon +became so prosperous, and the price of land in the vicinity so high, +that land-holders in other districts, fearing a depreciation in the +value of their property, were induced to offer rewards for discoveries +in their own neighbourhood. + +But the fame of the New South Wales gold-fields was short-lived, for +greater treasures were a few months afterwards discovered in Victoria; +and the continued steady yield there put all other discoveries +completely in the shade. The shifting population of the original +diggings at once withdrew from the tributaries of the Macquarie, and +numbers on their way thither deflected their course on hearing of the +richer auriferous creeks in the neighbouring colony. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_GOLD IN VICTORIA._ + + "Gold, precious yellow, glittering gold! + What can it not do and undo?" + + +The exodus of gold-seekers from the Port Philip district to the Sydney +side alarmed its leading men, for they were aware of the necessity of an +increasing population in a rising pastoral community such as theirs. The +agricultural and pastoral interests were likely to be seriously affected +if the bone and sinew of the labourers sought employment in the rich +mines on the banks of the Turon instead of on the corn-fields and +pasture lands of the Port Philip district. Besides, the Port Philippians +had for some time been endeavouring to procure separation from New South +Wales; in fact, the act of separation was just about to take place, and +this stroke of luck in favour of the older colony by heightening its +prospects correspondingly humbled those of the new colony, and tended to +sink it into insignificance. The Mayor of Melbourne, therefore, convened +a public meeting, at which several energetic and influential men were +formed into a Gold Discovery Committee. This committee, in order to +avert the threatened crisis, offered a reward of two hundred guineas to +the person who should discover a payable gold-field within the district. + + +JAMES ESMOND, THE VICTORIAN PIONEER DIGGER. + +About a month after this meeting in Melbourne the Geelong newspapers +announced the discovery of gold at Clunes, on the 1st of July, by James +Esmond, a pioneer who does not appear to have heard of the promised +reward. + +The adventures of this first of Victorian diggers were in many respects +similar to those of Hargraves. In 1848 James Esmond was driver of the +mail-coach between Buninyong and Horsham. For several years he had +filled the box-seat, in which position he received commendation for his +careful handling of the horses, and his courteous behaviour to his +passengers. But at length the dreary monotony of his long and lonely +route through the bush and over the rocky ranges of the Pyrenees proved +too wearisome for the roving disposition of the young driver. He +therefore threw down the reins and abandoned his mail contract. Glowing +reports of the golden treasures of California were being circulated +throughout the district, and were listened to with eager ears by young +Esmond. He would gratify an intense love of adventure that prompted him +to go to the diggings, and at the same time woo Dame Fortune and win her +golden smiles. Thus he determined, and in due course arrived in +California. He soon experienced the discomforts of a digger's life, but +found very little gold. Ill-luck attended all his toiling, and made him +so thoroughly disgusted with digging life that he resolved to return to +his old occupation, which, although lacking the excitement of +gold-hunting, was also without its bitter discouragement and +uncertainty. Esmond returned to Sydney on the ship that brought +Hargraves back to New South Wales. This was purely by chance, and +probably the two men scarcely ever spoke to each other during the +voyage. After two months spent idly in Sydney he came on to Melbourne in +a very slow sailing vessel, which took three weeks to make the short +voyage between the two capitals. Esmond journeyed to Buninyong, and as +his old position was occupied by another man, he was obliged to take to +another calling. Nothing better than bushman's work could be had, so he +undertook to cut down timber and build log-huts on a station in the +Pyrenees. This arduous work was shared by one companion. In its +loneliness and want of variety it was so directly opposite to the +eventfulness of Esmond's last occupation that the two men might work for +weeks without seeing another human being. But the dull uniformity of +the lives of the two men was suddenly changed by the arrival on the +scene of a German geologist named Dr. Bruhn, who showed to Esmond and +his mate rich specimens of gold found in the neighbourhood, and told the +wondering pair that a practical miner might easily discover a payable +gold-field in the district. This unexpected announcement immediately +filled Esmond with the desire to once again tempt Dame Fortune. He +easily persuaded his mate to join him in the adventure, and the pair +discontinued tree-felling and hut-building, and with pick and tin-dish +set forth in search of fortune's golden gifts. As an early poetical +chronicler thus puts it:-- + + "Behold him, along with his partner, set out + To prospect the unexplor'd ranges about; + They pass the poor natives, crouch'd round their rude fire, + Nor linger the beautiful birds to admire. + The kangaroo furtively peeps from its lair, + The cunning opossum bestows a wild stare; + But till they find gold little rest will they draw." + +Esmond and his companion began their prospecting tour on the 1st of July +1851 (separation day). They soon attained the object of their +expedition, and with very little effort. On reaching the banks of Deep +Creek, a tributary of the Loddon, they were gladdened by the sight of +glistening quartz. A little diligent fossicking there was rewarded by +the unearthing of a few rich specimens of grain gold, or what appeared +to be such. In order to make sure of the richness of the metal, Esmond +determined to have the specimen tested by an assayer at Geelong. On +arriving at that town the pureness of the gold was vouched for, and +eager inquiries were made for the locality where the precious treasure +could be found. + +Esmond declined to divulge his secret, and hastened to obtain the +necessary implements and utensils for working the coveted field. It was +the 6th of July before his digging expedition (the first in Victoria), +which consisted of three men besides himself, was fully equipped. Before +leaving Geelong, Esmond disclosed his destination to the assayer, who +advised other parties fitting out for the Turon diggings to remain in +the district, because of the probability of richer gold-fields being +shortly found close at hand. + +In the meantime another discovery was announced. A party of six men +found sprinklings of gold in the bed of Anderson's Creek, a tributary of +the Yarra, and only a few miles from Melbourne. These discoveries were +effective in stemming the tide of emigration to New South Wales. +Esmond's field attracted about thirty men, and produced satisfactory +results until the end of August. It then became evident that the +precious yellow grains were no longer to be found in the alluvial +deposits. The men at Clunes were getting into severe straits because of +the poorness of the shallow diggings, when a visitor to the place +brought the welcome news of fresh discoveries and encouraging prospects +for diggers in the neighbourhood of Buninyong. + +Amongst the first to leave the Clunes diggings was Esmond, its original +prospector. He joined a party of nine, who marched over the hills to the +newly-discovered fields. With this party we will leave the pioneer, for +he afterwards worked in company with others, and met with no +extraordinary adventures. Though remarkably successful as a digger, he +was singularly unfortunate in his speculations. Subsequently £1000 was +voted to him in reward for his discoveries. He also received a grant of +a piece of land on the site of the first gold-field. + + +OTHER PIONEERS. + +The rich discoveries at Clunes excited the cupidity, or perhaps we +should say the spirit of adventure, of many of the colonists, and +tempted them to leave their ordinary occupations to join in the search +for gold. A resident of Buninyong, named Thomas Hiscock, was induced to +examine the surrounding hills. A brief search was rewarded by the +discovery, in one of the many gullies that wind among the hills, of some +bright yellow grains, which, from their weight and lustre, he thought +must be the precious metal he was in quest of. These specimens he took +to Geelong for the purpose of having them tested by a competent assayer. +He arrived at Geelong on the 10th of August, and had some difficulty in +finding a reliable gold expert; but a gentleman who had seen Esmond's +specimens a few weeks before pronounced Hiscock's "find" to be true +gold, and much finer and more glistening than that found at Clunes. When +Hiscock's discovery was made public a number of workmen and idlers left +Geelong and set out for the gully. But the weather was cold, and the +continual pouring of rain damped the ardour of most of the adventurers +ere they began to seek for the precious metal. Many remained in the +township of Buninyong, not venturing to camp on the hills, because the +ground there was so muddy and the gully so slushy as to render living +under canvas extremely miserable, and fossicking for gold almost +impossible. Despite these drawbacks there were within a fortnight of the +arrival of its discoverer in Geelong over forty diggers at work in +Hiscock's gully. But ill-luck attended the efforts of most of these +pioneers, and continual disappointments forced many of them to try the +diggings at Clunes. + +With this object in view, a digger named Dunlop packed up his tent and +baggage, and would have taken himself to Clunes; but when he learned +that four pounds was the price of carriage in the waggon about to start +for that place, he resolved to give Buninyong another trial. Early next +morning he disappeared from the township. In the evening he returned to +his wondering mate and showed him a match-box containing half an ounce +of gold, which he said was the result of that day's seeking amongst the +hills five or six miles away. His mate would not believe his tale, but +at break of day Dunlop again disappeared--this time in company with a +friend named Regan. A few days elapsed, and the two men being still +away, his mate went out in search of them. Then the absence of the three +men was remarked at the hotel where they had been lodging. Four other +men, suspecting the cause of the sudden disappearance, and hoping to +share in any fresh discoveries, went stealthily out of the township and +endeavoured to track the supposed lucky prospectors. But the latter did +not wish to be discovered, and attempted to elude their pursuers. +However, all their efforts to escape observation were in vain, for in a +very short time the place that Dunlop had discovered attracted almost +all the diggers from Buninyong, who soon displaced the few miserable +native wanderers who had roamed over Poverty Flat--as it was gruesomely +named--"monarchs of all they surveyed, and lords of the fowl and the +brute." + +Shortly afterwards the treasures of Golden Point were revealed. A family +named Cavanagh had secured a half-worked claim, and having carried it +below a layer of pipe-clay into the midst of some decayed slate, they +struck the first of those rich pockets which were afterwards found in +such abundance throughout the Golden Point Field. + +Before the end of August the mineral richness of the neighbouring creeks +became evident, and numbers of nimble fossickers gathered the first +crops of the Ballarat gold-fields. In September rich diggings were +opened at Mount Alexander, and two or three weeks later the yield of +those at Bendigo eclipsed for a time the glories of all other fields. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Effect Of Discoveries._ + + "Like stragglers from an army, orderless, + The adventurers toward their haven press; + Their ardent minds, ignoring present care, + Imagine future "lobs" of which they share. + Through their hot brains what splendid visions speed + Of golden _claims_ directly on the _lead_, + Enabling them thro' hoary Age to sail + With hawsers moored to Competence's tail! + + * * * * * + + How chang'd the landscape since the paleface came, + How hard to recognise it as the same! + The earth no longer wears her garb of green, + But grave-like holes may everywhere be seen; + The forest fell'd to cook the miners' food, + The sadden'd Natives scatter'd and subdu'd." + + _The New Rush._--J. RODGERS. + + +The wonderful effect of the valuable discoveries made during the first +few months of gold-seeking soon became apparent in Melbourne and +Geelong, owing to the rapid departure for the diggings of great numbers +of the townsfolks, who abandoned their ordinary vocations in order to +get a share of the profuse rewards there meted out by Mother Earth to +the industrious or the lucky. + +The Victorian population at this time was only 77,000, of which 30,000 +were concentrated in the two principal towns. Nearly all these people +became mad for gold. The whole of the colony was stirred to its inmost +depths, and underwent a total revolution in all its social relations. + +Almost the first manifestation of the change was shown in the sudden +appearance of an immense motley throng upon the roads that converged to +the gold-fields. Thousands of men of every walk in life--rich and poor, +old and young, sturdy and weak--were enticed from the comforts and +delights of the domestic hearth, and from the conveniences and +amusements of town life, by the allurements of the glittering prizes +which Dame Fortune was lavishly dealing out to the pioneer prospectors, +and which seemed to dangle before the expectant eyes of everyone. What a +strange and entertaining sight the thickly-thronged roads must have +presented to the observant student of human nature! Many a tramp +hopefully toiling along with swag on back; bands of mechanics with +lumbering drays and bony nags to assist in transporting the heavy +necessaries; parties with light hand-carts and wheel-barrows +energetically pushing and pulling their primitive vehicles; shopmen in +spring carts; doctors and lawyers in first-class gigs and buggies. +The whole of these, from beggar to barrister, from pickpocket to parson, +were to be seen hieing along dusty roads and journeying through hitherto +untrodden forest, all impelled by the one covetous desire to the one +end--the gold-fields, where, perchance, they might reap a golden harvest +without the laborious years of working and the wearisomeness of waiting, +which are the usual checks to success in other pursuits. + +[Illustration: THE RUSH TO THE DIGGINGS.] + +Ere these fortune-hunters reached the Eldorado of their wishes, many +obstacles had to be overcome. The roughness of the road, the yielding +nature of the bush tracks, and general unevenness of the ground, +occasioned many a poor horse to knock under and leave his master or +masters in a sorry plight. Their fellow-wayfarers seeing such a +predicament would sometimes lend a helping hand; and it was not uncommon +to see thirty or forty men dragging a dray up some of the steep hills by +means of ropes, or carrying on their backs portions of a heavy load. + +A number of the travellers were free and independent. These, carrying +all their property with them, usually made a day's journey of about +twenty miles; then, after an _al-fresco_ meal, they lay down in the +open-air, with their blankets wrapped like martial cloaks around them, +and were lulled to sleep by the breezy murmurs of the wild bush. Others, +ignorant of the obstacles they had to encounter, rushed away from town +insufficiently supplied with provisions, and the few public-houses on +the way became quickly packed to confusion by these half-famished +wanderers, demanding food and drink. + +Many of the first arrivals on the fields soon found out that the life of +a digger was not all honey, and, after a few bitter experiences, either +went back to their old employments in the town, or adapted themselves to +the requirements of the new order of things by supplying the diggers' +camp with provisions--an occupation which was generally quite as +lucrative as that of the average digger. Meanwhile, the fame of the +Victorian gold-fields had circulated throughout the adjacent colonies. +Very soon the tide of emigration was turned from the Turon mines, and +flowed in the direction of Ballarat and its vicinity. It poured into the +auriferous creeks in the shape of an immense living mass, every unit big +with expectation, and bent on ferreting out and appropriating some +fragment of the golden lodestone. + +The bush surrounding the diggings was quickly thinned of its timber--its +red gum, stringy bark, and box trees serving as good fuel for the +culinary fire of the digger. Even the tallest and most massive giants of +the forest were not spared, and soon the scene was completely shorn of +its pristine sylvan beauty. Verdant hillocks and grassy mounds, which in +primeval days had been the peaceful browsing and grazing grounds of the +kangaroo and its species, and the happy hunting grounds of their +scarcely human enemy, the aboriginal black, were speedily changed into +yellow-coloured upheavals, which from a distance presented to the +interested spectator the lively appearance of great ant-hills warming +with busy workers, who now dropped into pits cut in the slopes, and anon +reappeared bearing heavy loads, with which they impetuously rushed to +the turbid waters of the nearest gully. + +On the diggings everyone was subjected to the sway of the golden metal, +and the effect of the spell on the different temperaments was as +interesting as they were varied. In some of the diggers the sympathetic +springs of life's action seemed to be completely clogged; the demon of +avarice held complete dominion, and rendered these men forgetful of the +commonest offices of humanity. But over others the spell was not so +potent, or its sordid effect so marked--an occasional pausing or ceasing +from work in order to exchange civilities, or to do a friendly action, +betokening that a desire for the amenities of life was not entirely +obliterated even among the rough hairy diggers in their most +cupiditative pursuit. + +A year later the fame of the enormous yield of the Victorian gold-fields +had astonished the whole world, and quickly attracted numerous +ship-loads of emigrants from every centre of civilisation. This great +influx set in about September 1852, and doubled the population before +the end of the year. During 1852 and 1853 Victoria became the most +populous of the colonies by the arrival of nearly 200,000 persons, the +arrivals in Hobson's Bay averaging about 1800 weekly. + +Many of the more sober-minded of the colonists were greatly concerned in +mind by this tremendous inundation; but the go-ahead or +hopefully-inclined trusted that the great successive waves of fresh +inhabitants from the thickly-populated portions of the old world would +be the making of the colony. The influx was certainly an immediate boon +to the sheep-farmers of the period. The state of the colony in the early +days was well described by London _Punch_ in the lines-- + + "The land of the South that lies under our feet, + Deficient in mouths, over-burdened with meat." + +But now the order of things was reversed, and, owing to the +ever-increasing number of mouths to be fed, the prices of all articles +of consumption went up enormously. + + +CANVAS TOWN. + +House accommodation became wholly inadequate to meet the requirements of +the great multitude, and holders of tenements made enormous profits by +letting portions of their mean dwellings at extraordinary high rents. +Many respectable and even monied persons were obliged to live in tents, +while large numbers passed both day and night with no other roof than +the blue sky overhead. + +A unique suburb sprang into existence on the south side of the Yarra. It +was improvised by the surplus population who could not obtain shelter in +over-crowded Melbourne. Its name--Canvas Town--describes its +construction. It was pleasantly situated, commencing on a grassy slope, +and was laid out in streets and lanes; the principal thoroughfares being +crowded with boarding-houses and shops, all of canvas. The Government +charged the occupant of each impromptu dwelling five shillings per week +for the right to camp on the site. All sorts of people mingled together +in this primitive township, and many new chums here took their first +lessons in roughing it. + + +RAG FAIR. + +Another novel and interesting scene was the market which sprang into +existence on the wharf where most of the arrivals landed. The exorbitant +rates charged for cart-hire and store-rent precluded many from removing +their heavy luggage, which remained day after day piled up in huge heaps +by the water-side. At length some of the emigrants devised a plan for +its sale. An impromptu bazaar was opened; the sea-chests were placed +back to back, and arrayed in lines with the up-turned lids strewed with +the contents, so that the merchandise was fully exposed for inspection. +A brisk trade soon sprang up, in which abundance of wearing apparel and +household furniture was sold at "alarming sacrifices," as the exigencies +of the times demanded the immediate disposal of all cumbrous articles. +The low prices increased the popularity of this "Rag Fair," as it was +called, and the business became at last so considerable that, in +response to the complaints of shopkeepers, the City Council issued an +order for its stoppage. + +In striking contrast to the efforts made by these new chums in getting +rid of their superfluities in order to buy a suitable outfit for the +diggings, were the dissipations and freaks of many returned diggers, +who, having been lucky on the gold-fields, were now recklessly +squandering their quickly-acquired wealth. These extravagant displays +tended to quicken the movements of new arrivals in their preparations, +and to keep up a constant flowing of the population between the rich +diggings and the town. + + +NEW CHUMS AND OLD CHUMS. + +The picturesqueness of life on the gold-fields was heightened by the +appearance on the scene of the immigrants, who brought with them the +many peculiarities of their national traits. The bluff Englishman and +the mirthful Irishman, the cautious Scotchman and the volatile +Frenchman, the industrious German and the 'cute Yankee--all could be +seen working in close proximity; while the indefatigable Chinaman +toiling close at hand, generally in claims abandoned by his more robust +European neighbours, added not a little to the varied attraction of the +scene. + +These representatives of different nationalities brought with them their +own distinctive notions of rights and freedom; but their common +occupation and necessary intercourse modified many objectionable +peculiarities. Differences of class, too, were laid aside; the +illiterate labourer ranked on the same footing as the scholarly +adventurer, provided they both possessed a strong arm and a stout heart. +In short, the motley throng on the gold-field formed a vast republic of +labour. + +The general greeting to men of aristocratic birth or manners was +superciliously conveyed by the title of "swell," "genteel cove," or the +slang term "Joe." These gentlemen-diggers being mostly unfit for +roughing it, were sometimes engaged by the lords of labour to light the +fires and wash tin-plates and pannikins. Of course this reversion of the +usual order of things had an inflatory effect on the common labourers, +whose superior bone and sinew made them for the time the better men. As +an instance of it, we quote from McCombie:-- + +"A squatter had come to the diggings to hire shearers, and seeing a +party of men who seemed to be idle, he asked if they would engage for +the sheep-shearing. After a little hesitation one of the party replied +that they would if they had their own terms. On being asked to state +them, he replied, in a bantering tone, _the wool upon their backs_. The +squatter turned away, but was soon recalled. He quickly obeyed the +summons, supposing the men had thought better of his offer. The +spokesman of the party now told, with a knowing leer, that his mates and +himself were in want of a _cook_, and they had come to the resolution to +offer him a pound a day if he would condescend to accept the office." + +Again, the appearance of anything like fine manners or "swell" clothes +was instantly reprobated. Innocent offenders in these respects were +quickly reminded of the incongruity between Continental and Victorian +ceremonies and fashions. New chums frequently presented themselves on +the diggings clothed in London or Paris costumes, and thus advertised, +they were welcomed with noisy merriment, and at once named "Joeys" +amidst ironical cheers. An anecdote of this nature follows; it is +extracted from _Glimpses of Life in Victoria_:-- + +"A very pleasant, gentlemanly young fellow, lately arrived, and +inexperienced in the customs of the colony, ventured one day among the +diggings wearing the conspicuous tall hat which he had always been used +to wear at home. He was instantly assailed by cries of 'Joe! Joe!' which +were re-echoed on every side and reiterated by hundreds of voices, as +one man after another popped up his head from the hole in which he was +working and joined in the mocking chorus. Quite unconscious that he was +the observed of all eyes, he walked unsuspectingly on, but the clamour +still increased, and many a finger pointed at him at length caused him +to guess pretty correctly the cause of the commotion. He had much ready +wit and self-possession, and did not deliberate long on the course to +pursue, but taking off his hat he turned from side to side and made a +series of profound bows to the noisy community. The effect was all that +he could have desired, for the piercing shouts were presently exchanged +for a hearty cheer, and he was suffered to continue his way unmolested." + +From what has been said it may be gathered that in the early muscular +days of the colony work made the man, and want of it the fellow. The +feeble-bodied digger was nowhere in the race for wealth, and many a +solitary sickly one dropped out of existence unknown to any of his +friends, and not even missed in the ever-varying excitements of the +times. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_SLY GROG SHANTIES._ + + "The diggings hoh! the diggings hah! + Shout for the diggings, shout hurrah!" + + --_Diggers' Chorus._ + + +During the hours of relaxation the proceedings on the diggings +contrasted vividly with the day's employment. The end of the day's +labours was in the early days announced by the firing of a gun from the +tent of the Commissioner. Then followed a general abandonment of the +chip, chip of the pick against the rock, the delving in the mud, the +barrow-wheeling, the cradle-rocking, and the puddling in clayey +water-holes. With mud-bespattered shirt, clay-soiled pants, and heavy +yellow-stained boots, each digging-party sought its tent. Then the +ringing sound of axes wielded by brawny arms told of preparations for +the evening meal. Hundreds of thin lines of blue smoke ascending from as +many fires joined to make the large volume that wafted overhead. Soon +the singing of the kettles on the blazing logs cheered the weary +digger with the prospect of a fragrant pannikin of tea to moisten his +damper--a somewhat heavy staff of life, but one admirably adapted to +support the toiling gold-seeker. + +[Illustration: ON THE GOLD FIELDS.] + +Refreshed and stimulated by the evening meal, the diggers would then +light their pipes, and soon the curling wreaths of smoke circling round +betokened the complacency of the different companies. Then yarns were +spun, arguments held, and songs sung, until the loquacious and musical +ones became exhausted or the listeners had fallen asleep. + + +SLY GROG SHANTIES. + +But the harmony of such scenes was but too often disturbed by the noise +of drunken revelry-- + + "Sottish sets more opulent than wise, + The sly grog shanties and hotel comprise; + Wasting the profits of their jewell'd claims, + In hurtful stimulants and risky games." + +Although selling intoxicating liquors was an illegal offence on the +first gold-fields, yet, despite the vigilance of the Commissioners, the +votaries of Bacchus were supplied with their spirituous comforts by +certain storekeepers, who cunningly contrived to conceal the illicit +decoctions and carry on a brisk trade on the sly. + +The ingenuity of these sly grog-sellers in baffling the police evoked a +corresponding sharpness on the part of the Commissioners in detecting +illegal practices. When a plant was discovered its contents were either +confiscated or wasted, and its owner, if found, was visited with the +full wrath of the authorities, and afterwards punished according to the +law. + +An instance of the summary manner in which some cases were dealt with is +here inserted from _Glimpses of Life in Victoria_:-- + +"We stopped next before an empty tent of ample dimensions, which +appeared to court the light of day, for it was half-open, and its +interior was unusually neat and clean. A heap of digging implements lay +in front, and a pair of moleskin trousers were hung artlessly over the +top of the tent (Mr. ----'s informant had bidden him to take notice of a +tent so decorated). Inside, at the furthest end, stood a large-sized +bedstead, white and clean to outward appearance, with a deep valance +running round the foot. Nothing in the least suspicious was visible in +this neat open dwelling; nevertheless, it was to the pure white couch +that Mr. -----, having dismounted, marched straight up through the +opening of the tent, with the order that it should be searched +forthwith. The valance was lifted and disclosed a large quarter cask and +several kegs full of rum, which were taken up and deposited outside. +'Who is the owner of this tent?' demanded Mr. ---- again of the crowd +which had gathered around him. The question was repeated, but it fell, +as before, on a silent assembly. + +"'Since this property has no owner,' said he, 'I will quickly show you +what I will do with it.' + +"Catching hold of a pick that was lying at hand, he set to work himself +to remove the top of the cask, then dipping a bucket into the liquor, he +soused the tent inside and out; the kegs were emptied out in like +manner, till the whole of the hoarded store was spilt, and the air was +reeking with the smell of rum. Then striking a match, he applied it to +the ground, and the spirit igniting set fire to the tent, which flared +and blazed up in a moment, throwing a ruddy glow over the throng of +angry faces that looked on in gloomy silence, broken only by a +half-smothered imprecation from some of the most daring of the crowd. +The flames arose higher and higher, when suddenly a gun went off, +producing for the moment an effect which might truly be called +sensational. No one knew whence the discharge had come, whether some +hand in the angry crowd had fired it, and whether others might follow; +presently, however, it was ascertained that the gun had been in the +tent, and that the fire had caused it to explode. 'We had better move +off,' said a voice; 'there might be more guns yet in that tent.' + +"As might be expected, such proceedings were viewed by a certain class +of diggers with anything but satisfaction. Cries of 'It's a ---- +shame,' and 'Don't waste the ---- grog,' evinced the boiling feelings of +the rougher element. Even the lovers of order were generally mortified +by the restrictions of the liquor laws." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_THE DIGGER'S LICENSE._ + + "Let active laws apply the needful curb, + To guard the peace that riot would disturb; + And Liberty, preserved from wild excess, + Shall raise no feuds for armies to suppress." + + --COWPER. + + +Another and greater grievance which daily stirred up strife between the +diggers and the Commissioners was the gold-digger's license. The +collecting of the license fee was from the first an invidious duty, +which demanded a vast deal of tact on the part of the Commissioners and +staff, for the diggers were always opposed to the tax, and many were the +ruses they adopted to escape its payment. + +The first skirmish in connection with this impost took place at the +Golden Point, Ballarat. The diggers at the Point understood that no tax +would be charged for the month of September 1852, as the Government +wished to encourage prospecting on new gold-fields. But the +Commissioners, on arriving at Golden Point, perceived by the general +appearance of cheerfulness that the field was yielding good returns. +Yet the diggers gave most evasive answers to their inquiries as to the +result of the prospecting, and reminded them that the Government would +forego the September tax. These artifices led the Commissioners to +suspect that the men on the Point were more than ordinarily successful, +and were planting their gains out of the range of the official eye. But +an old pioneer named Connor failed to hide a pannikin full of gold dust, +and its discovery confirming the suspicions of the Commissioners, they +concluded that the community was prosperous enough to pay the tax, and +thereupon announced that a license fee of fifteen shillings must be paid +for the latter half of the month. + +This proclamation aroused the indignation of the diggers. They held a +meeting, at which a man named Swindells mounted the "stump," and +denounced the sharp conduct of the officials. A deputation of two (the +orator and a Mr. Oddie) were appointed to interview the Commissioners, +in order to get them to revoke their decision. This the Commissioners +bluntly refused to do, and the two representatives, after a wordy war, +were compelled to retreat. The diggers now became exasperated, and when +they further heard that Connor, the man whose carelessness was the +immediate cause of the levying of the tax, had actually paid it, their +wrath knew no bounds. They bonnetted him, pelted him with mud till he +was almost covered, and would have proceeded to greater indignities had +not Oddie and a few others curbed their unbridled feelings by referring +to the grey hairs of the delinquent. + +Notwithstanding this heated manifestation of ill-temper, the +Commissioners enforced the license fee, and it was noticed, as is very +often the case in popular demonstrations, that many of the most violent +of the diggers succumbed the readiest under official pressure. But the +last to give in was Swindells, so that when he did apply for a license +his consistent obnoxiousness was remembered by the Commissioners to his +disadvantage, and they refused to grant him one. + +To recompense him the diggers, therefore, subscribed and presented him +with 12 ounces of gold for his efforts on their behalf. Swindells +afterwards went to Forest Creek diggings, and as a report came to the +Point that a license was again denied him, the diggers asserted that the +Government had determined to put a stop to his mining in Victoria +because he had championed their cause at Ballarat. + +On first hearing of the gold discoveries the Executive of Victoria had +exercised their prerogative, as representatives of the Crown, to claim +all precious metals found within the colony. A notice was issued +forbidding anyone to dig for gold unless under certain rules, one of +which was that the gold-seeker should pay a license fee of 30s. per +month before commencing his search. + +The colony, which was then in its infancy, was governed according to the +Crown Colony system; but by the incessant arrivals its population so +increased in numerical strength as to be almost beyond the control of +the ruling powers. The Government appear to have been particularly +puzzled as to their duties towards the vast irregular society upon the +gold-fields. That it should be regarded as merely a migratory flight of +population from the old centres of civilisation, which having swooped +down upon the gold sown broadcast in the land, would presently return +whither it came, carrying away the best of the gold harvest, was the +idea which must have occupied the minds of the authorities, for they +never attempted to make the gold-fields' population a part of the colony +until the clamouring of the insurrectionists at Ballarat dispelled the +illusion, and apprised them of the impolicy of delay in according a +social status to the gold-digger. + +The Executive of the day sought to solve the difficulty by the +appointment of Police Magistrates or Commissioners, whose chief duty +seems to have been the enforcement of the gold-tax act. + +Now in the digging community were many factious adventurers, whose +peculiar ideas of rights and liberties would have clashed with any form +of government. These malcontents exasperated the Commissioners, and +caused the power lodged in them to be used in its fullest extent. The +police force were directed to keep continual watch on the fields, and +compel the production of licenses as often as they pleased to ask for +them. Even the prudent exercise of this authority would no doubt have +been galling to law-abiding miners, for tax-paying, without the +surveillance, is not as a rule congenial to the feelings of members of +settled communities. + +But the majority of the police officers were generally overbearing and +insolent, and their want of tact when dealing with the rough natures on +the diggings greatly increased the embarrassment of affairs. A +license-hunt was the name among the diggers for the collecting of the +tax--the police being the hounds, while many a digger in his wily +attempt to escape payment proved himself a veritable fox in cunning. + + +DIGGER-HUNTING ANECDOTES. + +The following vigorous descriptions of this tax-collecting graphically +portray the feelings of both diggers and officials. The first is +extracted from Kelly's entertaining _Life in Victoria_:-- + +"W----n shouted down, 'Come up, boys--come along, quick; the game is +started!' and as I was being hoisted up I heard the swelling uproar and +the loud chorus of 'Joes' from every side. As I gained the surface +everybody was in commotion--diggers with their licenses lowering down +their mates without them; others, with folded arms, cursing the system +and damning the Government; some stealing away like hares when hounds +are in the neighbourhood; and several 'tally-ho'd,' bursting from points +where they could escape arrest, while 'Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe!' +resounded on all sides; the half-clad Amazons running up the hill-sides, +like so many bearers of the 'fiery cross,' to spread to the neighbouring +gullies the commencement of the police foray. The police, acting on a +preconcerted plan of attack, kept closing in upon their prey; the +mounted portion, under the commander-in-chief, occupying commanding +positions on the elevated ranges to intercept escape or retreat. A +strong body of the foot force, fully armed, swept down the gully in +extended line, attended by a corps of light infantry traps in loose +attire, like greyhounds in the slip, ready to rush from the leash as the +quarry started. But the orders of the officers could not be heard from +the loud and continuous roars of 'Joe! Joe! Joe!'--'Curse the +Government!--the beaks, the traps, commissioners, and all'--'the +robbers,'--'the bushrangers,' and every other vile epithet that could be +remembered, almost into their ears. At length the excitement got +perfectly wild as a smart fellow, closely pursued by the men-hounds, +took a line of the gulley cut up with yawning holes, from which the +cross planks had been purposely removed; every extraordinary spring +just carrying him beyond the grasp of capture, his tracks being +filled the instant he left them, and the outstretched arm of the +trap within an inch of seizure in the following leap. I myself was +strangely inoculated with the nervous quiver of excitement, and +I think I gave an involuntary cheer as the game and mettle of the digger +began to tell. But there arose a terrific menacing outcry of 'Shame! +shame!--treachery!--meanness!' which a glance in the direction of the +general gaze showed me was caused by a charge of the mounted men on the +high ground to head back the poor fugitive. I really thought a conflict +would have ensued, for there was a mad rush to the point where the +collision was likely to take place, and fierce vows of vengeance +registered by many a stalwart fellow who bounded past me to join in the +fray. A moment after the mounted men wheeled at a sharp angle, and a +fresh shout arose as another smart young fellow flew before them with +almost supernatural fleetness, like a fresh hare started as the hunted +one was on the point of being run down. I marvelled to see him keep the +unbroken ground with the gulley at his side impracticable for cavalry; +but no, he made straight on for a bunch of tents with a speed I never +saw equalled by a pedestrian. It was even betting, too, that he would +have reached the screen first, when lo! he stopped short so suddenly as +only just to escape being ridden down by the Commissioner--the Cardigan +of the charge--who seized him by the shirt collar in passing. The rush +of diggers now became diverted to the scene of caption. I hurried +forward there too, although fearing I should witness the shedding of +blood and the sacrifice of human life; but as I approached I was +agreeably disappointed at hearing loud roars of laughter, and jeering +outbursts of 'Joe! Joe!' amidst which the crowd opened out a passage for +the crest-fallen heroes, who rode away under such a salute of +opprobrious epithets as I never heard before, for the young fellow who +led them off the idle chase stopped short the moment he saw the real +fugitive was safe, coolly inquiring of his captor 'what crime he was +guilty of to be hunted like a felon.' 'Your license, you scoundrel!' was +the curt reply. Upon which he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out +the document, to the ineffable disgust of their high mightinesses, who +in grasping at the shadow had lost the substance. + +"It was a capital ruse, adopted in an emergency, and played with greater +skill than if there had been a regular rehearsal. I flatter myself that +I am a loyal man on the average, and a respectable upholder of law and +order; but I was unable to repress an emotion of gratification at the +result of the chase, or an impulse of hero worship, as I sought the sole +actor in the successful diversion to offer my congratulations. The +myrmidons of the law now moved up the middle of the gully in close +order, attended by anything but an admiring cortége, who made it a +point never to let the cry of 'Joe! Joe!' subside for a moment. +Occasionally a license was demanded, and its production was the signal +for fresh outbursts of the tumult; but the 'license meet' was brought to +a close by two other successful feints that were played off by a pair of +diggers, who simulated a guilty timidity and dropped themselves in a +slide down their ropes into the bottoms of their wet holes, followed by +a brace of traps with dashing gallantry, who chased them into the muddy +drives, where the lurkers purposely crawled to lead their pursuers into +the muck. Of course they were hauled up in triumph, but the hallelujahs +were quickly superseded by choking screams of 'Joe! Joe!' when the +prisoners produced their digging warrants. The Commissioner did not +venture on another 'throw off,' but moved away sullenly with his forces +to the tune of 'Joe! Joe! Joe!' and expressions of regret 'that he would +have to drink the Royal Family's health after dinner at his own +expense,' and such-like observations." + +Another aspect of the digger-hunting process is given by Mr. R. M. +Sergeant, correspondent of the _Geelong Advertiser_:-- + +"'Traps! traps! Joe! Joe!' were the well-known signals which announced +that the police were out on a license raid. The hasty abandonment of +tubs and cradles by fossickers and outsiders, and the great rush of +shepherds to the deep holes on the flat as the police hove in view, +readily told that there were not a few among them who believed in the +doctrine that 'base is the slave who pays.' Hunting the digger was +evidently regarded by Commissioner Sleuth and his hounds as a source of +delightful recreation, and one of such paramount importance to the State +that the sport was reduced to an exact science. Thus, giving a couple of +dirty constables in diggers' disguise jumping a claim, the gentle +shepherd approaches, with dilapidated shovel on shoulder, and proceeds +to dispossess intruders in a summary manner. A great barney ensues. The +constable and his mate talk big, a crowd gathers round, and 'A ring! a +ring!' is the cry. The combatants have just commenced to shape when the +signal referred to at the head of this paragraph rings through the flat. +On come the traps in skirmishing order, driving in the stragglers as +they advance, and supported by mounted troopers in the rear, who occupy +commanding positions in the ranges. A great haul is made, and some sixty +prisoners are marched off in triumph to the camp, handcuffed together +like a lot of felons, there to be dealt with according to the caprice or +cupidity of their pursuers." + +Raffello, in his history of the Ballarat riot, says:--"At the shouting +of 'Joe! Joe!' the diggers without licenses make for the deep shaft, and +leave a licensed mate or two at the windlass. The diggers were besieged +by a regiment of troopers, and traps under their protection would +venture into the holes. The sight of the rich-looking washing stuff in +possession of some lucky diggers aroused the cupidity of the police, and +often made them blind to the condition of the unfortunate ones. Some of +the traps were civil enough, and felt the shame of the duty, but others +enjoyed the fun. The authorities generally treated the diggers very +harshly. Troopers would scour the neighbouring bush, and all the +unfortunate diggers they captured were tied to the stumps of trees, and +left there until the hunt was over, when the captives were collected and +taken to the depôt which the traps established in order to bring +together the whole of their victims. From there the batch of prisoners +were marched off to the camp, and fined £5, or imprisoned. So much for +the unlicensed digger. The digger who wished to obtain a license was +obliged to travel a few miles, and then was often kept waiting at the +Commissioner's tent for two or three hours." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_BEGINNINGS OF REVOLT._ + + +The arbitrary conduct on the part of the officials became at length +intolerable. A change in the social organisation on the gold-fields, +which was visible in 1853, enabled the diggers to agitate systematically +for the repeal of the license fee. During the first two years of +gold-seeking in Victoria the fields were thronged with diggers, who, +like adventurous birds of passage, came expecting to pick up treasures +in rich lumps, and return at once with a fortune. Many realised their +hopes, and others, meeting with discouragements, abandoned the pursuit, +so that gold-mining became an occupation followed by men as a settled +means of earning a livelihood. Then the bitter feelings against the +"exorbitant" license fee were shown in grim earnest. + +An outbreak occurred on the Ovens in January 1853, in which an Assistant +Commissioner was roughly handled by the diggers. In May, at Forest +Creek, a disturbance arose, owing to the unjust action (so the diggers +said) of a trooper, and it was not quelled until the military and +police were called out to restore order. Great indignation meetings were +held at Bendigo, a few months later, to call attention to the continued +mismanagement of the gold-fields, and almost simultaneously the Ballarat +miners commenced their demonstrations of war against the license fee. + +Dissatisfaction and discontent prevailed nearly everywhere; still the +Commissioners did not relax their obnoxious compulsory means of +collecting the tax. The persistency of the officials' harshness, and the +conduct of the Government in upholding it, were taken by many diggers as +indications of their being regarded as a despicable portion of the +population. But this idea was dispelled for a time, when it became known +that the Governor of the colony intended to visit the gold-fields. + +Sir Charles Hotham made the promised tour about the middle of 1854, and +in spite of existing grievances he was most cordially received +everywhere. An amusing episode of his visit is described by Mr. W. Kelly +as follows:-- + + +AN IRISH GALLANT. + +"As soon as the modest cortége of the vice-regal party was discerned by +the expectant diggers, there arose a loud shout of welcome, which was +echoed and re-echoed from hill and glen, from flat and gully, until all +Ballarat was one wild hurrah of rejoicing. The first impulse of the +people was to detach the horses from the carriage and draw it +themselves, but against this proceeding Sir Charles protested with +complimentary tact, to the effect that he wished to see people more +suitably employed than as beasts of burden. The sentiment was duly +appreciated and responded to by a genuine cheer, a Milesian giant--the +leader of the multitude--at the same time thrusting his arm into the +carriage and shaking his Excellency lustily by the hand. Sir Charles +then requested his Irish friend to direct the carriage towards some of +the best of the adjacent gullies, and when it had proceeded as far as +the horses could find firm footing, both he and Lady Hotham descended, +while every hat, cap, and caubeen in the crowd ascended on the wings of +a roar of ecstasy. Sir Charles took his lady on his arm, having a large +crook-headed stick in the opposite hand, but of this his Milesian friend +very quickly and unceremoniously deprived him to keep a lane open for +their advance, addressing humorous apostrophes to the people and their +distinguished visitors, which relieved the procession of all dullness +and formality; and on coming to a muddy space where the path was too +miry to walk over, having no cloak or coat to throw under her footsteps, +like a courtly knight of yore, he caught up Lady Hotham bodily, with +true impulsive gallantry, and seating her on his shoulder, carried her +across amidst a tumult of admiration quite impossible to describe. + +"Come to Canadian Gully, buckets of rich washing-stuff were hoisted up +from the claim, and examined by Sir Charles, who was astonished at +seeing numerous golden particles in the dirt. One fine nugget challenged +particular observation, and this Pat picked out with his fingers, and +presented in a most gracious manner to Lady Hotham, although he had no +interest whatever in the claim. The operation of puddling and cradling +was gone through, to the great satisfaction of the vice-regal pair, who +expressed their warm thanks, Sir Charles emphatically asking, 'What can +I do for you, my friends, in return for your kindness?' whereupon the +ready-witted Celt, bowing respectfully, impressively replied, 'Abolish +the license tax.' This was the signal for renewed cheering; and as there +was an expressed anxiety to have a reply, Sir Charles informed the +multitude that if they would accompany him to the camp, where he +intended to address them, they would learn his sentiments on the matter. + +"Well, they did accompany him, and listened with evident satisfaction to +the deliberate expressions of their Governor on that occasion. After +making a tour of the gold-fields, the Governor parted with the diggers +on the best possible terms." + + +REFORM LEAGUES. + +Meanwhile the Government maintained the licensing in its fullest extent. +In October 1854 the police received orders to go out twice a-week in +search of unlicensed diggers. There were then four Commissioners at +Ballarat, between whom the superintendence of the surrounding +gold-fields was divided, but so ill-defined were the boundaries of each +district that the police in their raids went over the same ground more +than once, and thus unnecessarily roused the anger of the diggers by +repeatedly bailing up a "mate," or by compelling the production of a +license over and over again on the same day. + +These stringent measures of the authorities served to bring the diggers +into closer union with one another. By the organising of reform leagues +and committees the whole population became educated to a certain degree +in the discussion of their grievances, and several men then came to the +front who in subsequent years became popular political and social +leaders. Among the changes contemplated by the reform league at Ballarat +may be mentioned:--(1) Fair representation; (2) manhood suffrage; (3) no +property qualification for Members of Legislative Council; (4) payment +of Members, and short duration of Parliaments. But its immediate object +was to obtain a change in the management of the gold-fields--the +disbanding of Commissioners, and the abolition of diggers' and +storekeepers' license taxes. + +The motives that prompted the diggers to oppose the impost were never so +unreservedly displayed as at their public meetings; the telling speeches +of those "gifted with the gab" often heated the swelling emotions of the +listening multitude to almost a bursting point. A lively view of a +diggers' meeting is thus depicted by Mr. W. Kelly:--"At length a bell +commenced ringing in front of a large tenement, and all the different +groups commingled in one advancing crowd towards the entrance. I found +inside an extemporised platform at the end, on to which I was ushered to +a prominent place. The proposers occupied a front row, striving to look +as if they were not aware of their being about to be asked to take part +in the proceedings, while I could clearly see they were in communion +with their memories, calling to mind the concluding words in pages +so-and-so, and the starting word in the sentences on the other leaves. +The seconders were in their proper position, got up without starch for +the occasion, all of the 'unaccustomed as I am' class. The chairman, Mr. +H--ff--y, was voted to his post by acclamation, and Dr. C----r 'broke +open the ball.' He had evidently read up for the occasion, but studied +harangues. Abstruse political theories and polemical refinements are not +the fitting elements for popular oratory; his loftiest flights and his +most studied cadences (none of them approaching mediocrity, by the way) +scarcely produced a fitful 'hear.' It was evident that the audience paid +no attention to the contrasting illustrations between direct or indirect +taxation, or the grand theory of 'basing representation on population +instead of property;' even the reference to 'unlocking the lands' +elicited only a languid meed of approbation. But when a digger from the +crowd asked aloud, 'What about the b--y license tax?' there arose a +simultaneous shout as if from a roaring giant, which broke the doctor's +thread. He tried to stagger on, but after a few stumbles he 'declined +occupying any more of their valuable time,' and sat down, to the +apparent delight of the whole crowd. The next speaker, and the next, and +the next, and the next still, were all of a piece, and the cry of 'Shut +up!' became impartially applicable to all, until a rough, determined, +yet good-countenanced man, was lifted up in front. He evidently did not +court the prominence, but there was no mistaking it; he was perfectly +self-possessed, his mind was full, and his undisciplined tongue 'was all +there.' He looked steadily around with his great hand thrust into the +breast of his open shirt, where the mud-spattered hair was evident as +his whiskers. I felt sure I knew what was coming, and his first +clearly-pronounced words, 'Brother Diggers!' made the assurance doubly +sure. He bade them be of a good heart, but to be _united_--emphasising +the word. He advised them to obey the Law, but denied the legality of +the license tax, which bore down upon the industry that made the country +great, and went on pampering their persecutors. He drew a most graphic +picture of the tyranny of officials' enormities of digger-hunting, and +wound up by swearing 'while he would die for his Queen, he would shed +the last drop of his blood before he would pay another license.' The +burst of enthusiasm that followed this declaration is altogether +indescribable. It seemed to lift the great tent into mid-air; and, +inoculated with the glow of feeling around me, I could almost imagine +that I had a cloud for a footstool. The speaker was seized, _nolo +episcopari_ notwithstanding, and carried out in triumph to the open air, +leaving the chairman to dissolve the meeting, vote himself thanks, and +all the rest of it. It was then, in truth, the _bonâ-fide_ meeting +commenced, and many a spirit-stirring speech bearing close upon the one +text was delivered extemporaneously from the head of a barrel or the end +of a waggon." + +The ill-will manifested at these gatherings was kept fervid by the +official tyranny which yet accompanied the collecting of the tax, and +its virulence was much increased when the diggers learned that the +authorities employed informers whose histories precluded the possibility +of their acting truthfully, and stamped them as men of straw, ready to +swear to anything at the official's bidding. Such a state of affairs so +irritated the men as to cause the more excitable to collect arms. Men of +different nationalities formed separate leagues; while throughout the +whole digging community the probability of open insurrection was +commonly discussed. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_THE EUREKA HOTEL MURDER._ + + +At last an incident caused the long-smouldering elements of disaffection +to burst out suddenly in a blaze of infuriated indignation. + +A digger named Scobie met an old chum of his, and being overjoyed at the +unexpected re-union, hastened to show his good-fellowship by "shouting." +In the course of the day the two became drunk, and attempted to enter +Bentley's Eureka Hotel. Being refused admittance, Scobie got +troublesome. An altercation ensued with the people of the hotel, during +which his head was split open with a spade. The blow killed him. +Bentley's Hotel was held in disrepute by respectable miners, and its +proprietor was considered a bad character. An inquest was held on the +body of the murdered man. It was not conducted with the care and +discrimination which should attend such an inquiry. The coroner's +verdict, "that the deceased died from the effects of a wound inflicted +by a person unknown," was so at variance with public opinion, that +another official investigation was held, which indicted Bentley for the +killing of Scobie. At the police court the landlord was acquitted, but +the manner in which the case was conducted made it patent to all that +justice had been trifled with. The Police Magistrate was known to be +intimate with the prisoner, and was believed to be a sharer in his +illicit gains. The trial was so injudicially carried out, that the +Junior Commissioner, Mr. Johnston, took copies of the evidence and +forwarded them to the Attorney-General. + +The diggers became furious upon hearing of this acquittal, and on the +17th October 1854 assembled in great numbers around Bentley's Hotel. +They expressed dissatisfaction at the result of the trial, and +subscribed money for the purposes of bringing the case before more +competent authorities, and of offering a reward for the capture of the +dastardly murderers of Scobie. Soldiers were told off to the gathering +to nip in the bud any rebellious exhibitions of wrath. While the diggers +moved round the spot, listening to indignant invectives of their +spokesmen, a lad in the crowd threw a stone which narrowly missed a +trooper, and smashed into pieces a pane of the lamp in front of the +hotel. The police immediately tried to arrest the offender, and then the +surging crowd gave free vent to its feelings. Stones and missiles of all +kinds were thrown until every window in the hotel was broken into atoms. +Madly infuriated, they rushed against the front door, almost battering +it to pieces; and whilst the tumultuous crowd were attacking the front +of the building, a man with a bundle of paper and other inflammable +materials got into the bowling-alley at the rear and set the place on +fire. The soldiers made strenuous efforts to disperse the people and +save the hotel; but all in vain. Bentley succeeded in escaping during +the melée, and on a swift horse rode to the Commissioners' camp for +additional assistance. Presently more soldiers arrived on the scene, but +it was too late to stop the flames, which had by this time taken a firm +hold of the building. The immense blaze drew from the gravel pits all +the diggers, excepting those who happened to be below and were unable to +come up to the surface without the help of their mates at the windlass, +who had impetuously left their posts in order to take part in the +demonstration against officialism and injustice. The enveloping flames +continued the work of destruction by greedily licking up the wooden +beams and heavy columns, and finished by reducing the whole building to +a spread of ashes. + +For setting fire to the hotel three men well known on the diggings were +arrested. This so incensed the diggers that they meditated an attack on +the Commissioners' camp and a forcible release of the prisoners. +However, after a time milder propositions prevailed, and it was agreed +that nine of the diggers should offer bail. Accordingly, a deputation +from the diggers went to the Commissioners, and succeeded in bringing +away the three men, although at first the turbulence of the crowd led +the officials to think that the offer of bail was merely a _ruse_ to +rescue the prisoners by force while the bail-bonds were being prepared. +When the deputation came out of the camp with the three released +captives, the crowd of diggers greeted them with such an impetuous rush +that it required the prompt efforts of both the deputation and its +charge to prevent a collision with the soldiers. A monster indignation +meeting followed, at which the diggers collected £200 to be paid to the +discoverer of the murderer of Scobie. They would have collected more had +not the Government also offered a reward and as well rearrested Bentley, +who this time was tried, convicted, and sentenced to three years' hard +labour. The corrupt Police Magistrate shortly afterwards departed for +more congenial scenes. + +The trial of the three men for the burning of the hotel was held in +Melbourne, and a number of the diggers attended. The prisoners were +convicted, but with a strong recommendation to mercy, the jury adding +that they would not have had their painful duty to perform if those +entrusted with the government at Ballarat had done their duty properly. +This rider to the verdict was received with loud and prolonged cheering +by the crowded court. The three men were severally sentenced to three, +four, and six months' imprisonment. This sentence was considered so +unjust by the diggers that they promptly sent delegates to Melbourne to +demand the release of the prisoners. + +On the 27th of November the deputation (Messrs. Humffray, Kennedy, and +Black) waited upon His Excellency the Governor. He listened to their +remonstrances, but was so displeased with the haughty tone assumed by +them that he said, as representative of Her Majesty, he could not allow +their peremptory demand. However, it was intimated that if a proper +memorial was sent to the Government the prisoners might be released from +custody. But the delegates were forbidden by the indignant diggers to +plead with the authorities, and therefore returned, leaving the object +of their mission unattained. The people on the diggings were further +incensed at this failure, and many now busied themselves in preparing +arms and ammunition, while committees and leagues sat night and day. + +The Government expected a violent outbreak of passion, and made +preparations for eventualities by concentrating all available troops at +Ballarat. The ill-feeling of the gold-fields' population soon manifested +itself, several detachments of troops being pelted with mud and other +missiles while marching along the diggings' thoroughfares. On the 28th +of November, as a party of soldiers from Melbourne were approaching the +camp at Ballarat, some diggers in ambush suddenly made a raid on the +military waggons, in the hope of obtaining arms. They wounded a few +soldiers, and managed to overturn several waggons and rifle their +contents. But when in the vicinity of their camp the soldiers rallied, +and, with the assistance of the mounted police, put the marauders to +flight, wounding some of them. A crowd of men from the surrounding +gullies left their tents and came up to see the conflict, but were soon +driven away panic-stricken. It was eleven o'clock before the troops +quartered, but the noise made by the diggers in keeping up huge fires, +and continually discharging fire-arms, prevented them from obtaining any +rest that night. + + +A LOYAL TOAST. + +An episode which occurred on that turbulent evening shows the general +feeling of dissatisfaction at the conduct of the officials. It is +related by Mr. Samuel Irwin, a correspondent of the _Geelong +Advertiser_:-- + +"A dinner was given by the American residents of Ballarat to the +American Consul, and most of the leading residents of all nationalities +were there. Just as the toasts were about to be proposed, a message was +received by Mr. Commissioner Rede, stating that an attack had been made +on some troops coming from Melbourne when they reached the workings on +the Eureka lead. The Commissioner and other officials withdrew at once, +as the report was that several lives had been lost. When the toast of +the Queen was proposed, a significant fact was disclosed--for several +minutes no one would respond to it. The duty of responding had +originally been allotted to the resident Commissioner, who had left for +the scene of the outrage. Many British subjects (business men and +miners) were present, yet they sat without the slightest attempt to show +their loyalty until the chairman said if no British subject would +volunteer for the duty, he must do so himself. At length a gentleman +undertook to respond. He very pithily said, 'While I and my +fellow-colonists claim to be and are thoroughly loyal to our Sovereign +Lady the Queen, we do not and will not respect her man-servants, her +maid-servants, her oxen, or her _asses_.' The last word was delivered +with an emphasis, and received with tumultuous applause." + + +BURNING THE LICENSES. + +We learn from Withers' _History of Ballarat_ that a monstre meeting was +called by the reform league for the 29th of November, on Bakery Hill, at +which some thousands were expected from Creswick, besides delegates +from all the other gold-fields; for the movement had now become general, +and emissaries had been sent all over the colony to enlist sympathy, +procure help, and, in fact, make the rising national, if not +revolutionary. At the meeting on the 29th, Humffray and the other +delegates (Black and Kennedy) gave in their report of the conference +with the Governor. + +Some 12,000 men, it is said, were present at the meeting. A platform was +erected, and on a flagstaff was hung the insurgent flag--the Southern +Cross. The flag had a blue ground, on which, in silver, the four +principal stars of the constellation of the Southern Cross were shown. +Mr. Hayes was the chairman, and the site of the meeting was on the +adjoining area, now occupied by Victoria Street, between East and +Humffray Streets. Besides the committee of the league and the delegates, +there were reporters on the platform, and two Roman Catholic +priests--the Rev. Fathers Downing and Smyth. The Catholic Bishop had +also come to help to maintain peace. + +Resolutions condemnatory of the action of the authorities were adopted +unanimously. It was proposed:--"That this meeting, being convinced that +the obnoxious license fee is an imposition, and an unjustifiable tax on +free labour, pledges itself to take immediate steps to abolish the same +by at once burning all their licenses. That, in the event of any party +being arrested for having no licenses, the united people will, under all +circumstances, defend and protect them." + +And again:--"That as the diggers have to pay no licenses, it is +necessary for them to be prepared for the contingency, as it would be +utterly inconsistent, after refusing to pay a license, to call in a +Commissioner for the adjustment of such disputes; and this meeting +resolves, whenever any party or parties have a dispute, the parties so +disputing shall each appoint one man, the two men thus appointed to call +in a third, and these three to decide the case finally." + +Mr. Humffray proposed, and Mr. Kennedy seconded:--"That this meeting +protests against the common practice of bodies of military marching into +a peaceable district with fixed bayonets, and also any force, police or +otherwise, firing on the people, under any circumstances, without the +previous reading of the Riot Act; and that if Government officials +continue to act thus unconstitutionally, we cannot be responsible for +similar or worse deeds from the people." + +The proposals were received with acclamation, and carried vociferously; +and had it not been for the chairman and his supporters' interference, +the men that ventured to hint of milder and more constitutional measures +would have been torn limb from limb by the infuriated diggers. + +Bonfires were made of licenses; guns and revolvers were discharged; and +league tickets of membership were issued to the crowd. Troops were under +arms in the gully beneath the camp all the time, waiting in readiness +for an outbreak. + + +THE LAST DIGGER-HUNT. + +"With incredible want of prudence, the authorities chose the juncture +marked by the meeting of the 29th of November for a more irritating +display than usual of the so long condemned practice of digger-hunting. +On the 30th of November the last raid of this kind in Victoria occurred, +under the direction of Commissioners Rede and Johnston, and the +authorities by that act destroyed the remaining influence of the friends +of moral force among the diggers. The police, supported by the whole +military force available, with skirmishers in advance and cavalry on the +flanks, formed on the flat south of the camp, and advanced upon the +Gravel Pits, as the Bakery Hill diggings were called. This cleared the +swarming crowd of diggers collected there, the diggers retiring as the +troops advanced. At certain parts of the main road, however, the diggers +made a stand, and received the troops with a running fire of stones and +occasional gun-shots. The troops took some prisoners, and returned to +the camp. Soon after that the Southern Cross was again hoisted on +Bakery Hill; the diggers knelt round the flag, swore mutual defence, and +implored the help of God. New leaders came to the front, as the +advocates of moral force were discomfited by the authorities and the +more turbulent insurgents." Peter Lalor, a native of the Queen's County, +Ireland, who has since become one of our most prominent and respected +legislators, assumed a foremost position at this dangerous turn of +affairs. A fiery-spirited Italian, named Carboni Raffello, was another +who then placed himself in the front rank of the diggers' movement. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_THE EUREKA STOCKADE._ + + +The insurgents had pitched upon the junction of the Eureka lead with the +Melbourne road as a place suitable for meeting _en masse_. About an acre +of the ground was roughly enclosed with slabs, and within this area the +diggers commenced their drilling. The slabs were put up as a screen +merely, so that the preparations for revolt might not be too closely +watched. This frail enclosure received the name of the Eureka Stockade. + +Lalor delivered a speech within this stockade. It was couched +thus:--"Gentlemen, I find myself in this responsible position for the +following reasons. Outraged at the unaccountable conduct of the camp +officials in the wicked license-hunt at the point of the bayonet, the +diggers took it as an insult to their manhood, and a challenge to the +determination expressed at their monstre meeting. They ran to arms, and +crowded on Bakery Hill. They wanted a leader, but no one came forward, +and confusion was the consequence. I mounted the stump, and called on +the people to fall in into divisions according to the arms they had +got, and to choose their captains out of the best men among themselves. +My call was answered with unanimous acclamation, and complied to with +willing obedience. The result is, I have been able to bring about that +order without which it would be folly to face the impending struggle +like men. I make no pretentions to military knowledge. I have not the +presumption to assume the chief command no more than any other man who +means well in the cause of the diggers. I shall be glad to see the best +man take the lead. In fact, gentlemen, I expected someone who is really +well known to you to come forward and direct our movement! However, if +you appoint me your commander-in-chief, I shall not shrink; I mean to do +my duty as a man. I tell you that if once I pledge my hand to the +diggers, I will neither defile it by treachery nor render it +contemptible by cowardice." + +Raffello, who had a great admiration for Lalor's straightforwardness and +many other manly qualities, comments thus:--"Bravo, Peter, you gave us +your hand on the Eureka, and left there your arm," an incontestible +proof of the sincerity of Lalor's pledge. + +Lalor was appointed commander-in-chief. In thanking the council for the +confidence placed in him, he told them he was determined to prepare the +diggers to resist force by force; but at the same time it was perfectly +understood by everyone present that the organisation was solely for +defence. + +In the stockade a straight pole, eighty feet long, was erected to serve +as a flag-staff. At the head of this the diggers hoisted their +standard--the Southern Cross. Then Lalor, gun in hand, mounted a stump. +Resting the stock of the gun on his foot, and grasping its barrel firmly +in his left hand, he slowly raised his right arm towards the standard, +and proceeded solemnly to swear in the diggers. He said, "It is my duty +to take from you the oath to be faithful to the standard. The man who, +after this solemn oath, does not stand by our standard is a coward at +heart." All those who did not intend to take part in the insurrection +were ordered to leave the meeting. Then the armed diggers, numbering +about five hundred, gathered around the flag-staff. They were +formed into divisions, and the captains of each saluted their +commander-in-chief. He now knelt down, and solemnly pointing to the +standard streaming in the breeze, said, in firm, serious, and glowing +tones, "We swear by the standard to stand truly by each other and fight +to defend our rights and liberties;" to which the diggers responded +decisively by a universal "Amen," and by simultaneously stretching five +hundred hands towards the flag. + +Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony the names were taken down and +the men formed into squads for drill. Drilling was kept up with but +little intermission till a late hour, and was now and then renewed up to +the capture of the stockade. Side by side with these warlike +preparations several claims were being worked; indeed, some of the +working miners gave up their tents as quarters for insurgent officers. + +Orders of war were sent round the diggings to obtain arms, ammunition, +etc. Lalor was obliged to keep piquets to enforce these orders, and also +to prevent their being made a cover for robbery, because some +unscrupulous diggers had, in the name of the insurgents, pillaged the +storekeepers. The levying officers issued receipts on behalf of the +Reform League. Some of these are rather entertaining documents. Here is +one: "Received from the Ballarat store, 1 Pistol for the Comtee x. Hugh +McCarty--Hurrah for the people!" Another: "The Reform Lege Comete, 4 +drenks, fower chillings, 4 Pies, for fower of thee neight watch troops +xP." The four night watch troops were some of those insurgents told off +to patrol the diggings. The foragers, as things came to a crisis, became +more peremptory in their demands, one party even threatening to shoot a +storekeeper if he did not hand over quickly. But, notwithstanding the +levying, the insurgents failed to obtain sufficient war material. +Several of their fire-arms were afterwards found loaded with pebbles and +such missiles. + +Lalor's men kept together within the stockade, some cooking the meat +which friendly butchers had brought in; others mending muskets or making +pikes or similar rude weapons for use by the several companies of +pikemen. Friends and enemies also dropped into the stockade at all hours +until the day before the tragic event. + +Humffray, ever foremost in advocating peaceful reform, heard, when in +the stockade, of a project to attack the soldiers' camp. It was thought +that 2000 diggers could be got for that purpose. Humffray, with other +mild spirits, vainly endeavoured to persuade them from attempting it, +and then left the stockade. + +Vinegar Hill was the pass-word on the night of the 2nd of December, and +its ominous associations led several to abandon what they saw was a +badly-organised and hopeless movement. + +Meanwhile the soldiers had not been idle. After securing a commanding +position on the rising ground afterwards known as "Soldiers' Hill," they +vigilantly watched the movements of the insurgents. The police were also +on the alert, so that little was said or done among the insurgents that +was not soon afterwards reported to the authorities. + +A Government officer, then in the camp, writes:-- + +"On the 1st of December the Government took final measures to meet the +assault. Every Government employee was armed and told off to his post, +and sentinels and videttes were placed at every point. The principal +buildings of the camp were fortified with breastworks of firewood, +trusses of hay, and bags of corn from the Commissariat Stores, and the +women and children were sent for security into the store, which was +walled with thick slabs and accounted bullet-proof. A violent storm of +rain, with thunder, commenced as these arrangements were completed, and +the mounted police, soaked through with rain, spent the night standing +or lying by their horses, armed, and horses saddled ready for instant +action. At four A.M. on the 2nd of December the whole garrison was under +arms, and soon after daylight a demonstration in force was made towards +Bakery Hill without opposition, although bodies of men were seen +drilling near the Red Hill. A mounted trooper coming from Melbourne with +despatches was fired at near the Eureka lead. No work was carried on +through the entire diggings, and every place of business was closed. +Notices were issued stating that if any lights were seen in the +neighbourhood after eight o'clock at night, or if any fire-arms were +discharged, the offenders would be fired at by the military." The same +Government officer writes about the + + +STORMING OF THE STOCKADE. + +"Before daylight on the morning of the 3rd of December a mixed force of +two hundred and seventy-six men, including a strong body of cavalry, +quietly left the camp for the purpose of taking the stockade. At early +dawn they reached the neighbourhood of the position sought, and the +advance files were fired at by a sentinel within the stockade. The order +to attack was given, and the 40th regiment, led by Captain Thomas, the +chief officer in command, made a quick advance upon the double +breastwork which formed the stronghold of the insurgents. After several +volleys had been fired on both sides, a barrier of ropes, slabs, and +overturned carts was crossed, and the defenders driven out or into the +shallow pits with which the place was spotted, and in which many were +put to death in the first heat of the conflict either by bullets or by +bayonet thrusts." + +Raffello says--"I awoke on Sunday morning. A discharge of musketry--then +a round from a bugle--the command 'Forward'--and another discharge of +musketry was sharply kept up by the red-coats for a couple of minutes. +The shots whizzed by my tent. I jumped out of my stretcher and rushed to +my chimney facing the stockade. The force within could not muster then +above one hundred and fifty diggers. The shepherds' holes inside the +lower part of the stockade were turned into rifle pits.... The dragoons +from the south and troopers from the north were trotting at full speed +towards the stockade. Peter Lalor was on top of the first logged-up hole +within the stockade, and by his decided gestures pointed to the men to +retire among the holes. He was shot down in his shoulder at this +identical moment. It was a chance shot. I recollect it well, for the +discharge of musketry from the military now mowed down all who had heads +above the barricades.... Those who suffered most were the pikemen, who +stood their ground from the time the whole division had been posted on +top, facing the Melbourne road from Ballarat, in double file under the +slabs to stick the cavalry with their pikes. The old command 'Charge' +was distinctly heard, and the red-coats ran with fixed bayonets to storm +the stockade. A few cuts and kicks, a little pulling down, and the job +was done; too quickly for their wonted ardour, for they actually thrust +their bayonets through the bodies of the dead and wounded strewed about +the ground. A wild hurrah burst out, and the 'Southern Cross' was torn +down. Of the armed diggers, some made off the best way they could, +others surrendered themselves as prisoners, and were collected in groups +and marched down the gully.... The red-coats were now ordered to 'fall +in,' their bloody work being over, and were marched off, dragging with +them the 'Southern Cross.'" + +In less than twenty-five minutes the engagement was over, and the +soldiers had possession of the stockade and one hundred and twenty-five +prisoners. During the same day the soldiers who were killed in the +inglorious conflict were buried in the cemetery; and no opposition was +offered to the dead bodies of the insurgents being placed in rough +coffins and taken away by their sorrowing friends. + +After the fray notices were posted up at various places ordering all +well-disposed persons to return to their ordinary occupations, and to +abstain from assembling in large groups. The soldiers then returned to +their camp, but remained under arms all night, rumours of an intended +attack keeping them on the alert, although it was tiring work; and most +of them, having had no repose for four nights, were almost exhausted. + +On the next evening a number of insurgents, favoured by a clouded moon, +crept up under the cover of the nearest tent beyond the palisade and +fired from several points upon the sentinels. This caused a sudden alarm +in the camp; everyone ran to his post, and a general firing followed, +resulting in the wounding of a woman and child in one of the tents and +of three men on the road close by, who unfortunately happened to be +passing. + +On the 5th of December Major-General Sir Robert Nickle arrived with a +relief contingent from Melbourne, and later in the day a force of eight +hundred soldiers and a large party of seamen from the men-of-war then in +the bay still further strengthened the hands of the Government. The +presence of these additional troops had immediate effect throughout the +digging community in sinking below zero the spirit of insurrection, +which was already depressed by the loss of the Eureka stockade. Sir +Robert was a veteran well skilled in quelling disturbances. The district +was now under martial law, but his good sense made it more acceptable to +the diggers than the previous administration of the Commissioners. + +The soldiers were kept at Ballarat until affairs on the gold-fields +resumed a more peaceful course; then, as no further tumults were +apprehended, Sir Robert Nickle and his forces returned to Melbourne, +leaving a small garrison to await the turn of events. + + +EXCITEMENT IN MELBOURNE. + +Meanwhile, the Government were making other strenuous efforts to restore +order, and favouring the report that the leaders of the revolutionary +movement were foreigners, issued notices, calling upon British subjects +not only to abstain from identifying themselves with persons who were +endeavouring to excite the mining population to riotous courses, but to +render support and assistance to the authorities, civil and military, +then stationed at Ballarat. At the same time £500 was offered for the +arrest of a German named Vern, whom the Government believed to be the +chief instigator of the outbreak. Civilians in Melbourne, Geelong, and +various towns in the colony were requested to come forward and be sworn +in as special constables. + +From McCombie's _History of Victoria_ we learn:--"That the Legislative +Council presented to the Governor an address expressing their sympathy +for him and pledging their support to him while affairs were so +embarrassing." Sir Charles Hotham replied, "That the firm resolve to +suppress the incipient revolution was softened by the readiness with +which he offered to redress the grievances complained of. It would be +his constant endeavour to conduct the Government with the utmost +possible temper. The time for military rule had passed, but when there +was an outbreak, and that caused by foreigners--men who had not been +suffered to remain in their own country in consequence of the violence +of their character--then Englishmen must sink all minor differences and +unite to support the authorities." + +The Government, however, fared differently when a direct appeal was made +to the people. At Melbourne a public meeting had been called by +requisition to consider the best means for protecting the city during +the crisis at the diggings. The principal agitators in this matter +seemed to be the members of the Legislature, who took a large share in +the proceedings of this public meeting. The resolutions proposed were +received with such ill-concealed dissatisfaction that, after the Mayor +had declared two of them to be carried, the opponents of the Government +interfered, and such confusion prevailed that the gentleman who presided +vacated the chair; and a series of resolutions, diametrically opposed +to the proceedings of the Executive, and demanding an immediate +settlement of the differences between the Government and the diggers, +were carried with the utmost enthusiasm. One speaker told the people +they must go forth with their brother-diggers to conquer or die. + +"The Government demonstration having terminated in so unsatisfactory a +manner, another meeting was convened on the following day, 'for the +assertion of order and the protection of constitutional liberty.' It +took place on a large open space of ground near St. Paul's Church, at +the corner of Flinder's Lane. From four to seven thousand people were +present, the chair being filled by Henry Langlands, one of the largest +employers of labour in Melbourne. The resolutions condemned the whole +policy of the Government, and declared that, while disapproving of the +physical resistance offered by the diggers, the meeting could not, +without betraying the interests of liberty, lend its aid to the +Executive until the coercive measures they were attempting to introduce +should be abandoned. The result of this meeting had very considerable +weight with the Executive, and the same afternoon a _Government Gazette_ +extraordinary appeared, in which was a proclamation revoking martial law +at Ballarat." + +A few days before the outbreak a Commission had been appointed to +inquire into the state of the mining districts, and now, in deference +to the feelings shown at the public meetings, several gentlemen were +added to it, in order to find out the grounds of the diggers' +complaints. The Commissioner urged the Government to grant a general +amnesty as to the past; but the Government considered that some of the +prisoners taken in the stockade should be tried for high treason. + +A monstre meeting was therefore held in Melbourne, at which it was +resolved, "That the unhappy outbreak at Ballarat was induced by no +traitorous designs against the institution of monarchy, but purely by a +sense of political wrong and irritation, engendered by the injudicious +and offensive enforcement of an obnoxious and invidious tax, which, if +legal, has since been condemned by the Commission." Thousands in +Ballarat subscribed a similar petition. + +But the Executive remained obdurate, and on the 18th of January issued a +public notice offering £400, £200 each, for the arrest of Lalor and +Black, because of their treasonable and seditious language in inciting +men to take up arms against the Queen. + +The insurgent chief, Lalor, was severely wounded whilst defending the +stockade. He fell to the ground. Some of his pikemen seeing his body, +covered it with slabs. When the soldiers retired with their prisoners, +he managed to extricate himself from the _débris_ and make his way to +his friends. On the following day his left arm had to be amputated. He +secreted himself in various friendly huts at different places, and after +several narrow escapes, succeeded in eluding the police in their search +for fugitives. His friends proving true to him, notwithstanding the +reward of £200, he ultimately reached Geelong, where he remained until +the storm of general disapproval had extinguished the desire of the +authorities for his capture. + +In the opinion of many, the agitation at Ballarat was constitutional at +first, and had assumed its unconstitutional form in consequence of the +coercion of the Commissioners, who precipitated measures by their +imprudent digger-hunting during the period of excitement. + +However, the Government continued the prosecution of the rioters, +despite their being the objects of public sympathy. The trial was ended +on the 1st of April by the jury acquitting the prisoners, a result which +had been generally anticipated. + + +WRONGS RIGHTED. + +The insurrectionists were afterwards conciliated by the efforts of the +Commission of Inquiry, and consequent redress of grievances. The revolt, +in addition to the valuable lives lost, cost the colony £20,000 for +military expenses, extra police charges, and compensation to sufferers. + +From Westgarth's _Colony of Victoria_ we extract:--"The Commission +produced a lengthened report, in which the whole system of gold-fields' +management was proposed to be reconstituted. The miners' earnings were +found to be, on an average, rather smaller than those of other branches +of colonial labour--a circumstance not favourable to the persistent +maintenance of a heavy license fee of practically very unequal +incidence. The report recommended the abolition of this fee, and in its +place the imposition of a moderate export duty on gold. The issue of a +'Miner's Right' was suggested, at a cost to each miner of one pound +a-year, and conferring upon him both the mining privileges and the +franchise. The title of 'Commissioner' to the head of each gold-field, a +name now associated with the wranglings of the past, was proposed to be +changed to the old English mining title, 'Warden.' The Commissioners +recommended local elective mining courts, and benches of local unpaid +justices of the peace, who should sit with the regular paid magistrate. +The more intelligent of the miners were constituted local justices of +the peace, and arrangements were made by which the mining districts +elected their own representatives to the 'Colonial Legislature.'" + +Mr. Peter Lalor[A] was one of the first of these representatives, and +has since been in several ministries, and twice Speaker of the Assembly. + + [A] Recently the sum of £4000 has been voted to Mr. Lalor, on + his retiring to a well-earned rest from the arduous duties attending the + Speakership of a House where so many members require a strong hand and + determined will to teach them the responsibilities of their position. + +Thus ended one of the few unfortunate incidents of Australian history. +The miners have since been as loyal as any other section of the +population, and, by their industrious delving in the seemingly +inexhaustible gold mines of Victoria, they have contributed a full share +towards the prosperity of the colony. + + +_Printed by_ WALTER SCOTT, _Felling, Newcastle-on-Tyne_. + + + * * * * * + + +Transcribers Notes: + + Some minor obvious typographical errors have been corrected + silently. + + The footnote and illustrations have been moved to underneath + the paragraphs they refer to so as to not disrupt the flow of + the text. + + +Multiple versions of words not changed: + + monstre, monster + flag-staff, flagstaff + over-crowded, overcrowded + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Australian Heroes and Adventurers, by William Pyke + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40003 *** |