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diff --git a/40003-8.txt b/40003-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3c86508..0000000 --- a/40003-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3744 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Australian Heroes and Adventurers, by William Pyke - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Australian Heroes and Adventurers - -Author: William Pyke - -Release Date: June 15, 2012 [EBook #40003] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUSTRALIAN HEROES AND ADVENTURERS *** - - - - -Produced by fh, Nick Wall and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - -[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 THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUSTRALIAN HEROES AND ADVENTURERS *** - -***** This file should be named 40003-8.txt or 40003-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/0/0/40003/ - -Produced by fh, Nick Wall and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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