You are
his enemy if you are or play the flunky; he will call you a 'thing,'
and has a decided contempt for 'incapables.' Hence, his energy was never
abated, though the whole legion of Victorian red-tape wanted to dry
his inkstand, and smother his lamp in gaol. That there are too many fools
at large, he knows, because he has travelled half the world, what he can
not put up with, is their royal cant, religious bosh, Toorak small-beer,
and first and foremost, their money-grubbing expertness. Hence, now
and then, his ink turns sour, and thereby its vitriol burns stronger.
'The Times', of which he is the founder, is the Overseer of Ballaarat,
and the 'Dolce far niente' will not prosper.
Our literary prisoner was literally insulted, and could not look with
enough contempt on all those accursed asses braying (at him)
'The Times!' 'The Times!'
I felt for him very much, and joined conversation with him in French.
I state it as a matter of fact, that there and then I had the presentiment
that all the spies pointed me out there, and only there and then as his
accomplice. Towards ten o'clock we were ordered to fall in, in four rows.
Now the Camp officials and their myrmidons were in their glory.
They came to number their prey, and mark out a score of heads to make
an 'example' of, for the better conduct of future generations.
Unfortunately for my red hair, fizzing red beard, and fizzing red
moustachios, my name was taken down after the armed ruffian and the
anonymous scribbler, and followed by that of the nigger-rebel.
It was odious to see honourable, honest, hard-working men made the gazing
stock of a parcel of pampered perverted fools, for the fun of `a change'
to gratify their contempt for the blue-shirt and thick boots who had
dared, mucky and muddy, to come out of their deep wet holes to hamper
these gods of the land in their dog's game of licence-hunting!
Chapter LXVI.
Then the following document was shown for our edification:-
VICTORIA GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY.
(Published by Authority.)
MARTIAL LAW
DECLARED IN THE DISTRICT OF BUNINYONG
PROCLAMATION
By his Excellency Sir Charles Hotham, Knight-Commander of the Most
Honourable Military Order of the Bath Lieutenant - Governor
of Victoria, &c., &c., &c.
WHEREAS bodies of armed men have arrayed themselves against Her Majesty's
forces and the constituted authorities, and have committed acts of open
rebellion: and whereas, for the effectual suppression thereof it is
imperatively necessary that Martial Law should be administered and
executed within the limits hereinafter described; now I,
the Lieutenant-Governor of the said Colony with the advice of the
Executive Council thereof, do hereby command and Proclaim that
MARTIAL LAW from and after twelve of the clock at noon on Wednesday,
the sixth day of December instant, shall and may be administered against
every person and persons within the said limits, who shall at any time
after the said hour commit any act of rebellion, any treason, treasonable
or seditious practices, or other outrage or misdemeanor whatsoever within
the following limits, that is to say: arrowee...Lal Lal...Moorabool...
Ran Rip...Yarrowee aforesaid. And I do hereby, with the advice
aforesaid, order and authorize all officers commanding Her Majesty's
forces to employ them with the utmost vigour and decision for the
immediate suppression of the said rebellion and offences, and to proceed
against and punish every person and persons acting, aiding, or in any
manner assisting in the said rebellion and offences, according to
Martial Law, as to them shall seem expedient for the punishment of all
such persons: And I do hereby especially declare and proclaim, that no
sentence of death shall be carried into execution against any such person
without my express consent thereto: ['Great works!'] And I do hereby
with the advice aforesaid, notify this my Proclamation to all subjects
of Her Majesty in the Colony of Victoria.
Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Colony, at Melbourne, this fourth
day of December, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four, and in the eighteenth year of Her Majesty's Reign.
(L.S.) CHARLES HOTHAM,
By His Excellency's Command,
JOHN FOSTER.
God save the Queen!
- - -
Great works!
Chapter LXVII.
Ecce Amaritudo Mea Amarissima.
We were frightened by the report that a gang of red-coats were sinking
a large pit in the Camp.
"Are they going to bury us alive without any flogging? That's not half
so merciful as Haynau's rule in Austria;" was my observation to a mate
prisoner - a shrewd Irishman.
"Where did you read in history that the British Lion was ever merciful
to a fallen foe?" was his sorrowfully earnest reply.
Oh! days and nights of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th of December, 1854,
your remembrance will not end, no, not even in my grave.
They were happy days in my youth, when I thought with Rousseau, that
the heart of man is from nature good. It was a sad fatality now that
compelled me to feel the truth from the prophet Isaiah, that the heart
of man is desperately wicked.
I was really thunderstruck at the savage eagerness with which spies and
red-coats sprang out of their ranks to point me out. Though a British
soldier was not ashamed to swear and confess his cowardice of running away
from before my pike, which I never had on the stockade, where the fellow
never could have seen me; I shall not prostitute my intelligence and
comment on the 'evidence' against me from a gang of bloodthirsty mercenary
spies.
