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




Chapter LX。



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


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


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

Friday you know all about; I will pass that over; and give you a faint outline of what passed under my own eyes。  During Saturday; there was a great deal of gloom among the most orderly; who complained much of the parade of soldiery; and the same cause excited a great deal of exasperation in the minds of more enthusiastic persons; who declared that all parties ought to show themselves; and declare whether they were for or against the diggers。 Then came a notice from the Camp; that all lights were to be extinguished after eight o'clock; within half…a…mile from the Camp。  At this time it was reported that there were two thousand organised men at the Eureka barricade。  I was sitting in my tent; and several neighbours dropped in to talk over affairs; and we sat down to tea; when a musket was heard to go off; and the bullet whizzed close by us; I doused the light; and we crept out on our hands and knees; and looked about。  Between the Camp and the barricade there was a fire we had not seen before; and occasionally lights appeared to be hoisted; like signals; which attracted the attention of a good many; some of whom said that they saw other lights like return signals。  It grew late。  TO…MORROW; I FEAR ME; WILL PROVE A DAY OF SORROW; IF THE AFFAIR BE NOT SETTLED BEFORE THEN。  I and R lay down in our clothes; according to our practice for a week past; and worn out with perpetual alarms; excitement; and fatigue; fell fast asleep。 I didn't wake up till six o'clock on Sunday morning。  The first thing that I saw was a number of diggers enclosed in a sort of hollow square; many of them were wounded; the blood dripping from them as they walked; some were walking lame; pricked on by the bayonets of the soldiers bringing up the rear。  The soldiers were much excited; and the troopers madly so; flourishing their swords; and shouting out〃We have waked up Joe!〃 and others replied; 〃And sent Joe to sleep again!〃 The diggers' Standard was carried by in triumph to the Camp; waved about in the air; then pitched from one to another; thrown down and trampled on。 The scene was awfultwos and threes gathered together; and all felt stupefied。 I went with R to the barricade; the tents all around were in a blaze; I was about to go inside; when a cry was raised that the troopers were coming again。  They did come with carts to take away the bodies; I counted fifteen dead; one G; a fine well…educated man; and a great favourite。  'Here; I think; the Correspondent alluded to me。  My friends; nick…named meCarbonari Great works。  'I recognised two others; but the spectacle was so ghastly that I feel a loathing at the remembrance。 They all lay in a small space with their faces upwards; looking like lead; several of them were still heaving; and at every rise of their breasts; the blood spouted out of their wounds; or just bubbled out and trickled away。 One man; a stout…chested fine fellow; apparently about forty years old; lay with a pike beside him:  e had three contusions in the head; three strokes across the brow; a bayonet wound in the throat under the ear; and other wounds in the bodyI counted fifteen wounds in that single carcase。 Some were bringing handkerchiefs; others bed furniture; and matting to cover up the faces of the dead。  O God! sir; it was a sight for a sabbath morn that; I humbly implore Heaven; may never be seen again。 Poor women crying for absent husbands; and children frightened into quietness。 I; sir; write disinterestedly; and I hope my feelings arose from a true principle; but when I looked at that scene; my soul revolted at such means being so cruelly used by a government to sustain the law。 A little terrier sat on the; breast of the man I spoke of; and kept up a continuous howl:  it was removed; but always returned to the same spot; and when his master's body was huddled; with the other corpses; into the cart; the little dog jumped in after him; and lying again on his dead master's breast; began howling again。was dead there also; and; who escaped; had said; that when he offered his sword; he was shot in the side by a trooper; as he was lying on the ground wounded。  He expired almost immediately。  Another was lying dead just inside the barricade; where he seemed to have crawled。  Some of the bodies might have been removed I counted fifteen。  A poor woman and her children were standing outside a tent; she said that the troopers had surrounded the tent and pierced it with their swords。  She; her husband; and children; were ordered out by the troopers; and were inspected in their night…clothes outside; whilst the troopers searched the tent。  Mr。 Haslam was roused from sleep by a volley of bullets fired through his tent; he rushed out; and was shot down by a trooper; and handcuffed。  He lay there for two hours bleeding from a wound in his breast; until his friends sent for a black…smith; who forced off the handcuffs with a hammer and cold chisel。  When I last heard of Mr。 Haslam; a surgeon was attending him; and probing for the ball。 R; from Canada; 'Captain Ross; of Toronto; once my mate' escaped the carnage; but is dead since; from the wounds。  R has effected his escape。  ' Johnny Robertson; who had a striking resemblance to me; not so much in size as in complexion and colour of the beard especially: Poor Johnny was shot down dead on the stockade; and was the identical body which Mr。 Binney mistook for me。  Hence the belief by many; that I was dead。' V is reported to be amongst the wounded 'Oh! no his legs were too long even for a Minie rifle '。  One man was seen yesterday trailing along the road: he said he could not last much longer; and that his brother was shot along…side of him。  All whom I spoke to were of one opinion; that it was a cowardly massacre。  There were only about one hundred and seventy diggers; and they were opposed to nearly six hundred military。  I hope all is over; but I fear not:  or amongst many; the feeling is not of intimidation; but a cry for vengeance; and an opportunity to meet the soldiers with equal numbers。  There is an awful list of casualties yet to come in; and when uncertainty is made certain; and relatives and friends know the worst; there will be gaps that cannot be filled up。  I have little knowledge of the gold…fields; but I fear that the massacre at Eureka is only a skirmish。 I bid farewell to the gold…fields; and if what I have seen is a specimen of the government of Victoria; the sooner I am out of it the better for myself and family。  Sir; I am horrified at what I witnessed; and I did not see the worst of it。  I could not breathe the blood…tainted air of the diggings; and I have left them for ever。

You may rely upon this simple statement; and submit it if you approve of it; to your readers。

I am; Sir。




Chapter LXI。



Ab Initio Usque Ad Finem Horribile Dictu。



Avanit Il Tuo Cospetto; Dio Potente! Grida Vendetta Il Sangue Innocente。


I。  Document。

As I want to be believed; so I transcribed the following document from 'The Argus' of Friday; December 15th; 1854。Gordon Evans; one of H。M。 Captains in the Eureka massacre; now acts in the capacity of magistrate!

DEPOSITION OF HENRY POWELL。

The deceased deposed to the following effect:My name is Henry Powell; I am a digger residing at Creswick…creek。 I left Creswick…creek about noon on Saturday; December 2nd。 I said to my mates; 'You'll get the slabs ready。  I will just go over to see Cox and his family at Ballaarat。' I arrived at Ballaarat about half…past four; or thereabouts。 I saw armed men walking about in parties of twenty or thirty; went to Cox's tent; put on another pair of trousers; and walked down the diggings。  Looked in the ring (the stockade)。  After that; went home; went to bed in the tent at the back of Cox's tent; about half…past nine。  On Sunday morning about four or half…past; was awoke by the noise of firing。  Got up soon after; and walked about twenty yards; when some trooper rode up to me。  The foremost one was a young man whom I knew as the Clerk of the Peace。  He was of a light; fair complexion; with reddish hair。  He told me to 〃stand in the Queen's name!  You are my prisoner。〃 I said 〃Very good; Sir。〃  Up came more troopers。  I cannot say how many。 Believe about twenty or thirty。  I said; 〃Very well; gentlemen (!) don't be in a hurry; there are plenty of you;〃 and then the young man struck me on the head with a crooked knife; about three feet and a half long; in a sheath。  I fell to the ground。  They then fired at me; and rode o

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