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The Two Lawyers: A Novel

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVI.

We must again return to Gooseberry Hill, Dunolly, Victoria. We left Jim and Grant in their tent, talking of things generally; where George had gone they knew not. There is no necessity, however, for the reader to remain in ignorance, and we will now follow him, for he evidently has something in view. Before starting he carefully examines his revolver, an essential weapon for every miner in the days of which I write. Having satisfied himself that all is right in this respect, off he goes, and makes direct for the Commercial Hotel. For an hour page 129or two he walks around, talking first to one and then another, until it begins to grow late. Still he stays on, seemingly to have no particular object in view, but that of killing time. Now it is necessary we should say a word or two respecting George. He is a man of very few words, and it takes a great deal to draw those few from him. A man of great determination, he always keeps his resolves to himself; but when once he has made up his mind he is very hard to dissuade from his intention. On the morning of the finding of Grant insensible, he determined if a chance should ever occur, to fully satisfy his feeling of hatred against the man who had attacked and robbed poor old Grant in such a cowardly manner. He was not one to display his virtues, but a better hearted man it would have been difficult to find. Gladly would he have shared his last crust with Grant, or any other mate it might be his fortune to come across; and this night, as he felt convinced that the man Grant had shown them was guilty, he went out for the sole purpose of seeing and hearing what he could about the matter. It began to grow late, but the man he sought had not turned up, and, strange to say, the crowd in the bar began to decrease. This was very unusual, for as it grew late the attendance generally grew larger and rowdier. There were, indeed, so few about that George half determined to go home and leave the matter for some future occasion.

Just as he had made up his mind to return, however, the barman remarked, "Very dark to-night, Mister; haven't seen business so bad for a long time. Come, I'll give you a grab for two beers."

George accepted the invitation; and, after the beer had been served, took advantage of the opportunity to ask the barman some questions.

"You remember the man that shouted for us last night. Who is he? I fancy I have met him before somewhere, but I can't think where."

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"I don't know what he is, but I don't think very much of him. I never knew him do any work, but he always has plenty of money. Both me and the boss have often wondered where it comes from. He never seems to have a mate, so that I don't think he can be a miner, as the ground hereabouts is too deep for anyone to work single-handed."

"True," said George, "what is his name? I may remember him if I hear it."

"The only name I know him by is Ted Scrag."

"Then it's not the same," answered George. "Let's have another glass, and then I'll be off, as it's growing late."

This drink being served, for some minutes they still stood talking; when, just as George said he must be off, a man passed the door, staggering along very drunk."

"Hullo," exclaimed the barman, "he's getting through his money pretty quick. He's one of the party who got the twenty-pound nugget. I shouldn't be surprised to hear of his being found in the morning minus, for there are a great many robberies just now; but still you see men will roll about after dark drunk."

"That's right enough," replied George, "and they have only themselves to blame if they fall into the hands of the philistines. But I must get home, or my mates will be coming out to look for me;" and, wishing the barman good night, George went off.

He had just reached the door, when he saw the very man he had been looking for, attentively watching the drunken miner, who had gone on up the road slowly.

"Ah, perhaps I may find you out when I least expected," thought George, and instead of going out into the light he waited in the shadow and watched. Almost directly he saw Ted page 131Scrag start off up the road, first looking round to see if he was observed. The man on ahead had now turned off the main road into one of the pathways that lead between the claims; and, as perhaps the reader does not know what sort of place it is, a little explanation may be necessary. Imagine, then, a number of holes sunk in many places very close together, with the earth in nearly all cases banked up around them; while in others the earth had either been carted away or into another claim, leaving the one from which it came quite open, so that anyone could walk right into it. The reader will probably better understand it if he imagines a lot of wells, some with the earth around them, and others without, in depth varying from forty to sixty feet—the wash-dirt being found at different depths.

Into one of the many tracks which wind in and out of these claims went the drunken man, and after him followed Scrag, while George brought up the rear. As the ground here was very soft, it was an easy matter to follow without being heard. Scrag gradually gained on the other, as also did George, for now that he saw a chance of catching him in the very act, he was most anxious. On went all three, neither of the two foremost thinking of danger; in fact, one was too far gone in drink. For fully half a mile or more did the three men keep behind each other, until they came to a sharp turn in the road when, with a sudden spring forward, Mr Scrag pounced upon his man, and with one blow of his fist felled him to the ground. Scarcely, however, had he done so, when George also made a bound; but Scrag, being more on the alert than the man he pursued, had turned round suddenly, and met the new comer face to face. Seeing that he had in him an enemy to encounter, Scrag at once put himself on the defensive, and, being more used to such positions, he struck out as quick as lightning and before George could guard it off he received a blow which well nigh felled him too. Drawing himself up, he firmly resolved, that if Mr Scrag managed to get another in he too would deliver one, so he carefully advanced, and as he did so the other re-page 132treated for some yards. George soon became exasperated, and with a rush let out from the shoulder, but scarcely had he done so than he was conscious of some one approaching from the other direction, and immediately he was struck from behind, and he was brought with a crash to the ground. As he fell he was conscious of a noise, and then, as of something falling with a thud and a splash, and, rising as quickly as possible lest his adversary should be upon him, he looked around, but nobody could he see save the man who had been knocked down first and the heaps of dirt around the claims. Then he remembered the noise he had heard, and he went cautiously forward and looked, but no sign could he see. He was about to take another step forward, but a kind of instinct kept him back, and there, gaping under his very feet, was a shaft at least forty feet deep, with ten feet of water at the bottom. Quick as thought he realised what had been the fate of his antagonist. Lying down he listens for one, two, three seconds, and there comes from out of that hole the sound as of a man rising to the surface of water, and then down again perhaps to rise no more. George runs for help, but long before it can be procured it is too late, and when at last they do get rope and windlass to work and bring him to the surface, they find that the man who but a few minutes before was so ready to take life is now himself quite dead. Yes, Ted Scrag has done his last robbery.

George, after giving all particulars, manages, with the aid of the others, to get the man away who is the cause of the whole affair, and proceeds home, where he arrives just in time to find Jim and Matthew about to start out to look for him, as it is now two o'clock.

"Hullo, George, where have you been? We were under the impression you were lost or robbed."

"Well, I was about as near being lost," replied he, "as I ever was. I met and squared accounts with your old friend, Ted Scrag, Grant."

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"Ted Scrag? I do not know such a person."

"Not by that name, probably; but you know the man that robbed you, or the one we suspected?"

"Oh, yes," they both reply.

"Well," was the answer, "he will rob no more;" and George told his mates what had occurred.

"Poor fellow," said Matthew; "gone without a chance of repentance. I feel sorry for him."

"I cannot say I feel sorry for him," observed Jim, "but perhaps it would have been but humane to have let him have a chance to reform. And yet he rushed upon his doom; for had his intentions not been dishonest, you would not have seen him to-night, and then this event would not have happened."

The usual course was adopted with reference to the body of Scrag. The evidence of George was taken, and also what the other could remember; but no blame was attached to the former, and so the matter ended. Another, who was perhaps reared in hopes of a better fate, was consigned to his last resting-place, unwept and unmourned!

With the trio, things went on as before. Slowly their claim went down, and again Grant's hopes rose within him. Around them all was bustle and activity, for another claim close at hand had struck good gold, and nearly every miner around them was doing well.

On the morning of the thirteenth day after their removal, all three were in high hopes of bottoming on this day either a golden claim, with the alternative of a duffer. As the day wore on so their excitement increased; and about three o'clock in the afternoon, Jim, who had claimed the privilege of bottoming the claim which he had marked out, called out from below:— "Look Matthew, a prospect on the top of this bucket!"

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Grant, full of the fever, again plied the windlass, and sure enough, when the bucket rose to the surface, there he saw one of the most pleasing sights that for years he had ever beheld. Lying right on top of the bucket of washdirt was a beautiful nugget, which proved to weigh about three pounds weight, and to be worth more than £140, They of course tried the prospect in the bucket, but, strange to say, not anything further payable could they find; and after spending four more days they had to desert their claim, and be satisfied with their find. This cheered old Matthew very considerably, and hopes of again finding Clara were renewed. On the evening after having abandoned their claim there came accounts of the find of good gold on the Inglewood rush; and George, who was down town at the time, took home the news.

"Well, mates," said Jim, "the best thing we can do is to pack up and start off at once, as it is questionable if there will be a claim by to-morrow left. Nearly all Dunolly will go either by the first coach or the next day. From Bendigo, too, and all the places nearer still, will be there."

"Will they walk?" asked Grant. "How far, then, are we from the place?"

"Just 30 miles; so we shall get there pretty early in the morning, and look out for a start. Luckily the sinking is very shallow, and we can each of us mark out a claim; and if one does not strike it, perhaps another will."

Now, as these three sat at their tent door discussing the advisability of leaving, the miners' tents all around were being struck, for the news of a new rush in these days spread like wild-fire, and very little time elapsed before the old claims were deserted. Often do miners, in the excitement, leave good claims to rush off perhaps to work for months and get nothing. But such is life on the goldfields!

"To be, or not to be?" asked Jim, who usually acted as spokesman.

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"I don't see much use in staying here," replied George, "as we have no claim to stick to. What do you think, Matthew?"

"You know best," was the answer. "I will do as you two agree."

"Then, I say with you, Jim; let's be off."

In less than an hour from the time of their getting the news they are again on the wallaby track, and before and behind them went crowds for the same destination, much to the annoyance of storekeepers and hotelkeepers. The whole of the way was lined with swagmen, all pushing on—all with bright notions of what great finds they were going to make when they arrived. Each one firmly believed he was going to hit upon the richest claim on the rush.

The place they had left was, at five o'clock, literally covered with tents, and at seven scarcely a tent was to be seen. Puddling tubs, cradles, cooking utensils, and all the paraphernalia of a rush were left behind; for every miner thinks when he hears of a new rush that he is certain to make his pile there, and generally their tents and bedding are enough to carry, and what else they possess is left behind. This is not, however, the invariable rule, for before now I have seen a miner carrying away his cradle; but these cases are exceptional, and only occur when the owners are excessively mean. Then they try to take away everything that is worth a shilling; but this class is not numerous on the diggings. The majority of miners are an easy-going lot, more especially on alluvial diggings; for to-day they are beggars, and to-morrow they are as rich as Jews.

When the party left Goosberry Hill it was about seven o'clock in the evening, for full and authentic news came in by the coach, which arrived at five. It was no lonely walk through Jones's Creek this time, but old Matthew expressed a wish that he would never set eyes on the place again. There were now along with the page 136trio three other mates from an adjoining claim, and for company the party all walked on together.

"Shall I tell you a little account, boys, of my first trip up to old Bendigo in '49?" says one, who was well known to all, and a very old Victorian miner.

"Aye, do," replied all; "to tell of old times will serve to pass away the time."

"Very well, then, it will serve for that purpose, if nothing more. Some of you may disbelieve me, but I advise you not to tell me so until I've finished, or you won't hear the balance."

"All right, Jack," says one of his old mates, "we will let you run to the end of your cable before we pull you up."

"Aye, aye, my lads, I'm off. It was in the early part of forty-nine when I landed at Port Philip, and having a pound or two—a very unusual thing for new arrivals in those days, I can assure you, but so it was—I decided to get on up to the goldfields as quick as possible. I looked around to find some others of the same mind as myself, and I soon found five others who were willing; and they said they knew a carrier who was going that way, and would show us the road, and, for a slight consideration, take our swags up for us. Now, I must tell you, boys, I did not know the meaning of a swag; but, wishing to keep my ignorance dark, I, with the others, agreed to pay the carter two pounds to carry our swags. Beyond the suit of clothes I wore, and a change of underclothing. I had nothing to carry, for I knew nothing about blankets being required; in fact, when I first saw a man carrying a swag I concluded he was a dressy sort of a chap, and that he had rolled his clothes up in a blanket to keep them clean and dry. However, the day for our start arrived, and to my surprise I saw all but myself put swags in the dray, and I thought at the time that I had got hold of a lot of lawyers' clerks or drapers, for, thinks I, they all have plenty of clothes. The time for starting came, and all having put their lot into the dray but me, the drayman asked page 137me if I was going. 'Well, think I am,' says I. 'Then,' says he, 'why the devil don't you put your swag in. I ain't agoing to stay here all day.' 'I don't want you to stay,' I replied, 'I'm all ready.' 'But,' says he, 'you paid me for taking a swag, and why didn't you have it here, and not detain me?' 'I don't want to detain you, but the fact is when I paid you to take my swag I didn't know what a swag was, but thought it meant something to eat on the road.' 'Here's a greenhorn,' says the drayman, 'don't know what a swag is,' and of course the whole lot had jolly good laughs at my expense. 'Well,' says the man, 'ain't you going to take no blankets to sleep on.' 'Can't I sleep in a bed of a night?' I asked. 'Yes,' he replied, 'if you can find one, but if you do I'm mistaken.' This was news to me, for so far I thought I should put up at a hotel each night, but I was soon to know better. However, I hurried off and got blankets, and soon after we were all on the road over the Keilor plains. We went on all right until we came on the evening of the third day to the Black Forest. I shall ever remember that same Black Forest. We camped as usual, and, all hands, after having a pitch about what we would do when we had made our piles, prepared our beds and turned in. We slept for about two hours, and then all hands were awake to the fact that if we did not get up we should have to swim for it. The rain came down as though it were out of a water spout, and in no time everybody was wet to the skin. We had to remain until the morning, as there was no place of shelter, and, like so many crows, we sat on and waited. At last the day began to dawn, but to light a fire was an impossibility—everything was too wet. 'Let's get on, for God's sake,' says one of the five; 'where are the horses?' They had been hobbled and turned loose the night before, and after that they had been fed. The driver began to look around for them, and we all waited—not patiently you may bet; but we waited. After an hour we learnt that the horses could not be found, and the driver thought they were planted. Here was a nice fix, for it rained incessantly. We all decided to go out with the driver, leaving one to take care of the dray, and to cooey if the others could not find page 138it. This job fell to my lot, as I suppose I seemed too green to go out, so away they all went, and left me behind. They had been gone about an hour, and I was walking backwards and forwards, trying to get warm, when suddenly as though they came from the clouds three men mounted on horseback appeared on the scene. All wore masks, and the first thing which I could understand was that I was told to 'bail up.' 'Bail up,' says I, 'what do you mean?' I'll—soon show you,' says one, and off his horse he got, and giving the reins to his mate, he advanced to me and levelled at me a six-barrelled revolver, calling out to me, 'Your money or your life.' I knew now what he meant, and replied, 'Yes, sir, you can have my money but don't shoot, for God's sake.' 'Put up your arms,' says he; and now he came over, and after telling me, if I stirred I would be a dead un,' he soon rifled my pockets, took from me thirty sovereigns, some silver, and my watch and chain—in fact, everything I had. After looking at the things and money, he threw back the silver, some fifteen shillings. 'Now come this way, he roared, and I was taken some fifty yards off, and securely tied to a tree. I begged and prayed of him to let me go, and that I would say nothing; but my prayers were all in vain, for his only reply was, 'Shut up you—fool,' and with that he left me to die as I thought; but, of course, I didn't. However, I could hear from where I was that they were ransacking the dray, but that I was powerless to prevent; and soon again all was quiet, and I concluded they were off. But to the misfortune of the one who had tied me, this was not the case, for just then back he came and asked me how long my mates had been gone, and if I knew which way. I told him about an hour, but where I could not say. 'Now look, young fellow,' says he, 'if you don't look sharp and tell me I'll let daylight through you.' I assured him I did not know, but he only answered, 'Look here, young fellow, if you don't tell me in two minutes, I'll fire,' and as he concluded he pulled out my watch with one hand, and with the other he levelled his revolver again at my head, saying, 'Now, you'd better tell me or say your prayers at once.' I started again to tell him I did not page 139know, but he stopped me by his threats, declaring that if I didn't tell him I had better say my prayers or I should be a dead 'un before I could count 120. I can assure you I cursed my unlucky stars that I had been left behind to look after the dray, and then I thought as quick as lightning of all my boyhood days, my poor old mother and father's last words to me, advising me not to come to so wild a country; and I can tell you I felt how sorry I was I had ever left home; I thought, too, how they at home would be longing to hear from me, and wondering if I were still alive, for no one would ever be able to tell them how I was murdered, as no one knew my name. I never before then realised how valuable life was. I felt I would give the world if I only had it, but still the fact of the time going on was apparent to me; and again I turned to the bushranger and began to plead, but the only answer I got was, 'If you don't hold your — tongue I'll not let you finish the two minutes.' So I held my peace, expecting each moment to be my last. Everything seemed to swim with me. I fancied I could see my mother, father, and all my home friends looking at me, and that none would hold out a hand to save me. 'Time's up,' cried the man. 'Will you tell?' 'I can't,' I answered. Shutting my eyes, I awaited the fatal shot. No sooner had I done so than I heard two loud reports, and I forgot all, and of course became senseless. After I time I came round, and found the waggoner holding my head in his arms and his first words were, 'Oh, you need not be afraid they will return; they've had enough.' I soon recovered my senses, and asked them if I was much hurt, 'I don't think so,' said the drayman, 'but the man there who tied you won't tell us why he did it.' There was a general laugh at this; and looking round I saw lying on the ground, just where he had been standing, the man who had bailed me up, quite dead, A few words sufficed to explain. They had all come back from their search for the horses without finding them, and luckily they returned without being observed. When near where I was, they heard the bushranger speak to me, and two of them, lest they page 140should shoot me, had, just at the minute when I closed my eyes, taken aim and fired, either one or both of their bullets proving fatal, for the man fell and never spoke. The other two bushrangers came to the assistance of their confederate, and a few more shots were fired; but as our party were protected by the trees they had all the best of it, and both of the bushrangers were seen to reel in their saddles and then make off. The man who was killed, luckily for me, had my money, which of course I got back, together with my watch and chain. 'This is an awkward thing,' I said to the driver; 'we shall all have to go back to Melbourne now.' 'What for?' he asked. 'Why,' I said, 'with the account of this affair, and for the inquest.' 'The devil we will,' says he; 'I will soon show you what we will do with him;' and before long the body was taken down to the road and actually tied up to a tree, as a warning to others of his class. The mask was left upon him, but that very night his mates must have come for him, as in the morning he was not there. However, it was night before we got our horses, and again we had to camp in our wet clothes, and without a fire. Next morning was as wet as ever, and not for a single minute had it ever left off raining. The driver expressed his fears that the roads would be impassable, but we got the horses in and made a start. We had not gone more than half-a-mile when the axle sank up to the bed in the road, and there we were in another fix. I wondered what we should do, and asked the driver, who answered that we must unload. This we did as soon as possible, but as the dray was loaded with flour and general stores it took some time. At last it was empty, and after some further trouble in lifting and pulling we got it out. We had to carry our goods back again to the dray and reload, and before the dray had gone another hundred yards it again sank up to the axle bed, and we were as bad off as before. I again asked here if we must unload, but the driver said he did not see that there was any use in it, and so we waited on. In the afternoon another dray came along, and that was served the same as we were, and had to remain at a stand-still. We all put in another night—still raining. Ah, that Black Forest page 141is a nice place!—rain, rain, rain; it never seemed to leave off. However, we waited there until there were twelve drays besides ours all stuck, and then it was agreed amongst them that as many horses as could should be yoked to one team at the time, and so on until all were out; but before we got clear we had spent five days in the Black Forest, and we did not arrive at old Bendigo before eleven days had passed since our starting."

"And not made your fortune yet, Jack?" asks one.

"I have," replied he, "made my fortune; at least, up as high as ten thousand and down to two thousand, five times. Twice have I been back Home, but could not rest there; it was rather nice just for the trip, you know, but the longing desire to get back to freedom (as I termed it) was ever upon me, and back I always came, and here I am the same as any of you, pushing on in the same hope of a good claim as ever; in fact, I think I am now as sanguine of success as I was in the early days."

"Why don't you take care of your money, Jack?" asked one of his mates.

"Well, you see, I do, as I think, take care of it. Of course, I can't help speculating a little, and that is how it generally goes. Now, when I first went home, I thought I should be able to buy up old England in sharpness, but I soon found out my mistake. I went into specs there, but the Londoners knew too much for me by a lot; in fact, I was a child in their hands, so easily did they put me through. And yet," he continued, "they speak at Home of us out here as though we were all a set of bushrangers. Now, the first time I went Home and told people where I had been, I was looked at with as much curiosity as if I had committed ever so many crimes, and was only out for an hour or two. I verily believe that people used to look at my teeth when I spoke to see if they could see the hair growing."

"Very good for you, Jack. Don't you think you are cramming us nicely now about the old country."

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"I don't think anything of the kind. I am only telling you the truth, so you may believe me or not, just as you think fit."

About midnight the party camped, lit their fires, and dined off what they had with them. Many people passed, for Dunolly had become literally deserted; indeed, on the following morning some of the stores were being pulled down and removed. However, about eight o'clock, a.m., the well-known Potter's Hill was reached. Some thousands had arrived there before them, but still all the three managed to get claims. Then came the usual job of tent-building. Poles had to be got for the tent, and also for the bunks; but this was an easy job on Inglewood, for the mallee scrub and bush went so far into the town that, before they could make a street, the mallee—or, as it was termed there, tea-tree—scrub had to be cut away or burnt. So dense was it that, were anyone to go back in it, and not know how to work by the sun, it would be a mere matter of chance if they ever got out alive. This was the only place in my travels, in Victoria and elsewhere, that I ever saw what was termed "manna," but here it was in abundance. I do not mean to say that it rained manna, as it is said to have done for the children of Israel in the wilderness, but still there was plenty, and many a good feed have I had of it. This manna was to be found on the leaves of the mallee scrub, and all you had to do was to take hold of each leaf and slip it between your fingers, and the delicious food would easily come off in your hand. I have often heard arguments about the story of people being fed upon it, as narrated in the Scriptures, and have heard many doubts expressed; but one thing I can say, that, even as a boy, I would sooner have had manna than the choicest fruit. In appearance, it was like small spots of snow on the leaves, and the minute you put it into your mouth it would melt like sugar.

The morning after the arrival of our party they all made a start, and as the ground on Potter's Hill was but from six to ten feet, it was an easy matter to bottom, and find whether your page 143claim was a duffer or not in a day. The three partners—for such they still were—worked on, and before night they had each bottomed and got payable gold,—that is, obtained about from 2dwts. to the tub up to half-an-ounce. This was not considered rich in those days. The three worked on, and each week saw an increase in their little store of ready money.