Such was the present excitement; but blue and red coats cannot
be driven off with fists alone. Lalor gave all his attention to the subject,
but would not consent yet to press stores for it.
Vern was perpetually expecting every moment his German Rifle Brigade.
Have patience till to-morrow.
In the evening a report was made to the Council, that a reinforcement
of soldiers from Melbourne was on the road. Captains Ross and Nealson
hastened with their divisions across the bush to intercept the expected troops,
so as to get at their arms and ammunition. All proved in vain.
When a revolution explodes as conspired and planned by able leaders,
it is usually seen that it was their care from the very beginning,
that arms and ammunition should be at hand when and wherever required;
while usury, ambition, or vengeance lavishly provide the money to render
the revolution popular: but we had never dreamed of making any preparation,
because we diggers had taken up arms solely in self-defence; and as up to
Saturday the Council of the Eureka Stockade counted in the majority honest men,
themselves hard-working diggers, they would not turn burglars
or permit anybody to do so in their name.
Truly, I heard from Manning, that a certain committee kept on their
hallucinated yabber-yabber at the Star Hotel. I never was there,
and know nothing about Star blabs. They, with the exception of Vern,
were not with us, thank God; up to Saturday four o'clock any how.
Chapter XLVI.
Non Irascimini.
Saturday morning. The night had been very cold, we had kept watch for fear
of being surprised; every hour the cry, was "The military are coming."
Vern had enlarged the stockade across the Melbourne road,
and down the Warrenheip Gully.
Suppose, even that all diggers who had fire arms had been present and plucky,
yet no man in his right senses will ever give Vern the credit
for military tactics, if that gallant officer had thought that an acre
of ground on the surface of a hill accessible with the greatest ease
on every side, simply fenced in by a few slabs placed at random,
could be defended by a handful of men, for the most part totally destitute
of military knowledge, against a disciplined soldiery, backed by swarms
of traps and troopers.
Such, however, was our infatuation, that now we considered the stockade
stronger, because it looked more higgledy-piggledy.
Chapter XLVII.
Non Nobis, Non Nobis, Sed Pax Vobiscum.
It was eight o'clock. Drilling was going on as on the previous day.
Father Smyth came inside the stockade: it was my watch. He looked
very earnest, a deep anxiety about the hopelessness of our struggle,
must have grieved his Irish heart. He obtained permission from Lalor
to speak to those under arms, who belonged to his Congregation.
Vern consented, and Manning announced it to the men.
