by Mayne Reid
though he had already travelled overmuch of the world, and spoke several languages fluently. He knewsomething of the literature, science, arts, and customs of almost everynation, ancient or modern; and having a wonderful memory, as well as agreat command of language, he could be very entertaining inconversation. My attention was first called to the extraordinary powerof his memory, by hearing him once talking on the relative merits of thepoets.
He appeared to know all the poetical writings of the English, German,and Italian authors by heart: as he could repeat long passages from anyof them, when called upon.
I remember, amongst many severe criticisms which he gave us on thepoetry of Byron, his quoting the phrases of "sad knee," "melodioustears," "cloudy groan," "poetic marble," "loud hill," "foolish flower,""learned fingers," and "silly sword," all of which he mentioned wereabsurd expressions.
The reader may think my sketch of this individual overdrawn, when I add,that in addition to his other accomplishments, he was not only amusician of great skill, but, in my opinion, a musical prodigy; andexcited more astonishment and admiration by his musical talents, than byany other of the many accomplishments he possessed.
Often would he wander alone, where nature was most lovely; and from hersurrounding beauties, add inspiration to the melody that filled hissoul.
The notes of birds, the whispering of the winds, and the murmuring ofthe streams, were all caught and combined, or harmoniously arranged inenchanting melodies, which he would reproduce on his violin, afterreturning to his tent, in strains that seemed enraptured.
Never did I listen to the music made by him, without thinking myself abetter man: for all the gentler sentiments of my soul would be awakened,and expanded into action under its influence. For hours would thesounds echo in my memory--making me forget the sorrows of the past, aswell as the cares of the future; and turning my thoughts to an idealworld, where material ugliness is unknown.
I defy any man with a soul superior to that of a monkey, to have beenguilty of a mean or dishonest action, after listening to a tune composedand played by Karl the German.
I do not call myself a judge of music, or of the relative merits ofdifferent musicians, and only form this opinion from the effect producedon my mind by his performance.
I am not easily excited by musical, or dramatic representations; butMario's magnificent rendering of the death scene in "Lucrezia Borgia,"or the astounding recklessness Alboni is accustomed to throw into the"Brindisi," could never awaken within my soul such deep thoughts, asthose often stirred by the simple strains of Karl's violin.
Though possessing all these great natural abilities--strengthened bytravel, and experience in both men and books--Karl was a slave to onehabit, that rendered all his talents unavailing, and hindered him fromever rising to the station, he might otherwise have held among men.
He was a confirmed drunkard; and could never be kept sober, so long asthere was a shilling in his pocket!
Pride had hitherto restrained him from seeking professional engagement,and exhibiting his musical talents to the world, although, according tohis own story, he had been brought up to the profession of a musician.He was even becoming celebrated in it, when the demon of intemperancemade his acquaintance, and dragged him down to the lowest depths ofpoverty and despair.
Once, when in Melbourne, starvation drove him to seek an interview withthe manager of a theatre, who listened with wonder and admiration to thesoul-entrancing melody he produced.
A sum far beyond his expectations was offered; and money advanced toenable him to make a respectable appearance; but on the night in whichhis _debut_ was to have been made, he was not forthcoming! He had beenfound in the street, drunk and disorderly, and was carried to thelock-up--where he passed the evening among policemen, instead ofexhibiting himself before a delighted audience on the stage of atheatre!
I know that he used every effort to subdue this passion for strongdrink. But all proved unavailing. Notwithstanding the strength of hismind in other respects, he could not resist the fatal fascination.
Small minds may be subdued and controlled by worldly interests; but thepower to curb the action of a large and active intellect may not alwayslie within itself.
Karl wished to join the insurgents--as they were called--at the EurekaStockade; and although myself anxious that their number should beaugmented as much as possible, I endeavoured to persuade him againsthaving anything to do with the disturbance.
The truth was, that I thought foreigners had at that time too much tosay about the manner in which the colony was governed.
Although I could not deny that the faults of which they complained, inreality existed, yet I believed that they were not the persons who hadthe right to correct them. Many of the foreign diggers had a deal moreto say, about the misgovernment of the colony, than any of Her Majesty'ssubjects; and I did not like to hear them talk treason. They had cometo the colony for the purpose of making money--because Australia offeredsuperior advantages for that purpose--and I thought that they shouldhave been satisfied with the government found there, without taking uponthemselves to reform its abuses.
I explained all this to Karl; but, while admitting the truth of what Isaid, he still adhered to his determination to take a part in therevolution of Eureka.
"Several times," said he, "have I had armed men command me to show alicence, and I have also been imprisoned, because I did not have thatpiece of paper in my pocket. I have several times been insulted in thecolony, because I am not an Englishman. I care but little which getsthe worst of this struggle--the minions of the government or itssubjects. Where the blood of either, or both, is to flow, there I wishto be."
I said nothing more to dissuade Karl from following this singular wish;but permitted him to accompany me to the stockade--where he was enrolledin one of the companies.
Volume Three, Chapter XII.
THE EUREKA ROUT.
I have stated that about four hundred men were kept under arms atBallarat, to oppose the amusement of digger-hunting, so much indulged inby the government officials. The former had now made their rendezvousat the stockade on the Eureka.
They were accustomed to meet in the day, and get drilled by officers,whom they had appointed for this duty. During the night, most of them,who were residents of Ballarat, returned thither, and slept in theirtents, while others, who had come from Creswick's Creek and the moredistant gold-fields--to take part in the affair--remained at theboarding houses of the township.
On the night of the 2nd of December, 1854, there were about one hundredand seventy men in the stockade.
Having entered into the cause, I determined to devote my whole time toit; and on that night I was there among the rest.
The diggers, who were present, supposed they had as much right to stayin the stockade as elsewhere.
They certainly were not interfering with the officials in the executionof their duty; nor, in any way, making a disturbance.
There was no just cause why they should have been attacked on thatparticular night. It is true, that during the previous week, thetroopers had been opposed by the diggers they were hunting; and had insome cases been prevented from making arrests. But the authorities neednot have supposed, that the men in the Eureka Stockade were the same whohad offered this resistance. They could only have thought so, and actedon the belief, by a singular stretch of imagination.
About half-past eleven o'clock, an alarm was given, that the soldierswere approaching the stockade. All turned out, and were prepared todefend themselves; but the alarm proved a false one.
At one o'clock in the morning there was another alarm, which also provedto be without any just cause.
At half-past two, there was still another false report, to which only avery few paid any attention: as the men had got tired of being so oftenroused from their slumbers without any cause. Only about half of theirnumber turned out at this time; and these were laughed at by theothers--for allowing themselves to be unnecessarily frightened.
About half-past four in the morning--just as the first faint light ofday was seen on the eastern horizon--the camp was again set in commotionby the fourth alarm.
This time there was a real cause: since soldiers and troopers could beseen through the twilight, riding towards the stockade.
On the 3rd day of December, 1854, at half-past four o'clock on that holySabbath morning, the people in the Eureka Stockade were attacked byEnglish soldiers, and troopers in the pay of the Victorian Government.As the attack was altogether unexpected, they were of course unpreparedto repel or resist it.
It would have been little less than folly to have attempted resistance:for the assailants numbered three hundred and ninety men, all well armedand mounted, while the diggers, were less than half that number, andmost of us only provided with fowling pieces.
When the signal of attack was given, it was done in a manner thatstarted the sleeping diggers to their legs; and these soon proved to bethe most useful