by Mayne Reid
in disappointment; and I was not.Apprehensions for the future that might trouble them, were no longer asource of anxiety to me!
One of the young men, whom I have thus ceremoniously introduced, wasnamed Alexander Olliphant. He was better known amongst us as "theElephant"--a distinction partly suggested by his name, and partly owingto his herculean strength. He was a native of the colonies--New SouthWales--though he differed very much in personal appearance from themajority of the native-born inhabitants of that colony, who aregenerally of a slender make. "The Elephant" was about six feet inheight, but of a stout build, and possessing great physical strength.Although born and brought up in New South Wales, his conversationproclaimed him familiar with most of the sights to be witnessed inLondon, Paris, and many others of the large cities of Europe. Heappeared to have been well educated; and altogether there was a mysteryabout the man, that I could not comprehend. I did not try to fathom it.Men working together on the gold-fields are seldom inquisitive; and twomates will often associate, throughout the whole period of theirpartnership without either becoming acquainted with a singlecircumstance of the past life of the other--often, indeed, without evenlearning each other's family names!
I was along with Edmund Lee--already mentioned in my narrative--for manymonths; and yet he never heard my name, until the hour of our parting inCallao--when we were entering into an arrangement to correspond witheach other!
The second of the young men I have spoken about, was known to us simplyas, "Sailor Bill." He seldom had anything to say to anyone. We onlyknew, that he had been a sailor; and that he was to all appearanceeverything an honest fellow should be. He had worked with Olliphant formore than a year; and, although the two appeared to be on intimate termsof acquaintance--and actually were warm friends--neither knew anythingof the private history of the other!
As soon as we should have completed our claim on the Gravel-pits lead,Olliphant and Bill had declared their intention of proceeding toMelbourne--to return to the diggings no more. They had been bothfortunate, they said--having obtained the full amount for which they hadbeen toiling, and something more.
They were going to realise those hopes and wishes, that had cheered andinspired them through the weary hours of their gold digging life.
They were both quite young. Perhaps they had parents in poverty, whomthey were intending to relieve? Perhaps others might be waiting fortheir return, and would be made happy by it? The joy of anticipatingsuch a happiness was once mine; and I could imagine the agreeableemotions that must have occupied the thoughts of my two companions--oncemy own--to be mine no more.
They were going to give up gold digging--with spirits light, and hopesbright, perhaps to enter upon some new and pleasanter sphere of action,while I could bethink me of nothing that would ever more restore my losthappiness. For me there was nothing but to continue the monotonousexistence my comrades were so soon to forsake.
Volume Three, Chapter XV.
A DINNER-PARTY OF DIGGERS.
Our claim was at length completed, and we--the shareholders--with someof our friends determined to hold a little jollification. We engaged aprivate room in the hotel, where we had divided our gold; and, aftersettling all accounts, we sat down to as good a dinner, as the landlordcould place upon his table.
After dinner, our pipes were lit; and the only business before us, wasto find some amusement for the rest of the evening.
"Rule Britannia," "The Red, White, and Blue," and "The Flag that braveda Thousand Years," were sung, and duly applauded. The poet of thecompany then gave us a song of his own composing, which, whatever mayhave been its merits, met with the approval of the company.
As it was understood that "the Elephant" and "Bill" were going to giveup gold digging for good, and were to start for Melbourne the next day,one of the party came out with a proposal, warmly seconded by the rest.
"Elephant," said the person thus proposing, "now that you and Bill havemade your fortunes, and are going to give up the business, suppose youtell us all what you intend doing with your money--so that, when we havemade our fortune, we shall have your example to guide us in spendingit?"
The individual who made this request, had once been a convict inTasmania. He was rather a good-looking man, about forty-five years ofage, and went by the name of Norton. The little bird called "rumour,"had chirupped about the diggings many tales of his former achievementsin crime--all of which, however, seemed to have been forgotten.
The reader may ask, why those of our company, who professed to berespectable men, should associate with one who had manifestly been atransported felon?
The answer is, that we were in circumstances very different from thosewho might think of putting such a question. Ten or twelve men wererequired for working a mine on the Gravel-pits; and where nearly all thepeople of the place were strangers to each other, a man could not verywell make choice of his companions, at least not all of them. Nortonhad bought a share in the claim from one of the first holders of it; andall that the rest of us could require of him, was, that he shouldperform his share of the work.
On such an occasion as that of dividing the gold, he had as much rightto be one of the company, as any other shareholder.
"I will agree to what you propose, on one condition," responded theElephant, to the proposal of Norton; "and I have no doubt but that myfriend, Bill, will do the same. But in order that you should understandwhat I intend doing in the future, it will be necessary that you shouldbe told something of my past. This I am willing to make known, if you,Norton, will give us a true account of the principal events of yourlife; and Bill will probably gratify your curiosity on the same terms?"
"Oh certainly," said Bill; "if Norton will give us his history, I'llgive mine."
The idea of an old convict giving us a true account of his misfortunesand crimes, was thought to be a very happy one; and the whole companywere amused at the way the "Elephant" had defeated Norton's attempt togratify his curiosity: for they had no idea that the convict would makea "confession." But to the surprise of all, he accepted the terms; anddeclared himself ready and willing to tell "the truth, the whole truth,and nothing but the truth."
Olliphant and Bill could not retreat from the position they had taken,and Norton was called upon to commence. The glasses were again filled,and the short black pipes relit.
The company kept profound silence--showing the deep interest they feltin hearing the life narrative of a man, with whose crimes rumour hadalready made them partially acquainted.
"I am," began Norton, "the son of a poor man--a day labourer, and wasborn in the north of Scotland. Inspired by the hopes common to youth, Imarried early. In consequence, I had to endure the misery every manmust meet, who is cursed with poverty, and blessed with a family he isunable to support.
"The mutual affection my wife and I entertained for each other, onlyincreased our wretchedness. It was agony to see one who loved me,having to endure the privations and hardships to which our povertysubjected us.
"By almost superhuman exertions, and by living half-starved, I managedat last to scrape together a sufficient sum to take me to America--whereI hoped to be able to provide a home for my wife and child.
"I had not the means to take them along with me, though I left enough tosecure, what I thought, would be a permanent home for them until Ishould return.
"My wife had a brother--an only relative--who lived in a lonely houseamong the hills. He and his wife kindly agreed to give my old woman ahome, until I should either return, or send for her.
"I will not weary you with the particulars of what I did in America--more than to state that I went to the copper mines near Lake Superior;and that I was not there a year, before I was so fortunate as to find arich vein of ore, which I sold to a mining company for 6,000 dollars.
"I sent my wife a part of this money, along with the intelligence, thatI would soon return for her. With the rest, I purchased a small farm inthe southern part of the State of Ohio; and leaving a man in charge of
it, I returned to Scotland for my family.
"I got back in the middle of winter--in December. It was a very coldmorning, when I arrived in sight of the hovel, that contained all Iloved most dear on earth. It was Christmas Day; and, in order to havethe pleasure of spending it along with my wife, I had walked all thenight before. When I drew near the house, I noticed that the snow--thathad been falling for two days--lay untrodden around the door!
"I hurried up inside, when I saw, lying on the floor, and partly coveredwith rags, my wife and child. They were what men call--_dead_!
"The appearance of the hut, and of the dead bodies, told me all. Theyhad died of cold and hunger.
"I afterwards learnt, that my brother-in-law had died some time before;and that his wife immediately afterwards had gone away from the hovel tojoin some of her own relatives, who
