34 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



capturing another containing several cases of ammunition. The 

 result of the short conflict was that three or four of the military 

 and the driver of the escort were seriously wounded. The soldiers 

 did not show much fight, for they were completely taken by surprise, 

 and not in the military order in which their colleagues had entered 

 on the scene two hours previously. They lashed their horses and, 

 headed by their captain, made for the Camp full tilt. As soon as 

 they were safe within that sanctuary, Commissioner Eede ordered 

 out the mounted troopers to go and recover the waggons and dis- 

 perse the rioters. The contents of the waggons had been made off 

 with as far as could be done in the time ; the remainder had been 

 thrown down abandoned shafts. The troopers were received with 

 hootings, volleys of stones and an occasional pistol shot ; but they 

 made a dash at the crowd, cutting right and left, running them 

 down to their tents, and leaving a good many nasty scars behind 

 them. The waggons having been rifled there was nothing to 

 recover, and seeing that the diggers appeared to be up and gather- 

 ing arms, they made their way back to the Camp. The night's 

 work was indeed a sorry prelude to the great meeting which had 

 been summoned for the morrow to receive the report of the delegates. 

 The action of the irresponsible crowd in attacking the military was 

 condemned by the leaders of the Eeform League as most prejudicial 

 to their cause, and likely to precipitate a crisis, which they hoped 

 even yet to avert by diplomatic measures. 



The time appointed for the meeting on Bakery Hill was two 

 o'clock, and the signal was to be the hoisting of the new Australian 

 flag, a blue bunting with the constellation of the Southern Cross 

 in silver stars. As the hour approached a steady stream set in 

 towards the spot, work having been suspended in most of the 

 claims. Many of the men were armed in consequence of the re- 

 ported disturbance of the previous evening, and in the belief that 

 an attempt would be made to disperse them. 



Amongst the earliest arrivals was the stalwart Peter Lalor, rifle in 

 hand, accompanied by Timothy Hayes, who, by reason of his Irish 

 fluency, had been chosen as chairman. 



The appearance of Black, Humffray and Kennedy on the plat- 

 form was greeted with much cheering, and their report was listened 



