36 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



of a licence. He was answered by a roar that if they got the word, 

 a thousand of them were ready to do it there and then. The re- 

 solution was carried, bonfires were lighted, and one after another 

 stepped up and cast the obnoxious document into the flames. 



It was unfortunate that Sir Charles Hotham's irritability under 

 opposition induced him at this juncture to send peremptory instruc- 

 tions to the Resident Commissioner to redouble his efforts to capture 

 unregistered diggers and to strictly enforce the law. Doubtless he 

 assumed that the presence of so large a military force on the field 

 rendered the time opportune for enforcing submission. But un- 

 happily his instructions reached Mr. Eede at the very time when 

 the fires on Bakery Hill were consuming those objects of the 

 Governor's solicitude. Some of the Camp officials recognised the 

 unwisdom of the step, and deplored the necessity they were under 

 of carrying out such instructions while the echo of the cheers 

 which greeted the burning of the licences had yet hardly died away. 

 But they had to obey orders, and took comfort from the news, 

 which had just reached them, that arrangements were proceeding 

 in Melbourne for the despatch of the remaining troops, supported 

 by artillery, and under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, 

 Sir Robert Nickle. Accordingly, early on Thursday morning, 

 the 30th of November, a company of mounted troopers, under the 

 direction of Commissioners Rede and Johnston, issued from 

 the Camp and made their first charge in the neighbourhood of 

 the Gravel Pits. They were received with hooting and derision, 

 with frequent volleys of stones, and the promise of something more 

 destructive. In fear of a serious conflict the Commissioners 

 called for the support of the military, and a company of soldiers 

 was promptly sent to their aid. The crowd, which under less 

 exciting circumstances would probably have remained quiescent 

 until the result of Sunday's meeting was known, became greatly 

 exasperated when the troops fired a volley over their heads, and 

 scattered in search of arms and ammunition. Commissioner Rede, 

 who was endeavouring to read the Riot Act, was jeeringly told that 

 he could not see the licences because they were burnt, but if he 

 liked to accept the alternative they would all surrender as prisoners. 

 This brought about the redu^ctio ad absurdum, and Rede ordered 



