38 



those working them, besides the improvised shelter for the rebel 

 garrison. But even while the historical stockade was in course 

 of formation, a meeting of the League was held to make one more 

 effort to avert bloodshed, by appealing to the Camp to let things 

 remain in statu quo until the Government should have had time to 

 consider the situation. To that end Messrs. Black and Eaffaello, 

 introduced by the Eev. Father Smyth, waited upon the officials, to 

 ask for the release of the prisoners apprehended that morning, and 

 a pledge not to renew the licence-hunting. Messrs. Eede and 

 Hackett were firm in their refusal, alleging that if they did not 

 obey their instructions, Sir Charles Hotham would promptly super- 

 sede them by others who would. 



Next day, Friday, the 1st of December, the occupants of the 

 stockade were hard at work at 5 A.M. Sundry awkward squads 

 were being put through a futile course of drill ; parties were being 

 told off to rummage the field for firearms, and to try and win over 

 to the cause such generous butchers and bakers as aspired to be 

 " purveyors to the Eeform League ". A few score of willing hands 

 were labouring to give cohesion and stability to the flimsy barricade 

 forming the outer line of defence. All day long the clang of the 

 anvil sounded from the improvised smithy of a German blacksmith, 

 who was fashioning pike heads out of any scraps of iron the diggers 

 could bring to him, for the general armament was sadly deficient. 

 In the afternoon a contingent of 300 or 400 men arrived from 

 Creswick to join forces, and were much disappointed to find neither 

 commissariat supplies, arms nor ammunition available for them. 

 Some promptly expressed their disgust, and left the stockade and 

 its cause forthwith. Others decided to see what next day would 

 bring forth, and in default of quarters passed the night squatted 

 round the big fire which burned in the centre of the stockade. 



Saturday, the 2nd of December, dawned upon a mass of conflicting 

 interests. The Camp, alert and watchful, thought it prudent to 

 await reinforcements. The diggers, not yet under proper discipline, 

 were incited by some turbulent spirits to make a dash on the Camp 

 and overwhelm it by sheer force of numbers ; by others, to march 

 out and cut off the reinforcements now on the road ; and yet again, 

 by the more cautious, amongst whom Humffray was prominent, to 



