THE EXPEDITION AFTER BILL SWINTON'S BURIED TREASURES.
"And you think that Bill was not deceiving you?" Fred asked, after a
moment's consideration.
"If you could have seen his death bed--how pleasantly and cheerfully he
left this world for the next, and how comfortable he was with new pipes
and an unlimited supply of tobacco, and two hard candles, got at my own
expense, you would not have thought that the fellow was endeavoring to
deceive me. Besides, he died so much like a Christian, forgiving every
one, and entertaining no malice, that I can hardly believe he would have
been guilty of such rascally hypocrisy."
"How do you know that Bill did not impart his secret to others?" I
asked.
"Simply because I gave orders that no conversation was to be held with
him; and to see that my orders were carried out, I sat up with him on
the night that he died. Almost with his last breath he told me to
'remember the shadow.' I feel so confident that he told me the true spot
where the money is buried, that I would not take one thousand pounds for
my share."
We thought the matter over, and considered the subject in all its
bearings. If Bill had spoken the truth, there was a chance for us to
increase our funds with but little labor, and none in Ballarat would be
the wiser for it. If the information was false, the only thing lost
would be a week or two's absence from business, which, in the present
exciting times, we hardly dared to spare. After a long talk, however,
and upon Mr. Brown's assertion that there was no danger of an outbreak,
for at least two weeks, I concluded that I would leave Fred in charge of
the store, and undertake the expedition, in company with the
ex-inspector.
Barney, who was with us, waiting impatiently for the arrival of Smith,
readily consented to assist Fred to the extent of his ability during my
absence; and without further ceremony we bound the agreement with Mr.
Brown, that we would share equal with him, in whatever expenses were
incurred, or whatever was found.
"We must start to-morrow morning," Mr. Brown said, after all the
preliminary arrangements were concluded, "because the moon fulls the day
after to-morrow, and we shall want to be on the spot to make an
examination by daylight. How soon can we be ready?"
"To-morrow, as early as you desire," I replied.
"Good; we shall then lose no time. It will be necessary for us to go
well armed and well mounted, you know, for the distance is long, and the
road dangerous. Besides, we shall require a pack mule or horse to carry
a few tools, and provisions enough to last us for a week."
That part of the business was quickly arranged. Mr. Brown owned a large
gray horse which he had always rode while at Ballarat, and we had three
good animals standing idle. I proposed to borrow a pack saddle, and make
the poorest animal do packing service, while I mounted the other. The
idea was adopted, and before night we had our provisions all prepared,
our blankets ready for strapping, and a pickaxe and shovel selected, in
case we should have to stir the earth with an extensive search for the
hidden treasure.
In the course of the day, the ex-inspector, after bidding his associates
farewell, and telling them that he intended to visit Melbourne on
business connected with his resignation, moved all his traps to the
store for safe keeping during his absence, and when evening drew on, we
lighted our pipes, and in subdued tones spoke of the prospect of finding
enough gold to pay us for our journey.
The next morning we were up before daylight, preparing breakfast and
attending to the horses, and before the sun was ready to show his face,
we were in the saddle, and on our way to the banks of the Lodden,
driving the pack horse before us at an easy canter, and enjoying all the
beauties of the morning.
We avoided the road which led to Melbourne, and upon which some forty or
fifty poor devils were working out their mining tax, and by a cut across
the country, in the direction of Mount Tarrengower, were enabled to save
some few miles of travel, as well as to avoid answering questions from
those whom we met on the road. The latter is no slight labor, as every
person on a journey to the mines is desirous of asking the latest news,
and whether the gold is as abundant as ever.
By ten o'clock we found that our animals began to suffer from the heat,
and as our appetites were pretty well sharpened, we called a halt
beneath the shadow of some gum trees, relieved our horses of their
saddles, and wet their mouths with water, and after a hearty lunch,
leaned back and smoked our pipes with delicious contentment, and without
a thought of danger.
We were soon unconscious of every thing around us, and did not awake
until past four o'clock, when we once more resumed our journey, and by
sundown we had gained a small brook within a few miles of Mount
Alexander. Here we proposed to pass the night, and after watering the
animals, and stalling them in a good piece of fresh grass, we began to
make provision for rest. We had no desire to kindle a fire, for the
country in which we were travelling was not entirely safe, and a light
would have only attracted attention, which we were desirous of avoiding.
"For once," said Mr. Brown, as he arranged his saddle for a pillow, "I
feel as though I should rather regret meeting with bushrangers, for I
have every thing to lose, and no honor to gain by a contest. If,
therefore, the gentlemen of the bush will only avoid us, I shall feel
thankful."
"Do you know this part of the country to be frequented by bushrangers?"
I asked, examining my revolver for the first time since we had left
Ballarat.
"I don't vouch for their presence, but here is water, and there is
food," Mr. Brown said, pointing away to our right; "the scamps are
always sure to be located when these two essentials are to be found,
and, as a general thing, they show good taste in the selection of their
retreats, and when idle, feed upon the choicest parts of sheep or lamb."
"Is there a sheep station near?" I asked, not being aware of it before.
"Within two miles of us, I should judge. It was formerly called
Hawswood, in honor of the proprietor; but after the gold fever broke
out, he sold it to a man whose name was Buckerly, a fine-looking fellow
and bold as a lion. I made his acquaintance when he first landed at
Melbourne, accompanied by a wife and children, and advised him to trade
at the mines and acquire a fortune; but he was a large-feeling person,
and had occupied a good position in England, and I suppose that he
considered all kinds of trafficking plebeian, and beneath his dignity.
"Buckerly thought of entering a banking house in the city, but unluckily
altered his mind and concluded to raise stock. He met with Hawswood, got
an exalted idea of the profits, and without asking advice, paid five
thousand pounds for the place and all that was on it. I had serious
doubts of the success of his project, especially when he told me that he
should move his family to the stock-house immediately, and superintend
his estate. The poor fellow thought that it was fitted and furnished
like a suburban villa, and his wife, one of the prettiest and most
affable women that ever landed in Australia, looked forward, with many
expressions of pleasure, to the delightful country residence that she
was to occupy with her husband and children."
Mr. Brown stopped, and appeared to be in a reflective mood, while I, who
had been dozing, waked up, and requested him to finish.
"I never saw them afterwards, at least alive, but I often heard, by the
shepherds in Buckerly's employ, that the bushrangers and he were at war,
and that the result could be easily foretold. It seemed that the former
were in the habit of taking a sheep or lamb, according to their fancy,
whenever hunger dictated, and as they had always done; but Buckerly
determined, very foolishly, to stop so unlawful a course, forgetting
that he had every thing to lose, and the bushrangers nothing to gain. He
was not strong enough to cope with them, and should have bided his time;
but he was hot-headed and rash, and at length was unfortunate enough to
kill a fellow who had slaughtered a sheep. From that day he was a doomed
man, and not only brought destruction upon himself, but upon his family,
for one night his house was attacked, and although he made a brave
resistance, yet what could one man do against a dozen? He fell with
countless stabs upon his body, and then the devils, the fiends
incarnate, seized the poor woman and ravished her one by one. Luckily,
she did not live to mourn her shame, but died the same night. The
children were unmolested, and are now in Melbourne under proper
guardianship, and derive their support from the same station, which is
carried on by a shepherd who has been there for many years.
"Word was sent to me the day after the transaction, and I made an
investigation, but the perpetrators of the outrage were never
discovered. There is a tradition, however, and many shepherds in this
district believe it, that on certain nights the ghost of Buckerly is
seen wandering on the banks of the Loddon, with a winding-sheet covered
with blood, and that those who look upon the apparition are sure to be
overtaken by misfortune of some sort.
"I don't put much faith in the story," Mr. Brown said, edging towards
me, for the night was beginning to grow quite dark, "but still I must
confess to a feeling of superstition at times, and why should we not?"
Not knowing why we should not, I merely said, "Ah, indeed, why not?" and
as the latter part of the story had awakened me as thoroughly as the
first portion had set me to sleep, I refilled my pipe, lighted it, and
endeavored, by puffing forth volumes of smoke, to compose my mind, and
banish all recollections of ghosts and murders. The effort was futile,
for Mr. Brown liked to discuss such matters.
"What is to prevent Buckerly and his wife from visiting this world, and
wandering around the scene of their death?"
I hazarded a guess, and thought, that want of breath, and a difficulty
that they would experience in getting out of their graves without
assistance, would prevent, all such attempts.
"You know that their spirits live, and if that is the case, why can't
they enter the body and walk about the earth without difficulty?"
Never having studied the subject, I could not enlighten Mr. Brown as
well as I should have desired to; but he apparently was more busy with
his own thoughts than my answers, and continued,--
"If Buckerly should make his appearance before us while we were digging
for gold, how would we treat him?"
"By giving him a drink from our private bottles," I answered, promptly.
"If he should speak to us, would it be well to answer him? I have read
that if you exchange a word with a ghost, the unfortunate can be dragged
off without the power to struggle."
"What splendid assistants they would make for private lunatic asylums.
Patients could be carried off without trouble, and without attracting
attention. I shall think of the matter again."
"Don't speak lightly of such serious matters," cried Mr. Brown, with
more solemnity than I ever gave him credit for. "There are many things
in this world that we cannot account for, and yet it is out of place to
jest about them."
In fact, we were not in a favorable place to talk about ghosts and
goblins, for the trees under which we were lying screened the light of
the stars, and prevented us from seeing each other. Add to this the
night wind wailing through the branches of the gum trees, and the
profound silence that reigned around, interrupted only by the movements
of the horses, or by the quiet gliding of a snake, which had been to the
brook to quench its thirst, and barely ruffled a dead leaf in its course
in search of companions. Taking all these things into consideration,
I'll confess that I have passed many nights much more pleasant and
satisfactory.
"Far be it from me to joke on matters of such grave import," I said. "I
have no desire to incur the ill will of any respectable ghost, and, to
tell you the truth, I don't think that one with any pretensions to piety
would want to intrude his unwelcome presence upon us. There are people
enough in the world who rather court such things, but I, for one, do
not."
I started up, as I finished speaking, and clapped my hands upon the leg
of my trousers, for I felt something squirming next to the skin that did
not make me rest as though upon a bed of roses.
"What is the matter?" demanded Mr. Brown; "you don't see any thing, do
you?"
"No," I replied, with all the composure possible, "I don't see any thing
as yet--I wish that I could. But it strikes me that a snake has run up
my trousers leg, and if I am not mistaken, he is wiggling to get out the
wrong way."
"Crush him, and then we will hereafter further discuss the subject of
ghosts," returned Mr. Brown, with admirable coolness.
"Ghosts be hanged!" I cried, and I have a faint recollection of adding
an oath. "They don't trouble me half as much as the feelings of this
varmint, whom I have secured by his head or tail, I don't know which."
"Shake yourself, and let him slide," my friend advised; but I preferred
to hold on and trust to chance, and find out whether the reptile was of
the poisonous species, or the common green kind.
"Excuse me, but if you will light a match and a few leaves, and then
insert your hand up one of my trousers legs, I think that we can
conquer the reptile."
"The position which you assign me is none of the most pleasant, my
friend," Mr. Brown said, "for I don't know what part of the reptile is
in your hand, and what kind of an animal you are struggling with. I will
comply with your request, though, if I lose my life in accomplishing
it."
He hastily collected a few leaves, struck a match and set fire to them.
The flames gave sufficient light for the purpose, and in less than a
minute's time Mr. Brown was ready to work.
"Steady with your hand," he said, as he passed his arm up my trousers
leg in search of the squirming reptile. "In less than ten seconds we
shall be either laughing or crying."
The snake, as though aware that its time was near, made a desperate
attempt to escape, but I held fast, although I confess that the effort
cost me more mental resolution than I ever exercised before, for the
position in which I was situated was no envious one. I felt the cold
perspiration streaming down my face in large drops, and my heart beat as
though it was attempting to force its way through my side, and go into
business on its own account, independent of the body.
"For God's sake, be quick," I cried, fearing that I should faint before
my friend accomplished his object.
"Patience, patience--don't get into a rage, for it will not help us. If
the snake is of the poisonous species, a few seconds will not make much
difference; and if the reptile is harmless, were it not for the feeling
of the thing, it might as well lodge in your trousers as in any other
part of our camp equipage. Don't jerk so--the thing has nerves as well
as yourself."
Much more did Mr. Brown say, but I was in no humor to talk, or even to
listen; and yet I can now frankly confess that if he had not made light
of my misfortune I should have suffered ten times the amount of mental
agony that I did. His jesting style of treating the affair was alone
sufficient to make me keep up my spirits, and imagine the matter as one
of less consequence than it really was.
"Now, then, are you ready?" cried Mr. Brown, "and I felt the snake
suddenly cease its gyrations and strain to effect its escape, but I held
on with a hand of iron.
"When I say three, do you let go suddenly," my friend exclaimed.
I was only too willing.
"One."
"Two."
It seemed an age between the monosyllables, yet I held on patiently.
"Three."
I released my hold, and Mr. Brown, with a quick movement of his hand,
dashed the reptile to the ground, and stamped upon it with his heavy
boots.
"Now let us see what species it is," he said, kicking it towards the
fire. A moment's examination, and a hearty laugh set my fears at rest.
"You might have slept with a dozen beneath you, and no harm would have
happened. It is nothing but a green snake, and a small one at that."
I could hardly believe the welcome news, and a personal inspection was
necessary to convince me of the fact, and then a strong drink from my
flask was needful to compose my nerves, and render me a fit subject for
sleep.
"Let me give you a word of advice," Mr. Brown said, joining me in the
drink with wonderful alacrity. "Never again camp out without seeing that
the bottoms of your trousers are shoved tight into the tops of your
boots. This simple precaution sometimes saves much trouble and
suffering. I again drink to your lucky escape."
"If you do, try the contents of your own bottle, then, for mine is
running low."
Mr. Brown did not heed my request, and I had the satisfaction of hearing
the liquor gurgling down his throat as though he liked it exceedingly;
and when he did return the bottle, he gave me more fatherly advice,
which was to the effect that I should carry a larger flask during my
travels, if I expected to be successful in life, and die happy.