When tranquillity had been again restored, the "Elephant" was called on
for his autobiography--which was given nearly as follows:--
"My father is a `squatter' in New South Wales--where I was myself born.
"At the age of seventeen, I was sent to England to be educated; and,
being well supplied with money, the design of those who sent me was not
defeated: for I did learn a good deal--although the knowledge I
obtained, was not exactly of the kind my parents had meant me to
acquire.
"I possessed the strength, and soon acquired the skill, to defeat all my
fellow students in rowing or sculling a boat. I was also the best hand
amongst them with a bat. I became perfect in many other branches of
knowledge, of like utility. During my sojourn in Europe, I made several
trips to Paris--where I obtained an insight into the manners and customs
of that gay capital.
"My father had a sister living in London--a rich widow, who had an only
daughter. I called on them two or three times, as I could not well
avoid doing so. I was not infatuated with my cousin, nor did my visits
beget in my mind any great affection for my aunt.
"Her husband had been dead several years before that time. He had been
related to a family of title, and on his death had left a fortune to his
widow of about fifty thousand pounds.
"My father considered his sister a person of great consequence in the
kingdom; and used to keep up a regular correspondence with her.
"When I was about twenty-two, I received a letter from him, commanding
me forthwith to marry my cousin!
"He had made the match with my aunt, without consulting my wishes.
"The deluded man thought the plan he had formed for me, would make me a
very great personage. But I could not regard the affair in the same
light.
"Soon after receiving my father's orders, my aunt sent me a note--
containing a request for me to call upon her.
"I complied; and found that she considered the thing as quite settled,
that I was forthwith to marry my cousin. In fact, my aunt at this
interview had a good deal to say about preparations for the ceremony!
"My cousin was neither personally good-looking, nor interesting in any
way. On the contrary, she had a disposition exceedingly disagreeable;
and, to crown all, she was a full half-dozen years older than myself.
"Soon after that interview with my English relatives, I embarked for
Sydney. I had been for some time anxious to return home. As I have
told you, New South Wales is my native country; and I prefer it to any
other. I had seen enough of Europe; and longed to gallop a horse over
the broad plains of my native land.
"On my return home, and reporting that I had _not_ married my rich
cousin, my father flew into a great passion, and refused to have
anything farther to do with me.
"I tried to reason with him; but it was of no use. It ended by his
turning me out of his house; and telling me to go and earn my own
living. This I did for some time, by driving a hackney coach through
the streets of Sydney.
"My father, on finding that I was man enough to take care of myself,
without requiring any assistance from him, began to take a little
interest in my affairs. In doing so, he discovered something else--that
caused him quite as much displeasure as my refusal to marry my English
cousin.
"He learnt that I was making serious love to a poor, but honest girl,
who, with her mother, scarce earned a subsistence, by toiling fourteen
hours a day with her needle.
"To think I should let slip a woman with fifty thousand pounds--and who
could claim relationship with a family of title--and then marry a poor
sewing girl, was proof to my father that I was a downright idiot; and,
from that hour, he refused to acknowledge me as his son.
"When gold was discovered in these diggings, I gave up my hackney
business, took an affectionate leave of my girl; and came out here.
"I've been lucky; and I shall start to-morrow for Sydney. I shall find
the one I love waiting for me--I hope, with some impatience; and, if I
don't miscalculate time, we shall be married, before I've been a week in
Sydney.
"I am young, and have health and strength. With these advantages, I
should not consider myself a man, if, in a new world like this, I
allowed my warmest inclinations to be subdued by the selfish worldly
influences, that control the thoughts and actions of European people."
I believe the company were a little disappointed in the "Elephant's"
story. From the remarkable character of the man, and the evidence of
superior polish and education--exhibited both in his bearing and
conversation--all had expected a more interesting narrative--something
more than the tale he had told us, and which was altogether too simple
to excite their admiration. Some of them could not help expressing
their surprise--at what they pronounced the silliness of the "Elephant,"
in "sacking" a fine lady with _fifty thousand pounds_, and an
aristocratic connection, for a poor Sydney sempstress. To many of them,
this part of the story seemed scarce credible, though, for my part, I
believed every word of it.
Reasoning from what I knew of the character of the narrator, I felt
convinced that he was incapable of telling an untruth--even to amuse his
audience; and I doubted not that he had refused his rich English cousin;
and was really going to marry the poor sewing girl of Sydney.
In judging of the Elephant--to use his own words--I did not allow my
"inclinations to be subdued by the selfish worldly influences, that
control the thoughts and actions of European people."
Volume Three, Chapter XVII.