Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/95

86 bench considered the case proved, and sentenced him to twelve months’ hard labour in the Goulburn gaol.”

On the evening of the 2nd January, 1862, Dr. Temple was stuck-up about eight o’clock, near the grave-yard, by two men, who took his watch, saddle, and bridle, and bound him and left him there. About twelve o’clock two men passed along and heard his cries and released him. A few days after this two men bailed up twenty people at the same place, and eased them of everything they had of any value. This was within half-a-mile of the camp, where there were over 100 soldiers, 74 marines, and 20 policemen.

On the 1st February, Captain Wilkie, who was in command of the troops, fell off his horse in an apoplectic fit, and died that night. His wife had only joined him about a fortnight when this melancholy event happened. They were living in a bark hut until their new quarters (which were in course of erection) were finished. Strange to say he had a presentiment he would not occupy them, and often said so to his wife. This sudden death cast quite a gloom over the town. The funeral, a military one, took place on the 3rd, and was well attended. There being no band connected with the regiment, the circus band volunteered their services; no Church of England clergymen residing in the district, the burial service was read by Lieutenant Morris. Mrs. Wilkie attended the funeral, and drove alongside the procession in a carriage. Three volleys were fired over the grave, which concluded the ceremony. Some short time after, Mrs. Wilkie erected a handsome monument over the grave, and since I left Burrangong has, I believe, erected a Memorial Church.

5th March.—Great excitement in town to-day, news having been received that Gardiner (the bushranger) had stuck up Messrs. Hewitt and Horsington, two storekeepers from Wombat, who were bringing in their gold purchases for the week. They took £1000 worth from Horsington, and £700 from Hewitt. M‘Carthy, agent of the Oriental Bank, went out immediately, both parties being constituents of his, to whom he had advanced the money for the purchase of gold, the loss in this case falling upon the bank.

10th April—Davis, one of Gardiner’s mates, was captured by Detective Lyons, Inspector Sanderson, and another, after a hard fight. He was shot through the thigh, and brought in by the coach. I went up to see him, in fact was present when the wound was probed and the bullet extracted. The fellow never even flinched during the operation, and it struck me he was not any too tenderly handled. Detective Lyons was wounded in the fray. He had the top of one finger shot off. Davis was well taken care of, and mended rapidly. A few months after this he was tried at Goulburn, and sentence of death was recorded, but was commuted to imprisonment for life. I was in Goulburn at