_ CHAPTER XVIII. LARGE FIRE IN MELBOURNE.--ENGLISH MACHINES AT FAULT
I know not what the others were dreaming about, but I imagined myself standing by a pile of brush and branches, on which was placed the dead bodies of Black Darnley and his gang, and I thought that I had just applied a match to the dry wood, and that the flames were soaring heavenward, filling the sky with a luminous, blood-red color, and that the corpses, as the fire licked their bodies, began shouting, in derisive tones, for more fuel, when a hand was laid upon my shoulder, and my dreams vanished in an instant. I sprang to my feet, and even then but half awake, I reached for my revolver, and tried to recollect where I was, and how I came there. The room, was as light as day, and through the single window streamed the glare of such a fire as I had seen in my dream.
I could hear the roaring of the flames, and a shouting of voices afar off; and an old cracked bell, upon a church a short distance off, was laboring hard to start into life the sleepers of the city.
"The city is on fire!" cried Smith, giving me another shake to awaken me into consciousness; "all Collins Street appears to be in a bright blaze."
"Wake Fred, and we will go and lend what assistance we can," I replied, thoroughly aroused.
While Smith proceeded to do so, I stepped to the door, and surveyed the scene, which was grand in the extreme; and I felt my blood course through my veins wildly, as old recollections of volunteer service were brought back, when gentlemen of the utmost respectability petitioned for admittance to our organization.
That fire was like the blast of a trumpet, and all the old feelings, which had lain dormant for many years, were revived, and I wished that I had an engine and a brave company, to rush to the rescue. While I stood surveying the flames, I was joined by Fred, an old fireman like myself, but cooler, and not so impulsive.
"Do you see!" I exclaimed; "half of the city appears to be in flames, and I do not hear the working of an engine. Let us hasten, and render what assistance is possible."
"Where are your engine houses?" asked Fred, turning to Smith, who appeared to be remarkably cool and unconcerned.
"That's more than I can tell, and I don't believe that even the captain of police can find one, try he ever so hard," replied Smith.
"Do you mean that there are no regularly organized companies here, to take charge of engines?" I asked.
"There are no engines nor companies, to my knowledge," Smith answered, after a moment's thought.
"Then how do you arrest conflagrations like the present?" I asked.
"Well, we send for the police," he answered, with a laugh.
"Pshaw!" I replied, impatiently, "this is no time for joking. Your city is burning down, and I do not hear the first effort to extinguish the flames."
"But I do. Hark! do you not hear that trumpet?"
We all listened, and loud above the roaring of the flames, which were filling the sky with showers of sparks, and dark, pall-like clouds of smoke, we heard the shrill tones of a trumpet.
"What is the meaning of that blast?" I asked.
"It means that the soldiers are marching to the scene of the conflagration," rejoined Smith, promptly.
"Ah, then they are to lend their aid in suppressing the flames?"
"They merely go for the purpose of seeing the building burn," replied Smith, laconically.
"Explain yourself," I cried, impatiently.
"I will. They are marched to the fire simply for the purpose of being drawn up in a line, and keeping people, who are disposed to work, away from the flames."
I looked at Smith's face, to see if he was not joking; but no, he was perfectly serious, and I began to have doubts about the ability of the Australians to subdue a conflagration under such difficulties.
"Then nothing is done by the thousands of people standing idly by, witnessing the destruction of property?" I asked.
"Well, sometimes I've known water-carts to bring water from the river, and then a few adventurous fellows will offer to throw it on to the fire. But the carts are not always to be depended upon."
"Let us go and see what we can do, Fred," I exclaimed, after the above explanation; and although Smith told us we had better remain in the house, for we should get no thanks or credit for our readiness to assist, yet we did not heed his advice, and when he saw that we were determined to go, he grumblingly offered to accompany us.
I locked the hound in the house, much against the animal's will, and then we started for the scene of the conflagration. On our way, we met and overtook hundreds of people bound on the same errand as ourselves; but to our surprise, they manifested no show of excitement, and appeared to regard the fire as a matter of course.
We hurried through the streets until we reached the thoroughfare in which the conflagration was raging. A long line of soldiers was drawn up to prevent people from approaching within twenty or thirty rods of the fire, and within the circle which they formed, were mounted policemen with drawn sabres.
There appeared to be no effort made to extinguish the fire; the soldiers, instead of being employed to carry water, or save goods, or in blowing up buildings to arrest the flames, leaned on their guns, and looked as though they didn't care if the whole city was consumed, as long as they got enough to eat and drink. The mounted police did not seem employed to any better purpose, and the most that I observed them do was to chase after a poor devil who squeezed through the lines in some way, and appeared anxious to save his property, or what there was left of it.
"Thank God!" exclaimed a stout man at my side, "the fire is confined to the stores of Jews. I think I'll go back to bed again."
That remark made me begin to comprehend the reason of the apathy which prevailed. The Jews were not entitled to sympathy on account of their religion. They paid their taxes, and were as much entitled to protection as Episcopalians, or men of other religious principles; but the stigma of being a Jew followed them even to Australia, where people were none too moral, and if they had not sold their Saviour it was because no one wished to buy, thinking the investment a bad one.
I longed to get to work, and once or twice I asked an officer standing near me to let us pass, and assist in extinguishing the flames. The young fop looked at me with the utmost astonishment for a moment, and then, thinking that I was an escaped lunatic, recommenced sucking the hilt of his sword with renewed energy, and without returning any answer to my petition.
"Don't mind him, poor fellow," said Fred, with a laugh at my want of success in eliciting an answer from the office: "don't you see that he is hungry, and misses the comfort which his Mother has been in the habit of yielding."
The sword hilt was withdrawn from the young fellow's mouth in an instant, and his face flushed as red as his scarlet uniform. He felt the more annoyed, because half a dozen fellows, just from the mines, all of whom were standing near, and had heard the conversation, set up a shout of laughter. Even the soldiers smiled when their officer's back was turned.
If the young fellow intended to make a reply, he was prevented, for just then the rolling of a drum attracted his attention, and there was a murmur through the crowd that the lieutenant-governor was coming to see what could be done towards suppressing the conflagration.
The soldiers presented arms, as half a dozen plainly-dressed gentlemen walked towards the end of the line where Fred, Smith, and myself were stationed. They did not stop until within a few feet of us, and from the attention which was bestowed upon one man, I had no difficulty in deciding which was the governor.
"God bless me!" exclaimed the gentleman I supposed to be the governor, a rather small man, with gray hair, and, I judged, about sixty years of age; "God bless me!" he repeated, wringing his hands as though washing them, and gazing upon the fire, "what a dreadful conflagration."
"The fire is making great headway, your excellency," said one of the gentlemen in the governor's suite.
"God bless me, so it is," replied the governor. "How careless of the Jews to let their stores get on fire. They give me a great deal of trouble."
"But shall we not do something towards suppressing the flames?" asked the first speaker, with an impatient gesture.
"God bless me, what can I do?" cried the governor, peevishly.
"There are two small engines in the city--they might be brought here and worked to advantage," urged the aide-de-camp, for such I judged him to be.
"Yes, yes, I know; but, God bless me, they won't
suck."
I saw the governor's suite vainly endeavoring to suppress their smiles, and for a moment, such was their mirth, no further conversation ensued.
At length the aid said,--
"That difficulty can be overcome, your excellency, by pressing the water carts into service, and letting them bring water from the river for the engines to use. Much property can be saved, also, by dismissing the soldiers to the barracks with their arms, and then letting them return, and pass water in buckets. I assure your excellency that the police force is amply sufficient to keep order without the troops."
"God bless me, I believe that you are right," cried the governor, "but I don't like to set the soldiers at such work. They spoil their uniforms, and then the government has to supply them with new clothing, and I am blamed for it."
"Then let the engines be brought here, and I pledge you my word that I will find men enough in the crowd to work them without the soldiers' assistance!" exclaimed the aid, energetically.
"God bless me, if you think they are of any use, bring them here; but I don't know a person in Melbourne who understands working them."
His excellency's remark appeared to stagger the aide-de-camp, for by the light of the flames I saw him bite his lips with vexation, and glance over the crowd, as though wishing that he could find somebody who would come to his rescue.
Fred and myself could no longer keep silent. We thought, that we saw an opening for our talent that should not be lost, so giving the nearest soldier a slight push one side, and narrowly escaping a thrust from a bayonet in return, we suddenly stood before the astonished group.
"We have come to ask permission to take charge of your engines," Fred said, before the aide-de-camp could find breath to order us into custody, and the soldiers appeared disposed to make prisoners of us before the word was given.
"God bless me, what is the meaning of this?" cried the governor, putting his eye-glass up, and surveying us from head to foot, as though we were animals of the
rara avis species.
"Stand back, soldiers," cried the aide-de-camp, in a tone of command, when he saw that the men were disposed to force us amongst the crowd again, "return to your ranks, and leave me to deal with these men."
"Now, my men, what do you wish?" asked the aid; and we knew by the tones of his voice that he possessed the spirit of a man, and would know how to appreciate the services which we were disposed to render.
"We accidentally overheard a remark from the governor, that there was no one in Melbourne who understood the working of your fire-engines, so we have come to volunteer our services," Fred said, boldly.
"God bless me, but this is most extraordinary," said the governor, turning to his suite for confirmation of his words.
"Have either of you ever been accustomed to the working of an engine?" asked the aid.
"We have both belonged to a volunteer fire department," I said, "and if the machines are not entirely out of repair, we think that we can work them to advantage."
"I was not aware that there was a volunteer system in England," said the aid, whom we now understood was Colonel Hensen. He spoke in a slightly sarcastic manner, as though he had caught us in a falsehood and was determined to fathom our motives.
"We were not speaking of England, sir," I said, with some little asperity.
"Pray, what country do you allude to, then, if I may ask?" the colonel inquired.
"We meant our country, sir; we are not Englishmen, but Americans."
I saw the frown vanish from the brow of Colonel Hensen, and a look of good nature passed over his face; but before he had an opportunity to speak, the governor had his eye-glass up, and exclaimed,--
"God bless me, you don't mean to say that because you are Americans you can extinguish this fire? Pray, what part of the United States do you come from, that you possess such assurance?"
"We were both born within the shadow of Bunker Hill, your excellency, and that famous spot overlooks Boston, a city of some importance in America."
I heard a good-natured laugh at Fred's speech, although I was fearful that those present would not relish joking at their ancestors' expense. But I was mistaken; even the withered features of Mr. Latrobe relaxed their expression of distrust, and he cried, "God bless me," and wrung his hands for a minute or two before he spoke.
"If these young men think they can do any good with the engines, why, God bless me, I don't know but they had better take charge of them," the governor said, after a brief survey of the fire, and seeing what headway it was making.
"I will answer for these two young men, your excellency," said a deep voice, whose tones we recognized; and looking up, I found that our old acquaintance, the captain of police, had approached us, unseen, and overheard a part, of the discussion.
"Ha, captain," cried the governor, "you don't mean to say that you know these two persons? God bless me, how singular."
"Not very extraordinary, sir, when I tell you that these are the Americans whom I asked your excellency to receive to-day, and whose petition I hope you will grant," replied the captain.
"God bless me, it isn't possible that these are the two Americans who have been killing and making prisoners of those bushranging villains? Why, they have hardly grown to be men!"
The governor seemed to forget the fire, for he surveyed us through his eye-glass, and whispered to members of his suite, and said that he hoped "God would bless him;" and I am sure I hope that the Almighty will, for Mr. Latrobe has asked for it often enough.
Fred and myself were the centre of observation, and perhaps our modesty was a little touched, for we heard the captain whisper to Colonel Hensen, something like the following:--
"Murden tells me they are perfect dare-devils, and care no more for a gang of bushrangers than for a troop of kangaroos. I am going to coax them to enter the service."
I don't think that by morning there would have been a single Jewish house or Christian store left in Collins Street if we had not again reminded the governor that the fire was raging more fiercely than ever, and that if the flames were to be checked it was high time to commence work.
"Our American friends are right," said Colonel Hensen, "and if your excellency is disposed to comply with their request no time is to be lost."
"God bless me, then let them go to work without delay. I give them full power to take as many men as they please to work the engines, and if they succeed in quenching the flames they shall be well rewarded."
"We ask for no reward, sir," I said, "but we do ask for one hundred of these soldiers. Let them be despatched after the machines without delay."
The governor hesitated for a moment, and then gave Colonel Hensen directions to comply with my request.
Two companies deposited their arms in a building near by, and were detailed for the duty, while an officer was sent to hunt up the water carts, and get them filled at the river, so that the engines could have something to work upon.
We set Smith at work hunting up buckets, and then accepted volunteers, who formed a long line, and passed the pails back and forth with great rapidity.
A dozen reckless miners, just from the diggings, clambered to the tops of the houses nearest to the fire, and dashed the water on the roof and sides, and by this means held the flames in check until other lines were formed. In half an hour nearly fifteen hundred buckets were at work, and thrice that number of volunteers were lending their aid.
Fred and myself were every where, encouraging and giving directions; the police, seconded our efforts, and saw that our orders were carried into effect, and they did so the more readily because we recognized all of our old companions of bush-hunting memory, and they quickly imparted our history to the rest of the force.
By the time our lines were in good working order we heard the rumbling of the engines, and with hearty cheers the soldiers dashed into the hollow square, the crowd opening to the right and left to admit them. With perfect firemen's enthusiasm they ran the machines close to the flames, unlimbered the huge tongues which obstructed half the street, and were nearly as large as the engines themselves, and then, with a recollection of their discipline, touched their fatigue caps, and asked what was to be the next move.
We looked at our unpromising machines and found that they were of English make, and capable of throwing a stream about as large as garden engines. They were covered with dust and dirt, and had not been worked for a twelvemonth; but nothing discouraged, we washed some of the thickest of the cobwebs away, examined the screws, filled the dry and cracked boxes with water, adjusted the hose, and then applied the brakes. A low, wheezing sound was heard, which resembled the breathing of a person troubled with asthma, but no water was ejected.
The soldiers laughed, and ridiculed the machines, and the crowd outside of the square getting wind of our failure, shouted in derision at the "governor's pets," as they were called.
"I say, old fellows," cried a voice, "I've got a syringe in my trunk at home that you can use. It will be of more service than those machines."
"Grease 'em," shouted another.
"Play away, No. 2," yelled a loafer.
"Hold on, No. 1," shouted a fourth; and as No. 1 had been compelled to hold on for the want of water, which leaked from the boxes almost as fast as put in, the joke told hugely.
"You can do nothing with them," said Colonel Hensen, joining us, and noticing the condition of the machines. "I think that you had better send them back to the houses, and depend upon the buckets. The fire has not gained headway for fifteen minutes."
"We are not easily discouraged, sir," replied Fred, and together we proceeded to examine the boxes of the engines attentively.
We found a screw, which regulated the flow of water, nearly off, and the plug in the bottom of the box out. The latter explained the leakage at once, and by the time we had regulated matters the water carts arrived, and once more we filled the boxes and started the brakes. After wheezing and sputtering a moment, a slight stream appeared at the nozzle of the hose. It was greeted with yells of laughter, not only from those who were passing water in buckets, but even the soldiers joined in the cries. The crowd took up the yells, and in a few minutes it seemed as though Bedlam had broken loose.
Not discouraged by the ridicule heaped upon us and the engines, we kept the boxes full and the soldiers at work on the brakes. The result was as we had anticipated. The stream grew larger and larger as the wood and leather began to swell, and in a few minutes after the brakes were applied the second time a noble stream was playing on the flames, and the root's and sides of houses in danger of burning.
Crowds are always fickle, and easily swerved by success or failure. In this instance we had no reason to complain of want of applause, for cheer after cheer was raised in honor of our perseverance, and Colonel Hensen was despatched by the governor to thank us on the spot for our labor.
Leaving the hose to be directed by an intelligent sergeant of one of the companies, we next turned our attention to the second engine, and succeeded in repairing that also; and although at times we were obliged to await the arrival of the water carts to keep the boxes filled, having no hose for draughting, we managed to keep up two decently sized streams, and with the assistance of the buckets, prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings.
All night long did we work, sometimes up to our knees in mud, encouraging and directing--running greater risks of being crushed under falling buildings than I should like to enjoy again--resisting the appeals of Jews, who offered large amounts of money if we would only direct the men to save their houses and stores, and getting well abused when we refused to comply--treating all alike, working for the greatest good, until daylight appeared and the fire was subdued, and Melbourne was saved from destruction.
I looked around for the lieutenant-governor. He had wrung his hands three hours before, and asked "God to bless him," and declared that he was tired and must retire to bed, and to bed he had gone; and the only member of his staff on the ground was Colonel Hensen.
"You have worked hard enough, gentlemen," said the officer, shaking our hands with a friendly grip. "Go to your home, and leave the rest to me and my men."
"We do not feel near as tired as those gallant fellows," Fred said, pointing to the soldiers who still manned the brakes of the engines.
"I intend to have them relieved immediately, and allow them all day to get rested," answered the officer.
"Then we will return home, for our presence is no longer needed here," I replied.
"Before you go let me thank you in the name of the lieutenant-governor. Through your instrumentality thousands of pounds' worth of property has been saved; and our merchants owe you a debt of gratitude which I hope they will repay before you leave the city."
"We hope thanks will be the only coin offered," cried Fred, quickly, "for we would not have you think that we have labored through the night for hire. If we have been instrumental in doing your city a service we are glad of it, because it may be the means of obtaining a better reputation for Americans than they have hitherto enjoyed in Australia."
"I shall ever look upon Americans with respect from this time forward," the colonel said, warmly. Once more he shook our hands, and then we called Smith and edged our way through the crowd to the rude house, where I found the hound had broken half a dozen panes of glass in his desperate attempts to escape and join me.
Tired and almost exhausted with our night's work, we quickly threw ourselves upon our hard beds, and slept soundly, nor did we awaken until the loud baying of the hound aroused us. _