h' lads, we mun go hooum, and I took 'em hooum,
and then come back to th' show and waited at th' door. When the
niggers come out I pitched into th' one as had given me cheek; but we
couldn't have it out for th' crowd, and we were all shoved into th'
street. I went away a bit, thinking no more about it, and met a man
I knew and we went into a public house and had a quart o' fourpenny.
We were in a room by ourselves, when the varra same three niggers
come in and stood a bit inside the door. So I took my tumbler and
threw it at th' head of th' man I wanted, and then went at him. But
I couldn't lick him gradely because th' landlord come in and stopped
us; so after a while I went hooum. Next morning I was going along
Dale Street towards the docks to work, when who should I see but that
varra same blackfellow: it looked as if th' devil was in it. He was
by hisself this time, coming along at th' other side of th' street.
So I crossed over and met him, and went close up to him and said,
'Well, what have you to say for yoursel' now?' and I gav him a lick
under th' ear. He fell down on th' kerbstone and wouldn't get up--
turned sulky like. There was soon a crowd about, and they tried to
wakken him up; but he wouldn't help hisself a bit--just sulked and
wouldn't stir. I don't believe he'd ha' died but for that, because I
nobbut give him but one hit. I thowt I'd better make mysel' scarce
for a while, so I left Liverpool and went to Preston. Were you ever
in Preston?" I said I was. "Well then, you'll remember Melling, the
fish-monger, a varra big, fat man. I worked for him for about six
months, and then come back to Liverpool, thinking there'd be no more
bother about the blackfellow. But they took me up, and gev me
fourteen year for it; and if it had been a white man I wouldn't ha'
got more than twelve months, and I was sent out to Van Diemen's Land
and ruined for ever, just for nowt else but giving a chance lick to a
blackfellow. And now I hear they're going to war wi' Russia, and--
England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales--I hope they'll all get
blooming well licked. It don't mend a man much to transport him, nor
a woman either for that matter: they all grow worse than ever. When
I got my ticket I sometimes went working in th' bush, sometimes
whaling and sealing, and sometimes stripping bark at Western Port and
Portland Bay, before there was such a place as Melbourne. I was in a
whaler for two years about Wilson's