Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/157

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128
THE EMEUTE.

lock with lusty arm, soon cleared the way, and rejoined his comrades unhurt. Among the badly wounded in the affray was a private of the 12th Regiment, Felix Boyle, who had served fourteen years with the 10th Regiment in India, retired from the service with a good pension, two medals, and three clasps (having been engaged in many a brilliant action in the East). He returned unscathed to his native land and birth-place, Belfast, covered with glory, to spend the remainder of his days with his friends, but Felix finding them dispersed, and in very bad circumstances, resolved once more to return to his old profession of arms, and joined the 12th Regiment, then quartered in Ireland, one month previous to embarking for Australia. They had only landed a few days in Melbourne when they were ordered to Ballaarat, where poor Felix was the first victim to fall in the popular outbreak. He received a musket-ball in the mouth, which severely shattered his lower jaw; he lingered a few days, and died.

Space does not permit us to enter more at large into the particulars of this sad affair, and we reserve for the ensuing chapter the circumstances that followed the taking of the stockade, the movements of the troops at the time, and the fate of Captain Wise.