CHAPTER
LVI.
EARLY SKY-LARKING A N D
DUELLING.
SYNOPSIS--Sergeant Staunton.-Origination of Larrikinism.-The Early Sky-larkers.-" The Charcoal Boys."-Two " Gentlemen Johns."—"Jack" T and "Jack" F .—Old Sam's Peccadilloes.—Dr. Martin and the Secreted Padlock.-D and his Sword.—The Melbourne " Nickers."—The Dog-and-Bell Trick. —The Duello.—The Clonmel " Text-Book ofHonour."-The"Thirty-six Commandments"—The First Duel—Peter Snodgrass versus William Ryrie. —A Nocturnal Ride in Search of Pistols. - Ammunition at a Premium.—A Lady on the Scene. —The Meeting. —The Fiasco.—Subsequent Challenges and Meetings—John Bourke and the Hawdon Duelling Pistols.—H 1 versus the Doctor.—D. Mc versus S .—Snodgrass versus Redmond Barry.—Powlett versus Hogue.—Craig versus Broadfoot.-The Honourable Gilbert Kennedy versus Demoulin.—"Jam Bullets" and "Jam Satis."—Ross Challenges Croke.—Playne Challenges Curr.—A Poultry Dispute.-Griffin Challenges Synnott.—Bulletless Pistols.-Another Fiasco. —The Honourable Gilbert Kennedy versus C .—Sprot versus Campbell.—A Flash in the Pan.—Doctor F versus Doctor T .—Allan versus Purcell—Arrest of the Principals.—Mr. Frank Stephen and the " Hand and Foot Trick."
WILD OATS.
pM-0 little ingenuity has been employed in tracing the origin of the term "larrikinism," as designating a comparatively m o d e r n h u m a n development, which has gathered into the most mischievous social ulcer of the present day, for its contagion communicates to both sexes of successive rising b ( | generations of young colonists. Philologically, the word " lark " is traceable from m o r e than one V./A- root; as, for instance, from the sky-lark that m o u n t s in the air, a n d sings flying. A n d so, "sky-larking" was adopted as a nautical term for mounting the highest yards of a ship a n d sliding d o w n the ropes, a species of marine recreation permitted under certain conditions. Others derive it from the Anglo-Saxon word lac (sport), a n d also from "leary," an old cant word, signifying flash, sly, k n o w i n g — viz., "leary bloke," a clever customer. I a m disposed to adopt the first etymology, a n d by extending the Jack T a r metaphor, apply sky-larking or larking, as engaging in fun or frolic in an unrestrained and boisterous style, just such an ebullition of the animal spirits as would exactlyfitin with the essentials of an uproarious nocturnal grog spree. Furthermore, m u c h misconception exists with reference to the prolongation of the dissyllable to a trisyllable, i.e., stretching lark-ing into lar-ri-kin, but I a m in a position, from personal observation, to definitely settle that point. A b o u t 1850, there w a s in the City Police Force, a Sergeant John (or as h e w a s c o m m o n l y called " J a c k " ) Staunton, a medium-sized, bull-headed Irishman, with darkish face, slightly asthmatic, a n d thick lips, through which, w h e n giving evidence in the Police Court, he slightly " slavered," a n d thereby acquired a habit of frequent application of his coat-cuff to his mouth. Staunton, though s o m e w h a t dull, w a s a plodding a n d highly useful officer, and in his day did good service in ridding the c o m m u n i t y of s o m e of the wicked excrescences which have existed in every state a n d every age. Little Bourke Street, with its purlieus, was then as n o w the main nursery of city crime, and Staunton w a s not only a power but a terror to the thieving and night-birding fraternity. Staunton's education was o n a rather limited scale, a n d in his vocabulary he was wont to include as "larkers" everyone engaged in nocturnal illegalities about town, especially disturbances originating in public-houses, or indulged in by persons during the enjoyment of late hours. U p o n such offenders " O l d J a c k " had what is k n o w n as a terrible " d o w n , " a n d frequently appeared as police prosecutor in such cases. There was something wrong about the tip of his tongue, rather too big for its place, I thought, which imparted a lisp a n d s t a m m e r to the enunciation of s o m e of his words, especially those where double consonants interposed, a n d o n e especially, "larking," he could never distinctly master. T h e " r " and the " k " conjoined s e e m e d too m u c h for him, though separately
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