990
THE
CHRONLCLES
OF EARLY
MELBOURNE.
years was devoted to H e r Majesty's service in delivering and despatching letters and newspapers. T h e facts above narrated clearly prove h o w defective the best of memories m a y prove betimes. Nothing could well be more amusing than the speculations as to the identity of "Garryowen," after T H E C H R O N I C L E S commenced their appearance, and statements were m a d e in m y presence which required m u c h facial control to avoid self-betrayal on m y part. At least half-a-dozen times I heard their merits and demerits openly discussed, the subjects of commendation and censure, and twice in m y hearing two pretenders severally declared that it was all their doing, and evidently considered themselves a species of public benefactor. I laughed mentally, never signifying the slightest dissent. O n e worthy in West Melbourne, and another at Prahran, in frequent references to the subject, invariably adopted the phrase " M y Chronicles;" whilst a third in Carlton, when complimented as the writer, nodded forth a "Silence gives consent" acquiescence, heaved his shoulders, sniggered, rubbed his hands, and bleated forth " D o you think they are very good ?" But the strangest case of all was a bond fide hallucination, where a poor demented old fellow really fancied himself " Garryowen," and whenever an instalment appeared in the Herald he went about reciting its contents. Arriving in Melbourne early in the "forties," a person of some education, he kept a private school for some time, then passed on to a mercantile desk, with a call to the " b a r " as a licensed victualler in 1853, and thence dabbling in land and gold speculations was, in course of time stranded, having the moderately good luck of saving from the wreck a humble competence for life. T h e " Garryowen " craze seemed to be simply a mild and harmless monomania, for in all other respects he was rational as the average of humanity. H e was personally known to m e , and when I heard of some of his sayings and doings, I thought I should humour the joke, for whilst the self-delusion might gratify him, it could do m e no possible harm. In a few months I was one day favoured with a communication from him, in which he proclaimed himself to be " Garryowen," and expressed a hope that I would grant him an interview. H e assured m e that he was the author of T H E C H R O N I C L E S O F E A R L Y M E L B O U R N E , and I would render him material aid in the arduous business he had on hand. Preserving m y gravity, I at once dropped into his views, and it was arranged that he could see m e whenever he liked, and I would assist him to any extent I conveniently could. This farce was continued for years. N o w and then he would call upon m e , and showing m e marked passages, of m y own handiwork, would ask m y opinion. W h e n in all sincerity I could do nothing else than praise, he would get so intensely excited as to dance like a Merry Andrew round the room. H e would also interrogate m e about the old times, with which he was very familiar. I never wilfully misled him, because from the tenor of his conversations he had sense enough to detect imposition. A n d so matters proceeded between us until the day after the publication of the last of T H E C H R O N I C L E S when I was honoured with a visit, and he eagerly inquired what I thought of the wind up. M y response was, of course, highly eulogistic, whereat the poor fellow's old eyes watered. I had then some thought of writing the present narrative, and I suggested to him that he should do it as a suitable finale to his magnum opus. I explained briefly what I fancied should be its general scope, whereat he clapped his hands gleefully, and with an ejaculation of " I understand—I'll do it—I'll do it! " fled from the room, and I have not seen him since. T w o or three of m y funniest reminiscences sprang from conferences held with Mr. J. B. Were. H e and I, though known to each other, had little or no personal intercourse until the publication of T H E C H R O N I C L E S was well started, when I was m u c h gratified by hearing that such a shrewd old colonist had mentioned to a friend that he felt deeply interested in them, and eulogized the style in which they were worked out. This I regarded as a special test of their value. In the chapter intituled " T h e Supreme Court and the Minor Tribunals,"* appeared a truthful narrative of the "eccentricities" of ourfirstResident Judge, the Honourable John Walpole Willis, with w h o m M r . Were was more than once at loggerheads. O n e day, during the currency of the early part of the sketch, I was favoured with a note from Mr. Were, expressing a strong desire to see m e , and asking for an appointment. I accordingly called at his office, was at once shown into
- Chapter VII., Page 70,
