The Eucalypt Tree

By Maggie Taylor-Saville

It is the early 1800s and German brothers Wilhelm and Heinrich Freck lived at home with their parents in a small farming village near Hamburg.

Their farm gr

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen Culture Solutions
• Release date: Feb 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638120049

Maggie Taylor-Saville

Maggie Taylor-Saville has a love of writing stories that began many years ago while bringing up her five children. Now in retirement, she lives with her husband Harold, in Manly, on Brisbane’s Bayside, and continues her love of writing.

Book preview

The Eucalypt Tree

How It All Began

Copyright © 2021 by Maggie Taylor-Saville.

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-63812-010-0

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63812-004-9

All rights reserved. No part in this book may be produced and transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Published by Pen Culture Solutions 02/18/2021

Pen Culture Solutions

1-888-727-7204 (USA)

1-800-950-458 (Australia)

[e-mail]

Also by Maggie Taylor-Saville

Mystical Magic

The Eucalypt Tree

Circle of the Moon

For Harold and my Family

LOOK TO YOUR PAST TO FIND YOUR FUTURE

Preface

As an Author, historic and family histories intrigue. This story although fictitious gives readers a glimpse into the lives of two German brothers and three English sisters who, through circumstances in the 1800s, find themselves living on the Victorian goldfields in Australia. The idea for this story came from research into my own family his tory.

Prologue

Germany

1850

In a small farming village near Hanover Germany, Gustav Freck owned his vegetable farm, which he worked assisted by his two step sons Wilhelm and his younger brother Heinrich. Gustav was a hard taskmaster and worked the boys with an iron hand forcing them to work from daylight to dark

Their mother Helga knew how unhappy her sons were. Each night when they retired exhausted to their beds, she would hear the two of them making plans to run away. This broke her heart but she was unable to help them because Gustav would become angry and accuse her of making her sons weak!

By the time her eldest son Wilhelm was 23 years old and his brother Heinrich 19, she knew how miserable they were. For weeks she had heard them plotting and planning to run away to sea. At every opportunity they would hang around the docks and dream of adventure in faraway lands.

One night, Helga knew she had to risk Gustav’s wrath, and help her sons to freedom. It was not an easy thing to do but she knew it was the right thing. Not one to use flowery words, she waited for her sons, as they dragged themselves home, exhausted from another long day and with tears in her eyes, she hugged her sons as she said, It is time,

She had packed food and clothes into each ones rucksack. Hardly believing this was happening, they hugged their mother and left before Gustav could stop them.

At the docks, they didn’t have long to wait before a rusty battered Clipper ship docked, She was dirty and smelled bad but they heard she was heading for England. This was their chance, and they quickly made themselves known to the Captain. He was quite rude to these clean cut young men, but he was short two men and couldn’t set sail without a full crew. They were quickly signed on and their nightmare began.

They were seasick the whole way and the sadistic Captain made them work the whole voyage. Heinrich prayed for death many times. On wobbly legs, they were glad to leave the ship when it berthed in Liverpool.

Chapter 1

England

1853

Liverpool England, felt very strange to these young men whose whole life had revolved around their small village and working hard in the vegetable gar dens.

They managed to find accommodation in one room of an old boarding house. There was much talk around of this country called Australia. It was said gold nuggets were lying on the ground ready to be picked up by anyone brave enough to travel to the other side of the world. This piqued their interest and it was all they thought and talked about. A few weeks later, a ship was to leave Liverpool heading for Port Phillip Melbourne.

Now experienced deck hands, they were quickly signed on. This was a much more pleasant voyage as the ship carried quite a few passengers. In October 1853 after 81 days at sea they docked at the Port of Melbourne.

Feeling completely lost, they soon met up with other men young and old who were also heading for the goldfields. One of the men, by the name of Tom seemed to know where he was going so they tagged along with him.

He led them to where they could buy supplies. They needed a tent, blankets, cooking utensils, picks and shovels, as well as the bare food essentials. This was all very new to them, having lived a very sheltered and simple life. Tom introduced them to rough looking men with strange sounding names like ‘Ferret’ and other strange names. It wasn’t long before the brothers found their names shortened to Will and Henry. They began to feel more comfortable and accepted, in this strange new world.

Tom was going to Carisdale. They had no idea where this place was, and their limited savings didn’t stretch to afford any type of transport. Fortunately their new friend was able to procure and old nag and a rickety cart.

Trudging for weeks, living off the land as best they could, they began to feel this adventure was a bad idea. Their meagre possessions were in the cart and they led the horse.

The weather was hot, their feet blistered and their constant companions were millions of flies that seemed to take delight in attacking their eyes, and any other orifice they could find.

This was not what they had expected. The countryside was so different from the rolling fields at home. It had become bush with large Eucalypt trees that Tom called ‘Gums"

They were surprised when they came across groups of soldiers, some on horses, and large numbers walking together.

Henry quietly said, Why are those soldiers here?

Looking furtively around Tom replied, I don’t know!

At the time Tom ‘did know’ but didn’t want to tell them of the trouble and unrest that was happening on the Goldfields.

Tom’s expertise at trapping rabbits and preparing food saved their lives on many occasions. The brothers were beginning to realize they had gone into this adventure with their eyes closed. When they came to a river snaking its way through a valley, they couldn’t believe their eyes!

Hurrying as much as their blistered feet would allow, they threw themselves as one, into the cooling waters, laughing and splashing each other like children.

Washing away the many miles of dust, believing they had finally reached paradise where their dreams of finding the riches they sought waited over the next hill. Totally reinvigorated, they slept well that night rolled up in their blankets on the riverbank. Even the buzzing of mosquitos didn’t disturb their dreams of the gold they would soon find. A few days later they arrived at the end of their journey.

‘CARISDALE’!

It was nothing like they had expected. No gold nuggets lying sparkling in the sun waiting for them to pick up, just dry dusty ground covered with mounds of dirt among the thick groups of Eucalypt trees. Scattered all over, were holes in the ground with ladders poking out. Thousands of men swarmed over the uneven ground with shovels and picks. Some were digging, others climbing up and down the ladders, and everywhere there was noise! Again they were surprised to see Soldiers wielding batons. As they approached, they could see what appeared to be a General Store. This seemed to be a likely place to get some information.

A large shady Eucalypt tree stood invitingly outside the Store under which they tethered the old horse.

The name over the shop door denoted the proprietor as William Ambrose – Boot Repairer. Entering, they could smell the leather and realised this was the saddlery. The man behind the counter looked up as they entered. A jovial looking man of indiscriminate age, his snowy white hair and full white beard gave them a comfortable feeling as his sparkling eyes looked at them over the top of his round glasses perched on the end of his nose. Recognising the dust covered young men as newcomers to the goldfields he said,

What’s up boys. How can I help you?

Being the eldest of the three, Tom had more confidence and was the one to speak up. Me and the lads ere, he said pointing a thumb in their direction, Just arrived and lookin for a fella called Josh Sinclair. Don’t suppose you know im?

Having been one of the earlier prospectors before opening his repair business, he knew the names of a few, although quite often men chose to be known by a different or nickname. Scratching his head, he gave it some thought.

There is one it could be, he said But I’m not sure. They call him the tinman!

Hey that’s im! shouted Tom, Used to work in the tin mines. Thanks old man. Where can I find im?

This question was akin to looking for a particular ant in an ant nest. However, he pointed out the door towards a group of men squatting on the ground having a ‘smoko’

Go have a yarn to those fellas over there he told them, I reckon they know most of the names around here."

It appeared the ‘tinman’ was well known around the traps and it didn’t take them long to locate Tom’s friend by the end of the day.

Like two fishes out of water, the brothers would always remember their first day on the goldfields in this strange country so unlike their home in Germany, where their lives had been very different.

This was a harsh land filled with rough looking men who seemed to have one desire. To strike it rich! One of the strangest looking, was ‘Tinman’

A full bushy black beard covered most of his face topped by stringy shoulder length hair sticking out from under a battered looking hat covered in dust. He was hunched over a small fire stirring some kind of stew in a blackened saucepan. Hearing his name called, he looked up to see three very obvious new chums. It took him a few minutes before recognition struck.

Holy Cow! he yelled as he leapt to his feet almost knocking Tom to the ground.

The brothers were quite shaken as this fierce looking man started punching and hugging their friend, who was doing his share of yelling and punching.

You rotten mongrel, I bloody knew you’d come back! yelled tinman.

Of course you did you basted! Tom yelled, You didn’t think I’d leave all the gold for you did you?

Introductions were made all round leaving the ‘new chums’ in a state of shock, but suddenly understanding how Tom seemed to know his way about.

Next day they went to stake a claim ready to make their fortune. Something they hadn’t expected was the need to have a required licence, before they could dig. They hadn’t realised this and it caused quite a problem as their funds were rather depleted. Scratching around in their pockets they managed to find just enough for the licence. They soon found out why there were soldiers wielding batons. If a miner was approached by soldiers for a licence check and didn’t have it on his person, he would be marched to the Government camp. Life on the goldfields was an experience they had never encountered before. There were thousands of men of all nationalities digging on their allocated area of 64 square feet. They were rough men, and fights broke out over the slightest thing.

After months of slogging through mud and slush when the rains came, and digging tunnels through rock hard ground in the heat and flies for very little reward, they were having second thoughts about this adventure, especially now the atmosphere on the goldfields had become so tense

One day, after they’d been tunnelling tirelessly, getting a few specs here and there they emerged one evening, to find a very irate store keeper waiting at the top of their ladder. It appeared their tunnel, had gone beneath his store, causing cracks to appear in the walls.

That evening in their tent Will was sitting over their fire pit cooking the usual stew of mutton with some potato thrown in, when Henry had an inspired thought.

"I was thinking Will, that we are dumm- stupid. Henry still had a little trouble with English. We are farmers, not miners and I just had great idea."

Will, being the older brother was used to Henry’s somewhat scattered thoughts, but he too was a bit fed up after the day’s effort. Stirring the stew aimlessly he said. Well, what is great idea? Pointing to the meal cooking, Henry said, Just look at stew!

What? Will said incredulously What has stew got to do with anything!

You think about it insisted Henry. What would make it taste better?

This was more than Will could fathom. He was too tired to think about anything. With excitement in his voice, Henry said Vegetables! We take gold we found, buy small parcel of land, and grow vegetables! We sell to miners and families. What you say?

I’m not going to think about anything tonight. said Will. Let’s go to bed, we think clearer in the morning.

Henry found it difficult to get to sleep, with plans to be a farmer again racing around in his head.

Little did he realise how drastically their lives would change if his plan eventuated.

Next morning Henry started on again about his great idea. His brother was more cautious when it came to Henry’s wild ideas, and suggested they have a chat to William at his repair shop. They had become friendly with the wise old man who had become like a father figure to them. Disappointedly, they found it was not as simple as they had thought. The first hurdle was the law that wouldn’t allow them to purchase land because they were itinerant gold miners, and also they weren’t British Subjects.

They would never forget how William trusted them enough to purchase two parcels of land, in his name. He was a good friend.

Chapter 2

England

1856

Samual Bozely had a dark secret. Born into a wealthy, upper class English family, he was heir to the considerable fortune of his father Daniel Bozely, a respected Financier. When his father passed away Samual inherited the Estate where he now resided with his wife Miriam and their three daughters. Jessica, Annabelle, and Emma

The family enjoyed a privileged social lifestyle. With a Housekeeper, Gardener, and Governess for their young daughters, life was good. When the girls were old enough to go away to school, they became boarders at St Anne’s an exclusive Academy for young ladies.

The evening before their daughters came home from St Anne’s for the holidays. Samual and his wife Miriam attended a social gathering to honour a business associate. It was on such an occasion Samuel’s dark secret reared its ugly head. He was a serious gambler! His financial expertise had allowed him to continue his lavish lifestyle, without his family knowing of his unethical financial dealings..

That night as they rode home in the carriage, his thoughts turned to his older sister Wilda who was really the one with the business brain, but their father had always favoured Samual as his son and heir. Tonight his guilt rose up as he remembered how as a fourteen year old boy he had spied on his older sister with their gardener Cyril. They were in the woods, and when he saw Cyril roll on top of his sister he had become afraid and had run home and told his father. A terrible row resulted with Wilda being disowned. Hysterical, she screamed at her father, declaring she would run away and marry Cyril. Adding fuel to the flames, her father yelled You can go! I don’t need you! I already have my son and heir! She left and never returned, cutting all ties with her family. She never did find out how her father had known about her tryst with Cyril. Completely unaware of the repercussions of her actions she was shocked when twenty four years later, it all came back to shock her.

For most of his adult life, guilt over what happened to Wilda had haunted Samuel. This night, his silent thoughts were shattered as something spooked the horse. The carriage driver shouted as the horse bolted, dragging the carriage until it tipped