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AUSTRALIA AC ARDALOEDD YR AUR.Y BENNOD GYNTAF.“Ymfudydd yn nydd ac yn nos SYLWADAU ARWEINIOL.Gan nad pa beth fuasai tynged dynoliaeth yn mharhâd a chadwraeth ei sefyllfan gyntefig o ddiniweidrwydd, dilys, yn mhall hyny, iddi fyned yn un o barhaus, ac anorchfygol ymfudiad! Yngrym ei dirywiad fe ymledaenodd ac ymweithiodd deddfau cyfnewidiolrwydd, megis lefain, drwy ei holl gyfansoddiad. Nid yw ei dyfodiad i’r byd, ei hymdaith drwyddo, na’i hymadawiad ohono, ond gwahanol ymfudiadau pwysig ag anorfod. |
AUSTRALIA AND THE GOLD DISTRICTS.CHAPTER ONE.“A migrant soul by night and day INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.Since the fate of mankind did not lie in the continuation and preservation of its primal state of innocence, it was certain instead to become one of continual and unavoidable migration! In virtue of man’s degeneration the laws of mutability spread and resonated, like an echo, through his entire constitution. His arrival in the world, his journey through it, and his departure from it, are no more than several important and inevitable migrations. |
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Cawn y “dyn Cyntaf Adda” yn Ymfudo o Baradwys, a’r “Arglwydd Dduw yn ei anfon ef allan.” Cawn ei gyntaf-anedig, Cain, yn Ymfudo eilwaith “allan o wdd yr Arglwydd, i dir Nôd.” Cawn hanes am Noah yntau, ar ol ei faith fordwy Ymfudol, “Dros benau’r bryniau wybrenol”Yn cymmeryd meddiant o’i “grant” ehangfaith, ar sail y Charter dwyfol; “Frwythwch a lliosogwch, a llenwch y ddaear.” Ac accw ar wastadedd Sinâr, canfyddwn ymgynhylliad cyffredinol dynoliaeth yn protestio “hyd y nefoedd” yn erbyn gweithrediadau y ddeddf hon, a’i “gwasgarai ar hyd wyneb yr holl ddaear.” Ond yn ofer! Trech greddf nag ewyllys! “Yr Arglwydd a’u gwasgarodd hwynt oddiyno.” |
We have the “first man Adam” Emigrating from Paradise, and the “Lord God sending him forth.”1 We have his firstborn, Cain, who again Migrated “out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod.”2 We have the story of Noah himself, after his long voyage as a Migrant, “Across the crests of the heavenly hills”taking possession of his expansive “grant,” on the basis of the divine Charter; “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”3 And out on the plain of Shinar, we see the general assembly of humanity protesting “unto heaven” against the operation of this law, by which they would “be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” But in vain! The instinct is stronger than the will! “The Lord scattered them abroad from thence.”4 |
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Or braidd y gallwn dybied i’r “dynol hylifiant” ymdawelu ychydig ar ol ei hymwasgariad gorfodol, na chlywn y llef Ddwyfol yn gorchymyn I Hen “Dad” hybarchus y “Ffyddloniaid”—“Dos allan o’th wlad”! ac yntau, er yn ei “bymtheng mlwydd a thriugain”—yn cymeryd “ei holl olud”—ac yn ymfudo “i wlad Canaan.” Ond pe symudem o du dalenau Ysbrydoliaeth, i faes cofnodau hanesyddiaeth gyffredinol dynolryw, canfyddwn y reddf Ymfudol mewn cyfartal a bywiog weithrediad. Os hynodir Cenedl drwy gyflymder cynnydd, ac ehangder dylanwad, dios y cawn “Ymfudiaeth” yn mhlith eu nodweddion arbenicaf. Yr oedd y “Trefedigaethau Groegaidd,” yn adegau ei llwyddiant, yn tryfritho glanau y Mediteranean. Gwasgarodd Rhufain ei sefydliadau Ymfudol o’r Tiber i’r Thames, o ddyffrynoedd gwyrddleision Italy hyd lethrau danneddog Cymru. Ymddyrchafodd Carthage o berchenogaeth dinasig fechan ar arfordir Affrica, i eistedd yn nheyrngadair fasnachol y byd, yn ngrym, a lluosowgrwydd ei threfedigaethau. Ymhellach, fel ag yr oedd gweithrediadau ymfudiaeth yn nodweddu bywiogrwydd maboed, ac adegau mawredd a llwyddiant, y cenedlaethau hyn, felly, yr ydoedd absenoldeb hollol o’r Ysbryd Ymfudol, yn hynodi amserau eu nychdod a’u cwymp. Ni cheir esiampl o genedl fach, ddiddim, ddiddylanwad erioed yn hynodi ei hun, fel cenedl Ymfudol, ac o’r ochr arall, ni chyfododd un genedl rymus, ddylanwadol, egniol, a gweithgar, nas gwnaeth hyny. |
We can hardly imagine that the “human torrent” grew quieter soon after its enforced dispersal, nor can we hear the Divine voice commanding the venerable Old “Father”5 of the “Faithful”—“Get thee out of thy country”!6 and the latter, though “seventy and five years old”—taking “all their substance”—and migrating “into the land of Canaan.” But if we move from the pages of Inspiration, to the records of humankind’s general history, we can see the Migratory instinct in steady and lively operation. If a Nation is noted for the speed of its increase, and the extent of its influence, we will doubtless find “Migration” amongst its most distinctive characteristics. The “Greek Colonies,” in their prosperous times, teemed on the shores of the Mediterranean. Rome spread her migrant settlements from the Tiber to the Thames, from the verdant valleys of Italy to the jagged slopes of Wales. Carthage rose from a small urban possession on the African coast, to the commercial throne of the world, in the power and great number of her colonies. Moreover, just as it was migration which marked the vigorous infancy, and the great and prosperous times of these nations, so it was the utter absence of the Migrant Spirit which marked their decrepitude and fall. There has never been an example of a small, worthless, uninfluential nation distinguishing itself as a Migratory nation, and conversely, no powerful, influential, energetic and industrious nation has risen that failed to do that. |
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Pe yr edrychem i gyfrol hanesyddiaeth foreuol hen genedl aml-freintiawg y Cymru; canfyddwn ein trioedd yn olrhain “hil gethin Albion gawr,” drwy hir a maith Ymfudiad o “Deffrobani yn ngwlad yr Haf,” hyd eu glaniad ar arfordir creigiawg “Ynys y Cedyrn;” a phe, o’r tarddiad tywyll hwnw, y dilynem hwy, nes ymgrynhoi o’u gweddillion mathredig ac enciledig o fewn amgaerau mynyddawg “Gwyllt Walia,” cawn y ddeddf ymfudol yn dal parhaol ddylanwad ar eu holl ddosranau. Tra yn meddu bodolaeth fel cenedl, ac yn gweithredu bywyd ac annibyniaeth, yr oedd y llwythau Cymroaidd yn enwog am luosowgrwydd eu trefedigaethau a nerth, a dylanwad eu hysbryd Ymfudol. Ond pan adawsant frasder etifeddiaeth eu cyndeidiau, rhag ystryw a thwyll estron genedl, a gwaed a chelanedd yn gwilio ar eu camrau, fe enhuddwyd y tân hwn, dan orlwyth o ddifrawder ac annibendod. Er syrthio o honynt i amgylchiadau o ddwfn iselwch a gorthrymder; eu tir yn fathrfa dieithriaid, eu “dewraf Benaduriaid” yn gorwedd dan aml garneddau eu mynydd-dir, eu hiaith a’u crefydd, yn “ysgymmynedig felldigedig” yn ngolwg eu Harglwyddi estronol;—etto craffwch arnynt! Cydiant afael ar fynyddau diffaith ac oerllwm Cymru, megis ar gyrn allorau diogelwch! Gwell ganddynt wastraffu mêr eu hesgyrn i gyfeithogi dieithriaid;—gwell ganddynt edrych ar etifeddiaethau eu henafiaid yn cael eu rheibio gan grach Farwniaid ac Arglwyddi corachaidd Lloegr;—gwell ganddynt oddef i bob swydd a galwedigaeth “O’r graig ebyr—i Gaergybi,”Ag y perthyna enw neu elw iddi, gael ei llyngcu gan genfaint y “Sassenach” chwedl y Gwyddel, na mynu rhyddid i’r gorthrymedig, a thoriad pob iau, drwy ymfudiad. Hyd o fewn ychydig flynyddau, yr ydoedd mor anhawdd ein hymlid o wlad ein gwarth a’n tlodi, ag fyddai i gorgi bugail ymlid chwiaid oddiar fol Llyn Tegid! Ond debygem fod “arwyddion yr amserau” yn argoeli cryn gyfnewidiad, yn syniadau y genedl o barthed y pwngc hwn. Y mae’r meddwl Cymroaidd yn dechreu araf-ddysgu elfenau Rhesymeg ymarferol, a Rhagluniaeth drwy lawer ffrewylliad orflin, yn dirwasgu’r addysgiant. Ceir ambell Dyddynwr yn amlygu ei ofnau, y gellir aberthu gormod, er mwyn cael tynu’r olaf anadliad o fewn hen annedd gandryll ei gyndeidiau: clywir efallai y gweithiwr ieuengaf yn yr ardal, yn lled-awgrymu yr haeddid uwch cyflog nag ychydig geiniogau y dydd, ac awr neu ddwy o garwriaeth nosawl, am chwys a lludded diwrnodau hirfeithion Mehefin a Gorphenaf. Teimla’r byraf ei olwg, a’r diddimaf ei enaid, nad yw tynged y Gibeoniaid, sef, bod yn gymmunwyr coed, ac yn gludwyr dwfr i estron genedl, yn rhagorfraint gwerth ymorchestu o’i herwydd. Cyn b’o hir, daw Cymru ben-paladr, i’r penderfyniad, mai rhinwedd cathod a bwbachod, yn unig, yw cyndyn drigo mewn hen furddynod ychydig nifer, dedwyddach eu planed na’r rhelyw o honom, y rhai y torodd Cymru, o’i gweddwdod a’i thlodi, fin-newyndod eu dymmuniadau, “enwant eu tai ar eu henwau eu hunain, gadawant eu golud i’w meibion.” I’r teulu hwn, nid yw “Ardaloedd yr Aur,” o gyfartal ddyddordeb i ardaloedd y “Beurau a’r Bank;” ac fe ddiflana cyfandir ehangfaith Australia, gerllaw eu hetifeddiaethau cartrefol. Ond ysywaeth, “Fe luniodd Adda’i ’wyllys,Nis gadawodd i’r mwyafrif o honom gymaint a “bank” o dywod a llaid, neu gwys o dir, neu delpyn ysgithrawg o lethr môr, o fewn terfynau y Dywysogaeth i ymffrostio yn eu perchenogaeth. Ie, nis gall lluoedd o honom, er aberthiad iechyd a chysur, ac er eithaf egnion corph ac enaid, ond prin ymgadw rhag llithro yn is yn ngraddau Cymdeithas na’n gwyhelyth. Ond clywch! Pe bae’r alwad yn waelach ei thaledigaeth, na’r eiddo meddyg plwyfol; pe bai’r tyddyn yn ddruttach ei erwau na pherlau coron; pe bae’r llafur beunyddiol yn salach ei gyflog, na “sist” tlodion—, nid hollol anobeithiol ein hamgylchiadau er pob peth! Dacw wlad yn agoryd ei breichiau i’n croesawu; ei thir yn gynnyrchiol a rhadlawn, ei threthi yn ychydig ac ysgafn, ei chyflogau yn uchel a sicr, ei hinsawdd yn iechyd, a’i llwch yn aur! |
If we look at a volume of the early history of the old, privileged Welsh nation, we will see our triads tracing “Giant Albion’s swarthy lineage,” through a long and hard Migration from “Deffrobani in the Land of Summer,”7 till their landing on the rocky coast of “The Isle of the Strong;” and if we were to follow them, from that dark origin, till the gathering of their routed and exiled remnants within the mountain fastnesses of “Wild Wales,” we should see the law of migration still holding sway over all their divisions. While they existed as a nation, and conducted their own life and exercised their independence, the Cymric tribes were renowned for the number of their colonies and the power and influence of their migrant spirit. But when they forsook the fertile legacy of their forefathers, through the cunning and deception of a foreign nation, and blood and slaughter followed in their steps, this fire was banked up under a heavy burden of apathy and aimlessness. Though they fell into circumstances of deep degradation and oppression; their land trampled by foreigners, their “bravest Princes” lying under the many cairns of their mountainous land, their language and religion “accursed and reviled” in the sight of their foreign lords;—still behold them! They take hold of the wild, bare mountains of Wales, as on the horns of the altars of security!8 They prefer to waste the marrow of their bones to support foreigners; they prefer to watch the legacy of their ancestors being ravaged by the petty Barons and puny lords of England; They prefer to allow every office and calling “From the stony streams—to Holyhead,”that has any reputation or profit to it be swallowed by the swarm of “Sassenach” as the Irish call them; over winning freedom for the oppressed, and the breaking of every yoke, through emigration; until within a few years, it was as hard to chase us from the land of our poverty and disgrace as it would be for a shepherd’s corgi to chase salmon from the belly of Lake Bala! But we should suppose that the “signs of the times” portend great changes in the nation’s ideas on this subject. The Welsh mind is slowly learning the elements of practical Logic, and Providence, with many an ill-tempered blow, enforces the lesson. The occasional smallholder reveals his fears that too much can be sacrificed in order to draw one’s last breath in the ruined abode of one’s forefathers: one may hear the youngest workman in the district half suggesting that higher recompense might be warranted than a few pence a day, with an hour or two of nocturnal courting, for the sweat and exhaustion of the overlong days of June and July. Even the most short-sighted and the most soulless feel that the fate of the Gibeonites, to be hewers of wood, and drawers of water to a foreign people, is not a privilege worth the chase. Before long, all Wales will come to the conclusion that it is a virtue only of cats and ghosts to dwell stubbornly in the old ruins of a few, happier than the rest of us, whom Wales severed from her deprivation and poverty and the near-starvation of their needs,—“they name their houses with their own names, they leave their wealth to their sons.” To this family, the “Gold Districts” are not of equal interest to the financial districts, and the vast Australian continent vanishes beside their domestic inheritances. But alas, “Adam made up his mind,He left to the majority of us not so much as a “bank” of sand and mud, or a furrow of land, or a rugged piece of seaside slope, within the bounds of the Principality [of Wales] of whose ownership we can boast. Indeed, a great number of us, despite the sacrifice of health and comfort and the greatest efforts of body and soul, can scarcely avoid slipping lower in social rank than befits our lineage. But hark! If the profession be more poorly paid than that of a parish physician; if the smallholding be dearer by the acre than the pearls of a crown; if the wages of the daily labour be worse than relief for the poor—, our circumstances are not quite hopeless in spite of everything! There is a country opening its arms to welcome us; its land is productive and benevolent, its taxes few and light, its wages high and certain, its climate healthy, and its dust gold! |
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1 Genesis 3:23. 2 Genesis 4:16. 3 Genesis 9:7. 4 Genesis 11:4, 8-9. 5 Abraham. 6 Genesis 12:1. 7 A putative homeland of the British race, identified variously as Ceylon, Sumatra and Constantinople. 8 1 Kings 1:50-51. |