about eight o'clock
We spent the day , as I said before , in idleness , yet we did not forget that we had an appointment with the inspector , the next morning . Our horses were in fine condition and anxious for a run , and as we rubbed them down and fed them the night before we were to start ; they appeared to know that a journey was contemplated , and whinnied with joy . As there was to be a monster meeting of the miners , that night , to consider what action should be taken in regard to the mining tax , we determined to be present -- not for the purpose of taking any part in the deliberations of the people -- but to see how such matters were conducted in Australia . We therefore left Rover to attend to the horses , and prevent their being stolen while absent , and about eight o'clock we joined the throng of miners flocking towards the place designated for the meeting . It was an out-door affair , and about one thousand people were present , and a rougher looking set of men I never saw in my life . All nations were there . Even a number of Chinamen , who could n't understand ten words of English , and knew not what they shouted for , were in the crowd , wooden shoes , pig-tails and all .