I made a fascinating discovery a couple of days ago. A new friend, Robert Rodriguez, is presently staying with me in Yellowknife for a short visit. (He made a hell of a long trip from New York to get here.) He mentioned in one of our conversations a song called Black Jack of Ballarat, based on a real-life Australian outlaw in the 1850's. The name "Black Jack" was very familiar to me. I am somewhat of a Sherlock Holmes fanatic. Sure enough, I found a Holmes story about Black Jack of Ballarat. The story is called the "Boscombe Valley Mystery" and is about this character who, after making his 'fortune' in Australia, takes up the life of a country squire in England. He is, in fact, Black Jack himself, trying to make an honest living for himself as an attempt to attone for his former career as a highwayman in the Australian Outback.

Well, needless to say, Conan Doyle must have heard stories in the local papers about Black Jack and decided to include him in one of his own stories.

Now all of this has made me want to learn the song. Does anyone know the lyrics and tune?