The Portland daily press., 1867-03-30
selected story.
Australian Life Illustrated.

S5,d,,nai to em;orate many years ago as a
homeless scaneorace. He has knocked ABOUT
New south Wales and Queensland IN all
sorts of capacities. l fell III WIN nm py
chance. [ was fortunate enoush " save MS
lie ENGAGED him, and believe MN 10 be as
d i,e' and fine fellow as there is in the
world. Ar, r,h.;n,,,.,, ,,,.. ;s..-
;n- IN the direction of Sydney from place
=, The interior, think Jinballah. Having
s,onped at several public houses on the way,
he found himself still on his journey with a
ten-pound note, half a sovereign, and half
crown, in his pocket, About hundred miles
from Sidney he found some confusion in IA
public house which he had entered to obtain
refreshment. The landlady was crying bit
terly, and the servants were in a great fright
When he entered, the hostess eagerly ex-
claimed:
You are not one ofthim are wa.
what do you mean"
"Och, it's one of the Buslrangers 1 mean.
You aren't one of HiniF" fs., az,
mo. Have they been here then ,
"Yes, half an hour ago, ana cleaie I'd wy
house of all l had Musha! Iho "'"o"'
curse he anon tbim?"
'.Have they gone down 'ho io""' "a
right into the bush?"
aGone down the road to suck up all they
meet wild" 4tss,
SHOW many"
"Three; sorry less" gstH.aIf.5
Now. Ny Chairman mast go down to Sid
nev He could not take the bush TOR it, as
he did not know the country well enough.
He might evade the Bushrangers by some
lucky chance, either by the aid of night OF
other means He vas dressed. of course in
the gear of a thorough Bushman, and they
might spare MIN on the old Scotch principle.
Hawks pyke not col hawks cen" Besides,
he might conceal his ten-pound note, and it
would not break his heart to lose his halt-sov-
ereign and half crown. On the whole, them
he saw nothing for it but to resume his jour
ney. He chose his short sock as the best
place for the pound-note, and thrust the note
into it without folding ifup.
Forth he went, and rode rapidly on for an
hour without seeing the rangers; however, he
distinctly saw fresh tracks OF four horses in
advance. At an abrupt turn OF the road, he
was covered by three revolvers, and address,
ed by three voices:
"Dismountw
No help Tor it. He got off his horse and
took a survey of the glorious three one
was very good natured looking fellow; the
other seemed rather backward; the third was
an unmistakable ruffian.
"Where have you been? You're dig
ger"
"l'm just coming from the Wanoorah
Diggins.'
These gold fields were noted for their pow
eIty.
How much money have you?'
Zone halt-sovereisn and one hall CROWN
as that all? ' ''-s 5'i
1t was the good-natured man who spoke in
this dialogue. - Gt s5tsr-..s
81 think, Jim, we may let him OFF. The
poor devil must be hard up, coming from
those wretched diogings.' sslta
Wen have something to say to him first. y
replied Number Three, whose accent was Irish
and This gave My Chairman some hope.
swell at all events, he must have a glass OF
grog". My chairman accordingly drank a
bumper that took his breath away. m
Walk with me into the bush, then,' said
Number Three.
"Not bit of it, Jim; let the poor devil go.
Why, he's countryman ofSour own. What
do you say, Jack" f.l
"Never mind what Jack saysw replied
number Three. "Don't make an ass of youI :
selt Dick I'll have my way in this"
He motioned to My Chairman to go on
and on he went until he reached a belt OF
scrub.
Halt! Now listen to me. It's my opinion
that you are a schemer. Ii l find one shilling
more on YOU than you acknowledged to" (he
swore a terrible OATH, I'm blow your brains
out on the spot. Strip.
My chairman owned to me that for a mo-
ment he felt a mortal terror, but he shook il
OF, and proceeded to undress.
'Taks oifyour jumper first-not your boots
Now your flannel shirt. Throw them over to
me-"
lie examined them thoroughly.
Take off your boots. Throw them here
Now your trowsers,'
He found In the pockets the two coins.
And Ny Chairman hoped that the search
was over. Not yet.
Take of your socks"
To hesitate was instant death. The ruflian
shook both the socks. Let the reader fancy
the beating oil My Chatnman's heart mean
while AS he had thrust the note into the
sock without folding it up, and as the roDDer
had caught the note with the thick SOCK be
tween MS finger and thumb, it was thus pre-
vented from dropping out. To such small
things a man may owe dear life itself.
,,Now be oif.'
"Whatw said My Chairman. ""Would
you send man away stark naked, and In this
weather, tool"
.'lou ought to be thankful for your life"
Just then, up came Dick.
Haven't you searched him yet? What
the devils the use OF keeping him in the cold?
"You mind your own business, Dick"
"Jim," retortcd Dick, you know can stand
good deal; but you're not the m0R to bide
quarrel with me when am reused. wont
allow you to do as you did last time. Givs
this man his boots and trousers; keep ms
Jumper, if you want it."
Thus they split the difference, and My
Chairman was left on a bush-road without
horse, and only half clad He had his ten
pound note, however.
After walking briskly for about twelve miles
he came to a sly grog-shop, where he found
two men eonversing; one, evidently the host
the other The knew as we'll as if it had been
revealed to bim), was the fourth Bushrang
er. q
In the endless wilds of Australia, there is
not a Bushman whose life does not often de-
pend on ''tracking;" and SO wonderful dc
Bushmen become in this respect, that they
can tell the date OF every mark upon the ground
I have heard them debate as to whether Q
blacks track was an hour old or two hours
Nov. NV Chairman had seen the tracks Q
four horses IN company, and he had careful
ly tracked the fourth up to this "humpy,
close to which it was standing quietly tied b.
the bride.
of don't ride that horse away from thi
to-day said My Chairman to himself, "maN
never have the blessing OF st. PatrickP
The host was little man; the BushrangeI
was tall and muscular villain, with Ions
black hair falling down his shoulders
bad sign, as it showed he had been Ions
"out.'
They had been talking on a subject thai
had excited the Bushranger, and that sub
iect, as far as My Chairman could gather from
the muttered words he overheard at his en-
trance, was that the police were on their wa,
up, and not very tar of.
My Chairman gave the masonic sign; il
was answered by the host.
"Halloa,' said the Bushranger where d,
you hail from"
II have come down the road"
"Havn't you got a horse ?"
There was no use shamming here, so M,
Chairman al once replied:
81 was stuck up and robbed twelve miles
from this, by the Bushrangers."
THE DEVIL Are they so near? Isn't il
fortunate, Casey, that know this in time ?'
"Why?" said Casey" "You are not going
that way; you came from that direction your
self while ago.
The Bnshranger at that moment was light
ing his pipe with burning coal, and his
back was turned. My chairman gave a
look and made gesture which were perfect
ly understood by the shrewd little host.
al must be going; cd man." said the Bush
ranger, after his pipe bad been successfully
lighted. Lets have glass of grog all round
first.o
',Au rightw said the little man.
Three glasses of rum stood before the party
My Chairman put his hand forward to take
one Of the glasses, but Casey, with an awk-
ward apology about helping the gent first,
handed the robber that very glass, gave an
other to My Chairman, and drank off the
third himself ft
My Chairman understood all this, and