Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-04-27
HUNTING A BUsHRANGER.


afternoon, at Il station, the owner of which
was friend of mine. By the stable.
! yard group of four men were standing,
eyeing some cattle which had apparently
been just run in by the stockmen.
Foremost among the group stood my
friend Jones, and on discovering me he
came forward and shook hands heartily
He then introduced me to fresh-looking
youth named Newchome, who had not
long left England, and who had on a
pair of gloves, and-for the bush, mara
bile dictu-a coat and collar.
Come down to the house, old fellow"
said Jones, land will send Dick to put
your horses on some good feed"
preferred, however, to take charge OF
my cattle personally, as my horses were
the most precious property possessed.
"By the way" said Jones, "havc you
heard that that brute, Black Sam, shot
poor McKillop through the lungs the 9TH
er day? He died almost directly"
Soon after this left the station with
my horses, having been directed to the
best place for feed and water. l had to
cross the creek ut the ford, and, as they
were cool, | let them drink the clear,
| saw my landmark, mn old hut. Here
hobbled my horses, and left them nib
bling the rich grass. a thin column of
smoke was curling from the bark CHM
ney of the hut, and thinking that the fire
belonged to one of the shepherds, | turn
ed for the purpose of getting II light.
l was going to give the door push,
when it was flung open, and a swarthy,
black bearded man stood in the doorway,
with u revolver leveled at my dctenceless
head.
" Up with your hands," said this wor-
thy, land don't move unless yer want a
hole drilled in yer carcass! Walk in
and sit down." was the next order; and
| sat down with my hands high in the air,
on an old box in the hut, which did duty
as either chair or table, the man then
said coolly, I'm Black Sam, and | want
one yer horse-may be both. Mines
knocked up. Now, then, yer've got to
answer some questions. Where do yer
come from2 Where are yer a-goin' to,
and who's at the station?"
| answered the questions with great
urbanity and politeness.
" Keep yer hands up" said the ruhian,
as one of my tired arms came down an
inch.
obeyed him with lightcning-like ra-
pidity, and | assured him that | was un-
armed, and after n stern look at me he
allowed me to lower my arms.
After some conversation, he continued
-" Now, then, sir, Wen go and see the
'yarramen.' l like the pints Of that
blue roam Of yours he's good 'un, or !
mistake. Will yer go first, sir2 | always
like to follow in the footsteps of gentle
man." lie accompanied this witticism
with grim chuckle and Il click of the
revolver hammer. "Put the bride on
the blue roam, and let the other one GO"
| did so, rejoicing that he was not going
to take both Of my horses. He then
vaulted, revolver in hand, on to Blucy's
bare back, an indignity which the old
horse resented with snort and n heave
of his headquarters but finding that he
was bearing a consummate rider, he went
quietly enough.
had to walk along the brdle-track in
front, and when we got to the station he
jumped off, coolly took my saddle, and
was on the horses back in tricc. He
then made me walk up TO the stock-yard,
where they were making preparations
for killing bullock for the station. Jones
had rife in his hand, but it was not
loaded.
Poor Ncwchomc, being totally unused
to this sort of treatment, had tried to run
but was sternly ordered back, and soon
seated with the rest of us on the fence.
There we were-ive men to one but
that one armed.
The bushranger now dismounted, pick
ed up Jones' rife and demanded the pow
der flask and bullet belonging TO it. On
these articles being produced, he coolly
loaded. lie then, seeing that Newchome
was the most frightened, sent him to the
house for food, telling him to come back
without firearms, or he would pick him
off with the rife. After n short absence,
| Newchome came back with some bread
and meat, and half bottle Of brandy.
Black Sam ate voraciously.
We were all by this time boiling over
with rage at the cool audacity OF the
scoundrel, and yet we dared not move or
lower our hands, as he had promised a
shot at the first one who did so. 1t was
now an hour Of sunset, and at this time a
quick start from Jones made me look up,
and there, down the road, | saw a cloud
of dust-horses galloping, and coming
nearer every moment.
Black Sam saw it, too.
"a plant - roared he, leaping on
Bluey's back, and dashing away over the
creek, dropping the rifle in his haste.
Down we all jumped, and Jones, seiz-
ing the rife, snapped it at the bushranger,
Just at this moment, strange to relate,
Bluey put his foot in a hole and fell, hurl-
ing the bushranger far from him. We
saw him get up, seize his revolver, and
run for the mountain. Just then po.
| linn cnrnnn nj and hlnnk fronnnr onlloned