National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-01-03
A DASH FOR LIFE.

about 3d.. We were surrounded Oi
all sides by bushrangcrs. Outrages o
every possible kind were of daily occur
, renee, and many brave fellow met hi
death in attempting, with others, Il
break up the camps Of these daring ont
| laws. Did come near losing my life
You ask ? Yes, more than once. And
particularly recall one time Of which
! will tell you.
We had small, resoutc company OF
men under us, made desperate by IL,
pcated wrongs, and they hardly cared
what they did or what risk they ran, in
trying to cxterminate those fierce bush
rangers.
Almost every movement Of ours was
watched /; but Sheldric Day, our captain
was rs keen ms the sharpest of the out
laws. So when an old farmer came in
with his wagon filled with green stun
and covered with straw, Day watched
his chance and succeeded in starting
him homeward with load of rifles I'M
der the straw.
Toward nightfall one man struggled
of, whistling in one direction, with his
hands in his pockets another one an
other way another, another; and 30
ON. Our rendezvous was Dury's Forks,
lonely track of country, where the
roads branched off in many directions.
When we got fairly beyond the lin
its haunted by spies, we mended our
pace, and the men were soon coming in
from all directions upon the run, ready
to seize their weapons and go whittier
Captain Day might lead.
Sha,,,,,r =.
direction, We made what speed the
tall, tangled, bothersome prairie-grass
would allow, and crept ON stealthily.
The camp of the bushrangers was at
supper; we surprised it, and fierce
hand to-hand fight ensued. The fellows
were finally routed but somehow | be-
came separated from the rest, and two
or three of the rufiians, discovering my
situation, bore down upon me. In spite
of my frantic efforts they captured me,
and bore me with them on the retreat
My company probably did not at first
discover my absence, as it was quite
dark, and so was left to the mercies of
gang of cut-throats
With no delicate touch they seized
upon me, securely bound my hands, and
advised me, with the cold lips of a re-
volver, to keep quiet. They then dash
ed away toward village some miles dis
tant, where their headquarters were, or
rather. where the prison was located
Without word, | was thrust into a
damp, dark, underground apartment,
whose only aperture for light and air
was grated hole which just rose above
the ground level. Igathered myself up,
and looked my situation in the face. 1
knew these outlaws well. l had moth
ing to expect but to be dragged forth
during the night and hanged upon the
first projection which offered sufficient
support for my weight. was too well
known as first lieutenant of the H.
to hope for mercy. Ny COM
panions would doubtless think that l
had fallen, and leave me to my fate.
Worn out with hard work and care,
fell asleep---t though / have often Won
iered since at it---from which delightful
rest ! was awakened by soft, rasping
noise close by.
Rats, | mentally commented, and
turned over
" Hist, said voice Mt the window,
NJ the grated opening that served for
one. 'lAre you awake ?"
Awake and more than awake" I
and Immediately brought my
lace to the aperture
BE quiet" said the voice. "Their
guard is pacing not ten yards from here,
out the darkness is favorable Get this :
ron bar between the rods and wrench ,
carefully toward you. ! have straight /;
med ont the ends that were clenched /,
ipon this side" d
Carfully Selling upon the iron bar :
thrust in to me, / inserted the end I'M :,
Ter the first rod, and gradually started !
Hist! the guard is coming this way; :,
yait until he returns to the front" !
'reathed my helper. Hist!'' \
The guard clanked by, starting the :
weat from every pore of my body; for !,
expected him to stumble upon my -
riend and deliverer outside. :"
BE quick resumed the voice at .,
he grating again. He will return in "
lst twenty minutes, for have marked !
is beats; and---quick. '" :"
One after the other each of the bars VI y.
as dropped from its place; and then e,
reaching my hands out through the n
perture, and by dint of using my shoe -,
ss feet against the wall, / struggled, i.
nd was drawn through. Fortunately. d =,
was slim and slight; large man must W ",
ave hopelessly strangled himself Not -,
10 soon, either, for the guard turned ~
he corner at the moment and came to- ~
ard us. We crouched behind in the ta
lade of the projecting wall. va va
He banrI NOT bipo. coz, ,,o ~
is beat, and went back. Once out of %, ,''
ght, be very sure we did not lose any ~
me. Springing up, and catching by WI WI
re top of the high fence, we swung our W.
Ives outside. ".
-" The only thing that | could get" o o,,
i'd Davis, leading me to an old mule, n
Id cautloning me in a whisper to be- tb
are OF the vicious old animal heels. sh
Now, look sharp; don't take the Red Ill
Drks, mind you, nor the main route M, nll
at leads to the courthouse. There f.,
four roads by the Live Oaks, all H..
nning west; you know them; he sure 6v
mt take the third one, that leads right n n,
to the camp of the outlaws, but the o,s
urth takes you down among our bows a oa,
the Regs. Mind well my directions. ga ta'
d ride softly, while ! try to take up w. w.
e attention of the sentinel" 81
mounted in heterogeneous man. s,r
7, the old mule refusing to remain AZ,
fiiciently stationary for me to seat my q.
L according to the fashions of civil n5 1
ton. eo
~, Civ
Ride softly ! Davis must have been sal
iing. For the heels of that vicious but
ute beat the sod as though he We're a en-,
lm-maIor beating the devils tattoo, Ho
WIN considerable more force and ten
ect. But at last persuaded him with fur
heeis 10 move on, not until | had am
tru tIle sentlnel braWllnp with Davis lea.