The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-11-13
eMisreHanenns.
An AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE.
Lively Brush with the. Abongines During
Ride from Essington to Brisbane.

Ride from Essington to Brisbane.
| Whether il was attributable to the su-
perior knowledge of the country posse, s.
ed by our guide, or that we pursued an
| altogether different route from former
travellers, and thus escaped the miseries
and privations they complain so bitter
ly of, l know not, but certain it is we
suffered no hardships all this time
worthy the name Of hardships, and
though we carried nothing with us but
ammunition, little brandy, a change
of clothes each, and some few trinkets
| for the natives, eating nothing but the
game and fish we met with in the woods,
on the prairies and in the streams, sleep
ing with our saddles for pillows and a
thin blanket each our only covering, we
enjoyed the best of health and eXuber-
ant spirits.
As we proceeded we crossed beautiful
plains, covered with luxuriant pastur-
age. and everywhere well timbered and
well watered. 1t was i'll passing through
this dark-like country that we met with
an adventure that nearly cost us OR
lives. We had just left the cover OF Il
small wood in our rear, and were cross
ing a tOlerably wide belt of waving
grass land, tIickly spread with native
scarlet geranIum and fuclI>ia bushes,
when suddenly, and without the slight
est warning, a shower of spears came
whistling about our ears from dense
cover of reeds that spread along tie
bed of a dry-water course Immediately
in our track. The spears seemed TO come
from all directions, and fell around us
as thick as hail, showing the natives to
be assembled in considerable numbers.
The falling spears, some of Which wound
ed them slightly, so frightened the lead
horses that they became unmanageable,
and the one that Warrango was riding
plunged so vioently as to throw him,
whereupon he and the three spare ones
dragged the fallen guide some yards
through the long grass, and finally broke
away from him and galloped off toward
the wood.
Un to this moment not Il savage had
shown himself, but had continued to
hurl their spears with the utmost rapid
itv, woanding both Starkey and myself
in several places; but at this bit of sue
cess they sprang from their reeds and
bushes, uttering defiant yells, and about
a score of them armed with spears and
clubs, dashed after our helpless guide,
who fed with the speed of a buck. The
| foremost sprang high in the air and fell
dead at the crack of Starkey's rifle, and
| the others checked for Ii moment, sank
into the cover of the long grass, but on
| ly for a moment, when, with recovered
breath, they sped with long bounds in
pursuit of the fugitive. Starkey galloped
| off to intercept them, while L endeayor-
| ed to hold the front of the main body
| i'm check; but my horse had learned to
dread their spears so in this brief space,
| that he would not stand moment to
| give me a chance to handle my rifle
with certainty. Finding this, l leaped
| him over a small brook, and galloping
| down their front. poured the contents of
nv six-chambered rifle into the thickest
| of them with such precision as my head
long course permitted, escaping showers
of spears, nearly all Of which fell be-
| hind ne.
Ny clothes were torn in all directions,
and several spears trailed from my
horses flank. l felt great pain in my
| side and back, and was sensible that the
blood was flowing freely, as, also, from
a wound in my left shoulder. l had
|
clustering in front to receive me, and to
draw my holster revolvers, when the
-ascals, profiting from their former ex-
! perience in throwing behind he, sent
Inc a shower of spears so well directed
as to lance me in all directions, though,
fortunately, none of the wounds were
serious. My horse was also hit i'll sew
eraI places, and, plunging wildly into
| cany hollow, fell, with crash, hurl-
ing me several yards beyond. \ fierce
veil of triumph rang from the savayes at
this accident, and evidently taking 1t Tor
| granted that l VISA now helplessly in
their power, they came bounding through
! the long grass and reeds, hourlshIng
their clubs and spears in savage triumph; !;
| but had been in worse places than this,
OF more than one occasion, and now
cody prepared 10 receive them.
1t will be remembered that / had
drawn my holster revolS ers, from which
| had not as yet fired a single shot, and
with these and the pair in my belt, had
still twenty four bullets with which TO
defend myself In falling, had alight-
ed upon my right side, full front 10 the
enemy. 1t was but the work of a mo
ment to raise myself on my elbow, the
better to take fatal aim.
Fer a second or two nothing could be
seen but the violent shaking OF the tall
reeds as the natives rushed through
them towards the spot where they had
seen mc fall; then one black head ap-
peared, then another, followed by sever
| al more. All at once they found my
horse. and, as they gathered about him
| In a cluster, could have hit every mark
upon their dusky forms from the place
where lay concealed by the luxuriant
! grass; but my blood was fairly up now,
and patiently awaited the proper mo
ment. 1t came; and while the yell was
still upon his lips, as the leader dis
! covered me, he fell dead, and the second,
third and fourth Inan, before the group
of murderous villains would withdraw or
| disperse. Then, springing to my feet,
rushed upon them, pouring in my fire
with the fatal result long Use and prac-
tice with the weapon render easy, even
in tine widest moments of excitement,
while as l did so faint cheer reached
me, coming rapidly nearer, and Starkey
galloping up, pursued the now flying
savages with an immense club he had
possessed himself of, and striking with a
force and rapidity that nothing could
evade or withstand, he dealt death upon
the terror-stricken fugitives with every
blow While this was taking place my
horse, aroused by the firing, had recov-
cred his feet and was now endeavoring
TO run of, but the reins having become
entangled around his forelegs, prevented
him and enabled me to secure him. He
had lost a good deal of blood, and a
spear-head still remained in his flank,
but the emergency of the moment
demanded extraordinary efforts, and,
though loathe TO torture him, necessity
required it, and, leaping to the saddle, l
spurred him to the side of Starkey.
The enemy had evidently calculated
upon an easy victory, and were thrown
into such confusion and CONSERVATION
by the reception they met with that they
were now fairly beaten of, and fled to