The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-09

nothing through the the smoke, but ii
cleared almost instantly. Just as the
shepherd said "Don't shoot again-he's s
fixed" saw the poor wretch staggering
wildly towards the hut, and then falling
with dull sound. God forgive me, it
was very like murder. This was the
the first life I had ever taken. The
next thing I remember was Mr.. S.
asking me if had run any bullets.
mot one."
Have you any in the hut?"
s'Not one."
Mat informed us that we were s'tree'd, +"
much in the same way as he would
tell the overseer that the rations were
short. He quietly pulled his gun from
the loophole, saying, "I've only one
more pill to keep our skins whole.
Well hev to trust to Doctor"
Mats dog Doctor was partly Smith
field and partly Newfoundland. He
had been trained by him to all sorts of
tricks. Amongst others, he repeatedly
when attached to his collar, and pre-
sufne this was the object Mat had IN
| view, when referring to him as capable
of procuring relief.
Mister, dye think you kin rite o
missage in the dark, or by the moonlight,
askin' the hands at the Homestead to
come this way? No time to lose; 1 see
the darkies dodging round the hut.
Bill, knock away the low part of the
rotten slab behind your back. Here,
Doctor.
| The message was scrawled and fast
ened to the dogs collar in little less than
| minute, and the noble brute, who
seemed to know the danger, stood anx
iously trembling till the preparations
were completed.
AS before stated, the hut stood close
to the stream, and from the rear the
bank sloped abruptly toward the water.
The American for the first time seemed
affected When the man fell under our
| shots, there was not the slightest change
| perceptible in his voice; but the words
he spoke to Iris dog were broken and
singularly soft. I'll be sworn there were
tears in the mans eyes. Everything
being at last prepared he spat upon the
| dogs muzzle, held his head close to his
cheek for moment, and then pressed
him quickly out of the hole and away
down the shelving bank.
We listened anxiously for sime, and
| then there arose a wild jabbering for a
minute; the next instant we detected a
/ yelp of pain.
my Godr' said l involuntarily, s'the
Doctors speared."
mo, he arn't, darn yer snapped Ben.
"He's jist touched, and no more. He'll
do It's
HE must be quick, then," said Mr..
s.; 1.-THE black devils have struck q
light somewhere, and they're going to
burn us out. Lookr'
-
the movements of the sayages through
| the loopholes, and we saw flaming
brand whizzing through the air and
| fell on the stringy bark roof above our
heads. Another and another came, but
it did not appear to us that any of them
had taken effect.
| By this time the black fellows had
gathered courage. Believing that our
ammunition was expended, many of them
had left cover and might be seen fitting
about like specters They had hndled
| fire some distance off, and across its
| glare shadows were almost constantly
| falling.
The fire brands were thrown no more;
! some fresh mode of attack was prepar-
ing. Our suspense continued for long
/ period NEARLY half an hour), during
i which time not a word was spoken by
il any of us. Our soul dependence was on
the Doctor; and if help did not soon ar
rive it was certain we could find no es-
cape from the demons who were trying
to compass our destruction
4 Now, look Slick whispered Mat.
81 see their game; they're goin' to give
us fits. How's the moon?-well aback
of the hut, guess. Bill, stick your
cabbage tree on pillow, and hold it at
the open window when I tell you. I'll
just go out and bid them good evening.
Don't bar the door after me, mister, bat
when I snow the& my heels open it.
You see we can't spare ammunition.
While speaking Mat unbarred tho
door. He slipped out noiselessly as he
concluded the sentence.
Through the slabs he said to ME;
Dye see that devil with the blazin' log?
When he gifts close to the waffle, open
the window and prop up the pillow.
Take care of their spears yourself.
As soon as the black fellow came to
the point indicated, l opened the long
little shutter with some noise and held
up the dummy. In a moment dozen
let the window fall as though one of us
was mortally wounded.
There was a wild shout without. At
this time the black fellow who carried
The log was within few yards OF the
hut, and heard Mat preparing for his
move outside. Looking out as quickly
as l could, I had just time to see his tall
figure emerge beyond the shade as the
butt end Of his gun fell crashing on the
head of the fire bearer. The door was
opened as Mat turned; it required but
one or two bounds to take him to the
door, but the sayages were too quick for
him with their spears. He staggered
! through the entrance and fell Just as he
cleared the threshold.
Caught in the thigh, I guess" Ire
exclaimed, as he slowly recovered him
self, and painfully struggled to the
window. Don't mind the spear" he
remarked to me as approached him ;
'.its better as it is, till help comes"
eff it ever does," thought 1.
The Americans sortie, believe, had
rather disastrous effect, for the black
, fellows seemed to conclude at once that
our ammunition was all expended, and
they thronged around the hut without
{ caring to shelter themselves.
In short time the cracking flames
: on the roof put an end to our trouble
The hut was on nfe, ana tnere Waa
, nothing left for us but an attempt te
: dash out and clear the aborigInes. ]
proposed this, but Mr.. s - would moi
try without Mat, and underneath the
) blazing roof, with dubbed guns, we
} grimly awaited tho final attack. The
American rifle rested in the loophole
> where he had first taken up his position
: "There's the worst of them," Mat
said, looking along his weapon; shes
coming up with log to stave the door
/. He'll never do it = and our last bulle
| brought down the ringleader.
There was CONSERVATION and hurried
consultation. After lapse of abou
I five minutes, the whole force of the be
/ | siegers rushed shrieking on our littl,
a garrison. A moments surge outside
s and the door fell back as Mr.. SIS gul
t swung down on the crowding savage
with terrific force, telling two of th
foremost like oxen. remember will
Q struggle with our guns and fists. Ma
and the squatter lowered above their OF
( ponents like giants, fighting with terri
Q BILE energy The black fellows had force
, me to the ground; one was shortenin