The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-03
SAVED nv SHEER LUCK.
A stocleman's Thrilling Adventure
Among the savages Of Queensland.



had been up counting the sheep, ana
left the hut at dark on my road home Inc
distance before me was about sixteen mics
rode along, my mind occupied win con-
lectures rs 10 the best disposal OF my sncep
during the trying drought. The road now
turned down into the river bed, ana, p'ck-
Ing his way the best he could, my norse
cheerfully logged on his bomewaru
path. The mountains lowered III
shadowy gloom on either side above
me as / rode along The side OF tue river,
which, although considerably snrunk oy
reasop az the summer droughts, churned
and foa,eed as its rapid current forced us
way through the rock-barrel channel. DC.
casionally the track led through clumps OF
riyer.osk saplings and bushes, emerging
from which could discover a bare patch
Of sand, and beyond That shadow. NV horse
knew The road, however, and l cared NOT.
Half nv time was spent In similar lonely
rides. and was not nervous. ! was getting
nightly hungry, however, beside when the
mailman was expected at the station, and L
Ionped 10 read my home letters. My horses
shoes clattered against the stones as STUCK
nv spurs into his sides to urge bin onward.
A sudden turning In the road showed me
n number OF small fires glowing ahead. But
that they were stationary j should nave
been inclined to think them caused by fire.
flies. On my left there were more. The
sudden turning OF the river bad placed
some in front and some behind, and bither-
10 the thick groves Of flooded oak had
hidden them from my sight. On my right
frowped an ovcrhanging crag. l drew my
rein. Perhaps Qor blacks often chatter
loudly in their camps) they bad not heard
me. / listened. Not sound save rush
ing. rumbling river-currept. 1t was, after
ali. perhars, only the remains OF bush.
fire. Some Of the logs were still alight ana
the night air had famed the embers INTO
glow. Again listened intently. III blacks
really were in the camp they must have
heard me coming; no doubt they had bar
red the way ahead and behind. The broken
river channel forbade my trusting to flight.
What should do7 Not three miles away
lay poor Donnelly, their victim, in his cold
grave of wet river sand. What was bis
fate then might be mine in few minutes.
determined to keep still and wait for what
might turn up.
Presently heard bushes rustling some
distance behind, and the voice OF black
fellow uttering, m that strange tone In
which the wild savage first prOnounces
EnHIlSU
" Boodgeree, white fellow" good, good
white fellow.) The sound startled me.
They we're here, and looking for me.
drew my pistol. Some Of them should
have daylight through them, / inwardly
vowed, if it came to a final struggle. Now
| I heard their low, rapid utterances, in va
rious excited tones. in front, behind. and
above me-the word "white fellow" being
repeated often. Escape was hopeless.
There was one chance for life in the incOn-
sistency OF their behavior. determined TO
put q bold face on the matter, appear at
| home, laugh and talk with them, and, il the
worst came. sell my life as dearly as posi-
Bile. Accordingly l shouted "Hey! come
on boodgeree you, my boys, come along!"
and q great deal more nonsensical talk,
which they could not have understood,
but which served as well as anything else
to show the confidence which tried 10 gull
them into believing yet possessed. The
effect was magical. A simultaneous shout
came from those nearest. All around In
| fifty different places as many voices broke
into an unintelligible iargon, while from
the camp the nose Of women's voices could
be heard as they shrlly inquired what was
going on, and rendered advice or admoni-
ton.
Knowing how useless it was to do any,
thing else sat still on my horse, and in a
few minutes was surrounded by a dense
crowd OF dark, savage-eyed, wild men, all
fully armed with native weapons. More
kept coming. There was perfect Babel
OF sounds. The gloom was so great that |
could only distinguish the dark, moving
figures and the long spears, or occasionally
the CLINT OF pair OF fierce, glittering eyes
shining out OF a paint-bedaubed visage.
Now they felt me all over. On feeling the
pistol, which | had returned to my belt,
the man who discovered it said something
TO the Others, who become still more ex-
cited, They now led me, still sitting on my
horse, across a ford OF the river 10 their
camp. And now for the first time | could
see the faces Of my .captors; and wild and
deyil-like they looked as the fires threw their
| licht across them. Thick masses OF curly
| black hair, low foreheads, short noses, large
white teeth. and short boards on the upper
| lin and chin, seemed to strike me most :;
| their eyes cleaned in the fire-blaze like
burning Goals. A tall man, looking at me
earnestly for some minutes, now commenced
an animated barangue; pointed to me sew
eraI times, then pointing up the river imi-
tated the sound Of a gun being fired, pointed
10 himself, and finished by addressing me
RAPIDLY at great length. From his manner
| guessed he was friendly to me for some
cause or other, why could moi make out,
but determined to take advantage OF the
turn in my favor. My tall friend now made
signs that | should dismount; this did at
once. had made up my mind to trust my
protector implicitly, and at any rate not TO
show fear. was by no means easy, how
ever, and as my sable friend led me through
the scattered fires, surrounded by num-
Der Of blacks, who, as far as / could guess,
seemed TO coiocide in his views regarding
me. Most OF the mob had departed to the
fires. which appeared behind me when
first came upon the natives.
found that there were two camps at o
distance Of about 200 yards apart, and my
people belonged to the small camp. We
now arrived at fire which, from the signs
made, | found was owned by the tall fel.
low with me. He made series OF gestures
by which understood him to intimate that
was to partake OF his hospitality. The
only word OF English he knew was "white
Fellow" This he repeated many times
Sometimes be pointed to me, then to him.
self, patted bis breast and smiled; then he
would point to the distant camp, and shake
bis head and frown. Sometimes he pointed
to himself, initiated the sound OF shot,
pointed to my pistol, then up the river,
then again TO me, looking eagerly at me 10
see whether cOmprehended him or not.
| knew not what he meant, but feigned
to understand him, and nodded, smiled
| a. 30