The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-10-23
THE BUSHRANGERS,

After voyage from Liverpool to Mel
bourne / went up country with an Amer
lean acquaintance named Shaw for a
sort of vacation. l had sailed with Shaw
while he was Captain of New Orleans
ship, filling the berth of second mate to
his satisfaction, and, as | had saved his
life ON one occasion, there was warm
feeling between us. He was now the
owner of big sheep ranch on the Muir
ray River, and was only too glad to get
run ashore and see something of
country noted for its anomalies. This
was before the days of railroads and
while the penal colony was in full blast
and the bushranger king of the road.
We were five days riding out to Shaw's
ranch, our vehicle being wagon loaded
with six yokes of bullocks, which were
almost as wild as buffaloes. heard very
little about the bushrangers until we
reached the ranch, and then Shaw gave
me such accounts of the fellows as made
me hope | should never be obliged to
form their acquaintance. His immedi-
ate district had not been visited for two
or three years, but they had
come in to the north and west
of him and INDUCED in many
robberies and murders. There were three
Englishmen and twelve natives on the
range, which was an extent of country
nine miles long by five broad. The force
at the headquarters house, after our
arrival, numbered three white men, a
white woman, three natives, two black
women, and four or five black children.
No gang of bushrangers numbering less
than six would dare to attack us, as the
house was well armed and the black
women could fire n musket as well as a
man. Shaw had instructed his help to
adopt peace policy. In case a bush
ranger applied at any of the stations fol-
food or shelter he was TO be accommo-
dated, and if they picked off sheep Oc-
cassionally no notice was to be taken
of it. As said before, he had not been
disturbed thus far, but while he deludeo
himself with the idea that it was an ac
count of the policy pursued, events were
about to occur to prove that the gentle
men of the bush had been waiting theil
! own convenience.
! A bushranger was, in every instance, {
! desperate criminal who had made his es
cape from prison or the penal settle
ments. There wasn't one of them whC
had not deserved the gallows before h,
fled to the bush. A dozen or more of thu
most desperate characters sent to Tasma
MIA had escaped and reached the larger
island and penetrated TO the interior, anC
these men were particularly ferocious anC
and without mercy. Shaw seemed to res
easy, however, and so during the frs
week of my stay l did not bother m!
head about the rangers. Indeed new
conner had enough to do to get accus
toned to the snakes, lizards, insects anC
other annoyances which kept him stirred
up day and night.
On the tenth day of my stay Mr.. Shav
and set out to visit one of the outlying
stations in charge Of an Englishman name'
Thomas. This man was about forty-tiy
years old, and had deserted from an Eng
lish man-of-war. He had three blac
men under his charge, and one of then
had been sent in the day before with
badly written note TO the effect tha
many sheep were being killed, and ths
all signs went to show that gang G
rangers had settled down in the neigh
borhood. We were mounted on goo
horses and well armed as we rode away
and after an hours ride W
drew near the station, which consisted {
a stout log hut for the keeper, another fC
the blacks, and pens for herding the sheeI
We found the place silent and apparentl
deserted, and leaving our horses in
thicket, we cautiously approached on foo
The first discovery made was that IL