St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-03-02

chatter and the oaths OF the white
men. when l gave orders to fire. The
two reports sounded - one. and the
two shells went screaming through
the pen. It was the finishing stroke,
and 1t is doubtful il the records of war
can show greater execution by two
missiles. We found twenty-seven men
killed by those shells, and the moral
effect was greater than the presence OF
q regiment OF soldiers Two OF the
victims were bushrangers, making
seven We had bagged. and it was after
ward learned that two more died OF
their wounda On those killed we got
a government reward OF upward OF
600. it transporting that all were old
offenders. The battle did not last
over quarter of an hour from the
first yell. and never was victory
more complete. The shells produced
panic which did not abate with the
natives for years. Not a black rested
under twenty miles. and for tho next
six months pot one was seen within
fifteen miles Of us. A great district
was actually dcpopulated. and l per.
sonally inspected three different set.
Elements or villages which had beer
abandoned as hastily Is If q plague
had been announced.
About two weeks after the battle an
English tourist came into the station
on foot and badly used up. He had
been captured by bushrangers at a
point about twenty-five miles away.
robbed of horse. money and clothing.
and he came to US rs naked as the day
he was born. The leader OF the ruff
ans who despoiled him was the chap
who paid me visit before the battle.
He had received a bullet through the
calf OF the leg and painted for revenge.
He spared the tourist in order to make
a messenger of him. He sent me word
that he would have my life il he had to
wait dozen years for a chance to take
it, and was not egOtist enough to let
the warning 60 UNDECIDED. felt that
l was safe about the grounds, and ]
never went OF them without being on
my guard. was fond of hunting. and
often rode long distances, and il the
bushranger was still thirsting for my
life he would seek it on some of these
occasions. Several months went by.
however. and. a. had neither seen nor
heard Of him. l naturally grew more
careless. II was five months. believe,
before the hour of peril came.
At noon one hot day was riding
Across prairie Of several miles in ex-
tent, having been out to locate graz
ing ground for a new flock. l was
within q mile OF the scrub when a
hOrseman rode out of it and charged
al me. We were facing each other.
and it didn't take me a minute TO make
up my mind that the stranger was my
old enemy the bushrangcr. Instead Of
waiting TO ambush me he was coming
out for a fair fight. l had sevcn-
shooter carbine and a revolver. and he
had the same. halted my horse,
slipped out of the saddle. and rs he
came laundering on shot his horse in
the breast, and he went down. The
rider was up like a cat, and kneeling
beside his horse. he fired FIVE shots ut
me as fast as he could pull the trigger.
l heard the ping Of every bullet. though
l was busily shooting at him. His car
bine fouled with the fifth shot, and no
sprang up and pulled his revolver. I
still had two shO,s left, and l know l
could kill him. He must come nearer
to make his pistol effective, and he
was gathering himself for the run.
when Providence stepped in to prevent
me from shedding his blood. He was
standing near the hind feet of his
horse. The dying animal suddenly
drew up both feet and gave tremend-
Gus kick, and the outlaw was knocked
over and over on the grass. As he lay.
perfectly quiet, finally advanced to
find him dead. his whole right side
crushed in by the powerful blow. 1
found about four hundred pounds in gold
about him, together with three fine
watches he had taken from travellers,
and it was evident from the way he
had packed things that he was only
waiting to kill me before leaving for
some distant part OF the country. He
was the last bushranger seen in that
district. which to-day contains five or
six towns and a white population OF