The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-02-28
A THRILLING TALE OF WILD
RANCH LIFE

shssp rstch at tie ipisfsseiioa - Tho Ma
iiidiY snd The I.srbian 'ir,r. Mes Sn'
Ns'es. ne bnttpii.r hnsArsnfsr shs
E 40 ht.i. ssyss xnivr ~ ne New iw
suu. sas The ageni "a ~ Easiish sfn
dWa'e ahieh ownci 20 o00 sr'.s 81 Ian
sad as many sbrep stA eas ~ sNr ssm
,ias hcying sad shlpptas hT'ne ea'iosi
ties 10 the sree, snimai ilaalec a. Hsmhufs
Z The natives Of Aasiralis have herp ibua'p
ed sbou, By ibs Eaeli.h scldisrv nn'i
they have DO spirit Ieit, hu, IL 'hose Day
Q portion of then srie as iiai as The Ara
cles ~ The Uuited State. 0ui ia w
wilds they were 90 tie al-ti fir irav' Ter
and pioneer, and, though thr Eoslish Al'
wsys sI ctad to 6espisc them, j, !. a fac
thai every battle ground on the vest irian,
has proved them fierce 6ghiris.
wbea fiually got settled st ibe poin
nsmei bad quite an army mode, mo
We had about twenty butts. \ stoehasle "
closiog sn acre q eronud. several bis
sheep pens, tSo or turee horse pens, a dirt
fort surrounded by pali-ad's. aud The
pumber Of natives employed a. beardet'
was over Ghy. Most of. these had their
wives and childfea With them, and ,ss there
were fisa white man beside myself, II VIII
be seen that ". were n pretty strsDg party
We needed to be. We bad gone fall
bundled miles beyond riylilz stion. aud
right into the fighting nstIves. Three dlf'
ferent Surveying parties sent oHt by the
government. the last accompanied by 10
soldiers, had been attacked and routed
with severe loss. II was expected that J
would have trouble. aud we're arranged for
it, About thirty Of The natives had before
been employed in sheep herdiug,and were
used TO firearms. bought two pieces Of
artillery at Sidney aud took them along
for support. and we we're pleniifnlly sup
piled with muskets, repeating carbines and
ammunition.
Our coming was u surprise to the deni'
zsbs and we bad time to get settled before
they bad perfected their plans TO attack
US. We had at that time ouly about 20,
600 sheep. aud only half the herders
could be- spared fol the work OF building
the pens aud erecting the stockades. Our
village was erected on iiue plateau OF
about two acres in extent. Tue gfouud
fell away gradually on all sides. aud the
nearest scrub wss about n quarter OF o
mile from us on the east A bit OF land
which we called the thumb" broke away
from the forest TO the east, and pushed ITS
way into the prairie towards us This
neck. or thumb, was half mile long and
not over twenty rods vide, aud offered
splendid cover TO force advancing upon
us. saw ut once that 1t would be the
point of attack, and at the end | built q
sheep pen leo feet wide aud eco feet long.
The side towards us was ten feet high.
Dur two six pounders where then loaded
with shell and trained upon the PEN We
lug two rifle pits on the flink Of our fort,
acing this thumb, and week before the
alarm came we had everything in good
,hape for fight. was very anxious to
lave it come. 1t was bound to come soon
II or later, and until we had been attacked
md given our assailants q good tbreshing
here could be no such thing as security |
One day / was almost cursing the ma
ives for their slowness 10 attacking, two |
White men rode up to the post, knew
hem for busbrangers at glance. They
lad the attire and demeanor, and were
mounted on fine horses and carried rifles
% revolvers One of them dismounted
I the door Of my office aud came in. He
vas fellow about forty years old, stout as
n OK, aud evidently had plenty Of nerve,
Il he would never have shown himself
here at all. When he had passed the time
4 day be tossed downs big draught Of
rhiskey and s,id
Nov, captain. to bizness. Hev We come
0 stsy?
have.
How much are ye willin' 10 psy9
For whatg
Far bein let alone. You was gettin'
ettled and was all npsot, and it wouldn't
ev b en- msnners to call on ye sooner.
be boys want to known now what they
10 count op.
don't exactly uaderstand you, | said
You dont? took you for an oil cam
signer This ere land belongs 10 rs
We ar willip to rent it to you fur fair
rice. II We make bargain, Il will in
Iude our purteciion.
This is government land, or was unit
e filed our papers and made first pay
rent.
Was IN Dye see any guv ment round
re anywhere' Any iedcoais a. hand to
ertect ye?
NC eau IfDNtct iufrfl'en ~ tput khhE
ID the natives want to live at peace with
e, sli right. II you want trouble, III
i've you fighting until you are sick OF it.
Whewl be exclaimed 10 genuine aston
hment Well. II that don't beat me. So
,u don's propose to pay US r-nt'
Not a ceut
And you don't want our pert, ciion'
NJ eirl
WHY, m.n, t'u must be crazy Tnaf
, a dox.n or more of ~ bash.boys. aud .
Z hin raise q iarce II 800 nsiises 10
roap dosD on yri 81 sunday % son'i
lse 4 sheep uor hu, nor maH lrii. ant
u hsye YER ears Tor ksep-aksfi
c.,me aud ,ry II. rpl!,d let mr
oar. snd III 10 yon slare. bat u yp y
,.cl ne I'll -, RAJ ssiii the ia.l - yaa I
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