The Newtown bee., 1889-05-03

three days. It would take the bush- rangers that long to stir up the natives and get them together When the na- tives were asked how we would be approached, they pointed to the ''thumb'' and criticised my action in erecting the sheep pen, which offered an enemy a | shield of observation. No native Aus tralian will move by night if it can be avoided, and no night attacks are ever made by them. We decided that on the | third night the attacking force would gather on the thumb and be ready to attack us at daylight, and our plans were laid accordingly. Neither the bushrangers nor the natives knew that we had cannon. They knew that we had muskets, but they could not say how many. We should have to depend en- tirely upon ourselves, as a troop of soldiers could not have been sent for and reach us inside of week.
 On the second day after the visit from the bushranger, some of the herders saw signs of the coming attack. The natives were moving swiftly about in consider able numbers, and it was further evident chat spies were watching us. That night, l had the sheep herded between the Lachlan river and bluff, where ten men could hold them safely. The night passed quietly. Next day, the "signs" were more numerous, and toward sun- down one of my scouts came in with the information that a force numbering at least four hundred natives and twenty white men was coming through the scrub in the direction of the thumb. This was good news to me. The sheep were brought in and herded as before and, when night had fully come, put fifteen natives in each rife pit and gathered all the rest of my people into the fort. We had talked matters over until every one knew what was expected of him. My na- tives were promised certain things in case they fought as I directed and they were only too anxious for the day to break and the ball to open. At midnight one of them crept down and found the big sheep pen crowded full of men, and there was no longer any doubt that the attack would be made with the dawn.
 Some of us caught little sleep as the night wore on, but we were all wide enough awake when the first signs of daylight came. When it was light enough for us to see the pen, mass of natives suddenly swarmed around each corner of it and made a dash for the fort. We talk about the yells of our Indians, but native Australian can out yell three of them. They swarmed over the plain in a great mob, yelling, shriek ing, and brandishing their spears and clubs, and they might have thought us asleep until they came in pistol shot. Then they were between the rifle pits, and a volley was fired which took the pluck out of them in a minute. We swept them with fire front, and back they went for shelter, leaving over forty dead and wounded on the grass. Not white man had come with them, but I soon discovered the reason. They had divided themselves into two parties, and skulked around to attack our rear. called in five natives from each rifle pit, and in few minutes we were posted to meet all the dangers. It was ten min utes before the natives could get their courage up to charge again, but when they did come they evidently felt savage. The three bodies assailed us at once, and for five minutes it was hot enough for the oldest veteran. The bushrangers were surprised to find us inside of stout earth walls and palisades, but they fought well and broke back only when they saw how useless their efforts were. Two were killed out of one party and three out of the other and, when the charge was over, the natives literally cumbered the earth.
 | Now for the field pieces. The mob had gathered in the big sheep pen to reform and we could hear their angry chatter and the oaths of the white men, when I gave orders to fire. The two reports sounded as one, and the two shells went screaming through the pen. It was the finishing stroke, and it is doubtful if the records of war can show greater exeeu- tion by two missiles. We found twenty seven men killed by those shells, and the moral effect was greater than the presence of regiment of soldiers. Two of the victims were bushrangers, mak- ing seven we had bagged, and it was afterward learned that two more died of their wounds. On those killed, we got government reward of upward of f900, it transpiring that all were bushrangers. The battle did not last over a quarter of an hour from the first yell, and never was victory more complete. The shells produced a panic which did not abate with the natives for years. Not black rested under twenty miles, and for the next six months not one was seen within fifteen miles of us. A great district was actually depopulated, and I personally inspected three different settlements or villages which had been abandoned as hastily as if a plague had been announc- ed.
 U 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 point about twenty-five miles away, robbed
 of horse, money and clothing, and he came to us as naked as the day he was born. The leader of the ruffians who had despoiled him was the chap who paid me visit before the battle. He had received bullet through the calf of the leg and panted for revenge. He spared the tourist in order to make a messenger of him. He sent me word that he would have my life, if he had