The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-05-10


lausted nature could endure no nor,
and GreenhiIl, putting the axe undsr
his head 10 guard against surprise. &c.
cided the fearful lottery by being he
first to sleep. When Pearce, two dys
later, came out among a group of shep
herders, they fed from him at sight Of
the horrible provision he carried in his
hands. Pearce was taken and executed.
and his confession, describing that er.
rible experience in the bush, was Fad
from the scaffold, and forms one of the
most hideOus recitals to which human
ears ever listened.
The stiffness of the laws may be un-
derstood from the statistics of punish.
ment that were inflicted upon the notOri-
Gus Brady gang of rangers, who, eGap-
ing from Macquarie Harbor, drew otter
them more than 100 probation and ticket.
of-leave men, piiisged the country, and,
attacking the settlers, treated Tasmania
to something very like combination OF
Indian and border warfare. Finally The
whole country was aroused; the Gov.
ernor placed himself at the head of the
troops and the citizens, and in 1875 and
aud 1926 no less than 1913 desperadoes
we're captured and hanged, and bush.
ranging was forever played OUT in
Tasmania. Thirty-seven were convicted
at single sitting of court; twenty-tbree
were hanged within fortnight-nine
together on the same scaffold@and the
law, whose license of inhuman brutality
at Macquarie Harbor had made these
men what they were, indicated itself
by destroying the structure of despera.
ton and hopelessness which it had been
chiefly instrumental in building.
Another matter of interest to the visit
or in Tasmania is the melancholy history
of the native population. When the
country was first settled, in 1903. it is
estimated that there were some 1000
aborigines in Tasmania. They were an
amiable race and treated the settlers
well, and lived with them OF terms OF
triendliness. The establishment of the
convict settlements and the appearance
in the colony of dissolute sailors and
Others who followed the course of trade
had bad effect upon the blacks, as upon
the whites. The native women and
children were stolen and Carried away
by the sealers ana bird catchers who in
tested the southern coast, whife-1ns-Ssrs
OF the unofending people, of all ages
and both sexes, were common. The
blacks naturally retorted in kind, and
desultory warfare was carried on to the
great detriment of the colony. The
Governor tried to put down these dis
orders, but without avail; the blacks
had acquired too deep-rooted distrust
OF the whites to desist from their atti-
tude of suspicion and resistance. The
Governor, finding that the blacks did not
understand his proclamations offering
them protection. had recourse to pic,
torlal manifestations, which were posted
IN the woods and fields for the enlight-
eminent of the natives. These proving
useless, rewards were offered for the
capture of natives, but very few were
taken. 1t was then decided to form
Gordon across the island above the ma
tlves and drive them down to Tasman
Peninsula, where they could be guarded'
5000 men turned out, the operations CON
tinued for weeks, and cost the colony
$3.50, 600, and the only results were
A4-tH anu q IVY WIN hCAO
while asleep Finally a Hobart bricK-
layer named George Augustus Robinson,
set out, unaided save by two or three
natives, to induce the blacks 10
come in and surrender. He traFeieo
about for nearly three years, walked over
1000 miles, underwent the most extra,
ordinary and perilous adventures, and
finally, by sheer force of moral suaslon,
Induced the 2O3 natives who still sur
7ived this was in 1880 to go to Finn
lers Island, on the northeast coast, where
hey were well cared for by the Govern
nent. Like other South Sea Islanders,
however, they did not thrive under civ
lization, and in twelve years all but
-orty-four had passed away. In 1853
King Billy" the last male of the tribe,
/ ed of intemperance at the age of thirty
our, and in 1876 the record of the race