West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-10-03
THE BUSHRANGERS.

Aster voyage from Liverpool To Mel
bourne went up country with an Amer
lcan acquaintance named Shaw for n
sort OF vacation. 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 a warm
feeling between us. He was now the
owner Of big sheep ranch on the Muir
ray hver, 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 Rushranger king of the road.
We were five days riding out to Shaw's
ranLn, our vehicle being a wagon loaded
With six y6kes of bulocks, which were
Almost MS wild as buffaloes heard very
little nboht 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 10
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 indulged in many
robberies and murders. There were three
Engiishmen 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 OF five black children
No gang of bushrangers numbering less
than 10
house was well armed and the black
women could fire 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 for
food or shelter he was to be accommo-
dated, and if they picked of sheep oc-
cassionally no notice was TO be taken
of IL. As said before, he had not been
disturbed thus far, but while he deluded
himself with the idea that IL was am ac
count of the policy pursued, events wer a
about TO occur 90 prove that the gentle
men Of the bush had been waiting their
own convenience
a oushranger was, in every instance, q
desperate criminal who had made his es-
cape from prison or the penal settle
ments. There wasn't one Of them who
bad not deserved the gallows before he
FED 80 the bush. A dozen or more Of the
mQsf desperate characters sent 70 Tasma-
niR had escaped aud reached the larger
isiand and penetrated to the interior. and
these men were particularly ferocious and
and without mercy. Shaw seemed 10 rest
easy, however, and so during the first
week Of my stay I did not bother my
head about the rangers Indeed new
conner bad enough 10 do to yet accus-
toned 10 the snakes, lizards, insects and
other annoyances which kept him stirred
up day and night
On the tenth day Of my stay Mr.. Shaw
and i set out TO visit one Of the outlying
stations in charge Of an Engiishman named
Thomas. This man was about forty-fve
years old, aud had deserted from an Eng
hsh man -of-war. He had three black
men under his charge and one 81 them
had been sent IN the day before with
badly written note 20 the effect that
many sheep we're being killed. and that
All signs went 90 show that n gang Of
rangers had settled down In the neigh .
borhOod. We were mounted on good
horses and well armed as we rode away.
and after an hours ride We
drew near the station, which consisted of
a stout log hut for the keeper, another for
the blacks, and pens for herdinq the sheen.
We fOufld the place silent and apparently
deserted, and leaving our horses i'm
thicket, we cautiously approached on foot.
Ibo hrst discovery made was that the