The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-03-01
THE BUSHRANGERS.

THE BUSHRANGERS.
Twenty-Five years ago, when I had a
sheep ranch at the intersection of tbe
Murrumbide and the Iachlan Rivers
New South Wales, the Australian bush.
ranger was at his best. was the agent
OF an English syndicate which owned
2O0, 600 acres Of land and as many sheen
and was at the same time buying and
shlpp'Hg living curiosities TO the great
animal dealer at Hamburg. The natives
OF Australia have been thumped about
by the English soldiery until thew have
no spirit left, but in those DAYS a norton
OF them were as bad as the Apaches of
the United States. Out in the wilde
they were on the alert for travellers and
pioneers, and, though the English al
ways affected to desp!se them. It isa fact
that every battle ground on the vast
isiana mas Proved them fierce fighters.
When L finally got settled at the point
l nave named had quite an army under
me- We had about twenty huts
stockade enclosing an acre of ground.
several big sheep pens, two or three
horse pens, dirt fort surrounded nv
palisades, and the number of natives en-
ployed as heFders was over fftv. Most
OF these had their wives and children
with them, and as there were five white
men 5esides myself 1t will be seen that
we were a pretty strong party. We
needed TO be. We had gone a full bun-
cred miles beyond civilization. and riuht
INTO e-stronghold of the bushranGers
ana ihe-nghtlng natives. Three differ
ent surveying parties sent out bv the
government the last accompanied by
seVenty-tiEe soldiers, had been attacked
and routed with severe loss. 1t was ex-
pected that | would have trouble and
we arranged for it. About thirty of the
natives had previously been emploved
IN sheep herding, and were used 10 fire.
arms. | bought two pieces of artillery
az Sydney and took them along for onr
Tort, aud we were beautifully supplied
win muskets, repeat NJ carbjhes- and
seltieu7oeiore they had perfected their
pans TO attack US We had at that time
only about 20, GOO sheen. and over hal
the herders could be spared for the work 1
-s'''s tue
Our village was erected on a fine pla-
leaa OF about two acres IN extent. The
ground fell away gradually on all sides |
ana the nearest scrub was about omar. /
Yer Oh mile from US on the east. 4 bit
oil land which we called the '.thumbn
Droke away from the forest TO the east
ana pushed Its way into the nrairie
toward US. This neck. or thumb was
haii mile long and not over twentv
rods wide, and offered splendid cover to
Z 1, iorce al sancing upon US. saw at once
thst 1t would be the point of attack and
Z the end built sheep pen hundred
leet VIDE and two hundred feet lono
ne side toward US was ten feet h az
y nr two six-pounders were then loo5ed
s.l smell and trained upon the pen. We
aug TWO rifle pits on the TANKS of sur
orr facing this thumb, and a week be
ore the alarm came we had everything
q good shape for a fight. was verY
lnXious to have it come. It was bound
% come sooner or later, and until We had
'een attacked and given our assailants a
good thrashing, there could be no sncb
hing as security.
one day, when l was almost cursing
ne natives for their slowness in attack
ny 90 Wnlte men rode up to the post.
knew them for bushrangers at a oiance
they had the attire and the demeanor
md were mounted on fine horses and
'airled rifles and revolvers. One of them
at the door of my Office and !
aine IN He was fellow about forty
ears Old, stout as an OK, and evidently
lad plenty OF nerve, or he would not l.
ave shown himself there at all. When !
We mad passed the time Of day he asked
or whisky, tossed down a big draught
nd then said So s
NOW, Captain, TO bizness. Hev We
ONE to stayf7 c
81 have" c
''For whatl" a
Fur bein' let alone. You was gettin'
attled and was all upset. aud it wouldn't Z
eN ON manners to call on We sooner. !;
ne boys want to know now what they y
H ees4ft on. Q Q
:, don't exactly understand you" 1 I
"You don'tl I took you fur an old E
smpaigner. This ERE land belongs to
S: We ar willin' TO rent it to you for /.
lar price. II we make bargain it :,
al include our purtection. =
his IS Government land, OF was IN :,
we filed our papers and made a first .
lyraent.n o
WAS it? Dye see any Guv'meut -
'und ere anywhere's' ANY redcoats at q
and TO protect yer :,
I'VE can protect ourselves. If your n
ang and the natives want to live at 7
eace with me all right If you want y
ouble III give you lighting until you m
&c sick of til -
'Whewm he exclaimed in genuine 4
itonishment. ''Well. if that don't r
Eat me. So you don't propose to pay II
J rent27 ~ !.
''Not a cent" a.
"And you don't want our purtec- W W
onP' ',
"NO. sir..n n
"Why, man, ye must be crazy. Thar ~
dozen or more of US bushboys, and h
E kin raise force of three hundred nj
Itiyes to swoop down on ye! BY Sun h
" We won't have a sheep nor a hut nor 81
man left, and I'll have yer ears fur hi
.epsakes" hi
Come and try it." replied. 'Iet 81
e alone and I'll let you alone, but if tr
u attack me I'll not rest until the last k,
you is under ground. " hi
he looked at me as if he doubted nv 10
nifty, ard after bit, helped himself to CT
other glass Of whisky and went ont 70
thout word. After a confab with to
5 companion he returned to the door ia
d explained. n