New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-16
JOHN BOYLE OREILLYS ESCAPE.
From The Philadelphia Times.


The narrative Of John Boyle OReilly's escape from
Australia is worth recalling The following Is con-
densatIon Of the dead poets own words; ,u
= The man TO whom l owed my liberty was Catholic
priest the Rev. Patrick McCabe, whose parish extended
ishioncrs were convicts and ticket ofleave men ne
was scholar and gentleman OF rare acconpnsninvta,
almost always in the saddle riding alone from camp W
camp. and sleeping in his blanket under the trees "'
night. .,,. .,.,,o mar, nooo ~ INV INIT and
we walked together into the bush. had then niauo
all my plans for escape and freely told MIN NY liz
IT'S an excellent way TO commit suicide ne sad e:
and he would not speak Of IL any morn tbc saddle and
said Don't think Of that again Let me u In, o''
plan for YOU You'll hear from yecS e0 a1d Months
and heard word was not comPeea ih 70 %of of
with the criminal gang on the roscs C Wecv report to
'- Pinally' one day on my way with this report |
came to q main Known as the race course AS
crossed heard coqec or e"I hr ef bana.omc fellow
coming toward TS I'd me Rie' shoulder f G4' 's'
VII. lie 1' came to me with friendly smile Nv name
Is Maguire' he said l am friend OF rather Mags
and he's been speaking about yOu seeing my hes,ta
ton. he drew card from MS waIGt on mni0" Tben
McCabc had written few words to me- linen
THs was in December 1868 some American srh,
ary for water. After two months of suspense news
came TO O'Rey OF the arrival of the Iarks. Manure
announced that he had arranged with the captain %
one OF the whalcrs, the NiGllant OF ~
waters, and take the fugitive on board IRON s'aN
boat. o,.,,,. .;.a unit,
the warder had visited his hut put on par Oi ig No
mans shoes, tie trackers could easily usce wy
mark Of regulation convcts boot ana STRUCK ii''o
About II O'Clock came to the old convict station
in half an hour two men rode up, but they
passed T@Sy TsTf sRery s heard ET
coming at sharp trct They halted near TN me- ana
heard Patc pay wheq Tea ana an another friend
NJ. They led a spare horse mounted AZ o.ce,
and without word we struck into the bush at
gall
We reached the shore, found small boat ready for
point where expected to meet the New-Bedford
whaer. No one had thought TO bring food or water;
and twenty four hours or more the suernSS OF the
party were intense. ,
AT O'Clock on the third day we made ont the
vgilant under full sail, steering north she was was
steering straight toward us, 50 we stopped pulling ana
waited for her. But We were bound to be wofuiiy
When she was within two miles of our boat she
s sare oil n eH RSn Maue kept saying that Cap
tain Baker had given his word as man. and he could
stood up in the boat and gave loud hail that must
have been heard on board: No answer Again ne
hailed and we al Ie m sne tn~ncd point further
from AT last she came abreast OF our boat. she
was then about three miles distant Mcguire holsted
q white shirt on the end Of an oar and we shouted
again. But the Vgilant passed on and left our boat
They landed on the beach and OReillys friends
went back TO BunbuTy, promising to return IN week
and leaving him hiding in secluded Sahd valley cioSe
He climbed tree and caught an opossnm and also
him with food after three days O'Rey, still be-
leyng that Captain Baker must be Cr, 5 iEr h
attempt to board the whaler.
The row5oat was too heavy for him to pull alone;
old dOry. half buried In the sand He dug the dory
out launched it, made it water tight by plugging the
Before night had passed the headland, and was
on the Indian ocean. ] knew there was current
and sat down 10 watch and wait. 1t was very hot.
The sun famed above and the renecuon IRON INC
sail 1t the Vigildnt-therc was no other vessel
there. She drew near TO me, so near that heard
but they did not meat least Captain Baker SAYS
So She sailed away again and out of sight before
resolved TO pull back to shore and wait for Macliires
l pulled all night, off and on, and IN the
After that second bitter disappointment o'Rcilly
time for five days, and then Mcguire came back VITA
the good news that Father McCabe had arranged for
Gazelle, Captain Clifford. Bat Mcguire also brought
an cTmEa one Ntn Bowman tcketof
colony. He had discovered my escape, and had
threatened 70 put the police on the track unless nc
That night we slept little some one always keep
soon after afoat. We pulled straight out
toward the headand Captain Clifford had instructed
BY noon the two. whale'hiDs coming along
with line breeze. Toward evening we heard nail
emu board We %eTe all overjoyed We pulled along
side, and helped out OF the boat by the strong
Of Horny Hathaway, the third mate; captain
Clifford made me welcome, and gave me a place IN the
cabin. Martin Bowman. the escaped criminal was
sent forward among the crew.
ask months afterward. when the Gazcle touched
at ROderque English island in the Indian Ocean,
the Governor aboard searching for an escaped
convict from Australia. black-hared man. l was
standing with Mr. lusscy, the mate. when the GOV
ernor made the demand. The Governor answered that
Ire had information that man had escaped on the
Mr.. Hussey feared that they might seize the ship.
so he said that of that description, who had
come on board of the coast OF Australia, might be the
person lie called named Bowman, whom
and taken ashore. We knew that he would tell the
whole story Ghe wonder is that he did not do ii then
but he wished to make terms for his own released.
That night the officers OF the Gazele threw over
board the gripdstone with my hat while lay ma IN
the captains cabin A cry Of Man overboardH was
raised, a boat lowered and the hat picked up
There were board some English eX-convicts who
had shipped in Australia. and these only waited for
chance to ret retaken.
But one of them, utterly deceived by the officers
strategy. declared that he sink where hat
was picked up. When the Governor came on board
next day 10 demand his prisoner the flag was al half
mast and the officers sOrTOwfully told him that the
man he probably wanted had jumped overheard in
among the and learned the same news. TWO
days later the Gazclle sailed from Rodcriqur and
came deck. much ~ III" amazemcnt OF the crew.
That ended Mr.. OReillr's adventures. OF the
Cape Of Good Hope Captain Clifford handed him
thirteen sovcrcirnS all the money he had, and trans
fcrred him 10 the American ship sapphire. This ship
took him to Liverpool, where he was provided with
hiding place until passage was secured for
philadelphia November %. 1862 nine months after
he made his first break for the Australian bush.
pOOL-c DE THE TEEE