Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-07-03
BUSH RANGERS GRATITUDE.

iOT every ye"'
~ hadlived. had
exactly four pounds to begin life on
in the colony, and that was more
than some of the English boys who
had come out with me could boast Of.
We were o queer lot who had sailed
from Liverpool-gentlemen, loafers,
clerks, lackeys, whole families, single
men, servants and what not-all bent
On a new life in the wonderful island
Of the Indian Ocean. We had come
in a sailing ship and been knocked
about for months, and n happy lot
we were to be set on shore in the then
small and struggling town have
named.
Luck was with me. On the second
Cay after landing l hired to sheep
raiser who had a ranch on the Murray
River near it's junction with the Dnrl-
ing, and on the third we started of
up the country. We had two OK
teams-that is, We had two covered
wagons, each loaded with supplies
and each drawn by three yoke of
oxen. A part OF the goods were to be
left with settlers along the route, and
part belonged to Mr.. Davidson, my
employer. He did not hire me, not
being present, but the teams were in
charge of an overseer named Mccall,
whom l soon found to be a good
natured, good-hearted fellow. Each
of US had native to assist in man
aging the teams. and, though neither
OF them could speak ten words OF
English, they were valuable men, and
hadno difficulty in being understood.
1t was abou. Christmas time, and
the weather was very sultry, and we
aimed to make only fifteen miles a
day. We had a full week q Journey
before us. and nothing of much inter
est happened until the fourth day.
We went into camp little earlier
than usual on that afternoon, rs
one of the wagons needed repairs.
Our vehicles, after coming to- a halt,
stood about twenty-five ieet apart.
While / was building a fire to get
supper by one of the blacks went of
alter rabbits, and Mccall took tile
other with him to help cut and bring
back a lever with which to raise tho
wagon off it's wheels. was thus left
alone for u few minutes, and they
had scarcely disappeared IRON sight
in the scrub when a man burst out
of the thicket on the other side and
came running up tome. His face and
hands were scratched and bleeding
his clothing in tatters, his hat gone,
and he had such wild and terrible
look that l should have run away
from him had been able to do any
thing but stand and stare with
mouth wide open. Mccall had told
me of escaped convicts and
hard cases who had taken to the
bush to make living by robbing
and the man had come upon me sc
suddenly that was knocked cut tor
the moment.
For Gods sake, young TELLER, give
me a bite to cat!" he said as he stood
before me. don't he afraid of me-
Pm a sheep herder who has been lost
in the bush for three days"
lstepped to the wagon and hand
ed him a piece of bncon, some hard
crackers, and handful of tea, and
then found voice to ask:
But why not stop with us for the
night"
"Thanks, but I'm in a great hurry
to get back to my helc. know
where / am now, and cai. get there
in three hours. Any matchesP"
Igave him some and he looked al
around to make sure that we were
alone, and then said:
Young Teller do me q grente,
favor still. Lend me your pisto
and knife until tomorrow, when vol
will pass my station. And, further
more he kind enough not to mention
to any one that was here. DO this
and you shall never regret it,
l handed him knife and pistol
promised what he asked, and he
shook me by the hand and disap
peared in the scrub. Ten minutes
after he had gone ! figured it out
that he was a bushman who had
been hard rim by the police, but il
was oil the aame to me. He could
have taken what he wanted for all oil