The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-06-25
A DEBT OF GRATITUDE

The day arrived in Adelaide, Aus
tralia, was twenty years old, and my
pocket contained dollar for every year
had lived. 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 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 a 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
day after landing 1 hired to a sheep
raiser who had a ranch on the Murray
River, near its junction with the Darling,
and on the third we started off 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 a 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 / soon
found to be good-natured, good
hearted fellow. Each of us had a native
to assist in managing the teams, and,
though neither of them could speak ten
words of English, they were valuable
men, and had no difficulty in being under
stood.
1t was about Christmas time, and the
weather was very sultry, and we aimed
to make only fifteen miles day. We had
a full weeks journey before us, and moth
ing of much interest happened until
the fourth day. We went into camp a
little earlier than usual ON that afternoon,
as one of the wagons needed repairs. Our
vehicles, afer coming to halt, stood
about twenty-five feet apart. While l
was building fire to cook supper by one
of the blacks went off after rabbits, and
Mccall took the other with him to help
cut and bring back lever with which to
raise the wagon off its wheels. l was
thus left alone for a few minutes, and
they had scarcely disappeared from sight
in the scrub when man burst out of the
thicket on the other side and came run
ming up to me. His face and hands
were scratched and bleeding, his clothing
in tatters, his hat gone, and he had such
wild and terrible look that / should
have run away from him had been able
to do anything 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
so suddenly that was knocked out for
the moment.
"For Gods sake, young feller, give me
a bite to eat!" he said as he stood before
me. "Dont be afraid of me-I'm a
sheep herder who has been lost in the
bush for three days"
stepped to the wagon and handed
him a piece of bacon, some hard crack
ers, and handful of tea, and then
found voice to ask;
'But why not stop with us for the
night9'
"Thanks, but I'm in great hurry to
get back to my herd. / know where l
am now, and can get there in three
hours. Any matehes"
/ gave him some, and he looked all
around to make sure that we were alone,
and then said:
"Young feller, do me a greater favor
still. Lend me your pistol and knife un-
til tomorrow, when you will pass my
station. And, furthermore, be kind
enough not to mention to any one that
was here, Do this and you shall never
regret it."
handed him knife and pistol, prom
ised what he asked, and he shook me by
the hand and disappeared in the scrub.
Ten minutes after he had gone Figured it
out that he was bushman who had been
hard run by the police, but it was all the
same to me. He could have taken what
he wanted for all of me, as l felt per-
fectly helpless, and l was thankful that
he had come and gone without knocking
me on the head. Just as Mccall came
up with the lever there was clatter of
hoofs, and l looked up to see five
mounted men ride into camp. They were
in the uniform Of the patrol, and the ap-
pearance of the horses and the men
showed that they had had "a long ride OF
it.
"Well, Capt, White, what is itl" asked
Mccall, who seemed to know every one OF
the five.
"Been after Ballarat Sam again, re-
piled the Captain as he dismounted.
sAnd lost him2"
eyes; curse the luck We struck him
near Dobney's yesterday morning, and he
led US chase of fifty miles during the
day. We killed his horse about dark last
night and had him surrounded in the