The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-03-16

Boys, here's falr chance Tor US
yet; the Myalls are camped 800 or 400
yards up creek and, Of course, they've
got their canoes fast to the bank there.
Now, if one of US could creep up and
steal one of them we might slip off and
be far away before morning.
"This appeared to be our best chance,
so offered to make the attempt, leaving
the others to get everything ready for
our speedy departure in case I should
succeed. Thep I stripped to a blue
shirt and trousers, belted on my six
shooter and crept cautiously down to the
bank of the creek.
sIt was about 10 o'clock, the Southern
Cross was high above the horizon and
all was still except the fain ripple OF the
water or the dismal howls of the Wild
dogs, as they called to their mates in
the scrub. Up the creek I could see the
faint CLEAN from the Myalls' camp fires,
but ali seemed quiet there for, most
probably, they were all asleep, gorged
with stolen beef. Very slowly and eau
tiously I crept along, close to the waters
edge, pausing every minute to listen in
tently, but at last I got abreast of one OF
the fires, and, sinkidg down in the grass,
peeped over at the Myalls as they lay
round the embers, sleeping soundly, with
their spears, shields and boomerangs
resting against the sides of their brush
breakwinds. They were all asleep fast
enough, so crawled along few yards
further to where seven large bark canoes
we're hauled up close to the bank. lchose
what I thought was the best one, and,
setting the others sdrift, I showed off
and dropped quietly down to where my
companions were anxiously awaiting me.
It didn't take very long to bundle our
blankets and saddles aboard and then we
padded off for the Murray, which we
reached the next morning, and landed
at Kulnine Crosiers's station. We heard
there that news had come from Yerpool,
missionary station, that the Myalls had
been holding war corrobborree, and
sent the red stick round the tribes, so
Jim Mullins and started up river IN a
hurry, as we knew that all the men were
away from Carwarp, and that there were
only Mullins's two sisters, with sold
jack" the cook, at the home station.
That night we camped on Jamison's
Run, and next day, about noon, we
came to our woolshed, which was about
two miles from Carwarp. We were just
walking our horses over the sand hills,
when we heard the short, sharp crack
of rife.
asHurry up, Tom,' said Mullins;
sthat's my rifle, sure. There's not
another like it round here So we
dashed the spurs into our horses, and
they jumped off as if they were goingto
head a mob of wild cattle. In min
ute or two scrack' went the rifle again,
but now we were going at a racing pace,
and when we came to the three-rail fence
around the home station our horses just
flew over it in their stride, and on we
galloped over the sandy ground till we
broke from the timber close to the sta
ton, and were right among mob of
bowling savages. They had broken open
the storehouse, and were scattering the
contents about in every direction. Some
had got hold OF keg of rum, and were
bowling in drunken fury as they
swarmed about the dwelling house, try
ing 70 chop down the door with their
tomahawks, while four or five of the m
were up on the roof trying to tear off the
sheets Of bark with which it was COW
cred.
Gas we swept pass the mems hut we
saw the body of 'Old Jack, tho cook,
pierced with spears. The next instant
we were busy at work among the yelling
fiends, and at every crack of revolver
down dropped sMyall. They were 40
completely astounded that they did not
attempt to show fight, but plunged into
the Murray and dived like flock Of wild
ducks to escape our bullets. As we were
going back we came on one black fellow
who had been shot through the lungs,
and to our surprise we found that he was
one of our own tame blacks.
"'Hello, Jacky,' said Mullins, what
for you want rob him station and kill
white gins, Kate and Mary9'
"The cruel eyes of the dying savage
cleaned fercely. mime want eat him
tongues belonging to white gins, then
directly mine yabber (talk) like it white
fellow and catch plenty sixpences. You
give him water, mine ehirsty.' Then he
rolled over and died.
"You may be sure the girls were right
glad to see US, for by good luck they had
happened to catch sight Of the Myalls as
they were numbering the cook, and so
had time to bar the door ard windows.
Then when the fiends got up on the roof
Kate fred the rife twice, but then the
bullet stuck half way down the barrel.
They had couple of pocket pistols, but
they kept them as last resource, to
shoot each other rather than fall into che
hands of the saynges.
"Well, the girls are both married
now, and living down near Kyneton, and
the next year we gave the Myalls in this
part such a cleaning out they never
bothered us any more on the Murray, but
lit out for the Queensland scrub, and a
mighty good riddauce too, says L.
Detroit Free Press.