Waterbury Democrat., 1902-06-19
GricYe, BiSSct x Holland
THE CATTLE DUFFER.

The cattle duffer belongs to now fast-dwindling class. Happily so!
 In bygone days, when settlement was scanty, the country for the most part wild and untenanted, and when big squatters were the only pioneers of the vast interior pastoral regions, he hourished exceedingly, and drove his gay but nefarious trade with a fine dash and recklessness and a contempt uous disregard of the police His number was then to be reckoned by the hundred.
 His methods were as follows He built himself hut in the heart of some great forest, situated within a measur- able distance of two or more big cattle stations. Near the hut he constructed an enclOsure-a paddock surrounded with log-leg fence Ia log-leg fence Is made by heaping the trunks of sap ling trees about forked stakes driven Into the ground.) These paddocks always embraced a stream of running water and were often many acres in extent.
 Having so provided himself, he de- scended on horseback at night upon the squatting runs, armed with a stock whip and revolver, and what cattle he could find he drove off to his faStness When his stolen herd had accumula- ted to sufficiently brave proportions, assisted by his servants and fellow robbers, he proceeded to alter their brands Roping and throwing the cat tie one by one, first the old brand was obliterated by applying a red-hot, broad, flat searingiron to the spot, and then, after allowing a time for the wounds to heal, his own brand was imprinted on the scar. So treated, the proper owners of the animals could never identify them. The cattle duff fer thereupon drove his pray to the nearest market. and sold them at auc- non, often to the very men whom he had robbed.
 sometimes he was caught red-hand- ed by his enemies the squatters, and was convicted and imprisoned. some times he was shot and perished miser- ably in the bush, the story of his end known only to the man who slew him. who wisely kept the secret to himself: but more often he escaped scotfree. made much money. retired from his laWless calling, and developed into a squatter on his own account. Many great colonial fortunes have been so founded
 It is an open secret that the late mill 1lonafre, James Tyson, Australia richest pastoralist, commenced life as cattle duffer. l knew one once inti. -mately myself, who died recently worth several hundred thousand pounds. He was clerk of petty ses sions in town of the New England plains, respectable Government ser. yant-but only in the daytime; after dark he was prince of cattle duffers employing over twenty rascaIs. a1 whose head he led many a wild mid. night raid in that rich squatting dis trict. W
 For almost twenty years he carried on his double life. his villainy m. suspected by the many, known only te a few, whose silence he purchased wifi ms tainted gold He was appointed Z justice of the peace, and in all in. odors of sanctity. It may interes Englishmen to learn that he was :, scot, Hielander, whose ancestor, were famous covenanting chiefs, who gave much trouble to Lowland farmer. III thelr day. l have seen in hE stu6y rusted old broadsword. which he de clared had, in the hand of an ancieu grandsire. cut off a lock of Clayer houses wig. "A braw swip~,'' the ol, scoundrel used to say, s'but hardly can ny Anither inch to left or right. ane Drumelog would never have bee, 1ocht'- Australian correspondent, London Mail.