After Whitehead's death, Howe became leader of the gang of bushrangers. He set up the gang as if they were on board a ship. Gang members could be punished if they broke the gang's rules. Punishment included having to cut and carry firewood, and even included being lashed (whipped). Howe would read to them from the Bible. He wrote letters to Governor Davey. In 1816 he signed the letters as "Lieutentant Governor of the Woods." In 1817 he began calling himself the "Governor of the Ranges." He was living with an aboriginal woman, called "Black Mary." Members of the gang were known to be James Garry, Peter Septon, George Jones, Richard Colier, John Chapman, Thomas Coyne, James Parker, Mathew Kegan, John Brown and Nenis Curry. The gang continued to rob people at Green Point, Coal River, and Bagdad.
In 1817, Howe wrote to Governor William Sorell and offered to give himself up in return for a free pardon (not be put in gaol for any crimes). He offered to tell the government where all the gang members could be found. He was put into Hobart gaol while he was being questioned about the gang. He escaped while being taken for a walk through Hobart to get fresh air. He went back and rejoined the gang. Governor Lachlan Macquarie in Sydney stopped the pardon, and told Sorell to put more effort in to capture Howe. Sorell offered money, a free pardon and a return to England for anyone that captured Howe.
The hunt for the bushrangers became more organized. John Chapman and a man called Elliot were shot dead by the soldiers in 1817. A gang member called Hillier cut Peter Septon's head off to claim a reward. He also tried to cut off Richard Colier's head. Both men were hurt in the struggle. Hillier was taken to Sydney where he was executed by hanging. Colier was executed in Hobart on March 26, 1818. In April, 1818, a group of convicts tried to steal a government boat. They were going to rescue Howe and take him to America. John Brown, James Parker, Thomas Coyne and Mathew Kegan gave themselves up to the military. They were all taken to Newcastle, New South Wales where they were given the lash (whipped) and sent to gaol.
In September 1818, a group came from Sydney to join in the hunt for Howe. They wanted the reward. One member of the group was the famous aboriginal tracker, Mosquito. They nearly caught him. They did get his guns and his knapsack (a backpack). In the knapsack they found his ""Journal of Dreams"". It was a book made from kangaroo skin and Howe had written in it using kangaroo blood as ink. In it Howe wrote about his fear of being killed by the aborigines, his dreams of his sister, and lists of vegetables and flowers he would grow in a house in the forest. As he escaped, Howe thought Black Mary was slowing him down, so he tried to shoot her.
On October 10, Howe was captured by two people he knew and trusted, Watts and Drewe. He managed to untie himself and stabbed Watts and shot Drewe dead. Watts died later from the injuries. On October 21, 1818, Black Mary led another two men, a convict, Thomas Worrall, and a soldier, William Pugh, to where Howe was hiding near the Shannon River. Worrall had been a sailor who had been sent to Van Diemen's Land for his part in the naval mutiny at the Nore (mouth of the Thames) in 1797. He wanted the reward so he could be free and return to England. All the men shot at each other, but after a fierce fight, Pugh and Worrall bashed Howe to death with their muskets (guns).
Howe was buried by the river, but his head was taken back to Hobart where it was put on public display.
Much of the information comes from a book by Governor Sorell's secretary, Thomas Wells. The book was called "Michael Howe, the Last and Worst of the Bushrangers of Van Diemen's Land" and printed in 1818 in Hobart. This was the first work of general literature printed in Australia.
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart (September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian musician and author. He was best known as the drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. He was also an author of 4 books, including "Ghost Rider", a book about his life after both his daughter and his wife died within a year of each other.
He won many awards for his drumming, and was a guest star as himself in the "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" movie.
Peart died from glioblastoma, which is a type of brain cancer, on January 7, 2020, in Santa Monica, California. He was 67.
Communes of the Sarthe department
There are 375 communes in the Sarthe "département", in France.
Aigné
Aigné is a commune. It is found in the Pays de la Loire region in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Aillières-Beauvoir
Aillières-Beauvoir is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Allonnes, Sarthe
Allonnes is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the north west of France.
Amné
Amné is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Ancinnes
Ancinnes is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Arçonnay
Arçonnay is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Ardenay-sur-Mérize
Ardenay-sur-Mérize is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Arnage, Sarthe
Arnage is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Arthezé
Arthezé is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Asnières-sur-Vègre
Asnières-sur-Vègre is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Assé-le-Boisne
Assé-le-Boisne is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Assé-le-Riboul
Assé-le-Riboul is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Aubigné-Racan
Aubigné-Racan is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Auvers-le-Hamon
Auvers-le-Hamon is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Auvers-sous-Montfaucon
Auvers-sous-Montfaucon is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Avesnes-en-Saosnois
Avesnes-en-Saosnois is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Avessé
Avessé is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Avezé
Avezé is a commune. It is in the Pays de la Loire region in the Sarthe department in west France.
Avoise
Avoise is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Ballon, Sarthe
Ballon is a former commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Ballon-Saint-Mars.
Bazouges-sur-le-Loir
Bazouges-sur-le-Loir is a former commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune of Bazouges Cré sur Loir.
Beaufay
Beaufay is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Beaumont-Pied-de-Bœuf, Sarthe
Beaumont-Pied-de-Boeuf is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Beaumont-sur-Dême
Beaumont-sur-Dême is a commune. It is in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Beaumont-sur-Sarthe
Beaumont-sur-Sarthe is a commune. It is found in the region Pays de la Loire in the Sarthe department in the west of France.
Beillé