CHAPTER FIVE.
The account we brought of the direction the supposed bushrangers wereriding convinced Mr Strong that such was their character, and thatpressed for food and ammunition, probably for both, they were going tosome other station to supply their wants by force. We, however, heardnothing of them, nor had they, we found, visited Captain Mason'sstation, and in what direction they had gone we could not ascertain.
Some days after the events I have described, a stockman who had beenengaged by Mr Strong's agent arrived. He had stopped at Bracewell's,and brought the sad intelligence that our friend was ill, and that hehad expressed a strong wish that either Guy or I should come and staywith him. He also greatly wanted medical advice. No doctor was to befound within sixty miles of the station. Guy and I were eager to go tothe assistance of our friend, and Mr Strong gave both of us leave.Hector having some business to transact for his father at the chieftown, and the dominie, who we found had a considerable amount of medicalknowledge, offered to go if he could be spared for a few days. To thisMr Strong did not object, and before daylight the next morning we setoff carrying huge saddle-bags in which the articles we required werestowed. Those of the dominie contained his medicine chest--not a verylarge one, but well suited for the bush, where Morrison's pills are morein request than drugs in general. We were accompanied by two dogs, oneof which had from my first arrival especially attached himself to me,and Hector, to whom he belonged, had made me a present of him.
Though anxious about our friend we were all in high spirits at theprospect of a gallop across the country, which few people in good healthcould fail to enjoy. Even the dominie forgot his fears of bushrangersand mials, or wild blacks.
Our road lay through a lightly timbered country, and here and therepatches of scrub consisting of a sweet-scented wattle. We saw pigeonsin abundance, and at times a kangaroo hopped away before us. The grass,owing to the heat of the weather, was rather yellow than green, but weknew that a few showers would soon change its hue. After traversingthis country for several miles, we saw some trees evidently much largerthan those round us. As we drew near, the vegetation below us lookedgreen, a sign that we were approaching a creek or water-hole. Just thenwe caught sight of three kangaroos leisurely cropping the grass.Before, however, we could unsling our rifles, they winded us and boundedaway at a rate which would have made it hopeless to follow them unlesswe had been accompanied by native dogs and were prepared for a longchase. We accordingly unsaddled at the hole, which was full ofunusually clear water, a luxury not often obtained in the bush. Thegrass, also, beneath the trees being shaded was closer and greener thanthat elsewhere; they were mostly tea-trees and gum-trees, many of themgrowing to a good size. Among the boughs we saw numbers of whitecockatoos, parrots, laughing-jackasses, and many other birds, whoreceived us, as we prepared to camp for our noon-day meal, with a loudchorus of varied cries.
Having allowed our horses some time to feed, we again mounted and rodeforward. We camped again at night at another water-hole, and were at anearly hour the next morning once more in our saddles.
We had proceeded some little distance, when I observed that Guy's horsehad gone lame, and presently it made a fearful stumble from which hecould with difficulty recover it.
"I am afraid that I must get off and walk, and give the horse a chanceof recovering himself," said Guy.
We pulled up, and Hector examined the animal's hoofs. A sharp thorn hadrun into his right fore-foot, and though Hector extracted it, the animalstill remained as lame as before. We should not, under ordinarycircumstances, have minded the delay, but knowing how ill Bracewell waswe were much annoyed.
At last Hector offered to remain with Guy, if the dominie and I wouldride on. To this proposal I was very glad to accede.
The dominie at first looked a little uncomfortable at having to proceedwith a single companion.
"Suppose we were to fall in with bushrangers," he observed. "Whatshould we do?"
"Shoot them through the head if they offer to interfere with you," saidHector. "You are always thinking of those fellows. The chances arethey cleared out of our district long ago when they found that we wereprepared for them."
"You may do our friend Bracewell a great deal of good," I observed, "foryou at all events know more about doctoring than any of us. You candiscover what is the matter with him."
"I certainly will not decline doing what you say," he answered, andseeing to our saddle-girths we prepared for a gallop which would bringus up to Bracewell's station before nightfall, Hector and Guy promisingto follow as fast as they could, although they would have to camp outanother night. We started off. The dominie had lately improved in hishorsemanship, and we made good play over the ground. I felt sure that Iknew the way, as the track between the two stations was tolerably welldefined. There were only two places, of no great extent, passingthrough which we should have to pull rein. At the first the ground wasunusually rough and rocky, with thick underwood. We got over it,however, and soon afterwards had to pass through a gorge in the onlyrange of hills we had to cross. The path was narrow, so that we couldnot conveniently ride side by side. I therefore, as guide, took thelead, and had unintentionally got some way ahead of the dominie, when Iheard him cry out, and turning round to see what was the matter I foundmy right arm seized by a fellow who had sprung out from behind a rockwhile another grasped my horse's rein, and the next instant I wasdragged to the ground.
"Stuck up at last, young master," cried a voice which I recognised asthat of the tall bushranger Guy and I had before encountered and drivenoff. "Do not be a fool and show fight, or I'll blow your brains out.Here, hand out what you've got about you. You may think yourselffortunate if we leave you the clothes on your back, but we don't wantthem. Do as I tell you, down on your knees and stay there, while I feelyour pockets."
As may be supposed I did not carry much money in the bush, but onleaving home I had put a couple of sovereigns in my pocket. My rifle,of course, I expected to lose.
While the bushranger was performing the operation of cleaning me out, asavage bull-dog approached, and I thought was going to fly at me, but Ifound his eyes were directed towards some object at my back, whichproved to be my faithful Carlo, who, however ready to do battle in mycause, thought it prudent, in the presence of a superior force, to yieldto circumstances.
All this time I could not see what was happening to the dominie, but Iconcluded that he would wisely not attempt to make any resistance, andthat he was being cleaned out as I was. I did not again hear his voice,and as the bushranger swore that he would shoot me through the headshould I move, I thought it as well not to look round lest he should puthis threat into execution. The fellow who had taken my horse now pickedup my gun and carried it off to a short distance. Two of them thenproduced a rope, intending, I concluded, to treat the dominie and me asthey had Bracewell.
As the man who stood over me returned his pistol to his belt, I took aglance round to try and ascertain what had become of my companion, buthe was nowhere to be seen, and I feared, therefore, that they intendedto bind him to a tree at such a distance that we could hold nocommunication with each other. My dog Carlo was also not to be seen; Ifelt, however, nearly sure that the bushrangers had not carried him off.I had often remarked his peculiar sagacity, and hoped that, finding hecould do me no good, he had kept out of the way to avoid the risk ofbeing either killed or captured. I soon found that my anticipationswere correct. The bushranger now holding a pistol to my head made meget up and walk to a tree some distance from the track, so that shouldany travellers pass by I should not be discovered. I might have acted amore heroic part had I struggled desperately, seized a pistol, andattempted to blow out the brains of one of the ruffians; but as I feltthat it was more than likely I should lose my own life, I considered itwiser to yield with calmness and dignity.
The villains were well up to their work, and having secured my handsbehind me, they fastened me in so effectual a way to a tree, that Icou
ld not possibly set myself at liberty.
Without speaking another word to me, the big bushranger led off myhorse, carrying with him my gun and articles he had taken from me, anddisappeared among the trees. I saw two other persons leading a horse,going in the same direction, one of whom I felt sure, from his figure,was Vinson, though I did not see his countenance. Indeed, I suspectthat he had unintentionally avoided coming near me.
As soon as the bushrangers had gone, I looked round in search of thedominie, but could nowhere discover him. I could scarcely hope that hehad escaped, or, if he had, that he had got off on horseback. I feltnearly sure that the horse I had just seen led away by the robbers washis. I was thus left in doubt how they had treated him, whether theyhad bound him as they had me, or used greater violence. As soon as Ifancied that they had gone off to a sufficient distance not to hear me,I shouted to the dominie, hoping to hear a reply. Not a sound reachedmy ears, and I began seriously to apprehend that they had knocked him onthe head or stabbed him. I remembered the dread he had always expressedof the bushrangers, and I thought it possible that he might have hadsome especial reason for fearing them. Perhaps he had known one ofthem, or might have attempted at some time or other to betray them intothe hands of the police.
After shouting in vain for some minutes, I began to lose all hope ofreceiving a reply. What had become of Carlo, I could not tell; I fearedthat the bushrangers must have killed him, as I felt nearly sure that hewould not have deserted me, either to make his escape from the scene ofdanger, or to follow them. I should have been glad to have him by myside for the sake of companionship; it also struck me that should hecome, he might possibly be able to bite through the thongs if I couldshow him what I wanted done. I called to him several times, but he didnot appear. At last I arrived at the conclusion that the bushrangershad killed him. I now began to think of my own dangerous position,while thus utterly unable to defend myself. If discovered by hostileblacks, they would make me a target for their spears, or a pack ofdingoes might attack me. I never had heard of their assaulting a livingman, but I saw no reason why they should not do so, should they discoverthat I had no means of defending myself. A snake or scorpion might biteme, and mosquitoes or other stinging insects were sure to find me outand annoy me; while I had the prospect of remaining without water orfood for hours, or perhaps days to come, when I might at last perishfrom hunger and thirst. Such and other gloomy thoughts passed throughmy mind. I had not from the first struggled, for I felt sure that Ishould thus tighten the thongs which bound me. Now, however, I set towork calmly to try and release myself, by drawing up one of my hands,hoping that if I could but get my head low enough to reach the thonground my arm, I might in time gnaw it through; but after making avariety of efforts I found that the attempt was vain, and giving it up,I resigned myself to my fate, whatever that might be.
Still it must be understood that I did not altogether lose hope. Therewas the possible chance of the dominie having escaped, and that sometraveller might be coming by and release me, as Guy and I had releasedBracewell. Still many hours might pass before then, and I was alreadysuffering from thirst, though I was not troubled by hunger. Being outof the path, I could only hope to attract attention from passers-by byshouting as I heard the sound of their horses' footsteps. This I coulddo as long as I retained my senses, but I might, I feared, drop off intoa state of stupor, and those who might have released me might be closeat hand without my knowing it.
Suddenly I thought I would make one more attempt to ascertain if thedominie was within hearing. I shouted as loud as I could bawl, and thengave a cooey, which would reach further than any other sound. Ilistened; a faint cry came from a distance. It was the dominie's voice,I thought, but could not make out what he said. The tones weremelancholy in the extreme. It might be some consolation to him, poorfellow, to know that I was alive, and I no longer doubted that thebushrangers had treated him in the same manner that they had me, thoughI suspected that he had been either stunned or so frightened that he hadnot before heard my shouts or been able to reply. I intended every nowand then to give him a hail, when it occurred to me that our voicesmight attract any blacks passing at a distance, and that we should thusincrease the risk of being killed by them.
I could scare sly tell how the hours went by. At length darkness cameon, and I began to doze. It was the best thing I could do, as itprevented me from feeling either hunger or thirst. I was, however,quickly awakened by the thongs cutting my limbs as I bent forward. Ithen tried to lean against the tree with my feet out, and in thatposition I escaped the pressure on my limbs, and was at last able todrop off to sleep. My slumbers, as may be supposed, were far frompleasant, indeed I was conscious all the time that somethingdisagreeable had happened; but still, by thus snatching a few intervalsof sleep, I found that the night passed away faster than I should havesupposed possible. Strange sounds occasionally reached my ears. Ifancied that I heard in the distance the yelping and barking of a packof dingoes, and as the brutes often hunt together in considerablenumbers, I dreaded that they might find out the dominie and me, and tearus to pieces. With intense relief I saw the streaks of dawn appear inthe sky. The laughing-jackass uttered his cheerful notes, and parrotsand other birds began to chirp and screech and chatter. The soundtended somewhat to raise my spirits, though the pangs of hunger andthirst which now oppressed me soon became insupportable. As in daylightthe blacks might be passing, I was afraid of attracting their attentionby crying out, so that I was unable to ascertain how it fared with thepoor dominie. When the sun rose, the heat became oppressive, and theinsects began to buzz about my face, while I had no power to drive themoff.
This annoyance was trying in the extreme. I spluttered and spat, andwinked my eyes, and shook my head, to very little effect; and althoughthe creatures did not often bite me, their buzzing and tickling almostdrove me mad. At last a sound struck my ear. It was the bay of ahound, then came a bark, and the next instant the faithful Carlo boundedup to me, and licking my face, soon drove off the flies. Then, havingexhibited his delight, away he went barking cheerfully. Presently thesound of the tramping of horses' hoofs reached my ears, but on a sudden,the sound ceased, and I feared that I had been deceived; but then itoccurred to me that the rider had discovered the dominie, and wasstopping to set him at liberty. In a few seconds I caught sight of ahorseman. It was my brother Guy, who came galloping up to me. Throwinghimself from his saddle, without stopping to ask questions he cut thethongs which bound me to the tree.
"You looked so pale that I thought that was the first thing to do," saidGuy, as he supported me in his arms, and gradually let me sink down onthe ground, for I could not stand. "Hector is looking after thedominie, he is even in a worse condition than you are."
"I am fearfully thirsty," I said.
"I knew you must be," he replied, applying a water-bottle to my mouth.
The draught, which was tolerably cool, had an almost instantaneouseffect, and I was at once able to get up on my feet.
"We thought something had happened when Carlo, rushing back, camebarking and pulling at our trousers; and as soon as we could catch ourhorses, in spite of the lameness of mine, we started off. We could nottravel fast at night, but immediately day broke we galloped on; and I amthankful indeed, my dear Maurice, to find you uninjured--but how did youget into this plight?"
I briefly told him of the way the bushrangers had stuck me up.
"The villains! I wish that we could find them. Now, get up on myhorse, and we will go to where I left Hector and the dominie. We'llbreakfast as soon as we can reach a water-hole. We passed one a littleway back, and we must then try and get on to Bracewell's as soon aspossible."
With his assistance, I mounted his horse, and we soon reached the spotwhere Hector was attending to the dominie, who was slowly recovering. Ireally believe, from the condition he was in, that he would soon havedied. One of the ruffians had struck him over the head with the butt ofhis pistol, but he had suffe
red more from fear than from the blow, forhe fully believed that they were going to put him to death. He waslifted on Hector's horse, and we soon reached the water-hole. The firewas quickly lighted, and after a good breakfast on a paddy-melon--asmall species of kangaroo--which Hector had shot the previous evening,we felt greatly revived, and fully able to continue the journey; indeed,I felt myself as strong as ever. Guy and Hector ran alongside thehorses, and we made good progress. We had reached an open part of thecountry, when we caught sight of a figure seated on a fallen log. Hisback was towards us, and he did not appear to notice our approach;indeed, so motionless did he sit, that he might have been mistaken for abronze statue. He had not a rag round his body, but on his shoulderswere a number of raised marks, produced by making slashes in the skin,and filling them up with clay, so that when the wound healed, anelevated scar was made. His hair was fastened in a top-knot, and he hada long pointed beard, with moustache on his lips, his prominent nosehaving nothing of the negro character about it. Fastened to a beltround his waist was a snake and a little kangaroo rat, on which heevidently intended to make his dinner. A cord round his neck supporteda shell ornament in front, and a tassel behind completed his costume. Idescribe him, of course, not as we saw him when at a distance, butaccording to the appearance he presented on a further acquaintance.Suddenly, as we came upon him, he seemed in no way alarmed; but, jumpingup, he seized his spear and throwing-stick which lay on the ground athis side. Seeing, however, that he could not possibly escape us, hemade no attempt to run.
As we approached, Hector, who from a long intercourse with the blackswas able to make him understand what he said, inquired whether he hadseen any white men passing that way, and should he have done so, whetherhe could tell us who they were.
The black, without hesitation, replied, saying, that he had seen no lessthan four, that they were armed with guns, and were leading a couple ofhorses.
"That looks suspicious. They must have been the bushrangers," observedHector; "and if--as I think possible--they are not far off, we must tryand capture the fellows, or at all events recover our horses."
Hector, who closely questioned the black, was satisfied that he wishedto be honest, and accordingly asked him if he thought that he couldtrack the bushrangers. He replied, without hesitation, that if he oncecame upon their trail he could do so.
"Lead on, then," said Hector.
Anxious as we were to get to Bracewell's, it was important to recoverour horses, and if possible to capture the robbers. We were fiveagainst four, for having promised the black a handsome reward, if weshould catch one or more of the villains, we could trust to his aid, andhis spear would be of as much use as our guns at close quarters; but wecould not reckon much on the assistance of the dominie, whosenervousness we thought would prevent him from doing what was necessary.
We had not gone far, when the black declared positively, that he hadfound the trail of the robbers, and that probably they would be encampedat a water-hole not far off.
Our undertaking was one requiring the greatest caution, for they werecertain to be on the watch, and being well armed, would prove formidableopponents. We might, to be sure, steal upon them during the darkness ofnight and shoot them down, but we had no wish to do that; our object wasto recover our property and bring them to justice. The black showedhimself to be an admirable scout. The evening was drawing on when hetold us that we were not far from where he expected to find them. Howit happened that they had not ridden to a distance, it was impossible tosay; probably the spot they had chosen, being out of the high road, theydid not expect to be discovered.
Securing our horses in a thick scrub, where they were completelyconcealed, we cautiously advanced, the black going ahead. It was bythis time getting quite dark. Our great fear was that the dog they hadwith them would wind us, and if so it would be necessary to shoot thecreature as it approached. This, of course, would give them the alarm,though we hoped to spring upon them and knock over two or three beforethey could escape. The horses were probably feeding at a distance, andthe saddles and baggage would be at the camp.
We were noiselessly making our way, when the black signed to us to halt,and then began to creep forward. Anxious to have a look at the fellowsI followed his example, carrying my pistols in my belt, and I found thatCarlo was close at my heels, evidently aware that danger was at hand.At last the black stopped, when I joined him; and looking over some lowshrubs, I saw the four bushrangers seated round a fire, their saddlesand baggage and their guns lying on the ground near them. Theyevidently did not suppose that there was any chance of their beingattacked. The only one of their party who seemed to be on the watch wastheir bull-dog, who, lifting up his head, turned his eyes towards us.The wind was blowing from them to us, or the dog would have smelt usout. As it was I fully expected every moment to see him dash forwardwith a loud bark to where we lay. I did not dare to move, and scarcely,indeed, to breathe.
After watching for some time, the black began slowly to retreat, and Iwas truly thankful when we got out of hearing of their voices.
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