This advice we were ready enough to adopt, and we had no fear, should we
meet them on the open ground, of keeping them at bay; but we wished
especially to avoid being caught asleep, either at night or resting
during the noon-day heat.
We had, at this time, literally no experience about Australia. We had
read a few books, to be sure, but Mr Strong had not described the
country, and only advised our father to send us out without incumbrances
of any description--a small stock of serviceable clothes, a few books
and a box of pills apiece. We followed out his injunctions almost to
the letter, adding only some well-made tools, a fowling-piece each, and
a supply of ammunition, to which we added on our arrival a few
necessaries for travelling in the bush.
Thus we found that one animal could carry all our worldly possessions, a
few odd articles for immediate use being packed in our saddle-bags. We
were now, as the day was wearing on, looking out for a convenient place
to camp. We tried to make Toby understand that we wished for one in
which we could not easily be surprised by natives, or if surprised,
where we could defend ourselves with some hope of success.
The nature of the ground had changed since the morning, and we now
entered a rocky and wild-looking district.
Here we should have no difficulty, we thought, in selecting a spot for
our camp. We were looking about, when we spied in the distance what
appeared to be the figure of a man standing against a tree. My brother
instantly rode forward and I following him saw a person who, to all
appearance, though in bush costume, was a gentleman, bound with his
hands behind his back, and secured firmly to a tree. He was deadly pale
and seemed so much exhausted that he did not even speak to us as we
approached.
To leap from our horses and release him without asking questions, was
the work of a minute. Having put him on his feet and waited until he
had somewhat recovered, we inquired how he had been placed in the
position in which we had found him.
"Some rascally bushrangers surprised, and `stuck me up,'" he answered.
"I had just dismounted, when three of them, who had been lying in
ambush, suddenly sprang on me, and before I could draw my revolver,
knocked me down.
"I fully believed that they intended to murder me, but they contented
themselves with carrying off my horse and arms and ammunition and
everything I had about me; having lashed me to this tree, and then
galloped away, leaving me to the chance of dying of thirst and
starvation, or being gnawed to death by the dingoes. Had you not come
up, such might have been my fate; and, believe me, I am deeply grateful
to you for rescuing me from it."
We had been aware of the possibility that we might meet with natives,
but had not thought of the likelihood of encountering bushrangers,
indeed we fancied that the country was no longer infested by such
characters.
We, of course, having assured the stranger that we were very glad to
have been of use to him, invited him to accompany us until he could
obtain another horse, and offered to let him ride one of ours by turns.
"I should like however to try and catch the fellows who robbed you;"
exclaimed Guy. "Is there any chance of overtaking them? Surely they
will encamp not far from this, and if we follow their tracks we might
come upon them as suddenly as they surprised you."
"Very little chance of that," observed the stranger. "They are
desperate fellows, and, knowing that every man's hand is against them,
keep a strict watch. They are aware that it is possible that I might be
released, and will probably ere this have got a good many miles away, I
am, however, grateful to you for your offer, though I am sorry to delay
you. I confess that, without a gun or flint and steel, I should be very
sorry to perform the rest of the journey on foot by myself. I am going
to the north-west, and I judge, from the direction you were riding, that
our roads lie the same way."
Guy told him that we were bound for Mr Strong's station, which we
understood was nearly a hundred miles off; and at the rate we could
travel with our baggage-horse, we did not expect to reach it for three
or four days.
Observing how ill the stranger looked I suggested that we should at once
look out a good spot for camping.
"I can help you, as I know the country," said the stranger. "A short
distance further on there is a water-hole in what during the rainy
season is sometimes a torrent; we can there obtain all the requisites
for a camp."