CAPTURE OF THE BUSHRANGERS, AND DEATH OF NOSEY.
"Vot, is the Yankees going vid us?" asked Steel Spring, when he saw
Murden shaking hands with us, to bind the contract.
The question was such an impudent one that I did not feel indignant, and
perhaps our calmness restrained the lieutenant from giving vent to his
wrath, which we saw blazing in his eyes. At any rate he managed to
answer in a quiet tone that we were to accompany him, and that the
rifles which we carried, and which he had previously expressed a great
dread of, would cover his body during our march.
"Then Nosey is as good as dead," cried the lank wretch, hardly deeming
it worth while to notice the allusion to himself; and so elated did he
appear, that he actually borrowed a plug of tobacco from Maurice, and
forgot to return it until asked to do so.
"A portion of the men may continue digging a grave, while the rest ran
retreat to our late den and get our carbines and arms all ready. There
is no knowing how soon we may want them."
The orders of Murden were obeyed promptly; and in spite of the rain
which still poured down in torrents, the guns were put in complete
order, and loaded ready for use. By the time the latter job was
completed the grave was announced to be finished, and with not a prayer
or a word of regret did we consign to the earth the remains of the dead
bushrangers. They were all thrown in together, without much regard to
order or decency, for the policemen were too accustomed to such a state
of things to become sentimental; and with a last look at the
weather-beaten face of the old sailor, I turned away and walked towards
the opposite end of the clearing.
After concluding the burial of the men there was nothing for us to do
but to sit down, light our pipes, and see the rain continue with
unnatural fury. The progress of the flames was completely checked, and
we hoped that if the storm continued an hour longer we should be enabled
to pick our way over the burned district, find something to eat, and
then fall upon Nosey before he thought it time to look after us.
That he supposed we were dead there was but little cause to doubt, for
he would not anticipate the earthing process, and would feel some
astonishment to find that we had passed through the ordeal in safety. At
any rate, after we had concluded to proceed against him, we felt anxious
to begin the good work, and have it off our minds.
The morning's sun, however, soon dispersed the clouds and dried up the
rain, and when we examined the burned district we were rejoiced to find
that we could pass over the ground if our feet were protected with
shoes, a precaution which none will omit if an Australian forest is to
be visited. In these important articles of clothing we were well
supplied, and without delay we started. Murden gave the word to move
forward, but first impressed upon the minds of the men the necessity of
caution in regard to the manner in which their guns were carried, for,
as he quietly observed, "we have enemies to kill, and can't afford to
despatch each other. A spark of fire is sufficient to ignite our powder,
and then where should we be?"
We found his advice good, for sparks from half-burned trees were
showered upon our heads as we carefully picked our way through stumps
that were black and charred and still aglow. On we went, as swift as
possible, the soles of our shoes getting warmer and warmer each moment,
until we feared that our feet would blister and burn with the exposure.
At length, however, we saw the spot where we had left the team, and with
a wild shout of exultation we rushed for it, each man striving to be
first in the race.
Smith, nimble of foot, and urged by anxiety for the loss of his cattle,
outstripped us all; but the poor fellow's face changed when he saw the
wanton destruction of his property; for the bushrangers, not content
with robbing our cart of every thing which it contained, had
deliberately backed it into the fire, and the "body was completely
burned off. The wheels, however, were good, and so were its axletrees,
and I knew that it would enable us to reach the mines with a little
patching. The most cruel part of the proceedings was the chaining of a
yoke of oxen to huge trees and allowing them to die a lingering,
terrible death. The villains were not prompted to the deed by hunger,
for their bodies remained untouched, burned to a crisp, apparently.
"If I had a bushranger within reach," cried Smith, surveying the bodies
of his favorites with almost tearful eyes, "I think that I should be
tempted to roast him alive, as my poor oxen have been. Why, of all the
mean acts that the devils were ever guilty of, this is the meanest."
"Don't repine, Smith," said Murden; "when you get back to Melbourne I'll
see that you have a yoke of cattle to replace them."
"I don't wish to hurt your feelings, Smith," Fred exclaimed, "but as the
cattle are dead and cannot be brought to life, I think that the best
thing we can do is to satisfy our appetites from their carcasses. I, for
one, am hungry, and think that a pound of steak is almost worth its
weight in gold. Let's strip the skin from one of the brutes, and see
whether the flesh is burned up."
"A good idea, and one that we will adopt," cried Murden, with alacrity.
"Maurice, where is your knife?"
The officer did not wait for a second bidding, for he scraped off the
worst of the burned portions of the hide, and then ripped it off,
leaving about the hind quarters as juicy and wholesome looking meat as
a man could wish for when in a state of hunger. Smith turned away, too
much grieved to touch the food thus opportunely prepared, but the rest
of us showed no such signs of delicacy, for in a twinkling our knives
were out and cutting huge slices of the beef. The smell was very
provoking of hunger, and so Smith thought, for he apparently could stand
abstinence no longer. He joined us in our attack, and muttered as he did
so:
"I don't see why the rest of you should fill up, while I starve;
although I still contend, that to tie the poor things up and let them
die such a death was cowardly and mean."
And always after that, if Smith wished to express the very quintessence
of brutality and meanness, he would refer to the death of his favorites.
Our dinner was soon despatched, and once more we shouldered our arms,
and under the direction of Steel Spring, skirted along the edge of the
forest in quest of the lair of the bushrangers. We had proceeded but a
mile or two when we saw the three men left in charge of the horses,
galloping along apparently in search of us; and when they discovered
that we were alive, and but little the worse for our fiery siege, their
astonishment knew no bounds.
They stated that the flames had lighted up the country for miles in
extent, and that they had tried to raise a party of miners, on their way
to Melbourne, to come to our assistance; but that fear of being robbed
or losing their lives prevented them. In fact, every one they had spoken
to had construed the fire into a ruse of the bushrangers to entrap
people, and would not believe that a large police force was in the
woods, and surrounded by fire on all sides.
We gladly mounted our animals, for the men had taken the precaution, by
the advice of the old convict's daughter, to bring our own horses with
the rest; and then mounted Steel Spring behind Maurice, first taking the
precaution of tying them together for fear of mistakes, as we told the
former, and not from any doubts of his honesty--an admission which made
the fellow grin until his huge mouth expanded from ear to ear.
The balance of our company was served in the same way, and after a sharp
gallop of fifteen minutes, Steel Spring intimated that we had better
dismount and approach the remainder of the distance with less noise if
we wished to be successful in our designs. His advice was taken; when
leaving two men to attend to the horses, we went forward at a brisk
walk, and soon found an entrance to the forest that apparently had been
long in use.
"This is the spot," whispered Steel Spring, "where Nosey's gang enters
hafter a thieving job. Ah, many's the time I've been so loaded with
plunder that I could 'ardly stand." But that's all passed now, you know,
and in future I'm to be 'onest and good."
"How far from this entrance is the camp?" asked Murden.
"Not mor'n a mile, sir."
"Then lead the way. Maurice, walk by the side of him, and if--but you
know what I mean."
"I think I do, sir," answered the policeman, drawing one of his
formidable holster pistols, and examining the cap with a careful glance.
"Vell, please don't pint it this way, 'cos I'm always nervous about
firearms in the 'ands of inexperienced persons."
"Don't be alarmed," replied Maurice, composedly; "I'm well acquainted
with the pistol, and once killed a bushranger with it at the distance of
fifteen rods."
"Did it hurt him?" asked Steel Spring, with a shudder.
"I don't think that it did, for he never complained to me about the
transaction," replied Maurice, with a grin. Steel Spring regarded the
face of his companion for a moment in silence, and then seemed to decide
that it would be better not to meddle with such a cool philosopher.
"Are we ready?" asked Murden, after every man had once more examined his
gun and pistols.
"All ready, sir," answered the squad, eager to push forward.
"Then step light and keep your eyes about you. Smith, will you and the
stockman defile to the left of us, while Fred and Jack perform the same
duty on the right? It is the post of danger I offer you, gentlemen."
We readily accepted our location; for we had hinted to Murden that our
safety required some such disposition of our forces, and he had acted on
the suggestion.
On we stole, slowly, but noiselessly, each man looking to see where he
planed his foot, so that no cracking of dry bushes should give warning
of our approach. In fact, so well had the men improved under Fred's
hints and observations, that they would have passed for old Indian
hunters to a casual observer.
Rover, as though aware of the nature of the expedition, trotted along a
few yards in advance of us, stopping every few minutes to snuff the air,
and then glance at my face, saying as plain as language could express
the words, "There's no danger yet--come along and I'll give you
warning."
For over an hour we picked our way, at each step whispering our repeated
vows to shoot our guide if he did not conduct us right; and when I had
begun to think that the fellow was playing us false, he suddenly
stopped, and repeated his caution for silence.
"Ve is close to um," he said. "A few steps more and ve'll be in sight of
their camp. Now, don't you think I'd better go behind, 'cos I'm not good
at fightin', and Nosey is the devil when he gets in a rage."
"Don't stop to remonstrate," Murden replied. "Lead us to the very camp
of the bushrangers, and don't think that you can go to the rear, and
escape the action of my pistol in case you play us false. Onward you
go."
"Here's a precious fix," muttered Steel Spring. "I've got to lead the
way to the presence of that old devil, Nosey, and I know's he'll pin me
the fust."
"Stop your grumbling," said Maurice, "or I'll treat your lank body to a
dose of this."
He pointed to his huge pistol, and the threat effectually silenced all
objections on the part of the guide, who meekly continued to move on, as
though under the influence of some charm which he could not resist.
Ten minutes brought us to the edge of a clearing similar to the one
which Black Darnley and his gang had occupied. It was in the most dense
part of the forest, and well chosen for secrecy. Near the edge was a
spring of water, and directly in the centre of the vacant space was a
log hut of large dimensions, with loopholes through which muskets could
be poked in case of an assault.
There was no sign of life about the premises, and we were led to wonder
whether the gang was within the hut sleeping off last night's fatigue,
or whether they were off on an expedition. If the latter surmise was
correct, we might have to wait three or four days before they returned,
and that was something which we could not afford to do.
If the gang was asleep, an excellent opportunity was offered to capture
them without the loss of a man; but who would venture to creep to the
hut and find out, when there was a probability of a dozen men being
encompassed behind those walls, waiting to take us by surprise, instead
of our treating them to such a course of strategy!
Murden looked first at his men, but they rather avoided his eyes, and
then his glance wandered to the old convict, but he did not appear to
take the hint, and returned the stave with one of mildness. Fred's turn
came next, and in him the right man was found.
"I see what you want, lieutenant," Fred said, with a smile, "and I am
ready to comply. Keep me well covered with your guns, and think there is
not much danger."
He left his rifle with me, and then, getting upon his hands and knees,
crept forward, carefully sheltering his body, as far as possible, with
stumps and tufts of grass, until he reached the door, which stood open.
He glanced hastily in, and then, without wasting time, turned his steps
towards us as fast as possible.
"Well," we whispered, "what have you to report?"
"The bushrangers are in the hut, and sleeping, I think."
"Are you sure?" asked Murden.
"No. I am not sure that they are sleeping, but I am sure that they are
lying on the floor, and apparently are not aware of our approach,"
returned Fred.
"Then let us move onward without delay, for the cracking of a branch
might cost us our lives, and that is something none of us wish to spare,
just now."
With cautious steps the men moved towards the hut, led by Fred and
Murden. We met with no opposition, although it would not have surprised
me to have heard a discharge of musketry as we advanced.
We gained the door without awakening our adversaries, and saw them
stretched upon the floor, little dreaming that danger was so near.
On we stole until all our force was within the hut, and each policeman
held a cocked carbine at the head of a bushranger. Still they did not
awaken, and it could only be accounted for on the supposition that they
had been up all night making merry over our supposed death by fire.
"Kill the first man that offers to stir, in his defence," the lieutenant
said, after having carefully collected all the guns that could be found
handy.
The whisper, slight as it was, had the effect of causing the chief, the
hideous Nosey, to open his eyes and look around, as though half
dreaming; it, was not until his eyes met those of Murden that he fully
awoke, then he made an effort to start to his feet, but he found the
cold muzzles of Fred's and my own rifle pressed to his brain.
"We're betrayed!" he yelled, in a voice so shrill that it awoke every
bushranger as suddenly as though the blast of a trumpet had rang through
the room.
There were mingled oaths and exclamations, and desperate attempts to
gain their feet; and one young fellow, who, in spite of warnings and
threats, persisted in getting up, was shot through the head, and his
brains spattered upon his comrades, who were lying by his side.
"Kill all who resist!" yelled Murden, scenting blood like a tiger; "if
they submit, spare them, but death to the refractory."
The shooting of one appeared to have a good effect on the others, for
although many a menacing glance was east upon us, and many a
half-uttered oath was checked, yet there was no more struggling, or
thoughts of resistance.
"I thought you dead," muttered Nosey, after a keen glance at the face of
the lieutenant.
"It is not your fault that we are not," answered Murden, dryly.
"No, that it is not, for I meant to roast you and your force; in a few
hours we intended to start on an expedition, and look for your bones.
How did you escape?" asked the unabashed robber.
"That you will never know; be assured that Providence has no such
fortune in store for you, and that if enough wood and rope can be found,
the manner of your death will not remain a mystery."
"Perhaps you mean by that I shall die on the gallows?" demanded the
bushranger.
Murden nodded his head in token of assent.
"I'll bet you two to one, that a rope will never end my existence,"
cried the fellow, with an impudence and coolness that almost surpassed
belief.
"Bind the villains with stout cords, for the present," cried the
lieutenant, returning no answer to the banter of Nosey, who fired with
indignation at the epithet.
"Whom do you call villains?" he demanded. "We were forced to become
robbers by the tyrants of the hulks, and all the wrongs which were there
inflicted upon us we have returned; and we should not have been human
had we acted otherwise."
"I have no time to bandy words with you, even if I had the inclination,"
returned Murden; "get upon your feet, and submit to be bound like the
rest; we know no distinction, and serve all the same."
The bushranger slowly rose to his feet, and his hideous face seemed
almost to burst, so livid were the scars which marked it; his eyes were
injected with blood, and glared like those of a wild beast.
"Bind me as soon as you please; here are my hands; you see that I am
harmless and unarmed; the lion can be taken by his mane, for his claws
are clipped, and his teeth are broken."
"You bloodthirsty monster, do not compare yourself to a lion; bah! you
are like the skulking wolf that sneaks and steals upon its prey, and
after appeasing its hunger, slays for the sake of showing its strength.
Give his cords an extra twist, men, for his impudence." Murden uttered
the words with an expression of disgust that did not fail to convince
the bushranger of the estimation in which he was held.
"You think, I suppose," Nosey said, with an angry scowl, "that you will
have the pleasure and triumph of carrying me to Melbourne alive; you are
mistaken."
"Look well to your prisoner!" shouted the officer, as the men prepared
to slip a cord over his wrists.
He was too late in his warning, for the desperate robber suddenly thrust
his hand into his bosom and drew forth a huge knife, which he waved over
his head.
The policemen started back, surprised and confused at the suddenness of
the action; and before they could rush and disarm the prisoner, he was
outside of the door, nourishing the knife, and threatening death to all
who opposed him.
"Fire on him!" yelled Murden, perfectly frantic at the thought of his
escape. "Kill him--kill him!"
The robber rushed towards the woods, and it seemed as though he would
escape in spite of the loaded guns which we carried in our hands; but
one of the men, more cool than the rest of us, discharged his carbine,
and the ball struck the right leg of Nosey, and crushed the bone as
easily as though it was a pipe stem.
Wounded as he was, he did not immediately stop, but continued on,
striving to gain the woods, as though his safety was secure if he could
reach them. But the effort was too much for human endurance. He
staggered, struggled to maintain his erect position, and then fell with
a crash to the ground. We went towards him; he did not move; we turned
him over, and found that he was lying in a pool of blood, quite dead.
Either by accident or design, he had fallen upon his knife, and it was
sheathed to the hilt in his heart.