History of the Australian BushrangersBoxall, George
History
History of the Australian Bushrangers
Boxall, George
Bushrangers -- Australia
On May 2nd, Edward Kelly was arrested at Greta and was charged with
having assisted Power in some of his robberies. He was not identified
by the witnesses, and was therefore discharged.
On the 27th Superintendents Nicholson and Hare, Sergeant Montford, and
Black-tracker Donald left Wangaratta and made a journey into the ranges
near the head of the King River. It was believed that they had received
special information from a friend of the bushranger. At the head of the
glen, near where Power's camp was, a family named Quinn resided, and it
was said that Power would never be caught while they were there. The
Quinns owned several dogs and a peacock, which it was believed would
never allow any person to pass up the ravine without giving notice. The
peacock was reported to be the "best watch dog of the lot." His screams
could be heard far away whenever a stranger approached the hut, and
he generally gave the first signal, and thus roused the dogs. On this
occasion, however, the police passed without either the peacock or the
dogs giving a sign. They came to a hollow tree with holes in the stem.
This tree had been mentioned as "Power's look-out," and it was reported
that he frequently went into it to survey the country round, through
the holes, without exposing himself. There was plenty of room inside
for more than one man, and the natural holes formed by the decay of the
tree had been added to by augur holes bored at a convenient height for
spying through. They examined it, but it was empty. All round was a
dense growth of cherry and wattle scrub, which they cautiously pushed
their way through, and peeped into a small clearing. A gunyah of bark
stood in the middle of this space, and before it was a fire burning.
Creeping cautiously up, the police saw a man's leg sticking out from
under the gunyah. One of them seized it, and drew the man out on his
back. It was Harry Power. He had been lying asleep under the impression
that he was perfectly safe. He gave a loud howl on being thus rudely
awakened, and then asked, "Who are you?" "The police," was the reply.
"No fear," said Power; "you couldn't have got past Quinn's; the dogs
and the peacock would not have let you." "We did," replied Inspector
Nicholson; "the dogs and the peacock never saw us, but there were
several men there and Quinn himself--they saw us." "You've given us a
great deal of trouble, Power," said Inspector Hare, "but we've got you
at last." "I'm very sorry I didn't hear you," remarked Power; "I'd
have dropped some of you if I had."
In the gunyah were a Government revolver, stolen from the police,
loaded and capped; a double-barrelled gun, hanging from the ridge
pole, loaded ready for use; and a loaded pistol lying close beside the
sleeping bushranger. There were also a box of slugs, a powder flask,
two boxes of caps not quite full, a carpet-bag full of clothes, and
a saddle and bridle. The bed was a very comfortable one, with a good
supply of blankets.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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