History of the Australian BushrangersBoxall, George
History
History of the Australian Bushrangers
Boxall, George
Bushrangers -- Australia
so sick that he began to vomit. Greenhill started up and hit him on
the forehead with the axe. Although he was cut, he was still stronger
than Greenhill. He called out, 'Pierce, will you see me murdered?'
and rushed at Greenhill. He took the axe from him and threw it to
me. We walked on till night, and then Travers and Greenhill collared
Mathers and got him down. They gave him half an hour to pray. When the
half-hour was up Mathers handed the prayer-book to me and Greenhill
killed him. When crossing the second tier of mountains Travers got his
foot stung by an insect and it swelled up. On the other side we got to
a big river and camped for two nights. Me and Greenhill swam across
and cut a long wattle, and pulled Travers over as he could not swim.
Here the country got better and we travelled well for two days. Then
Travers' foot got black, and he said he couldn't go any further. He
asked us to leave him to die in peace. When we were a little way away,
Greenhill said: 'Pierce, it's no use for to be detained any longer;
let's serve him like the rest.' I replied, 'I'll have no hand in it.'
When we went back Travers was lying on his back asleep. It was about
two o'clock in the day. Greenhill lifted the axe and hit him on the
head, and then cut his throat. We crossed the third tier of mountains
and got into fine country, the grass being very long. Greenhill began
to fret, and said he would never reach a post. I watched Greenhill
for two nights and thought that he eyed me more than usual. He always
carried the axe and kept it under his head when lying down. At length,
just before daybreak, Greenhill dozed off to sleep, and I snatched
the axe and killed him with a blow. I took a thigh and one arm and
travelled on four more days until the last was eaten. I then walked for
two days with nothing to eat I took off my belt meaning to hang myself,
but took another turn and travelled on till I came to a fire with some
pieces of kangaroo and opossum lying beside it. I ate as much as I
could and carried the rest away. Some days later I came to a marsh. I
saw a duck with ten young ones. I jumped into the water and the duck
flew off, while the little ones dived. Two of them came up close to my
legs and I caught one in each hand. Next day I saw a large mountain,
and thought it was Table Mountain. Then I came to a big river and
travelled down it for two days. I came on a flock of sheep belonging
to Tom Triffet, at the falls, and caught a lamb. While I was eating it
the shepherd came up and said he would tell. I threatened to shoot him.
Then he got friendly and took me to the hut, and fed me for three days.
Then he told me that the master was coming up and I'd have to go. I
went to another hut and stayed three weeks. Then I fell in with Davis
and Cheetham and they said I could join them. They had 126 newly-marked
sheep and said they were going to select some more. I shepherded the
mob while they were away. They continued robbing the stations until the
soldiers came.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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