knocked the gun aside. Howe ran off like a wolf. I fired but missed. Pugh then halted and took aim at him, but also missed. I immediately flung away the gun and ran after Howe. Pugh also pursued; Warburton was a considerable distance away. I ran very fast--so did Howe; and if he had not fallen down an unexpected bank, I should not have been fleet enough for him. This fall, however, brought me up with him; he was on his legs, and preparing to climb a broken bank, which would have given him a free run into the wood, when I presented my pistol at him, and desired him to stand: he drew forth another, but did not level it at me. We were about fifteen yards from each other--the bank he fell from between us. He stared at me with astonishment, and to tell you the truth, I was a little astonished at him, for he was covered with patches of kangaroo skins, and wore a black beard--a haversack and powder horn slung across his shoulders. I wore my beard also--as I do now: and a curious pair we looked like. After a moment's pause, he cried out, 'Black beard against grey beard for a million!'--and fired: I slapped at him, and I believe hit him, for he staggered; but rallied again, and was clearing the bank between him and me, when Pugh ran up, and with the butt end of his firelock knocked him down again, jumped after him, and battered his brains out, just as he was opening a clasp knife to defend himself.'"--_The Military Sketch Book._] [Footnote 90: This account is taken from the _Sydney Gazettes_, quoted by Wentworth; _Commissioner Bigge's Reports_, and _Bent's Life of Howe_.] [Footnote 91: Bent, the government printer, published a pamphlet in 1818, entitled, "_Michael Howe: the last and worst of the Bushrangers_." This pamphlet was reviewed by the _Quarterly_; "it is," observes the reviewer, "the greatest literary curiosity that has come before us--the first child of the press of a state only fifteen years old. It would, of course, be re-printed here; but our copy, _penes nos_, is a genuine Caxton. This little book would assuredly be the _Reynarde Foxe_ of Australian bibliomaniacs."--1820.] SECTION VII.