THE BUSHRANGERS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2089, 24 January 1896, Page 4

THE BUSHRANGERS.

A TRUE STORT. Many a time you would have hear£ Duncan's stern voice at the masthead, for he was headsman for Mr Campbell, who owned a large whaling station at Port Fairie. In the year 1842 Duncan, having been paid by Mr Campbell, started for M*r3t>ourne. It was the custom in those days, as soon as the working men were paid, to go to Melbourne and spend all their money, and this was What Duncan was going to do. About this time there was a robbery at Buninyong, but the woman who owned the place said that if she saw the man again she would know him, so she gave notice to the police, and this put them on the alert. Seeing Duncftn knocking about with plenty of money, they got a suspicion that he was the man, and before he knew where he was he was brought before the magistrates. As soon as the woman saw Duncan, she swore that he was the man who had robbed her, and although it was not true, he was put on his trial, found guilty, and sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment. When Duncan heard his sentence, he said : "Now, judge, if .you had sentenced me to be hanged, I would have submitted without a murmur; but as I am innocent of the crime, I never will serve fourteen years, and, if I can help it, I will not spend a day in prison." The judge's reply was, "Remove the prisoner." So Duncan was put in gaol till he could be sent away with convicts to Tasmania. This would not be for two or three days. The day before they were to the prisoners were told, and the next morning, when the warder went to wake them up, he found that Duncan, two other convicts, and the soldier who was on guard, were all gone ! They had escaped in the night, and had taken to the bush. They had made an early start, and called at two or three places on their way, where they got some food, and also all the ready money they could find. The only firearms they had was the soldier's gun, so they were not a very strong force. About noon they met Mr Campbell (Duncan's former employer), and a friend of his named Mr Burchet. This was after they had passed Lake Coranamite. Mr Campbell had been to Tasmania, and had bought a splendid horse and a new saddle and holsters, in which were two loaded pistols, and a new suit of clothes was strapped in front of the saddle. When they met Duncan they hailed him, and Mr Campbell said, "Why, Duncan, I thought you were in gaol !" "Well," said Duncan, "you see I am not." After a short conversation, Duncan turned to Mr Campbell and, covering him with the gun. said : "Now, Mr Campbell, I'll trouble you for that horse.." , "You don't mean it, Duncan," said Mr Campbell. "Yes, Mr Campbell, I do mean it. Dismount," said Duncan. Mr Campbell did so at once. Then Duncan turned to Mr Burchet and said, "Now, sir, I want that horse for one of my mates." Mr Burchet gave up his horse very quietly, and when Duncan and Co. were about to ride away, he said, "You might as well give me my old coat; I might have to camp out on the plains to-night, and I'll feel the want of it." "Oh," says Duncan, "throw it to him. I'm sure we don't want it." At this, Beresford, the soldier, gave it to him. When the bushrangers were a good distance away Mr Campbell and Mr Burchet started for the Frenchman's plains. They began to talk about the bushrangers, and Mr Campbell said, "My word. Burchet, you gave up your horse easily." "What was I to do ?" replied Mr Burchet. "When you with your pistols gave yours just as quietly. Anyway I got my coat." "Your coat," said MrCampbell; "what is the good of it ?" "Well," replied Mr Burchet, "that's all you know about it. You do not know that I have two or three thousand pounds wrapped in it." At this Mr Campbell got in a rage and said that if he thought he could catch Duncan he would go back and tell him to come and rob Mr Burchet. However, they went on to the Frenchman's Plains, where they were provided with horses, and reached Melbourne in safety. In the meantime Duncan and his men went on to a public house near Neil Black's Forest. The next morning a party of gentlemen were having breakfast, and at length the discourse turned upon Duncan. There was one man who had been selling cattle and had a lot of money with him, and he was boasting what he would do if Duncan came to him. There was another man who had hardly spoken a word all the time, and after a while he picked up his gun and stood with his back to the door. "Now, sirs," said he, "are you all finished?" "Yes," cried they in amazement. "Well," answered he, "I want all your money, and you, my fine gentleman, I want your's first," he said to the man who had been boasting so much, "for I am Duncan." When he got the money he went to the publican and got his, and also a couple of horses out of the stable. Than they went through the hotel and got all the firearms they could find and left. They planned their next robbery to be at Captain Webster's, and so they set off for it, but when they got there they found the captain was not at home. This was a great disappointment to Duncan, for he had a terrible down on the captain, because of the way in which he treated his workmen, and Duncan wanted to punish him. They took all the ready money they could get there and more ammunition, and rode away, telling Mrs Webster that they would see her another day if her husband did not behave better to his men. This frightened the old captain so much that he went to sea and was not heard of for years afterwards. They had not gone far when they met an old woman on a dray load of corn going to Port Farie. Duncan did not think she knew him, but she called out to him, "Why, Duncan, if I had another one as good as myself I would take the lot of you." "I suppose you could, old woman," he said, and rode quietly by. The next place they were heard of was at Mt. Rouse at the Black Protector's station, where they took all the money they could get. It is supposed that they separated f and most likely made for Adelaide, but, ! however that was, the police were just a day's march behind them all the time. About a year after this a man was coming down to Melbourne when he noticed a man riding Burchet's horse. He told him about it, and said he had best give it back, but the man said he would not, because he got it out of pound. This was untrue, for there was no pound anywhere about near him then. The other man went straight on to Melbourne and told Mr Burchet, and the next day both of them came and got the horse. So, you see, Mr Campbell lost everything almost, and Mr Burchet nothing in the end.