AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 619, 6 February 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN BUSHRANGERS.

The days of bushrangers and "bolters" (writes a correspondent of the ' Hobart Town Mercury') seems to come back to ua from the almost forgotten past. While two-thirds of the police force of Victoria are engaged in what appears a useless search after the Kelly gang, a hundred miles up country, a desperate ruffian, whom handcuffs, irons, the lash, and the silent cell have failed to transform from a wild beast into anything human, has escaped from the hulks in the Bay, and is now at large. This felon, known here as Regent, has graduated innearly all the celebrated criminal colleges of a quarter of a century ago. Norfolk Island ahd Capt. Maconichie failed to tame him. Cuthbertson at cruel Macquarie Harbour, with his stern discipline, and chain gangs, produced no effect, nor did Regent improve under the system in vogue at Cok nel Arthur's new • penitentiary, which bore his name. It is said that while at Maria Island station, the conviot though heavily ironed at the time, saved the life of one of the children of an official by plunging into the water where the little one was drowning* This act subsequently told in the man's favour, and somehow or other a desperate rascal was let loose on society. After various outrages had been committed by him throughout the island, the gold-digging of Victoria induced him to cross "the straits," and commence a further criminal career in this Colony. The old Collingwood stockade soon numbereed him amongst its inmates, and so did the stronghold aferwards erected at Pentridge. Bamford, the late hangman, triced Begent up on more than one occasion to the triangles, and as he once expressed himself " didn't care about flogging an old mate, but would make him as comfortable as the gaol rules would allow. " It was noticed that the " cat was laid on in an unusually vigorous manner, the executioner telling some of the bystanders that he had an old grudge against Regent, and had endeavoured to square "matters with his old "pal." So much for Regent's (the name is, I believe, a feigned one) history. Well, he was up to within a week ago still in the "Government service," and with a gang of fellow-convicts, was employed in battery construction at Sandridge. He has again escaped. So has Martin Whyberg, the Avoca gold robber, so has Kenneth M'Donald (with a breech-loading rifle, mark you, and a fleet horse), from the " logs." Hamilton, and so have a score of others from various parts of the colony. People ask naturally enough what are the police about, and well they may. There is nothing fresh to report from the country districts. The revolt seems to be at an end, except for such few rebels that remain amongst the mountains awaiting punishment.