Page:Last of the tasmanians.djvu/187

to the mob: "You never knew me kill, or commit a robbery?" to which they all replied, shaking their heads, "No! No! No!" Savage had on a cap and a good pair of shoes which Brown was not restrained by gratitude from making him take off and give to one of the men, whose face indeed was black, but his features were evidently those of a white man. He had on a shirt and trowsers, with a single-barrelled gun in his hand—the name of Moore was on the lock. This man never spoke during the whole time Savage was with the mob. Brown had evidently the complete control over the mob, which did not exceed fifteen or twenty. One of the women was Brown's Gin, and he seemed very fond of her. She was quite big with child, and looked to be confined every hour. All the mob was very fond of Brown, and did everything he told them. Brown said, "He was afraid to go to Launceston, he was so well known there; but he had frequently been in Hobart Town, and there he bought the clothes for the women," pointing to some petticoats which the Gins had on. When the six men came out of the bush, one of them was carrying the carcass of a sheep over his shoulders, and half round his neck, just as they carry a kangaroo. The animal had just been killed, and soon after Savage fell in with them, not more than a mile from Mr. Bisdee's house, they stopped to make a fire, and hearing the report of a gun. Brown said, "We must not stay here, let us be off;" and accordingly they crossed the Jordan, and continued marching until about 11 o'clock at night they reached Miles's Lagoon, where Brown said, "Now, Savage, you may go," and we shook hands very comfortably all round.' "On being asked whether he afterwards stopped to watch them, he said, 'No, he was half frightened to death, and was happy to get away.' By the time this information was given, it was nearly dark; but the Governor descended the Tier with all despatch, and in the course of an hour and a half four parties were sent off, with orders to proceed, during the night, ten miles beyond the Lagoon, as far as the Quoin, and then to spread themselves out and scour the bush thoroughly; and supposing the Natives to be tired with their long march the day previous, and especially so the woman with child, it may be hoped that they will be surrounded, or at least driven to the southward and eastward, if that has not already been effected by the parties which came over the Tier at daylight this morning. This singular occurrence has brought to light that, although the Natives have been guided by men worse than savages, they have had more than savage instinct for their guide in the various murders and robberies which they have committed. The tribe had no dogs with them."

As may be well understood, this "Savage yarn," as a wit called it, excited the imagination of many. Other and similar