Page:Life and Adventures of William Buckley.djvu/118

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LIFE OF BUCKLEY.
95

was a chain of water holes, full of excellent eels, and roots, on which we subsisted for a long time. One night one of the women—just as we were laying down to sleep—heard a rustling in the bushes, as if people were approaching. Her, and her husband, came immediately, saying we must all run for our lives, and thus dreadfully alarming the little girl, and her blind brother for they had all been present at the murder of their father. After a minute's thought, we all resolved to be off, in order to conceal ourselves. Being quite at a loss what to do, we remained silent, if possible to ascertain from whence the noise proceeded, and who the strangers were. After a time, our two men, who had gone out to reconnoitre, came back, saying they had seen a fire, with several men standing round about it, which very much increased the alarm, and particularly of my poor little boy and girl. For their protection and support, I put some fire into one of our native buckets, covering it over with turf, and then moved off to a more concealed place, the natives called Banor, on the top of a small hill in the shape of a sugar-loaf, and close to the sea side, from whence, at day light, I knew I should be able to see all around me to a great distance.

In the morning, on looking anxiously around, I observed, about a mile off, some people coming in my direction, and in consequence of their approach, I concealed myself, with my charge. However, I soon saw they were our friends, who we had left the night before. We then held a consultation as to the direction we should take for their safety, and differing in opinion,