Blacks and Bushrangers: Adventures in Queensland

by E. B. Kennedy

Mat and Tim had hit off the very pool of water which they had intended to, and now meant to take a rest, eat something, and bathe the dog’s head.

They felt, now that they were so far safe, that a whole night’s start would enable them to reach the country of their friends before the Tinguras could overtake them.

The rest refreshed them all, more especially Jumper. The brothers had carried him, up to this point, by turns, but when they started again they found that he could follow fast enough to keep up with them.

Thus the little party of fugitives continued through the night, going at a more leisurely pace during the greater part of the next day, and towards evening had gained the new camp which their Waigonda friends had formed.

No sooner were the brothers in sight than their friends turned out with shouts of joy to receive them; but upon hearing the reason of their sudden appearance—for they had not expected them for some days later—they looked grave, and without more ado hastily summoned a council of war, for they told Mat that the black which had been bitten by Jumper was the chief of the tribe, a revengeful brute, who would be sure to come, with all his fighting-men, after them, and that, so far, it was lucky they had got into camp when they did.

“And they will come,” said Dromoora, after he had commanded silence. “We must fight, and we shall be glad to fight them; but you white men must kill with the ‘thunder-stick,’ for they number two to our one.”

So the brothers consulted together, and resolved to do as the chief had requested, and use the gun, but only at the last moment, their intention being to fight the enemy fairly with their own wooden weapons, in the use of which they were proficient. But they resolved that if they saw that the Waigondas were driven back, and that the day was almost lost, then and only then, at the chief’s command, would they show the power of “Teegoora.”

So they informed the chief and his warriors of their decision, adding that the “thunder-stick” was already prepared to strike and kill.

At this news the blacks expressed their deep sense of gratitude with many guttural exclamations, and hoped, they said, that the white men would “thunder” all the enemy dead, for that this tribe had often molested them, and had even stolen their women.

Mat replied to these remarks by requesting his friends to give him all the lead which they had kept after stripping it from the wreck. This they joyfully agreed to do; and the brothers went away to cut up slugs, and see that “Old Joe” was prepared to back them up at a critical moment.