Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/77

68 there was no doubt as to who they were. This was my first introduction to the bushrangers, and I can only say I did not like being in such close quarters with them; had I been alone, or in the company of almost any other man, we would have been “stuck up” beyond a doubt. Saunders was quite cool throughout, and would have stood his ground, I am sure, even against odds.

On reaching the Flat I learnt that a lot of Chinamen had set to work on the diggings; that the diggers had risen en masse and turned them off, giving as a reason that they wasted the water, which was very scarce. They went to the Chinese encampment, pulled down their tents, which they burnt, and illtreated the poor unfortunate “Johns,” and in many cases cutting off their pig-tails. The police, of course, interfered, took up some of the ringleaders, who were taken to the lock-up, but rescued by the mob, who burnt down the court-house, &c.

The day after I arrived, finding that Russell (agent of our bank) was in Yass, I telegraphed to Sydney for instructions, and received a reply to proceed to Yass, so I made a start on the 25th, in company with Mr. C, inspector of the Oriental Bank, and a very unpleasant ride we had, it raining heavily the whole time. When about five miles from Murrumburrah (twenty miles from Burrangong), which was as far as we intended to go, we came to a slight rise, so pulled up at a walk. As I have already said, it was raining heavily; however, we were well prepared for the weather, having on long boots and waterproof cloaks.

I had on an old cabbage-tree hat. A coach appeared at the top of the hill. The passengers, six or eight in number, jumped out, some going one way, and some another. We could not understand the meaning of this strange behaviour, so rode up to the coachman, whom C knew, to inquire the reason. “All right!” called out the driver, at the same time beckoning to the passengers right and left of the coach, who came running up. “What is the meaning of all this?” inquired C. “We took you for the bushrangers,” replied the driver; “there are two men on horseback who have stuck up every person on this road to-day. When we got to the brow of the hill and saw you two gentlemen, we mistook you for them; the passengers were frightened and got out of the coach.” We were strongly advised not to go on, for as sure as we did we would be stuck up. “What say you?” said C, addressing me. “I have nothing to lose,” said I, “and think we had better push on.” By this time the passengers had taken their seats and the coach driven on. “Well,” said he, “I have a lot of cheques, amounting to some hundreds of pounds, but they are all crossed and stamped with the bank stamp, so would be of no value to them.”

He did not, however, seem to relish the idea of going on, nor to tell the truth did I, but I did not believe in turning back to be laughed at. “Look here,” said he, “I’ve a sore finger, you take