Page:History of John Gregg, and his family, of robbers and murderers.pdf/5

(5) impunity: ſometimes they would attack four, five, or ſix footmen together, but never more than two if on horſeback. They were alſo very careful that none ſhould eſcape, an ambuſcade being laid on every ſide to ſecure them every way, how then was it poſſible they ſhould be detected, when not one that ſaw them ever perceived any body afterwards? The place they inhabited was ſolitary and loneſome, and when the tide came up, it reached a mile under ground, ſo that when ſome had been ſent armed, they paſſed by the mouth of the cave without any notice, not ſuppoſing anything human would live in ſuch a place of horror.

The number of people they deſtroyed was never known, but it was computed in twenty-five years they had murdered one thouſand men, women, and children, and the manner they were diſcovered was as follows.

A man and his wife behind him on the ſame horſe coming home from a fair, and falling into an ambuſcade of theſe wretches, they attacked him in a furious manner: The man to ſave himſelf fought bravely, riding ſome of them down by main force, but in the conflict, the poor woman fell from behind