Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/177

 unaware of what had transpired, pursued their way to Riccarton also, and concealed themselves in the bush, where they began maturing plans for an attack. Unfortunately for them there was snow on the ground, which revealed their tracks to the whaler crew, who hunted them out. They made off for Dunedin, but one of them was drowned on the way, and the remaining two were captured, deported to Sydney, and there punished. This same gang, previously to their raid on the Messrs. Greenwood, had planned robbing the Hay family at Pigeon Bay, where they arrived for that purpose on a Saturday night. It so happened that it was the custom of some three or four young Scotchmen, big powerful fellows, to visit the Hay family every Saturday evening, and stay over the Sunday. They were there at the time these rascals were prowling round, and had they known what was on foot they would certainly have taken steps to secure the entire gang. One of these young fellows possessed prodigious strength and courage, and was almost a match for the marauders alone. However, these latter discovered their presence and slunk off. They admitted afterwards that they were afraid to make an