Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/115

110 upon occasion, until they and the police became somewhat friendly, so much so indeed that the latter frequently joined in the fishing parties of the natives without in any way clashing. One day, however, when the police camp had been left in the charge of only one policeman, two or three of the blacks came about, one of whom was the renegade vagabond in question; after staying about the camp for a little time, they induced the policeman caretaker to go fishing with them, which he readily agreed to, starting off with them in all good faith. The pseudo fishing party, after getting about half-a-mile from the police camp, and whilst in the middle of a dense bed of reeds, caught hold of the too-unsuspecting aboriginal trooper, threw him to the ground, where he was firmly held by two of the party until the renegade had excised the poor fellow's kidney fat. After the performance of this ruthless cruelty they started off in haste, leaving their poor mutilated victim to die unattended mid the reeds. Fortunately, however, the butchered trooper had sufficient vitality left to enable him to crawl (although in the acutest agony) to the camp, where, before he died, he gave an account of the murderous assault, together with a clear description of the perpetrators.

But a short space of time elapsed after the recital of this diabolical outrage ere most of the native troopers had started in a body on the trail of the murderers. They soon discovered where the villains had crossed the river, and made but very small bones of crossing after them—horses, accoutrements, and all— taking all sorts of care during the passage not to allow their ammunition to get wet.

After a ride of about ten miles the encampment of the