Marulan, (Letter dated 28th instant which should have appeared in our last number)
' Since my last (15!h inst.,) the weather has cleared up-scarcely a day has passed exempt from a moderately mild atmosphere, gentle breezes, genial showers, and intervals of extreme heat, so much so, as to cause the thermometer to rise from 96 to 102 0 in the shade.
The. harvest is nearly over and from the descriptions I have hear, has turned out:better than expected, the average it is, calculated will realize about nineteen bushels per acre...
The.bushrangers it appears are committing unheard of depredations in the connties of King and Murray :-I, as well as others, most sincerely hope that Hlis Exellency the ov(;oviu.nx.wy.h-ut ppeut to se_, Ihe follm ncr: Extract of letter from the county of King near Gunning, dated the 18th instant. "I regret I am obliged to acquaint you of the further proccedings of the bandits that still roam at large, and commit robberies in the open day.
There is neither Police nor Constable within the circumference of nearly twenty miles from Gunning, and there are sixty miles of a road (from Goulhurn to Yass) without any shape of a Peace Officer.
On Wednesday last (the 15th.) Doctor Clayton's dwelling was again plundered by the same two bushrangers who had but a few weeks ago taken away several valuable articles of property and also, his two horses, which have been recovered.
The Doctor and his lady were so much intimidated by the manner of the ruffians this time, that they left their house and with their two children reached Mr. John K. Hume's residence, at Collingwood about three miles distant, at near sunset depressed by the threats and savage deportment of their visitors.
They had not been above a quarter of an hour at Mr. Hume's, when two gentlemen (travellers) galloped up to the house - their horses recking, - they stated, they had come from Gunning as fast as their steeds could go, to solicit firearms and assistance, as the bushrangers had attacked Grosvenor's Store, & Mr Hume accompanied by his brother (Mr. F. R. Hume), and his nephew (Mr. C. H. Barber), immeldately armed themselves and proceeded with the two gentlemen to Grosrenor's; on their arrival they founed a few other neighbours, who could provide themselves with either gun or pistol, assembled, and it was mutually agreed to surround the house.
When the bushrangers first arrived at Grosvenor's, it was about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Grovenor had plenty of fire arms - they first made him give up the arms and assist to load them; they then forcibly ejected him (Grosvenor), but, rufully detained his wife and children, with his sister-in-law (Miss Reynolds) within the house.
It was just at this period assistance had arrived, and that the store and dwelling were surrounded by the neighbours, and a call was made to the burglars to surrender,
To this the answer returned was, shots fired out of the window, which was forthwith returned by the beseigers; when the beseiged advanced to the windlows to fire again, they placed Grosvenor's children in the windows, as a sort if bulwark to prevent the balls from the beseigers reaching them, except by passing the chi!dren and they then levelled from behind the children, and fired.
Of course the beseigers ceased firing for fear of shooting the innocent infants, who were exhibited like so many targets - at the same time the shrieks of Mrs Grosvenor and her sister for "mercy" and "spare oh spare my children !" were truly heartrending to the beseigers, and much more so to poor Grosvenor, whose agony was so great that he raved like a maniac.
The bushrangers now seeing that their strategy of placing the children in the windows had had its expected effect - also refrained from firing and they kept possession until 9 o'clock, when they surrendered, without doing further injury.
When Grosvenor rejoined his family he rejoiced to find them unhurt; but his sister-in-law (MissReynolds) had a narrow escape, part of her hair having been shot off her head.
Mr John K. Hume remained at the Grosvenor's all night to guard the villains, one of whom was an assigned servant of Mr. McLeay's named Clarke and the other, a runaway from an Iron Gang on the Bathurst Road and his brother and nephew returned to Collingwood to protect the dwelling, and console Doctor Clayton on his repeated losses.
I had written thus far when the Mail arrived from Goulburn, by which I received a note, an extract from which is as follows- "Goulburn 19th January, 1840: '" I have only time to post to inform you, that Mr Anke's station at the "Crookwell," has been attacked by another gang of arrnied neni-the resist - once shewn by Mr. O's overseer in a k,'d him for destruction, but he ci I dco:n the fortunntely escaped this time.
"The ruffians burnt to the ground at the station the overseer and staff were tihen compelled to flee - the men succeeded without any of the robbers to injure them- not so the overseer, who was shot at twice, one shot through his hat, the other ball through the skirts of his coat --Mr Oks's stock is now rooming through the bush without keepers, the men one and all refusing to peril their lives any more.
"They (the bushrangers) then proceeded to Mr Buckman's station, and demanded to know where that gentlemen's sister in law was. No satisfactory answer having been given, they searched thie premises and were disappointed, the young person being absent.
They imade use of imprecations and threats that they " would have his life whenever they ecachi cnatelf him !' I am credibly informed, several of our landed proprietors and stockholder have made up their minds to sell off, neither life nor property being any longer secure in this quarter.
I have heen upwards of 2 years in this Colony. and during tihat period I never knew the colenery to be in such iII state. I could produce a large bundle of comnmunications consisting of complaints of repeated aggression, and the inefliciency of our Police.
The " Border " Police is a firece ; their ouleers are more itnt nt on privante envivii pcrties., hur die ruces, &c. &c., than attending to their duties-until courpcled by rencarks from the Jocurnals.
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