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AN ASTONISHING TALE.
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by the Natives, who had let him go again. At this time the Lieutenant-Governor was on the point of mounting his horse to visit the several parties which were formed on the Jordan, and on his arrival at Jones's hut he learned from a shepherd that Savage had been there, and that he had been with the Natives, and had proceeded with a small party up the Tier leading to Miles's Lagoon. The Lieutenant-Governor, accompanied by Mr. Frankland, Mr. Charles Arthur, and Mr. Edward Bisdee, instantly proceeded up the Tier, which was rapidly ascended, and on their arrival at the Lagoon, named Miles's Lagoon, there they met Savage, half naked, who accounted for his absence nearly in the following words: 'I was working with my fellow-servant, between 4 and 5 o'clock, yesterday afternoon, when I heard a soft coo-ee, and thinking it was the Governor coming, I went to meet him, but very slowly, being bad with the rheumatism; I walked a very little way, when—as it were instantaneously—I was surrounded by a mob of Natives, who raised their spears at me, and I should have been dead in a moment, had not a white man, who was standing by with a double-barrelled gun, called out, and they immediately desisted. The white man then spoke to me, and said, "Don't be afraid. Savage, you was very kind to me in jail, about three years ago, and I won't suffer you to be hurt." The man I immediately recognised to be a convict named Brown, who was in prison about two or three years ago, and when I was in Mr. Bisdee's service I used to be civil to him, and take him now and then something to eat. Brown is a fine stout man, well-dressed, and shaved, rather light hair, rather pale complexion; he had on a good pair of shoes, cord trowsers, dark waistcoat striped up and down, short jacket, and was carrying a double-barrelled gun. Presently, while he was talking to me, six more of the Blacks came out of the bush, and joined us, and Brown then said, I must go a little way along with them. I was so bad with rheumatism before, that I could not walk; but the fright cured me, and I could walk as well as ever, and I began to consider how I could slip away; however, we walked along, talking. Brown told me, he had been with the Natives about three years, and said he was surprised at so many parties being out. I said, I had remarked the same thing, and believed the Governor was determined to take all the Bushrangers. I then said, "Brown, you know the Governor has promised to be kind to all these poor people, if they will be quiet—you had better bring them in." He said, "No, he had been twice deceived, and would not be deceived again; but he might let the Governor know the Blacks should commit no murders whilst he was with them;" (remember, their spears were raised to kill poor Savage, had they not been restrained in this particular instance by the ever-powerful interposition of Providence!) and turning round he appealed
