in, but on turning round I saw one of my mates standing against the hut in a corner, with another man standing over him, covering him with his gun.  The other was Dalton, Kelly’s mate.  After I had gone into the hut, Kelly stood at the open doorway, with his gun pointed at those inside, swearing he would murder the first man who moved an inch.  There were about fourteen men in the hut.  Then he asked if there were any prisoners among them.  One man said that he was.  Kelly then ordered him to tie their arms together, one by one.

While doing so, one man complained that he was being tied too tight; but this only drew forth another volley of oaths and threats from Kelly.  When all were secured, Kelly went out to assist Dalton who still stood over the man whom he had pinned to the wall of the hut, threatening to shoot him if he stirred.  Kelly then tied up his hands while Dalton continued covering him with the gun.  He was then marched into the hut to join the others.  And now Dalton began walking up and down the hut haranguing his prisoners.  “He’d no doubt” he said “that some of them might be good and honest men, and some scoundrels.  That for his part, he wouldn’t hurt a hair of any good man’s head, if he could help it.  But he had been forced to take to this sort of life.  It wasn’t his fault.  He had been lagged (transported) when only twelve years of age; had since then over and over again tried to obtain his freedom by good conduct; but they wouldn’t give it him, and it was useless to try any more by fair means.  And he had now sworn to gain his freedom, or lose his life in the attempt.  He didn’t want to hurt anyone.  What he wanted was money; and money he would have, come what, come might.  He’d show them presently whether he was game or not.  He’d go into the master’s house and bring out, single-handed the man he wanted, no matter how many he might find there.  But let them beware.  If any man dared to move or tried to escape he swore he’d scatter his brains about the yard, and blow the roof off his head.”

Dalton now left the hut, and went to the house of the settler, their master, which was close at hand.  All this time the household knew nothing of what had been passing in the hut.  He entered, and went straight up to the sitting-room, where several gentlemen and ladies happened to be collected.  He opened the door, and deliberately advanced with his gun pointed at those within.  But a lady, who chanced to be behind the door, on seeing the levelled gun, slammed the door in the robber’s face.  This was a timely diversion, and the signal for a general scattering of those present.

The men in the hut were subsequently tried for collusion with the bushrangers; but when asked how they could suffer two men to “stick up” so many, one replied to the magistrate, that, with their permission, he would himself “stick up” the whole Bench.

The free servants were acquitted; those of the party who were prisoners of the Crown were sentenced to imprisonment; but on Government being petitioned by their free mates, who protested the innocence of all, they were liberated.