“I saw two of my men fall, owing to the struggle which the station men made to escape, and then fearful that we should all be defeated and murdered, I seized a carbine that one of my people had dropped, and with a blow, I struck one of the murderers senseless to the ground.

“The remaining one fought like a demon.  After discharging the contents of two revolvers which he carried about his person, he drew his bowie knife and rushed into our midst, cutting to the right and left; and so impetuous was his onset that we fell back a few feet, which the villain seeing, turned and attempted to escape.  Before he had taken two stops towards the door, my men recovered from their surprise, and rushed upon him.  He fought like a devil, and his knife was red with the heart’s blood of one of my bravest men, before he was lying powerless, with irons on his hands and ankles, at our feet.

“The villain that I had struck senseless, now began to show signs of animation; but before he had recovered, he was loaded down with irons, and a watch placed over both, with orders to blow their brains out if they made the least attempt to escape.

“You would hardly expect that men, conquered as they were, and momentarily expecting death at our hands, would have the hardihood to boast of their deeds, and plan other crimes in case of their escape.  Yet those convicts dared to tell me to my face that we should never live to reach Melbourne, and death was far from their thoughts.

“I had a great mind to end their days on the spot; but doubtful of my authority in the premises, and fearing their deaths would be the subject of a judicial examination, prevented me.  My men, half of them wounded, and three dead, were frantic for the villains’ blood, and it was with difficulty that I could restrain them.

“I attended to the injuries of the men as well as I was able, and then making the stockmen provide as good a supper as they could get, we satisfied our appetites; but even while doing so, sleep overpowered us, so tired were we with our long journey.

“I determined to halt for that night, at the station, and let the men get recruited.  One of the stockmen and one of my men were placed on guard over the prisoners, and relieved every two hours during the night, with express orders to shoot them if they moved hand or foot in the way of attempting to escape, was the means of keeping the murderers quiet, and enabling my men to attain that rest which they stood so much in need of.

“Not to tire you too much with minute particulars, we next day buried our killed and started for Melbourne, where we arrived safe with our prisoners, and a few days afterwards they were hung in the jail-yard.”

“Maurice,” said the lieutenant to the sentinel at the door, who had been listening to the recital, “do you wish to meet with two more such villains?”

“God forbid, your honor,” answered Maurice, crossing himself; for he was a devout Catholic.  “I have hardly recovered the use of my arm where the devils struck me with a knife.”