ways depend
upon their men: many of whom saw, with pleasure, the vengeance inflicted
on masters who had sometimes procured their punishment; and, partly by
sympathy and partly by fear, they were deterred from rendering effectual
assistance. Three men, with blackened faces, visited the residence of
Captain Allison at Sandy Bay: he met them with uncommon courage, but
was struck down and beaten; he appealed to his servants, who only
muttered a reply to his calls for aid. Mrs. Allison joined her
entreaties, when at length an atrocious woman (Hannah Bell, afterwards
notorious) said to the robbers, in a tone of sarcasm,--"Come men, don't
kill him quite out."

One of their most daring exploits was the taking of the town of Sorell,
and the capture of the gaol. They entered the premises of Mr. Bethune,
of which they kept possession until dusk on the following evening. Two
gentlemen, who arrived there during the day, they detained: they
stripped them of their clothing, and tendered the prisoner dress in
exchange; this being, however, declined, one of the gentlemen wore no
other covering than a blanket. These, and others, eighteen in number,
they compelled to accompany them to Sorell. A party of soldiers, who had
been employed in pursuit all the day, and who were worn out with
fatigue, while cleaning their guns, were surprised in the gaol. Brady
locked them up in a cell, and offered liberty to the prisoners he found
there; one of whom, who was charged with a capital offence, for which he
was afterwards executed, declined the opportunity to escape. The gaoler
hastened to inform Lieutenant Gunn, who was in the neighbourhood, and
thus prepared for the arrival of the robbers: while raising his arm, he
received a shot above the elbow, which rendered amputation necessary.
This officer had been employed in the pursuit of the marauders for a
considerable time, and his gigantic stature, courage, and energy,
rendered his name formidable: he received from the public a valuable
present, and a pension from the colonial fund.

The roads were infested, and communication was dangerous: travellers
were arrested and tied to trees; and sometimes, though not frequently,
treated with cruelty. To preserve their property, the settlers resorted
to concealment and stratagem: among the rest, the contrivance and
coolness of an old woman, merits remembrance, who knowing that the
robbers were on the road provided a paper of blank notes, which she
delivered