SCARED On our return journey to Melbourne our digging party was lured into a trap by crazy bushrangers, pretending to be victims of bushrangers themselves. As the digging party worked to free two men, supposedly tied by bushrangers, Jessie And I, an orphan girl the digging party had taken in, were standing to the side "spell-bound by the incident, and incapable of rendering any assistance". "Jessie seemed listening intently. The time she had spent in the bush and at the diggings had wonderfully refined her sense of hearing. Suddenly she gave a shrill ‘coo-ey’. The moment after a shot was fired in the direction of our late camp. Jessie turned even paler, but recovering herself, ‘coo-ey’ after ‘coo-ey’ made the echoes ring. I joined my feeble efforts to hers but she was evidently well used to this peculiar call. On a fine still day, this cry will reach for full three miles, and we counted upon this fact for obtaining some assistance. On our return journey to Melbourne, my digging party was lured into a trap by crazy bushrangers, pretending to be victims of bushrangers themselves. As the digging party worked to free two men, supposedly tied by bushrangers, Clacy and Jessie, an orphan girl the digging party had taken in, were standing to the side "spell-bound by the incident, and incapable of rendering any assistance". When the men tied to the tree were freed, four well armed men appeared out of the bushes and overwhelmed the digging party. "Jessie seemed listening intently. The time she had spent in the bush and at the diggings had wonderfully refined her sense of hearing. Suddenly she gave a shrill ‘coo-ey’. The moment after a shot was fired in the direction of our late camp. Jessie turned even paler, but recovering herself, ‘coo-ey’ after ‘coo-ey’ made the echoes ring. I joined my feeble efforts to hers but she was evidently well used to this peculiar call. On a fine still day, this cry will reach for full three miles, and we counted upon this fact for obtaining some assistance . Ellen Clacy By Annabelle Lovegrove
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