Banditti are back
Sep. 13th, 2013 11:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenithA sequel to yesterday, but now it's 1826. Almost two years later.
The horse thing is interesting. Later in the century, bushrangers are closely associated with horses, but in this era of banditti or escaped convicts, they're unusual. Moreso for a large gang to be mounted. That's probably a large part of the reason for the last comment in second article. Although then comes the question of how are they keeping them without attracting unwarranted attention.
Colonial Times 20 January 1826
THE BUSHRANGERS
This lawless banditti move rapidly. On Saturday they robbed Mr Lord's house at Laureny, on the Derwent, in the Macquarie District and on Sunday they robbed Major De Gillern at the Coal River. They are 13 in number - all mounted. The armed Bush Constables were said to be close upon them on Wednesday night but no accurate information had been received of them up to our going to press.
Colonial Times 24 February 1826
THE BUSHRANGERS
This banditti has been again heard of. On Saturday evening a part of them crossed the river Derwent and proceeding to Mr Humphrey's estate near the river Styx, stole and killed a considerable number of his most valuable sheep. 50 of those that were taken by them were valued at £5 each, being of a very improved breed.
That active and indefatigable Police Officer, Mr Kerby, was on Monday dispatched with an armed party in pursuit of these robbers, and we trust he may be more fortunate than have been his predecessors upon that service. The movements of this banditti have been certainly extraordinary. In a small island, such as this, and within a very limited space of it, that 14 men should have so long escaped the pursuit of at least 400 soldiers, and 100 armed prisoners, to nothing of a considerable local interior Constabulary is certainly a most unaccountable circumstance. There must be something wrong somewhere.
The horse thing is interesting. Later in the century, bushrangers are closely associated with horses, but in this era of banditti or escaped convicts, they're unusual. Moreso for a large gang to be mounted. That's probably a large part of the reason for the last comment in second article. Although then comes the question of how are they keeping them without attracting unwarranted attention.
Colonial Times 20 January 1826
THE BUSHRANGERS
This lawless banditti move rapidly. On Saturday they robbed Mr Lord's house at Laureny, on the Derwent, in the Macquarie District and on Sunday they robbed Major De Gillern at the Coal River. They are 13 in number - all mounted. The armed Bush Constables were said to be close upon them on Wednesday night but no accurate information had been received of them up to our going to press.
Colonial Times 24 February 1826
THE BUSHRANGERS
This banditti has been again heard of. On Saturday evening a part of them crossed the river Derwent and proceeding to Mr Humphrey's estate near the river Styx, stole and killed a considerable number of his most valuable sheep. 50 of those that were taken by them were valued at £5 each, being of a very improved breed.
That active and indefatigable Police Officer, Mr Kerby, was on Monday dispatched with an armed party in pursuit of these robbers, and we trust he may be more fortunate than have been his predecessors upon that service. The movements of this banditti have been certainly extraordinary. In a small island, such as this, and within a very limited space of it, that 14 men should have so long escaped the pursuit of at least 400 soldiers, and 100 armed prisoners, to nothing of a considerable local interior Constabulary is certainly a most unaccountable circumstance. There must be something wrong somewhere.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-13 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-13 02:03 pm (UTC)That would seem quite likely. Not something that's every been looked at, I assume.
no subject
Date: 2013-09-14 09:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-09-14 10:40 am (UTC)There were networks for everything else they needed (and reliant on the womenfolk too) so that's probably likely. :)
The story of the Kelly gang is intertwined with horses (horse-stealing, their riding ability, Ned's grey mare who appears in bits in various books). Same with the NSW bushrangers of the 60s. Horses are mixed through the stories, and included in their portrayals and songs... (shuts up before she writes an essay :) So anyway, much written on them. The importance of horses, symbolism etc.
I was thinking specifically of Brady's banditti here. Horses were an anomaly in the stories from this period, but they don't get much of a mention, except on the level in those news stories. They rode them, they stole them, they occasionally fell off or lost them. I might need to look at some of the less common sources to see what they have to say.