Australian (Sydney, NSW : 1824 - 1848), Thursday 25 October 1838, page 2


LOCAL NEWS.

Sales by Public Auction atlorrtisnl to take place, between t/u'.i and our ,.;t. .suini/ publication.

I. SIMMONS & Co —At 'Messrs Hughe* an,i Hosking's Wharf, Bullocks, Hor»es, Oravs, l'hictnus, Sails, K'gging. ami Merchandise' J. T. WILSON — At his Rooms. S,w,,r. \\'L.

and Alerrlinndise; in the bvemui;, Uuuks M. SOLOMON— At his Rooms, Hosier), Oit meal, L'epper, &c. TO-MORROW. J. T. WILSON— At his Rooms, Cattle.

We understand that Mr Teirrr l,as just received Irom London, an extenMve'assori. ment of very valuable books, magazines, dressing cases, nnd writing desks. The lovers of liters

vu- w ?»??? -iwi- »»u*w uii vsjijiui luutij ui iiunrovii).* their stock of knowledge, and adding standard productions to their libraries at a cost but little exceeding that which they would incur in th; Metropolis of the liritish Empire. This speaks volumes for the advancement of the colony, at d we sincerely wish that Mr Teg? will meet with that eicourngement to which his prnueworthv enterp-ise renders him entitled. '* Music hath charms' for Auc tioneers as well as other folks. Mr WiUun actually postponed his Book Sale, which was to have taken place on Thursday night last, to afford his friends an opportunity of patronizing Miss Walluce's Concert; and as onejjood turn ? deserves another, crowds of persons, unions; whom we observed many literary, scientific, anil musical characters, attended his mart on Kriiiav night nnd became purchasers of several volume]*. The ' Annuals,' in particular, fold well ; ' Friendship's Offering,' and the ' Musical ? Bijou,' realized enormous prices. — Corrtsi»tu-dent. We are glad to learn that the funds voted by the Council for the erection of I.ivk up and Court houses within the r'oliee district of Scalinm are shortly to be appropriated to their intended objects. We hope that the setilera on the William will not have to complain of delays at the office of the Colonial - Architect. The erections above specified are seriously needed at the above-named Township; indeed, so much convinced was the Police Magistrate of the dis. trict, of the eligibility of having petty sessbns held at Seaham for the benefit of the numerous and respectable settlers around, thut he began, eight or nine months ago, to construct at his own proper expense, within the Township, a home which he anticipated would answer the purpose ; the Colonial Architect has merely to complete the design of the worthy magistrate, and the urgent wants of this large nnd populous district in the important matters of facilities lor detect ing and punishing crime; and maintaining due order am -ng the convicrpopulation will be gra tified, at a trifling expense to government. Extract of n letter from Moreton Bay, dated 12th October, 1838.— Since I last wrote you I was present nt a fight between three tribes whose hunting grounds are contiguous to the settlement, and three other tribes who are farther removed from us, and I was fearful that the settlement tribes would have been beaten, having heard the man speak very highly of the valour of the mountaineers; but the result was otherwise. The battle was fought in a valley at the foot of a range of mountains, about 5 miles from the settlement, called Taylor's Range. The three strange tribes encamped at the base of the mountain, and the settlement tribes on a small ridge on the opposite side of a valley. After painting themselves, and covering their heads and bodies with the gaudiest parrot's feathers, they sent three of their skippers, or young men, armed with spears and bomerangs, to challenge the hostile tribes, who were similarly painted and dressed, and stood with spear and shield in hand at the foot of the mountain, and presented a most formidable appearance. The skippers ran up to the enemy's camp, and, after boasting of the superior valour of their tribes, the good-ness of their sight, the force with which they threw their spears and bomerangs, returned un-molested to their own camp. The skippers of the mountain tribes then rushed out and repeated nearly the same words to the settlement tribes, threw their spears, and also returned to their camp unmolested. After waiting for some time and nothing being done, I began to think that the settlement tribes were afraid of the moun-taineers, whose chosen warriors advanced in a line, striking their shields with their waddies, singing their war cry, wa-ah ! wa-ah! wa-ah! a-a-ho! a-a-ho! a-a-ho ! hi-hi-hi ! — I should have told you that many of the Amity Point tribe, which is more numerous than the other two settlement tribes, were deficient of spears and shields, having nothing but waddies and bomerangs. Our friends kept on the defensive, and waited till the mountaineers had thrown their spears, which they turned off with their shields, or avoided, with wonderful activity. The gins of the settlement tribes collected the enemy's spears and gave them to their friends, who, by a feigned retreat, drew the hostile tribes farther from the mountains. They then halted, and commenced throwing spears, waddies, bomerangs, stones, and every other missile they could lay their hands on, leaping and singing when any of them took effect; and after four hours hard fighting they beat the mountaineers back, stormed their camp, which they plundered of their nets, opossum cloaks, &c. and returned to their own camp. After the struggle had ceased I went to the opposite tribes, and found that eighteen of them were wounded, some very badly; but they were not at all dispirited. The fight was renewed on the following morning and the settlement tribes were again victorious. One of the mountaineers was killed with a spear, and they were again driven back to the mountains. The day was uncommonly fine, and the spot where they fought was beautifuily diversified with mountain, hill, and dale; the imposing attitude of the men, their shouts of triumph and defiance as they met each other in the valley, the fierce struggle, in which was displayed the skill, activity and cunning of man in a state of nature, the cries of the gins, who were in the rear of each party, either of triumph or despair, as the fate of the battle changed, all combined, made such an im-pression on my mind as will never be forgotten. Man is indeed here, ' ord of the creation,' carrying nothing but his instruments of war, his gins supplying his wants, and carrying all he is possessed of. On Tuesday evening a gentlenmn passing through the Barrack-square, about six o'clock, narrowly escaped from a steel headed arrow, which fell and struck into the ground at his feet. The gentlemen of the Barracks have plenty of room to exercise and amuse themselves without trespassing on the thoroughfare, where females are hourly promenading, and who would be slightly inconvenienced by being made targets for the display of military archery. The arrows used by the gentlemen are formidable weapons, fit rather for execution than amusement, and a "really quite an accident, '' apology, would go a short way as recompense for loss of limb by their frolics. The foundation stone of a new Wes-leyan chapel was laid at Parramatta on the 15th instsnt. by H. MArthur, Esq. The. Rév Messrs-Draper, M'Kenny, Watkin, Hunt, Calmert, Jagger and Atchison, severely addressed the spectators of the ceremony, which excited great interest. On Saturday night last, the seamen, belonging to H. M. brig Pelorus. in a body. »r..l armed with short bludgeons and boat stretches, made a tour of the town, assaulting every ok* they met. Their operations appeared, however. to be directed principally ngaiiist the con*taule». several of whom were handled very rou;:Iily. J ne constabulary mustered a strong body on the lo. lowing night when a second visit was evpecteu. but the seamen did not nppear, having txea checked by their officers.

Extract of a letter from Jlolon^lo PUins, dated Foxlow, October Hi, 1838 : — ' A oat daring outrage having been committed here jJJ, Saturday lastt I hasten to give you the parti . About ten o'clock of the forenoon of the 13th Instant, two well dressed men on horse back, rode into the yard, and dismounting im mediately, walked into the house, and accosting Mrs Roope, inquired for the master. I was iu [he stable at the time preparing to go out to a station, and seeing two gentlemen, apparently, enter the house, I proceeded towards it, and was met by the two persons near the little yard gate ; one of them inquired if there was any muskets in the house, I replied there was, upon which he told me to stand fast — his companion at the same instant, presented a double-barrelled gun at my heart, threatening me with instant death if I stirred an inch ; one or two men who was nenr at the time were ordered to take their stand near me, and threatened with death if they did not instantly obey ; this precaution being taken, one man stood sentinel over us, keeping his double barrelled gun pointed at my head, using the most gifal and threatening language ; the other pro ceeded to ransack the house, first bringing out and destroying all the arms, then breaking open boxes, taking various articles of wearing apparel belonging to me ; they then became urgent for money, watches, &c, but fortunately there was only thirty pounds in the house, and my watch ?was left by me in Liverpool when I last visited Sydney. Having robbed the house of every article they thought proper, they demanded pro visions and entrance into the stores ; the fellow who was engaged in ransacking the bouse ordered Mrs Roope to produce the keys (which of course she was obliged to do) and put into a bag, tea, iogar, &c. together with all the cold meat and bread that was in the dairy. Having satisfied themselves with plunder they ordered Mrs R. into the kitchen to prepare refreshment for them (the house servant having from tlie moment of their arrival been commanded by them to hold their horses), of which they partook, one at a time, the other standing over me, with his doable barrelled-gun presented at my head. The villains having regaled themselves with what the house afforded, ordered the stock-man, one of the persons then in their power, to watch the two horses ( both of them the horses I usually ride, and Bobby unfortunately was oni' of them) which were then in the paddock adjoining the house, and take the saddles &o. from off the horses they had ridden and knocked up,- and put them together with their plunder on your two horses; this being doue they mounted and rode of at a great rate, first threatening me, that if I went off the farm, or allowed any person to do ao for that and the following day, they would re turn and murder me ; 1 thought it prudent to obey the mandate for that day, but wrote an account of the transaction, intending to forward it next morning to the Police Office, but rain filling very heavily prevented my doing so until the following morning. From the manner in which the villains were attired they must very recently have robbed the premises of some re spectable settlers ; they had each of them blue cloth caps on their heads ; one of them a green tporting coat, silk waistcoat, and white trousers, with a blue cloth cloak ; he was armed with a double-barrelled gun and thiee pistols in a girdle around his waist ; this is the tellow that stood oter me ; the other villain had on a bluesurtout coal, silk waistcoat and black trousers, all nearly uetr, and was armed with a double-barrelled gun, together with a brass blunderbuss and Jour pis tols secured to his person ; this fellow ransacked the house, and ulthough the younger of the two, appeared to be the harder, a most savage look in? fellow as ever I set my eyes mi ; it appears to me a miracle that they did not take some of our lives : I expected death every moment. I sm happy so say that they treated Mrs K. with comparative civility. Thu two horses left here by the villains I have put into the l..:.je paddock, li they will, no doubt, be shortly enquired after. There are no mounted police at Queanbeyau, inJ since the establishment of the Court we do oat see a policeman once in three months, nor even a constable. — I shall commence sheep shear fcg an Eoon as the weather settles. We have hid a most refreshing shower of rain, and it is now rather cold. The wheat will revive, and crass may soon be expected in abundance.''

A discharged soldier from the 4th regiment, for whose apprehension a reward of £3 was offered by Mr Thomas Kite, of Bathurst, was captured by a soldier of the 50th regiment, who met him in Sydney and took him before the Bench. The man's name is George Head, a hired servant to Mr Kite, from whose service he absconded. The Bench forwarded him to the Bathurst Bench to answer the complaint of his master. On Friday night, an attempt was made to rob the premises of Mr Strictland, the grocer, in Pitt-street. The robbers were in the back-yard, and had attempted the back window, when the servant was alarmed, and they went off. They returned again at one o'clock in the morning, but the family were prepared for them, and they decamped finally without their booty. It is hoped they will call again, as Mr Strictland has provided to receive them with a feu de joie, to do honor to their achievement. Accounts have been received of se-veral depredations committed in the neighbour-hood of Limestone Plains by two desperadoes in the bush. They are well mounted, and armed to the teeth, wearing the uniforms and being fully equipped as officers of the mounted police. They robbed Mr Faunce's station, Mr Simpson's, and several others, one of them calling up the farm servants and standing sentry over them whilst the other ransacked the houses. When last seen they appeared to be making for Sydney, which is probably their intention, as they have valuable property in watches and jewellery, which they cannot make away with in the country. The addition to Mr Solomon's adver-tisement of goods for sale to-day was not sent in proper time to be attended to. The additional items are — 30 dozen Sherry, and 20 dozen Lemon Syrup. On Tuesday night, Mr Mitchell, the Chief constable, was making his rounds, and stumbled over a fellow who was lying on the footway at the corner of King and George-streets. 0n examination Mr M. discovered that he was a notorious pickpocket, and applying his stick handsomely on his person, the fellow ran off without a sign of intoxication, and was evi-dently waiting to trip up and rob the first pas-senger. This method has been successfully resorted to of late, and persons ought to be cau-tious how they approach men lying on the foot-way after night fall.