It is not to be wondered at, when you look at the life many of these men have led at home, and the monotony and hardship of their lives in many of the up-country stations, allotted to men as ignorant, and sometimes almost as brutal as themselves.
"Some of them, too, escape from the road gangs, and these are generally the worst; for as often as not, they may have killed a warder in making their escape, and know that it will go hard with them if they are caught.
"It may be said that there are two sorts of bush rangers.

The one are men who have taken to the bush, simply from a desire of regaining their liberty.

Sometimes they join parties of blacks, and live with them.

Sometimes two or three get together, and all the harm they do is to carry off an occasional sheep, for food.

And the other kind are desperadoes--men who were a scourge in England, and are a scourge here, who attack lonely stations, and are not content with robbing, but murder those who fall into their hands.
"They are in fact wild beasts, to whom no mercy is to be extended; and who, knowing it, will fight to the last.