18 SAN JOSEF. 



ambush. The little party fired separately, loading as fast as 

 they discharged their pieces ; they succeeded in making the 

 mutineers change their route. 



" It is wonderful what little courage the savages in general 

 showed against the Colonel and his little party; who abso- 

 lutely beat them, although but a twenty-fifth of their number, 

 and at their own tactics, i.e. bush fighting. 



" A body of the mutineers now made towards the road to 

 Maraccas, when the colonel and his three assistants contrived 

 to get behind a silk-cotton tree, and recommenced firing on 

 them. The Africans hesitated and set forward, when the 

 little party continued to fire on them ; they set up a yell, and 

 retreated down the hill. 



"A part of the mutineers now concealed themselves in 

 the bushes about San Josef barracks. These men, after the 

 affair was over, joined Colonel Bush, and with a mix- 

 ture of cunning and effrontery smiled as though nothing 

 had happened, and as though they were glad to see him ; 

 although, in general, they each had several shirts and pairs 

 of trousers on preparatory for a start to Guinea, by way of 

 Band de I'Est.i 



" In the meantime the San Josef militia were assembled, 

 to the number of forty. Major Giuseppi, and Captain and 



1 People will smile at the simplicity of those savages ; but it should be 

 recollected that civilized convicts were lately in the constant habit of at- 

 tempting to escape from New South "Wales in order to walk to China. 



