Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, 1830-1840 - Page 264
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[Page 264]
"courage of the mother, happened within the Author's Knowledge. One of these women, who had been for several years attached to a sailor, a young man of respectable connexions, but of a wild and volatile disposition, one evening wandered from her sealing party with a young child at her breast, and, accidently falling in with a band of natives, was immediately attacked, and threatened to be severely punished. Her infant was snatched from her, and thrown into a large fire. This treatment inspired the woman with the most desperate courage; she rushed with the rapidity of lightning through the horde of barbarians by whom she was surrounded, and in an instant plucked her child from the devouring element, and ran off with it into the woods on the opposite side, whither she was followed by the savages. But the wings of fear, and maternal fondness, eluded the more tardy pursuit of her persecutors, and she contrived aided by the shades of night, to conceal herself and scorched infant behind the thick trunk a fallen tree; but finding it useless, they returned to their fire, round which they shortly laid down and went to sleep. The poor woman having an opportunity to observe this, and finding her retreat well secured, quietly left her hiding place and making her escape, before morning reached the town of Launceston, a distance of about twelve miles, where she once more found a comfortable residence home at the residence of a gentleman at that place - this gentleman and his lady, greatly to their credit, had previously taken under their protection the eldest child of this woman