"Were there many of such scoundrels about, we should have to abandon our settlements and make war upon them; for there would be no living in the colony till they were exterminated.

Most of these fellows are the colonial version of the highwaymen, at home.

It is just 'Stand and deliver.' They content themselves with taking what they can find in a traveller's pockets, or can obtain by a flying visit to his station." "Yes, I had several of those in my last district," Reuben said.
"They were just mounted robbers, and gave us a good deal of trouble in hunting them down.

But none of them had shed blood during their career, and they did not even draw a pistol when we captured them.
That style of bush ranger is a nuisance, but no more.

Men seldom carry much money about with them here, and no great harm was done." "You see," Dick Caister said, "these fellows have a remarkable objection to putting their necks in the way of a noose; so that although they may lug out a pistol and shout 'Bail up!' they will very seldom draw a trigger, if you show fight.