On Sunday afternoon between the hours of 2 and 3 as A. B. Smith, Esq, merchant was riding upon horseback on the South Head Road, when he observed two suspicious-looking fellows with their faces blackened, armed with muskets, made their appearance upon the road side; Mr. Smith, suspecting their intention to do robbery, put spurs to his horse; on passing them one of the villains presented his piece and fired; fortunately Providence intervened, and their intention was frustrated, but a slug from the piece lodged in the horse’s neck; the noble animal, as though aware of the danger to its master, sprang forward and soon placed him out of their reach. With respect to the parties who committed this act of atrocity it may not be amiss to surmise that they are the two revolted Negroes who escaped from Hyde Park Barracks some weeks since, and to find these men in the vicinity of South Head Road is not at all a matter of surprise to us, when we remember the daring of men of the same stamp, marooning in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. A party of Police were immediately sent in pursuit, and it is hoped that these men will not escape the law.

Sydney Gazette 17th January, 1837

Listening to all the words someone write bout us make me feel proud, but it also set up a dread. All the constables going be out looking for us more than ever and that anybody who spot us now going turn us in.

No more idle running. We must find a way to truly escape, gain the thing we been lusting after all our lives.

Brisbane Waters

After James read that newspaper, find out all the things backra saying bout us, we decide to pack up the cave, take what supplies we can and slowly make our way far up the coast, to a town backra call Brisbane Waters. We hear is a good place to find a ship and a captain that will look the other way at a man’s past, for a fee, of course. Is also time to post Holt letter. It been burning a hole in me bag since we left the barracks.

On the way up the coast, we raid and steal supplies from the lonely homesteads we come cross. At one homestead, late one night, we manage to steal a couple of horses. James do him horse-talking business, make the horses come quietly, don’t give us any trouble. After we ride them a while, we sell them and with that money buy new ones, with new brands, brands the law not looking for.