Hugh Yarwood

Level 345

Maureen Withey on 1st April 2025

HEROIC CONDUCT AND CAPTURE OF FOUR BUSHRANGERS. Four of the convicts at Port Arthur absconded on the 14th December, and, after losing themselves for two days in the bush, succeeded in stealing a whaleboat from Dr. Imlay's establishment, with which they endeavoured to reach Maria Island. Being baffled in this attempt they ran round to Bruce, and went to Mr. Mansfield's, and, finding a whaleboat there more suitable for them, took her and proceeded down the channel, with the intention of capturing some of our colonial craft, to get away from the island. On Tuesday evening they landed at Mr. Cole's, at Snake Island, formerly a boat builder in the town. Mr. Cole met them at the door of his house. They demanded the number of men in his establishment, and, finding they were at some distance from the house, demanded provisions, which Mr. Cole refused. They insisted on having some, and two of them desired Mr. Cole's daughter (the only other inmate of the house) to show them the store room. She did so, and they proceeded to ransack it. The other two men remained outside, one armed with a musket standing at the front door, and the other armed with an axe being stationed under the verandah. Mr. Cole seated him self, and deliberated as to what course he should pursue, when it occurred to him that a knife was lying upon the table, and, having succeeded in securing it unobserved, he arose under the excuse of wishing to go to bed, stating that he must go out side first. This the man at the door refused to permit, and on Cole persevering he levelled his musket and drew back the lock. Cole instantly stabbed him, and a scuffle ensued. One of the men rushed out of the storeroom to the assistance of his comrade, and was instantly wounded by Cole. The man with the axe rushed on Cole, and in the struggle the latter fell. One of them tried to strangle him, but Cole still kept stabbing with his knife, and his daughter succeeded in pulling the man off who was endeavouring to strangle him. The men, finding themselves so effectually opposed, quitted the hut, and made for the boat, while Cole ran in search of his own men, who, hearing his calls for assistance, were already making towards him; but the bushrangers had gained their boat and put off before Cole and his party could reach them. Mr. Cole yesterday gave notice of this attack to the police station at Birch's Bay, and the constables from that station went in immediate pursuit, and discovered three of the men in its vicinity, nearly exhausted from the wounds given to them by Mr. Cole. The fourth man they refused to give any account of, and a party of constabulary has been dispatched from town in search of him. The wounded men were conveyed yesterday evening to the colonial hospital, and two of them are so desperately wounded as to give little hopes of their recovery. The gallant conduct of Mr. Cole cannot be too highly lauded, and we doubt not the government will fully evince their sense of it. The fate that has attended these misguided men will have the effect of deterring others from pursuing the same course; and if equal gallantry were displayed in similar cases it would be the means of effectually checking all attempts at bushranging. The names of the captured men are Hobley, Yarwood, and Jarvis, and William Eastcourt is the name of the fourth man who is still at large. - Hobart Town Advertiser. Australasian Chronicle, 21 Jan 1841. Tasmanian Convict Records: https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON32-1-1/CON32-1-1P14 Conduct Record. (Continued) Hugh Yarwood, per Competitor