in assisting the Irish-American rescuers. He told the story at a very
select gathering in Liverpool, at which I was present. On the 13th of
January, he said, two men, of whom he was one, left this country with
money and clothing to carry out the rescue. They landed on the 28th of
February at King George's Sound, whence a sailing vessel took them to
Freemantle.

They soon got into communication with the two men who had come from
America, and had been on the spot since November, 1875--John Breslin and
J. Desmond, the latter of whom worked as a coach-builder at Perth. Walsh
and his friend offered their co-operation to the men from America in any
capacity, and arrangements were made accordingly. They lent the
Americans arms, and they cut the telegraph wires from Perth to King
George's Sound, where a man-of-war was stationed.

It will be seen from Breslin's account that this was why the man-of-war
was not available to deal with the _Catalpa_; for when the telegraphic
communication was restored, it was found that the gunboat _Conflict_ had
left on a cruise.

Walsh and his friend were on the ground on the morning when the
prisoners started to escape, and if a fight took place, they were to
fight and fly with their friends. If there was no fight, they were to
remain behind. If the _Catalpa_ failed, they were to fly to the bush,
with the exception of some who were to remain behind to succour those in
the bush.

John Walsh described how, when the rescued men were being driven in two
traps from Freemantle to Rockingham, to be taken on the whale-boat to
the _Catalpa_, which was lying off the coast awaiting them, he and his