Etymology The earliest documented use of the term appears in a February 1805 issue of The Sydney Gazette, which reports that a cart had been stopped between Sydney and Hawkesbury by three men "whose appearance sanctioned the suspicion of their being bush-rangers".Wilson, Jane (14 April 2015). "Bushrangers in the Australian Dictionary of Biography", Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 14 June 2018. John Bigge described bushranging in 1821 as "absconding in the woods and living upon plunder and the robbery of orchards." Charles Darwin likewise recorded in 1835 that a bushranger was "an open villain who subsists by highway robbery, and will sooner be killed than taken alive".
ETYmology tHE earLieSt docuMented use of the Term ApPeArS in a february 1805 iSsUe OF tHe sYdnEy GAzette, which RepoRtS that a caRt HaD BEen STOpped BeTWEen sydney aNd hAwKeSbuRy by thRee men "WHose Appearance sanctIOned thE SUspIcIoN oF tHeir bEing busH-rangerS".wilsoN, jane (14 April 2015). "bUsHrangers iN thE AustralIan dictiOnary of bIograPhy", aUstraLIan diCtionarY oF bIOGraphY. retrievEd 14 jUne 2018. John Bigge descRibed buShrangiNG iN 1821 aS "abscoNdiNG in thE wooDS and liViNG upOn pLUnder anD the robBery Of OrcHards." cHaRlEs daRwin liKewiSE reCorded in 1835 ThaT a buSHRanger was "AN OpeN villAIn wHo subsiSTs by HIGHwAY roBbery, AND will soonEr bE killed than taKen alive".