[1] It was written in response to a competition being held by Theo Hamilton, who offered a £250 prize for a "colonial play".
[3][4] The Argus said "The story is of a highly romantic character, and the incidents are not more improbable than is customary in play a of the school to which this belongs.
"[6] The Age said "The stage has not hitherto been much enriched by the productions of Australian dramatists, and Mr. Burnage's play is certainly no exception to the rule.
The materials he uses are bushranging exploits and convict life, but surely enough has been already written on the lawlessness of early colonial times to make Mr. Burnage's work quite superfluous.
The subject is neither healthy nor attractive in style, and it scarcely redounds to our credit that plays founded on convict life and bushranging should gain recognition as specimens of Australian dramatic literature.