The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-27

nocked out and the loss Of these Is his certia-
cate Of manhood.
Opossums, wallabies, and FISH are their chief
articles Of food. varied by the eggs Of wild
iOwl, or m occasional emu or kanga-
roo. Wild ducks, too, are often taken IN tho
following manner. When the rivers are full, the
waters from them flow TO a considerable distance
inland, forming large swamps and lakes, which
ore the resort OF countless tlocks Of back swans,
wild gcc'c, and the other genera Of that class.
The creeks by which the waters Of the main
rivers ave conducted into these lagOOns are gene
rally hOrdercd by lofty white gums, which strctch
their branches lar over the streams; the bl tcks
usually select spot in the narrOwe,t part, where
two Of these trees grow on opposite sides; and
from their topmUst bOughs, they suspend their
meta across, at the height Of forty or fifty feet
above the surface Of the water.
A parry composed Of their most expert hunters
remains in ambush ~ this spot while the women
ard children proceed to the head Of the liRJOn,
hOm whence they drive the Wild fowl with shouts
and cries. The ducks, when fairly startled, fly
towards the main stream, and invariably follow
IN their fight the windngs Of the creek. Wnon
thee have reached the vicinity of the hunters,
ono party initiates the shrill scream Of the dsh
hawk, while some Of the others throw cir ulr
pieces Of bark into the air; and the afrightod
wild fowl, sweeping suddenly down to avoid
what they believe 10 be their dreaded foes, d art
bludly, with Outstrctched necks into the tolls
when they arc instantly knocked on the head by
their watchful captors in this way, Gfty or sixty
are often taken in few hours
There arc two methods adopted for hunting
down the Cmus. Sometimes long nets are at
points where they have been remarked 20 resort
10 the water; and a numerous party Of the ma
tiyCs lie IN wait for them as they come in from rho
black plains, then showing themselves in success
sion in yariOuS points, they coutrvc e. drive the
surFI.cd cmus right into the nets, where they
fan on them whilst cntanglcd In the mnshcs;
but even then some Of the hunters are often
disabled, for an emu kicks as iuri)Usy as a
horse; ard have frequently known a hunter to
fnf art1a Hf lsrn NJ,
Of their ct. At other times (chiefy during the
hIC, dirg season., single black man Craws
ont into a plain frequeuted by these BIRDS,
holding a large bush IN front OF him as hc ad-
vauCCs; and by means Of hollow bone, he
initiates the note Of the male emu This attracts
any OF the Others which are feeding near tlCm.
lfOnc Of them approaches, be shakes the bush
repeatedly and seeing this The foolish bird runs
up quite close to satisfy It's curiosity, and is at
once silently trarstXed by the spear Of its un-
seen enemy. The flesh of the emu is considered
great dtlicaCy by the abOrgues; and the white
siOCBmen glady give them tea, sugar, and to-
baccO in exchange for its marrow, as they con-
slider il 70 be specific for rheumatic pains, which
are very prevalent In Australia OpOssums are,
however, for many months the chief support of
the aborigncs. AIMED with his tom lh1wk, tho
back man goes forth into the forest stepping
lightly and rapidly along as he glances upwards,
amidst the branches Of the box or gum trees, in
search of dead limbs and hollow stems
When he meets with any Of these, he first ox-
amincs tho trunk OF the tree, and learns, from
the scratches on It's bark, the probable number
of opOssums dwelling in it then cutting notches,
to assist him in his ascent lac climbs quickly up
until he reaches the entrance to the cavity 10
which he expects to find his prey into this he
pushes n long slender twig until its end touches
the sleeping opossum, (fOr these animals are
nocturnal in their bab.ts), then, withdrawi9g IT,
he measures the same length on the outside of
the limb, and cutting hole in with his tomahawk
he drugs out his prize, which he Kills by dashing
its head against the tree; and then goes on to
repeat the same process until he has procured a
sufliciency Of game Chambers Journal