Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-06-18
Kangaroo Hunting.

great. that the chase of it is attended
with excitement and dangers wholly
unique. The hunting Of the fox in
England is over comparatively smooth
ground and moderate-sized fences,
with well-trained horses, while the
kangaroo has to be chased over nov
country, full of holes covered with
wild grass, over bitches, fallen trees,
among trees and their branches, on
horses that have no superior in speed
in the world.
The dangers that you are to encoun-
ter when you overtake the kangaroo,
although not in reality extreme, are as
great MS those met in the tiger hunt as
usually conducted, while in the latter
YOU have not the excitement and dan
gsr of the chase. The place where l
write is about two hundred miles from
the ocean shore, on the banks Of a
beautiful river, shaded with eucalyptus
trees. These trees are the natural
growth of the country, cover large
part of it, and are believed, both here
and in Europe. to SO destroy malaria as
to be u sure guarantee against fevers of
all kinds. The couches are examined
before retiring at night to sec if there
are any snakes IN them; but mono are
found.
A native. with two women, is campad
on the shore near by. Their camp is q
half-circle of piled.up logs, three feet
high, while on the open side, toward
the water, glares q brilliant fire, light
ing up them and the darkness with q
lurid, fantastic savageness. The ma
sSyes resemble the African more nearly
4! ban either Of the other four OF the hui
mau races, and come without doubt
from that stock. Their hair cannot
strictly be eaid to DO either hair or
wool, but more nearly resembles the
latter. They are of good size. dark
brown, we'll raado, and don't encumber
themselves with much clothing.
One of their weapons of war is the
boomers and it is u curious affair.
It is made of very hard wood, three
feet long, four inches wide, one inch
thick at the center, and bends edge
ways so as to make third of circle.
With the hand they arc said to throw
tkis implement one hundred and fifty
yards, cutting OF the head of All
enemy. and having the weapon return
to the feet of the sender. have seen
the person who threwlt.
The full.grOwn male kangaroo is
called "boomer," and is about seven
and half feet long from his nose to
the end of his tail, the tail being
about three and q half feet of this, and
one foot in diameter at its base. He
lives ON grass, sometimes invading tho
fields of the frontiersman and eating
up all h has. He stands on four legs
when feeding, and at no other time.
His tail is full of powerful sinews but
it Is used only to assist in the equilib-
rum while sitting, standing on the toes,
and ruAuing. In sitting posture he
is about foar and half feet high; but
when he stands on his Toes to survey
tn country of an enemy, he is taller
u Ia man. He has soft, gazelle-
like expression, but the white teeth
CLEAN between the open lips. His
color is brown, tending in age toward
red or gray, according to the species.
They weigh 1.-THE males) from one hun
bred and fifty to one hundred and
seventy pounds each. The meat tastes
somewhat like venison, but is not very
good, though the tail makes excellent
soup.
The female is under six feet in
length, and is different somewhat in
app, arance from the male. The young,
when born, are only an inch long, AMI
are first seen nursing the mother in
the pouch in front, where she carries
them. They remain in this pouch till
they are eight months old and weigh
about ten pounds, and long afterward
return to it on appearance Of danger.
When the mother is hard pressed by
an enemy in the chase, she throws the
young one out of the pouch, and
it thereby makes its escape.
There are kangaroo dogs, very swift
and strong, especially adapted to hunt
ing the kangaroo; but no experienced
dog will tackle one of them without
somebody to back him. They jump
about fifteen feet at time, usually, but
sometimes twenty or more, and their
apparently overtake them in fair race.
and the usual way is to practically sur
round them. When hard pressed
they place their backs to q tree for
the fight; or, in preference, they al
ways strike for the water if there is
any near. They try to seize their
ouomy WIN the TOTO paws ana Cnou
rip it from top to bottom with the mid
die claws Of their hind feet, which
are very sharp. If they ore in the
v1sr they try to hold their enemy
u6der it until he is drowned. They
will always leave dog to attack a
man.
At nine O'Clock one morning, ten
men, including myself, started on
horseback, with four dogs, on chase.
All were experienced in the business
except a young Englishman and my
self. We took no firearms. large
stick being the only weapon to be
used. We had no difficulty in finding
the animals. It was disdained to avoid
such fences as we found, and we
Jumped several Of height OF four to
i've feet, always approaching them at a
full run. We divided the party, half 60
ing to each side of q partly open plain. I
soon saw a large kangaroo and tive small
ones coming toward our party. We
waited until they were near enough to