, 1881-02-18
Hunting Osfrlclles.
Lady Florence Dixy thus describes an

Lady Florence Dixy thus describes an
ostrich hunt in Patagonia:
'Choo choo! Plata!" [ cry to the doe
who followed at my horses heels. as 5
fne male ostrich scudded away toward
the hills we had Just left with the speed
OF lightning. But the ostrich suddenly
doubles to the left, and commences a
hurried decent. The cause is soon ex.
planned, for in the direction toward which
ne has been making a great cloud OF
smoke rises menacingly in his path. and
baked of the refuge he had hoped to
hnd amid the hills, the great bird is
forced to alter his course. and maks
swiftly for the plains below. But swiftly
as he flies along, so does Plata. who
finds down-hill race much more suited
to his splendid shoulders and rare stride.
Foot by foot he lessons the distance
that separates him from his prey, and
gets nearer and nearer to the fast-sin king.
fast-strding bird. Away we 90. heller,
skelter pown the hill. Plata is alongside
the ostrich, and gathers himself for a
spring at the birds throat.
he has him, he has him ~ I shout to
to Gregorio, who does not reply, but
urged his horse on with whip and spur.
HAS he got him, though ?"
1es- -no-the ostrich with a rapid
twist has shot some thirty yards ahead of
his enemy, and, whirling round, makes
for the hills once more. And now be-
gins the struggle for victory The
ostrich has decidedly the best of it, for
Plata. though he struggles gamely, does
not like the uphill work and at every
stride loses ground.
Can he stay?" cry to Gregoria, who
smiles and mods his head. He is right,
the dog can stay; for hardly have the
words left my lips when, with a tremen-
dous squirt, he races up alongside the
ostrich. Once more the bird points
for the plain; he is beginning TO falter,
but he is great and strong, and Is not
betrayed yet. =. Unconscious
of anything but the exciting chase before
me, 1 am suddenly disagreeably reminded
that there is such thing as caution, and
the necessity to look where you are
going to, for, putting his foot in an ur-
usually deep tuca-tuca hole, my little
horse comes with crash upon his head
and turns completely over on his back,
burrylng me beneath him in a hopeless
muddle.
Fortunately, beyond shaking. 1 am
unhurt, and remounting, endeavor to re-
join the now somewhat distant chase
The ostrich, Gregorio, and the dog have
reached the plain, and as l gallop
quickly down the hill can see that the
bird has begun doubling. This is sure
sign of fatigue, and shows that the
ostrich's strength is beginning to fail
him. Away across the plain the two ami
mails fly, while Gregorio and I press
eagerly in their wake. Suddenly the
stride of the bird grows slower, his
doubles become more frequent, showers
of feathers fly in every direction as Plata
seizes him by the tail, which comes away
in his mouth. In another moment the
dog has him by the throat, and for a few
minutes nothing can be distinguished
but gray struggling heap.
A French military student. home fo
his Christmas holidays, wished to do q
little shooting. Accordingly he possess
ed himself of his fathers gun, dog and
permission de chase. He was aceosted
by local Dogberry, who demanded to
see his license. He at once produced
that of his father. But" read the Off
cial, "72 years old! You are wonderfully
we'll preserved" "Oh! that's common in
our family" ''Then see certain pecu-
liarities indicated-wears a wooden leg" I"
The student burst into a laugh. "You
don't suppose" he cried, 81 should put
on my wooden leg when 1 went shoot
ing?" "Ohl to be sure not, " returned the
other, sit would doubtless impede your
movements. Good day, sir, and good
sport.