Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-06-05
A Jack.rabbit Drive.
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HuSr.
IAN DIsEo Icai.l LsiisEl

fssn Diego tcsi) Letter
I attended tue last sek-rsoeii ofi'e
in Kern county last Sunday Inc
..d,i,e" included Two sections OF lsnd'
,hi,,e.n miles soaihve', Of town ihe
corral YES built In one corner ole 'ee,'on'
.na va, .bou, twenty By hf,y feet.
Prom the two upper corners OF the corral
a, men. . fence made Of ls,h. woven to-
s,,h,r With wire. vi. stretched Tor .
mil. a, rish, angles along the section
lis,.. The "srmy" ". about '"o
hundred strong. divided into four com
NAMES. each under the command OF .
e.p,.in. AZ given signal the army
moved forward to-srd' the corral.
Az frs, but few rabbits could be 'een'
bu, a. ~e marched along they became
more numerous. aud were noticed 10 De
.om.,h.t excited. Nov and then
,.bbl, would break through the line,
and re, way. but /. the crowd moved
forward the lines closed uP. and escape
"a. impo..ible-sn attempt sl-sIs re-
,ul,ins In the death Of the rabbit. The
nearer ~e approached the pen. the wilder
and larger became the crowd Of animals
Occasionally one would jump Over The
fence. While dozens would wedge HEM
selves between the laihs.
On and on marched the club brigade
until within one hundred yards 81 the
corral. when q halt vas made. ! vi"
amazed q, the multitude Of the long'ear'
81 cr.ta e ikoaghs there mus - .
million Of them. Her, and there u cot
tonisn could 10 seen. bat they were Moth
ing compared 10 the vas, multitude 81 the
blsektsiled 'j.ek..'
One rabbit .. seen TO bop into the
p.n, then another. aud another until =
dozen or NOR. h,d entered. AZ zach
rabbit 70, Inside. he would hoP 'I'-lJ
around the corral and return TO the gate
and 20 out The crowd remained quis,
for several minutes. when The excitement
Of the animal. some-h., subsidized, aud
then a march OF few step. vas male
BY the crowd. When this vas done,
every long ear stood straight up, aud the
srs., herd Of jacks moved rapidly towards
the corral. and each bounded over The
other 10 e.g,rns.. TO en,sr first. In less
than minute all had snlsred. aud the
gates we're elOssd.
No- for the work Of destruction. The
committee appointed. each With elae 10
hand. began the murdsroas assault.
The object was 10 brain q rabbi, At each
blow. but ,ki. could no, Be done. A
stroke aimed q, the head Of ose rabbi,
would mics aud break the back Of ano,h-
e. What piiifal walls the poor srsA.
tur,, did make They would cry on,
like children. Now one would jump
over your shoulders, while another -oa i
strike your breast. The fur hs-. the
dust was sitting. the tope terrific.
The blood ,pgnsd over Jour clothes, aud
In your eyes. Bgieksrs never looked
more muidsrous than that committee.
1hs rabbits huddlsd together in one
corner 90 ibieily that handrsd, Of them
-srs ,mo,ksitd. Beat, beat. beat.
death. death. death. The dead '-sllsd
In numbei,. TIE living coveted In tie
corner. unable TO move because Of fright.
Thump. ,kumP. thump -,nt ihs elsb',
and oai win, the brain. and life Of the
remainder II took sbou, ,-en,y min
ute. TO finish the JOB.
Then the rabbits we're piled up and
counted. The number reached 7.l3j.
Now. Why are these jack rabbits thus
rgihls.,ly ,l.ugkisredl Because they
a., the msshs., kind Of {. p,,, "A
army OF them ~ill invade "a .li.lf. field
and ca, IL to the ground Ia one nishi.
A ihog'.nd Of them -ill do iresleul.bls
damage TO . farmer In one night. How
many millions Of rabbit. there ATE Ia
Ksrn county esnno, cay. bu; ~s'
told they propagate every 'iI weeks, foul
ns litter.