The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-10-04
PECULIAR HUNTING.
How the Cheetah is Taught to Bring
Down Game.

From the earliest times hunting has
formed the foremost amusement of all
nations. One of the strangest methods
nursued is that Of coursiug with the
bunting leopard. or cheetah. as it is usu-
ally called. This sport is peculiar TO In
Ala. AMI the native Princes embrace
every opportunity 70 engage in it.
This animal. like the tiger. ounce and
panther. is Il member of the cat family.
but il differs slightly from the rest of its
kind in having larger and narrower feet.
and claws tina: are bluntc- and less
curved. Another distingui> hing charac.
teristc Is the great length OF its !er,.
which IL it tor taking is prey by run
ming rather thia Dv !clpine. - IN many
other specie, %. Ii feline family. IL Is
about the size Of "a leopard. but with a
heavier and more compact body. and is
marked in somewhat the same manner.
with beautiful spots covering the body,
dark bands circling its tail and name.
Il is found in Senegal, South Africa.
Persia. India. Sumatra, and as far north
IS the Caspian Sea. In captivity it soon
becomes tame, and displays many of the
traits OF the domestic cat.
The r,anner of hunting with the chez
tab is very interesting The animal is
carried on an odd-looking continuance
called hachcry to a locality where an
telopes or deer are known to congregate
for water or food. This is mere plat
form placed on wheels, which elevate it
about three feet above the ground. and
is drawn by pair of oxen yoked to
rude pole set in the same way as wagon
shaft
Ahood is placed over the cheetah's
head and cord slipped around his neck,
one end of which is secured to q ring set
in the rear of the hackery.
As soon as herd of antelopes is sight
ed both the hood and the leash are re-
moved, and the animal stands at liberty
Oh the platform with its tail toward the
driver. CHANGING quickly about him he
spies the game, and. bounding off the
platform, he rushes toward it. If the
herd halts he crouches low and crawls
along the ground, springing forward the
instant his quarry moves away.
Generally speaking, the appearance of
the cheetah seems 20 paralyze the ante
lopes with fear, and in very short time
they are at his mercy. He instinctively
selects fat buck, and, launching mis-
body forward, fastens his fangs in the
neck or the shoulders of the.beast, bring
ing it violently to the ground, where he
quickly dispatches it by tearing open its
throat and sucking its blood. The dri-
yer, who also acts as keeper, hastens for
yard as quickly as possible, and, replac-
Ing the hood on the animals head, takes
the carcass away. He then conveys the
sheetah to the hackery, where he is again
Ieashed until another herd is sighted.
Very often the cheetah gets sulky be-
cause he is so quickly deprived of his
prey, but the keeper, by dint of coaxing,
usually overcomes such stubbornness in
very short order. Thus, during days
coursing one cheetah may secure secure
several deer.
If unsuccessful in catching deer,
be does not follow the herd, but,
with his tail hanging low, trots back to
bis keeper and seems to feel keenly dis
appointed at the result of his efforts.