Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-30
years, and his bearing toward her ID still
that OF O devoted lover.
HUNTING THE KANGAROO.
An Australian Sport which is More Ii
citing Than the Fox Chase.
| fshoe and roathor ReporferI

tshoe and Leather Reporter.I
kangaroo hunting, for pure sport,
forms one OF the great pleasures OF the
country youth Of the Australian. 1t IS
sport requiring the greatest GOODNESS
and daring, if one is to gain the coveted
prize-the tail.
What makes the sport so very exciting
is the danger encountered in pursuing
the animal, the country presenting SO
many obstacles dangerous alike to man
end horse. and the break-neck pace 1t is
necessary to keep up TO follow the semi
flying "marsup" until such time as he
may become tagged, out when, like
lion at bay, no will fight until the last
gasp.
While there is not any Of the cere-
mony or dress incident to fox-hunt IN
chasing the kangaroo, there is no doubt
it is fully as enjoyable, the necessary re-
auirement being, if you are going to
have any fun, that you can ride and
handle horse perfectly, have fairly
fast horse, and have two or more fleet
dogs.
4 party 30 equipped will start from
some given place and make for the near
est rendezvous, or camping ground OF
the kangaroo, the object OF the party
being to get as near as possible 10 their
haunts before being detected, all posi-
bic precautions being taken to make no
unnecessary noise.
The ksngaroos having wonderfully
keen sense of smell, should the wind
favor them, il is sometimes not easy to
get very near them before they are aware
of their danger. Their sense of hearing
being very acute, the least noise made
the better.
They are, however, o very near-sight-
ed animal. Immediately the kangaroo
perceive in what direction the danger Is
coming from they begin 20 act in man
ner worthy of the greatest admiration.
II is exceptional to find them in groups
OF less than from twelve to twenty. The
Young members OF the group are the
first TO leave the camp, diverging and
scattering in all directions. Next in or
der come the "old women" who get
AWAY and follow the same tactics last OF
the group TO leave being the "old men,
who remain as long as they think they
safely can, and then scamper of, each
one in an opposite direction, their ann
for pursuing such tactics being to puzzle
and outwit the dogs, which they fire.
quently do. =.
All this is done within very short
space OF time.
Over ridges, down gullies, through
swamps, creeks, broken country, rocks,
etc, men, horses, dogs go at breakneck
pace. the point aimed at being to keep
the marsup" in the open country.
Should he succeed in gaining the dense
ly.timbered forest only the more ven
turesome follow. They are rewarded,
however, by having tagged out the vic
tim, and the dogs begin to enjoy their
part of the play.
The kangaroo. not being able to run
| further, selects some tree, with his back TO
which he faces and awaits his foe. He
has not long to wait. Your veteran kan
| garOo-dog exhibits rare caution IN con
Quoting the unequal battle, for the
younger and less experienced brute will
make O rush and try to grab the silent
victim by the throat He usually regrets
his impetuosity, however, as those lower.
powerful limbs of the kangaroo, used
with lightning-like rapidity and in terri
bic desperation, send the dog bowling
back with wound that he will carry the
marks of for the rest of his natural life.
The dog who has been in hundred
wars or more will act in a very different
manner from his younger brother. The
point of the marsupials anatomy he ia
vors most is the tail, the object being to
unbalance the kangaroo and throw him
down. Once they succeed in so doing
the silent victims moments are number
ed. Then the tail is taken as trophy
Of the chase, and the sportsmen repair
to their respective homes.