Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-22
A KANGAROO HUNT.
Exciting Sport In which the Country
Youth Of Australia Indulge.

Youth Of Australia Indulge.
Kangaroo hunting, for pure sport.
forms one of the great pleasures of the
country youth Of the Australias, and III
fact of most of the adventurous of the
younger portion of the different com
munlties. 1t is a sport requiring the
greatest GOODNESS and daring, if one is to
gain the coveted prize-the tail. pre-
sumo the fox hunt INDUCED in by the
Englishmau or American has, though in
much less degree, the attraction kan
CARGO hunt has for the average Aus
trallan. suppose what makes the sport
so very exciting is the danger encounter
ed IN pursuing the animal, the country
presenting SO many obstacles dangerous
alike to man and horse, and the break
neck pace it ia necessary to keep up to
follow the semi-fying ''marsup" until
such time as he may become tagged out.
when, like lion at hag he will fight till
the last gasp.
w lille there Is not any of the ceremony
or dress incident to a fox hunt i'm chas-
ing the kangaroo there is no doubt it
Is fully as ENJOYABLE, the necessary re-
quirement being, if you are going to have
any fun, that you can ride and handle a
horse perfectly, have a fairly fast horse
and two or more fleet dogs. A party SO
equipped will start from some given
place and make for the nearest rendez-
vous or camping ground of the kangaroo,
the object of the party being to get as
near as possible to their haunts before
being detected, all possible precautions
being taken to make no unnecessary
[ noise
The kangaroos having a wonderfully
keen sense of smell. should the wind
favor them, it 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. a
very near sighted animal. Immediately
the kangarOos perceive in what direction
the danger is coming from, if any, they
begin To act in "A manner worthy of the
greatest admiration. 1t is exceptional to
find them in groups Of less than from
twelve to twenty in number.
The Young members of the group are
the first to leave the camp, diverging
and scattering in all directions. Next in
order come the "old women" who get
away and follow the same tactics last of
the group to leave being the ''olI men"
who remain rs long as they think they
safely can, and then scamper off, each
one i'll an opposite and different direc-
Ion. ..
being to puzzle and outwt the dogs,
which they frequently do. All this is
| done within very short space of time.
/ When it is discovered that men and
/ dogs have been perceived it is the signal
/ to begin the chase. There is a rush,
'pell NELL the fun begins. 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 denseIv timbered forest, only
| the more venturesome follow. They are
rewarded, however, by having tagged
out the victim, and the dogs begin to en-
! joy their part Of the play.
Inc kangaroo, not DelnB able 10 run
further, selects some tree, with his back
to which he faces and awaits his foes.
He has not long to wait. Your veteran
kangaroo dog exhibits rare caution in
conducting QOr the kangaroo the un-
equal battle; but the younger and less
experienced brute will make a rush and
try to grab the silent victim by the
throat. He usually regrets his impetu-
Osity, however, as those lower, powerful
limbs of the kangaroo, used with light
ming like rapidity and in terrible despera-
ton, send the dog bowling back with a
wound that he, if he ever RECEIVERS, will
carry the marks of for the rest of his
natural life.
The dog who has been in a hundred
wars or more will act in very different
manner from his younger brother. The
point of the marsupial's anatomy he
| favors 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 num-
| bered; the throat is rushed for and it is
! good-by, kangaroo. Then the tail is
taken as trophy of the chase, and the
/ spOrtsmen repair to their respective
! homes.-George Barrie in Shoe and
Leather Reporter.