The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-10-17
HUNTING KANGAROOS.
THERE ARE NOT so MANY IN AUS
TRALiA AS THERE ONCE WAS.


Wholesale determination Before the Value
of Their Skins Was Known-Hov a
Kangaroo Disemboweis Man or a
Dog-Fought Only the Defensive.
The traveller whom fate brings to the
colonies may journey from end to end of
them without seeing in the flesh either
of the animals that figure upon the Aus
tralian coat of arms-the kangaroo and
the emu There are plenty OF both in
certain districts. but they are many
miles away from the railroads. as a rule,
and are seen only by those who have oc-
caslon TO visit remote stations" and to
explore the alternate stretches of plain
and bush. which constitute the .sback
f1ocks, as the interior portions of the
country are styled in colonial phrase
ology
When the early settlers entered the
country they found the marsupial tribe
swarming in countless millions all over
it. and when they sought pasturage for
their hocks discovered that the ungener
GUS soil would not furnish grass enough
for kangaroos and sheep together A
war of determination upon the original
inaugurated. and waged with such dead
ly effect that at present a kangaroo is in
most districts quite as conspicuous by
his absence as the buffalo upon the plains
of America.
ONCE ABUNDANT.
The old squatters relate extraordinary
tales of the former abundance of these
strange creatures-how the eye could
not range in any direction without see
ing hundreds of them: how they entered
the "paddocks" and grazed in the midst
of the sheep. and how, when the grass
grew scant and the fiocks were on the
verge of starvation drives" We're or
ganized, in which thousands of the kan
garoos were killed and the sparse pastur-
age was eased. Wanton as seems the
wholesale slaughter of these animals, it
was. from the squatter's point of view
stern and imperative necessity The
only regret of pastoralists in the prem
ises is that they did not then know the
fortune that they lost by allowing the
carcasses Of the slain to lie and rot where
they had fallen; for there was no sus-
picion then that kangaroo leather was of
any value. or that a demand would
spring up for it that should make the
than that of the sheep whose protection
was bought by their slaughter. So inn
portant has the trade in kangaroo hides
now become that the question of how the
animals that furnish them shall be pre-
served has taken the place of devising
measures for their extinction
The progress of the kangaroo is rapid.
and for a mile or two it requires a good
horse to keep in sight of him After
that, however, he tires. and is overtaken
without difficulty
TIE chase of the kangaroo is under
taken variously-on horseback, with or
without dogs, and by stalking, either
on horseback is an exciting and often
dangerous pastime. In timber, where it
usually takes place. it is particularly
set branches. which often sweep the
lncautious hunter over his horses tail
and drop him in an undignifed position
on the ground behind Firearms are
not employed in this pursuit, and when
the game is cornered it is killed by
blow from the butt end of a heavy rid
ing whip or from a stirrup which is un-
shipped from the saddle for the purpose
The dogs used in the chase are rough
breed of large greyhounds, which have
not only the strength necessary to pur-
sue a flying kangaroo for miles, but also
to attack him when he is brought to bay.
The old dogs in Il station pack of kan
garoo hunters are often marked from
ears to tail with frightful scars. the rec
ords of many tough encounters with an
animal which. timid and inoffensive as
it is by nature. develops in peril cour-
age and even ferocity that are rarely
found outside the order of carnfyora.
HOW HE FIGHTS
The kangaroo seems poorly provided
by nature with offensive weapons His
powers of biting are not formidable, and
his forepaws are so weak as to seem al
most rudimentary members and of little
use His hind legs are muscular and
strong. but are apparently of use only to
assist fight from his enemies In these
hind legs is found however. most for
midable weapon in the shape of long
claw as hard as steel and sharp as
chisel-as terrible to dogs as the scythe
chariots of the ancients were to their en-
emies. When run down. the kangaroo,
placing tree behind him to protect his
rear. will seize IN his forepaws such in
discreet dogs as rush upon him, and,
holding them firmly. disembowel them