Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-11-14
HUNTING KANGAR00S.
THERE ARE NOT 50 MANY IN AUS
TRALlA AS THERE ONCE WAS.

OF Their Skins Was Known-IIow
Kangaroo Disembowcis n Man or
Dor-Fought Only on 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 figsnee upon the Aus
tralinn coat Of arms-the kangaroo and
tho emu. There are plenty of both in
certain districts, but they are many
miles away from the railroads, as rule,
and are seen only by those WHO have oc-
casion to visit remote Stations" and to
explore the alternate stretches of plain
and "bush," which constitute the "back
Aocks," as the interior portions of the
country are styled in colonial phrase
olo2y.
When the early settlers entered the
country they found the marsupial tribe
awarming in countless millions all over
IL, and when they sought pasturage for
their hocks discovered that the ungener-
ous soil would not furnish grass enough
for kangaroos and sheep together. A
war of determination upon the original
pasturers upon the land was therefore
inaugurated, and waged with such dead
ly effect that at present II kangaroo is in
most districts quite as conspicuous by
his absence rs 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 tlocks were on the
verge of starvation, "drives" were or
ranized, in which thousands of the kan
garoos were killed and the sparse pastur-
age was eased. Wanton us 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 Il demand would
spring up for it that should make the
skin of one of these animals worth more
than that of the sheep whose protection
was bought by their slaughter. So inn
portant has the trade i'll 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 mile or two it requires good
horse to keep i'll sight of him. After
,.Iat, however, he tires, and is overtaken
without difficulty.
The chase of the kangaroo is under.
taken variously-on horseback, with OF
without dogs, and by stalking, either
wi n rife or shotgun. a kangaroo hunt
en horseback is an exciting and often
,iur ,;erous pastime. In timber, where il
u>.'.ily takes place, it is particularly
hazardous, owing to fallen logs and low
scl ranches. which often sweep the
incautious hunter over his horses tai
and drop him in All undignified position
OH tie ground behind. Firearms are
not employed in this pursuit, and wher
lac line is cornered it is killed by ;
niuw nom the butt end of a heavy rid
ing .n.;i Or from II stirrup which Is un
slip,.u from the saddle for the purpose
Thv dogs used in the chase are Il rougl
breed e, large greyhouids, which hav
not only the strength necessary to pnr
sne /. ing kangaroo for miles, but ais,
to attack him when he is brought TO bay
The u'.i logs in II station pack of kan
gartn, rl;nlers are often marked fron
e;,is /; ,.l with frightful sears, the rec
ordis =! ,.:;ihy tough encounters with a.
animal y. .lcil, timid and inoifensive Il
II. l., n,lure, develops in peril Il com
age ;...A ven ferocity that are rarel
found outside the order of carnivora.
HOW HE FIGHTS.
The k:"r.uoo seems poorly provide
by ,.;. .,,iih offensive weapons. Hi
pow, ~ %. "..ing are not formidable, an
his i... NV , are SO weak us to seem Il
musi ..Itary members and OF litt
u.e. 49,. aud legs are muscular an
strons ,..i ire apparently of use only
assist tii.lil from his enemies. In the'
hind r..> il found, however, Il most TO
milnir weapon in the shape Of II lor
ciuw -. ard ms steel and sharp rs
cl,i.al u. terrible to dogs as the scyt!
chm.il. ,.ie ancients Were to their e
e,n,-. lien run down, the kangaro
pinr,.. !, zee behind him to protect. h
rear. M.. ,,.izc in his forepaws such i
discreet dogs rs rush upon him, an
holding ,!.em firmly, disembowel the
with IL weep of his sicklelike CLAW
Even lhr hunters themselves thus caug
Iii ,t... y; like grip of an "old man" ka
g;,.,u % lie larger breeds have son
l,lne, ,,.,, red in like manner, and ha
now a.,, ,hen taken their own turn
being Aunted AS the enraged amin
turned upon them and attacked tn
huisc. V Nh blind ferocity. The kanl
roo r.n with great address and inte
gencr, md if he can find a stream
water nic in which TO await his fo
vii! .t.,un himself waist deep in 1T q
pusu,,... The dogs under one by ons
a.. IA, ni1t IA track him cit