Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-12
HUNTING KANGARO0S.
THERE ARE NOT so MANY IN AUS
TRALlA AS THERE ONCE WAS.

Kangaroo Diseniboweis a Man or
DoE-rourht Only GU the Defensive.
The traveller whom fate brings TO III,
colonies may Journey from end TO end %
them without seeing In tho flesh eth,
OF the animals that figure upon the Ars
tralian coat OF arms-thc kangaroo and
the emu. There are plenty Of both In
certain districts, but they arc man,
miles away from the railroads. ~ n rule.
and are seen ouly by those who have oc
casion 10 visit remote stations" and &c
explore the alternate stretches Of plain
and "bush," which constitute the "bark
fooks," as the interior portions Of the
country are niylel In colonial phrase
ology.
When the early settlers entered the
country they found the marsuwal tribe
warming Ia countless millions all ovci
g., and when they sought plsturaye foi
their ilocss discovered that the ungcner.
Gus soil would not furnish grass enough
for kangaroos and sheep together. A
war Of determination upon the original
pnsturers upon the land wns therefore
inlugratod. and wagcd with such lead.
ly eject that at present q kangaroo II IN
most districts quite as conspicuous b,
his absence as the buffalo upon thoplains
Of America.
oScE ABUNDANT.
The old squattcrs relate extraordinary
talos OF the former abundance OF these
strange creatures how the oye coild
not range In any direction without seo-
ing hundreds u them. how theyoutored
the 'paddoclis" and grnzod IN the midst
OF the sheep and how. when the grass
grew scant and tho nocla were on the
verge Of starvation, "dnycs' were or.
ganizod, IN which thousands Of tho kan.
garoos were killed and the sparse pastur.
ugc was eased. Wanton ns seems the
wholesale slaughter Of these animals. IL
was, from the squatters point Of view,
a stern and imperative necessity. Tho
only regret OF p.lsioralists Ia the prem.
iscs Is that they did not then know tho
fortune that they lost by allowing the
carcasses u the slain 20 lie aud rot whcre
they had fnlleni for there was no sus.
picion .hen that kangaroo leather wa ot
amy value, or that demand would
spring mp for Il that should make tho
akin OF one VI these animals worth moro
than that Of the sheep whose protection
WAS bought by their slaughter. So inn
portaut has the trade in kangaroo hides
now become that the question II how the
animals that furnish them shall be- pro.
served has taken the place Of dovising
measures for their extinction.
The progressed the kangaroo Is rapid
and Tor milo or two it requires COCA
horse 10 keep In sight OF him. AZ
that. however he tire. aud Is oycrtak
without difficulty
The chase OF tho kangaroo Is under.
taken yariously-on horseback. with or
without dogs, aud by stalking, either
with rifle Or shotgun. 4 kangaroo hunt
On horseback Is an exciting and often
dangerous pastime. In timber, WHORE 10
usually takes place, IL Is particularly
hazardous, owing to fallen logs aud low
set branches, which often sweep the
incautious hunter ovcf his horses tail
and drop him In an undigniiyd position
on the ground behind. firearms arc
not employed IN this pursuit, and when
the game IS corncrgd II is killed by a
blow from ,ho butt end Of heavy nd.
Ing whip or from siirrup which l. mn
shipped from the saddle for the purpose.
The dogs used In the chase are u rough
breed OF large greyhound, which have
not only the strength necessary 10 pur-
ono flying kangaroo fur miles, but also
to attack him when be Is brought 90 bay.
The old dogs IN a autlOn pack ot kan
CARGO hunters are uftcn marked FROM
pars n tail with irightiul scars, tho rec
Urls Of many tough encounters with an
Iuimal which, timld and inoIcnsiyc as
II Is by nature, develops In peril q cour.
Ege and even ferocity that arc rarely
found outside the order OF carulyora.
now m nGurs.
The kangaroo seems poorly provided
by nature with offensive. weapons. His
powers Of biting arc not formidable. aud
his foreraws nro 10 weak ~ 20 seem a..
most rudimentury members and OF little
use. His hind legs are muscular and
strong, but nre apparently OF use only TO
assist flight from his enemies, In these
hind legs ~ found, however, most for.
milabln weapon Ia the shape OF n loug
claw as hard IN steel and sharp as u
rhisel-as terrible 20 dogs ~ the scytho
rhariois Of the ancicn,s were TO their en-.
emies. When run down, the kangaroo,
placing tree behind him To- protect hin
rear, will soizo In his forepaws such in
discreet dogs as rush upon him, and,
holding them firmly, disembowel them
with sweep Of his sicklcliko claws.
Even the hunters themselves thus caugh,
In the yiselilie grip Of an 'old man" kan.
garoo OF tho larger breeds have some
times suffered IN like manner. and have
now aud then taken their own turn at
being hunted rs tho tnraged animal
turned upon them and attacked thciI
horses with blind ferocity, The kanga
roo fights with great address and intclli
gence, and II be can find stream OF
water hole In which 10 await his foes
will station himself waist deep In IL and
pushing the dogs under one by one az
they swim out ~ attack hun, either
drown them outright or compel them 3,
retro from want Of breath. Against
human enemies, armed only with club
or stirrup irons, tho kangaroo offer
shows himself clever boxer, wardinl
OFT blows very deYterously with his fore
paws, and now and then making for
ward bounds, with rapid play OF his dan
gerous hind feet, which nro difficult I,
Ryold.-Melbolrne Cor Boston journal
a Delicate Hint.
Hell stepped On your dress. Yoi
must thinl, me perfect bear.