The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-02-26
LASSOING CONDORS.
EXCITING PASTIME OF THE CHILL
IAN PLAINS YEARS AGO.

How the Stock Herders Of South Amer
lea Used TO Get Sport Out Of Killing
the Monstrous vsItures OF the Lofty
Andes-Gigantic Birds.
"Chasing the condor with the lasso was
the leading sport on the Gillian plains
when was in that country years ago.
said New Yorker who went to South
America with Harry Meiggs. the great
railroad contractor. but am told that
this great bird has become 10 wary that
the sport In now almost unknown. TWEEN
ty-five years ago the condor had developed
no evidence of cunning that ever heard
Of There WAS then, as there is now. be
lieve, government bounty Of five dollars
head paid for the killing Of the condor
both in Chill and Peru. II the birds are ~
plenty as they were when I went 70 that
region, wide awake hunters ought to make
plenty Of money.
1.-THE condor, unlike many other mem
bers Of the vulture family, doesn't wait for
something or somebody TO die In order that
he may have his dinner. hut u he doesn't
and n ready made carcass convenient on
the plain when he In hungry. he proceeds
at once TO provide that CARCASS himself. At
least. that used to he his habit. and pre-
sumo he hasn't changed any In that re
spcct. providing the material for carcasses
Is as plenty now NJ It was then.
1.-THE herds Of cattle that pastured on
the undulating plains between the impen-
etrable wall Of the Andes and the Pacific.
white crested line Of surf, offered the con
dor unrivaled facilities In his line In those
days, and as he seemed to be In state Of
chronic hunger, this king Of the feathered
race levied constant tribute on the grazing
herds
twenty-five and thirty years ago 1t was
no uncommon thing to see hundreds OF
these winged freebooters lowering over the
plains. each one ravenous and determined
dinner robber from the herds below, u.
which the shadow of n condor's wings car
ried as much terror as the appearance Of q
hawk does to a brood Of chickens
TRAPPING BIG vULTUREs.
1.-THE condor was the greatest enemy the
stock raisers in that part of South America
had to contend with, and it was his per
sisteut and destructive raids on grazing
cattle that made him an outlaw, with a
price on his head, to be relentlessly hunted
even among the crags and cloud capped
peaks where he made his home.
lasscing was to he had the carcass Of n
steer, a dog or horse was carried out OH
the plain Strong stakes were driven into
the ground five or six inches apart, about
the carcass, until roofcss Enclosure six
or seven feet high and twenty feet square,
with gate at one side, was made. Long
before the work Of making this inclosurt
could be finished condors would be seen
floating down from the clouds. far above
which they have their hsunts Az long "a
the workmen were busy at the inclosur
the birds would sail high overhead.
1.-THE instant the coast was clear down
the great vulture would drop and in few
seconds he would be tearing at the dead
body In the inclosure It 10 no uncommon
thing for mature condor to have q
twelve foot spread Of wing, and ! have
known them to measure fifteen feet from
tip to tip Of wing. Their bodies are heavy
and on the ground the bird Is clumsy.
ut cannot rise for flight without run
ming rapidly for long distance to give Il
the necessary momentum, especially II 1t ia
gorged with food, which 1t never fails tc
be II any food can be obtained. As con.
sequence, when n condor alighted in one oi
those Enclosures, he was M much Of pris
oner nv II he were chained down to the
ground, and the sportsman kept him there
10 serve his pleasure.
USING THE LARiAT
when he wanted to ride after condor
the owner OF the pen generally with q
friend or two similarly equipped, mounted
feet horse, fastened his lariat to the sad
die and rode to the Enclosure. An attend
ant opened the gate Of the prison and le,
out u condor for each rider. When tn,
condorS found themselves at liberty, the,
at once started ut the top Of their speed OF
the long run that would enable them Il
take wing
After they had run probably one-quartel
Of the distance the huntsmcn put spurs Z,
their horses and dashed after the birds
As the condors arose from the ground with
great wings spread, the lassoes wcr'
thrown. An expert handler Of the laria
would send his rope over the condor's head
and no manage it that it WAS slipped dow
until it touched the shoulders Of the wing,
before it would be frightened on the bird.
1.-THE condor was then prisoner, bu
able to use his powerful pinions, breath,
freely and lead the horseman wild chas,
across the plain, turning in all directions
in his frantic fight, but unable to ris,
higher than the length of the lasso WheI
the rider tired Of the sport he would turn
his horse about and lead the chase himself
forcing the unwilling bird along until il
tumbled spent to the ground and wa,
dragged to death Mt the horses heels.
IL never could understand why condor
captive like that, did not turn on both mar
and hose and attack them as he would y
steer, but never knew one to do 80. Ono,
in awhile Il lariat would break while the
horseman was bracing his horse against
some desperate sweep OF a mighty condor
and then both horse and rider would h
tumbled violently to the ground, and tn,
suddenly released bird would shoot up
ward like cannot ball and soon disappear
among the clouds. Condors with severa
feet of somebody's lariat hanging to then
were frequently seen among those tina
swooped down on the herds. New Yorl
Tribune
Carbonic Acid Gas In Liquid Form.
At the Guinness brewery in Dublin al
attempt is being made TO utilize the ear
bonic acid gas liberated during the process
of fermentation. As some %, 600, 600, 0o
gallons OF this gas are produced annual,
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