The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-05-25
A RABBIT DRIVE.
One Of the Annual Round-Ups Of
the California Pest.
Everybody in the County Turns Out and
Helps to Hunt Down and Slaughter
tho Dcstroyers of Their Vine
yards and Orchards.


yards and Orchards.
In recent account Of the annual
spring rabbit drive the San Francisco
Chronicle thus depicts the scene:
THE pen consists of two immense
wings over half-mile each in length,
made of rabbit-proof fence firmly fas-
tened to posts. At the entrance is
gate leading to a chute some thirty
feet into the inclosure and to the cor
raj proper. surrounded by high wire
screen fence.
"The moving line was, at the start,
fully five miles long, extending in the
form of a semi-circle. The people
closed rapidly, and when the line con-
tracted 1t formed such black mass of
many thousands that it reminded one
OF the migration of nations In the mid
die ages, when many tribes were leav-
ing their seats and wandered toward
more congenial homes. The excite
ment increased with every minute, and
the noise was becoming dreadful.
Yells OF the men, screams of the
women mingled together with neigh
ing horses and pitiful cries of the rab-
bits.
'The jacks were driven now by thou
sands toward the pen. The prairie was
fairly alive with them as they, aston
ished and bewildered, ran to and fro,
with no hope of escaping, no chance of
avoiding the cruel club of the hunts
man.
Just before the pen we sighted
curious spectacle. At once and with
out any apparent reason the rabbits
began to run in a circle, or rather in
series OF concentric circles Taking
into consideration that there were
thousands OF them moving with ex-
traordinary rapidity, it can easily be
imagined how curious this perform
ance must have been. The dust rose in
clouds, and this occurrence, together
with the swift circular motion of the
maddened animals, would make any
one believe that a whirlwind was ris-
ing We almost saw hurricane ap-
preaching, and so natural was the ap-
pearance OF it that many present
grasped their hats to prevent them be-
ing carried away by the would-be
wind. One minute later and the
scenery was completely changed. Each
Of the concentric circles became dis
solved. wedged itself into the opening
OF the pen and disappeared in the
chute. The rabbits were in.
What happened inside defies de-
scription. Men, women, boys and
girls pushed in, shouting, yelling,
swinging their clubs and sticks, mad
dened, wild, excited. Above in the
skies, the eagles, vultures and hawks
as if waiting for the prey
soon to be left for their use. Outside
the corral the neighing of horses aug
mented still more this pandemonium,
and inside the cry of the clubbed rabbits
had something almost human in its in
tensity. 1t was like cry Of little
children, so natural and SO pitiful that
many women present put their fingers
into their ears so as not to listen to
this seemingly pathetic appeal for
mercy
"In twenty minutes the slaughter
inside the inclosure was over. The
rabbits huddled near the side of the
pen in dense masses, and here they
were easily killed. Some of them tried
to force their heads under the fence,
and were, of course, also easily
reached. Hundreds of others rushed
against the wire-screen fence, appar-
emily to commit suicide. They were
also soon dispatched. None escaped
from the corral, it was so easy to club
them, yet the slaughter was not ac-
complished without some fiendish cru
city. Instead of killing the animal
some persons-the toughs and thugs of
Fresno-would capture it, cut off its
ears or break off its leg, and let the
rabbit run. Nothing could show bet
ter the cruel disposition of some per-
sons than this wanton sport.
'After the battle was over and the
atmosphere became clear of flying fur
the work Of counting the victims was
commenced. A dozen of men or so be-
longing to the Rabbit Drivers associa-
tion appeared on the scene armed with
long shears to cut the ears of the
killed rabbits. As the county pays
one and one-half'cents for each pair of
ears the association can make some
money, at least enough to cover all the
expenses. Besides the jack-rabbits
carcasses are sent to San Francisco,
where they find a ready market among
the Latin population of that city. The
cotton tails are divided among the
hunters The number of rabbits killed
in this drive was thirty-fve hundred
outside and seven thousand inside the
corral"
A Blind Mathematician.