Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-08-22
HUNTING kAncARoos.
MISSOURI.

HUNTING kANGAROos.
Adventurous Sport In the WIND Interior Of
Victoria.
30 you want to go on kangaroo
hunt? said my Australian host, with ,
cynical smile.
VI course; why not?n
SIMPLY because you may have better
luck shooting sea serpents or the mann
motn or the p.esiosaurus, for that mat
ter"
1 was surprised at the positive re-
1olnder Still believed that the Bris-
hane citizen had met of late with Door
success with his gun.
You may believe it or not" he con-
tlnued, but it is nevertheless true.
kangaroo hunting is sport of the
past Whatever is left of this mar
supiai mammal is now confined to
large private parks or is domesticated
as pets for old spinsters The are few
Australian citizens now living who
can BOAST OF having seen the kangaroo
in his wild state
Nevertheless. l prevailed on INV
friend to venture with me into the in
terror.
For three days we rode through
mountains and forests, and all we got
1or our pains was pair of small par
-rots
Then we had several days of dreary
ram during which we accepted the
hospitality of an old trapper
what was our joy when one of the
lrapper's sons came home one day with
the news that he had espied a few
kangaroos on an open meadow in the
It,
miost OF an almost-impenetrable forest
few miles from the trapper's hut.
de described the "old man" as being of
extraordinary proportions
we determined to shoulder our guns
on the following day. When we arose
at daylight it was raining in earnest.
I'VE are fortunate" said the trap
per, as he opened the door and. looked
at the sky, this is genuine kangaroo
weather"
The meadow of which his SON had
spoken lay at the lower end of a small
valley No better grazing place could
be conceived of.
We approached the meadow with
great caution, for the kangaroo has
AN exceedingly sharp scent.
At first sight, the meadow appeared
empty, but later we detected a few
black spots at the further end.
looked inquiringly at the trapper
kangaroos." he whispered; sure
enough"
We drew little nearer. and counted
q dozen animals We had no doubt
encountered small family-the ''old
man," a cow and ten calves.
We were too far to venture a shot
We followed the trapper cautiously,
who made numerous detours, keeping
his sharp eye on the herd.
At last we reached a spot where the
trees were few and far apart, and
where we could plainly see the ''old
man" standing up upright. glancing
in all directions like q. watchful ssn-
try.
There is another reason why it is diff
cult to waylay this animal in his wild
state. Like the shark. who is always
accompanied by pilot fish. SO has the
kangaroo a bird lowering over him.
who gives the alarm at the least sus-
picious apparition. a signal for the
flight of the entire herd. The bird is
called the kangaroo-warner.
could learn no further particulars
OF this ''rara avis" Australian orni-
biologists know little about it. At
any rate, it is a curious creature.
who has also this popularity. that its
watchfulness is hampered in rainy
weather. favorable circumstance for
our little party.
The trapper pointed to well-trod-
den pathway. How came this path in
this wilderness? 1t was the daily route
of the herd to their grazing place. 1
was burning with anxiety to have the
first aim at the old man, who stood
within easy distance as a seductive
target But 1 was warned to desist by
the old trapper, who convinced me
that misshot would spoil our sport
altogether. He whispered for us to sit
behind tree few steps from the
path.
The trapper himself made his way,
=stealthily, avoiding every open space,
using bushes and stumps as covers, to
within few feet of the ''o1d man."
Then he fred. and the pater familias
was a dead kangaroo.
As was expected the rest of the herd,
alarmed at the shot, rushed after the
mother down the narrow path before
u.s. The sight of this sudden fight
was so comical that burst out laugh
ing, and although am called a good
shot, my aim was so uncertain on this
account that I missed every time /
fired.
I'VE only procured the ''old man."
He was a powerful beast, measuring
EIGHT feet from head to tail. sold
his skin in Melbourne for two dollars
His carcass furnished seasons meat
for the trapper.-N. Y. Recorder.