The morning times., 1896-10-18
THE RD BOLAs.
Hunting Wild Geese Without Powder
or Shot.
BY C. F. HOLDEN.

y. L NJ i-b3~-N.
To 60 on q wild goose hunt without
guu would seem q very singular proceed
ing anywhere except in the Falkland
Islands; but here such a weapon was not
necessary, as the Young men and boys
used an equally effective projectile called
the bird bolas, which is made OF the
kuuckle bones OF cattle. That employed
in the capture OF wild horses is made OF
three stone balls, connected by sinews
bolas is found among the Eskimos, the
balls being Of ivory carved from the tusk
OF a walrus.
A young goose hunter crawled slowly
along between the tussocks, occasionally
raising upon his hands and knees to glance
cautiously at the big white geese which
floated on the lake. There were at least
fifty, some standing on little spit that
reached out iuto the lake and against
which, being of black bog, the white forms
OF the birds stood out in striking relief.
while others were swimming idly about or
pluuging their wedge shaped heads into
The udtk WtleES III SSstiGD VI but sNeCA-
lent roots and fibers which constituted
their food.
1t was difficult work stalking game in
this way, as the nearer the bOlas -thrower
approached the lake the softer the ground
became. Step by step lie crawled crouch
ing low, until. pcering through the tusSock
grass, he found himself within SO feet OF
the flock Between him and the game was
large cluster Of grass or weeds, which lie
finally reached.
The little island was found to be cX-
actly suited for his purpose, the grass be-
ing six or seven feet high in the center,
while from IT, in the direction of the un-
suspecting geese, the land extended for
twenty or thirty feet, almost devoid of
vegetation, Wringing the black. wood
stained water from his clothes the hunter
arranged his bolas, taking the small ball
in his right hand and swinging the others
over his left arm all ready TO throw,
then plunged carefully the grass. Slowly
lie worked his way until he could see the
geese through the green and yellow screen,
barely one hundred feet away; then dashed
from his cover and ran down the little
island shore at full speed, and before the
aStonishcd geese could recover, he was
almost among them. They scurried off i'll
every direction, some Tapping furiously over
the water in vain efforts to rise; others
circling Iaboriously up into the air.
To the latter the young hunter devoted
himself, and now stood leisurely swinging
the two balls around his head with slight
upward angle. Faster they flew until final
ly they disappeared from sight; and then
the air, being filled with geese, he released
the ball in his hand and the remarkable
weapon, with its three balls widely stretch,
ed in opposite directions, yet whirling vio-
leutly around, went whistlirS- into the air.
Up it went, and with almost human intelli-
gence seemed to glide in among the birds
and wound about them like the coils of n
snake. Que bird was stunned by blow
from the ball, while two others, completely
entaugled in the cords, came flutterinG
down iuto the water, where they were
easily secured, a little later being fastened
to the horse and on their way to the home
of the herders. miles out on the moorland.
On the Falkland islands the bone bolas
is exclusively used by the young Scotch
herders, particularly by boys, who in the
chase of ducks and geese are very expert.