The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
THE ROUNDUP OF
THE KANGAROO
Profitable Because of a Govern
ment Bounty and the Value
of the Hides,
From the New York Sun.


nimrods on that continent. The govern
ment of New South Wales pays a bounty
of 81 for every "gant" kangaroo killed.
The purpose is, if not to extermnate them,
at least to drive them into the wilderness
away from the ranges where the millions
of sheep Craze, for the enormous quantity
of grass the kangaroos eat is needed for
the sheep, especially in dry seasons, when
there Is scant fodder for the focks So
the government pays bounty, and, as the
kangaroo's hide is valuable, it pays to
take part in kangaroo drives.
The result of this warfare Is that the
animal has entirely disappeared from the
well-settled districts and is numerous only
further inland. The kangaroo likes fiat or
slightly billy lands, is not found among
the mountains, and 1t is among the UNI
dulating thickly wooded districts of New
South Wales that the kangaroo drive Is
most successful. Mr.. Won Lendenfeld says
that the kangaroo we see In the menageri-
es Is only a carieature of the animal as he
exists in the freedom of his native forests.
The drive is q great roundup in which
many men take part, and from 40 to 2Oo
animals are killed. Here is the writer's
description of the drive in which he partici-
pated:
"There were Sc mounted hunters, and
on the morning of the hunt we We're sta
toned at intervals Oh Tie CiSC oA
a circle whose diameter was about 20 miles.
We were all to move toward Johns Fan,
a fiat treeless valley in the center of this
circle, in the middle of which there is
lake surrounded by buhses. We were to
drive the kangaroos toward the CENTER
which was about 10 miles distant from the
starting point of all the hunters, and we
were to be gathered around the valley at
D. m. There were two men and guide
with me, and all the parties had dogs to
help them drive the kangaroos forward.
"Our party advanced for about two
hours, when we discovered some hangar
COS on hill. The animals stood erect like
human beings, on their hind legs. They
often bent their heads to the ground, rest
ing on their little forelegs, and then lifted
their heads, with mouths full of grass, SO
as to chew it more comfortably soon
as the guide saw the kangaroos he gave
call which the dogs understood, and they
came instantly and remained with us. The
call did not attract the attention of the
kangaroos, and they continued to eat grass.
My guide rode back with the dogs to get
around the kangarooS and chase them Tor
ward. They did not have the slightest sus-
picion of our presence, but played, rubbed
one another's backs, and kept on feeding.
Suddenly the wild dogs or dingoes, In the
neighborhood set up a howl which sent the
game scampering in the direction we WISH
ed them to go.
"By dinner time we came to pool of
water only four or five miles from the rem
devious, and here we took rest for an
hour and a half. The horses were unsad-
died and we prepared tea and dined While
living in the shade enjoying our rest we
suddenly saw some kangaroos running to-
ward us from the direction of Johns Fall.
They were scared and evidently running
away from some other hunters. We sprang
to our feet, shouted and waved our hats
In order to brighten the animals back, but
M attention TO like
the wind, and it was evident that many
of them would escape past us. They leap
ed through the air, and no sooner had they
come to the ground with thud than their
powerful hind legs gave them another
mighty propulsion forward, their heavy
tails helping them to steer clear of the
trees and other distractions.
They are too knowing for u.s. said one
of the men, but think We'll stop couple
of Them and with these words shot rang
out and one of the kangaroos fell, an old
male, and the leader of the herd. My
comrades had repeating guns and began
firing on the fleeing animals, which, now
ever, kept on their way. l also f1red two
shots. The dogs followed the animals that
were wounded One of US followed the
dogs in order to scalp the dead kangaroos
and came back after while with five
scalps; for scalps and ears must be deliver
ed to the government in order to get the
reward. We had no time to get the hides
and we could hardly expect to secure them
later. for the carcasses were certainly
devoured by wild dogs
"At 1:30 D. m. we continued our ride,
occasionally hearing in the distance sim
gle shots or rapid-firing from repeating
guns The kangaroos were getting more
numerous, coming right from the battue
and trying to break past us. Some of them
were chased back, but many got away.
Perhaps they had experienced such hunts
before and knew how to avoid the danger
that would bring them to the roundup.
I'VE fired frequently and got In all IL
scalps during our advance. In TINS par
ticular we were luckier than other parties,
for most Of the kangaroos that tried to es-
cape ran toward us.
aAbout 3 D. M we came In sight of the
thicket which was the principal point OF
the roundup, and fell in with another par
tv coming from the left We now number
ed six. and we ranged in line, with about
300 feet space between the men, and rode
on The shooting all around the narrow
ing circle was growing fast and furious. i
gave my horse to guide, who TOOK II
awav. and continued my journey ON foot,
for T could not shoot very well on horse
hack Some others also walked the last
nort of the way, but many remained In
the saddle and fired from that positioh.
The kangaroos, many of which by TINS tlme
were passing us, ran singly. for the most
mart and with such speed through the
thick scope that 1t was hard to hit them,
especially as the men had to be carelui
not to shoot the hunters.
eve regulated our march SO that we ar
rived at the rendezvous at p M sharp.
Here we suddenly obtained an open view.
Before us lay space about three-hfths OF
q mile wide oval and treeless, and at the
lower part of It there was a small LAX, lake
bordered by a thiclet Everywhere clouds
of smoke rose in the bordering woods
shots cracked continually. In the middle
of the space were numerous kangaroos. and
Scattered among them were the dead. The
sounded animals crawld back to the thick
Of AS we reached the border OF the forest
some of the animals tried again to break
tbrouph. but not one succeeded; we had
good position now, and each kangaroo al. that h,,,
ennroached the line was dropped by bull
az Tn the excitement everybody was
shooting at every animal he saw, and from
every distance. The bullets whistled by
and stuck in the trees. The waste OF am
munition was extraordinary. The dogs
were kept outside the circle.
"Then there was a lull for half-hour
until ali the men had taken their positions.
The leader of the hunt rode along the line