Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-06


trich doesn't. he Just spreads out his
absurd little stumps and gets out and
annihilntca space like n y. u. nycr on
down grade. n these particular birds
had no, been confined In 700 acre run
by n wire fence on one side and several
kloofa tsmnll canyrnr) on the other, the
probabilities are we would have ex-
piorcd more 81 Africa that day than
Stanley ever did In n month. The os-
trichca which were feather birds. IN
distinction 10 breeding birds" saw US
coming and Immediately each separate
member u that band OF forty had
pressing appointment at forty distnc,
spots on the horizon. No horse that
was ever foaicd can keep up with and
follow an ostrich on the run. for the
simple reason these unEninly bruies.
when excited. take fifteen feet at
jumping stgide. the ilasuto ponies that
are hard a. nails. are trained to the
business and - nm ostrich never runs
In n straight line. they cut OF corners
and make short turns In fashion cnl-
cuiated TO make the riders hair stand
ON end Somehow or other my pony
aud I frequently disagreed regarding
which side Of n bush We should take.
and consequently parted company on
several occasions, "A jack-kniIe w nm
indispensable article. but when you
nlt on the hard. cruel ground
with extreme audiences also with a
shock calculated 10 drive your ccrvlcai
vertebrate through the crown of ones
hat, II II not advisable 20 carry u In
ones hip pocket. "a feather bed IN prefer
able.
Finally after many trials and iribu.
latlonr. fsd greater amount Of
naughty phrases, the trunnts were
punched against n wire fence In the
vicinity OF the piuckinR krani, an odor
from the pcrnplring Kniilrs that would
have put Eagan'H cmbalmcd beef 10
shame. arose upon the South African
air and several ~ the leading birds
walked into the kranl with a mlnclng
Ralt peculiar 10 the animai-no bird.
the remaining oatricher promptly insu-
tutcd n panic among themselves worthy
Of Wall street and charging poor
helpless little Niger. who threw him
self HAT ON his face with n yell. broke
In all directions. Hut why 80 into de-
tniing Finally the birds tired out ana
some Of them aluattcd down aud r..
fused 90 move. their legs were tied
with rein" 1hidc ropc) and they
were borne IN triumph In a scotch.cart
10 tho plucking kranl. wc1ged In tight
together while the boys built high
fence OF thorny minosn bushes that
they chopped down In the vicinity. ana
the enemy was ours'
OPERATION OF PLucKiNG.
Then followed the plucklnE. that oc-
ours every nine months. The birds
were forced one by one into the pluck
ing-boN. a thick bag being placed over
the head and then they ceased their
struggles. The long white wing plumen
were cut on with slippers. the quilts
being drawn six weeks later with pliers,
care being taken not 10 lnjure the
sockets or the next crop OF feathers
would b. dcformci and practically use.
less. Then the tails" and breast
feathers were pulled. As each bird was
started out ON The other side. like
Samson. nhorn ~ his locks. he presented
q very comical and forlorn mcin. minus
the major part of his adornment. II
being NJ good ~ farce comedy 60
guess at the remarks of the nisgcfa on
the different birds. some Of which ON
more than Que occasion had made them
shin up trees AMI roll their white eye
balls In abject TERROR.
MORE IDIosyNcRAsIEs.
nut II Il not among the feather birds
that danger turks, generally speaking
an ostrich will cndoayOr Ia get out ~
ones way. even II h. has to hit the top
wire ~ fence aud fall over holua
bolua In hla frantic night, u IL among
the breeding birds that n man has 10
look out for a concentrated cyclone.
Wher male bird n up" pass oop"
as III. Ilotcntot nayH-look out for him;
one can always tell by the bright rcd
Hhinr. bcak and general inrolent air 81
the bird that the breeding season will
soon commence. Why they call them
up " hard to determine. unless II II
that any lucklcsa pedestrian Il down"
the balance ~ the time spent In inter-
viewing his cNccllcncy.
lady ostrich usually lays from
twelve 10 sixteen cggs In the sand. and
like the goose ana Randvr the pair take
II turn and turn about sitting on the
cggH. During that period Il IL necessary
To Ro Into the camp to sec that the eggs
are not scattered and the nest Hooded
by the frequent thunderat0rms and
later on, when the chicks are Matched
out. 10 take them away. MS tho Jackala
ana eagles are very partial TO young
oHtriehcs. for ~ long as the hen has
Two or three around her the rest can
shift for themselves.
INVASION or THE CAMP.
II II tlokliHh work going into a camp
with ~" wicked old bird lust spelling
for a chance 10 kick the atufiing out OF
you. and one needs to have stout arms
and n sturdy forked pole. two or three
OF you with ditto poles, la fact, and
when Mr llird makes his rush catch
him In the neck ana an he towers above
YOU ON tipioc In all his glory of eight
fect OF extended feathers hold him
there. for " YOU miss him all IN chaos.
IN ostrich kicks straight out In front
and In downward direction with tho
rapidity Of lighting. and II he catches
You fairly ON the breast with his
strong, formidable claw, ono stands a
good show OF being diaemboweled II
his clothing IN scnnty, A mans only
salvation IN Ia throw himself Hat on
his face. na the writer knows 10 hts
HorroY. while tho irntu bird, with
many an angry hiss. executes fancy
barn dance ON his anatomy ana the
brave hrnchmen shin through the wires
and yell for help. or fetch dog. While
on the Niger subject. Rider Haggnrd,
when II comes To devoted henchmon,
" dcluAion ana u snare. the faithful
devoted slaves OF the "umalopaguH"
stamp are conspicuous by their absence
ON the average South African ostrich
farm.
SORTING FEATHGRs.
After all Is said and done sorting
the feathers II the most unpleasant
and tedious job Of ALL when the
operation Is finished there are some
thirty distinct piles or grades OF feath-
crH ana Inv H0rtcr nnds thirty times
thirty distinct varieties OF entomology
cal specimens crawling an over his
face, hands and clothes. The life OF an
ostrich raiser N fun OF variety and
anxiety, plenty OF adventure with a
tlnge ~ worry. The roaring " the
| chicks and the unuccountable way tho
biz birds have OF dying on, just when
! feathers are booming. add TO the
! charm ana speculation; the constant
chopplng up Of green food for the
young birds and the runtllng up OF
brass cnrtridlrs CuHoa temuDrurv malta