The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-04
They Shoot the Wild Yak, the Wild
cure Food, Not for Mere Sport.
HORNED BEAST OF MANY COLORS
AS CONDITIONS OF LIVING IMPROVE
NATIVE WOMEN GROW COMELY.
transformation of n Peaceful Scene
Into a Wild Mingling of Fleeing
Herds and Pursuing Hunters.
I"Among the Farthest People, Copyright by
w. c. J. Reid.l

I"Among the Farthest People" Copyright by
w. c. J. Reid
Continuing our march on the 30th we
reached Yong-Char, a small village of thirty
dwellings,, half Mongol and half Thibetan,
in ten hours easy travel. For the greater
part of the day our route lay over a smooth,
graduated surface, formed by the debris
rolled down the slopes of the mountains,
secured by repeated snow and raihfalls to
a gentle slope, in the lower valleys luxuri-
ant with areas of coarse grass and shrub
growth. Here and there cropped out a
monster bowlder, half imbedded in the
gravelly soil, which had rolled and thun-
dered wildly down when displaced by some
landslip or detached from it's resting place
by a torrential shower. Evidences of habi-
tation became more numerous, and at in
tervals of every mile or so we would come
upon encampments of black tents, their
gloomy forms rising up from the ground
through the mist like gigantic, bloated
spiders.
As our supply of fresh meat had reached
its lowest ebb. and the surrounding country
abounded with game, we halted at one of
these e-ncampments to hire guides who were
thoroughly acquainted with the district 10
assist us in chasing several large herds of
YAK anu huhQ-N dIDdlS lNdl were ndTQly
ever out of sight. The latter animal is one
of the most important of the fauna of this
region, and, although Prejevalsky asserts
that it is abundant throughout the whole
region from the Charing Nor to the steppes
of Ordos, this was the first time that we
had seen it. 1t is a little larger than a
full-grown sheep. which it much resembles,
the color of it's wool a tawny gray or tawny
or;poSop tho me- Nort sc a. e. A.
chest, forepart of the legs. the line mark
ing the divisions of the sides from the
stomach and the tip of the tail, black, the
belly white. the hinder part of the legs
yellowish white. The strangest feature is
the extreme length of the horns, which
curve upward from the base for several
feet. with the points twisted back. The
ewes are much smaller than the rams and
have short, spikelike horns but a few inches
in height. Owing to the swiftness of their
| movements it is almost impossible for the
Mongols TO shoot or spear them, therefore
their skins and horns are highly priced.
They are exceedingly shy and difficult of
approach, their powers of smell and sight
being very acute. They generally wander
in herds of ten or fifteen and. while the
rest are grazing, one or more of the males
acts as protector to the herd. and at the
first appearance of any suspicious object
in the vicinity gives a sharp whistle, al
most human i'm tone. and, like a whirlwind,
they are out of sight, with the most won
derful agility leaping over broad chasms
and from considerable heights into the gull
lies below, or else clambering UP the most
inaccessible SUBMITS without, seemingly,
the least exertion. in as many minutes as
the hardest hunter could accomplish in
hours.
SKILL OF NATIVE HUNTERS.
With our guides we pushed on until we
were several miles in front of our follow
ers and soon reached a line of low, broken
| buttes, in the ravines of which we deserted
a large herd of yak and six or seven kuku-
| yamans. The latter Immediately scented
our approach and were off in a flash, but
we were able to get within range of the
| yaks and bring down two bulls and a cow
| before they could get away. In their mad,
headlong flight instead Of rushing off IN
| the opposite direction they charged almost
| past our position. They were only thirty
or forty feet away, and, picking out d fat
young bull, 1 fired. At the shot he fell
heels over head directly across a COW
| which was running by his side and a little
behind him. l saw her turn a somersault,
and then with wild rage she rushed direct
ly at one of the Mongols who was stand
ing a little to the right. Instead of flee
ing he stood with an air of the most i'm
perturbable disdain, and just at the mo-
| ment when it seemed that he must be torn
by the lowered horns he stepped lightly TO
one side and then with remarkable adroit-
ness ran by the side of the infuriated beast
and before it could turn had plunged his
sharp-pointed lance half way through the
great, numbering body. The Mongols do
nearly all their hunting in this manner.
Their guns are miserable affairs, and, am
munition being scarce, in securing game
they are obliged to rely on craft and
subtlety equaling that Of the animal itself.
to extraordinary f~leetness of foot and a
patience that would distract the most philo-
sophical white man. The Mongols of this
district never indulge in hunts as a means
of merely gratifying a love for sport. but
only when it is necessary to secure food.
The best hunters and spearmen
are intrusted with this work, and
after finding a herd they will
start in pursuit. camping on the trail Of
the feeting beasts, and eventually overtake
them by superior powers of endurance.
This practice is called walking down."
although, in truth. it is a walk that would
find few devotees in more favored lands.
Four or five men enter TO walk down
the first bunch" taking up their stations
a. intervals of every few miles, while track
ers drive the beasts down on their posi-
ton. For the first few hours the yaks
scamper off. throwing their names and
tails TO the breeze, making a sight that
would whet the desire Of those pursuing
them, for there are few spectacles more
imposing than a troop OF wild yak at full
| flight in the distance. The first tracker
starts in pursuit as soon as the herd
comes into view and kills as many as he
can, until he has arrived at the second
station, where the fresh sportsman takes
up the chase in a similar manner. Soon the
herd begins 10 tire, the bulls taking I'D a
position in the rear TO keep the laggards
from scattering. But constantly on their
trail are these relentless pursuers. They are
not allowed time 10 eat or drink; soon the
calves and weaker animals drop out and
fall before the spears of the hunters and
finally, by clever tracking. the whole herd
| is driven into some inclosed hollow or ra-
] vine where there is no chance OF escape.