The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-03-01
INDIANS RETRIEVE.
MEXICAN HUNTERS EMPLOY
THEM AS BIRD DOGS.
Native Servants Perform Excellent
Service in This Capacity -
Flush Game as
Well.

| flubn odIue as
Well.
Shooting over dogs Is nothing un-
common to the ordinary American OF
the ordinary Englshman, but that par
ticular form of sport Is not common In
Mexico. Recently an Englishman
spent a few days hunting in the coun-
try. and 1t was left for hacendado
to show him a new side of the sport
OF shooting He was introduced to the
human hounds.
On those haciendas where the owner
occasionally goes hunting the sport is
not taken as seriously as ii is by the
Anglo-Saxons. Your average Mexican
believes in getting enjoyment out OF
his morning of shooting aud he is rea-
sonable enough to know that fair
proportion of this sport is lost II he
tires himself out as docs the average
man of the United States or of Eng
land.
1T was ducks we were getting after
that morning" said the man in tell
ing the story of the human hounds.
"Breakfasted little earlier than usual,
but no hurry was INDUCED in after
that meal. After all. one doesn't add
to the enjoyment OF the day by bolt
ing a hurrledly gotten breakfast at an
unholy hour. When we were ready TO
start hunting a roadster with repu-
tation for some speed was driven up
and in the smart rig the animal drew
we were driven down the road. 1t was
only a mile, but there was no use
walking when we could ride. Arriving
at the river where the ducks were ex-
pected to be, the hacendado raised his
hand and out OF the grass there came
from somewhere a peon who took
charge of the horse.
we began to hunt For time
there was nothing about the proceed
ing that was different from what one
undergoes in the name of sport in the
United States. We crawled through
the overhanging bushes looking for the
ducks. Occasionally they we're found
and then we took our shots and picked
up our own ducks-when we got any.
We did this for about half an hour
and had passed a considerable distance
out OF sight of the rig in which we had
been driven TO the river. The hacen-
dado remarked that he thought we had
better stop now and take the ho-ses.
"He stepped out of the brush and
passed down the bank to the road that
extended along the river. He whis-
tied. and in less than half minu G
mp trotted two Indians leading two
handsome saddle horses. We will get
on the horses and let these fellows find
the ducks for us. No. you had better
let him carry that for you, it's too
heavy He was talking about my gun
he was probably afraid | would shoot
him IL ! attempted to ride the horse
and handle the gun at the same time
was willing enough to let the Indian
and | couldn't imagine that I would
have any use for It II we were not go
ing to hunt.
Those Indians. at a word from the
hacendado. took up places In the
brush and began gazing up the river
Parting the twigs and boughs as care
fully as any pair OF dogs, they began
the search for signs of ducks, while
we rode along the path at the foot oI
the embankment looking for anything
but ducks.
Suddenly one OF the creeping In
dians stopped. drew backward out o.
the bushes and silently signaled III
that the ducks were just ahead Th'
two stealthily crept down the embank
ment and seized our bride reins. TIL,
hacendado ordered me down and tn,
Indian handed me my gun. We tool
the places of the men in the bushes
and as the ducks rose took our shots
The hacendado got his duck AS
began fioundering toward the opposite
: bank he slgnaled one OF the Indian
and into the water the man went. N,
retriever knew what was expected bet
ter than he. He half swan and hal
waded to the side where the duck wa
waddling in the brush and brough
back to us the wounded bird.
"The next day We went rabbit shoo
ing. We were accompanied by anothc
Indian II sounds a little crazy. bu
that old fellow-he was old-actuall
seemed to trail rabbits. He would dis
cover the sign of one OF the animal
and then. with head forward and eye
watching the ground. he would stal
, zigzag course that invariably woun
up at some clump Of grass or brus
| from which the animal was startei
Occasionally he would s.oD stock sti
/, beside a little bunch OF brush, for a
: the world like a setter dog. and quie
!, ly declare that there was a rabbit !
= A. Look as closely as we would "
. coald see no sign OF rabbit, but as ,h
Irdian tapped the brush out woul
!, rpn the rabbit"
q Stampede.