Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-06
Sl1tN"e Jn S0aea; a. MopT{ ToFmerly Protecting

scores of vaqueros declare that. even so
Durdened, the predatory Seri can skim
the desert faster than the average horse
man can follow them.
/ Yet another Instance, even more remark
able, Is related by Professor McGee illus
trative of the great spTinting powers Of
these people When time hangs heavy on
the hands OF the Seri boys they go after
jack rabbits, which they hunt on foot IN
Ithrees and tours. The savage youngsters
catch these nimble hares by. outrunning
them After the rabbit Is started the boys
scatter, one following IL slowly, the others
Setting of after II obliquely so as 10 hea1
AZ off and keep it In a zig-zag course until
a, tires.
When that time arrives the youngsters
close In on the exhausted rabbit ana eaten
It by hand, In many cases bringing IL IN
alive to show that it was caught falrly.
Savage and feroclous as they are THESE
Iaborigines have nevertheless the true
sporting instinct of fair play which deems
III discreditable to take game animals
without giving them chance 10 escape "
of defence. 49,,
Deer are also captured by seri Indians
on foot and in much the same manner As
the youngsters catch Jack rabbits. Usually
several are required to capture oeeI "
running, scattering at sight OF the quarry
surrounding It gradually, beWilderlng ths
frightened animal by confronting u al an
points, and finally closing in ana selzlns II
with the hands. But Professor MCGEE re-
.lates an instance where he witnessed
single Serl capture a deer alive
The savage had left the ranch Where
Professor McGes was a visitor, saying
that the spirit of catching deer had come
upon him and promising to bring IN the
animal to the ranch alive.
TWO hours later the host and his guest
were astonlshed 20 see the Sert huntsman
driving in a full grown buck. The terri
H. Il. AZ nd
approaching the dwelling place, but the
hunter kept 1t under control heading 1t on
al every turn and relentlessly working II
p nearer. until at a sudden turn he rushed
upon II and caught t.. He whlrled the
? animal over his brawny shoulders and
> carried II into the ranch house while the
} beast kicked and struggled to be free.
? ON snother occasion Professor McGee'H
, host offered a horse 70 the Serl band, which
. was camped In friendly proximity to his
. ranch IN one OF the rare intervals Of peace
hetvyeen them and the rancheros, on con-
dition that a single member OF the band
I should catch It within a fixed distance
from the gateway OF the corral. his onel
! was accepted promptly. To make the test
! OF feetuess a fair one a vaquero went
into the corral TO start the horse running
'around the enclosure. while a boy stood
: bv The gate ready TO drop the bars when
I ths horse attained a good speed.
sI When II had ledcheu It's Dest speed lht
1 bars were dropped, the horse dashed
5 through the open gateway and out for the
I nIainE Before the brute had reached the
, tvVo hundred yard limit, however the Ser
e Ma overtaken II, leaped upon Its witherz
a and thrown Il 70 the ground. breaking ia
I neck instantly.
3 The last instance adduced by Mr. McGee
. shaving the marvellous ieetness and en-.
,durSnes OF these primitive savagss has q
lnote OF pathos. as showing the worldwide
and world old mother love existing even n
' one ~ the mothers Of this degraded tribe
: This same host Of the scientist had lef
, the ranch house one morning with somt
r sttendants for HsrmosillO. leaving behind
r among others, Seri woman with a sicI
= linfant about year old.
d In the evening the chlld's condition grew
3 worse ana the mother. becoming alarmed
; TOOK the trail OF the white man abou
B dusk that she might obtain medicine from
ne sshor for her baby At dawn mex
{ morning shs had 0ysTtaken the traveller.