The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-28
FINANCIAL

nave been impossible to Ind the way
out OF them alone, but such is the con-
tidence in that country In the faithful
ness and ability Of a tracker He
now crawled for the greater part on his
hands and knees. infinitely examining
twigs and branches for signs OF fresh
ly broken passageway for the fugitive.
He was about ten feet ahead OF the
others when he gave a subdued ex-
clamation Of delight.
Il catch white Teller quick he said
and pointed TO scrap OF cloth clinging
to a broken twig. Four hours more
and a river was reached. There in the
damp earth OF the bank two footprints
were plainly seen.
The trncker leaped into the river
and struck out for the opposite side
Emerging upon the other bank, he ran,
dripping. for twenty feet or so. follow
ing footprints that had again stopped
At the waters edge.
Then the trailer paused. He was
plainly puzzled. What had become Of
che cattle thief? Had he recrossed the
river or swan down as far as he coulh
and landed on either bank. then s0uGs
into the woods again? After sharply
examining the ground the troubled
guide swan back and landed a few
yards below his party. By his actions
they saw that he had found the tracks
again. The criminal had indeed crossed
the river. but where had he gone after
that?
Trust a tracker to solve riddles of
that sort. Suddenly hesbegan uncover
ing the leaves and twigs between him
and the other two men until he reach
ed them. They were sitting beneath a
huge eucalyptus tree.
White Teller no fool black feller!"
he said, smiling, wet, and breathless.
Then it was seen that the fugitive had
carefully covered up his tracks by
walking backward. Strange to relate.
these tracks terminated under the very
tree where the party were seated. But
apparently the man hunt WAS finished.
TheI game had space!
The Etra cker I dashed pinto a thicket
and hastily secured ga strong, pliable
vine.t fused by the natives to scale tree
threw, about fthe tree and began to
ascend it The others looked on I'm as
constituent Up'we the black until
thirty feet In the air. then those below
noticed that the main trunk OF the tree
had been broken off years before. form
ing a crotch for the new branches that
had sprung up on either side.
A most astonishing thing happened.
Reaching down into the hollow Of the
half dead tree trunk, the tracker seized
something, at the same time shouting
10 the officer beneath Boss, boss, /
catch white feller. He play postum"
Out Of the opening appeared a mans
head, and a more wretched object
could never have been seen. He was
tousled, dirty, gaunt half starved.
In due course he paid the penalty OF
his crime. He said that knowing a
tracker would be put upon bis trail, he
had hoped to give him the impression
that be had been drowned while swim,
ming the river. -
Trackers have a horror of travelling
after dark, being constantly in fear Of
meeting the bunyip. a fearful monster
with glarilg eyes, which they believe
to be the spirit of an old aboriginal
king who roauas around the swauapy
land at night to catch black men.
You can frighten crackers half out OF
their wits by telling them you will send
the bunyip after them They also be
Iieve that q giant lives on mountain
tops. waiting 10 Kill them with club;
hence they never sleep on top OF
mountain or near swamp. always
pitching their brush tents. or minis.
near 4 dry and level spot Their only
religious belief is that a big god who
has been asleep for ages will one day
awaken and eat up the whole world
Pearson's Weekly.