Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-06-13
THE BLACK TRACKERS
Wonderful Keenness Of These
Natives of Australia.
USED TO TRACK CRIMINALS.

A criminal in Australia knows tina
his chances for escape are nearly hope
less if "tracker" is put upon his trai
within day after the crime is discov
cred. A ''tracker" is a native blacl
man having a natural instinct for run
ming down criminals fleeing from jus
tice. These men are veritabe blood
hounds, and their strange power is pos
sessed by no other race in the world.
So implicit is the confidence felt in
them by the police that when a black
starts out upon a man hunt the officer
who goes with him merely follows in
his wake. He does not question him or
In any way interfere with him, but,
leading his own horse, allows the guide
to go In whatever direction he pleases,
no matter how apparently reasonless
his course may seem.
The most successful crackers are In
Queensland. near the edge of New
South Wales. They will travel any
distance, animated by no feeling OF ha-
tired for their quarry, but only DESTROYS
Of proving their experiences. The re-
ward they ask is absurdly small for
the long and difficult trails. A few
shillings or some cheap bracelets,
They have no idea OF the value OF
money. Rum is their great weakness.
Once, tracker was employed to To-
cate some valuable trees for a timber
man. He had to travel some forty
miles through a forest so dense that it
was necessary to cut his way through
with his tomahawk. All he asked for
was bottle of rum. while the timber
merchant derived over $4,000 from the
sale of the trees.
The following description of a man
hunt will convey a clear idea of the
dangers and hardships to be endured:
In this particular case the tracker
was a splendid specimen of manhood.
The usual loin garments of kangaroo
skin he had exchanged for light COW
ering Of cotton cloth provided by the
police. He led horse, so as to make
time in the open country districts
where the runaway's footsteps could
be seen from a horse. The hunt was
very earnest, because the fugitive had
stolen some cattle. In Australia the
crime of cattle stealing is most Sc
verely dealt with and considered a seri-
Gus offense.
The offender was a well seasoned
bushman, cunning and acquainted with
the tactics Of the crackers. Further
more, be had two days start of his
pursuers.
To accompany a chase like this Is
awesome, the utter silence and desola-
ton of the woods is so depressing.
Then, too, the trails are deceptive, Of
ten leading to a deserted wood camp
impossible even to catch a glimpse Of
the sky. Darkness closes in very
quickly in the mountain regions, and
by nightfall the tracker and his en-
ployer were glad to reach an accom-
mediation house." or rancher's home,
where such as these were usually well
coined and allowed to put up for the
night. At this house the officer tried
to hear tidings Of his man, but no one
had seen him.
All the next day the black fellow led
along as swiftly as possible. The way
was extremely rough, and mile after
mile was covered through wild silences
until stranger would surely think the
guide was playing e losing game. At
no time could they ride, and 1t was
with great difficulty that they reached
sort of clearing, where the horses
were tied and camp struck for the
night. Tearing huge strips Of bark
from the trees and wrapping blankets
around them, each lay on the concave
surface of one for bed and rested.
At noon the next day a bushman's
cabin was reached, and there the tired
horses were tethered. The hunters
then proceeded on foot. Another night
in the forest, and the fourth day found
these intrepid hunters making their
way through underbrush peculiar to
Australia, called lawyers and barris-
ters," because its thorns and BRAN
bles catch one at every turn. Once the
guide hesitated, turned back and struck
Off in another direction down an en-
bankment, the rest tumbllng after him.
A wild chase that must have been!
Two white men following the appar-
emily mad actions Of a black fellow
int places so remote that 1t would
have been impossible to find the way
out Of them alone, but such Is the con-
hdence 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 e1-
Clamation Of delight.
81 catch white Teller qulckv' he said
and pointed to a scrap of cloth cllnging
to broken twlg. Four hours more
and a river was reached. There In the
damp earth of the bank two footprints