The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-28
THE BLACK TRACKERS
Wonderful Keenness of These
Natives of Australia.
USED TO TRACK CRIMINALS.
These Men Are VeritabIe 6loodhounds
and Have a Natural Instinct For
Running Down Desperadoes Who Are
Fleeing From Justice.

Running Down Desperadoes Who Are
Fleeing From Justice.
A criminal in Australia knows that
his chances for escape are nearly hope
less If ''tracker" is put upon his trail
within a day after the crime is discov-
cred. A "tracker" is a native black
man having a natural instinct for run
ming down criminals fleeing from jus
tice. These men are veritable 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 pleasss.
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-
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,
rings. and so on, quite satisfy them.
They have no idea of the value of
money. Rum is their great weakness.
Once a tracker was employed to To-
cate some valuable trees for a tim Der
man. He had to travel some forty
miles through a forest so dense that II
was necessary to cut his way through
with his tomahawk. All he asked for
was bottle of rum. while the timber
merchant derived over 1900 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 a light COW
ering Of cotton cloth provided by the
police. He led a horse, so as to make
time in the open country districts
where the runaway's footsteps could
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 we'll seasoned
bushman. cunning and acquainted with
the tactics of the crackers. Further
more, he 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
! beneath a foliage SO dense that it is
| impossible even to catch glimpse of
the sky Darkness closes In very
! quickly in the mountain regions, and
| by nightfaII the tracker and his en-
| ployer were glad to reach accom-
| mediation house." or rancher's home,
where such as these were usually wei.
| 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 a losing game At
! no time could they ride. and il was
| with great difficulty that they reached
sort of clearing. where the horses
were tel 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 n bed and rested
| At noon the next day a bushman's
cabin was reached, and there the tired
| horses We're tethered. The hunters
! then proceeded On foot. Another night
/ in the forest and the fourth day found
these intrepid hunters making their
way through uR9erbrush peculiar TO
! Australia, called lawyers and barris-
| ters," because its thorus and BRAN
| bies catch one at every turn. Once the
| guide hesits ted, turned back and struck
OF IN another direction down an en-
bankmenr. the rest tumbling after him.
| A wild chase tha: must have been
Two white rea following the appar-
entity mad actions Of a black fellow
into places so~remote tat Il would