The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1912-09-14

III 1
svN the early annals OF the colony
Of South Australia it is recorded
that when a party OF explorers I'M
der Flinders first landed on Nan
- CARGO island. about Is miles from
Adelaide. they found great numbers
of kangaroo5 which, never having
seen man before, were so tame ana
upsophisticated that they Simply
stood about and waited to be knocked
on. the head. with the result that IN
a few hours 81 were killed. the small
est of which weighed 50 pounds. A
continuance of these primitive con-
ditions would be highly appreciated
by the black fellow" who, naturally.
looks upon the kangaroo simply as
an animated bundle Of meals. Inc
mere slaughter of animals for food.
however, does not constitute sport,
md your white settler OF sporting
lroclivities is better pleased with
a.sent-day conditions-that is to say
- ~ost districts Of the common
n. where the kangaroo is just
c. enough and wild enough to
e the necessary excitement and
me-, tinty OF the chase.
- up-country station keeps
,OO6p ers0 Of speedy hounds. very like
ter undemnds in build. but bigger and
Eyerx$r They are the regular kan
~ +hroo dogs. though used as stock
u i6gs also The modus operandi OF
kargaroo-hunting with dogs resembles
coursing in some respects. The
sportsman. mounted on nag OF met
tie, rides into the open plain. the dogs
trotting at his horses heels. Pres
emily, above the tall kangaroo grass
or among the sandalwood bushes he
sees the heads OF kangaroo bobbing
BOUT. perhaps mob" OF four or
fve. A sharp word to the dogs and
they dart forward silently. But the
quick ears and scent OF the kangaroo
warn them Of approaching danger,
and they scatter In all directions. II
they get a good start and one hap
pens to lag behind the others. the
two dogs may take after the one. In
which case the run Is likely to be
short but as a rule each dog selects
Z particular victim and runs 1t to q
standstill
Not q Coward.
When a full-grown male kangaroo
IL rushed by dog he will often make
q bolt for 1t. as would frightened
doe; not because he is coward, but
simply to avoid trouble, and as he
bounds away he might be saying:
don't want to fight.
But by lingo IL do
I've got the arms. I've got the hands
I've got the courage too.
No self-respecting kangaroo, however
viii allow himself to be pulled down
while on the run; consequently. as
soon a. 1t becomes evident that, In
spite Of hls huge leaps, the dog is
overhauling him, or II he is headed
Oh by another dog, he comes to q
halt and prepares to fight for his life
Ike the gallant "old man" that he Is
As matter OF choice the fighting
kangaroo, when he Is "bailed up,
likes to get his back against a tree
hut when overtaken In the open he
just makes the best Of bad Job.
At FIRST sight one would think thai
even the biggest and strongest ''olt
man" kangaroo had not the ghost o.
chance when it came to tussle
With q powerful animal such as the
regular kangaroo dog; and. as mat
Ter Of fact. when the said dog Is al
old hand at the business and up to al
the tricks of the marsupial, the fina
result Ia a foregone conclusion. Th'
kangaroo stands up to fight with hi!
forearms held forward. and his five
fingered hands spread out ready t.
clutch, much In the same way as doe
~ wrestler, The inexperienced dog
guided only by his natural instincts
circles round the kangaroo and. whe1
As thinks he sees an opening. file
straight at his throat. But the vii.
quarry by skilful movement ward
of the threatening fangs and. at tn
same time imprisons the dog in
vics-like grip with his forearms: Their
bringing up one Of his hind feet-th
middle toe of which Is armed with
formidable toe-nail. strong and shar
like q pruning-knife-he Sits the VI
fortunate dog open and the fight
ended.
The well-trained and experience
kAngaroo dog. however. we'll know
tAs peril OF the kangaroo's embrac