Year: 1872

1 L
the chase, and now getting a peep at
the dogs, and now led by shouting
and barking, managed to get up IN
pretty good time to where the black
fellow was dancing about with de-
light, and the convict was coupling
| up the dogs, as they lay painting, and
lolling out their great red tongues,
besides the kangaroo they had killed.


along as l had been In the coun-
try it had never fallen to my lot be-
fore to be at the death of kangaroo,
and once more 1 could not help pitt
| tying the soft skinned animal, it
looked so innocent, tame and sim
pie. But thereI it does not do for
men who hunt to be too sentimental,
! and, besides, they may make a mis-
take In the character of their quarry,
! for I've never seen the animal yet
that was not, when driven to bay, q
perfect savage, either from fear or
natural courage.


"'Where's the governor, sir?'' said
/ the man, as I came up.


'tI have not seen him since, I
| tripped over q creeper that come
down crash-bruised myself awfully.
He did not stop when I went down.
I thought that he would be on here


"Help! help! came faint cry
from the distance.


'Dat gubnerP exclaimed the
black fellow, grinning as if it was the
most humorous thing he had ever
heard.


"sYes, that's him. said the con-
Wet, changing color. Hes among
the blacks, and we've no guns


''In moment there foated before
me visions of savages in their war
paint, their black bodies streaked
with white to resemble skeletons
while boomerangs and spears seemed
to come whistling through the air.
But it was all imagination; for there
was no sound to be heard, but once
more the cry for help, when the dogs
leaped up and hoWled.


''No black feller bout here, said
the gentleman in our company; when
| following his example, we set of at
a run in the direction of the cries,
the black far outstripping us, though
we kept him well in view till he dis
appeared behind some rocks, but on
ly to turn back directly and to come
running towards us, shouting, 'Ole
man got him-Ole man got himP


eve pressed on, painting heavily,
| and in few moments were in full
view of the strangesb sight I ever
saw in my life, one which seemed to
paralyze the man with the dogs, for
he stopped short, holding tightly by
the leash, in spite of the angry strug-
| giles of the animals and his master s
angl1ished cry for help. There, some
fifty yards in front, was a fierce strug-
gle going on, apparently a vain one
on the part Of my host, who was
tightly c1asped round the waist by a
tremendous great kangaroo, such as
we settlers call an old man.


'Right?' growled fhs sea captain,
while the thin mans eyes tWinkled
maliciously.


cit was in bushy part, and from
the branch he held in his hand it was
evident that my friend had been
clinging with all his might to some
tree or other. so as to hinder his enc
my, or else I'm afraid we should have
come too late.


dropping the branch, he now be-
gan kicking and struggling with the
energy of despair, striking fiercely at
the beast with his fists, and doing all
that he could to get away; but there
is no doubt that, if we had not come
up, the next minute would have been
his last, for, in spite of his struggles,
the old man kept on slowly, hop
hop-hop, nearer to q great water
hole, and though a strong and hearty
man, my friend seemed like a child
in his enemy's grasp.


''Loose the dogs! !" I shouted to the
convict servant, but, utterly confused,
he only held on tightly, letting the
faithful beasts drag him along with
them till, with one cut of his knife
that he held ready to skin the dead
kangaroo, the black severed the
leathern thong, and, coupled as they
were, the dogs dashed down upon
the odd man.


''Then came fierce, hurrying rush
and a scramble frightful howl
and one dog turned over on its back,
disabled by a kick, and then hall
strangled by being dragged abOut by
it's companion, who had made good
its hold upon the kangaroo's throat
The deg shook fercely till, in It's
agony, the beast Ioosed its hold upon
my friend, who fell down exhausted
just upon the edge of the water hole
as the dogs and their enemy rolled
down the bank into the deep water,
which directly after was lashed into a
muddy foam by the fierce struggle
going on.


''It would have gone hard with the
poor dog if just then the lash had not
given way, leaving him free from the
weight of his fellows carcas hung
to his neck; and now in spite of the
fierce tearing and kicking of the 'old
! man, he held on tightly to the place
, in his throat where he had first fixed
his steel trap jaws. By degrees they
: struggled into shallower water, anc
so exciting was the battle that M
friend forgot his late peril, and sar
up, painting to see the end.


| Suddenly, with one of his tremen


dous leaps, the kangaroo bounded
: right on, cleaning the bank, anc
2 alighting among some low scrub q
the lower end. But the dog still helt
} on; and, lodging about till he coulC
) get chance, the black brought dow
|, his club with tremendous effect upOI
3 the old mans head, when the poor
g brute quiyered slightly and rolled