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THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1898. 25 BIGGEST KANGAROO DRIVE OF THE YEAR -In Australia- In the colonies and besides fulfillingthe right and left wings usually contrive, object of Its originators in decimating to keep the frightened game within the immense mobs of the squatter's bounds and thus they rush on to the arch enemy it supplies a splendid day's ambuscade in front of them. sport to all lovers of the gun. The After Ihad taken up my position I method is fashioned on very similar had not long to wait in order to gratify lines to the great "rabbit drives" held my sporting Instincts. In the San Joaquin Valley. The kan- First came a hare toward me, rush- garoo drives though are far more ex- ing like the wind. But Ilet him go by citing and sportsmanlike. and also a number of others. The These drives are of frequent occur- movement of these animals was a clear rence, and In some parts of the colonies indication that the big game had begun of New South Wales and Queensland to move and Istood ready with both It is quite possible to be present at an barrels of my gun "cocked." organized drive at least once a week. Almost before Icould realize itIsaw Of course these drives seldom yield any a big kangaroo jumping toward me. large numbor of kangaroos. For thope He came like a cyclone, easily covering one must go to the outlying districts, from 15 to 20 feet at every leap. where drives are not frequent. Bang! The last drive in which Iparticipated But my first shot missed. \u25a0was in a locality that cost me two days Then Itook careful aim with the to reach. There had been no previous other barrel and pulled the trigger just drive over the land for six months and as he was in front of me. The shot kangaroos were so thick that dozens of caught him in a vital spot and over he them were always In sight as we rode rolled and lay dead. along the highway. The country, con- Before Icould load again Iwas fair- eequently, was as bare of vegetation as ly surrounded with frightened 3000 kangaroos.. Parliament, designed to if blight kanga- dead the Australian the had struck it. roos. Hundreds of them were plain secure their act get up in I COULD NOT LOAD TO STOP That was our score at the last extermination. That To a drive like the one pro- sight. It was hard to tell which one FAST ENOUGH TME PROCESSION OF KANGAROOS kangaroo in Ipar- is known as "The Noxious Animals posed was a big undertaking for to at they drive which Act," the shoot and were hard to hit ticipated just before I Aus- Destruction and under its pro- settlers. There were nearly a hundred they jumped BOUNDING ME. left knights because here and there PfJST ago. far visions an internecine war is ruthless- of the trigger present and and bumped into one tralia a few weeks As ly waged all year round against two another as they been driven out of the forest and the to the "topnotcher." After drivers and drank without stint Britisji beer NEARLY the about hundred beaters or drivers. looked for a safe place to get In deeper as Icould learn this was the these depredators. place of through drivers had to go and scare and shooters exchange felicitations an- and American lager, and smoked our The meeting was at the hos- the deadly line of shooters. out ones. arranged, gr. atest number ever killed in a single The sole offense of the kangaroo is pitable homestead of a wealthy settler, the timid other drive is and so on all pipes, and felt as happy and contented By this time the kangaroos had got The sport now was not so exciting, day long till the dusk of evening puts as man can. day in the history of the country. Us- that he eats too much grass. The rab- famous for his success in entertaining within range mortal a teeming of all the hunters and but there was Just as much fun In it. an end to the day's sport. The carcasses of the dead kangaroos unlly when about 500 are killed it is bit is like offender and in his visitors on such occasions. The un- nearly a guns were the young pasture in dertaking costly hundred pouring It was more of a competition to see The number of kangaroos a man can in these drives are usually skinned and considered a pretty grood day's work, millions eat off was for it Involved the out a leaden hail of springtime, filling death. The bang- who would kill the most kangaroos. killin one of the drives depends large- sold to dealers. The bodies are used are put to the like the recorded of 300 hungry stomachs at an ing of the guns was as dragged game game may and when over a thousand plague of locusts, leaving vast areas of al in incessant as a Each hunter had his ly on luck. The not come for different chemical purposes. The almost national event. fresco lunch the forest. battle and the field in front was rap- Into something of a heap, so that all near one may all he are quite valuable death itis a So pastoral lands nothing but a panorama Early in the morning all hands met and another have hides and make you can imagine how we we idly pilingup with doad kangaroos. could see his prowess. can do to "position" a quality. felt when of desolation. A kangaroo will eat as at the settler's homestead. At a given my position load. So counts shoes of fine day. much as a sheep and a good signal the In Icould not load fast Late In the day there was nothing for a good deal. It was a glorious day. The sun counted the results A the will drink whole cavalcade moved off enough to stop the procession at but stragglers. driv- day nearly brightly what a glorious day's shooting deal more water, and water is exceed- in the direction of bound- to shoot The On the when 3000 were shone out and was not too And of the haunts of the ing animals in front of me. Kanga- ers had scoured the country and even killed one man scored 97 and another warm. The drivers did their work was. ingly valuable in the dry season. Were kangaroo. it they roos were on all sides of me and kept gone after those that managed to get scored only 10. It's just as a man gets well and at the conclusion of the day's In the of sport there are not killed off the country' would At a certain point the shooters, armed pouring out of whole realm be valueless in a few years. Hundreds with shotguns, dismount the forest in front through the lines. By evening Idon't the chance to shoot. sport those of us who t»elon— ed to the probably few pastimes that offer so and take up seemingly in an endless stream. Itook believe there were a dozen kangaroos On such occasions that Important house party headed our horses for the of thousands must be put to death their positions at the direction cf the no except at wile a field for the perfect gratifica- every year the expense is captain. shots those that came near left in the district that we had shot branch of all expeditions, the commis- homestead. The majority of drivers and of this This is in as nearly a straight enough me to absolutely sariat, Is well tion of one's sporting instincts as a quite an item to the settlers. line as possible, for be sure over. looked after. At this and shooters assembled at the spacious the men standing about of killing. Once or twice Istopped When the drivers came up each big one a large wagon from the home- woolshed and there, to the music of a kangaroo '•drive" conducted under For these reasons the destruction of seventy yards apart. Iwas fortunately to kangaroo given rest and each time a kangaroo went shooter gathered his trophies of the stead had brought great hampers of concertina, played tunefully by a sheep w^ll appointed auspices. Of course the is not a mere matter of a position that commanded a grove shearer, sport to the lordly settler, but a matter good view past me. battue and a tally was kept of the tempting viands. Ata shady in they danced with the selec- there is not the same element of dan- of the entire country. Hav- For about an hour this sort of thing number each had slain. Usually there the ample forest all hands and the cook tors' daughters who had come from far legged of self-defense. The state comes to ing stationed me the captain me ger In confronting the long den- aid, partially told to kept up and then there was a lull. The is a sweepstake on the result of the spread themselves out on mother earth and near to help wind up the celebra- the settlers' and indirect- remain there and await results. game easy course, goes izen of the Australian forest as there ly, by paying so much per dozen for The drivers that was to get at had all day's shooting, which, of and ate and enjoyed the good things tions of the day.