Forest and Frontiers; Or, Adventures Among the Indians
History
Forest and Frontiers; Or, Adventures Among the Indians
Hunting; Indians of North America
All the party are now scattered, and after while reassemble by dint of
continuous "cooees." Whilst swabbing the perspiration off our brow,
one of the dogs makes his appearance, and, trotting slowly back with
panting flanks and lolling tongue, throws himself on his side
exhausted. His mouth is now carefully examined, and two fingers being
inserted, scoop round the fauces. The test is successful; there are
traces of blood and fluff. "Bravo! Rattler! Show him--good dog. Show
him!" Rattler rises with an effort, and lazily strikes into the bush,
to the right. We follow in Indian file, and at about half a mile
distant we come upon the kangaroo lying dead, with the second dog, old
"Ugly," stretched at its side.
The kangaroo usually found in the Peninsula is not the largest
description commonly known in these colonies as the "boomer," or a
"forester," but the brush kangaroo, which rarely exceeds seventy
pounds in weight; forty is more common. There is a still smaller
variety, known as the "wallaby." The brush kangaroo is easily killed
by the dogs; a grip in the throat or loins usually suffices. The
boomer is a more awkward customer, and, if he can take to the water,
he shows fight, and availing himself of his superior height, he
endeavors to drown the dogs as they approach him. The kangaroo is a
graceful animal, but appears to most advantage when only the upper
part of his body is seen. His head is small and deer-shaped, his eyes
soft and lustrous, but his tapering superior extremities rise almost
pyramidally from a heavy and disproportioned base of hind legs and
tail.
The kangaroo dog never mangles his prey although fond of the blood,
with a portion of which he is always rewarded.
Jerry now threw himself on the ground beside the game, and, drawing
his _couteau de chasse_, commenced the operation of disemboweling.
After ripping up the belly, he thrust in his arm, and drawing out the
liver and a handful of coagulated blood, he invited the dogs to
partake of it. The carcass being gutted, some dry fern is thrust in,
the tail is drawn through the fore legs, and secured with a bit of
whipcord, and then the game is suspended over the shoulder--no
insignificant weight either. If the kangaroo be very heavy, the hind
quarters only are carried, but the skin being of some value, it is not
needlessly destroyed.
There is a peculiarity in the stomach of the kangaroo, which I have
not seen noticed in descriptions of that animal, but of which I have
assured myself by frequent personal observation. On opening the
stomach, even while still warm, the grass found in it is swarming with
small white worms, about a quarter of an inch in length, and not
thicker than a fine thread.
The entire contents of the stomach, even the most recently masticated
grass, and grass seems to be its only food, are equally pervaded with
these worms, which swarm in myriads, even where no signs of
decomposition are perceptible.
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