ISLAND SANCTUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 61, 14 March 1927, Page 8

ISLAND SANCTUARY

ANIMALS WITHOUT FEAR FRIENDSHIP WITH MAN" (From Our Own Correspondent.) VANCOUVER, 11th February. Thomas Brazil, who with his wife occupies Hardy Island, 2000 acres in extent, off the coast of British Columbia, has succeeded in eight years in. banishing fear from all the deizens of the woods in his little kingdom. A shout from him, "Oh, boy, oh, boy," and the open woodland in front of his 1 homestead becomes thronged with the wild creatures of the forest. Shy quail flock round his feet. Pheasants strut proudly before him. Deer stand on their hind legs and nuzzle at his pockets for tit-bits. It is the same with guests or visitors. His forest friends trust them equally, except some of the latest migrants from the mainland. ' Two of the deer are named Gene Tunney and Jack. Dempsey, for Mr. Brazil would have you believe that a large buck, known for years for his fighting prowess, lost his title as ruler of the deer kingdom to a young husky buck, after the challenger, some time before, had been given a severe -drubbing. Now Dempsey does not approach beyond the shelter of the deepest forest of the island.

. Explaining the'habits of the most daring of all the deer, Mr. Brazil said that one day he found him with a bullet-hole through his hip. Other deer, as is their custom when one is maimed or hopelessly injured/were trying to put him out of his misery. /Brazil removed the bullet, and nursed him for months till lie got well again, but for a slight limp. During his treatment, Bill had the run of the house, and in time learned to turn the nob of the door and open it. c Another, named Bob Owens, after the Superintendent of the Provincial Police, who had him as a pet but could not care properly for him, recalls to Brazil a friendship of the old'railroad building days, when Owens, then a constable, had a "beat" that took him over the railway camps. A STRANGER. 4 beautiful buck, with a coat that was almost black, came out of the forest. He .picked up pieces of apple and biscuit, but would -not accept a eift from a proffered hand like the others. He is a stranger," said Mr. Brazil I did not sco him till yesterday." He explained that it was only a short swim tor a deer from the mainland to Nelson Island, and another short swim from there to Hardy Island. There are about seventy deer on the island, but during tn%?na^!*! eM(X the number runs UP to 200. After the mating season the bucks depart, but. return about the time the fawns are born. When the young ones are able to run about, they depart again. Mr. Brazil has many little family tragedies to recall about those that don't return. Those that make the island their permanent home often bring back strange deer with them, and have some means of assuring them, for the newcomers quickly settle down and make friends with Mr Brazil. • ■

This friend of birds and animals disappeared into the house at a call from his wife. When he went all his friends faded away into the forest. Back again and the familiar call, and the little strip of woodland was again alive with them.

The island is a game sanctuary, and the Government, appreciating Mr. Brazil s services, has invested him" with official powers. He makes one request of his visitors, who number thousands among American tourists-r-that no cameras be brought on to the island. He enjoys the world copyright of intimate photographs 6f his friends of the forest and aii1.