THE "OLD MAN" KANGAROO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5461, 15 August 1879, Page 3

THE "OLD MAN" KANGAROO.

A correspondent at Argoon writes as — follows to the Albany Banner : — " For t/ippended description of one of the most sensational episodes of bush life I am indebted to one of the persons to whom the incident happened, and I can therefore vouch for the accuracy of the details. A few days since, as Mr Smith was riding through Mr Graham's paddock, his dogs suddenly started a large kangaroo — one of the scrub species, and generally considered a dangerous kind to encounter. The kangaroo did not run far before he bailed up, and then began a determined battle between the marsupial and his :w enemies the doga. After the contest had been waged for some little time without any marked advantage having been gained- by either side, two new spectators arrived on- the field, Mr J. Waldren and Mr j. Short. Mr Smith then dismounted, arid getting behind the kangaroo, which was fully engaged with the dogs in front, Seized Jiolql of th,e animal's tail,- and called out to 'Mi;' Short to open hia pocket-knife a.nd..h a nHstriug the kangaroo. Mr Short, who r * s we^ known, as a .plucky, .active youngiellow, immediately acted upon the hint, and opening hia ;knife approached the l kangaroo. • Just then, however, the dogs for a moment ceased their attack, and at the instant young Short was ♦ making a dart forward to do the hamstringing business, the kangaroo turned his attention to his new assailant, and bounding forward dragged his tail out of Mr'" Smith's hands, and clasping Mr Short . round the body in a tight embrace made off with him through the scrub.; /The. weight of young Short appeared as nothing to the kangaroo, which bounded away with its living freight at racing Speed, bushes and fallen • timber with the greatest possible ease, and gaining a considerable start before its pursuers had sufficiently recovered themselves to take up the running. The dogs were soon after their quarry, which, however, they did not overtake until he had cpyered some fifty yards of ground. It i 3 doubtful, indeed, whether they would have brought the marsupial to bay so soon had it not' been for an accident. *~~ It ' appears' that in one of the flying leaps over the head of a fallen tree a projecting branch caught in Short's trousers, at the hip, and partially dragged him from the grip of the ' old man.' This checked for a. moment the speed of the animal, and allowed the dbga to come up and commence tho attack anew* The kangaroo, thus bailed up, was compelled in order to defend himself to drop his load, and Short joyfully availed

himself of the opportunity to leave such uncomfortably close' quarters with the enemy. Happily he received no more serious injury than a severe shock ia the system, and some damage to his clothing.The kangaroo, which was subsequently killed, proved to be one of the largest ever seen in this locality. My informant , told me he thought it was. all up with poor Short when he saw the kangaroo making , off with him through the scrub." '