SHEEP FARMING IN "THE LAND OF FIRE."

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 93, 1 April 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

SHEEP FARMING IN "THE LAND OF FIRE."

The aboriginal inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, "The Land of Fire.” which lies at the extreme South of South America, are an Indian race called by the earlier settlers “Chunkies.” This people are now almost exi’inct, but in earlier days tbev were numerous enough to 'make things very unpleasant jfor the sheep farmers, and the raids and counter attacks were carried out with great determination on both sides.

The following » a story related by an old shepherd, long resident in Tierra del Fuego, and published in a recent issue of tho “Field.”

' The first time I saw Sam H. was :n the early part of 1895. I had only been in the country .about a fortnicht. having just come out from Scotland to apt as shepherd at Gente Grande, where two gentlemen were starting a sheep farm. I had .been stationed out m a shanty, or hut, some miles away from the settlement, and given a flock to look after. One day 1 was standing at the door of n.y little house when I raw a horseman approaching at a furious pace. He dashed up ttto the door, bade me 'Good afternoon,* and asked If Mr. S. was up at the station, naming one of the partners. I told him that fo the best of my belief he was, staring at my visitor open-mouthed the while. It must be remembered tha'u I

was quite green to the country, and ho was a man who would excite remark anywhere. He was well over 6 feet in height, with a long beard and unkempt whiskers,‘dressed in true gaucho style, with two revolvers swinging from his belt, a rifle slung on his shoulder, a siraath knife at lus waist, and another half concealed in his boo:-, huge spurs at his heels, and a lasso coiled behind the saddle. While I was standing gaping at him, wondering who he was, lie leaped on his horse with an agility snrpiismg in a man of bis weight, and rode off towards the estancia at <he eame reckkws pace he had come. In Uh- evening a message eame from the station telling me to go there a’j once. The hist thing I did on amval was to ask about my visitor of the afiAernoon. 'Oh, that's Sam H., the Indian nunter!’ 1 was told, my acquaintance evidently being a well-known character on the island. After supper I was sent lor by the boss, whose first words to me were, 'Can you tire a gun?’ ’Why, yes,' 1 replied, though a little doubtfully 'All right,’ he said, 'pick one out ot that lot,’ pointing to about a doxen rifles of all descriptions lying in a corner of the room, 'and be prepared to start early <;o-niorrow morning. The Chunkies have iiecn at the sheep again at the Califate.’ “Quite a crowd turned out a’, four o’clock next morning, chief among whom I recognised Sain H. Wy rode at, a gallop for about ten ««•« across country ’sill we came near the place called fhe Califats. where the sheep had been killed. Here w o spread out and advanced more cautiously. Th© Chunkies must have had sentinels out. lor a* we topped a gentle rise we came right on the scene of where they had criden ly been having a great feast, Carcases of sheen were lying about in all directions, whilst scores of wethers hobbled round with broken forelegs ;the Chiinkies’ method of m’aking sure the animals would be handy to catch when ,4iey needed another meal). Several fires were still burning, and it was plain that the savages had gone off in a hunv because of the many bows and arrows lyV>» about. They had quiculy hidden m the grass, wdiich grew to a great bright in those days. befere the Stock trampled it down, and we cpqld not find their tracks. Hot while we were wcgdpriuj aimkady about

iug ao the blood-curdling oaths and lamentation* of the boss, we heard ft shout in the distance, and looking Up saw a solitary Chnnkie standing on a neighliouring hillock waving his caps (guanaco skin rug) defiantly at us. He was on: ot range of our guns, and though we all started in pursuit, pur horses were too knocked up to be 'of any Use. Besides, we soon came oh swampy ground and were brought to a halt, doubting whdther to go on Or turn back. Not so Sam H., who whs close bv me. With an oath he jumped from Lis horse, and stripping off the heavy saddle jumped on again bareback forcing him through the marsh. Biti it was no good. The horse floundered along for a few yards and then became hopelessly bogged, and Sam had to return, disgusted, back to the others. Here someone unearthed an old china (squaw), too old and feeble to fly with her companions. “Shoot the — said H., nulling out his revolver. ‘No, no, Sam,’ replied the boss. Sam did not wani to give wa sj *I^ S tl ,e likes of her that breeds Imie vermin!’ he said. But in the end the old woman was released, and immediately disappeared into the long grass. That was my first Chnnkie hurts, and though it it" now twelve years since It happened 1 remember it as well as yesterday.’ ”