THIRTY THOUSAND RABBITS KILLED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10127, 9 May 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

THIRTY THOUSAND RABBITS KILLED.

A GREAT DRIVE. ..; . Pbksho, March 21.—The great rttbbib drive, which was 'so elaborately planner!, was today carried into successful execution, with the result that thousands of rabbits met their fate from the merciless clubs of farmers and town people. Estimates as to the number killed vary, ranging from 10,000 to 25*000. It was impossible to count) them, and the best estimate is no bettor than * guess. Bub the slaughter surpassed anything of the kind ever seen here before. ; Ten thousand people took part— men, horsemen, wheelmen, and vehicles of all sorts. When the line was formed ready for advance it was in a huge crescent, one horn near MoMullan station and the other near Caruthers, on the west side of the railroad. Tho lino of people was twontyfour miles long. It was after ton o'clock when W. F. Rowell signalled a general advance, and the line moved forward across orchards, fields, vineyards, and, finally, emorged on the open plains. The host of order was maintained. The marshals galloped along the line giving instructions. Toward noon the north and south wings began to fold inward to the centre, and when within three miles of the corral tho line of men had contracted till it was less than three miles long. Alt this time the rabbits had been driven forward, constantly increasing in numbers. At first they had not shown much concern, but when they began to be ciowded they grew excited. Several coyotes were started. Some were shot and others died later. Some whelps were caught alive. Many rattlesnakes were killed. When the rabbits had been driven into a comparatively small space they covered the ground, and soon grew excited and tried to escape by rushing through the lines. Then the slaughter began. A solid line of men dropped on their knees and clubbed the rabbits. From this point to the corral men advanced on their knees, leaving the ground heaped with tho dead behind them. Fully 10,000 were thus killed and the others were forced into the corral, where they rushed to and fro, frantic with fear. They trampled and smothered one another to death by thousand?. A coyote that entered the corral was actually trampled to death by the rabbits. Fifteen minutes with clubs finished the work.

Many good judges place the total killed at 30,000. Farmers hauled waggon loads away to feed bogs, Tbo best of order prevailed. Only one person refused to obey orders. He was beaten and driven off the grounds by the crowd. The drive was the best managed, the largest) and roost satisfactory ever held in the county.