CHAPTER IX.
HUNTING THE OSTRICH.
Before we set out from the coasts of Patagonia, Captain Joker, togetherwith several of his crew--myself among the number--who had ingratiatedthemselves in the good graces of the natives, received an invitationfrom the chief to go with him upon an ostrich-hunt in the interior.
We gladly accepted the offer.
The chief, whose name was Walgilka--I spell it to produce thepronunciation as I remember it--signified the day upon which we were tostart, and promised to have the requisite number of horses in readiness.The party who were to accompany him consisted of the captain, the secondmate (Pat Pickle), Tony Trybrace, Bluefish, Dicky Drake and myself.Dicky had specially ingratiated himself with the chieftain by presentingthat individual with an old, dog-eared testament, which was looked uponby the natives as containing something of mystical import.
On the appointed morning, we duly landed, each provided with a musket,and were escorted by several natives to Walgilka's lodge, which waslocated inland, about a mile from the coast.
When we came in sight of it, we saw that about twenty horses were inwaiting, saddled and bridled after the primitive manner of thePatagonians.
The horses are not large, but are strong and wiry; usually of an irongray or sorrel hue. The "saddle" is merely a wolf or guanaco skin boundover the back in several folds; and the "bridle" consists of a stoutthong of hide made fast, from shifting, at the throat, but connectedwith a piece of hide of greater thickness, which goes through the mouthafter the manner of a bit.
As I gazed upon these uncouth, stirrupless steeds, I must confess thatmy heart sunk within me, and, in imagination, I felt sore already, as Ithought of the ten or fifteen mile gallop that was probably in store forus. But I put as cheerful a face on the matter as was possible.
The chieftain came out from his lodge, attended by numerous huntsmen,armed with their spears and bows, in readiness for the chase. Hegreeted us cordially, and in a short time we were mounted and moving ata brisk pace for the prairies of the interior, where the ostriches mostdo congregate.
It would be impossible to chase the ostrich successfully if he startedas fresh as his pursuer, as they are not only far fleeter than theswiftest steed, but have also far greater powers of endurance. But theyhave a way of managing it in Patagonia, by which the birds are taken ata disadvantage. It is one of the peculiarities of the ostrich of SouthAmerica to always run before the wind, if possible, when pursued.
The strong gales that are prevalent, and, indeed, almost incessant inthis region, blowing against their plumes from behind, thus serve togive them a considerable acceleration of speed. Therefore, when aPatagonian chief decides to have a day of ostrich-hunting, he usually,the night beforehand, sends some of his people twenty or thirty milesdown the coast (that is, if a _south_ wind is blowing, for instance.)These outriders then proceed inland, and slowly drive what birds theymay meet with northward. The men do not approach near enough to causeany excessive alarm, but maintain a sufficient distance in the rear tokeep the timid creatures on a moderate trot before the wind, giving themno time to halt for any considerable length of time. In this way, theykeep them almost perpetually on a trot for the entire distance of twentyor thirty miles, whatever it may be. Then the sagacious chieftain, withhis train of fresh horsemen, do not have much difficulty in running downthe poor ostriches, already fatigued from their long thirty-mile trot.In this way the endurance of the ostrich is tested by the combinedendurance of two stout horses, and, of course, is found wanting.
Dicky Drake, when he heard of this _modus operandi_, swore that it was amean, unfair thing on the ostrich, and vowed, if it wasn't for the sakeof seeing the thing through, he would drop the enterprise.
Well, _our_ outriders had been dispatched down the coast on thepreceding night, and Walgilka assured us we should meet with excellentsport. The inevitable, incessant rain of Patagonia was falling, but notheavily, and we had come to look upon a mere drizzle almost as asunshiny day.
At length we broke from the rough country, upon a bare hill, whence, farbelow and beyond us, rolled the glorious land of the pampas--portions ofit almost as level as a floor, but the greater part rolling like thebillows of the sea. A large troop of ostriches were feeding below us,and we could see several herds of horses and guanacos in the distance.
Walgilka immediately gave the signal to charge, and, with a ringingshout, we dashed down the hill upon the astonished ostriches, whoimmediately started off at a tremendous pace.
"They run well for having just finished a twenty-mile trot!" said TonyTrybrace, who was riding at my side.
I thought the same thing. But we had not got very far before we heard acry in our rear.
Walgilka turned and then gave the signal for a halt. When we looked backwe perceived one of the natives pursuing us at a great rate, and, uponcoming up, we were informed that we were pursuing the wrong flock ofbirds. Those which had been specially fatigued for our benefit werefeeding some miles further inland. So, with many a joke at our ownmistake, we left the pursuit of the fresh flock--and it would probablyhave been a long stern-chase, if we had kept it up--and proceededeastward, over the pampas, to find the tired game.
We came upon them in about half an hour. And this time it was nomistake. Although the birds ran very swiftly at first, several of themlimped painfully, and soon, one by one, they began to drop behind eachother. We could see them flap their little wings painfully, as theypanted on before our fresh and momentarily nearing steeds. At length,one of the poor creatures stopped and laid down, at the same timeextending its head despairingly along the ground, and tacitly receivingthe deadly arrow of the nearest horseman.
We rapidly gained on the whole flock and were soon in the midst of them,knocking them down in every direction. I got a shot at a very fine birdand laid him low, while, almost simultaneously, Tony and the captaineach brought one down. Bluefish also did well, but little Dicky Drake,as usual, made a laughing-stock of himself. His tender heart got thebetter of his desire for carnage just as we got in the midst of theflock, and he conceived the brilliant conception of taking one of thebirds alive.
Springing from his horse, he made at a very large ostrich withoutstretched arms, when he received a most unmerciful kick from thepowerful leg of the bird, which doubled him up and laid him sprawling.Nevertheless, he was plucky and immediately got up to try it again. Thistime, evading the legs of the bird, he made a spring and alighted uponher back, when the bird, no doubt extremely terrified at this maneuver,summoned up her remaining energies and started on a brisk run. Dickyclung to her, probably as much frightened as she, and bellowing like agood 'un amid the noisy laughter of all the huntsmen.
"Stick to her! Good-by, Dicky!" shouted old Bluefish.
But the bird ran only a few rods before she dropped and expired, and theamateur hunter returned to his horse looking rather sheepish.
We killed about thirty birds altogether and took up our homeward waywith our horses heavily laden, after having enjoyed the novel sporthugely.
We saw vast herds of guanacos, as well as a great many horses on our wayback, but we were in no condition to take up another chase, although theopportunity was very tempting.
I here also had the opportunity of seeing, for the first time in mylife, that enormous bird, the Condor of the Andes. He had been feedingupon some carrion a few rods in front of us, and, startled at ourapproach, rose slowly up with a guttural cry and flew toward hismountain home. I let off my gun at him at rather short range, I thought,but without effect.
The reports of the size of this bird have been greatly exaggerated, butI am sure this one was twice as large as the largest eagle I ever saw.The condor flies higher than any other bird and is only found in theAndes of South America--usually frequenting the most elevated andinaccessible parts. Its strength is prodigious. Walgilka informed methat it was not an unfrequent thing to see them seize upon and carry offthe guanaco; and this animal is of about equal weight I think with themerino sheep.
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