Ravages of the Dingo. 143 
remain for ever an open question. It is scarcely credible 
that, had any domesticated species been imported by: the 
navigators and gone wild, it could have so rapidly overspread 
the vast country, and have reverted in a period of about a 
century so completely to the feral type which the dingo now 
presents. Within the influence of civilisation chance alliances 
have taken place with the dogs of the settlers; but in 
the back bush no more thoroughly wolf-like creature could 
be found anywhere. One may often see pure-bred dingoes, 
originally taken as pups, in the camps of the natives; but these 
improvident savages pay so little attention to anything, that 
they have not raised a permanent domestic race from the 
wild animal. Its ravages among sheep, which it will even 
kill for amusement, are notorious. Kangaroos may have been 
good, but the dingoes preferred mutton as soon as it was 
presented to their notice. I recollect that about a hundred 
sheep had been cut off from a flock, and jammed by the 
dingoes against the bank of a deep creek, where the dogs 
amused themselves by biting through the hind legs of the 
miserable sheep and tearing the flesh from their flanks. 
When we found them, about two hours after the shepherd 
had lost them, some presented a shocking sight, their hind- 
quarters being literally stripped. Half of them were more 
or less injured, many fatally, and many were dead. All this 
havoc had been wrought, the shepherd believes, by not more 
than three dingoes, for he saw no more run into the flock. 
They will occasionally tackle calves and foals, but have never 
been known, in any circumstances, to attack man. 
I have seen them at times come stealthily towards the 
camp fire, sniffing the remains of food, but the bushmen 
in that case do not hesitate to turn over and go to sleep in 
perfect security. At a station on the Macintyre river they 
were very numerous, so that the shepherds were perpetually 
engaged in poisoning them with strychnia. One dark sultry 
night several were howling around the house at the head 
station. Nothing annoyed “Jack” (our little black and tan 
