Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-11-29

venues of the country.
From he american Sporting Magazine.
HUNTING THE WILD CAT-As EN-.
JoYED IN NoRrH CAROLINA.
.NetcberTa, Sept o., 1884
We have species Of game with US, which
believe is peculiar TO this section OF the
country--at least see no mention made of it
In your excellent magazine, where have met
with descriptions of every other variety OF
hunting. And yet, the wild cat will afford
the huntsman as much sport, and the hounds
as much work, as any otter animal that e.
yer followed. Indeed it requires staunch
aud numerous pack 10 take them, for even
when run TO stahd s,ill--no easy work by
the by they are enabled from their great
strength and ferocity, to keep five or six dogs
at hay, without difficulty.
The wild cat Is much larger, and infinite
" stronger than the grey fox. (the red not
being an inhabitent OF our woods. | know
nothing of 1t is about as fleet as the CON
mon fox, but as II confines its run to very
strong and thick covers, the chase lasts much
longer than tina. Of the fox. And being, in
addition 10 this, a terrible enemy to the Arm
yard, taking off pigs, poultry, lambs and
sometimes even grown sheep, our sportsmen,
who are all farmers, pursue them with inve
terate industry Invited by the Gathering APP
pearancc of the weather last week, Mr. w
aud myself, determined to give our dogo a
trial We, accordingly, rode to cover on
Saturday morning, with six couple ofss line
dogs as ever followed deer, fox, or wild cat
1t was our first turn Out this scason-the
whole pack was, consequently, full Of riot,
and the young dogs in particular, were per
ferh" ssaniic. Ire ,.ic~::ssi;is was as :,'iA,''
cious as we could wish the dog fennel and
pine bushes hung drooping'ys overloaded with
dew. 1t was quite cool, clear as a bell, and
so perfectly CAIN, that the joyous notes OF
the dogs, as they gamhollcd IN wild excite
ment before us. or leaped UP fawninsly up
on horses, were heard TO re cho over the
distant Neuse. After leaving the river lt
Tie 10 the right, we threw oil The hounds 20 q
very promising cover, on the north side OF
Snuth's creek Here we had not proceeded
very long, when old Drummer told US, that
sone prowler had been passing, during the
night. The scent was very cold, and we
worked il slowly and with difficulty, along
the wndingS Of the creek; frequently inter
rupted, by the out bursts OF the young dogs,
AT er rabbits, &c. BY dint Of whipping, and
scoliing we succeeded in bringing these last
under same subsection The trail still appear
ing very cold, we made cast on the opposite
bank OF the creek, but with no better success.
TIE game had bedn there, but it must have
been very early, on the previous evening In
the meantime, old Drummer had got back TO
his old trail. and continued TO work il with
untiring perseverance. The drag appearing
10 grow warmer, we concluded to bark the
other dogs 10 him Echo and Rover SOON
gave tongue, Macduff and Nimrod joined ia
E..s f. alb rafilead IN
recognize the trail as legitimate; we we're now
sure of the nature Of our game; il must be a
wild cat We continued TO encourage the
dogs with increased anxiety AT last, all Of
item young and old, acknowed ged the trail,
and growing into confirmed drag, It pro
ceeds through the river swamp, deep into the
marsh, far along the margin OF the river, and
then what a crash! you might have heard
them down the wind, three miles OF. And
now, sw cling into louder and still a louder
strain, the quarry makes directly for the spot
where we had taken our stand, upon the
verge of the swamp, as far in as We could
well make our way. We had raised our
voices in one exultIng,,s shout, when the wild
burst had told US, the game was up. but
in the tumnltuons roar behind him, every
Their sound was hushed, and the cat made
straight for US, either not hearing or needing
our halioo. We were now still as statues
and the pack came rushing on--the crashing
OF the reeds, the rending OF the underground.
the spiashing Of the mud and water, and the
deep mouthed roaring of the hounds, uniting
toseather, like the minglng tumulis OF
September gale, and seeming to give to the
terrified animal, the wings OF the wiad.-He
masi,have passed within ten steps oil us, but
owing to the thick cover, we could not catch
a view. The pack however, were close up
on him, for they passed US; running breast
high, all togeather-no running dog, or IN
line, but each emalously dashing for the
lead. The cat seemed determined to try
their mette, and beat them by downright
game.-Contrary to the usual practice OF the
animal, he made straight stretch over
the highland, along the border OF Smiths
old field, at such slashing rate, that, to lie
by them, made Madge blow Ike black
smiths bellows on frosty morning. ohes
little too fat at present, and not long from
grass Finding this game could never last
long. the cat endeavoured to throw them o1t,
by a rapid succession OF ugly lodges, wnich
bothered the you..s dogs excessively: bu'
OH Milton was wide awake-he had follow
ed too many foxes in his day, to be out gen
eralled even by wild cat. he followed hiin
cautiously, but unerringly, through all ms
circles and angles, and the whole pacs win
ding after him, with such close, and unre-
hitting assiduity, that they only made two
losses and then, for only two minutes. Al
-.-.t.ss- e. n ho,,t half an hour. IN a very