The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-08-03
Nisrellatteons.
TERRIBLE ADVENTURE WITH
WILD BEASTS.

Nikut uau sci 10, tntck onrkness covered tht
landscape, and q mo1rnful silence prevailed ia
the desert where chance had carried me.
Ny horse devoured space, leaped torrents and
ravines without troubling myself about my horse
At length the noble steed utterly exhausted
stopped on its trembling knees and fell on th'
sand.
"where am ?" mentally said, as tried tC
discove. my whereabouts.
But the moon, concealed BY Clouds shed nc
light; the wind blew violently the branches o
the trees clashed together, and In the depths o.
the desert the bowling Of the wild beasts began "a
mingle the deep notes OF their voices, with ih,
hoarsc mewings OF the wild cat.
Ny eyes sought in vain TO pierce the obscuriiy
] went up to my horse, which was lying on The
ground and painting heavily moved with pity
for the companion Of my adventurous journeys
] bent over Il placed In my waist-belt the pistol.
that were In the holsters aud unfastening gourd
Of rum hanging from my saddle-bow, began
washing the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth ofths
poor beast, WHOSE sides quivered, and which thii
seemed 10 restore to life. Half an hour passed
In this way the horse, somewhat refreshed, had
got on is legs, and with instinct that distinguish.
es the race bad discovered a spring close by
where Il quenehed i,s thirst.
"All is not lost yet, | muttered.
But deep roar broke forth . short distance
away, repeated almost Immediately from four
different quarters. The horses hair stood on end
with terror. I trembled.
'Maledietion!' exclaimed, II am ~ a wa
,c-ing.plaee 9th eougouars'
Al this moment saw about ten PAGES from m,
two eyes that shone like live Goals aud looked
at me with strange fxedness.
was q man OF tried courage. audacious and
even rash on occasions but a1one Ia the gloom
solitude In the midst Of the black night, surroun
ded by feroeous beasts felt fear assAil me agains
my will breathcd with ditficulty my teeth
were clenched, an ICY peFspiration poured dowu
my whole person, and | was on the point Of aban.
doning myself 10 my fate. This sudden dis.
couagemen, disappeared before powerful will.
and sustained by the instinct Of ssii-preserva-
ton, and that hope which springs eternal IN the
human breast. prepared for an uHrqnal struggle.
The horse burst into q snort 81 terror, aud ran
of.
can the better thought perhaps II will
escape.
Affighlful concert of howls and roars bFoss
out on all sides At the sound OF the horse fight
and huge shadows bounded along past inc.
violent blast swept the sky. and the moon III uT
the desert with iis mournful, sickly rays.
No, far OF the Rio Negro ran between tao
scarped banks. and ! saw all round me the com-
pact masses Of virgin forest an inexiricabls
chaos Of rocks piled up peli nell, and of fssaTea
out OF which clumps OF trees grew. Here and
there creepers were iniertwined describing III,
widest curves, aud only stopped their ratnidea
| tions At the river. The soil, COMPOSED Of sanC
aud that dc,rilus which Aboands Ia South Ameri
can forests, gave way beneath the foot.
] now discovered where ! WAS. | was NOR,
than fifteen leagues from any habitaiion. on ihl
/ outskirts Of an immense FOREST the only one IL
Patagonia which no ranger had as yet been bolt
enough TO explore, such horror aud mysier,
did iis gloomy depths appear TO reveal. Near ~
forest a limpid stream burst through the rocks
4 -. l..
Of The claws Of Wild beasts. This siream serves
them, In fact, as waiering-plaes, whsn The,
left their dens amer sunset and went In scarch O
food aud drink. As = living testimony Of thi
supposition, two magnificent tigers, male and
female, we're standing on the bank, and watching
with anxiousey eyes the sporting Of their cubs.
"flum," said ] "these are dangerous neigh
bors."
And mechanically tufne,l my eyes away. A
panther, stretched out on q rock In the posilior
Of q watehful cat, hxed its iahamed eyes upor
me. ] who was well armed according 10 tn
South American fashion, had ride Of wondrou u
accuracy, which had leani against a rock eos
10 me.
Good, said. 'i' will he tough aph, Al
any rate
! raised my gun, ba, a. the @onsa, shea
was about 10 fie, plainiivr moving made 10
raise my head 4 dozsn wild cats of great sias
perched on branches of irers. we're looking dowE
~ me while several rsd wolves were croaehlne Il
frout.
number Of vuliurss, ara6us, and earacacas
| with halfelosed eyes, werr seated on the sar
rounding rocks and aPpaFsuily awaiting he hosl
/ for their meal.
jumped up on rock, aad then, by ,hs hslI
Of my hands aud Knees, eained, aher eniraoral
nary dIaieullss soFi q natural terrace silsais.
about tweuiy fsei ADORE the ground. The night
fal concert formed By the denl1sns of The forest
whom the subtlsty u their scent attracted onl
afler the other inereased mon and more, an
overpowered the very sound of The wind uhlel
Teged In the ravines and forest eisarings. u
moon was once mors hiddsn behind clouds, aas
found ny sslf again IN darkness bot " coal.
not distinguish the wild beasts near me. ruesss.
and almost smelt ihsir pteseaes. isa~ lhsissye
balls flashing In the gloon, and heard their roar
constantly eoning nearer
set my feet firmly on ihs gIosad, anl cocks.
my revolver. -Four shots weu followed b lon
bowls Of pain and the nolae produced b. 6fanrl
amer branch In the iall of ths uounded Niid cats
This attack aroused sinister UFFoar Ths %.
wolves rushed with yslls on the Victims, Cor whlcl
they coniended with the urubas and vuliurss
rusilng In the leaves reached my ear, aud mas
Il was Impossible clearly 10 Distinguish clsi u
space, and lodged wlsha roar on lhs roek. VIII
hebuti Of my rife struck oui 10 the darknssl
aud the panther, with q broken skuli, rolled 4
The base fthe rock. I heard a monstrous baisls
which the eougoaars aud villa cats wagsd wli
the woanded panther, and intoxicated b. a
triumph aud sven BY my dangsr, aFea two shoi
into the crowd Of obstinate enemies saarllug ~
fore me. suddenly all theH aninais oeasin
their contest as " By common conscni, nnitG'
against ne their common Zoe, and their Fars ~
turned against the fock, from Tie top of which
appeared. They climed ~ The ptuisctious IN
wild cats were the hfsl 10 arrive, and falt ~
fellcd them, others lealed upon me. ! feli M
strength and energy gradually diminilhlng