Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-02-11

the whole country. The hardies
hunters would tremble at the sount
of his name-for he was SO cele
brated that he was known far anc
| wide by the nickname of 'the mur
fderer He had succeeded ii
catching and eating eleven men
/ up to the time | ran across him
and SO you may understand what
a monster he was. He would ven
| ture forth nearer to the edge of
the great South American forest
than any other beast of his tribe
for you know the jaguar lives very
deep in the woods as a rule.
"Well about that time / am
speaking of, l got into trouble in
San Blanco, and was Obliged to
take to the woods for safety till
my companions could join me.
"Itwas not without very un-
comfortable feeling under my
waistcoat, l assure you, that /
struck into the woods for l had
no more deadly weapon than my
knife-no gun, no pistol, nothing
that | could even attempt to de-
fend myself with In case of attack.
"There were rumors that 'the
murderer had been seen within a
few days in the neighborhood; and
in fact the provincial Justice had
that very day issued a call to the
huntsmen of the district, to gather
on the following day and set out
in pursuit of this terrible man-eat-
er. So, of course, my thoughts
were full of the beast. 81
You must know there is broad
desert between San Blanco and the
woods-a vast waste without wa
ter or vegetation, and only here
and there a tree. But it would
not afford me a safe hiding-place,
and SO / had to hurry across it as
fast as l could in order to get into
the woods. -a
81 had gone but little distance
in the dark forest, looking about
cautiously, when heard away off
in the distance, a noise which ]
knew at once was the jaguar's roar!
''You see my nerves were all of
tremble, owing to the excitement
was in, and this, added to the
fact that | was waiting every min |
ute in fear of that very sound, |
made me hear Il when the beast
was great distance off.
"My flesh almost crept when
heard that long, terrible screech-
! noise such as no other animal
nakes--and enough 10 set your
eeth on edge, even if it didn't
mean death.
''But it did mean death to me-
md a horrible death, too:
'This, and a good deal more,
an through my head like light
ing when / heard that far-off
cream. ! knew he had snuffed
ny blood and was aihtss me and I
him crashing through
he woods, his tail flying, and his
yes blazing, on my track. How
,as ! to escape? At first / thought
going up one of the great sold
rees which were around me, but
len / remembered that the ia |
uar is a.skillful climber, and that
18th their low-hanging branches s
e could easily reach me. I
"My only chance was to reach
carob tree which stood all alone q
Ut on the desert, toward the t
'wn. Perhaps the jaguar would
ot follow me there. The scream
g was now distinctly audible, f
Id | was no longer in doubt b
hrowing off everything that o
'uld cumber me, | began to run. n
am a good runner; I.never saw Ii
any men that could run with Fl
e. But to out-run a jaguar! l il
,ver had any idea of doing it. a
Ill | thought l might reach the II
rob tree. The roars became g
ore frequent and louder as l ran, II
d at last, looking back when | b
rs about half way to the tree, | p;
W 'the murderer springing oyer q
e ground, gaining on me at eve Il
bound. fs.asqt .afb el
Excuse me, sir, there's the k
lnager calling me; I'll have to ii
/" said the gymnast. OF
''But how did you escape" /
led. a
'1'n tell you another time, said dt
hurrying away. 81
Il reached the carOb tree, said j