Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-09-09
NO. 45.
MATLOCk or McMINN.
The story OF His Terrible EncOUn-
ter with a Mad Buck.

The story OF His Terrible EncOUn
ter with n Mad Buck.
From the Knoxville Southern Enterprise.
Mr.. II. ii. Matlock, living TIVE
miles from Riceville, in McMiI
county, is one of the most success
full and reliable farmers in the re
giOn /: hence the occurrence We
are about TO relate may be reliet
upon as strictly true. He has ,
park in which are confined severa
deer. One day, a few weeks ago
but we win let Mr.. Matlock relate
the circumstances in his own way
had gone into the park quai
hunting, and was down on my
knees arranging my net, when near
ing u noise in the rear looked Over
my shoulder to ascertain the cause
About ten feet from me stood {
large buck. He was n splendid fel
low, five years old, had a heavy
head of horns with three antlers.-
Though generally docile enough, il
now seemed bent on mischief, STAN.
| ping its feet, tossing its head from
side to side and making sundry otheI
demonstrations all indicative OF war.
like intentions. l Thought I'd rise
and drive the animal away lest
il should be inclined 10 try its horns
on my unprotected rear. But, As
| Pat would say, / was just in time "a
be too late. The deer gave a ire
mendOus snort and bound, and was
knocked forward on my hands, and
felt the sharp horns of the furious
creature, as they tore through my
coat and vest, enter my flesh have
pretty good action, and as YOU may
| Judge, a reasonable amount Of physi-
cal strength, but / now felt that II
/ would require something more than
ordinary efforts to relieve me of my
! enemy. Making a tremendous eff.
! fort l succeeded in freeing myself
| from il. / turned and grasped il
with both hands by the horns.
/ now for the first time fully compre-
| hended my danger; there was nc
one near, and il required all my
strength. to prevent il. from impaling
me with its sharp horns The ap-
pearance OF the monster at this time
was truly frightful its eyes had .
| hideous green appearance, and all
its hair was turned the wrong way
| He made tremendous iunges, and
some times the sharp points of the
antlers entered my arms, but it was
a matter of life or death and l held
| it with all my strength. For a time,
that seemed to me an age, we strug-
| gled sometimes 1 was almost raised
| from the ground, and at others
could scarcely prevent the horns
! from entering my body, and then my
terror was Intensified TO end my
strength falling, while the deer
seemed to be every moment iEcreas-
ing in strength and feroeitY.
/ The perspiration had stood IN
/ great drops upon my face, had run
down and almost blinded my eyes,
! but now felt chill of horror SO
great that my blood seemed to stop
in my veins. Another fierce lung
and | was thrown heavily To the
ground 'fMy Godl' / cried, in my
agony, "this creature will kill me, "
l felt his terrible weapons entering
my side. The pain maddened me-
/ grasped the horn again, and sum-
moning all my strength, l whirled
| the deer over on its side and sprane
up, in time to get firm hold on its
head, and pressed my knee on its
neck. now thought of my knife.
Loosening the hold of my hand,
took my knife from my pocket and
opened it with my teeth. / had just
time to plunge it once into the crea-
ture's neck when, with a single
| bound, it was again on it's feet, ner-
ly breaking my hold. My momen-
tary triumph had in some measure
restored nay strength. l struck
wildly with my knife, still holding
/ fast with my had to the deer's horns.
Though the blood spouted in
streams from its wounds and min
/ gled with the foam that stood in
| great drops on its sides, ii seemed
| as fierce and determined as ever a
gain was hard pressed with only
| one hand / could no longer hold his
head down. One of the antlers was,
entering my neck and as the deer,
pressed forward l felt l was being
gored to death. At this moment,
with his head turned to one side
and almost against his breast, the
green eve so near nv own attracted
my attention, and quick as thought
plunged my knife into il. It was q
lucky stroke, the deer shook its
utdGy uEGN DstGk AllA slOOu lIICHO-
lutte. / do not know what Woud
have been the result had we been
left to ourselves, but young man
who happened to be passing came
to my assistance, and with an axe
quickly dispatched my antagonist.
| scarcely know how reached home.
1t was some days before my wounds
would permit me to visit the scene
of the combat. The ground for
yards around bore marks of the
fierce struggle cannot tell of course
how long the fight lasted, but il
seemed to me to be fully an hour.
AS you may imagine. shall not
soon again seek an encounter with
mad back.