River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-09-20
A Natural;st's Adventures.


More than once Thomas Edwards, the
celebrated Scotch naturalist had I'M
pleasant proofs of the audacity and
ferocity Of the smaller night providers.
One morning, exhausted by fatigue and
hunger, he had fallen asleep under the
shelter of dyke. As it CHANGED, some
small birds he had shot were wrapped in
wadding and deposited in his hat. He
was awakened by something cold press
ing against his forehead. Throwing up
his hand he seized a weasel, which he
tossed aside into the grass. Again he
went 10 asleep, and again and again the
weasel returned. He moved some hun
bred yards away; his indefatigable as
sailant followed him, to be finally seized
and strangled, though not without severe
bites.
On another occasion, when he had
taken up his quarters in ruined thresh-
ing mill, couple of hungry rats made
repeated onslaughts upon the wallet he
was using as pillow But the most ex-
citing and the most startling of these
nocturnal encounters was one with a
fumart or polecat 1t sounds so strange,
and we might have added improbable,
had il not been for our firm faith in him,
that we are inclined TO let him partly tell
il in his own words He had taken up
his night quarters in the ruined castle of
the Boyne, which was used as a pen for
cattle. AS he Tas DOING on the ground,
he was reused BY something pattering
over his legs. When he raised himself
the animal beat hasty retreat, hut when
Ia hoI lss1 z of
few minutes. Mechanically he swept
his hand across his chest, and he knew
by the shrek that the intruder was
polecat.
This time it was the scent Of water
hen buttoned up Id one Of his breast
pockets that was the attraction He
shifted his position. so as to make his
assaiant visible by bringing the open
doorway between him and the sky.
'Well, just as hoped and expected, in
about twenty minutes | observed the
felloS ehteiihg the vault; looking
straight in my direction. He was very
cautious at first. He halted and looked
behind him. He turned and looked out.
could easily have shot him now, but
that would have spoiled the SPORT be-
sides, never wasted my powder and shot
upon anything | could take with my
hands. Having stood for few seconds,
he slowly advanced, keeping his nose to
the ground. On he came. He put his
fore feet on my legs and stared me full
in the face fot ab6rit minute. When
satisfied with his look at my face, he
dropped his feet and ran out of the vault.
was a good deal disappointed; and
feared that my look had frightened him.
by no meats. was soon treasured 10y
hearing the well-known and luminous
squeak-squcak of the tribe. 1t seemed
to me that | was about to be assaulted by
a legion of pOlecats, and that it might be
best TO beat retreat" The story goes
on very dramatically, considering the
scene and the circumstances The pole
cat came back deliberately, repeatedly
throwing looks over his shoulders, as if
he expected requirements in strength,
again leaped on Edwards, then once
more ran back to tile door and shrieked
out another suinfhotls
Finally, he again dragged himself over
Edwards chest toward the coveted prey.
~ lay as still as DEATH but being forced
to breathe, the movement of my chest
made the brute raise his head, and at
that moment / gripped him by the
throat. l sprang instantly TO my feet
and held on. But / actually thought
that he would have torn my hands to
pieees with his claws. / endeayored to
get him turned around, SO as to get my
hand to the back of his neck. Even then
l had enough to do to hold him fast.
How he screamed and yelled What an
unearthly noise in the dead of the night
The vault rang with his howlings."
Even Edwards muscular hands failed
to choke the polecat. But at last he
forced open the creatures jaws and pour
ed an ounce of chloroform down its
throat Then the struggles became
feebler, and tile polecat was crushed; but
the fight had lasted for couple of hours,
and Edwards hands were so bitten and
torn that for long period they continu
ed inflamed and painful. However as he
enthusiastically remarks, the prey was
well worth the struggle, and sail the more
valuable as / succeeded in taking him
without the slightest injury TO the skin"