Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-11-21

delicious shade to ride beneath, pleasant
breezes to fan us, and the sweet music Of birds
to charm our senses shall mark this days
Journey with white stone in my calendar"
"I'll wait till We get to camp before l uss
my white stone," replied I. "We're not ou
of the woods yet"
""Out of the woods" rejoined the doctor
"Well, who wants to be3 For my part,
wish we might always be in the woods. It't
delightful. Why, already feel two years
younger for this days ride. What place
this must be for game! If Toms caravan
there, didn't stretch halfa-mile ahead ano
scare everything, we might get shot at some
thing" ....... ..........
speaking of game, doctor, makes me think
we haven't had a shot at deer since We letl
the coast. I mean to have hunt at our next
camp, even if we are obliged to lie over a day
on purpose. Hold on minute. | believe
the girth of my saddle needs Tightening,
said I. .......
"You don't want me to stop and see you
tighten it, do your" queried the doctor. "l'll
ride on, and you can overtake me" with
which remark he reined his horse past me
lust as dismounted. 1t took me, perhaps
five or six minutes to properly adjust my sad
die, and when I had finished I found myself
alone, with no human creature, except myself
in sight.
remember remarking the deathlke silence
of the forest; for the stiffness was go profound
it fairly oppressed me. I mounted my horse
as quickly as possible, and started but he
exhibited so great disinclination to proceed,
that concluded that something must still be
wrong about the saddle, and again dismount'
ed to examine it.
failed to discover any cause for the AMI
malls strange behavior, although I was salts
fed the saddle was all right, and throwing my
large Mexican blanket carelessly over my left
prepared to remount.
I had just placed my foot in the stirrup.
and gathered the reins with the pommel of
the saddle in my left hand, when my atten-
tion was attracted by the rustlng of leaves,
accompanied by the sudden swaying of q
large limb above and behind me.
Before l had time to ascertain the cause,
my horse gave tremendous leap, which made
me lose my hold of the saddle, and the next
moment received violent blow upon the
back Of my head and left shoulder, which
brought me to the ground in less time than |
have taken to tell it, and / found myself in
the close embrace of an immense puma, or
American lion.
I had just presence of mind enough to fully
comprehend my perilous situation, and to
draw my sheath knife and plunge it
into his body. :.
then endeavored to partially raise myself
upon one elbow, when the creature seized my
shoulder between his teeth The thick, heavy
folds of the blanket, which fortunately re-.
mained where l had so carelessly thrown it,
effectually prevented his fangs from penetra.
ting through into the flesh, although the
grip of his strong jaws seemed to
crush the bones in my arm.
Appreciating the advantage given me by
the position Of the blanket, once more
plunged my knife into the creatures body,
this time just behind his fore leg. The f"rce
of his long, sharp fangs gradually relaxed,
and he fell upon his side.
managed to slowly struggle to my feet,
and then l knew nothing more, for tainted
for the first time in my life. When l came
to, the doctor and Tom stood over me, both
terribly alarmed and astonised at the sight
presented. A part of my clothing hung about
me in shreds 1 was literally covered with
blood. had just strength enough left to in
form them that thought my shoulder was
crushed, and again relapse into insensibility.
In short time, however, once more re.
gained consciousness, and then the doctor
made an examination. and reported "No
bones broken" although had received some
ugly bruises and scratches.
Tom drew long breath as the doctor an
uounced the result of the examination, and
said
"It's heap better to be born lucky than
rich, after ALL When yer hoss came tx rim
past us, yer rifle still hangin' in the saddle,
and the blood runnin' down his fanks, l
wouldn't hev given picayune for the chance
Of 6ndin' yer alive. And when the doctor
an me rode up and seed yer a.lying there by
the side of that critter, never 'spected to
hear you speak agin. I reckon it's the clos
est shave ever seed.
"He's splendid one, though" continued
he, stretching the carcass out at full length,
"and can't, for the life of me, see how yer
managed to get off so easy, cause, you see,
when puma makes spring, it's generally a
sartin' thing"
briefly narrated the circumstances of the
attack, and when | spoke Of the tremendous
leap made by my horse, Tom interrupted me
with:
"That's it; thar's what's done it. You see
ther critter didn't come square down on yer,
ez he intended to, but fell little short in his
OWN to the jump O yer boss.
An you bed jest sense enough about yer to
use the one chance he left yer. Arter all
said and done, though, there amt moth.
IL to do hard 6gbtin' with excl to a good
knife" .r.. 81.
"But I had no idea that pumas would at
tack men," said the doctor.
"Attack men! Why not?' inquired Tom.
"One kind of meat is ez good ez another to
them felIers when they're hungry, amt it ?
But we oughtn't ter stand here much longer.
Be you able to ride my hoss, judge, or will
you walk? We've got ter overtake them
mules, and carry bis puma along with US.
'Twon't never do to leave that behind u.s.
Tom and the doctor succeeded in getting
the carcass across one of the horses, and we
took up our line of march. Just before night
fall we came to an opening in the forest,
where we found the Mexicans awaiting our
arrival, and there we made our camp.
Supper over, the puma was found to meas
ure seven feet three inches from tip to tip.
The doctor superintended the removal of the
skin, and the carcass was given to the Mexi-
cans, who pronounced the flavor of the meat
superior to any mutton they ever tasted.
found myself so lame and sore from the
effect of the bruises l had received in my en-
counter, that it was impossible for me to
move without great pain we therefore re-
Co., 5o,e ,ltbourb -