The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-03-17
A BACKWOODS ADVENTURE.
Desperate Struggles Of Two Mon With
Pack of Catamohnts-TheirM Marvelou
Escape from Death.

men and hunters of this section of Penn
sylvania were gathered around the
stote in the little tavern perched up
among these hills, the other day. telling
yarns and discussing the prospects of
the country. Every one Of the well
know characters Of the vicinity had
told tor the hundredth time some favor
ite episode of his own, and the listeners
were getting tired and sleepy, when q
stranger, who had hitherto been un-
observed in the rear Of the crowd, spoke
out. Friends" he said, "you have not
asked me to speak, and I have, so far,
been content to listen to the incidents
you have related. But I do not believe
in being entertained without furnishing
some entertainment in return, so, with
your permission, will give you an
anecdote out of my personal his
tory, which I can vouch for,
however much you may be in
clined to doubt its accuracy. This
is my first visit to this part of the State,
most of my davs having been spent in
Pike county. When I was a boy, the
woods thereabouts were wild and cov-
cred with thick underbrush, and many
kinds of reptiles and animals abounded.
The species known as the catamount ex-
listed in larger numbers than any other.
You know the catamount is more like
the panther than anything else, being
larger and more ferocious than wild
cat. Our little village had been burt
on the edge of one of the longest
stretches of woodland in the county, so
that it only took few minutes to bring
you into the dense thickets. 1t was in
the winter of 1888 that am to tell you
of. was then about thirteen years old,
and as rugged and strong as most Of the
young men of twenty are in these times
All through the autumn the catamount
and the black snake had bothered the
men cutting timber for home use. Sew
eral of the villagers had been badly
hurt, and one old man was killed by the
tricky animal. The boys always helped
in hauling the logs and pieces of timber,
driving the buck wagons from the
woods to the houses where it was to be
dumped. After old Uncle Simeon was
killed, the women became badly scared:
and made the men 60 armed, and
wouldn't let us young men 20 on the
teams. No more trouble occurred, how
ever, until the winter set in. Every
thing was quiet then, and the
fright caused by the accidents
of the fall had passed away.
One day a terrific snow-storm set in.
The flakes came down 80 thick that we
couldn't see from our windows across
the road to Sam Briggs house. BY
dark it had become three feet deep, and
we could hardly get to the barn to feed
the stock. A bout seven clock it stopped
showing, and began to blow very hard.
It grew very cold also. We heaped
great logs on the fire, and had the blaze
roaring up the chimney. The old man
was resting quietly in the corner, smok-
ing his pipe, and seemed not to care
about what was going on, when sud-
denly we heard long, deep growl COM
ing from the woods. The old man knew
what that meant, and 80 did some of
my older brothers. The catamounts,
maddened by hunger, and prevented by
the storm from getting anything to eat,
where coming in a body to the village.
In minute all were as:ir. Two Of the
boys started for the barn to see that the
door was fast. so that the catamounts
could not destroy the cattle. The rest
of US were told TO fastcn the windows
and hunt up the guns, which were about
the house somewhere. I went to close
q window, and then could see the dark
pack rushing rs fast as they could
through the snow. The sky had cleared
and the stars were out, 80 that could
sec the folks at Briggs and down the
street were preparing for the hungry
animals. didn't get those binds shut
any too quick either, for the head of the
gang were within a few yards Of
the house. Just as ! was leaving
the room the old man came rushing
through the hall, saving: Jim and
Jake have been headed off between here
and the barn by the pack, and all the
wildcats are on 'em.' You bet there
was lively movin' around then. The
old man and Bill, an older brother, took
the guns and went upstairs to the bed
room windows looking out on the yard.
We could hear the boys yelling for help
amid the growls Of the delighted ami
mails. I put for an upper window, and
there was fearful sight. Jim had
drawn his .jack-knife. and was keeping
tue SAbo tt1 ohy, ooV Pool o"hC "'Io hoiP
less. A big fellow had him down, amp
Jake had his hands on the rascaps throat
with an awful grip. Four or five more
of the gang were trying to get a show at
Jake, too. He kicked right and left,
and fought like tiger. Jim had his
hands full even though he had q knife.
They got behind MIN. and would Jump
on HIM. He gradually worked his way
toward the house, however, and sister
Sue, brave girl, with nerves like a
soldier, was waiting to open the door
and let him in. The old man fired from
the window first, and one Of the pack
fell dead. Neither Bill nor the guv'ner
dared shoot at the animals right around
Jake for fear of shooting him. It was
awful, I tell you, friends. put Bill a
charge in another OF the fierce brutes
and lie keeled over. By that time some
of the pack were devouring the first
catamount that the old man bad shot.
But there were so many of them that
even the two dead ones only drew away
few of the gang. Jim had put
two of them out of the way, and was
working his way fast toward safety,
but he was terribly weak from
the wounds the cats had given him. He
was perfectly cool, though, and he
shouted once to Bill: Kill another
blackeuard. and then enough of 'em will
be busy eatin' to give me time.' Bill
cracked away, and down went cata.
mount close to Jim Two or three, OF
the beasts jumped on the wounded
members of the pack, and Jim made a
dash for the door. Sue had it unfast-
ened, and the minute he reached the
steps, she threw it open and he rushed
in, but, by George! one of the hungry
ascals sprang in " ith him. Then tel
YOU there was fun. Sue had big meat
knife in her hand and she stabbed the
brute, but it only exasperated him: Ii
went for her right away, and IN a
moment there was cut down her pretty
cheek that left scar she always carried
afterward. Jim turned as quick as a
flash and buried his jack-knife deep IN
the brute's throat. 1t was a stunnor,
but before the animal expired he gave
Jim q dig in the right hand that was
sore tor 4 good many weeks. r
Meanwhile Jake was struggling
out in the yard. How he held out us
he did, with half-dozen blood: thirsty
beasts about him, is more than l couldi
ever understand. When I stopped
watching jim, and looked again to
where Jake was, he was all torn and
bloody. You wouldn't have known
him, so disfgured by the catamounts
was he. The only thing that saved hlm
was the fact that some of the nelghbors'
hearing the noise of the guns, had come
out to lend assistance. Theinstant they
came near the house the animals scented
them, and all but two left Jake. Nc