Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-05-18
The African Lypx.

After bsgging few franklin-partridges
Is they call them over yonder- we walked
Oh till my comrade, who was lame, pro-
posed returning. Just at that moment q
kordun called in a bend of the ravine
ahead, and We stalked him cautiously 1t
was long shot where at length he came
in view. My friend took careful aim and
fired both barrels. Quick as the sound,
fulvous, slender creature leaped from behind
n rock and sped away, outstretched like
greyhound leveled my gun. But s.,
more prudent, thrust it aside, and puff
of dust, a rattle of dry soil tumbling,
marked where the shots had struck yards
wide. ~ Ou must restrain your impetu
osiiy Oh the veldt," he said laughing.
Unless you had killed the lynx, which is
improbable, seeing that your gun was load
cd with small shot, he would certainly
have attacked US, and 8 wounded lynx is
an ugly customer, let Inc tell you-none
more, Of our smaller animals, excepting q
ratel." 1t was annoying, but my expert
enced friend was right. After securing the
kordun We turned, and on the homewsrd
walk he gave me several anecdotes display
ing the courage and feroclty of the lynx.
think / noted one or two of them, but
worn old memoranda are troublesome to
read, and the tales are not particularly
striking ''You do not mean" / SAID,
that the funny little long-nosed ratel is as
dangerous as this savage creaturel" ''You
will find that sportsmen here don't often
NEEDLE with the ratel. For one reason,
he is comical as you say; then, he is no
use dead, and rather serviceable alive.
But his safety is often due to mans nat
ural dIsinclInation TO Interfere with an
animal which has such an awkward way
Of fighting, and stsggers to the charge |
with half his weight Of lead inside him. |
| once killed ratel, it's many wears ago,
but = have never recovered full use of my |
feet. 1t was the first time that | had |
shot gun. My father was with me, but in |
returning home he staid 10 chat with /
friend. | saw the ratel creeping round an
ant-hill- He cantered off, not very fast,
and / fred at an easy range. The brute
turned heels over hesd, just as they do for
hours at a time when they are playing; if
you have seen ratels in cage you must
have been amused at their performance.
Bt it was no fun this time. lie came back
/ had no second barrel and no knife. 1t
was awkward. The creature paused once,
as if in pain, but nSver took lis eyes off
me. / did not think of running, but club
bed my gun and stood prepared to meet
spring. 1t was the oddest chance that no
one had ever told me how the ratel fights.
Almost every boy In the veldt knows it,
but didn't. To wait thus expecting
leap breast high is to give him exactly the
chance he wants. Hesitating not second,
the beast ghded swiftly in and seized my
feet. l hacked him with the butt end,
kicked al hun, shouted my loudest, but he
gnawed with the pertinacIty of bulldog.
At every blow his teeth closed like vice.
seized his long tail, wrenched and twisted
ii, but the ratel will not quit hold if he be
cut IN pieces. Not moment, l suppose,
the struggle lasted. The muscles OF my
instep were cut through, and l tuInbled
backwaTd-not full length, but against the
ant-hlll. That saved my life probably.
The brute let go, as it does when its vic
tim drops to spring upon his throat, and
mp his stomach with his hind claws. But
| lifted myself upon my elbows, and lay
across the summit of the mound. That
might only have prolonged the struggle,
but my father ran up at the moment.
was many months in bed and many more
On crutches.