Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-06-24

Wen, s--- paused
to take breath, and looked nervously
round upon the surrounding darkness,
as If he feared the dreadful creature
might be upon him at any moment;
'only put this terror of the wilderness
within good range of my double bar
rel, ard be it devil or beast. or both
combined, | pledge myself to prove to
you, and as many friends as you like,
that it cannot dodge a well-arme |
ball.
Francois laughed in derision.
What you DO, Monsieur Wayne,
eh ? ne inquired.
"'Put a ball into it, of course--a
couple OF them, for that matter, re-
turned I.
'.Sacr, cnjdnt dc care, Won SCOT
him-but no matter-he spit out re
balls 20 quicker as ze lighting
miHc tonDerS ?
What do you mean You are
crazy :"
No crozzee, by gar . no-aha |
avoir Try him. l SCOT 20 good ! was
put re ball in re bulls eye sometime
-mais | trv re terrible carcagieu, and
SCOT ten-ffty bail, and he was throw
zem all back. Monsieur no, mono
crozzee me
Il quietly inquired if he had that
day performed the prodigious feat OF
shooting fifty balls into the body OF
this wonderful carcagieu, not one OF
wh;oh hal done'more than to amuse
his beastship.
"'By garl not zis day try-but
long time ago-then l was more brav'
and more re fool
THAT must have been a long time
ago, indeed, laughed I.
Further inquiries elected the fact
that Francois had that day seen a car
cagieu, at a distance of some three
miles from the camp: and if he could
be believed, the beast had turned upon
him, splitting fire from its mouth; and
he had only escaped by climbing
a tree, and remaining there till dark:
when, lowering himself cautiously, he
had made for the camp, with fear and
trembling; and even now considered
his situation and ours in the highest
degree precarious.
That there was some strange ami
NAL in the forest, which neither my
companions nor myself had seen, we
were at length prepared 10 admit;
and we resolved that the coming dav
should be spent in search for It.
The night passed off without any
disturbance, and the following day We
set out to explore the country in eye-
ery direction, in search of'this won
derful animal. We took a range OF
several miles, but met with no adven-
ture worthy OF recording. Our sec-
ond days adventure resulted in the
same manner, and we came to the con-
clusion that Eransnis had been fright.
ened at some imaginary object, though
he still persisted in affirming that the
carcagieu was living reality, and nc
creature cf fancy.
"A few days after this, as | was ex'
ploriug one Of the wild passes of th'
mountains in company with our guide
nv friends having taken diiieren
course, the former suddenly sprans
back to NY side, the picture Of terror
and in a nervous tremulous tone, ex
claimed
THE carcagieu the carcagieu
Monsieur sail look 10: hisseli :,
Il raised my eyes, and there, on {
wild beetIins crag Of the mountain,
| beheld an animal about the size OF I
panther. 1t was long, black, aPPar
sntlv without anv tail, and ditferen
| in appearance from anything l has
ever before seen. That it was :eroci
ous there could be no doubt-ior j
/ had a certain wild glare of the eyes
| which seemed to be fixed upon lae a
if they would pierce me through. Til
distance was Just a good rifle range
and as raised my piece to my eye 70
a deliberate aim, Francois with