Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-11-29
AN IMMENSE LYNX.

. .- = < - -
How the Largest Bob-cat Ever hil0u :.
the County Was Laid Low.
Twas a warm morning in September
wban 7 shouldered my rife and started
with nv dog for the "Giants Dasin'
hoping to bring home tine DUCK ,or
the venison was running low 81 inc
camp. and in this region winter sets IN
early, and when first here, stays. Inc
basin was favorite click" for deer
and this fall had been q plentiful one
for them. The road led through sunny
Keene valley, where it turned up 70
the mountain and led for the rest oi
the way along the sides OF dllferenI
lodges, sometimes high in the air, ana
again along the dry ledge OF a mount
ain stream. At last the basin Vhs
reached, and after waiting an hour OF
more nv patience was rewarded by OBJ
tanning fat young buck. which guar
tered and hung on tree. to await tne
arrival of a party of trappers who were
going to join me at the basin on the
following morning.
Before preparing for the night TOOK
it into my head to have partridge 1or
supper, and started out accordingly.
Luck seemed against me, and was
about to turn back for the basin, when'
to my dismay, I had not the least idea
which way to turn, and it had grown
very dark, the wind had come up, ana
every appearance of a cold night per-
vaded the air. While bordering what
to do, the wind brought to my ears
cry or moan so faint as to be hardly
heard above the whispering balsams,
but all doubt was removed by second
cry much nearer and more distinct than
the first / now realized what the cry
meant, and knew that the smell OF
fresh vension had attracted the nose OF
one of the ugliest animals of the forest,
the Canadian lynx. or bob-cat. Before
could make ready for an attack or
find place of shelter, the boughs
ahead of me parted, and with yell
the lynx, for such it proved to be,
sprang straight for my shoulders. and
would have struck me full in the chest
had not retained presence of mind to
drop on one knee and thus receive the
whole weight of the animal on my heels.
We both turned, but the cat was just
a little bit quicker, and, catching,
my arm in his open jaw, rolled me
over on my back, and at the same time
settled his jaws well into my hunting
jacket. With the arm that was free
struggled desperately to reach my
hunting knife, that l might the sooner
end the struggle, which was beginning
to severely tell on my strength. At
last my arm was free from his jaws; he
had dropped it to use his teeth to bet
ter effect on my throat, and had nearly
this when from under the
bushes saw black, shaggy mass fly
through the air and fasten itself on the
back of the cat, who rolled over and
tor another struggle, which
ended by plunging my knife to his
heart, and thus saving my dog-for it
was my watchful friend-from strug-
gle that must inevitably end in a
victory for the bob-cat. l slept that
night with lynx for a pillow and a
log for foot.board, and was awakened
next morning by trappers who had
come in search of me, not finding me
1t the basin. By the aid of poles we
carried the cat home, and when meas
lred it was found to reach twelve feet,
lip to tip, being the largest specimen
If the kind ever killed in the country.
Boston Traveller.