Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-12
CAT DRIVING IN FLORIDA,
How Fifty-Pound Fow1ers of the Swamps
 Furnish Sport for Hunters.


 l Furnish Sport for Hunters.
 Chatting over their cigars, few gentle men passed pleasant hour at the St James hotel exchanging personal experiences of the | chase. MT. M. N. Bryan, of Madison county. Fla, told, with much interest to his listen CTS, stories of the hunting of the wildcat. He said:
 ''The Florida wildcat, when fully grown weighs about fifty pounds, and is as large as | a good sized fox hound, and when in full chase Of pack of fox hounds is an object to startle and bewilder northern hunter With fur thrown back, claws extended leaping with great springs through forest or swamp, the ordinary sportsman, at the first sight of the animal, turns pale and wants to leave lnstanter. The cat will attack sheep, lambs, young hogs and poultry, but the human fam lily, except young and unprotected children, need have no fear of him. I know of no sport so exciting and demanding effort so hard and long continued as cat drive. The | hunting party having been agreed upon, they meet an hour and half before day light, mounted on their best horses and at tended by hounds, often to the number of forty. The wildcat is generally found for aSlng at this hour, and, being surprised, runs quickly tosthe cover of the nearest swamp or climbs tree If he seeks a tree he is not shot, but the tree is cut down, or he is other wise diSlodged
 'The hounds are held in leash until he gets good start, when the leader blows his horn ana the pursuit is resumed. If the cat enters swamp the hounds follow him there, and ultimately drive him out, and the hunting party, guided by the noise of the dogs, is ready to take up the chase near the point where the game emerges. And so we go! Over the hills, through the farms, jumping fences, leaping ditches No English fox hunt can compare with the Florida eat drive and few are the farmers who can resist leav- ing team a-tield and running to the house for saddle when the baying of hounds and the blowing of horns tells that eat drive is on. The hounds of every farmer hearing the din leave their kennels, and are found loudest mouthed in the pursuing pack. At last comes the end as all sports must end
 After an all days chase the wildcat at o'clock i'll the afternoon, or at o'clock st the latest. can go little further The snap ping jaws of the MMnds come closer and closer. He turns his glaring eyes moment behind him and staggers on The pack of dogs that had been in full cry in the morning is now broken. Only the hardy ones have kept up with the long chase Horses and riders are worn and jaded. The cat can run no more. He prepares to battle for his life He turns on his back, raises his feet, and strikes his long claws viciously at any hound that dare attack him. The battle is long and bloody, and before it ends hounds are fright fully scared, and often lose an eye. Many e time after cat chase hays I sewed up the ears of my dogs. The cat drive is the Florida mans favorite sport It is not pursued with the purpose of exterminating the animals. Indeed, by state law, hunter who will shoot a cat in front of his dogs is fined $25, and by rule of the Hunters association he is fined again for the same offense. You ses if a cat is killed by bullet the hounds that have followed it are forever spoiled for the chase. Their proper discipline and future usefulness require that they should kill the cat On this account shotguns and rifles are usually left behind.-St. Louis Globs-Demo