, 1889-01-23
TWO FOREST MONARCHS.
RIVAL BUCKS FIGHT A TERRIBLE
BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

faithless Does Tenderly Care for the
Wounds of Their Former Lords Slayer.
A Hunter, Who Had Left His Rife Be
hind, Forced to BE n Silent Spectator.
81 witnessed a singular sight not long
Since" said Gerald Whitney to an Elk
aminer man who had asked him some
questions relative to stalking deer.
There were several of US who had
been back In the Cuyamacas deer hunt
ing for ten days and we had pretty good
sport. Late one afternoon l wandered
off from the camp alone, my thoughts
causing me to stroll aimlessly through
the scrub pine and down into the valley
near a little stream where several days
before we had killed a fine buck and doe
that had come to their usual watering
place. l had no thought of hunting
when 1 left the camp, and had, no arms
with me save my hunting knife, a valua-
BILE Price which was made for my
father some years since in this city.
Near the stream | spoke of a moment ago
there is n grassy plot of about three or
four acres, and twenty or thirty large
trees that would do Calaveras proud
grow in and around this little marsh and
form a sort of natural rendezvous for the
numbers of deer that inhabit certain sec
tions of Lower California.
A PRETTY NvADED
81 came to this spot, and, STOPPING
down, took a long draught of water.
While l had my head bent down in the
stream | caught the impatient stamp of
feeding deer, and heard the unmistakable
little wheezy cough they sometimes give
while eating. l cautiously withdrew be-
hind one of the large trees in my close
n~eighborhood and stole a glance over in
h direction of the sound. There were
three does, a peg buck and the pater ia
milias, with a pair of antlers that made
my huntsman's instinct almost too strong
TO keep me quiet. l crouched behind
the tree n took off my hat, divided be-
tween interest in their movements
filled with quick impetuous grace-ald
my desire to communicate with the
camp in some n l very sensibly
concluded that as they were browsing
over in my direction, any movement
on my. part would simply stampede
them, and l satisfied myself as well as 1
could In observing their movements.
The sun was just about setting, and
its last rays were falling full in the en-
trance to the valley, when there Hoped
into sight another buck, equal in every
point save of attendance to the fat fell
low 1had been admiring. Buck number
one stood rigid and erect as he came In
sight, and blew out on the still air q
snort of defiance that checked number
two, who had not seen him, almost as
effectually as if l had turned loose my
rifle on him. he stopped perfectly still,
slightly thrown back on his launches,
viewed the situation a moment with a
sort of mild inquiry; gradually raised
his head, until finally his antlers nearly
touched his smooth back; then lowered
1t quickly almost to the ground, jerked
1t up with a splendid contempt. and blew
back an answering snort of defiance.
1.-THE does gathered close together and
stole surreptitious glances of admiration
at h intruder, who, with lowered
sconce, advanced toward his challenger.
1 felt my pulses tingling at these signs of
combat, as l felt pretty sure there was
going to be a fight. Number one stood
his ground as number two advanced,
until he was within about twenty PAGES,
then he stepped out on the plane of
battle, bristlfng like a wild boar. AS ho
stepped out the intruding buck paused
for o while to measure his foe. They
gazed at each other angrily for a mo-
ment, n then made a mutual rush,
coming together with q shock that made
the little valley ring with its force. /
almost imagined that some occult force
had separated them, for they fell on
their knees fifteen good PAGES apart.
They did not remain in that position
long. They were up and at it
again in a trice. They fought with a
ferocity that l ave never seen equaled.
l could hear every lick as it was deliv-
cred, sometimes on the side, sometimes
on the rump, and when a lick was par
ried on the horns it sounded like drop
ping n load of fish bars on q stone
pavement. Such vicious lunges you
never saw. The velvety coats were torn
and ripped from withers to rump, and
blood was running from side, as well as
month and nnCtri1a nourn would M n
head, and an uppe cut would fall prone
upon the stomach that 1 thought must
be fatal. Bang would go a whole forest
of horns into q side, and number one or
two would fall upon the ground, while
quick as lightning the up deer would
slash at his fallen adversary with his
sharp front teeth, cutting like a knife.
NCoNsTANT DOES.
1.-THE does and the peg stood by as
immovable as the big trees, save now
and then they would open their lips and
give u piteous bleat as their champion
would get worsted in the fight. Buck
number w fought with a grim deter
mination, to show that the odds of favor
from being in the presence of his nd
versary's harem-should not count
against him. Back and forth waged the
contest; now there would be q lull as
they locked horns for a breathing spell,
while their eyes, red with anger, would
flash into each other from beneath their
INTERVIEWING antlers. Now they would
break apart, then q lunge, and now a
vicious counter. Tho fight waged for
twenty minutes, when suddenly buck
number two, the intruder, got in q long,
vicious dig that tore his adversary well
across the side. He fell with n pitiful
cry of distress, and number two stood
over him for a few moments, then made
several cuts in his already bleeding side,
and, turning, walked over to his pros