The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-05
WILDCATS N a rIaur.
Two Toms Engage in a Duet Before
am Applauding Female.


Scranton Letter Ia New York san.
Levi smalIin, Spring Brook
hunter, recently Witnessed a remark
able fight between two male wildcats
Ia the woods of that section. IL was
still hunting for squirrels and rabbits, .
said Mr.. smallin, when ] heard a
terrific yowling and snarIing down In
the favine from where / was tramp
ing through the woods. | knew al
once that the noise was made hy wild
cats, for had heard them scream at
night many u time. and my FIRST
thought was that q wildcat had been
caught IN trap and was yelling from
pain | listened for a minute, and then
] heard two distinct voices. ! hur.
ried 80 The brink OF 8 ledge 10 look
down into the raviile. and on my way
| IL seemed as though | could hear
three wildcats screaming. and ! was
not mistaken II this as | soon found
out.
when | got where | could look
down / saw what all the fuss was
about. Ia an open space two he Wild
cats were making the hair iiv from
one anothsr's bedies, Yelling. scratch.
| ing and biting. and every now and
| then tnmhiiF ever each other and
tearilse i lIle leaves. On limb close
hy TO them sat she wildcat, with her
back bumped np, and she was splitting
aud sissing. and urging the lie ones on.
| made up my mind right away than
the two toms were fighting over her.
aud | enjoyed the row more than any
thing had ever seen in the woods.
When the toms got tired of clawing
one another they crouched on the
ground few feet apart and flashed
their tails and hawied, while the she
one on the limb kept mp a continual
noise, and dashed her tail, too.
After each resting spell the toms
rushed at enc another again, and
while they were ripping and tearing
and making blood fly, | clamhered
down the ledge. stopping every time
they stopped, for fear they might
hear me and either run away or make
| for me. IL seemed Ia be nip and
tuck between them. for they were
both big and strong, and each APP
peared bent on killing the ether be-
fore he would give up. | wanted 10
kill them both, and get their hides
and the bounty money, and 50
waited for a good shot at them. | had
a charge OF huekshot in NV right
barrel and bullet in the left. and my
intention was 10 send the bnckshot at
them when mixed Up in the next
| bout.
Then they few at one another
| again, hut before | could reach the
| spot that | wanted 70 get 10 before
| blazed away the toms separated once
more. Ry this time they were pretty
| veil fought cut, and for few minutes
all they did was Ia glare at one an
other, swing their tails back and forth
and howl. The she eat then Sprang
| from her limb To- another branch, giv-
| ing scream as she ieaped. and ia less
than ~ seconds the be ones dashed az
eaetf other and fought more fariouSly
than ever, filing the woods with their
yowls.
Then | hanged away az the heap
with the charge Of hnckshes. One of
| the wildcats leapes into the air and
fell sso@n dead, and the other went
bowling into the bushes out of NV
sight. sa@ that there was no uSe of
| trying 10 Get another shot AZ him. and
| | sent the bullet at the she one and
knocked her oil the ltTnh. | dian't
stir from the spo. until had ehacksd
q charge into each barrel. ana then
hurried down 90 see ii had killed the
she QUE She was dead enough was
glAd 10 find out, and then thought
would search for the live tom. think
ing that he might have been wounded
hy one OF the buekshot. | found him
after little and gneSs be would
have gwen me . pretty lively time OF
Ii ii two of his legs hasin I been broken.
As il was, he showed fight and tried to
tear my bootleg of. hut had the adj
vantage Of him. and / shot him
through the head