The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-07-25
WILDCAT HUNTING.
One of the Tavorite Sports of the Dwell
ers in Lower California,

"There she isl
"Don't fire!"
s'Give the dogs a chance!''
They and many other disconnected |
sentences came from a crowd of ladies I
and gentlemen who, well mounted and
close upon a pack of eager hounds, were
pushing into a thick patch Of under
brush in the center Of the Arroyo Seco, a
dry canon or river just back OF Pa5sa-
dena. Cal.
Here the gulch was we'll filled with tall
trees from whose branches there fell III
rich festoons masses Of wild grape and
cltmatis that formed ropes that deity
caught riders beneath the chin, and so
tied UP the dogs that they often became
fouled and yelped and howled in impo-
tent rage. The party had started half
mile below in the clearing and had fol-
lowed up the eager dogs that had now
freed game of some kind, and, as they
gathered about the broken poplar high
up in one of the branches, there appeared
a long, 1.-THE body clinging to the limb,
while over the side peered the ugly face
of the wildcat. Excitement had been at
fever pitch when the hounds struck the
trail, but now that the animal was, in
full view, it fairly boiled over. even the
horses appearing to be carried away
by it.
'.Stand back, ladies"' shouted the
master of the hounds, who carried
light rifle, sometimes a cat will jump
for her life, and they viii scratch when
they land"
The ladies fell back a little, and
youngster i'll the party volunteered to
climb the tree and dislOdCe the common
enemy. Handing the bride Of lis horse
to q rider, he seized the pendent grape
vine and swung up into the tree, and a
few moments later was making his way
along the branch toward the crOuching
cat. She was SO intently engaged in
looking at the dogs that at first she did
not see him, but when he rounded the
trunk she suddenly caught sight Of the
new enemy, drew back with quick
growl, glanced this way and that, as if
ueasuring the chances, and, perhaps.
would have jumped, when the climber
deftly struck her from behind and down
she went, with q scream Of rage into the
red mouths below. The blood and fur
few, for puss was game, and not a few
GOOD dogs backed out, wiping their heads
LII Id2PCu ears buG lIl6 SilI1C NtS up,
and it was with great difficulty that the
skin was saved for the rug which is the
rrophy Of the wildcat hunt.
Hunting this short tailed feline is q
faature Of southern California out door
sports. The deep canons that radiate
down from the Sierra Madres form then
retreat and that of large game in general
After a rain the hunts are organized, anC
hen the paw marks are distinctly seer
and the scent fresh, and, as the storm
clouds blow away from the mountain
aides and the warm sun comes out the
Day of the hounds Of some sportsman i
nearly always heard. The wildcat O
Glis country is large, powerful animal
approaching the lynx, also found here, il
size and general appearance, and large
enough to inflict dangerous wounds upOl
man or beast.
On one occasion the hounds came upor
a fresh scent in an extremely marrow
place in the canon, where precipitou
rocks rose on one side and heavy brusl
on the other. The dogs rushed into tn
latter, and moment later large ca
bounded into the narrow stream am
began an Intellectual scramble up TIL
rocky sides. A bullet caught her befor
she had gone thirty feet, and, tmniD!
with snarl Of rage, she leaped directl,
into the air, fell upon the neck of
broncho, dismounted the rider in tn
melee, and before she could be dislodget
tors and lacerated the animal in fear
full manner. Kittens are often seen il
play to take one another in their mouth
and to scratch with their hind feet. AM
it was this plan that was adopted by tn
cat. She fastened her claws into tn
broncho's neck, and with her sharp hint
claws ripped and clawed until the anima
was mass of blood and lacerated flesh
then fell among the dogs, to be torn
pieces amid protest that showed it to b
among the gamest animals.
''You may talk about your mountai
ion," said an old hunter as we rod
slowly up the Arroyo one early mornin
after the rain, with the whimpering dog
all about, ''but | would rather take NJ
chances with one any time than with
pair of wildcats at close quarters. 1t ju;
seems as if a cat loses its head like. The
know they're caught, and they are jus
bound to have it out if it takes all sun
mer. They fight worse when there is
pair, just like mountain lion. Phil;
delphia Times.
Tea And Tobacco in Alaska.