The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-27
A RIDERS SURPRISE.
He Is Attacked by wildcat and Has a Struggle
for Life

Lon Despard is a prominent sugar-planter
of this vicinity, bold and successful hunter
and narrator of good stories drawn from
his large experience with gun and rod. He
entertained his friends recently with an &C
count of a desperate battle he had some
years ago with a wildcat, says Lake
Charles. La. special to the St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
my plantation had, since the war, been
for the most part uncultivated, only the
tract lying nearest town having been rented
out to small planters, while the acres bor-
dering the river were left to nature. so that
when | bought it | had considerable work in
clearing it again. found 1t overrun with
wild beasts-rabbits, deer. swamp foxes and
others of the less offensive sorts. and enough
wildcats, panthers and rattlesnakes to
make the task of clearing it a lively
one. My hands carried their guns to
the deld as regularly as they did their hoes,
and L. myself, put in very good time hunt
Ing my ready-made preserves. One day had
had an unusually successful day Of it, and
was returning home with my bag Of small
game tied TO my saddle, while behind me on
my horse was as fine buck as you ever
saw. My road was lonely one, which had
been newly cut and ran beside the river for
mile or more On either side of it was
dense underground, with a line of timber
concealed by it on the other. 1t was grow
ing late, too, and when presently l heard
piercing scream behind me 1t sent the blood
to my heart in quicker beats. for the sound
was an evil one under the circumstances.
But a moments thought told me it was
the voice of an animal heard, and. as it was
some distance off logged serenely on, dis
missing it from my mind, as it never &C.
CURED to ME that the scream had reference
TO me, but in another minute or two | heard
l
ME. 1t sounded again aud again, each time
drawing closer, until 1t struck me all at once
that the animal might be attracted by my
deer. l looked behind me aud saw that the
buck was still bleeding little, and that the
drops of blood fell into the dust of the road
as | travelled. When | perceived this | was
certain the wildcat was trailing me. and
looked TO my gun TO see if it was loaded and
at hand. L anticipated no trouble with the
creature, as l expected 1t would presently
apfrom the underground and | would have
time to fire upon it ere it reached me. But
1t did not appear and | heard no other
scream, so | had just begun TO think that
the animal had determined discretion to be
the better part of valOr and given up the
chase, when without any warning the cat,
that had crept up on me from behind. her
yelvet-shod feet making no sound in the
dust OF the road, sprang upon my back.
The attack was SO very unexpected that [
was feled from my horse by it and rolled
to the ground with the creature still cling
Ing to me, while my gun was knocked from
my hand and lay some twenty feet from
Inc. The horse, scared out of his wits,
broke into run and was out OF sight IN a
minute, carrying the deer with him. | was
left alone to wrestle with the cat, and
rather unenviable situation it was, for with
out weapon, and worn out with long
days hunting, | was hardly a match for the
animal, young one and excited by hunger
and the smell of fresh blood. My falling On
1t seemed to be construed as declaration
OF war, and letting go my back, which was
teariully lacerated by the creatures power
full claws, it few at my throat before | could
regain my footing. | threw up my arm to
guard my throat, which was exposed by my
hunting shirt. and the cat fastened its teeth
in the flesh just below the elbow. l struck
it with my other hand with all the force |
could muster under the circumstances, but
the only effect OF the blow was to cause the
beast to sink its teeth deeper into my flesh,
until l feared 1t would break the bone
Yelling for help, | lay still for sew
eral minutes, but when no answering
that if anything was to done | was
the enc that would have to do 1t. With a
sudden jerk | tried to throw the cat off my
BODY, but this proved signal failure, and
though the creature let go my arm it was to
make snap at my face. L avertcd this by
again interpreting my arm, which it seized
in just about the same place. L was at a
loss to know what to do, but that some.
lniuR Hau 10 De QOue was becoming evident
every moment, for | was not only in agony
with that beasts needle-like teeth MUNICH
ing my arm. but | was also growing faint
with the loss of blood. Casting about for
some lucky idea, for l realized that my only
hope lay in strategy my eyes fell on the
dusty road, and like an inspiration came
the thought that under Providence saved
my life. In my disengaged hand I caught
up as much of the dust as it would
hold and fang il into the eye nearest ME.
The cat gave squall, but before it could
spring up | was ready with another hand
full of the dust. which | threw into the
other cleaning eye. Blinded and terrified
by the loss of its sight the cat leapei sew
eral feet into the air, bowling with pain
and clawiug at itself in vain attempt TO
rid its eyes of the scaldng powder. TAX
ing advantage of the respite l ran for my
gun, and, aiming carefully, fired upon the
rolling, plunging, screaming animal. l sue
ceeded in wounding it severely in the side,
but did not kill it. for it made break in
my direction, and it would have Jared
badly with me had it been able TO see ME
clearly. But blinded still. it missed
me in its mad rush, so stepping behind a
tree [ aimed again, and this time wounded
it in the head. 1t struggled for few Sec
ondS and then lay dead.