St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-11-05

branches on the upper side extending
several feet out over the water.
Il had drifted along beneath these
branches. and twenty feet below the
tree. There ! stood up in my boat to
make cast at the edge of bunch Of
alders some Of whose limbs were
stretched out on the surface of the
water. As threw my rod forward my
hook stopped suddenly in the air be-
hind me, and my reel hummed ut the
resistance. simultaneously with the
stopping OF the hook blood-curdling
screech rent the air. turned quickly
about was just in time to sec . big
wildcat leap from the lower limb Of the
hemlock. and he was pointed straight
for me, although there was q watery
space between us, and all woodmen
have always held that an intervening
stretch of water is . sure barrier
against the attacks Of all fierce ami
mails Of the cat kind. My hook had
caught somewhere in . tender spot on
the wildcat. which had been crouching
on the lower limb unknown to me. and
the pain of the puncture had walked
Il was standing near the bow OF the
boat but moved quickly to the other
end, and none too quickly, for the wild
cat bounced into the boat ON the spot
where had stood before I'd had time
to steady myself in my new position.
Then saw that the hook was fast in
one Of the animals ears, and . cats
ears are the most sensitive part Of its
body. The hook had gone clear through
the tender membrane and the blood
was trickling down in quite a stream.
Fortunately the paddle was in the stern
Of the boat As the big cat struck the
boat it almost upset the clumsy craft.
The enraged beast came for me again
without m instant's delay. met il
with . blow from the paddle. The pad
die dew into dozen pieces. The dis
turbancc in the boat was too much for
the boats equilibrium. and over il
went, tumbling the wildcat and me
into the water. We doundered there
close together, and instead of the bath
cooling down the wildcats temper it
seemed to make it hotter, and the ugly
beast renewed the fight in the water.
The boat, when it upset, was with.
in few feet Of the foot OF the pool,
where the water disappeared behind
the tangle Of aldera had nothing to
defend myself with against the wildcat
but my fists, and I pounded it with
them. with very little effect. except to
their own damage. The wildcat could
swim like duck. kept its head well
out Of water. and struck and bit at me
with such quickness and agility that
my sleeves were torn In strips in . very
short time, and the blood began to flow |
from deep Rashcs on my hands and |
arms. / saw that in the struggle my |
hook had torn loose from the Wildcats |
ear. leaving long and bleeding slit |
The persistent animal kept up an uD-
earthly yelling IS it fought. We soon |
worked our way down against the wall |
Of alders, and. as the struggle went on
for . moment against 1t, I heard |
another screech. and presently another |
wildcat came tearing through the
thicket to the edge Of the pool. As this
second ugly customer crouched rs If to |
leap upon mo to the aid Of its mate, the |
nldcrs that barred the channel gave
way. and my cat and l foundered /
through the maze. Below it the creek
was ten feet wide between the alders,
which closed above 1t in a regular can
opy Of Melted branches, nowhere more
than three feet high. 1t was almost Is
lark as night in that low-vaulted wat
Fry tunnel. The channel was straight,
and far below could see small circle
IF light where the creek emerged
again into open water.
AS we disappeared through the
tense alders the other wildcat bounded
INTO the thicket and made toward the
spot. could hear him crashing
through, scrceching Is he came, and
finally saw the tall bushes swaying be-
lore him as he drew nearer. had
changed my tactics in my struggle with
ny wildcat, and was trying to force it
tencath the surface and hold it under
ong enough to drown it, but the cat
vas too active and supple, and about
Ill succeeded in doing was to lessen
the quantity Of my clothing and add to
he slashings in my flesh. I had been
with the wildcat a minute.
in that close. dark passage.
where the water was fully six feet deep.
when ! saw the two fey eyes Of its
nate appear in the alders, where he
rad thrust his head through on the OPP
,osite side. That wildcat, though,
to take to the water. even to
lelp his mate. but ] didn't know how
ong he would be of that mind, and
saw the importance Of |
citing the best of one fierce contestant
'efore another joined in the fght. ] re-
olvcd on q desperate move, but one
hat would be decisive If il were sue
r