The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-04-30
STUBBORN CONTEST.
AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE FOR
49, A HUNTER.
An Encounter with the Rare Ocelet
and Battle TO the Dsath-A Beau
\ tifal Creature More Than
Gle Feet Long. N

Il y
mails /" remarked Ben Hilbert a IA
nous Nimrod, according to the New
York Ledger. one evening as We sa,
around our campfire narrating ad
! venturos
why. they are the most obstinate
fighters | ever saw" he proceeded.
III never saw one give in till he was
dead. And yet the ancient Mexicans
made great deal of the ocelot They
trained 0celots to accompany them in
the hunt and to protect them. also
from any sudden attack. Ocelots
have quite disappeared from North
ern Mexico, and are now only to be
found in Panama and Central Ameri-
ca but less than thirty years ago
there we're a few ocelots to be met
with in the mountains along the Rio
Grande as far north as New Mexico.
Il was down in the Territory. stay
ing with friend who had q sheep
ranch near the Rio Grande when /
encountered one OF the stubborn Great
ures. hunted much OF my time
while at the ranch, and 1t was one day
when l was trying to creep up on a
small flock OF antelope that had the
desperate encounter which am about
to relate.
II was hurrying along through the
woods when stumbled against two
queer-looking little animals coiled up
at the foot OF a great black. jack tree.
They at once caught my attention, and
i
were apparently about two months
old, and seemed to be half starved.
When stumbled over the whelps
they set up series Of hideous cries,
which no doubt goaded the mother on
TO a great degree OF desperation. As
/ stopped over the whelps to inspect
them more closely an angry snarl
greeted me from the compact foliage
overhead. CHANGING up quickly. /
caught the CLEAN OF two free eyes
regarding me through the thick
branches.
Before I was able to make out
what the animal was or step back
from the tree. she threw herself down
upon me with almost stunning fierce.
ness. knew at once that it must be
the mother of the ugly half-starved
whelps at the foot of the black jack.
/ imagined it was wild cat and
flattered myself that l would have lit
tie trouble in frightening her or chok-
ing her oil.
But as very soon realized l was
reckoning without my hosts. The
creature had landed lightly on my
breast to which she chung with her
claws into my buckskin jacket clear
through to the skin. all the time
squalling hideously. and making fran
tic efforts to get at my throat. The
force with which she had flung her.
self upon me had made me stagger
backward and would most probably
have knocked me down had / not
fallen up against stout sapling hard
by.
Il quickly threw one of my arms
around the tree. SO as to avoid, il
possible. being dragged to tho ground
while with the other hand l sought TO
the throau Of my savage as
sailant. The agony caused by the
ocelot's hold was becoming insupport.
able.' The blood was running from
the wounds in my breast and began to
weaken me so much that l feared
the battle would soon be over with
me.
Il might have tried crying aloud
for help. but / was all of three miles
from my friends ranch. and l knew
that there was no one in that wild re-
gion to hear me and come to my res
cue. was absolutely alone with my
mad assailant and realized at last
that the issue OF that terrible encoun-
ter meant death to one OF us. NV ap-
prohensions were very strong that the
ocelot would become the victor /
could fight with only one hand, for II
relinquished my grasp on the sap.
ling the weight OF the animal would
drag me down in spite OF myself
by moving my arm down the sap
ling l managed to slip my hand into
my belt and draw out hunting-knife
which / always carried with ME on
such excursions Cautious as my
were, the ocelot seemed to
my purpose. for the instant
my hand closed on the handle OF tie
knife she grabbed my arm in her
mouth. breaking one of the bones with
her powerful jaws. Despite the pain
quickly caught the weapon in my
,ther hand, and as the ocelot and 1
swung backward together in our form
,r position /, struck at her again and
again, with all the power OF which l
vas capable at that dreadful moment.
The knife cut her in several places
IN the neck and head. but with all
he gashes she had received. she man.
Tested no disposition to give up the
combat. She frightened her hold upon
ny arm so savagely as TO draw cries
If agony from me. We presented a
spectacle, clinging there in
leadly strife, both covered with blood |
rom our wounds Loss of blood had
10 exhausted both that neither OF us
,ould do more than keep quiet with
Eyes fixed upon each other as IL in some |
fascination.
Once attempted TO draw my arm |
,ut OF the ocelots gaping jaws but
hey closed on II with such a remorse-
ess grasp that was forced to relapse
lgain into quietness. From the film
which / noticed gathering over the
'loodshot eyes OF the ocelot i knew
he must be growing weaker every
Having recovered my |
)reath i felt able To resume nv mart |