The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-11-05

tree. 1neIe L StOOu up III Iuy uode W
make cast at the edge of a 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 at the
resistance. Simultaneously with the
stopping of the hook blood-curdling
screech rent the air. turned quickly
about. was just in time to see big
wildcat leap from the lower limb of the
hemlock, and he was pointed straight
for me, although there was a 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
him instantly into uncomfortable fury.
II 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 l 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 mem brane and the blood
ives triclxling 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 an instant's delay. I met it
with blow from the paddle. The pad
die few into dozen pieces. The dis
turbance in the boat was too much for
the boats equilibrium, and over it
went. tumbling the wildcat and me
into the water. We foundered 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.
1.-THE boat, when it upset, was with.
in O few feet of the foot OF the pool,
where the water disappe AIRED behind
the tangle Of alders. had nothing to
defend myself with against the wildcat
but my fists, and l pounded it with
them, with very little effect, except to
their own damage. The wildcat could
swim like a 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 a very
short time, and the blood began to flow
from deep Rashes on my hands and
arms. l saw that in the struggle my
hook had torn loose from the wildcats
car, leaving long and bleeding slit
The persistent animal kept up an up-
earthly yelling as it fought. We soon
worked our way down against the wall
of alders, and. as the struggle went on
for moment against 1t, 1 heard
another screech, and presently another
wildcat came tearing through the
thicket to the edge Of the pool. AS this
second ugly customer crouched as If to
leap upon me to the aid of its mate, the
alders that barred the channel gave
way, and my cat and 1 foundered
through the maze. Below it the creek
was ten feet wide between the alders,
which closed above it in regular can
opy of netted branches, nowhere more
than three feet high. 1t was almost as
dark as night in that low-vaulted wat
cry tunnel. The channel was straight,
and far below could see small circle
of light, where the creek emerged
again into open water.
"As we disappeared through the
dense alders the other wildcat bounded
into the thicket and made toward the
spot. could hear him crashing
through, screeching as he came, and
finally saw the tall bushes swaying be-
fore him as he drew nearer. l had
changed my tactics in my struggle with
my wildcat, and was trying to force it
beneath the surface and hold it under
long enough to drown it, but the cat
was too active and supple, and about
all succeeded in doing was to lessen
the quantity of my clothing and add to
the slashings in my flesh. had been
struggling with the wildcat minute,
perhaps, in that close. dark passage,
where the water was fully six feetd deep,
when saw the two fey eyes of its
mate appear in the alders, where he
had thrust his head through on the OPP
posite side. That wildcat, though,
hesitated to take to the water, even to
help his mate, but didn't know how
long he would be of that mind, and
consequently saw the Importance Of
getting the best of one fierce contestant
before another joined in the fight. re-
solved on a desperate move, but one
that would be decisive if it were sue
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