The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-20


oody swaYed With each stroke l took In
thirty minutes | had gone over five miles
ana stopped to rest Some birds fut-
tered over my head and heard the cry of
distant screech owl. Then came auo ner
cry and one that almost made me cease
breathing
1t WIS harsh. unearthly scream, aud
so close was it that it rang in my ears like
the beating of gong With a sudden i'm
pulse dashed forward. There was rush
ing, scrambling sound behind and then q
wicked snarl. gave frightened gla ce
over my shoulder aud saw an animal about
the size OF a Newfoundland dog, and it had
eyes that cleaned like glowing Goals. From
descriptions had heard and read l reoog-
nlzed 1T as wild cat. but did not stop to
make any critical examination. My only
thought was of escape, for more than the
little stick l carried in my hand l mad
no weapon OF defense The stream
Itself wound in sinuous fashion through
the forest but before it had been frozen is
had evidently owe flowed its banks, for the
ice extended on all sides as far as could
see through the woods The bed of the
stream was clear of trees and brush, ami
down THIS sort of lane through the woods
dashed at my best speed. The wild cat
gave an angry snarl of disappointed rage
as it saw me glide away. Without as much
as pocket knife about me | knew that |
cesstul combat with the hungry brute be-
hind me.
Ordinarily "a wild cat will not attack
man unless it is hard pressed for its life, and
then 1t will make desperate esistauce 1t
IS also very successful fighter, for it is as
quick as chain lightning in It's movements,
It's body and limbs are powerful aid elch
one OF its paws is armed with long sharp
claws that cAn cut through the flesh like a
knife. An Infatuated house cat will whip
the largest dogs IL short 81 der. A Canadian
wild cat is probably half dozen times as
large as one Of the domestic species, aud in
the same ratio it is as much more powerful.
tull-grown black bear Is hardly a match
for one of them, and when one is
starved into madness a. unarmed man
stands a mighty poor show for his life
Exert. es l did, my best speed, the cat
gained on me easily. Then | tried dodg-
ing tactics, add with great success. AS /
gllded away down the stream the animal
stood glaring at me with amazement But
this was for Il instant only. Realizing that
its prey was fast getting beyond It's reach II
came after me like shot from a gun. At
every bound it took its sharp claws cut the
ice, and l could tell by this how much
greater was its speed than my own. Wh9n
l thought that in about one more bound the
animal would be upon me l gave a sharp
turn TO the left and the cat vent on, paw
Ing, snarllng, biting, and scratching, over
the smooth ice. l started back at a lower
rate Of speed, 80 as to be able to regain con.
troll OF my breathing. The cat was soon
again in close pursuit, but with apparently
renewed effort and snarling and splitting
much the same as an angry house cat would
do at a dog
Again lodged with ease and his cat
ship slid up stream, while | went down as
fast as | could. | could hardly help Ia gh-
ing atlthe discontinue of the baffled wild ost
as 1t would slide past me when | lodged
wholly unable to help itself but the dodg-.
Ing business was pretty hot work, andS
soon began to find myself getting winded
How long this odd chase was kept up do
not know, but it seemed to me a decade. |
fancy must have gone about two miles
down the stream, but TO gain this 1 must
have skated about ten. By this
tune l was ready to drop from ex-
haustion, and had done SO |
would have been an easy victim for
the hungry animal, whose unsuccessful at
tempts to oYeruake me seemed only<to
stimulate it to greater effort ! was not
quite sure that wild cats ate human flesh.
but l knew they killed birds and smaller
animals than themselves for food, and as
this one was as lank and bony as a starved
wolf felt that 1t would be poor policy to
encourage his advances. Chick! Whit
one OF my skates ran over q small twig, and
1 went 5praWllnR. The cat was close behind
me and went on over my PROSTATE form.
II was on my feet again in an instant.
out had last some valuable time. | beg an
to feel weak. The veins stood out on nv
forehead and felt as though they would
burst. l made another dodge successfully
and started down strea N again. The moon
was directly in front of me and about half
way In the heavens, and from it seemed to
stream silvery pah that came down from
the sky to the ice some distance in front of
me and then to my feet The perspiration
oozed into my eyes, and this silvery ribbon
OF light was all / saw. l heard confused
sound behind me, and knew that the pur-
suing animal was gaining fast upon me,
but didn't care. What would IL feel
IKE when 1t was tearing my fieshY
nashed thought through nv heated
brain. Then l heard low murmur like
running water. The silvery ribbon from
the moon danced in wavelets before INV
eyes, and gave a tremendous Jump. I
reached the other side in safety, but the cat
was less fortunate. There was a splash and
plunge, and the water was dashed over
the ice. l fell, and my trousers were
soaked. The cat went on down the STRAIN
but under the ice. l soon comprehended
the situation. An uprooted stump was in
the center of the stream aud such speed
was added to the current Nv itS strI king
this obstacle that 1t did not bee me frozen
There was an open space of about five feet
Jumped without knowing why, and landed
safely on the other side, but the animal
went under. thought it was a narrow es-
cape. got back to camp as soon as
could. AID the cat! supDOse aoD,a
WOodsnan Will find Its bOlV I'm the spripr,