The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-02
BATTLE WITH a DEER.
The Usually Timid Animal Turned Fier,
lY When COrnered.

y
While in Dallas, Tex, a Globe Demo-
crat reporter met with an old friend
and comrade in the person of Capt. Gus
Durand, who good many years ago
was noted as one of the best hunters
riders and shots on the Southwestern
border.
He is brother of Capt J. A. Durand,
formerly a noted Indian fighter. al
though an educated, polished gentle
man, who served several terms in the
Texas legislature, and who married a
noted Spanish beauty in San Antonio
some time in the '40's. The writer
served under J. A. Durand in the Texas
Rangers in 1868 and 1864, and often met
and secuted with his brother, Gus Du-
rand, in those days, and witnessed
number of exhibitions of his wonderful
craftsmanship with the rife, as well as
of his intrepidity.
Gus Durand is still ranching in south
west Texas, and recently gave an &C
count of recent adventure he had had
up on Devils river near Beaver lake.
while on hunt with companion in
that section, where deer and antelope
are still quite plentiful
I'VE broke camp one morning early"
said Durand, land had proceeded per-
haps five miles when we separated,
agreeing on a place of meeting in the
evening. After riding an hour or more
by myself deserted a small herd of
deer some distance to the left of the
course ! was travelling, and as had the
wind of them, and they had not seen
me, l determined to try to stalk them,
the surroundings being favorable for
the attempt | carried the same old
rife | have carried for forty years,
which you may remember | had when
you and | were together during the
war, a long hunting knife, and no other
weapon.
After a long and weary crawl
through the grass and over the rocks
had the satisfaction to discover that l
had succeeded in approaching. the game
near enough for shot at long range.
However, don't remember ever miss
ing deer with that gun when could
get within $50 yards of it, and have
killed them further than that After
resting a few moments to steady my
nerves. / drew bead on a magnificent
buck the largest of the bunch, and
fired. My good luck had not deserted
me, and the buck fell.
Now, as you know, | have killed
many a deer in my day, but | never
acted the fool before as | did this time.
Instead of waiting to reload, l drew
my knife and ran up to cut the animals
throat. l had got with in ten steps of
the deer when it suddenly sprang to
its feet, and found myself face to face
with a wounded buck, with an empty
gun in my hand, and my only weapon
a hunting knife.
"You know no animal is more danger
Gus to tackle than an Infatuated deer,
but there was no chance to retreat
Throwing aside my rifle, l awaited his
onslaught 1t came at once. You know
since got that wound at Yellow Bayou,
in Louisiana, have had very little use
of my left arm; but stepping quickly to
one side | grabbed his horn with my
left hand and tried to thrust my knife
into his throat l cut him slightly,
which only made him madden He
reared and struck me with his fore feet,
inf1icting cuts from which the blood
flowed profusely.
81 knew my only chan ce was to hold
on to him, for if turned him loose he
would soon gore me to death. / got in
several stabs and was glad to see that
the animal was appar emily weakening
from loss OF blood, but so was l. We
struggled and fought on until | sank
exhausted to the earth. thought my
time had come for ] was played out l
heard the snorts and gasps of the ami
NAL, but to my surprise his attacks had
ceased when sank down. | partially
turned on my side, and to my great JOY
saw that the deer was also hors du
combat
II dragged myself to him and has
tened his departure by drawing my
knife across his throat then set about
trying to stop the flow of my own blood.
/ had many hurts on face, breast, arms
and body, and was very weak | was
nearly a mile from my horse, but man
aged to reach him and, dragging my
self into the saddle, set out for the place
of rendezvous Fortunately Hatch had
reached there ahead of me, and also,
fortunately, he had a large canteon of
brandy, as well as slight knowledge
of how to dress wounds, and ne patched
me up so that the next day I was able
to ride to where we had left our wagon
and camp oatit
Il laid up for a week before / was
able to return to the ranch. The wolves
got the deer that had caused all my
trouble, but l was served right for act
ing the fool when l knew SO much bet
ter"
Capt Durand showed many scars re-
ceived in the encounter, one of which
came near costing him the loss of an
eve. st Louis Globe Democrat
A PLAIN Question.
A certain learned judge, when at
tempting to be clear, is at times rather
perpleXing My good woman, he is
reported to have said to a witness, you