St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-09-26

edge of the brushwood, scarcely z
feet beyond him, and behind these
could now dimly see the sinuous. slow
creeping form of an immense jaguar
who was evidently bent upon making
IN easily won meal off poor Pete, fast
bound between himself and me.
Unfortunately I was fully 30 feet
away from and on the wrong side of the
terrified beast ON whose saddle hung my
precious rifle. No use making : rush
for it. FL tigre (as the native Hondurian
calls the jaguar) could reach his expect.
ed prey in a single bound, for which he
was already croucEing. Hurriedly
thrusting a hand behind me to draw my
revolver, it came in contact with ar
empty holster. The pistol was gone
doubtless jerked out while l was shov,
ing myself. feet foremost, through
some vine-bound aperture, too narrow
to at once admit my shoulders, and. pre-.
occupied by other matters. had never
missed ii.
So there I was, armed only with
two-pound AK and hunting-knife. face
to face with full-grown male jagnar
by far the largest and most ferocions 81
all American felidae, Q beast compared
to which the so-called mountain lion
(puma) is a mere kitten.
There was no time for deliberation
knowing the generally cowardly ma
ture of the brute, uttered series o!
yells, any one of which would certainly
have demoralized human enemy who
had an ear for music, and started to-
ward the mule. hoping to save him from
the attack. But the great cat, with all
its bloody instincts aroused. dill moi
scare worth a cent. Before had covered
one-half of the 80 yards, it sprang
harshly screaming into the air, and,
with outstretched talons and cleaning
fangs, would have descended fairly
upon old Pete's back, had not he, with
almost human intelligence. or perhaps
paralyzed by terror, sunk fiat to the
ground; whereupon the monster
passed clear over his body and lighted
close to me, yet not quite within strik-
ing distance.
For one second the baffled brute re-
mained motionless. as if undecided how
to act. Then, with snarling cry o!
rage, it once more crouched. glaring
gloatingly at me, as if, this time, sure
of victim.
With one foot advanced. and the AK
held ready for instant use, watchfully
awaited the onset, knowing only too
we'll that if I missed my first blow
should never have chance for another
The suspense was short. however.
Again the jaguar gathered his hind
legs well under him, preparing for the
fatal spring-a spring that was never
made. for at that moment the aerial
food-gates were opened; the rain came
down as if from an overturned lake;
vivid lightning played around the steel
in my hands. and mighty crash of
thunder shook the earth itself.
The "tiger" seemed appalled,. Just
rs the cloudburst found him, with high
raised. arching back and retracted lips.
parted in a fiendish grin. so he re-
mained while one might, perhaps. count
three. Then he Strengthened COVER
ly out and writhed partly around, as if
to fly.
Too late! Though well-nigh over
whelmed by the almost solid sheet OF
falling water and half blinded by the
incessant lightning flashes. had stag
gered forward until the ravenous beast
was within reach of my long-handlcd
AK. and. while he yet wavered in irres-
clute bcwil1erment, brought the
keen blade down with all my strength
on his tawny neck, just back of the
skull. severing the spinal cord and lay
ing him, helpless and dying, at my feet.
Twas a lucky stroke indeed. Even a
rife-bullet through his brain could not
have paralyzed the monster cat more
quickly. Wise old Pete realized the
changed condition of affairs at once.
With half bray. half Whitney of tri-
umph he rose from the ground and
gazed at his now dead enemy with as
much pride beaming in his honest eyes
as if he himself mad won the victory.
But all the soluble part of my dinner
was spoiled, and l had to satisfy my
hunger on jerked beef washed down
with plain water: for even ii the ounce
of tea had not foated off the top of
the overfowed pannier, it would now
have been impossible to kindle a fire.
The tempest of rain soon passed
away. and / then most carefully
skinned the jaguar; long and tedious
job. as I took great pains to preserve
the beautiful pelt with head, claws and
tail complete.
With the single exception of one |
afterwartl killed in Brazil. this was
the largest jaguar have ever seen, its
gorgeously ringed and spotted coat
measuring from end of snout to tail
tip within a fraction of IL feet.
Without further adventure l reached
camp shortly before dark. and a week
afterwartl. while cutting paths to the
big trees, my men found the lost re-
volver. which. however. was nearly
ruined b- ruSt-N " Ledger