Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-08-30
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA,

When Zenas Pillsbury, of South
Presque Isle, Me-, left his home on
Friday for trip through the woods
over Potawash Mountain to the valley
where he has hunting lodge, his wife
said:
"zenas, you'd better take the big
rifle along"
"What for?" asked Zenas, who has
been in the woods long enough to wish
to be rid of firearms when they haven't
any pressing use. TITS close time on
moose and deer"
81 know" said the wife, "but on
last Wednesday Henry Brooks got a
bear over on the mountain, and they're
ugly this time of year"
Pillsbury laughed at the woman's
fears and tramped away with small
coil of rope over his shoulder and q
knife in his belt.
By noon Pillsbury was well over the
range, and was passing down the far
ther side into the valley, when his ears
caught the sound of something that re-
sembled the purring of cat. He
turned quickly to the right to look
straight into the face of an ''Indian
devil" which is the woods name for q
member Of the cat tribe, panther-like,
that sometimes drifts south from the
great Canadian forests and kills sheep
and runs away with children in North
Maine towns.
When Zenas was young man his
father had taken him West to grow up
into stout lad, who could ride buck
ing broncho. snuff candle with gun
or lasso steer at gallop. Conse-
quently in this critical moment Pills
bury's nerve did not leave him. Look
ing the big cat in the face, swiftly he
took down the coil of rope from his
shoulder and, quicker than it can be
told, made slip-knot and a moose in
one end of it. Then he began gem
tie dance before the eyes of the beast,
who gazed at him in a sort of fascina-
ton. Pillsburys arm swung round
and round, faster and faster until the
long moose stood out stiffly and sung
like lash as it flew through the air.
Then Pillsbury cast it. The moose
settled over the small head of the ami
NAL and was drawn fast so suddenly
that escape was out of the question.
The cat leaped backward with a snarl
of anger, and bit at the choking line in
vain.
Near the spot was a good sized beech
tree, with plenty of space about its
foot. Toward that PilIsbury looked,
and, when the cat was snarling at the
rope, he leaped for the tree, the cat
following. Pillsbury ran around the
tree trunk with his end of the rope,
and was close in the rear of the cat
when the latter turned quickly and
made for the man. This was just what
Zenas wanted.
He pulled in his end of the rope, and
the cat was hung fast. The more the
cat pulled and dragged to get at Zenas,
the harder Zenas held the rope. For
more than an hour man and cat swung
about the tree trunk.
At first this was fun. But when the
operation had continued for an hour
the woodsman became weary. To end
it, only fight or strategy remained.
Fighting a wildcat with a small knife
ISL pieaSuub DuSlHeSS, uHu L lllSDufy
chose the other method. Taking grip
on the rope, which held the cat around
thertree, he picked up the slack and
made another moose. This he cast
deftly over the head of the animal and
drew it fast, still keeping his hold
upon the main part of the rope. Then
he dropped the rope and ran swiftly
until out of range of the animals claws.
The cat was secured. Pillsbury left
him there and went on to camp.
When he came back in the afternoon
the cat was gone, and so was the rope.
New York Press.