The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-10

From the New York SUM-
II was riding over the plain west of
San BautiSta in the Pelos country last
Thursday trying to look up a strayed
horse" writes A G.. Gillespie, a Texas
ranchman, to his brother in this city.
There are always plenty of cattle on
the plain, especially in the winter when
the stock drifts south before the north
ers- They were all there today, but in
stead of being scattered over the prai-
RE as usual most of them were punched
together near the middle of the plain
and all the others in sight were running
to join them. The herd was a good two
miles away, but 1 had the curiosity TO
ride over to see what was happening. L
expected to see a fight between two
bulls, but when I got to where l could
look over the heads of the cattle 1 saw
that a jagular had come out on the
plain and knocked over a yearling heif-
er The cows and steers had gathered
and formed a half circle about him, and
they were believing and paving the
ground at 3 great rate, but they stayed
at a safe distance from the jaguar, who
was tearing the heifer's throat, now and
then lifting his head to snarl at the
cattle.
so far it was a game of bluff on both
sides. The arrival of a year old half
grade Texas steer bull changed the sit
uation. He passed to the front of the
herd and advanced alone toward the ia
guar. AT this the jaguar left off tear
ing at the heifer, and, leaping over her
body, faced the bull. He was a hand
some, fierce-IOoking fellow, with his
sleek skin of black and yellow, as he
crOuched on the ground with his white
teeth showing and the tip of his tail
curving in and out like a snake. The
bull came on, roaring, stopped to paw
the ground and shake his head at four
or five yards away, then lowered his
head as he charged upon the jaguar.
Just as the horns seemed about to
touch him the jaguar rose, curving.
he hdod nd
horns and landed square upon the bulls
shoulders. In an instant he had shift
ed position, and, clinging to the bulls
side and shoulders with his claws, was
biting savagely into the back of his
neck. The bull beloved and shook him
SELF but could not shake the jaguar off,
and at last ran, circling back to the
herd. Just before he got among the 9TH
er cattle the jaguar leaped to the
ground and crept back to the heifer,
where he stopped again, facing the herd.
THE young bull had got more than
enough of fighting, and he took up his
position among the non-combatantS in
the rear of the herd, but a new cham
pion appeared in the form of a polled
angus bull, a big one, as black as mid
night. He ran straight for the jaguar,
with perfect confidence; then, as he
lowered his hornless head to butt, the
jaguar, following the same tactics as
before, rose above it with an easy leap,
landed at the bulls shoulders, and in
a second more was biting at his neck
The polled angus thrashed around and
made a longer struggle than the two
year-old had. but the jaguar hung on
and the big bull at last ran back to
the herd, while the jaguar dropped off
and went back to the heifer as before
He scarcely had taken his position
behind the carcass when he was called
once more to defend it, and this time
saw that it meant serious business
for him. The newcomer was an old
Texas bull of the wild cattle variety,
with long horns pointing forward; he
had arrived late, but was full of fight
AS he came on the jaguar. who per-
haps was tired of fighting, did not at
tempt to spring upon him, but at the
followed him up, darting at him with
his horns and showing an agility
astonishing in so heavy an animal. For
a minute or so the jaguar lodged his
rushes. then turned and broke on the