Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-14
BULLS FIGHT A JAGCAR.
Wild Texan Had the
Hest of 1t,

From the New York Sun.
81 was riding over the plain west of San
Rautista in the Pelos country last Thurs
day. trying to look up a strayed horse,
writes A. G. Gillespie. a Texas ranchman,
to his brother in this city. There are al
ways plenty Of cattle on the plain, espe-
cially in the winter when the stock drifts
south before the northers. They We're all
there today, but instead of being scattered
over the prairie as usual most of them
were punched together near the mid
die of the plain and all the Others in sight
We're running to join them. The herd was
good two miles away, but had the curl
osty to ride over to see what was happen
ing. l expected to see fight between two
bulls, but when l got to where l could
look over the heads Of the cattle saw that
a jaguar had come out on the plain and
knocked over a yearling heifer The cows
and steers had gathered and formed a half
circle about him, and they were believing
and paving the ground at a 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 game Of bluff on both
sides. The arrival of a two-year-od half
grade Texas bull changed the situation.
rae passed 10 the front of the herd and adj
vanced alone toward the jaguar. At this
the jaguar left off tearing at the heifer,
and, leaping over her body, faced the bull.
He was a handsome. fierce-looking fellow,
with his sleek skin of black and yellow, as
he crouched to the ground with his white
teeth showing and the tip of his tail curv-
ing in and out like q 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 he charged upon
the jaguar. Just as the horns seemed
! about to touch him the jaguar rose, curry
tr,Gr hn ND T.,
horns and landed square upon the bulls
shoulders. In an instant he had shifted
position, and, clinging to the bulls side and
shoulders with his claws, was biting saw
agely into the back of his neck. The bull
| beloved and shook himself but could not
shake the jaguar off, and at last ran cir
| cling back to the herd. Just before he got
among the other 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 po-
| stion among the non-combatants in the
| rear of the herd, but a new champion APP
peared in the form of polled angus bull
| a. big one, as black midnight. He ran
straight for the jaguar, with perfect con-
/ tldence; then, as he lowered his hornieSS
| head to butt, the jaguar following the same
| tactics before, rose above it with an
| easy leap, landed at the bulls shoulders
| and in 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 ba ok
| to the heifer as before.
He scarcely had taken his position be-
\ hind the carcass when he was called once
| more to defend it, and this time 1 saw that
\ it meant serious business for him. The
newcomer was an old Texas bull of the
| wild cattle variety, with long horns point
| Ing forward; he had arrived late, but was
| full of fight. AS he came on the jaguar
uyh n rhoT trad Nf AOrht =;
| attempt to spring upon him, but at the
last moment jumped away. The bull fol-
| lowed him up. darting at him with his
| horns and showing an agility astonishing
| the jaguar lodged his rushes, then turned
and broke on the jump for the wooded
bank of Alamosa creek, mile away. The
| bull chased him a short distance, STONED
| to below and gaze after him. hen turned
| back to the herd and promptly tried to
start fight with the nolled. .angus and
with the young bull, but neither wanted
anything to do with him.
| Once safe away from the bull, the
| jaguar slowed his pace and trotted along
toward the timber, making good time with
got half way there when out from the
| creek bottom directly in front of him five
| cowboys rode up over the bank upon the
plain. At once they spread out and rode
| jaSuar made few bounds in the effort to
| get past them, then as they surrounded
| him stopped and stood on his defense
| There was not a firearm in the party and
| 1t was not easy for them to force their
! horses near enough to the jaguar to use
| their lassos. At last one of them, Next
| can named Juan Ribera, letting the loop
| of his lasso lie on the ground, caught the
| jasuar's forelegs in the moose. and setting
spurs to his horse, rolled the beast upon
| his back and dragged him. Other Iassos
quickly caught the jaguars neck and one
hind leg, and then with the three ropes
| pulled taut the animal lay helpless The
| question was debated Of trying to preserve
him alive, but was settled by one of the
| cowboys killing him with a knife. / meas
| ured the jaguar and he was just eight feet
long. When I rode away the cowboys were
| skinnng him.
| Bother Enough,